Inspector Wei leans back on his chair with a smug smirk. "A moment ago a conglomerate of rich and powerful families was trying to frame you, now it's your personal assistant," he tsks. "You're just swinging in every direction now, you're better than that Yao laoshi."
Yao Shen wishes he'd stop with the buddy routine. This guy doesn't know him, and his condescension is starting to get on Yao Shen's nerves. Maybe that's also part of their strategy, if they can't win Yao Shen over, at least they can annoy him into confessing.
"I don't know why she did it, but she's one of the people who has constant, unimpeded access to my room," Yao Shen says. "Check weibo."
The two Inspectors exchange a look, until finally Inspector Song picks up her phone from the table and starts tipping away with a resigned expression.
Her fingers still after some time, and her eyebrows climb up into the neat hairline of her sleek ponytail. "There is video of you being escorted by us out of the hotel, apparently taken from one of the floors above."
Inspector Wei leans over to take a look at his partner's mobile, but after some time shakes his head. "This could have been taken by anyone staying at the hotel. We gave you the courtesy of not making a scene, but we weren't trying to hide ourselves either. Lots of people saw us."
Yao Shen has to think fast if he wants to get out of here. Luckily, inspiration strikes.
"There's a privacy screen of bamboo around the balcony in my hotel room, to hide the view of the hot tub from the people on the street and the surrounding buildings. If Bi Jialu took that video, you'll see that the bamboos will have been disturbed."
Inspector Song narrows her eyes at him. "You know that doesn't prove anything. Lots of employees hate their bosses, they're well within their rights to enjoy a bit of schadenfreude."
"Except I'm not her boss," Yao Shen says. "I don't pay her salary. She works for the same talent agency who signed me."
Unexpectedly, Inspector Wei pulls out his notepad and riffles through the pages of notes. "HuaHua management, isn't it?"
Yao Shen nods. A little frown appears between Inspector Wei's eyebrows, but he makes no further comment before pocketing his notepad again.
Inspector Song sighs and rubs her temples. "What are you trying to imply here? That your PA, who doesn't really work for you, killed your costar and is trying to frame you for the murder? And for what?"
That's the wall Yao Shen keeps getting stuck on. He has no idea why Bi Jialu would want to do something like that.
As far as he knows, their relationship has always been good. He never mistreated her, and was always polite and courteous.
She didn't look any different to him when they saw each other again after the hiatus.
Not that he talked much with her during that time, not about anything except work.
In fact, Yao Shen couldn't remember the last time he'd asked Bi Jialu how she was.
"I don't know," he says finally, with a shake of his head. "But, I think I don't know much of what's going on in her life right now." He frowns feeling a profound sense of guilt. "I've had other things on my mind."
Inspector Wei snaps his fingers. "Like the wedding plans! Could her motive have been jealousy?"
He's immediately elbowed on the side by Inspector Song who shoots him a warning look. They're still questioning Yao Shen, and he's deviating from their set path too much.
But that means that Yao Shen is right about his early assumption that it was Bi Jialu who called them. Otherwise, they would have dismissed his theory right away.
"It's no jealousy," Yao Shen says, fairly certain of that much, at least. "We've worked together for a long time, and she has never shown any interest in me. She doesn't have feelings for Hulei either, they barely know each other."
Inspector Song raps her knuckles against the table top, her gaze fixed on a point somewhere behind Yao Shen's shoulder. "You aren't making a very strong case against your PA. According to you, you don't pay her salary, so this can't be a good old case of a disgruntled employee seeking retribution. She doesn't have feelings for you, or your partner...."
She shrugs. "And yet, she apparently decided to kill someone and pin the crime on you? Why? Did she have anything against Gao Wu?"
"Not as far as I know," Yao Shen admits.
Inspector Wei sighs, slumping bonelessly in his chair. "Can I just say? This is the weirdest murder interrogation I've ever been part of. You're saying you didn't kill the victim, that someone is trying to frame you, but then refuse to give us any reason as to why."
"That's because I'm telling the truth," Yao Shen says, raising his voice. "I have no idea why she'd do something like this, but she must have, because I never saw that syringe and I didn't kill Gao Wu."
There's a beat of silence in the interrogation room after his outburst, and then Inspector Song starts going through her own notes.
"Well, we've taken your statement in our last interview, and as you know your alibi for the time of death is flimsy, since the only witness that you were where you say you where is the man who's engaged to you."
"Who is also a suspect," Inspector Wei adds. "You're in a tight spot, Yao laoshi."
"What can I do about that?" Yao Shen asks, letting himself slump back into his own chair.
"Well, if you don't give us anything, I'm afraid we'll have to hold you," Inspector Song says, raising herself from her chair.
"I haven't called a lawyer, I cooperated. Gao Wu was my friend, I want to see his murderer brought to justice," Yao Shen says. "This is real life, not a drama. You say Bi Jialu doesn't have any motives, but what motives do I have to kill Gao Wu?"
Inspector Song unfolds herself from her chair and leans across the metal table. "There's this common misconception, perpetuated by your very profession, that motive is fundamental to get a conviction, but in truth, it's the least important of all factors, between means and opportunity. The only reason we care about motive is because humans are curious by nature."
At her side, Inspector Wei nods. "There are thousands of people in jails all over the world, whose motives only they know, but they're locked up nonetheless."
"How many of those people have been wrongly incarcerated?" Yao Shen asks, knowing full well he has the means to get out if it comes to that. Whereas those people don't.
Inspector Wei rolls his eyes. "Less than you think."
Somehow, Yao Shen doubts it.
"Here's what we're going to do," Inspector Song says, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Security footage in this case is going to be useless, because she has good reason to go to your rooms, and it won't hold up in court. In any case, I'm still going to ask for it, just in case she's walking down the hallways with the syringe in hand, which I doubt."
She turns to Yao Shen and looks him straight in the eye. "Against my better judgement I believe you, Mr. Yao. Maybe you're a better actor than everyone is saying, maybe there is a big conspiracy against you and you're just a poor hopeless victim, I don't know about all that, but...." she sucks in a breath. "There might be something to what you're saying, so...let's give it a shot."
---
Moments later, Yao Shen leaves the police station feeling his clothes oddly tighter.
Neither Inspector has volunteered to give him a ride back to the hotel, so he'll have to make do on his own.
He's looking down at his phone, trying to get his location to stick in the ride-hailing app, when the sound of an engine revving draws his attention.
A sleek motorcycle is parked under a streetlamp, with a tall man sitting astride it. He's thrown into shadow, and beyond his silhouette Yao Shen can only make out the bright orange flare of a cigarette's cherry, and an odd red glow around his eyes.
He smiles to himself and makes his way towards Xin Hulei.
"How did you know I was going to be let out?" Yao Shen asks, once he's under the streetlamp as well, and able to see Xin Hulei's face, just as cold and beautiful as when Yao Shen last saw him.
Xin Hulei takes a deep drag of his cigarette. "If you didn't, I'd drive my bike into the station and get you."
He extends one hand towards Yao Shen who takes it and climbs behind him on the motorcycle, wrapping his arms around Xin Hulei's waist, and resting his face against the smooth leather of his jacket.
"You're such a bad boy," Yao Shen says, inhaling the crisp scent of the cool night air, and buttery leather under his skin.
Xin Hulei takes a final drag of his cigarette and flicks the butt to the side, before revving the bike again.. "You like it."