Chapter Sixty-Two: The Client

"Of course. What would be the point of lying to you about something like this?" Ning Shuyi retorted to Zhang Jiawen, then added at just the right moment, "Oh, and if someone dies as a result of selling those illegal goods, the punishment will be even harsher."

Zhang Jiawen was stunned. "Death? What do you mean? Someone died? What does that have to do with me?"

"I already told you," Ning Shuyi replied calmly, her eyes discreetly watching Zhang Jiawen's reaction. "We only need to know about matters related to your friend Wang Yuluo. Wang Yuluo is dead. And after investigating the cause of her death, we've found that your 'contribution' is far from insignificant."

When Zhang Jiawen heard the news of Wang Yuluo's death, she was clearly shocked, but more than that, she was flustered—quite fitting for her current predicament.

"Wang Yuluo is dead? Wh—what does that have to do with me? We were just high school classmates, nothing special, and we barely kept in touch after graduation." Her eyes flickered, and she immediately blurted out words to distance herself, as if she had rehearsed these lines countless times in her heart. Whenever trouble arose, she just switched the name and the relationship, ready to deflect responsibility.

The confidence with which Zhang Jiawen opened her mouth to disassociate herself so quickly obviously stemmed from the cash Wang Yuluo had withdrawn again and again from the bank.

Ning Shuyi and her colleagues already had some understanding of Zhang Jiawen's situation. They knew she hadn't continued her studies after finishing high school, and that over the years, she hadn't held any formal or stable job, remaining in a state of idleness.

People like her often have a limited range of knowledge, and given that, Ning Shuyi had no qualms about bluffing her.

She was betting that Zhang Jiawen couldn't possibly keep all the money she earned hidden at home; she'd surely have to deposit some in the bank.

"Do you think that every time Wang Yuluo paid you in cash, no one could trace the financial exchanges between you two?" Ning Shuyi wore an expression as if she had seen right through Zhang Jiawen and shook her head slightly. "Do you have any idea how advanced technology is these days?

You should know that every banknote has a serial number, right? Wang Yuluo withdraws money from the bank, gives it to you, then you split the cash proportionally with others, and the part that's yours, you deposit via self-service machines or similar methods.

So, the serial numbers on those notes make it perfectly clear whose account they came from and whose account they're deposited into. Whether you admit it or not makes no difference."

Zhang Jiawen was dumbfounded. In her mind, bank transfers left traces and could arouse suspicion, but cash transactions were untraceable—the safest method.

Now, this young policewoman sitting across from her was saying that she could trace her and Wang Yuluo's financial dealings just by the serial numbers on the cash. That really frightened her.

"Are you bluffing? Is it really that powerful?" She was afraid Ning Shuyi was tricking her, so she voiced her doubts, not realizing that her reaction was already tantamount to admitting the facts.

"Yes, I'm bluffing. Don't believe a word of it," Ning Shuyi smiled, brimming with confidence. "Everything I just said was made up. We don't have anything on you and Wang Yuluo. If you want to resist and refuse to cooperate, go ahead—don't help us with anything.

If you make it clear you won't cooperate, we can leave! Saves us wasting time here.

Oh, and you may not know, but for us, evidence matters more than statements. As long as the evidence in our hands is sufficient, whether you admit it or even make a deposition doesn't affect the case."

With that, she made as if to leave again, and this time, she really stood up and headed for the door without hesitation.

Now Zhang Jiawen truly panicked. If the last time Ning Shuyi pretended to leave she was still half skeptical, this time she genuinely believed that no matter what she said, the police had already uncovered her secrets.

"Wait! Don't go! I'll cooperate, okay? If you leave now, does that mean I can't claim to have a good attitude, and there's no chance for leniency?" she pleaded, her voice tinged with tears, begging Ning Shuyi and Huo Yan to stay.

Ning Shuyi glanced at her. "Are you sure? We've got plenty of cases to handle and no time to waste here, so you'd better think it over."

"I've thought it over! I really have!" Zhang Jiawen replied in a miserable tone, her shoulders slumped, the little tricks she'd tried to feign ignorance thoroughly shattered.

Ning Shuyi quietly let out a breath of relief. If she could bluff Zhang Jiawen into compliance, everything that followed would be easier; otherwise, she'd have to keep wasting her breath.

She put on a stern face, as if she'd lost all patience with Zhang Jiawen, sat down again, and said to Huo Yan, "Record everything!"

Huo Yan nodded silently and picked up his pen to start taking notes.

Zhang Jiawen looked at Ning Shuyi, then at Huo Yan. Though she said nothing, her expression and gaze conveyed all her inner thoughts.

Clearly, she now realized she had misjudged at first, thinking the tall, intimidating male officer would be the harder one to deal with. Unexpectedly, the real 'top dog' among them was the comparatively petite, baby-faced policewoman beside him.

Ning Shuyi caught the meaning in Zhang Jiawen's eyes and gave a slight snort.

These people who judge by appearances and bully the weak while fearing the strong need to be taught a proper lesson. Just because someone looks gentle doesn't mean they're harmless kittens—sometimes they're ferocious beasts beneath the surface.

"Alright, speak up! How did you turn Wang Yuluo into a client?" She tapped her finger on the table, signaling Zhang Jiawen to snap out of it.

Zhang Jiawen spoke miserably, "I admit it. I really did develop Wang Yuluo as a client.

We were high school classmates. Back then, her family was wealthy, and she seemed pretty aloof, didn't socialize much with us. After graduation, we lost touch for a long time. When I ran into her again, she was friendlier, and we reconnected.

Then I realized she wasn't aloof or hard to get along with; she just didn't know how to reach out to others. But if you took the initiative to be friendly, she'd warm up instantly—she didn't have much of a guard, a pretty simple person.

At first, I didn't even plan to make her a client. I just thought she was rich, and whenever we went out, ate or drank, she'd always rush to pay... Well, who wouldn't take advantage of a good thing?"