Chapter 49#
Jiang Qin had always been a person of contradictory character. When others couldn’t hold up, he could shoulder everything; but when someone was standing in front, he would immediately retreat with a clear conscience.
For people he trusted—like Jin Yan, even if countless pieces of evidence showed he was lying, as long as Jin Yan didn’t admit it himself, Jiang Qin could turn a blind eye. But for people he didn’t trust, even the slightest hint, he could follow the vine to pull out all the truth.
An IQ of 160 paired with an EQ of 60 was no joke.
Xu Xiaoxuan was obviously someone Jiang Qin didn’t trust. When she would rather die than reveal the mastermind in the private room, Jiang Qin vaguely had some bad associations.
He first suspected several candidates in the province who were eyeing them covetously—they had their own ways of making money and didn’t want to use someone like Jin Yan whose underworld power was too great. Destroying the Jin family was their first step to defeating the faction in power.
However, would such people cooperate with Xu Xiaoxuan? Xu Xiaoxuan was indeed a popular female star, but she only had looks, low IQ, and hadn’t seen much of the world. Jiang Qin’s evaluation of her was only two words: silly girl. Which old fox who had been fighting in the political arena for many years would choose her as a teammate?
Next, Jiang Qin ruled out several business partners. Some did have motives, but not enough to make Xu Xiaoxuan refuse to speak even if she died. Some held high positions and power over life and death, capable of silencing Xu Xiaoxuan, but not to the extent of forging such a deadly feud with the Jin family.
When a person made up their mind not to speak, even prying with an iron bar wouldn’t get an answer. Jiang Qin made a very shrewd decision in the casino, which was to take Xu Xiaoxuan back, have people put her under house arrest, and observe her behavior.
On the first day, Xu Xiaoxuan showed no abnormalities. Apart from staring blankly out the window without moving, the day passed quite normally.
On the second day, Xu Xiaoxuan began to get irritable, throwing things, not speaking, and eating less.
On the third day, Jiang Qin went to the hospital to change his dressing. The physical therapist was massaging his ankle when suddenly a subordinate rushed in with a mobile phone and whispered in his ear: “President Jiang, something is wrong with Xu Xiaoxuan.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Foaming at the mouth and banging her head against the wall.”
Jiang Qin raised his eyebrows sharply, looked at the subordinate for a long while, and then asked softly in disbelief: “—Does she have a drug addiction?”
Xu Xiaoxuan’s drug addiction finally flared up on the third day.
When Jiang Qin arrived, he saw her foaming at the mouth, desperately scratching her chest with her fingernails. Her half-exposed chest was covered in bloody scratches. Several subordinates rushed up to barely hold her down, otherwise, she would have banged her head against the wall with loud thuds. That appearance was truly terrifying.
Jiang Qin had her tied to a chair, walked over, and gently lifted her chin. He saw her face covered in sweat, pale, and her eyes like a starving beast in the forest. At that moment, Jiang Qin couldn’t describe what he felt, only seeing his fingers trembling uncontrollably.
“…Find a way to get her some stimulants, ecstasy will do.”
The subordinate shook his head and said: “President Jiang, ecstasy isn’t strong enough for her like this. It must be heroin. And her addiction is already very heavy. Look at this crazy appearance, does she still look like a human?”
Jiang Qin tremblingly stroked her hair gently, but Xu Xiaoxuan suddenly let out a wild scream, raised her head, and tried her best to open her mouth! Several subordinates rushed up in panic and grabbed Jiang Qin’s hand. With a snap, Xu Xiaoxuan’s teeth almost bit him!
“Be careful! President Jiang! Someone come quickly and drag her away!” The subordinate shouted in panic, dragging and pulling Jiang Qin out of the room, and checked his hand back and forth several times to make sure his skin wasn’t broken.
“It was too risky! Since she takes drugs, it’s hard to guarantee she doesn’t have AIDS. What if she bit you? Besides, this woman hates you, what if…”
Jiang Qin was silent for a long time, finally sighed dejectedly, and said: “Find someone to buy some heroin.”
With Xu Xiaoxuan like this, she wouldn’t make it without taking it.
If it were Jin Yan, a phone call would naturally find a way to buy white powder, but Jiang Qin really couldn’t find anyone to discuss such things with at the moment. He was hesitating whether to ask Jin Weiguo when his phone suddenly rang. It was Guan Feng calling to discuss the progress of the case.
Jiang Qin asked without much hope: “Can you find someone to help buy some white powder?”
“You take it?”
“No, no, it’s Jin Yan’s confidante.” Jiang Qin briefly stated Xu Xiaoxuan’s matter and said: “I’ve had people tie her up, but I estimate she won’t last until tomorrow…”
“Tie her up for half a month and she’ll naturally quit. She won’t die.”
Jiang Qin said in horror: “Stop joking, I don’t think she can even survive tonight. Can you get three or four doses over here now? After that, I’ll send her to a rehab center.”
“Foolish humans, is persisting for half a month so difficult for you?” Guan Feng sighed and said calmly: “Hellen, find someone to buy fifty grams of heroin and send it to Star Entertainment.”
“Yes, President Guan.”
Guan Feng must have turned on the speakerphone. Hellen’s voice was very clear and without the slightest emotional fluctuation—sounding no different from “Hellen, help me go downstairs to buy a pack of cigarettes” “Okay, President Guan”.
“By the way,” Guan Feng turned his head and said, “The appraisal results of the criminal evidence Fang Yuan submitted to the Public Security Department today are out.”
“How is it?”
“Less than one-tenth can be established as valid evidence. The external audit didn’t find any suspicious points sufficient for conviction either; the accounts are clean. Some contracts with major suspicions were transferred to the handwriting identification section, and it was found that although the signatures looked very much like Jin Yan’s, they were all forged.”
Guan Feng paused and said: “Accountant, the next step is to investigate you.”
“…When can Jin Yan be released?”
“This week, hopefully.”
Jiang Qin was silent for a long while, then whispered: “President Guan, everything depends on you.”
That night, Hellen indeed brought the white powder to Star Entertainment and taught the subordinates how to mix the ratio and how to inject Xu Xiaoxuan. She repeatedly instructed not to make the solution concentration too high, because the appetite of addicted people would grow larger and larger. If high-purity heroin was injected this time, she would feel unsatisfied with a smaller dose next time.
Before leaving, Jiang Qin saw her out and asked: “Who tied themselves up for half a month during withdrawal?”
“President Guan,” Hellen said lightly, “But President Guan’s addiction wasn’t deep, just playing around with people in France in his early years.”
Jiang Qin shook his head helplessly and saw her out of the company gate.
When he returned, Xu Xiaoxuan had already finished the injection, leaning in the small room with unfocused eyes. Two subordinates guarded the door with very vigilant expressions, probably afraid she would have another drug attack and jump up to hurt people.
Jiang Qin signaled the two subordinates to withdraw, walked into the room himself, squatted halfway in front of Xu Xiaoxuan, and looked directly into her desolate eyes.
“Who made you take drugs? How long has that person controlled you?”
“…”
“Xu Xiaoxuan,” Jiang Qin said, “When you were still a little girl more than ten years ago, I had already seen this method. Using drugs to control female stars in the circle, forcing them to make money for themselves, and letting them fend for themselves after squeezing out their utilization value. Several female stars committed suicide because of this… exactly the same as what you have experienced. Their ending is your tomorrow.”
“…”
“Tell me who that person is, and I’ll send you abroad for rehab. Your appearance hasn’t deformed too much yet. After successful rehab, you can still come back to act. This is your only chance.”
Xu Xiaoxuan’s eyes flickered sharply.
“No matter what you did before, I will let bygones be bygones. From now on, no one in the Jin family will trouble you. I guarantee with my life, you are absolutely safe.”
After a long silence, Xu Xiaoxuan said hoarsely: “You swear to keep it secret?”
“I swear.”
Jiang Qin watched her patiently, seeing obvious struggle in her eyes. After a long while, she opened her mouth, but what she said was: “—That person… the person who used drugs back then… what happened to him in the end?”
“He died.”
Only Xu Xiaoxuan’s rapid breathing could be heard in the room. She hugged herself with both hands, her fingers clutching her elbows convulsively, fingernails digging deep into the flesh.
After hearing the words “died”, the emotions on her face were very complicated, as if there was a very twisted pleasure, mixed with hatred and unwillingness, making her beautiful face look very hideous.
Jiang Qin had an indescribable feeling in his heart, making him unable to bear looking at this woman’s current appearance.
He looked away, but Xu Xiaoxuan suddenly leaned close, gritted her teeth, and whispered a name in his ear, asking maliciously: “—Are you surprised? Didn’t expect it, right?”
To her surprise, Jiang Qin’s expression was very calm. He was only slightly surprised the moment the name was spoken, then nodded and said: “Just as I guessed.”
“What did you say?!”
“I couldn’t be sure before, but as soon as I saw your drug addiction flare up, I connected it to past events. What I didn’t expect is that this method hasn’t been improved for more than ten years. It indeed exceeded my expectations.”
Jiang Qin stood up and walked towards the door. Xu Xiaoxuan suddenly felt a deep sense of defeat and asked sharply: “What you promised me—”
“Next week, I’ll have Jin Yan send you to a rehab center abroad. The fees will be transferred to the account. You don’t need to come back until you’ve completely withdrawn.”
Xu Xiaoxuan’s momentum weakened slightly, and she asked timidly: “Send me to a rehab center… why isn’t it you?”
—It had to be said that she still had some brains, knowing who to ask for help between Jin Yan and Jiang Qin when encountering trouble.
But Jiang Qin shook his head and said: “I don’t have time anymore.”
Without waiting for Xu Xiaoxuan to say anything more, he strode out of the room and gently closed the door.