186: Chapter 186 Qi Heng's Unseemly Eating Habits

Through the one-way glass, Director Qi Heng stared at Su Bainian in the interrogation room, his gaze glued to her as if it couldn't be peeled away.

She sat there with her hair in disarray, wet tear stains still lingering on her cheeks.

Her coat was wrapped tightly around her, but the fair skin of her neck was still exposed at the collar, dazzlingly white under the pale lights of the interrogation room.

Director Qi Heng picked up his teacup and took a sip. The water was lukewarm, not hot enough to scald, but his throat still couldn't help but bob.

Standing behind him, Director Li Zhongmin stared at the back of Director Qi Heng's head, the feeling of unease in his heart growing heavier.

He had worked with Director Qi Heng for nearly a year, and he knew what kind of man he was better than anyone.

A typical lecher who couldn't take his eyes off any beautiful woman he saw.

Back when he was in the criminal investigation detachment, there had been rumors that he used cases as an excuse to harass female suspects, but his old supervisor, Secretary Liu Qingfeng, had suppressed the matter.

After being transferred to Changyuan County as the director, he reined himself in a bit, but a leopard can't change its spots.

“Director Qi, it's better to let a female officer handle this case. Although Executive Vice Magistrate Liu Qiang has fallen, he is still the vice magistrate after all, and the case has not yet been finalized.”

“Su Bainian is his wife. If we go too far, it won't look good if word gets out.”

Director Qi Heng set down his teacup, turned to look at Director Li Zhongmin, and twitched the corner of his mouth.

“Li Zhongmin, what do you mean by that? I am conducting the interrogation personally to make a breakthrough in the case as quickly as possible.”

“Master Hui Ming's case is wide-ranging with many victims, and Su Bainian is a key witness.”

“If I don't do it myself, who do you expect to? You?”

Director Li Zhongmin was choked up by his words, his face darkening slightly, but he didn't blow up.

Having worked in the public security system for so many years, he had long learned to bow his head when he should in front of his superiors.

He knew Director Qi Heng's background well; he came from the Municipal Criminal Investigation Detachment, and his old supervisor was Secretary Liu Qingfeng.

Secretary Liu Qingfeng was now the secretary of the county Political and Legal Affairs Commission, wielding significant influence in the county.

Director Qi Heng's appointment as director was pushed through by Secretary Liu Qingfeng behind the scenes.

What about himself?

He owed his current position to Xu Weidong.

Director Qi Heng had disliked him for a long time, and it wasn't just a matter of a day or two.

He wouldn't dare move against Xu Weidong, but he had probably been harboring thoughts of getting rid of Director Li Zhongmin for a while.

“Director Qi, that's not what I meant.”

Director Li Zhongmin took a deep breath, softening his tone slightly.

“I'm just saying that Su Bainian is not in a good state right now and her emotions are unstable.”

“There's no problem with you interrogating her personally, but could we have a female officer present? It would also be easier to justify according to the rules.”

Director Qi Heng glanced at him, too lazy to waste any more words, and reached out to pull open the door to the interrogation room.

Standing outside, Director Li Zhongmin watched the closed door. After standing there for a few seconds, he turned and walked away.

He had done all he could; if he couldn't stop him, he couldn't stop him.

Inside the interrogation room, Director Qi Heng sat down across from Su Bainian, tossed the file folder onto the table, leaned back in his chair, and crossed his legs.

Director Qi Heng was in no hurry to speak, his gaze scanning back and forth across Su Bainian's face and body.

Su Bainian kept her head down, not daring to look at him, her fingers twisting the hem of her clothes.

She was afraid—not of the interrogation, but of the way this man looked at her, like a predator eyeing its prey.

“Su Bainian, do you know what's going on with Executive Vice Magistrate Liu Qiang right now?”

Su Bainian shook her head. Director Qi Heng sneered, pulled a sheet of paper from the file folder, waved it in front of her, and then pulled it back.

“He is suspected of long-term participation in feudal superstitious activities, violating the Party's political discipline. The Discipline Inspection Commission has already opened a case to investigate him.”

“Do you know what this means? It means he's finished.”

“He can't be the vice magistrate anymore, his Party membership can't be preserved, and he might even end up behind bars.”

Su Bainian's face turned pale. Her lips trembled as she tried to say something, but she couldn't make a sound, utterly terrified.

Director Qi Heng looked at her, leaning forward slightly. He lowered his voice, carrying an indescribable hint of ambiguity.

“Su Bainian, you are a victim, we all know that. But there are some things you wouldn't want others to find out, right?”

Su Bainian looked up at him, her eyes filled with sheer terror.

The corner of Director Qi Heng's mouth twitched upward; he knew he had her right where he wanted her.

“I also know about your son.”

Director Qi Heng's voice dropped even lower, to the point where it sounded like a secret known only to the two of them.

“He is not Executive Vice Magistrate Liu Qiang's biological son; he belongs to the monk, doesn't he?”

Su Bainian's body shuddered violently, as if she had been struck by lightning.

Tears welled up in her eyes and spilled over, splashing drop by drop onto the table in front of her.

This was the deepest secret of her life, something she would rather die than let anyone know.

She thought that as long as she didn't speak of it, and as long as the monk didn't speak of it, this secret would rot away in history.

But he knew. He knew everything.

Director Qi Heng watched her cry, neither comforting nor urging her, just staring at her.

He had seen too many women's tears and had long since grown numb to them.

Only when Su Bainian had cried her fill, her weeping turning into sobs and then into silence, did he speak: “Su Bainian, rest assured, I won't spread this matter around.”

“Although your son isn't your husband's biological child, in the eyes of others, he is the son of the Liu family.”

“If word of this gets out, your son won't be able to hold his head up for the rest of his life.”

Su Bainian looked up at him through tear-blurred eyes, her gaze filled with pleading.

Director Qi Heng leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs again, his tone as casual as if he were discussing the most ordinary matter.

“I'm a soft-hearted person, and I can't bear to see a woman cry.”

“How about this: I've booked a room at Luyuan Hotel this weekend. Come over, and we'll have a good talk.”

“Don't worry, we'll just talk about Master Hui Ming's matter and your son's matter. Some things are not convenient to discuss at the bureau.”

Su Bainian's hands clenched tightly, her fingernails digging into her palms.

She was not unfamiliar with this kind of thing. In the temple, those monks had dragged her down step by step in exactly this manner.

First it was heart-to-heart talks, then discussing scriptures, and finally, that drug-laced incense from which she could never wake up.

She thought she would never fall into the same pit again in this life, but fate was so ironic; she had just crawled out of the wolf's den, only to fall into the tiger's lair.

She lowered her head and remained silent.

Director Qi Heng pushed the cold glass of water in front of her, picked up the file folder, walked to the door, and said, “Luyuan Hotel, this weekend. Call me when you get there.”

Only Su Bainian was left in the interrogation room.

She suddenly felt disgusted—not by Director Qi Heng, but by herself.

She didn't know when she had started becoming like this. Was it the first time the monk succeeded in the temple? Or was it even earlier?

When she married Executive Vice Magistrate Liu Qiang, the man spoke of nothing but benevolence and morality, yet he couldn't even last five minutes in bed.

Outside, he was a respected leader; at home, he was like a Buddha statue enshrined in a niche—visible and tangible, but completely useless.

She had found the feeling of being a woman in the temple. Although that feeling was a hallucination induced by drugs, a hallucination was still a feeling.