Memory Lost (美人为馅): Chapter 65

Chapter 65: True Lies

Mother Han’s phone call is a series of inquiries of his well being as usual.

Han Chen stands up holding the phone.  He walks into the conference room and leaves a small door gap.

“The weather is getting cold in City Lan, so make sure you dress for it.  Don’t be like your dad and think that you’ve got a great healthy body.  He caught a cold just yesterday.”

Han Chen smiles leaning on the edge of the conference room’s table.  He looks at the sky outside of the window, “Take good care of him.  Since I’m not around, I’ll have to trouble you.”

Mother Han smiles too.  She changes the subject, “I called Xin Jia yesterday.  She seems a bit depressed.  Do you know what’s the matter?”

“I don’t pay attention to her matters, so I don’t know.”

His answer is frank.  But it makes Mother Han a bit mad, “She went all the way to City Lan from Beijing for your sake.  You know how much she sacrificed?  Can City Lan compare to Beijing?  You fellow, why don’t you understand?”

Seeing that Han Chen doesn’t answer, she says the following with a sincere and earnest tone of voice, “Yesterday, she said that would not be able to take care of you for me.  She sounded very pitiful.  What happened?”

Han Chen taps the table with his fingers and responds, “Mom, it’s a good thing.”

“What’s good?”

“She finally gets it.”

“……You!” Mother Han laughs sarcastically, but she knows how stubborn her son can be, so she can’t find any words to talk back.

Bai Jin Xi returns to the office with a few takeout boxes, but she can’t find Han Chen.

She puts the food down on the desk and walks towards the slightly opened conference room door.  She sees his back.  Jin Xi smiles, opens the door, and just before she says anything, she hears him speak, “Mom, you don’t need to worry.  I will definitely not be with Xin Jia.”

Jin Xi is stunned.

Han Chen notices the noise and turns around holding the phone.

They exchange glances.  His eyes are dark brown and shimmering.

Jin Xi retreats out of the conference room and closes the door after her.

On the other end of the phone, Mother Han complains, “If you really don’t like Xin Jia, it’s okay to not marry her.  It’s not like our Han Family must have the Xin Family be our in-laws.  But you’re already over twenty, so at least you should bring home a girlfriend.  All you know is to immerse yourself in cases.  When can your dad and I be able to hold our grandchildren in our arms?”

The image of Jin Xi from just now floats into Han Chen’s mind.  After a moment of silence, he asks, “Mom, for the past few years, you’ve always told me that that girl didn’t exist and that I had never been with anyone before.”

Mother Han becomes quiet.

“I want to ask you again.  Does she really not exist?”

On the other end of the phone, a bit of noise can be heard.  It sounds like Mother Han has put the phone down and then held it up again.  Her breathing also seems to become unsteady.

“She doesn’t exist,” her voice carries a hint of anger, “You child, why do you have to be so stubborn?  Xin Jia is such a great girl yet you don’t want her.  It’s like you’re possessed, you keep thinking about nonsense.  You don’t even believe in your mom’s words?”

Han Chen doesn’t talk back.

He holds up his hand and stares at the ring on his finger.  After a while, he lowers his hand again.  His voice returns to its usual sense of laziness, “Fine.  You don’t need to worry.  I’ll bring your grandson to you directly next year.  I still have work to do, so let’s chat another time.”

“Hah?” Mother Han is puzzled, but Han Chen has already hung up the phone and walked out of the room.

Jin Xi is standing by an empty desk as she takes out the boxes of dishes one by one to put on top of the table covered with newspapers.  She hears footsteps coming behind her, but she doesn’t turn around and continue with what she’s doing.

Han Chen looks at her and walks to her side.  He presses his hand against the table, lowers his head and stares at her.

Jin Xi continues without any expression.  She fetches two pairs of chopsticks and places them neatly on the table.

“You’re jealous?” he asks in a low voice.

Jin Xi makes a “cheh” sound and says, “What am I jealous about?  Isn’t she just a future daughter in-law since childhood?”

Han Chen chuckles.  He pulls her into his embrace and kisses her forehead.  But in his mind, he recalls what his mom said just now: she doesn’t exist……You child, it’s like you’re possessed.

He lowers his head and looks into her eyes.  He feels a subtle pain rising in his chest.  This pain has been with him for many years.  All because of the woman in front of him.

“Jin Xi, the truth that many people believe in might actually be wrong.”

Jin Xi is a bit stunned.

This is what she used to comfort Chatterbox after chatting with the different witnesses.

And now, she seems to understand what he means.

After a moment, she reaches out with her arms and hugs him.  They hug each other quietly.

He finally releases her after a while, “Let’s eat.”

Jin Xi nods.  But the fact that his mom treats Xin Jia affectionately, she feels a bit upset nonetheless.  She sits down, holds up a takeout box and says nonchalantly, “About that Xin Jia, have you cleared everything up with your mom?”

Han Chen is sitting across from her.  He glances at her hearing her speak.  His eyes look so deep.

And then he puts down his chopsticks, stands up and returns to his desk.  Jin Xi bites on her chopsticks and watches him feeling confused.

She sees him fetch a key, unlocks a drawer, flips through it and takes out a blue colored notebook.  He glances at her again before walking back to their table of food.

“What’s that?” she asks.

Han Chen doesn’t answer.  He sits down right in front of her, reaches over to grab her bag, unzips it and puts the notebook inside.  Jin Xi leans over with curiosity and catches a glimpse of words written on the cover of the blue notebook.

Resident Account book.

Jin Xi opens her eyes wide, “Why are you putting your resident account book in my bag?!”

Han Chen glances at her, “To pledge to be married to you.”

Jin Xi laughs, “I don’t want it.  Who cares about your resident account book.”

Han Chen doesn’t talk back.  He picks up the takeout box and starts eating.

Jin Xi gives him a shove, but he doesn’t budge.

“Take it back!  No one pledges a marriage like this.  Why did you stuff the resident account book in my bag……Are you listening, Han Chen?!”

2pm in the afternoon.

In the rather large interrogation room, Situ Yi is sitting by himself.  His palms, wrists, and his chest are attached with sensors.  He looks especially calm.  Occasionally, an unreadable smile flashes across his eyes.

“Situ Yi has already signed the paper and agreed to perform the lie detector test,” Xu Nan Bai is sitting in front of a computer screen.  The sleeves of his white shirt are rolled up.  He’s wearing a pair of thin rimmed glasses.  His whole appearance makes him look gentle and elegant.

Qin Wen Long and the members of Black Shield Team are also sitting in the room.  Qin Wen Long asks anxiously, “Professor Xu, I heard that a polygraph is very accurate.  Since you’re the expert, do you think the results will be trustworthy?”

Xu Nan Bai smiles slightly and nods, “Although the results cannot be used as evidence and can only be a source of reference, I personally believe that they are very valuable and trustworthy.”  Seeing how Xiao Zhuan, Chatterbox, and the others are flipping through the question sheet with a puzzled look, he explains, “When a person lies, his/her body will have many changes and reactions.  For example, his/her body language, expression, speech, breathing, blood pressure, pulse, sweat secretion, skin conductance changes……etcetera.  Some of them can be controlled like body language and expression, but for other things, even though he may be a criminal with a great mentality, he will not be able to control it.  It’s because they are subconscious changes such as blood pressure, pulse, and skin conductance changes……”

“Therefore, this polygraph is to examine the data showing these changes?” Xiao Zhuan peeks over his shoulder in excitement.

“Yes.”

“This Situ Yi will definitely not be able to escape then!” Chatterbox laughs out loud, “This fellow is still sitting so calmly.  He must think that he disguises himself very well.”

Jin Xi doesn’t laugh along.  She turns her head to look at Han Chen beside her.

Han Chen’s expression is also very solemn.

The test begins.

Xu Nan Bai states, “I will ask five questions.  Whether or not your answers are true, please respond with ‘yes.’”

Situ Yi sits up straight.  He looks directly across from him and smiles, “Okay.”

“Is your name Situ Yi?”

“Yes.”

The data on the computer screen shows that everything is normal.  It indicates that all of his body reactions are normal, indirectly meaning that what he says is true.

“Is today Saturday?”

“Yes.”  The data shows normal.

“Are you 32 years old this year?”

“Yes.”  The data is normal.

“Are you a woman?”

“Yes.”

The computer screen shows big fluctuations in the data.

In the monitoring room, Xu Nan Bai is looking at the screen with full concentration.  Han Chen and Jin Xi are very calm and quiet.  Xiao Zhuan’s and Chatterbox’s eyes are about to pop out.  Cold Face’s expression also reveals a slight relief.

“This is incredible……” Chatterbox murmurs.

“I will ask you another set of questions,” Xu Nan Bai says, “Please provide your real answers.”

Situ Yi smiles again.  He glances at the dark screen, “No problem.”

Xu Nan Bai, “Is the weather good today?”

“I don’t know.  I was taken here by the police since last night,” he says in a mocking kind of voice.  All the data shows that everything is normal.

“Is your job title the Marketing Director?”

“Yes.”

“Are you Situ Cheng Xu’s biological son?”

A short moment of silence.

“No.”

“Are you a member of ‘Crystal Metropolis Clubhouse’?”

“Yes.”

“Have you been in relationships with a number of women from the clubhouse before?”

“Oh……Yes.”

Xu Nan Bai asks another set of unimportant questions.  Situ Yi answers each one of them and the data on the screen maintains normal the whole time.

“Do you know Han Sha?” Xu Nan Bai’s voice continues to be calm and unemotional.

Jin Xi and the others are getting worked up as they stare at Situ Yi’s face.  It’s because Han Sha is the name of the first victim who was killed three months ago.

Situ Yi blinks his eyes.

“Yes.”  The data shows normal.

“Do you know Ye Xiang Qing?”  The second victim.

“Yes.”

“Do you know Zhou Si Jin?”

“Yes.”

At this time, Xu Nan Bai raises his head and stares at Situ Yi, who’s behind the glass window.

“Did you kidnapped all three of them?”

The two connected rooms fall into dead silence.  Situ Yi keeps quiet for at least ten seconds before he smiles slowly, “No.”

On the other end, almost everyone shifts their focus to the computer screen at the same time!

……

Chatterbox murmurs, “How is this possible……”

Qin Wen Long curses, “Holy!”

It’s because, on the screen, many of the data lines are still maintaining a steady state.  They are so steady that there’s not the slightest bit of fluctuation, indicating that there is no disruption to his emotions or reactions.  He is not feeling pressured due to lying or showing any subtle physiological responses.

This means that he’s telling the truth.

And Jin Xi is staring at the computer screen.  Just like Han Chen, she continues to be quiet.

Xu Nan Bai pauses briefly before continuing.

“Did you plot to murder them?”

“No.”

The data is normal.

“Did you confine them for a long period of time and tortured them?”

“No.”

The data is normal.

“Did you take away their purses?”

“No.”

“Did you change them into a nurse’s uniform?”

“No.”

“Did you use a knife to wound them?”

“No.”

“Did you abandoned their bodies in the woods nearby the road?”

“No.”

……

Inside the monitoring room, the mood is heavy and serious.  Only Xu Nan Bai and Situ Yi’s questions and answers can be heard.  And after Situ Yi’s many replies of “No,” the data lines on the screen continue to run smoothly and steadily.

At the end, they finish asking all of the questions.  The members of the Black Shield Team all look very gloomy and have nothing to say.  But at this moment, they hear Xu Nan Bai speak.  He asks a question that isn’t on the list.

“Did you instruct, encouraged, or partnered up with someone to murder them?”

Situ Yi becomes quiet.

And then he turns his head and looks their way.  It’s as if he’s looking directly at them through the dark glass window.

And then Jin Xi catches the hint of a mischievous smile flashing across his eyes once again.

“No.”

The data……is normal.

The lie detecting test ends.

Situ Yi is led out of the interrogation room by a police officer.

Xu Nan Bai stands up and says to everybody regrettably, “I’ve disappointed you all.  I’m very certain to say that Situ Yi is not the murderer of this case.”

Nobody says a word.

The image of Situ Yi’s last expression flashes across Jin Xi’s mind.  It makes her feel very uncomfortable.

Cold Face says suddenly, “Professor Xu, I’ve heard before that a very small percentage of people can control their body reactions and control the results of a lie detector test.  Could Situ Yi be this kind of person?”

Others have heard of this before too, so they all look at Xu Nan Bai for an answer.

Xu Nan Bai shakes his head, “I’m sorry.  I’ve tested over a hundred criminals and I’ve never met the kind of person that you’ve described.  Therefore, I personally cannot give you a definite answer.  But whether or not this exists as a possibility for Situ Yi……” he smiles slightly and looks towards Jin Xi, “Junior (female) Classmate, what do you think?”

Jin Xi thinks for a moment and answers, “It’s not possible.  He’s not the kind of person that Cold Face described.”

Of course, he can’t be.  Whether it’s his impulsive reaction from last night’s interrogation or Shao Lun’s and Zhen Ni Ya’s confessions, they all prove that his emotions are easily affected.  It’s especially obvious from the latter two confessions since their sources are based on daily interactions, so it’s even more believable.

Therefore, the results from the lie detector test are extremely trustworthy.

Therefore……

He looks up and her eyes meet with Xu Nan Bai’s.

She used her criminal psychology profiling technique to isolate Situ Yi as the only suspect.

But right now, the same criminal psychology techniques are telling her that Situ Yi is not the murderer.