Chapter Sixty-One: Deceiving Wealth and Love

Xie Lemin’s sudden outburst of tears left An Changpu and Qin Ruonan at a loss. Their intention had only been to gauge his reaction to Lu Min, but after a brief period of restraint, he unexpectedly broke down, sobbing and speaking of “injuring” someone—something neither of them had anticipated.

Though both were curious about his mention of harming Lu Min, considering Xie Lemin’s age, Qin Ruonan couldn’t bring herself to press him for details, and An Changpu seemed to feel the same. The two watched as Xie Lemin wept alone, uncertain whether to comfort him or remain silent.

“Take me away,” Xie Lemin said after a while, his emotions calming. Realizing how embarrassing his crying must have seemed, he hastily wiped his tears away with both hands, then pressed his wrists together and extended them toward An Changpu, as if ready for handcuffs.

An Changpu gently pushed his wrists down. “Don’t be upset, Elder Xie. Let’s talk things through first.”

“What’s left to say? You’ve been beating around the bush all this time for this, haven’t you? Don’t play cat-and-mouse with me, don’t torment me—just take me away! I’m the one who did it, I won’t deny it. Keeping it secret feels unbearable. Just promise me you won’t make a big fuss. If word gets out, I’m afraid my son won’t be able to hold his head up again.” Xie Lemin was burdened with guilt and couldn’t take in An Changpu’s words, insisting they take him away immediately.

An Changpu and Qin Ruonan attempted to reason with him, but he refused to say anything more, repeating that since he’d hurt someone and the police were at his door, he wouldn’t try to deny it. He only pleaded that they not linger, lest his son return home from work and witness something disgraceful.

“If we take you away and then inform your son, won’t he still find out? What’s the difference?” Qin Ruonan couldn’t understand Xie Lemin’s stubbornness.

Xie Lemin sighed. “Of course it’s different. It’s better for him to learn after the fact than to see it happen before his eyes. I’ve done such a shameful thing. If it weren’t for wanting to see him marry, to see my future grandson, I’d have no face left to live! Even if I died, I wouldn’t let my son lose face because of me.”

Qin Ruonan wanted to persuade him further, but An Changpu stopped her.

“Alright, since Elder Xie is so resolute, come with us to the police station,” he said to Xie Lemin, clearly changing his mind due to Xie’s attitude.

“But—” Qin Ruonan was surprised by his sudden decision.

“No matter what, bringing him in for questioning and investigation is standard procedure,” An Changpu explained, speaking to both Qin Ruonan and Xie Lemin.

Hearing he was to be taken to the police station, Xie Lemin was at first saddened, but then a look of relief crossed his face. He said nothing more and showed no resistance, trudging downstairs with An Changpu and Qin Ruonan, ready to leave.

“Should I bring toiletries or a change of clothes? If I end up detained, my son wouldn’t have to send them over,” he asked, stopping at the door, worry etched on his face as he looked at An Changpu.

“If you care so much about your son and don’t want him to worry, leave a note. Say you’ve gone drinking with an old colleague, or find some other suitable excuse if you can,” An Changpu smiled, tearing a page from the notepad in the living room and handing him a pen.

Xie Lemin seemed puzzled by An Changpu’s suggestion. In his mind, he was going to the station to take responsibility for his violent act.

Still, hoping for a more optimistic outcome, he followed An Changpu’s advice and wrote a note for his son, saying he’d gone out drinking with an old acquaintance, never mentioning the police.

“Let’s hurry,” he said after finishing the note, checking the time. “If we don’t leave now, my son will be home soon.”

The three left Xie Lemin’s son’s apartment and drove toward the C City Public Security Bureau.

On the way, Xie Lemin sat alone in the back seat, visibly uneasy—more so than at home. After much anxious thought, he finally leaned forward, gripping the seatbacks and glancing between An Changpu and Qin Ruonan. “When I get to your station, will I see him?”

“Who?” Qin Ruonan asked, though she already knew.

“That man—I don’t want to say his name. It disgusts me.” Xie Lemin’s expression was one of utter revulsion, worse than finding half a fly in his bowl.

“You won’t see him.”

Xie Lemin breathed a deep sigh of relief, then tentatively asked, “Are he or his family trying to settle privately with me? Otherwise, why didn’t you let me bring toiletries?”

“Elder Xie, don’t worry or let your imagination run wild. When we get to the station, just tell us honestly about your dealings with Lu Min,” An Changpu said, careful not to use the word “relationship” lest it upset him further.

Xie Lemin didn’t say anything more. He seemed deeply troubled, guessing at what might happen next.

An Changpu and Qin Ruonan had spent two days investigating in T County; now, bringing Xie Lemin into the Major Crimes Unit office, they immediately drew the attention of Tian Yang and Mo Dou. Tian Yang was about to inquire when An Changpu shook his head, and Tian Yang, understanding, refrained from asking further.

Sensing An Changpu’s intent, Qin Ruonan led Xie Lemin straight to the meeting room. There, Xie Lemin’s earlier anxiety gradually eased.

An Changpu poured him a glass of water and sat nearby. Seeing he was reluctant to speak, Qin Ruonan took the lead. “Tell us about what happened between you and Lu Min.”

“You must already know, or you wouldn’t have come looking for me. If you know, please don’t ask me again—I beg you!” Xie Lemin looked miserably at Qin Ruonan, unwilling to speak.

Qin Ruonan, of course, could not agree to such a request. “Sorry, how much we know is our business. You still need to tell us the details yourself.”

“I don’t know where to begin.” Realizing he could not avoid this, Xie Lemin dropped his head in defeat.

“Start from when you first began interacting, about the marriage agency—we’ve already looked into that,” Qin Ruonan prompted.

Xie Lemin’s face flushed, not so much with embarrassment as with anger.

“I must have been possessed at the time, to go looking for a wife like that! My wife has been gone for years, my son’s grown and has a steady job, I was living just fine by myself—why did I go looking for a wife? Even that would have been fine, but then I met that person! That month and more—I treated him to so many meals, bought things for him, even invited him to stay at my home for a while! I must have been blind not to see he was a man!”

“How did he behave while you were together—before you realized he was a man?” An Changpu asked, seeing Xie Lemin’s disgusted look and quickly adding the condition.

Xie Lemin sighed. “Back then, I didn’t know he was a man, and I was actually quite happy. I’d been lonely for so long, and I wanted a real companion. He acted very well, quiet and gentle, and I thought I saw the shadow of my late wife in him. I believed fate had finally shown me mercy, letting me meet a good woman. Who could have guessed! After a lifetime of honesty, I ended up in trouble because of such a fraud!”

“How did you discover he was a man?” Qin Ruonan, seeing he was now talking freely, went straight to the heart of the matter—the source of the conflict between Xie Lemin and Lu Min.

“He stayed at my place for a while, then went home for a bit. A couple of days later, he came back, crying, saying she wanted to marry me but her son objected—unless I married her properly. I agreed, since I genuinely wanted a partner and wasn’t trying to deceive anyone. Then he said his son demanded a bride price from me. I thought it wasn’t unreasonable, and I had some savings from my son’s graduation and gifts he’d given me, so I handed over thirty thousand yuan. After that, I never saw him again.”

“Did you try to find him afterward?”

“Of course I did! If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have discovered he was a man!” Xie Lemin, suddenly animated, slammed his fist on the small table, shaking the water out of the nearby glass. “I waited for days, but he never showed up. I called—his phone was disconnected. I went to the marriage agency and found there was no information about him. I was frantic, asking around everywhere. After a lot of digging, I heard he was actually a man—a transvestite! I didn’t believe it at first, so I went to the address I’d found, and sure enough, I saw him!”

“And then?” At such a crucial moment, both An Changpu and Qin Ruonan tensed.

Xie Lemin’s fist clenched and then slowly relaxed. “Then, I beat him. Beat him until he couldn’t get up. His wife was there, and she was completely stunned.”

[Thanks to Cat Master and Master Zall for the pink tokens! It’s February—hoping to be showered with pink!]