Chapter 199: Threatening with Death

Chapter 199: Death Threats

"Where are the letters you exchanged? We need to take them."

Quan Ruifeng's tone left no room for argument.

In this situation, Xie Bingbing's parents, though wanting to help, were powerless. Any resistance would only escalate matters, so they quickly responded, "They're in the house. I'll get them for you! Just stay calm—our Bingbing is definitely innocent!"

"She has nothing to do with Liu Maoyuan, and his disappearance is certainly not her fault!"

Xie Bingbing's parents were absolutely convinced of their daughter's innocence. There was no need for any pretense, and they believed that even at the police station, their daughter's name would be cleared. So, rather than resist, they decided to cooperate. Since her parents had already agreed, Xie Bingbing had no choice but to comply.

Thus, everyone took Xie Bingbing and Sun Rui back to the police station. Initially, both remained stubborn, refusing to admit anything and insisting it was all a misunderstanding. They even suggested that Liu Maoyuan might have intentionally gone missing because he was upset that Xie Bingbing hadn’t immediately agreed to be with him, and that he was simply taking some time to clear his head and would likely return in a few days.

Xie Bingbing and Sun Rui were unaware that Liu Maoyuan was already dead—his body hadn't even been fully recovered, with ongoing efforts to locate the remaining parts.

Thinking that withholding some details wouldn't matter, they stubbornly claimed there was no conflict between them and that they had no idea what had happened—until Quan Ruifeng delivered the bombshell.

"Liu Maoyuan is dead. As the last people he had contact with before his disappearance and death, you are both major suspects with a clear motive. If you continue to conceal information, even if his death ultimately has nothing to do with you, you will still be charged with obstructing a police investigation—and that means jail time."

"I'm giving you one last chance. Don't make me bring out witnesses to confront you directly. That would change everything."

Quan Ruifeng fixed a cold, stern gaze on Sun Rui.

"What?! He's dead? That's impossible! It has nothing to do with me, truly! I just fought with him—I didn't mention it because I didn't want any trouble! Maybe he went missing because he was upset after our fight, trying to make Bingbing worry about him. But I swear, I didn't kidnap him, and I definitely didn't kill him! What would I gain from that?!"

Sun Rui's face twisted in panic, his earlier composure completely shattered as he confessed everything.

Xie Bingbing, too, was devastated by the news. It hit her like a thunderbolt, leaving her utterly distraught as she broke down into hysterical sobs.

"No... How could this happen? How did he die? Did he kill himself? Where is he now? I need to see him—I won't believe it until I do! You're lying to me!"

"We promised to get married! I struggled so hard to get back to the capital—he was waiting for me, I knew it! I wanted to marry him too, but my parents were against it. I was working on convincing them—why couldn't he just wait a little longer?!"

"Why?!"

Xie Bingbing couldn't accept the truth. She screamed and cried in the interrogation room, muttering to herself. No attempts to calm her, no words could soothe her. She was consumed by grief for over an hour before finally quieting down, as if all life had drained from her.

Now, at last, she could listen to Xia Xian.

Her breakdown wasn't feigned—it was genuine. It appeared Liu Maoyuan's murder might not involve her, and her feelings for him had indeed run deep. Their letters confirmed as much.

The most recent one was written when she had passed her college exams and was preparing to return. It was overflowing with joyful anticipation of their reunion, how she couldn't wait to see Liu Maoyuan, and how they would finally be together—never to part again.

The sentiments were too genuine to be fabricated. But she had been back for a while—why hadn't they married? Why had she even started avoiding him? Was it really just her parents’ opposition?

Last time, they had missed their chance because of family opposition. Why was history repeating itself? Their letters had been so resolute—what had gone wrong this time?

So Xia Xian asked point-blank:

"Why didn't you marry? Did you fall for someone else, or was it simply your parents' disapproval?"

"Does it matter now? What matters is that he's dead! I want to see him... I shouldn't have avoided him, shouldn't have rejected him and made him sad. If I hadn't, he wouldn't have run off—wouldn't have died!"

"But what could I do? My parents already blamed him. If he hadn't interfered back then, I might've married Sun Rui and never had to go to the countryside for all those years. Now that I've finally made it back to the city, once I graduate from technical school, I'll have a better career than him. Why should I marry some man with no future?"

"And it's not like I'm unattractive—the director at my dad's factory had his eye on me. My parents want me to marry him so I can live well and get my brother and sister-in-law jobs too."

"I didn't want to marry him! My heart only belonged to Maoyuan! But my parents threatened suicide if I refused. What could I do? I couldn't just watch them die! I had to stall, make everyone calm down..."

"But why did someone have to die?"

"Why?!"

Xie Bingbing repeated the question in agony, pulling at her hair as if she wanted to tear it out.

Now she regretted everything. If she had known this would happen, she should've married Liu Maoyuan as soon as she returned—once it was done, her parents wouldn't have had a choice!

Tears streamed down her face as she spoke. Xia Xian had found a new angle.

Her parents’ opposition, their pressure to marry someone else—this wasn't just about them. It involved her brother, sister-in-law, and that factory director.

Were her parents and siblings behind Liu Maoyuan’s murder to force her into marriage? Or had the director acted impulsively to claim her?

Xia Xian’s instincts told her the truth lay with one of them.

Recalling the man and woman she had passed yesterday—they matched the age of Xie Bingbing’s brother and sister-in-law.

"Between 6 and 9 a.m. yesterday, where were your brother and sister-in-law? Did they leave the house?"