Chapter 82 - 81: Uncontrollable Emotions (Part 1)

Chapter 82: Chapter 81: Uncontrollable Emotions (Part 1)

Chen Hu immediately turned to look at Deng Youwei. Deng Youwei apparently had the same thought, nodded, and pointed to a nearby attendant, saying, "Go, go ask the child who fell into the water that day."

The attendant acknowledged and turned to run out.

Ye Anqiao’s emotions were clearly not yet settled. She glared harshly at Huang Qingchuan, saying, "How could you not pursue at that time! Do you know... do you know that Yu...

I said Yu was not herself that day! Was it because you did something to wrong her? Poor Yu keeps thinking of you, worried about your hard studies for the exams, she even asked me a few days ago to go with her to bring you snacks she made herself, and just before we reached your private school, we saw you in a silver shop!

I knew you weren’t preparing for the exams well, sneaking to the silver shop must have been suspicious! However, after sneaking a quick glance, Yu returned with a red face and said we better not disturb you, otherwise if you fail the autumn exams, she would become the sinner.

You say! Did you have a vixen out there, and you were buying jewelry for her in the silver shop that day!"

Huang Qingchuan’s face was filled with tears, shaking his head desperately, "I didn’t! Yu is the only one in my heart and eyes, where could there be room for any other woman!

Wait, you say, you and Yu saw me in the silver shop?

I... I was buying a birthday gift for Yu! Her birthday is the same day as my autumn exams end, I was afraid I wouldn’t have time then, so I took a moment to visit the silver shop.

Why didn’t you stop me then? You..."

Huang Qingchuan was full of grief, somewhat at a loss for words.

Suddenly, his eyes focused, staring in disbelief at a certain place in front of him, he suddenly exclaimed: "How come you have this hairpin too!"

Everyone was stunned, instinctively turning to look in the direction Huang Qingchuan was gazing, seeing Zhu Yan there, frantically and awkwardly pulling out the butterfly pearl silver hairpin from her bun and hiding it behind her back.

Then, she seemed to realize her behavior was too incriminating, hurriedly shaking her head desperately, "I... I didn’t mean to, I was just... just jealous of Yu, we obviously grew up together! My family is even closer to yours than you and Yu, why can’t you ever see me, only Yu!"

Zhu Yan seemed to have completely broken down, lowly roaring in collapse, "I admit, I didn’t go there that day to make peace with Yu. A few days ago, when I was in the county silver shop buying jewelry, I overheard the clerk chatting, saying you ordered a butterfly pearl silver hairpin there.

I felt uncomfortable, so I bought an identical one, deliberately appearing in front of Yu!"

Ye Anqiao looked at her in shock, gritting her teeth, "You malicious woman! No wonder... no wonder Yu was so angry that day... and you said you weren’t the one who caused Yu’s death!"

"I didn’t! Even if I did anger her, I didn’t kill Yu!"

Zhu Yan quickly said, "Moreover, although I was jealous of Yu, I never wanted anything bad for her!

I purposefully irritated Yu that day not just out of jealousy, but because she deliberately distanced herself from me!

Clearly... I always considered her my best sister, even though Huang Erlang chose her, I was not willing, but I even thought, as long as it was Yu, it wouldn’t be too bad..."

Miao Xianglan also hurriedly said, "Yes, Yanzi cares about Yu very much. Previously, whenever Yu had minor ailments, she would be concerned and often secretly ask me to bring Yu medicine and food.

It’s just that Yu suddenly distanced herself from Yanzi, which made Yanzi feel very wronged. She often told me that Yu was the one who suddenly threw a tantrum, and she wouldn’t proactively make up with Yu, she wanted Yu to come and make up with her..."

"You shut up!"

Ye Anqiao angrily said, "I know you are engaged to Zhu Yan’s brother, and you’re going to marry soon, but you’re not a Zhu family member yet, and you’re speaking for them already?

Zhu Yan gave you a few pieces of old clothes, a few broken jewelry, and you’re willing to become her dog?"

Miao Xianglan’s face turned pale, seemingly a bit angry too, "Ye Anqiao, must you speak so harshly?"

Just then, the attendant who went out to find the child who fell into the water that day returned and saluted Deng Youwei, saying, "County Magistrate Deng, I asked that child, he said he accidentally slipped on a stone by the stream that day and fell into the water, it had nothing to do with anyone else.

There were other village children present that day too, I asked them, and they confirmed it was that child’s mistake."

Deng Youwei was momentarily stunned.

Could such a coincidence really have happened?

He thought the child had been pushed into the water by someone to prevent Huang Qingchuan from catching up with Zhuo Yuting.

With this, that lead was cut off.

Not far away, Xiao Yi saw Xu Jing hadn’t spoken all along, and quietly asked, "What do you think?"

Xu Jing looked up at him and said, "It seems likely that Lady Zhuo had an accident after parting with Huang Erlang that day, but if Huang Erlang was the last to see her, it complicates things."

Without a witness, the range of suspects cannot be defined.

As of now, they don’t even know if the suspect is a person from Xiao Xi Village.

Xu Jing paused, saying, "The next step is to find out if anyone else saw Lady Zhuo after that."

Luckily, she just heard Meng Anhe mention that Xiao Xi Village isn’t very big, with just over two hundred households, totaling more than seven hundred villagers.

Now that they know Zhuo Yuting’s specific time of disappearance, asking if anyone saw her at that time isn’t too difficult.

But even though the county government has many people, it’s still a big project that will take some time.

Xiao Yi nodded in agreement, saying, "County Magistrate Deng should plan to do just that next."

Sure enough, a moment later, Deng Youwei called for several attendants and instructed them to order a search through the village to see if anyone else had seen Zhuo Yuting that day.

After the attendants left with the orders, Xiao Yi lowered his head, his ink-black eyes quietly watching Xu Jing, saying, "Does Miss Xu want to go back, or stay here to see more?"

Xu Jing looked at the sky. Since previous work had gone well, it wasn’t too late yet.

The sun hadn’t started to set.

She looked up at Xiao Yi and said, "I want to stay to see more, and Vice Minister Xiao? I remember Vice Minister Xiao planned to return to the Capital City today?"

Xiao Yi’s hand tightened slightly on the wheelchair armrest, saying, "It’s no rush to travel tonight, leaving early tomorrow morning is the same."

If Dongli were present, he’d be shocked to see if hailstones were about to fall from the sweltering sky.

The Lord had clearly said, after finishing the handover with the new County Magistrate today, he would travel back to the Western Capital overnight.

The Lord had never changed his plans for personal matters!

Never, ever!

However, Xu Jing was not Dongli, so she didn’t know just how shocking his decision at that moment was, and nodded, with a smile, saying, "Vice Minister Xiao is indeed diligent in Anping County’s affairs."

After speaking, she withdrew her gaze.

And so she didn’t see the man behind her, whose brows unknowingly furrowed deeply and lips pressed tightly.

Here it comes again, the inexplicable feeling of being uncontrollable.

Did he really decide to stay a little longer only because he couldn’t rest assured about this case?

Well, considering both Deng Youwei and Xu Jing were selected by him personally.

He wanted to wait for the case to conclude before leaving, just to take responsibility for his decision.