Chapter 212: Each Swears by Their Own Truth

Gu Changzheng listened silently to his account, and vaguely sensed what the disgusting thing he mentioned might be.

Zhang Qizhi clenched his teeth, his face flushed, and said reluctantly: “Until one time, my father went out to attend an academic exchange conference, leaving only me and her at home—on that day, she actually, actually had the audacity to seduce me, to have sex with me!”

“What?!” Luo Fei, who had been silent until now, couldn’t help blurting out. This was utterly shocking!

Zhang Qizhi glanced at him and said: “I never knew what her behavior was like in that damned cult, so at the time, my reaction was the same as this officer’s. Later, I pieced together fragments from my father’s occasional complaints, and realized there truly are people in this world with no moral limits at all! But for my father’s dignity, I could only bury this secret deep inside me!”

Gu Changzheng looked at him and asked: “You said you called her to demand the property your father gave her over the years—so where did you go after making that call?”

“Hmph. I was at Tianyang Hotel that night,” Zhang Qizhi replied.

“Who were you with? What were you doing there?” Gu Changzheng pressed.

Zhang Qizhi glanced at him; Gu Changzheng felt a hint of mockery in that gaze, and he said slowly: “A hospital partner. Should I give you their phone number and name too?”

Gu Changzheng ignored his sarcasm and said directly: “Then thank you. Since you were also at the hotel, you must have seen Lou Zhen fall. Why didn’t you leave?”

“Boss Tian has a good relationship with us, and besides, we’re always hanging around the hospital—what haven’t we seen? We won’t lose our appetite or our drink over one person jumping to their death!” Zhang Qizhi said with a faint smile.

Gu Changzheng remained expressionless. He raised his right hand. Luo Fei, sitting to his right, glanced at him. Gu Changzheng said: “Photo.”

Luo Fei quickly pulled Huang Li’s photo from his bag and handed it to Gu Changzheng, who placed it before Zhang Qizhi: “This girl—you’re not unfamiliar with her, are you?”

Zhang Qizhi’s expression changed slightly. He hesitated a moment, then said: “I know her. She’s a supervisor at Boss Tian’s place.”

“What’s your relationship with her?” Gu Changzheng asked coldly.

“What do you mean? What relationship could I possibly have with her?” Zhang Qizhi shouted.

“Hand over your phone!” Gu Changzheng ordered.

Zhang Qizhi froze, then turned pale. As he hesitated, Luo Fei stood up and stepped in front of him. Zhang Qizhi looked at the two men before him and struggled: “My phone is private—I have the right to refuse you access!”

Luo Fei let out a cold laugh and pulled a subpoena from his bag, placing it before Zhang Qizhi: “Zhang Qizhi, the Lou Zhen fall case is suspected to be murder. We need your cooperation. Hand over your phone.”

Zhang Qizhi stared at the bright red seal on the subpoena: “Jiangdong Branch, Zizhen Municipal Public Security Bureau.” He collapsed onto the sofa like a deflated balloon. Slowly, he pulled out his phone and handed it to Luo Fei, covering his face with both hands. Then he sat up and looked at Gu Changzheng: “Officer Gu, I’ll tell you everything. I just ask you to keep it secret!”

Luo Fei sneered: “Hmph. That’s not up to us.”

Zhang Qizhi looked up at him, astonished: “What? Extramarital affairs aren’t illegal, are they?”

Luo Fei, irritated that Zhang Qizhi was still dodging the real issue, was about to explode—but Gu Changzheng waved him off: “Mr. Zhang, we want you to be honest about what happened yesterday. If you’re innocent, we have no interest in your personal conduct. But if you’re hiding anything, no one can save you. Think carefully.”

Zhang Qizhi wiped sweat from his forehead. September wasn’t hot, but he felt like he was in a furnace. The two officers’ gazes burned like four flames, ready to incinerate his facade of respectability.

He exhaled deeply, took off his glasses, rubbed his temples, and began slowly: “This girl is my mistress. I met her at Tianyang Hotel. She’s simple, well-behaved, and beautiful. After a few meetings, I fell for her.”

“Wait. Where did you say you first met Huang Li?” Gu Changzheng suddenly asked.

Zhang Qizhi looked at him strangely: “At Tianyang Hotel, of course.”

Gu Changzheng nodded slightly, signaling him to continue. Zhang Qizhi went on: “Every time I ate at the hotel restaurant, I’d call her over to keep me company. Boss Tian noticed I liked her and said nothing—probably because I was one of his biggest clients. Once, after a banquet, I got drunk. Huang Li helped me up to my room—and then, then we had sex. The difference between two people with and without that kind of intimacy is immense. After that, the barrier between us was broken. Since then, we’ve maintained that relationship...”

“When exactly did you and Huang Li become physically intimate?” Gu Changzheng asked.

Zhang Qizhi thought for a moment: “About three months ago? I don’t remember the exact date.”

Gu Changzheng rubbed his chin. Three months ago? Such a coincidence? Or was he overthinking? Seeing Zhang Qizhi watching him, he shook off his thoughts and said: “So you mean she pursued you?”

Zhang Qizhi lowered his head: “I was weak. At first, I just saw her as a little sister. But after we became intimate, I realized... I’d never truly lived before.”

Though Huang Li came from the countryside, she was naturally beautiful, and beneath her gentle exterior lay a wild nature. During their encounters, she was often extremely bold—something that made Zhang Qizhi, whose marital life had always been rigid and dull, feel like Liu Laolao entering the Grand View Garden. He was instantly enthralled.

Later, seeking thrills, Huang Li even took him to the hotel rooftop for wild encounters several times. The novel sensations, the thrill of secrecy, left Zhang Qizhi addicted. At first, she seduced him—but soon, he began actively seeking new ways to spice things up. The hotel key? He had Huang Li make a copy for him, so they could meet more easily in the stairwells and on the rooftop.

Watching Zhang Qizhi, who seemed almost pathological as he spoke, Gu Changzheng sighed deeply. This seemingly refined intellectual, this pillar of society, might have long ago buried a seed of madness deep within. What exactly happened on the day Lou Zhen seduced him? Only he would ever know.

Gu Changzheng shook his head, setting aside these irrelevant thoughts. He was uncertain now. Zhang Qizhi and Huang Li’s stories were completely at odds—who was lying? And why?