The next day, just after breakfast, before Wang Cuilan and Feng Qingxue could step out, an investigation team from Zhang Yi’s unit arrived.
Zhang Yi had studied mechanical design and manufacturing, therefore he worked at the city’s machinery factory.
He graduated last year and got assigned to the factory after graduation. Feng Qingxue, who had no working experience, didn’t understand what level Zhang’s current monthly salary of twenty-seven yuan signified.
The machinery factory took this matter very seriously. The people who came were the deputy director of the factory, Wu Minxian, and the director of the Women’s Union, Ruan Zhenghong.
There was also someone named Zou Chengfeng, but Feng Qingxue didn’t know what his role was at the machinery factory.
Wu Minxian and Zou Chengfeng questioned Wang Cuilan, while Ruan Zhenghong took Feng Qingxue aside, "I’m sorry, comrade. This incident has caused quite a stir and has had a significant impact. We have to conduct a thorough investigation. To ensure the authenticity and impartiality of our inquiry, we need to question all of you individually."
By questioning them separately, there was no worry of collusion among them. According to the testimonies of these three individuals, the truthfulness of Zhang Yi’s innocence could be determined.
If their testimonies highly resembled each other, it would indicate that Zhang Yi was innocent and had been falsely accused by Zhao Mingfang.
"It’s okay, Comrade Ruan. Feel free to ask me anything you want," Feng Qingxue responded, appreciating their method. She felt no discomfort as those questioning her maintained a respectful manner.
Ruan Zhenghong took out her notebook, "Comrade, what’s your name, where are you from? What do you do in the city? I know you’re not from here; I haven’t seen you before, and I basically recognize all the cadres and workers from the public institutions. What’s your relation to Zhao Mingfang, Zhang Yi, and Zhou Yulan? Do you know them? Also, why were you there at that time?"
Feng Qingxue answered honestly, "My name is Feng Qingxue, and I live in the Wanglou Brigade of Dawn Commune. I’m a poor farmer and family member of a soldier. I’m currently taking part in a doctor training program specifically organized for the rural areas by the worker’s hospital. Zhao Mingfang is my cousin; her mother Wang Fengmei and my mother Wang Fengying are blood sisters. However, we do not have much contact and have met only twice before. I don’t have any relation with Comrade Zhang Yi; we’ve met once. I don’t know Zhou Yulan at all. Before yesterday, I had never seen or met her."
"When and where did you meet Zhang Yi?" Ruan Zhenghong immediately asked, giving her no time to think.
Feng Qingxue thought for a moment, "I can’t quite remember, maybe a month or so ago, certainly less than two months before I came here for the doctor training. My cousin from my uncle’s family, Wang Jiao, and I were having a meal in the state-run restaurant when we ran into Zhao Mingfang and Comrade Zhang Yi. Zhao Mingfang insisted that Zhang Yi take her to the department store to buy a plum blossom watch, but he said he had uncompleted work to attend to, so they left the restaurant. The waitstaff at the state-run restaurant can testify to this, as Zhao Mingfang was then scolded by my cousin for her inappropriate behaviour."
Ruan Zhenghong recorded her information meticulously, followed by asking details about the indecent incident that occurred yesterday morning.
Feng Qingxue then detailed her trip with Wang Cuilan, Chen Xueniang, her nephew Lu Tianjun to Wanglou Brigade to dig for wild vegetables, bringing along her son Lu Xibao. When they unexpectedly encountered Zhang Yi and Zhou Yulan who were strolling and stopped to chat for a moment, Zhao Mingfang appeared out of nowhere and started beating and cursing at Zhang Yi.
"Zhao Mingfang also verbally attacked Zhou Yulan, who then was so angry and humiliated that she ran away crying," she added.
After adding this, Feng Qingxue went on to describe Zhao Mingfang’s process of framing Zhang Yi in meticulous detail to Ruan Zhenghong.