Chapter 16: Suspicion

Lu Xinxin narrowed her eyes slightly, looking in Su Nuo’s direction.

Su Nuo’s muscles were tense, and she only dared to look down at her toes, nodding at whatever anyone said.

What did this imply? Was the Duan family abusing her? Was her disappearance linked to them?

“Of course,” Father Duan nodded earnestly. “Su Nuo already told us yesterday that she is perfectly fine; otherwise, we wouldn’t have called you.”

With the Duan family’s stock price falling, a clarification was urgent. Mother Duan caught a glimpse of Su Nuo and quickly waved her over.

“Xiao Nuo, come and tell the officers yourself.”

Su Nuo was led over by a servant and seated between Father and Mother Duan. The dress she wore was this year’s new collection, costing at least over a hundred thousand. Even her coat was a classic piece from a luxury brand. Seeing her dressed this way, Lu Xinxin sank into deep self-doubt. Was the Duan family truly mistreating her?

“Miss Su, could you speak with us now?”

Lu Xinxin softened her tone as much as possible. Seeing Su Nuo nod, Zheng Jie took out a voice recorder.

“Everyone, why don’t you leave for a moment? I’m afraid Miss Su might feel nervous.” Zheng Jie felt uncomfortable under the gaze of the Duan family and spoke subconsciously.

Mo Xiaoxue chuckled and nodded. “Mr. Duan, shall we go?”

“We are her family; there is no harm in listening, is there?” Duan Yubai spoke coldly, not sparing her a glance. His eyes remained fixed on Su Nuo’s face; he wanted to see what kind of tricks this woman was trying to pull now.

Su Nuo’s hands were clasped together, her thumbs rubbing against each other repeatedly, betraying her inner anxiety. Since Duan Yubai had no intention of leaving, no one else moved.

Lu Xinxin had no choice but to begin the questioning.

“Miss Su, did you run away from home on purpose to get your family’s attention?”

Su Nuo nodded.

“Did you plan to go hiking with friends, pretend to leave on your own, and then get lost?”

Su Nuo nodded again.

“Do you remember where you got lost?”

Su Nuo opened her mouth, but she had forgotten what Father Duan had told her yesterday. She felt her whole body burning, yet simultaneously felt a chill. The familiar sensation struck; she knew she had a fever. Back at the compound, she had experienced this many times. But the leader of those people had said she was a cash cow and must absolutely not die.

Every time, she would lose consciousness and then wake up, enduring the torture over and over again.

Seeing her remain silent, Father Duan spoke up, feeling somewhat uneasy. “The wild mountains on the east side—many hikers go there.”

“Yes, she said as much yesterday,” Mother Duan chimed in from the side.

Lu Xinxin looked at Su Nuo again. “Is that right?”

Su Nuo nodded vigorously, not daring to delay for a second. Looking at the panic in her eyes, Lu Xinxin felt she wouldn’t be able to get anything else out of her. This Su Nuo was far too suspicious, and the entire Duan family was equally so.

After ten minutes of questioning, Su Nuo only nodded and insisted that nothing had happened. Lu Xinxin and Zheng Jie exchanged glances, seeing the helplessness in each other’s eyes. If the parties involved were unwilling to speak, there was nothing the police could do.

Yet, Lu Xinxin was still unwilling to give up.

“Miss Su, don’t worry. As a police officer, I will certainly protect you. Are you truly certain that nothing happened during this time? That you just got lost?”

Su Nuo looked up, her eyes brimming with tears. She opened her mouth, but for a long time, she couldn’t utter a word. She desperately wanted to tell this kind policewoman that something had indeed happened—something terrible. She had been abducted to a compound where thousands of people just like her were being subjected to inhuman torture, while those demons continued to live on unscathed.

Suddenly, a heavy cough sounded in her ear. It was Father Duan.

Su Nuo began to tremble instinctively and immediately blurted out, “I’m sure.”

“I’m sure nothing happened. It was all my fault. I did this to get my family’s attention. It has nothing to do with anyone else.”

After saying these words, she had exhausted all her strength and collapsed onto the sofa.

Duan Yubai looked at her with a cold expression. “I just asked you a few questions; is it necessary to put on such a show?”

He couldn’t understand why the once arrogant and domineering Su Nuo had turned into this. But one thing was certain: Su Nuo’s behavior had indeed caught his attention. In the past, no matter how much of a tantrum she threw, he wouldn’t have spared her a glance. He had always thought of her as a spoiled child lacking discipline.

Duan Yubai crossed his long legs and exhaled. “You play the part of a well-behaved girl quite well. Keep it up.”

If only she could keep acting forever.

Mo Xiaoxue chuckled from the side. “Officers, you are really overthinking this. Miss Su has always been this way. You can check the police records; last time, Miss Su even faked amnesia, and it caused quite a stir.”

Lu Xinxin didn’t speak, because she had actually already checked. Many senior officers at the station shook their heads whenever Su Nuo was mentioned. “That young lady is quite the troublemaker; she’s filed plenty of police reports. With her arrogant nature, just treat this as a formality.” “How could the Duan family let anything happen to her? It’s probably just another publicity stunt.”

The words of the senior officers still rang in her ears, but Lu Xinxin just felt that something was wrong with this Su Nuo. Seeing that they couldn’t get any answers, the two officers left the Duan residence.

Duan Yubai stood up as well. He smoothed the wrinkles on his suit, his tone impatient. “Everyone has been playing along with your little act—are you satisfied now? With the company affairs in such a mess, I have plenty to do. You’re only happy when you’re making life miserable for others!”

“Chi Ling, get the car. The meeting is about to start.”

Chi Ling glanced at the trembling Su Nuo and left the villa in silence.

Before leaving, Duan Yubai took one more look at Su Nuo. “If you don’t eat, then don’t eat ever again. Are you waiting for someone to pity you by wasting away to nothing but skin and bones?”

He scoffed and strode away. Mo Xiaoxue cast a look of disdain at Su Nuo, her eyes filled with irrepressible mirth.

The case was effectively closed by the police.

“Uncle, Aunt, don’t worry. I will urge the police to issue a statement. We absolutely won’t let this matter continue to affect the company.”

Mother Duan stood up and took her hand comfortingly. “Xiao Xue, this really was Xiao Nuo being willful this time. We owe it all to you.”

“What are you saying, Aunt? I’m willing to do anything for Mr. Duan.” She blushed as she spoke, looking every bit the blushing young woman.

Su Nuo kept her head down throughout, never looking at her. If it were in the past, Su Nuo would have been consumed by jealousy and might have even made some sharp, biting remarks. But now, she recognized the reality. She was nothing more than the Duan family’s adopted daughter, a creature worth less than a pig or a dog. What right did she have to be jealous?

Duan Yubai was right—everyone despised her because her incident had affected the entire Duan family.

She gripped her hands tightly, her fingertips turning white. *Endure, Su Nuo. Just endure a little longer.*

*Endure until twenty-four. At twenty-four, the Duan family must return her mother’s belongings, and then she would leave this house forever!*