Xie Lian's artistic side| Colors of the Heart ~ Hualian AU

Chapter LXI : TW

Trigger warning: violence

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He Xuan and Hua Cheng soaked in the silence for a long moment while driving to the director's apartment. There's was a lot of traffic blocking the front of the court, and He Xuan was mentally swearing at how he should have parked at the back instead.

At some point, Hua Cheng said, "A penny for your th... who am I fooling, I'm not paying you a single cent. Just tell me how did you help Mu Qing build the case and present it to the court."

He Xuan exhaled, finally done with the clogged part of the way and speeding up. "Well, a few things just fell together, this puzzle was simple. The first newspaper to publish about your arrest did it almost immediately after I took you, so he either must have been there to see it, or he must have known what would happen. The news article was so complete and filled with details that the second scenario is more likely. They knew what was gonna happen because they were probably the one to have snitched you."

"Goddammit Heaven's Eye," was all Hua Cheng retorted.

He Xuan nodded. "It was also no surprise because I already knew of your past with him." The detective opened the window and leaned his elbow on it, the car waiting under red lights. "And talking about your past, there was the other known component in the equation, the Jun Wu guy."

Hua Cheng arched his brows up. "Why did you assume he was involved?"

The red lights reflected on He Xuan's eyes, Hua Cheng noticed, lending a ghostly look to his figure. "Shi Qingxuan filed all the people, both art- and news-related, who contacted their agency trying to talk to actor Xie Lian, and the only organization who seemed uninterested was the one Heaven's Eye works for. It just seemed unlikely for the exact same journalist bringing the breaking news not to want an exclusive interview with the star of your current play. Therefore, he must have avoided getting in touch with Xie Lian for a reason, or because someone asked him to."

Hua Cheng remembered how Heaven's Eye wanted an interview with him, and that must have been his way to counteract the deal of not reaching Xie Lian. Or, that journalist was just annoying and came to bug Hua Cheng in prison, which was also plausible. "You almost sound like a detective," Hua Cheng said raising the corner of his mouth.

He Xuan eyed him. "I'm glad you think so. Then, I visited the address you asked me to get for you that one time and, surprisingly, I found that hacker Qi Rong there. By the way, I arrested him just in case."

"Can't say I'll complain about it," Hua Cheng commented, looking out the window. The afternoon sunlight had already peaked and was starting to diminish. He felt his stomach bothered by the lack of food inside it and was reminded by his bladder how desperately full it was. "Did Mu Qing actually do anything? Was he the one to send the flowers Mrs. Yushi Huang mentioned?"

He Xuan suppressed a laugh, not because of the question but because he thought about the answer to it. "I guess not, it wasn't him. He actually got so scared when I came to him to tell of these evidences." His face grew serious again. "But, yeah, Shi Qingxuan told me the connection between Xie Lian and Jun Wu. Mu Qing also told more details about that video, which supported even more Jun Wu's motivation to do something to get rid of you. As a matter of fact..." They were almost at their destination and He Xuan accelerated. "...if you had told me, we could have done something about that bribing event before." Hua Cheng shrugged his shoulders, He Xuan continued, "Well, finally, Mu Qing seemed very familiar with the evidence Heaven's Eye and Jun Wu used against you. So that was helpful."

Hua Cheng clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes. "Tsc, I wonder why he was so familiar with accusations against me."

He Xuan ignored the comment and went silent for a bit.