Captain Lu was aloof again today.

Chapter 203 Choice
The moonlight, bright and clear as frost, streamed in through the narrow vent of the interrogation room, adding to the chilly atmosphere of the large space.

Hua Rongchang, dressed in prison clothes, sat in a chair with his head down, looking dazed and staring blankly at the table.

There is not a trace of a rustic villager in him, and no one would be able to accurately associate his background with his appearance and demeanor.

Lu Jingming glanced at him indifferently and went straight to the point: "We've been to Yusen Sanatorium."

He did not mention Hua Wanjun, but Hua Rongchang's expression changed drastically, his body tensed up, and he looked at Lu Jingming warily.

Seeing his strong reaction, Wei Qingsong knew that her analysis was correct.

Hua Rongchang was indeed very fond of this daughter, so much so that he would rather have his son confess his crimes than let Hua Wanjun be implicated.

Wei Qingsong lowered his eyes slightly, a dark glint flashing in them in an instant.

Lu Jingming said coldly, "You think you've covered your tracks perfectly and can fool everyone? You and the people behind you are being far too delusional. It's not difficult to find out your network of connections. With a little deduction, we can figure out why you've taken the blame for everything. Hua Rongchang, are you sure you want to continue hiding this?"

Hua Rongchang turned his head away, avoiding their intense gazes, and said gruffly, "I don't understand what you're saying!"

Wei Qingsong picked up the conversation, her tone tinged with regret: "The fact that you were able to climb from an unknown nobody to where you are today is enough to show that you are a smart and shrewd person. How could someone like you be so naive as to make a deal with the devil?"

She paused, then slowly said, "So naive...it reminds me of Sheng Chengcheng."

Hearing this name again after so long, Hua Rongchang's face turned even paler.

He remained silent, but his expression grew increasingly complex, with suppressed emotions swirling chaotically in his eyes.

This subtle change in expression did not escape Wei Qingsong's notice.

She continued, "Isn't that right? You entrusted Hua Wanjun's fate to someone who is completely untrustworthy, just like Sheng Chengcheng entrusted her fate to you when she was desperate. You had the courage to gamble everything, but unfortunately you didn't see the situation clearly."

"Sheng Chengcheng ruined her life. She died without anyone to see her off, buried alone in a remote mountain village, forgotten by all. What makes you think that after you and Hua Hengchen take the blame, Hua Wanjun will be able to live out the rest of her life peacefully as you wish?"

Hua Rongchang's breathing became heavy, and his clasped hands unconsciously tightened, leaving clear red marks on the back of his hands.

Lu Jingming's gaze swept over them subtly, his eyebrows slightly raised.

Even though he only had a superficial understanding of psychology, he could see Hua Rongchang's inner turmoil.

His hesitation indicates that his unwavering resolve has begun to waver.

Wei Qingsong seized the opportunity and continued, "You know better than anyone how ephemeral a promise can be. You presumptuously arrange a way out for her, but have you ever considered that this might put her in an even more dangerous situation?"

Hua Rongchang's movements became increasingly forceful.

After a long silence, he suddenly relaxed all his strength and leaned back limply: "You just want to know the truth, right? I can tell you."

Lu Jingming frowned. His intuition told him that Hua Rongchang's reaction was not right.

He turned to look at Wei Qingsong, whose expression was equally grave, showing no sign of relaxing despite Hua Rongchang's relent.

Sure enough, the next second, Hua Rongchang changed the subject: "But I don't think I have any reason to cooperate with you. I've done so many things, my fate was already sealed, wasn't it?"

"To be honest, I foresaw this day would come more than a decade ago. Now that it has actually arrived, I feel quite relieved. Everything I have done is what I deserve. I have confessed my sins, so what else are you dissatisfied with?"

"Yes, you deserve to die, but what about Hua Hengchen? He's not even thirty years old yet, is he? He's extremely dependent on you as his father, almost to the point of obeying your every word. If you say go east, he'll never go west. You've had enough of living yourself, do you really want to sacrifice your son's remaining life?"

Wei Qingsong softened his tone: "Your crimes are too numerous to count, but Hua Hengchen still has room for a reduced sentence. Are you really planning to go down a dead end?"

Deep down, she wasn't sure either. Strictly speaking, Hua Rongchang's indulgence and pampering of this son could also be seen as a disregard for his healthy personality development.

If he truly cared about Hua Hengchen's life or death, he wouldn't have exposed him to these dark aspects in the first place.

Will he waver because of his concerns about Hua Hengchen?

After another long silence, Hua Rongchang still refused to budge: "I admit, you are indeed very capable to be able to make so many connections."

He paused for a moment: "However, if you call me naive, isn't your idealism laughable? Do you think that by acquiring more information, you can change the status quo?"

"Don't be silly. I've lived most of my life and experienced many ups and downs, and I've come to realize one thing: there are many things in this world that are beyond human control. Even if you try your best, you may not get the results you want."

"Only when you taste the bitterness of defeat and pay a heavy price will you realize how big the gap is between ideals and reality."

He finished speaking slowly and deliberately, then closed his eyes and pursed his lips, a sign of refusing to communicate.

Wei Qingsong calmed himself down and began to think of a solution.

This outcome is not entirely unexpected.

Hua Rongchang is a man full of calculations, who puts profit above all else. If she could easily break through his psychological defenses, she would doubt the veracity of his testimony under such circumstances.

However, there was one thing she was certain of: his initial hesitation and wavering when Hua Wanjun was mentioned were not entirely fake.

He simply made what he considered the safest choice after weighing the pros and cons.

He has committed countless evil deeds and is utterly wicked, so of course he cannot trust the police. Therefore, even if she and Lu Jingming promise to protect Hua Wanjun, in his eyes it is just empty talk.

Appeasement and appeasement will clearly not work, and may even backfire, making him more wary.

We still need to exploit his weaknesses and continue to win him over psychologically. When he is in fear, his constant anxiety will prevent him from concentrating and from making judgments.

Hua Wanjun was undoubtedly his Achilles' heel.

Although Wei Qingsong found it hard to understand why a man like him, who was clearly cold-hearted and selfish by nature and could even abandon his son, would make an exception for this daughter.

Does a demon deserve a sincere heart? That sounds absurd.

Perhaps he really loves this daughter, but he is absolutely not worthy of sympathy.

During his days in detention, he must have experienced the feeling of being powerless to change anything. But even that is far from being considered painful. Compared to the girls who were persecuted, what he endured was nothing.

Thinking of the hopeful looks the girls gave her when they parted, Wei Qingsong's complicated thoughts cleared up a bit, and she calmed herself down.

She spoke calmly and slowly: "You are very confident in your judgment. I don't know where your confidence comes from. Maybe you think that since the other party is in a high position and has great power, it is not worth it to eliminate them completely after making promises to you."

"I'll assume your judgment is correct for now. But do you really understand bipolar disorder, and do you really understand Hua Wanjun?"

(End of this chapter)