Chapter 83: Interrogation

Su Yue was stunned and did not move. The two guards reminded her again, this time in a much more serious tone than before. “Please come with us now and cooperate with the investigation!”

Su Yue asked hesitantly, “Who reported me?”

One of them frowned and said sternly, “You don’t need to worry about who reported you. Just cooperate with the investigation.”

Hearing this, Su Yue understood that they were unwilling to reveal who was behind it, and even if she asked, she would not get an answer.

Judging from the situation, these two men were determined to take her away without mercy. She had no way of holding them off and it seemed she had to go with them today.

Now that Han Aiguo was not at home, she had no other choice but to take things one step at a time.

Quickly thinking of a countermeasure, Su Yue immediately said, “Can you please wait a moment? I want to explain things to my mother-in-law and my two children before leaving.”

The two exchanged a glance and nodded. “Hurry up then, don’t waste time.”

Su Yue pursed her lips, quickly turned back into the room, and said to Old Lady Han, “Mother, someone from the army came. They said they want to take me for an investigation. I’ll go with them first. Please go find Sister Xu Can later and ask her to help me.”

Old Lady Han was startled. The snacks she had been holding for Dabao and Xiaobao slipped from her hands and fell to the ground. She stood up abruptly and said, “What’s going on? Why are they taking you for investigation? What happened?”

Su Yue stepped forward and patted her arm comfortingly. “Mother, don’t worry, it’s nothing. I guess someone didn’t like me and reported me for illegal business. The army is just taking me to investigate, not to convict me. As long as I don’t admit to anything, they won’t dare to punish me. Besides, all the cakes I make go through Sister Xu Can. The people I gave them to were all relatives and friends from her family. As long as Sister Xu Can testifies that I only made cakes for relatives and friends who came to me, I’ll be fine.”

Old Lady Han gripped her hand tightly, still unwilling to let go. “Is it really okay for you to go like this? They won’t do anything to you, will they? Aiguo isn’t home now. We can’t even go to the army to see him. How come it’s such a coincidence that this happens when Aiguo isn’t around?”

Su Yue’s eyes darkened. She took a breath and said, “Mother, don’t panic. You still need to take care of the two children. I’ll be fine. Just go find Sister Xu Can right away after I leave and ask her for help. I should be back soon.”

Knowing the soldiers were still waiting outside, she dared not waste more time. Enduring the panic in her heart, she went forward, hugged her two babies one by one, and kissed them.

Xiaobao thought his mother was playing, so he immediately kissed Su Yue back. “Mom, kiss~”

Dabao also kissed her on the other cheek.

Su Yue bit her lip and said softly to the two little ones, “Mommy is going out to buy you delicious food. You have to listen to Grandma at home, alright? If you don’t, then Mommy won’t give you anything tasty.”

Hearing that she was leaving, Xiaobao stood up, wrapped his arms around Su Yue’s neck, and said sweetly, “Mom, take Xiaobao with you.”

Su Yue shook her head. “I can’t take you with me. It’s snowing outside, it’s too cold, you’d freeze.” She even shivered dramatically to help Xiaobao understand how cold it was.

Xiaobao copied her, shivering too. “Cold?”

Su Yue nodded. “Yes, very cold. You and your brother are still little, you can’t go out. Mommy will go buy delicious food by herself.”

Xiaobao pouted and twisted his chubby little hands, looking hesitant.

Dabao also wanted to go, but knowing his mother wouldn’t allow it, he hugged Xiaobao sensibly, patted him, and shook his head. “It’s cold. Don’t go.”

Hearing his brother, Xiaobao finally let go of Su Yue’s hand reluctantly. “Mom, come quickly!”

Su Yue’s eyes stung with sudden heat. She lifted her head, sniffed, then smiled. “Of course. Mommy will be back soon. You’ll both be good, won’t you?”

The two children nodded together, promising to be obedient.

Su Yue wiped her eyes, left the room quickly, and followed the two soldiers out.

She had left in such a hurry that her clothes weren’t thick enough, nor had she grabbed an umbrella. So snowflakes fell on her body, chilling her face and neck. The warmth in her body turned into ice water. Soon, all her heat seemed gone, her hands and feet went cold, her nose turned red, and her hair became damp.

The two soldiers walked beside her, one on each side, their expressions grave. Without a word, they quickly led her into the army compound, then into a twisting corridor until they reached a room.

There were no windows except for one small opening on the wall. Inside, there was only a table and two chairs. A dim lamp hung from the ceiling, casting an eerie glow.

The moment she stepped in, a wave of cold seeped into her body. Su Yue shuddered.

The soldiers shoved her inside and slammed the iron door shut without explanation, leaving her alone.

Her eyelids twitched and her heart pounded. A vague premonition of danger pressed down on her, though she could not explain why. She forced herself to suppress her panic and slowly sat on the chair.

She waited for an entire day. Darkness fell outside, yet no interrogator came. No one spoke to her, no one paid her any attention.

Her stomach growled. She had gone without food for two meals. Now she was hungry and cold, her body shivering uncontrollably.

Why had they brought her here if no one planned to interrogate her? By now, Old Lady Han should have found Sister Xu Can, and Xu Can would surely come help her but why hadn’t she come?

Time ticked by. By eleven at night, it was clear no one would question her today. Su Yue’s head felt heavy and dizzy from cold and hunger.

She huddled in the chair and closed her eyes, hoping sleep would dull the discomfort.

She did not know how long she slept before a sudden loud clang jolted her awake.

Startled, she looked up just as the iron door opened. Two men in military uniforms entered. The one leading looked about forty, with stern eyes. He sat across the table and studied her seriously.

Su Yue endured her dizziness and straightened her back, waiting quietly.

The man stared at her for a long time without speaking. His gaze was sharp and oppressive enough to make an ordinary person break down before he even asked a question.

Su Yue knew this was a deliberate interrogation tactic meant to frighten her into breaking down, so she would confess to whatever they demanded. But she did not understand why he was treating her this way. She was here only to cooperate with the investigation, not as a criminal. Why should a military wife be subjected to such psychological pressure?

Her sense that something was wrong only deepened.

She fixed her gaze on the table, forcing herself to ignore his oppressive stare.

Fang Tonghua, seeing that his long, heavy stare hadn’t shaken her, snorted coldly in his heart. This woman is not simple. She can still stay calm? Any ordinary woman, left cold and hungry for a whole day, would already be crying in fear.

When his eyes failed to intimidate her, Fang Tonghua finally cleared his throat and spoke in a sharp, stern voice, “Su Yue, as a military wife, you are opportunistic, undermining socialism. People like you are nothing but pests in society!”

(If you refer to someone’s behaviour as opportunism, you are criticizing them for taking advantage of any opportunity that occurs in order to gain money or power, without thinking about whether their actions are right or wrong.)

The moment Su Yue heard his words, she understood; this man was targeting her deliberately. He had no intention of being fair. Perhaps he had even arranged yesterday’s cold treatment just to break her down. Otherwise, why would he speak so harshly the moment he opened his mouth?

After realizing what was happening, Su Yue gritted her teeth, forced herself to stay strong, and stared at the man across from her without fear. With a righteous tone, she declared, “What you said is wrong. The army asked me to come here to cooperate with an investigation, but now you’re trying to convict me without even investigating. That makes no sense, does it? Anyway, I never engaged in illegal business!”

Fang Tonghua hadn’t expected her to be so calm and sharp-tongued, still able to retort with such a clear mind. No wonder his niece had been unable to win against her. But now that Su Yue was in his hands, she couldn’t escape no matter how clever her words were. Once she confessed, nothing would save her.

“It’s useless to quibble!” he barked. “Someone saw you making cakes and selling them at high prices. A single cake cost two yuan, plus one pound of food stamps and one pound of non-staple food stamps. That’s blatant profiteering! Even the soldiers who came here personally smelled the cakes in your home. How can you deny it now?”

Su Yue’s mind worked quickly. He knew the exact price of the cakes, this meant the report came from one of the very few people who had ever bought from her. She had never sold cakes to strangers; only Xu Can’s relatives and friends had ordered through her. Xu Can herself would never betray her.

That left only one possibility.

Su Yue’s heart tightened as she vaguely guessed who had reported her. Since this person clearly wanted to cause her trouble, the interrogator would not let her off easily.

Her heart sank further. The timing was too deliberate. Han Aiguo happened to be away, and Xu Can had not yet come perhaps she was being held back somehow. As for the other military wives who had good relations with her, they would be helpless in such matters. This time, Su Yue was truly on her own.

“I think you’re mistaken,” she replied firmly. “Yes, I make cakes, but not for sale. I only make them for relatives and friends. They simply give me the money and food stamps needed to buy ingredients. I don’t earn a penny from it and I’m only helping. Is it not allowed to help others? It’s like visiting a relative’s house and bringing your own rations. Would you accuse your relatives of profiteering then or of doing illegal business on ration coupons?”

Fang Tonghua slammed the table with his palm. “Nonsense! Why would a cake cost so much money and so many food stamps? Obviously you’re pocketing the difference!”

Su Yue’s tone hardened. “Just because the price is high doesn’t mean I’m making a profit. You haven’t even seen the cake. Go investigate! A proper cake requires flour, sugar, eggs, and fruit which are all very expensive. It does cost that much. If you don’t believe me, ask the people who bought them. See if they think I was earning from them, or only helping.”

She pressed on, “You can’t convict me based solely on one person’s words. Perhaps the person who reported me held a grudge and deliberately framed me. One person’s claim is not evidence. I will never accept conviction based only on that. If everyone who asked me to make cakes accuses me, then I am guilty. Otherwise, it is nothing but slander. I demand a proper investigation and justice from the organization!”

Fang Tonghua snorted coldly. “We already investigated! Otherwise, we wouldn’t have brought you in. We have conclusive witnesses. Stop making excuses. You’ve been convicted of illegal business so prepare for reform through labor!”

Su Yue’s face darkened. “Since you claim to have witnesses, why don’t you bring them here to confront me face to face? Without a confrontation, how can you use them to convict me? Are you framing me?”

Fang Tonghua slapped the table again. “If we reveal the witnesses, what if you or your family retaliate later? Witnesses must be protected! It’s useless for you to argue. Plead guilty now and your sentence will be lighter. If you continue to resist, don’t regret it when the time comes!”

With that, he pulled out a written confession, already filled with accusations against Su Yue.

Su Yue clenched her fists. “I won’t plead guilty! I never did such a thing, you can’t force me to admit it!”

Fang Tonghua gave a cold signal. Immediately, the man standing behind Su Yue grabbed her wrist and pressed it toward the ink pad, trying to force her fingerprint onto the confession.

Su Yue struggled with all her strength, but the man’s grip was iron. Just as her hand was about to be forced down, desperation gave her a burst of strength. She threw her head backward, striking the man’s nose with a sickening crack.

The man screamed, staggered back, and clutched his face, blood gushing from his nostrils.

Freed, Su Yue snatched up the chair she had been sitting on, pressed herself against the wall, and glared at them warily. “You’re forcing a confession! I’ll report you to the chief!”

Fang Tonghua’s face turned livid. He stormed out and returned with two more soldiers. Pointing at her, he shouted, “She refuses to plead guilty. Seize her!”

Three men rushed in. One snatched the chair from her hands while the other two twisted her arms and slammed her onto the table, forcing her hand toward the confession paper again.

Su Yue resisted with all her strength, but she was no match. Helplessly, she watched her hand inch closer to the ink pad. Despair flooded her heart.

Han Aiguo, husband, where are you? Why haven’t you come back yet?

At that moment, a thunderous bang shook the room as the iron door burst open.

Han Aiguo charged in. The first thing he saw was Su Yue’s disheveled figure pinned down by three men. His eyes blazed with fury. With a roar, he kicked the men one by one, sending all three sprawling across the floor.

Su Yue froze, stunned. She hadn’t expected him to appear so suddenly. The moment she saw him, all her forced strength collapsed. The grievances in her heart spilled out uncontrollably. Ignoring everyone else, she stumbled forward and threw herself into his arms.

“Husband! Wuwuwu…”

Han Aiguo’s chest tightened in anguish. His heart throbbed as if pierced by a thousand blades. From the moment he realized she had been taken, it had felt as though he was burning alive. Seeing her like this now tore him apart.

“You’re safe now. Don’t be afraid,” he murmured, patting her gently as his sharp eyes scanned her body for injuries. “Did they hurt you?”

Su Yue shook her head, but she was sobbing so hard she couldn’t speak.

Fang Tonghua’s stomach dropped. Of course he knew Han Aiguo. He had assumed the man was away for training and wouldn’t return anytime soon so why was he here now?

Trying to mask his unease, he barked, “How dare you interrupt an interrogation!”

Han Aiguo turned his gaze on him; cold as steel, deadly as the battlefield. He had killed men before so his murderous aura was suffocating. Fang Tonghua faltered, the rest of his words dying in his throat.

Commander Yu entered behind Han Aiguo. His voice was ice-cold. “Is this how you interrogate? Forcing confessions without trial?”

Fang Tonghua’s legs nearly gave out. Panic surged in his chest. He might have brushed off Han Aiguo alone, but Commander Yu? His family background was formidable; far beyond Fang Tonghua’s ability to provoke. Why had this man shown up too? His niece hadn’t warned him!

He stammered, “Someone reported her for illegal business, and the evidence is conclusive…”

Commander Yu cut him off sharply. “Where are the witnesses then? Without confrontation, how can you convict her?”

Cold sweat streamed down Fang Tonghua’s back. He stuttered, “The witnesses…they don’t want to come forward.”

Commander Yu sneered. “In that case, let me testify. I am also a witness. Comrade Su Yue made cakes for my relatives. My family asked her for help. According to you, does that make my family opportunists too?”

Fang Tonghua’s blood ran cold. Only now did he realize who Su Yue’s customers had been! They were not people he could ever afford to offend. Fang Xiaoli had landed him in a disaster this time.

Seeing Fang Tonghua speechless, Commander Yu turned to Han Aiguo. “Aiguo, take your wife home to rest first. I’ll handle things here. Don’t worry.”

Han Aiguo gave a brief nod. Without another word, he lifted Su Yue into his arms and carried her out.

Her body was limp, her head dizzy, her limbs ice-cold. In his embrace, her taut nerves finally loosened. Exhaustion overwhelmed her. As she clung to him, her eyelids fluttered shut, and she slowly lost consciousness.