Desperate Pretense At Being Poor

Chapter 37 – Pent-up Emotions

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It was like a cold steel needle was being pierced into her back and it gave Wen Ruan a feeling of being wrapped up in icy pain.

She bit her lip until it turned pale.  A strong sourish feeling surged up her nose until it reached her eyes and she used all her strength to endure so that not a single teardrop would fall.

However, no matter how much she endured, there was still a layer of mist in front of her eyes.  Wen Ruan took a deep breath then turned around and looked down from the sky.

Just at this moment, Fu Zhihuan suddenly grabbed hold of Wen Ruan’s hand and pulled her back to his side.  He lifted his hand to clasp her nape and pressed her lightly on his shoulder.

“Don’t look.”

Even if one did not look, one could still imagine how tragic the scene was.

It should be a scorching sight…….and shocking red…….

When Fu Zhihuan initially told Wen Ruan to wait for him in the café outside, it was because he had expected there was a fifty percent probability that the police could not stop Lu Kechen’s plan.

However, the case that happened three years ago had always remained a knot in Wen Ruan’s heart and that was the reason why she wanted to reach out to Lu Kechen.

Therefore, Fu Zhihuan did not want Wen Ruan to witness the possible ending of the case.

And it seemed she had also guessed the reason.

But the sour feeling at the tip of her nose could no longer be held back.  She blinked and two teardrops rolled down from the corners of her eyes.  At this moment, all her emotions surged forth as soon as the floodgate was opened.

She bit her lower lip desperately but in the end, she still could not hold back any longer and sobbed softly.

She raised her hand subconsciously to grab Fu Zhihuan’s shirt tightly and creases formed on his shirt one after another.  Her husky voice was heavy with endurance, pain, and regret.

“If only I had been a little more persistent  last night.”

“Just now, I could have pulled him back a little earlier……..and if I had been a little more persistent last night everything would have turned out better ……”

The police were busy carrying out their duties.  Some of them went downstairs to seal off the scene while some began to report back to their superiors and higher-ups.

Fu Zhihuan’s hand that was holding Wen Ruan’s nape loosened slightly and slid down to her back.  His eyes darkened slightly and he said softly.

“It’s alright…….it’s not your fault.”

The sunshine broke through a gap in the clouds and the sunlight poured in sadly and seemed to offer the last mercy…….but it looked like a ladder that one could use to climb to heaven.

It seemed as though by following its path and pushing away all the layers of haze above one’s head, one would be able to see a world of blue skies, white clouds, and blooming spring flowers.

Everyone says that a good girl will surely go to heaven.

Before he closed his eyes, Lu Kechen probably had the same thought too.

Perhaps she could be seen hugging her knees as she sits in a dreamy scene of spring with the surroundings completely covered in white which makes her look even more beautiful.

She raises her face to look at the person approaching and then asks as she smiles with her eyes and brows curved into crescents.

“Is tomorrow going to be better?”

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“Mm…….it will be better…….”

***☆☆☆***

After Lu Kechen’s matter ended, Fu Zhihuan as the prosecutor in charge of the case was urgently summoned back to a meeting by the higher-ups to make preparations on how to respond to the reporters and the public.

Before he left, he told Wen Ruan.  “After you’re done with the statement at the police station, wait for me and I’ll come to take you back.”

When Wen Ruan finished giving the statement, it was nearly nine o’clock at night.

She sat on the bench and at this moment, her body seemed to have drained of all strength.  With her waist bent slightly, she weakly supported her forehead with her hand.

“You are Lu Kechen’s father, right?  Come over here with me.”

Finally, after sending his son’s body to the funeral parlor, Father Lu came to the police station to cooperate with the investigation as required according to the procedure.

Wen Ruan raised her head and met the eyes of Father Lu.

Father Lu’s eyes were visibly covered with red blood veins and compared to yesterday, the hair on his temples seemed to have turned even grayer.  Even passersby who did not know his identity could easily see his grief and pain and knew that he was on the verge of collapse.

He glanced over at Wen Ruan and his Adam’s apple rolled.  However, he did not speak and followed the police into the interrogation room.

Wen Ruan lowered her eyes.  She could hear the footsteps approaching from afar and then the sound of the door lock colliding……..

*Kacha*

The door closed.

But it was as if a pair of scissors had neatly severed the taut string in her mind.  Her throat constricted and she felt unbearable suffocation.  She clasped her hands together and her fingertips were pressed tightly to the back of her hands.

Qin Sushan had also asked her……..

~ Why do you want to help Lu Kechen so much?  That case happened three years ago and it had long passed.

Wen Ruan could not explain but she could remember very clearly when she and Lu Kechen parted ways after the trial.

That young and immature boy had called out her name.

Then he had given her a deep bow.

Some things just can’t be acted out.

At the initial stage, everyone in this world would look forward to the future and harbors full of hopes for the future.

Everyone desires to live one’s life well.

“What is it?”

“The hospital reported that the kid stabbed by Lu Kechen is now out of danger.”

“Ai, this matter is troublesome.  Haven’t the reporters at the door left yet?”

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“Not yet.  Would those people be willing to leave without digging for information?”

Out of danger…….

This should have been something to feel happy about.

She inhaled deeply then used her thumb to wipe away the tears and adjusted her breathing while trying her best to suppress her emotions.

At this moment, someone sat down beside her.

Although the person did not say a word, Wen Ruan knew who it was.

That familiar air and inexplicable sense of security gave others a feeling of calm.  He seems like a soul that could understand the sorrow and pain of others and makes others want to shake off all their pretense.

Fu Zhihuan did not speak and did not ask about Wen Ruan’s condition.  He just remained by her side quietly until fifteen minutes had passed.

“Is your work all completed?”

After her emotions were finally under control, she wiped the corners of her eyes then raised her head and asked with a smile.

“Why didn’t you call me?”

Fu Zhihuan only looked at her quietly and did not say anything more to comfort her.  He just stretched out his hand calmly and said.

“Come, let’s go home.”

Wen Ruan lowered her eyes and her gaze fell on his outstretched palm.  Suddenly, a sour feeling rose to the tip of her nose.

A long time later, she laughed then nodded and placed her hand on Fu Zhihuan’s palm.

“Okay.”

As expected, as soon as they left the police station, countless cameras were aimed at Wen Ruan’s face.

Lights kept flashing alternately and microphones were held up in front of her face.  All the people around became noisy and from time to time, there were clicking sounds from the cameras.

Fu Zhihuan showed a slight frown and reached out his hand to shield Wen Ruan from the microphones that were almost poking her face.

“It’s heard that you were at the scene of the crime.  Can you tell us about the situation in detail?”

“According to what we understand, you were Lu Kechen’s defense lawyer three years ago.  Can you tell us what you know about him?  Is he really the victim as rumored?  Then why wasn’t this matter brought up in court three years ago?  Is it because there was a mistake in your investigation?”

As Wen Ruan walked forward, the repressed irritation in her heart seemed to be ignited.

So noisy!

“Please tell us why did you still choose to be Lu Kechen’s representative three years later?  Can it be that you were aware of something earlier?  As for his actions, did you anticipate them in advance?  As a lawyer, why didn’t you stop Lu Kechen?”

Please!

Don’t ask anymore!

“Miss Wen Ruan, can you please answer the questions?”

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The voices beside her ears were noisy and the endless questions had entered Wen Ruan’s ears as though they had turned into the summer cicadas and shrill screams which made her temples feel a tearing pain.

The emotions that she had just placed under control were at this time pushed to the brink of collapse by the endless series of questions.

Right at this moment, a layer of darkness appeared before her eyes to shield her and it seemed something was laid over her body and covered her tightly.

Fu Zhihuan had taken off his coat and placed it gently on Wen Ruan’s body.  Then with a hand on her back, he swept her in front of him and covered her face firmly.

“Excuse me.”

He raised his eyes with his brows curved down and his long and narrow eyes were cold and piercing.  Just with the two words, all the people around them quietened down in unison.

Wen Ruan was startled.

Fu Zhihuan led her all the way forward.

The noise around her gradually became less and less.  The evening breeze brushed the bangs on her forehead and the ticklish feeling felt on her cheeks traveled to her heart.

It is only now that she realized he is such a gentle person.

After getting into the car, Wen Ruan spoke softly.

“Thank you.”

Fu Zhihuan did not reply and abruptly mentioned another matter.

“Mr.
Qin Biyang contacted the reporters.”

She was stunned.  Her dull eyes seemed to light up at this moment and she raised her head to look at him in astonishment.

“What?”

“He decided to expose to the public that Lu Kechen was humiliated three years ago because he wanted to protect Qin Wan from being humiliated.  Therefore, Lu Kechen didn’t make it known that Qin Wan committed suicide back then, and instead admitted to unintentional homicide.  Although it’s a bit too late, Qin Biyang told the reporters that he is willing to clear Lu Kechen’s name.”

“Besides that Qin Biyang was also planning to contact Father Lu and publicized his daughter’s diary that was written before her death.”

Qin Biyang admitted to the police that he met Xu Binrui not long ago and that Xu Binrui had used Qin Wan’s photos to extort a sum of money from him.

Although three years had passed, as a father and a husband, he still could not forget that painful past.

Qin Biyang had thought about taking revenge for his daughter.

But Lu Kechen came to him at that critical time.

“Mr.
Qin, now that you have a new family that loves you and worries of your own, it is not worth doing it.”

Qin Biyang turned his head to look at the smiling faces of his wife and daughter who were watching TV in the house and silently gave up the idea.

However, he knew Lu Kechen was someone unwilling to ‘let go of the past’ even though he was patiently persuading him at that time.

And Lu Kechen understood that it should not be done but eventually, he still decided to deal with it personally.  However, he did not want Qin Wan’s family to be hurt again before it happens.

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So when Qin Biyang saw the news, he could already guess everything.

“I regret it deeply.  If I had persuaded that child with a few more words when I guessed his intentions and didn’t hang on to my face and had told him I have forgiven him…….then perhaps, everything wouldn’t have turned out this way.”

Therefore, he wants justice for Lu Kechen.

After listening to Fu Zhihuan’s words, Wen Ruan’s pent-up feelings surged up again.  She pursed her lips and a moment later, she turned her head away and tried to make her voice sound calm.

“Mm……I understand.”

The car drove to the bottom of the apartment building.

Fu Zhihuan pulled out the car key and glanced at the person beside him.

“Aren’t you getting down from the car?”

Wen Ruan lifted her eyes and shook her head.  Although her voice sounded steady and calm, some slight trembling could still be detected.

“I’ll sit for a while.  Can you let me have the car key?  I’ll lock up later when I go back.”

“Okay.”

Fu Zhihuan looked at her but did not query further.  Then he placed the car key on the side and turned around to get down from the car.

The surrounding fell into silence.

The lights in the car dimmed and the darkness shrouded Wen Ruan as though it was devouring her.

*Pa*

A teardrop fell on the back of her hand.

After the sound of a sob, Wen Ruan finally did not hold back her emotions and cast aside her self-control and cried aloud.

There were a lot of complicated feelings within her and at this moment, she could finally vent without reservation.

It was a dark night with the moon hiding behind dark clouds.

Wen Ruan reached out her hand and pulled out a few pieces of tissue paper.  She exhaled, calmed down, and then cleared her throat before getting out of the car.

*Boom*

As soon as the car door was closed, Wen Ruan looked up and saw Fu Zhihuan leaning against the car door of the back seat.  A cigarette was pinched between his fingers and it was already burned halfway through.

When he saw Wen Ruan had come out, he lowered his head then put out the cigarette, and straightened up.

“You didn’t leave?”  Wen Ruan was stunned.

“Mm……”

Fu Zhihuan let out a laugh and said.  “How can I leave when you’re still here?”