Chapter 117

"Director Zhang was truly a selfless and devoted person," Zhang said with tears in his eyes after reading the diary. "To make up for the guilt she felt towards her son, she treated all the other autistic children as if they were her own. It's so admirable."

Chen Xue nodded in agreement: "Indeed. And she only used nitrous oxide to ease her own pain a little. Chen Xinran is just awful, spreading rumors everywhere that she embezzled funds. That woman is too much."

Fang Rui and his team discovered that Chen Xinran's boyfriend, Zhang Damin, had previously been in rehab for drug addiction. He had also served time in prison for fraud, having been caught by police selling alum disguised as drugs to addicts. Due to the large amount of money involved in the fraud, he was eventually sentenced.

Fang Rui and Zhang went to Zhang Damin's mahjong parlor to find him. As soon as they showed their badges, he took off running, but Zhang quickly tackled him to the ground.

Zhang Damin tried to defend himself: "Officers, this is just a legitimate mahjong parlor."

"If it's legitimate, why did you run?"

"Well, I've developed a conditioned response from being arrested before. I'd run with my tail between my legs even if I just heard a police siren on the street." Zhang Damin said glibly, rubbing his bald head.

"You know Chen Xinran, don't you?"

"Yeah. That old woman won't leave me alone. If she didn't keep giving me money, I wouldn't give her the time of day."

"We've arrested her. During questioning, she revealed some things about you," Fang Rui said.

"That old woman confessed? Is she trying to pin this on me?" Zhang Damin said angrily. "How dare she try to blame me for her own misdeeds!"

"Yes, she confessed everything." seaʀᴄh thё ηovёlFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"Well, you still can't arrest me," Zhang Damin said smugly. "I didn't ask her for money this time, so it doesn't count as a sale. You can't charge me with fraud!"

"So, you admit to providing nitrous oxide to Chen Xinran?"

"Officers, you already know everything, so why are you still asking?"

"..."

Fang Rui handcuffed Zhang Damin to the doorknob. He and Zhang searched the mahjong parlor but found no illegal items. They did, however, find several phones and motorcycle batteries.

Seeing the pile of stolen goods, Zhang Damin's face reddened slightly. He tried to explain: "Those... those were left here by people who lost at mahjong."

"Lost? So you're running an illegal gambling den here?"

"No, no, they borrowed money from me and couldn't pay it back, so they left these things as collateral."

"Oh, so who exactly left these items? Give us a list of names."

Zhang Damin's face fell. "Officers, you already know everything, so why are you making me jump through hoops?"

"We want to see how you'll try to weasel out of this. It's the same old excuses every time. I'm tired of hearing it," Zhang sighed, digging in his ear.

"..."

After bringing Zhang Damin back to the station, he confessed everything: "Six months ago, Chen Xinran came to me asking for drugs. I couldn't get the real stuff. If I could, I wouldn't have sold fake drugs before. At first, I thought about giving her some fake stuff to scam her for money. But an online friend told me he could get something legal, what you call nitrous oxide. So I had him get me some, and I gave it to Chen Xinran."

Fang Rui asked, "Are you sure it was six months ago?"

"Definitely. I had just been released from detention then."

"Did she say what it was for?"

"They often make cakes at their care home. She said it was for whipping cream."

"You just said she asked you for drugs, now you're talking about whipped cream?" Fang Rui interrupted his nonsense. "We've come this far, so stop wasting my time with your slick talk."

Zhang Damin shrank back, frightened. "She wanted to frame the director of their care home. She used that stuff to ruin the director's reputation so she could take over as director. She promised me a lot of money if it worked out. But then she went back on her word and didn't give me a penny. Officer, since she didn't pay me, it doesn't count as an illegal transaction, right..."

Fang Rui questioned Chen Xinran again.

"Your boyfriend Zhang Damin has already confessed everything," Fang Rui said. "You bought nitrous oxide from him to frame Director Zhang, didn't you?"

"Zhang Damin is not my boyfriend. He's the one spreading rumors to ruin my reputation. No, I never did anything like that! He tried to scam me and now he's slandering me."

"He's in the next room. Do we need to bring him in for a face-to-face confrontation?"

"I... What he sold me wasn't nitrous oxide at all, just some empty bottles. He's a fraudster! He's framing me!"

"Fake? Then why was Director Zhang inhaling nitrous oxide before she died?"

"It wasn't me. I never gave her that stuff. How could she have it?"

"Director Zhang didn't embezzle funds either, did she? You spread rumors to destroy her reputation, right?"

"No! She really did embezzle money. She received a whole box of cash, at least several hundred thousand yuan, but it never went into the care home's bank account. I saw it with my own eyes, it couldn't have been fake!"

Fang Rui noticed a hole in her story: "Are you saying someone donated a whole box of cash to your care home? Does that seem logical to you? Donations are tax-deductible, who would donate in cash? Or are you suggesting someone bribed your director with a box of cash?"

Zhang chimed in: "Director Zhang is dead. Why are you still spreading rumors about her embezzling? Are you taking advantage of the fact that the dead can't speak?"

"I'm not lying this time!" Chen Xinran slammed her hand on the table in agitation. "Bring me my phone. I have evidence!"

Zhang quickly brought Chen Xinran's phone.

Chen Xinran snatched the phone and found a video file in a hidden folder. She played it and held it up for Fang Rui and the others to see.

"Look, isn't she accepting money?"

The video was shot from a low angle, as if hidden. In the video, there was a large box of 100 yuan bills in front of Director Zhang. She casually checked if the money was real, then closed the box.

"Director Zhang, now that you've taken my money, you must arrange everything as we discussed," said a haughty voice.

Fang Rui and Zhang both felt the voice was familiar.

"I understand," Director Zhang said quietly. "I don't have any other choice, do I?"

"Pleasure doing business with you."

The camera shook chaotically for a moment before finally settling on a cold face.

"Isn't that Lin Qianjie's stepmother, Jiang Yun?" Zhang exclaimed. He had a strong impression of Jiang Yun because Chen Xue had said she was Mu Mian's mother, but she had cruelly abandoned such an adorable child.

Fang Rui found it strange. Jiang Yun was a typical businesswoman who put profit above all else. She wouldn't give money away for no reason.

Chen Xinran said, "Officers, I'm not lying to you, am I? She really did embezzle funds."

"When did this happen?"

"Six months ago. It was because of this that I saw through Zhang Xuemei's hypocrisy. She brainwashes us every day with her sanctimonious face, while behind our backs she's using these children to line her own pockets. If she can do it, why can't I?"

Chen Xinran had been blinded by jealousy. Originally, she had been happy working at the care home. Even though the salary was low, she was willing to care for these disadvantaged children. She had even genuinely admired Director Zhang. But when she discovered Zhang Xuemei's true nature, she felt foolish for all her past efforts.

The police contacted Jiang Yun again, but her secretary said she was very busy and that any questions could be directed to her. However, no matter what the police asked, the secretary politely replied that she was unaware of those matters.

Fang Rui felt that Director Zhang's death was likely connected to that money.