novelraw Page 229
Page 229
She glanced at the luxury sports car parked outside and decided to listen to the rest first.
Chapter 297 Adult Women
At the company reception desk, Shirakawa Natsumi held a cup of tea, her expression strange.
He was just trying to play the victim to get a confession. If they went through the proper channels, Miwako's colleagues would most likely pretend not to know anything to avoid getting into trouble.
But the receptionist said she would be back in a moment and then disappeared.
Hirota Keiko was quickly putting on makeup in front of the mirror in the bathroom. Terms she usually saw in novels, such as "rich second generation," "puppy dog," and "weak bottom," kept popping into her head.
Shirakawa Natsu glanced at her watch; ten minutes had passed. She decided to get up.
Hirota Keiko walked gracefully in high heels, her image and demeanor completely different from her work persona.
"Excuse me, Officer Xia, I wasn't feeling well just now."
"Uh, it's nothing." Shirakawa Natsu pretended not to see the makeup on her face: "I want to know, before Miwako started dating Tanaka Taro, did she get close to other men?"
“Other men?” A strange look flashed in Hirota Keiko’s eyes, then she shook her head: “I don’t know, she and I are just colleagues.”
Upon hearing this, Shirakawa Natsu's eyes showed dejection. She stuffed the envelope containing one million back into her bag, stood up, and bowed to her, saying:
"Ms. Hirota Keiko, I'm sorry to bother you. You don't have any leads here. I'll go ask around elsewhere."
After he finished speaking, he turned to leave.
"Wait, I think I've seen her leaving get off work with a man since last year."
"Oh?" Shirakawa Natsumi's lips curled into a smile. "Do you know about their relationship?"
“I asked Miwako,” Hirota Keiko recalled. “She said they were just friends.”
"Okay, when did you see them together?" Shirakawa Natsumi asked several questions in a row.
Hirota Keiko answered each question in turn.
"Thank you very much for your help." Shirakawa Natsu bowed to her and then turned to leave.
"Officer Xia~" Seeing him about to leave, Hirota Keiko leaned closer: "I've answered so many of your questions, don't you want to thank me with something?"
“I’m sorry, Ms. Hirota Keiko.” Shirakawa Natsu extended his hand to her. “Cooperating with the police is everyone’s duty. Please have some self-respect.”
After he finished speaking, he got into the luxury sports car and drove away while Hirota Keiko was still in a daze.
They took the envelope containing the money that they had taken out at the beginning, and also took it with them.
Hirota Keiko was left standing there stunned. She stomped her foot and finally realized that she had been taken advantage of.
Shirakawa Natsu was driving while looking at the transcript.
According to Keiko Hirota, Miwako and Shota went to and from get off work together every day, but the two did not have any overly intimate behavior and were more like ordinary friends.
"Like friends?"
Shirakawa Natsu tapped her fingers on the steering wheel as she pulled the car over to the side of the road.
He took out the photo from his pocket and asked shop owners along the way.
"Hello boss, do you recognize these two people?"
"Sorry, I don't remember."
"Hello, ma'am, may I ask..."
Shirakawa Natsu asked along the route the two took to work.
Until I went to a yakitori restaurant.
"I've seen these two people before; they occasionally come to my shop to eat skewers together."
"Do they look like a couple?" Shirakawa Natsumi's expression hardened, and she quickly asked.
"Hmm." The shop owner looked at the photo, recalled, and then shook his head: "They look like a couple, but not quite."
"Boss, please don't joke around."
"I'm sorry, it was my fault for not expressing myself properly. I don't know how to say it either."
"OK, thanks."
After leaving the yakitori restaurant, Shirakawa Natsu asked for directions all the way to Miwako's house.
"Yes, she's a resident here. This boy walks her downstairs every day, so I remember her."
"Thank you very much." Shirakawa Natsumi took out a pack of cigarettes and stuffed it into his hand. "Anything else?"
"Because the boys would always watch her go upstairs before leaving, but they never went upstairs themselves."
"Did she react in any way, like being scared or anything?"
"How could I be afraid? She would always turn around and bow. I always thought they were a couple."
"Thank you."
Shirakawa Natsu looked up at the apartment. It wasn't high-end, but the monthly rent wasn't small either, equivalent to half the salary of an average white-collar worker.
When I got back into the car, I felt a wave of fatigue wash over me; I had been busy all afternoon without realizing it.
After a brief hesitation in the car, I drove back to the police station.
I ran into Aunt Mafei at the door.
“Beautiful lady, you need a handsome driver.” Shirakawa Natsu stopped the sports car in front of her and opened the door.
Ma Fei glanced at him, then, without any pretense, opened the car door and got in.
Shirakawa Natsu glanced at her prominent chest.
"If Miwako admits that there was a misunderstanding between her and Shota, Shota can be released without charge."
“Yes.” Ma Fei’s expression was a half-smile: “If it’s just a misunderstanding, then the two of them were just playing around a bit too boldly, and our police have no right to pursue the matter.”
"Could we arrange a meeting?" Shirakawa Natsu asked as she drove. "I think I already know the truth."
"Okay." Ma Fei gave him a meaningful look.
The next day, at the detention center.
“Miwako…” Shota wanted to ask a question when he saw Miwako, but after a look of confusion in his eyes, he lowered his head again and sat back down.
Miwako was wearing ordinary loungewear and a short skirt, with her head down.
“He is my assistant. Now we will proceed with the final mediation.” Maki glanced at everyone, then sat back down and handed the stage over to Shirakawa Natsu.
“Miss Miwako.” Shirakawa Natsu stood up and looked at Miwako, who was bowing her head and remaining silent. “Miwako, Miss, what I want to ask is your true thoughts. Please tell me the truth. You said that Shota imprisoned you in his house. According to my investigation, the neighbors did not hear any cries for help. During this time, he even went to his company to ask for leave and was even asked to work half a day. During this time, you were fully capable of leaving.”
After a long silence, Miwako shook her head: "That's not how it is, but I was too scared. I was afraid he would hurt me, so I didn't dare to call for help."
Shirakawa Natsu: "I asked the shop owners you visited, and they said you often chatted happily, which doesn't seem like the attitude you would have towards a harasser."
“No, that’s not true,” Miwako continued to deny.
Upon hearing this, Shota lowered his head further and further.
Do you really think Shota is a problem for you?
"Yes."
"Don't you have any good feelings towards him at all?"
"Yes."
"You're saying this because you're planning to marry a better Tanaka Taro, aren't you?"
When Shirakawa Natsu asked this question, Shota looked up, a glimmer of hope flashing in his eyes.
After a long silence, Miwako shook her head: "No."
"Don't you have any feelings for Shota at all?"
"No."
Not even a tiny bit?
"No, only troubles."
Shota slowly lowered his head.
……
Outside the detention center, inside a luxury sports car.
Ma Fei opened the car door and got into the passenger seat.
"Shota confessed."
“He is innocent. Miwako sacrificed him for her own happiness.” Shirakawa Natsu gripped the steering wheel.
"That's not important; the law only considers evidence." Ma Fei smiled, then suddenly turned to the side and placed her hand on his thigh.
"However, the fact that you were able to investigate this far is beyond my expectations."
"So it was all your doing, wasn't it?" Shirakawa Natsu's expression was downcast. "You deliberately made me investigate, but you knew the truth from the very beginning."
Ma Fei remained noncommittal, a smile curving her lips: "Women are just like that. You're only 19, and you still have naive fantasies about love."
"But I am not. Maybe I would agree to be your woman now because you are good at it, but we don't have the time we've spent together as a foundation."
"If I meet a better man someday in the future, will I abandon you and snuggle in the arms of another man?"
"This is the chasm between us."
Chapter 298 Auntie is so good at this
Aunt Maki's eyes held an enigmatic charm. Leaning back in her seat, she looked at Shirakawa Natsu with a half-smile.
We're waiting to see how this younger man will react awkwardly to the harsh realities of life.
“No.” Shirakawa Natsu’s expression was complicated. “We are different.”
He wanted to refute it, but faced with reality, he couldn't find a reason to fight back, and his expression was extremely awkward.
“Most of the time, we feel like we’re the special one.” Aunt Ma Fei smiled and touched his lips with her finger.
"But the truth is, we are all the same and will make the same choices."
After she finished speaking, she saw Shirakawa Natsu pursing his lips and lowering his head, a far cry from the spirited young man she remembered.
After so much hard work investigating, I thought I could persuade Miwako to give up her pursuit by appealing to her emotions.
The final result taught him a valuable lesson in reality.
It seems this time, it really hit him hard.
After all, he was just a boy about the same age as his daughter.
"Understanding these principles sooner and letting go of unrealistic fantasies can save you from taking detours," Aunt Mafei comforted her.
Shirakawa Natsu turned her head from the driver's seat, looking dejected: "But I still won the bet, right? As agreed in the first step, I investigated thoroughly."
The two made a deal: as a reward, Aunt Mafei would let him wipe it if he found out the truth of the matter.
Overall, Shirakawa Natsumi still failed.
Because in the end, Shota's case was not overturned.
Ma Fei wanted to refuse, but when she saw his dejected look in her beautiful eyes, her maternal instincts prevailed, and she nodded: "Okay, but let's try something else."
As she spoke, her hand reached towards Shirakawa Natsu's leg, her fingers gently tracing its path.
Shirakawa Natsu was taken aback, and then reached out and placed her hand on Aunt Maki's trousers. She was wearing women's trousers today, which were dignified and formal.
Compared to Aunt Mafei's gentle and kind nature, he was much more rude.
Plus, the limited space in a sedan makes it feel like a naive little wolfhound.
Aunt Mafei glared at him for his rough actions, but did not stop him from reaching up to touch her.
Instead, he spread his legs a little wider and moved his position so that, despite the limited space in the passenger seat, he could still reach his inner thighs.
Shirakawa Natsu turned her head, wanting to kiss her lips.
Aunt Maki also turned her face and opened her mouth, which touched Shirakawa Natsu's lips.