Chapter 81 - 80: All Three Are Suspicious! (Second Update)

Chapter 81: Chapter 80: All Three Are Suspicious! (Second Update)

Unexpectedly, this also involves a Huang Erlang!

From the earlier conversation, it can be gathered that Huang Erlang is actually Zhuo Yuting’s fiancé. Could Zhuo Yuting’s death have something to do with him as well?

Deng Youwei immediately turned to the somewhat surprised village chief and asked, "Is Huang, Huang Erlang at home now?"

Usually, the village chief is a respected elder in the community. Huang Yougui, the chief of Xiao Xi Village, looks to be in his forties. He had passed the scholar examination in his youth, but failed the autumn examinations three times afterward, so he returned to his hometown to farm and also to enlighten the village children.

His eldest son has no talent for studies and helps with farm work at home. His younger son, Huang Qingchuan, is promising; he has been praised by many tutors for his studies since childhood and is currently studying at the county’s private school, preparing for this year’s autumn examinations.

Since there are only a few days left until the autumn examinations, each student is in their final sprint. Huang Erlang hasn’t returned home for a while, and Huang Yougui clearly didn’t expect his son to be dragged into this matter.

He quickly stepped forward and respectfully replied, "Reporting to County Magistrate Deng, our Erlang is currently studying at the county’s private school. Our Erlang has always been kind-hearted and truly loves Lady Zhuo; he... he would never harm Lady Zhuo!"

It’s understandable he’s being pragmatic; Erlang is at a crucial point in his life. Almost all the tutors say that as long as Erlang performs normally, he will surely pass the autumn examinations.

At such a critical time, he really doesn’t want Erlang to know about this matter!

To speak harshly, although Zhuo Yuting and his Erlang are engaged, they haven’t officially married yet, have they? Even if they were married, a wife can be replaced, but failing the autumn examinations means waiting another three years!

Deng Youwei could easily see through Huang Yougui’s intentions, frowning as a trace of disdain flashed in his eyes, and coldly said, "A human life is at stake; all— all individuals related to the case must be present for questioning! Come! Quickly— quickly go to the county and bring Huang Erlang back!"

Huang Yougui instantly appeared anxious and stunned, but had no room to refuse given the County Magistrate’s order.

A well-dressed woman in an autumn-colored dress suddenly changed her expression, grabbing Huang Yougui’s arm and crying out, "Oh, my poor son! There’s less than a month left before the autumn examinations start. At times like this, who would dare disturb their children? Even if something happened at home, they’d hide it, not like our family!

I told you before, that Zhuo Yuting has barely any flesh on her, doesn’t look like she has any good fortune. If our Qingchuan ends up securing a post, what kind of woman wouldn’t he attract? Even the noble ladies in the Capital City are possible matches!

It’s your fault, insisting on accepting Qingchuan’s request and going to the low-status Zhuo Family to propose! Now look what trouble it’s caused our son!"

Huang Yougui was both angry and anxious, but as the village chief, he needed to maintain his reputation, and quickly shouted, "Stop talking!"

Mr. Zhuo, standing aside, already had his expression completely changed, pointing a shaking finger toward the woman, speaking in a voice full of sorrow, "I know you’ve always looked down on my Yu. Let me tell you, if it weren’t for my Yu wanting to marry Huang Erlang, thinking he was a good kid, I wouldn’t have agreed to this engagement either!

You think I don’t know? You, Su Qiuyue, always gossiping behind my Yu’s back, saying she looks too coquettish and doesn’t match your son! Saying your son will become a high official, while my Yu would only hold him back!

Even saying... saying you couldn’t persuade your son, hoping for my Yu to have an accident, just disappearing like that!"

That last remark could be considered exceedingly malicious.

Others present couldn’t help but look at Su Qiuyue with shock and disdain. Su Qiuyue’s expression changed and she shrieked, "Don’t accuse me falsely! When did I say such things? Maybe you heard it from others and put the blame on me!

Besides, what part of those words is wrong? Our Erlang is destined for great achievements! Who knows what methods your daughter used to enchant our Erlang, making him not listen to anything his mom and dad say, insisting on marrying only your daughter!"

"You... you..."

Su Qiuyue was a sharp-tongued woman, rattling off words like firecrackers, leaving Mr. Zhuo speechless.

Xu Jing had been coldly watching the bout of drama, and only now shifted her gaze to Su Qiuyue’s hands.

She noticed that Su Qiuyue’s hands were quite different from other farm women’s weathered hands from farm work—they were well-maintained and even had nails.

Xu Jing couldn’t help but frown slightly.

This made things somewhat complicated.

The woman who had visited the crime scene after Zhuo Yuting’s death must know something, and her relationship with Zhuo Yuting surely wasn’t very good, which is why she hadn’t mentioned the incident of Zhuo Yuting’s untimely demise.

However, having arrived in Xiao Xi Village only a short half-day ago, there were already three women around Zhuo Yuting who had reasons not to speak of her accident.

Clearly, to learn more about what happened after the incident with Zhuo Yuting, we must wait for Huang Erlang to arrive.

The efficiency of the officers was quite high, and within just half an hour, they brought him back.

Huang Erlang was a young man with scholarly air, thick eyebrows, and a square face. When he entered with the officers, his face was pale, and as soon as he came in, he spoke with unmistakable sobbing, "Yu... Yu really had an accident? No, I don’t believe it! You must be deceiving me!

Dad, Mom, quickly tell me this is just a joke, that you did it to relieve my stress from preparing for exams!"

Huang Yougui and Su Qiuyue wished that he would truly believe it was just a joke, but with County Magistrate Deng and all the officers present, Huang Yougui could only grit his teeth and say, "Qingchuan, Yu really has met with an accident. Don’t be too sad; in a few days you still have the autumn exams, and now’s the time for prioritizing studies. Yu wouldn’t want you to be affected by her incident even from the underworld..."

However, how could Huang Qingchuan listen? Hearing Huang Yougui confirm Zhuo Yuting’s passing, all remaining color on his face drained, and he suddenly collapsed on the ground, wailing, "Yu! Yu! How could you bear to leave me like this! You promised to always be with me, waiting to become my scholar’s wife!

Last time you suddenly got angry with me, and I didn’t have time to ask why! I thought I’d make it up to you after the autumn exams..."

Chen Hu, quick to react, heard his words and immediately asked, "You said, last time you met Lady Zhuo, she got angry with you? The last time you saw her, was it in the afternoon four days ago?"

Huang Qingchuan widened his tear-blurred eyes in surprise at Chen Hu, "How... how did you know? With the autumn exams approaching, the pressure was enormous for us candidates. I told Yu I couldn’t see her before the exams.

But... but that day, I missed her so much, and it was my birthday, so I wanted to indulge myself and go see Yu.

However, when I hurriedly found Yu and wanted to say a few words to her, she was furious, pushed me away, called me unfaithful, and then... then ran towards the forest..."

The forest!

Having finally heard a keyword, Chen Hu immediately asked, "And then? Did you just let her run off?"

"No... no!"

Huang Qingchuan cried out, "I immediately planned to go after her, but who knew... just then, I heard something fall into the creek and, following that, the cries of a child calling for help. I ran over and found a child had fallen into the water!

I could only rescue the child first, and after bringing the child ashore, I quietly returned home to change clothes. By then, it was already late.

I had run out during lunch break, even skipping lunch. By the time I was done, it was way past afternoon class time, so I could only... only go back and wait until after the autumn exams to ask Yu what happened that day..."

Little did he expect that from that time onward, they would be separated by life and death, never to have a chance to speak again!