Plunder
Chapter 91 - 91 91 Angry with Me

Chapter 91: Chapter 91: Angry with Me? Chapter 91: Chapter 91: Angry with Me? Qiao En only felt a weight on her wrist, a foreboding sensation spreading in her heart.

Zhou Jin’an emerged from the hospital room, bringing with him a chill. He furrowed his brow and set his face stern, like a lion barely containing its rage.

The policeman approached and said, “The surveillance footage does show that Ms. Qiao En entered your mother’s room, but whether she attempted to harm your mother, we’ll need to return to the station for further investigation.”

Zhou Jin’an said nothing. He looked up, his gaze landing on Qiao En with lips that were thinly pressed in coolness.

“Do you have anything you need to explain?”

Mrs. Zhou had nearly lost her life, and she being the prime suspect, Zhou Jin’an was giving her a chance, Qiao En should explain.

Her expression somber, she faced the crisis unflinchingly, yet she chuckled, “Even if I explained, would Director Zhou believe me?”

Aunt Liu, like a clown picking fights, kept ranting non-stop, “Young master, don’t believe her. She almost caused the madam to die a worse death than living, and now she has come to take the madam’s life. She’s so malicious; she deserves to pay with her life!”

“Aunt Liu, the police will find out the truth. Please go back into the madam’s room.”

Cheng Lu walked towards Aunt Liu, helping her towards Mrs. Zhou’s hospital room.

In the hallway, only two policemen, Qiao En, and Zhou Jin’an remained.

He approached her, his emotions barely contained, and said, “Go back with them to the station first. I will get to the bottom of this.”

“Thanks, Director Zhou.”

Qiao En looked deeply at Zhou Jin’an.

She didn’t say another word and left the hospital with the policemen.

At the station, someone soon came to take Qiao En’s statement.

“That person wasn’t me.”

Indeed, the surveillance video captured Qiao En entering and exiting Mrs. Zhou’s room, but she denied causing any harm to Mrs. Zhou.

“If it wasn’t you, then who could it be?”

“Someone who looks a lot like me.”

Qiao En told the truth, but they took her words as a joke.

“Qiao En, I advise you to confess truthfully.”

Qiao En couldn’t confess; she could only remain silent.

“Ms. Qiao En, where were you between 3:20 and 4:15 this afternoon?”

“At the hospital.”

“What were you doing at the hospital?”

“Getting medicine.”

…

The questioning lasted two hours, and the information Qiao En provided was of no use.

In the eyes of the police, she was being uncooperative.

That evening, Lawyer Zhu arrived.

He put up a guarantee for her, and Qiao En could be released on bail awaiting trial, but according to regulations, she could not leave Rong City before this attempted murder case was resolved.

After lawyer Zhu completed the procedures, Qiao En left with him.

“Lawyer Zhu, thank you.”

Qiao En politely expressed her gratitude. Lawyer Zhu awkwardly smiled, his briefcase in hand, “Secretary Qiao, the person you should be thanking is Director Zhou.”

Thank him?

Thank him for sending her to the station?

A derisive chuckle emerged involuntarily from Qiao En’s heart.

Following his gaze, Qiao En looked across to see a low-profile black Maybach parked opposite the police station.

Lawyer Zhu made a “please” gesture and walked towards the Maybach; Qiao En followed suit.

As they neared the car, one of the Maybach’s doors swung open.

Cheng Lu got out of the car and said to Lawyer Zhu, “Lawyer Zhu, thank you for your efforts. Please go ahead. Director Zhou wishes to speak to Secretary Qiao alone.”

Lawyer Zhu nodded, bowed respectfully, and left.

“Come in.”

Zhou Jin’an’s voice came from inside the car, but Qiao En stood motionless.

Cheng Lu opened the door wider, “Secretary Qiao, please get in. Director Zhou has been waiting here for you for an hour.”

Qiao En hesitated, but she ultimately chose to get in the car.

Cheng Lu closed the door and rolled down the partition, turning the back seat into a sealed private space.

The Maybach swiftly merged into the night, and Qiao En felt the atmosphere in the car was so oppressive that she struggled to breathe, so she opened the window.

The night wind howled in, blowing her bangs into disarray.

“Are you angry at me?”

Zhou Jin’an reached out to hold Qiao En’s small hand, but she pulled away.

Since leaving the police station, she had been cold-faced and hadn’t glanced at him even once.

“No.”

Qiao En said, contradicting her true feelings.

“I know it wasn’t you.”

“Someone tampered with the surveillance footage, the images are doctored, you didn’t enter my mother’s hospital room, I’ve already arranged for Cheng Lu to investigate what really happened.”

Zhou Jin’an’s deep voice floated through the air.

Qiao En cut him off, though.

“Mr. Zhou, there’s nothing wrong with the surveillance footage, indeed someone did enter Mrs. Zhou’s hospital room, it’s just that, it wasn’t me.”

Qiao En was not one to beat around the bush, she moved her gaze from the window back to Zhou Jin’an.

The light flickered on and off, casting patchy shadows across Zhou Jin’an’s face.

“I’m sorry, I don’t mistrust you, I’m just worried someone might harm you, and so that’s why…”

This excuse was exactly the same as the first time she was taken to the police station.

The same words, when reiterated too often, lose their impact.

Qiao En frowned and asked, “Doesn’t Mr. Zhou want to know who that person was? Or do you already know?”

She didn’t believe that Su Nian was dead.

She believed even less that if that woman had returned to Rong City, Zhou Jin’an would be unaware.

He knew yet pretended to be oblivious—was it to cover something up, or to protect something?

Zhou Jin’an leaned back in his seat, his gaze fixed forward, making it impossible for Qiao En to discern his emotions, but she could tell that he was angry.

“Does Mr. Zhou have nothing he wants to say to me?”

The conversation had come full circle; only now the roles were reversed.

Qiao En stared intensely at him, waiting for Zhou Jin’an to initiate the conversation and tell his story with Su Nian.

“No.”

After a moment of thought, Zhou Jin’an uttered just those two words.

Disappointment pierced Qiao En’s heart like an unmerciful sword.

She gritted her teeth and reached out to slap the partition, “Assistant Cheng, would you mind pulling over?”

Cheng Lu raised the partition and glanced at Zhou Jin’an through the rearview mirror, he neither agreed nor objected.

They had just reached a traffic light, and Qiao En frantically tugged at the car door.

“Let her out.”

At Zhou Jin’an instruction, Cheng Lu unlocked the door, Qiao En pulled it open and darted out.

“Bang!”

The car door was forcefully shut again.

Cheng Lu watched Qiao En’s retreating figure and cautiously reminded, “Director Zhou, Secretary Qiao seems to be upset, shall we follow her?”

Full of frustration, Qiao En walked quickly.

Zhou Jin’an’s icy gaze peered out the car window as he said in a muffled voice, “No need.”

When the light turned green, Cheng Lu pressed the accelerator, and the Maybach immediately headed away.

Night had fallen, and the liveliness of the city was at its peak.

Near the neighborhood where Qiao En lived, there was a street famous for its food, and now it was crowded with patrons from all over, bustling with activity.

She was very hungry but had no appetite whatsoever.

Too many upsetting things had happened that day, her heart felt heavy, and she quickened her pace.

However, just as Qiao En was about to leave the food street, she unexpectedly caught sight of a familiar figure.