Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
âWhether you did it or not, youâre coming with us. You need to help us with the investigation,â said the police officer, who proceeded to take her to the elevator by her arms and then downstairs to the police car parked by the curb outside the mall.
The officer opened the door and pushed her into the back seat. Her phone in her hand started to ring, and she looked down at the screen. It was Lu Bancheng, with whom sheâd had no contact since Wu Hao had cheated on her, outside of one time theyâd run into each other in Beijing. She was surprised, but she accepted the call.
âNuannuan?â
âYes?â Xu Wennuan had not uttered a word since she had seen the pool of blood between Jiang Qianqianâs legs. After she answered Lu Bancheng, she noticed her voice was shaking badly. âBro Bancheng, whatâs up?â
Lu Bancheng noticed that she sounded different than usual. âWhatâs wrong? Are you crying? What happened?â
If Lu Bancheng hadnât asked her how she was doing, she might have been okay, but because he had she couldnât keep herself from crying. âI, I...â
She stuttered âIâ several times, but she never got beyond that. Lu Bancheng could only hear her sobbing, so he asked a simple question. âWhere are you?â
Xu Wennuan looked out the window, shocked to discover sheâd already arrived at the police station. Parked right outside its entrance, she carefully read out loud the address on the building in a low voice.
He immediately responded that he would be there soon, before he ended the call.
...
The police officer took Xu Wennuan out of the car and into an interrogation room by herself inside the station. She was there for 10 minutes before Lu Bancheng arrived. He checked in on her to make sure she was okay and then left. Two hours later, he walked back in, helped her out of her chair, and said in a low voice, âEverything is fine. We can leave now.â
Xu Wennuan didnât know what was going on, to the point she didnât even ask Lu Bancheng how he was able to get her out of the station. She only remembered him driving her home and that it was already evening by the time they got there. They went inside, where he ordered delivery food and encouraged her to eat it when it arrived.
Wu Hao had learned about what had happened at eight oâclock. He had called Xu Wennuan, but she hadnât bothered to answer. He then had gone to the police station, where he learned that Lu Bancheng had already gotten Xu Wennuan out. He then had called Lu Bancheng, who answered.
Lu Bancheng had not left Xu Wennuanâs apartment yet, so Xu Wennuan could hear Lu Bancheng talking with Wu Hao on the phone.
âHaozi... Nuannuan? She...â Lu Bancheng glanced at Xu Wennuan sitting on the wicker chair before he continued. âNot very well... Okay, I got it. Iâll come and check on her for the next few days. Iâve watched the surveillance video. Nuannuan did shake her arm away from Jiang Qianqian, but I donât think it was strong enough to knock her down. This afternoon, at the police station, I heard Jiang Qianqian would not be able to keep the baby. The doctors saved Jiang Qianqian, but they couldnât save the baby. Iâm not sure how Jiang Qianqian is doing now.â
The room became quiet again after Lu Bancheng ended the call.
Xu Wennuan hugged her knees on the wicker chair on the balcony and stared into the night. She was thinking about something for a while before she turned her head sideways and absentmindedly asked Lu Bancheng, âDid she lose her baby?ân/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om