Blank Charge

In the following days, Jin Zhou went to the prosecutor’s office every day.

The winter weather became colder and colder, and walking on the road made his face sting from the cold wind. However, Jin Zhou’s determination to clear Liu Yongchang’s name remained unwavering.

On the first day, Jin Zhou proposed excluding witnesses and discussed the accuracy of Liu Qian’s testimony with Xie Yao.

On the second day, Jin Zhou submitted evidence of the disagreements between Liu Qian and Liu Yongchang, arguing that Liu Qian’s testimony should not be trusted.

On the third day, Xie Yao called Liu Qian to the prosecutor’s office for questioning, with Jin Zhou present. Liu Qian’s testimony was obviously inconsistent and full of loopholes.

So, another day passed, and Jin Zhou finally received the decision of non-prosecution from Xie Yao.

“You’re really persistent,” Xie Yao joked. “If someone didn’t know, they would think you come to the prosecutor’s office every day to enjoy the heating.”

“Of course not, my home has heating too.” Jin Zhou’s eyes were bloodshot from several sleepless nights. He put the document in his bag and said to Xie Yao, “Thank you, Prosecutor Xie.”

“No need to thank me. You fought for it yourself,” Xie Yao said. “Liu Qian’s testimony doesn’t fit for examination; it has too many loopholes.”

When Jin Zhou had first learned that Liu Qian wanted to accuse Liu Yongchang of murder, he didn’t feel worried but rather disheartened and disappointed.

That’s why, when he talked about it with Yang Shiyu, he was more filled with emotion than anxiety.

Liu Qian thought she could send Liu Yongchang to prison by telling a few lies, but she was completely mistaken.

Putting aside the fact that there was a responsible prosecutor like Xie Yao in the prosecutor’s office, as long as Jin Zhou was there, he wouldn’t let such an injustice happen to Liu Yongchang.

It wasn’t because Jin Zhou had a better relationship with Liu Yongchang and naturally leaned towards him. It was simply because he didn’t want to see injustice thrive. If their roles were reversed, Jin Zhou would also help Liu Qian.

“If it weren’t for her causing all this, I would have come to the prosecutor’s office every day just for the heating. It’s quite nice,” Jin Zhou relaxed and joked along with Xie Yao.

“Go back and rest well,” Xie Yao said. As he said that, he suddenly reached out and straightened Jin Zhou’s messy coat collar. “Look at how your clothes are worn out.”

The collar was tidily adjusted by Xie Yao, leaving Jin Zhou stunned. He thought that kind of action could only be done by Yang Shiyu, right?

He glanced around nervously, relieved that Yang Shiyu wasn’t there.

Wait, why was he feeling nervous?

Xie Yao’s actions seemed too natural, making him feel like he was acting suspiciously.

“Um, Prosecutor Xie,” Jin Zhou hesitated, wondering if he should say, “do you like me?”

But before Jin Zhou could ask, Xie Yao smiled and said, “What? Are you going to treat me to noodles again?”

Logically speaking, Xie Yao had put a lot of effort into the case, so it was only right for Jin Zhou to treat him to a bowl of lamb and rice noodles. Moreover, rice noodles were very cheap,

But Jin Zhou really couldn’t treat him.

—His delicate and jealous partner wouldn’t be happy if he did.

“Let’s do it another day. I have to go to the detention center to meet Liu Yongchang,” Jin Zhou said “I just wanted to say, thank you very much.”

“No problem,” Xie Yao smiled. “Rest well.”

Liu Yongchang didn’t want to draw too much attention at the detention center, so the only person who came to pick him up was Jin Zhou—and Liu Qian, who was dressed in festive red.

As a lawyer, Jin Zhou did something unprofessional. He didn’t tell Liu Yongchang that the prosecutor’s office had almost sent him to court.

He also didn’t tell Liu Yongchang that it was all because of Liu Qian.

Looking at Liu Qian’s smiling face at Liu Yongchang, Jin Zhou’s mood was complicated because Liu Qian had called him for two hours last night, begging him not to tell Liu Yongchang about what she did, and he didn’t know how to bring it up now.

After sending the couple back to their residential complex, before parting ways, Jin Zhou couldn’t help but call out to Liu Yongchang.

“You go up first,” Liu Yongchang motioned to Liu Qian, then took out a cigarette from his pocket and handed one to Jin Zhou. “Is there something else?”

“Liu Yongchang, I quit smoking,” Jin Zhou shook his head, declining the cigarette from Liu Yongchang. “It’s about Liu Qian.”

“You quit smoking?” Liu Yongchang looked at Jin Zhou completely surprised. “What’s wrong with you? A man can’t do without smoking.”

“My wife keeps a close eye on me,” Jin Zhou awkwardly twitched his mouth.

“Bring him to the gathering tonight,” Liu Yongchang put the cigarette in his mouth. “I’ll teach him a lesson.”

“No need.” Suddenly realizing that the topic had deviated, Jin Zhou continued, “i wanted to talk to you about Liu Qian.”

“Alright, Zhouzi,” Liu Yongchang interrupted Jin Zhou, exhaling a puff of smoke. “Do you know what makes a marriage thrive?”

“What makes a marriage thrive?” Jin Zhou asked, confused.

“It’s about not revealing everything,” Liu Yongchang said.

“But ……..,” Jin Zhou paused and furrowed his brow, “this is something different.”

“It’s nothing different,” Liu Yongchang patted Jin Zhou’s shoulder. “Come on time tonight and bring your wife.”

Seeing that Liu Yongchang didn’t want to know what Liu Qian did, Jin Zhou could only sigh helplessly.

Perhaps his life experience was not enough. In front of Liu Yongchang, who had experienced all sorts of things in his marriage, he had no say whatsoever in their affairs.

Yang Shiyu had already washed up and went to bed early, clearly indicating that he didn’t want to go to the gathering. But after Jin Zhou promised to be back within half an hour, he persuaded Yang Shiyu to accompany him to the bar.

He had wanted to formally introduce him to his brothers for a long time. After saying hi to Liu Yongchang, Jin Zhou brought Yang Shiyu, who had his baseball cap pulled down low, to his brothers and cheerfully said, “Call him sister-in-law!”

Yang Shiyu lowered his head slightly, and his expression was hidden in the shadow of the brim, making it difficult to see clearly. But he stood there without moving, silently acknowledging Jin Zhou’s actions.

“Hello, sister-in-law!!!” the brothers shouted energetically.

“Is sister-in-law good looking or what?” Jin Zhou asked loudly.

In fact, the brothers couldn’t see Yang Shiyu’s face clearly, but they still shouted in unison, “Sister-in-law is indeed good looking”

Yang Shiyu remained silent throughout, but Jin Zhou knew in his heart that he was simply restraining his anger and had shown a hundred percent patience.

“Satisfied?” Yang Shiyu lowered his voice and leaned close to Jin Zhou, asking.

“yes,” Jin Zhou chuckled. “My wife is really good.”

As soon as he finished speaking, someone wearing a red dress appeared next to Jin Zhou, holding a glass of wine, wanting to have a drink with him.

Jin Zhou suddenly suppressed the smile on his face, “Liu Qian.”

“Zhouzi, thank you for what you did for Liu Yongchang,” Liu Qian calmly thanked Jin Zhou, as her false testimony incident had never happened. “We’re all family now. Don’t hold any grudges.”

How Could Jin Zhou not hold a grudge?

He even wanted to convince Liu Yongchang to divorce Liu Qian. But thinking about it again, they had been a couple for so many years, and Liu Yongchang must know what kind of person Liu Qian was. How could he intervene in their business?

“Yeah,” Jin Zhou patiently responded. “We’re family.”

“I know you might think I am malicious, but Liu Yongchang is fine, right? Let’s continue living our lives as usual. The most important thing is to be happy.”

The more Jin Zhou listened, the more uncomfortable he felt, so he couldn’t be bothered to continue the conversation with Liu Qian.

“This is your…” Liu Qian’s gaze shifted to Yang Shiyu, as if she wanted to engage in a friendly conversation, but Jin Zhou interrupted her.

“Sorry, Liu Qian ” Jin Zhou stood in front of Yang Shiyu and said to Liu Qian, “I’ve already talked to Liu Yongchang. We won’t be staying long”

“Are you leaving already?” Liu Qian asked with a disappointed expression.

“Let’s meet another day,” Jin Zhou said, enduring his discomfort and dismissing Liu Qian. He then took Yang Shiyu and left the bar.

Yang Shiyu didn’t drink and drove Jin Zhou home.

In the closed space, hot air blew from the air conditioning, and the heat clung to the cold glass, forming a thin layer of white mist. Jin Zhou boredly traced a “Z” with his index finger. When the car stopped at a traffic light, Yang Shiyu, who was holding the steering wheel, suddenly turned to look at Jin Zhou and asked, “Is Liu Yongchang and Liu Qian’s relationship that bad?”

“Hmm?” The sudden topic caught Jin Zhou off guard. He sat up straight and looked at Yang Shiyu. “Of course, it’s bad. It’s something all the brothers know.”

“But I don’t think it is,” Yang Shiyu said. ” earlier Liu Yongchang had confetti from the celebration on his clothes, and I saw Liu Qian silently brush it off for him.”

To celebrate Liu Yongchang clearing his name, there was a segment in the gathering where they held confetti cannons. Everyone opened them together, and colorful confetti rained down, sticking to Jin Zhou and Yang Shiyu as well.

Being in the same situation, Jin Zhou could relate—he would only brush the confetti off for someone he cared about.

Tiger and Xiao Wu also had confetti on them, but Jin Zhou didn’t think much of it.

“Maybe they’re pretending,” Jin Zhou said nonchalantly, “or maybe she feels guilty.”

“I don’t think so,” Yang Shiyu shook his head. The traffic light turned green, and he looked ahead, stepping on the accelerator. “Liu Yongchang takes care of Liu Qian as well. He doesn’t let her drink too much alcohol.”

“Is that so?” Perhaps because they were too familiar, Jin Zhou completely failed to notice these two, and he subconsciously felt that they were a couple in name only.

But it was Yang Shiyu’s first time meeting them at the same time, so his opInion naturally differed from Jin Zhou’s.

“You said they do their own thing, but maybe that’s just their way of getting along,” Yang Shiyu continued, “but deep down, they still care about each other.”

“No,” Jin Zhou said firmly, “Liu Qian stabbed Liu Yongchang in the back. How could that be the same as caring for each other?”

As he said that, he took out his phone and opened an almost unused app. “A long time ago, I followed Liu Qian’s Weibo. She pretended to be single on Weibo and often posted pictures of herself with handsome guys. How could this…”

As he spoke, Jin Zhou’s voice gradually trailed off because he saw a new post by Liu Qian  in her Weibo:

[Preparing ahead was indeed the right thing to do!]

Jin Zhou understood the meaning of the sentence but couldn’t understand why Liu Qian was posting it.

Preparing ahead? A strange feeling arose in his heart.

… preparing for what?