Chapter 85 - 84: The Owner of the Fingernail Marks (Part 2)

Chapter 85: Chapter 84: The Owner of the Fingernail Marks (Part 2)

After Chen Hu finished speaking, he asked everyone to disperse.

Some people clearly took Chen Hu’s words to heart, especially the family of Zhuo Yuting, who kept surrounding Chen Hu, asking him to tell them who that person was.

Meanwhile, Xu Jing and Xiao Yi had already taken the opportunity to leave Huang’s courtyard.

Chen Hu finally managed to shake off those people and ran over to Xu Jing with a look of being thoroughly tormented, patting his chest and saying, "Oh my! I have always been an honest and kind child since I was young. This is the first time I’ve lied in front of so many people. I was so afraid they’d see through what I did wrong that I didn’t dare to blink much!"

"Miss Xu, how did I do just now?"

Seeing Chen Hu’s face full of anticipation for praise, Xu Jing couldn’t help but laugh, "Quite excellent. If one day you can’t keep your job at the county government, you might consider going into theater."

In Chen Hu’s eyes, Xu Jing was like a goddess. Being praised by her like this, he couldn’t help but happily chuckle for a while before saying, "By the way, why did Miss Xu call Wang Mazi and Chen Aizi over too? Didn’t you say we shouldn’t alert the enemy before we have solid evidence?"

Xu Jing replied, "Although the scratches on the deceased’s shoulder seem to be left by a woman’s nails, the marks vary in depth, and some are not complete. So I can’t be one hundred percent sure they were left by a woman.

By having both of them there, I wanted to gather everyone who might be associated with Zhuo Yuting’s case. This way, it’s easier to flush out the person who went to Zhuo Yuting’s body."

Chen Hu immediately said, "I see! However, Miss Xu’s method is truly effective! Earlier, when I was speaking, I noticed that one person’s face didn’t look right. When I mentioned that she accidentally left something behind that could identify her, her whole face went stiff!

I never thought it would go so smoothly!"

Xu Jing had already discussed this matter with Xiao Yi and the others, and now she said with a faint smile, "Indeed, things went far more smoothly than we imagined. Among those people just now, there was more than one person acting strangely."

Chen Hu froze, his eyes widening instantly.

Could there really be other suspicious people as well?!

Considering the major psychological pressure of lying in front of so many, it was already commendable that he noticed one person acting strangely.

Xu Jing didn’t say much more, only saying calmly, "In any case, things should be resolved tonight. Let’s prepare for tonight’s matters, as this evening is the main event."

That evening, at the Miao’s house.

When Miao Xianglan returned home, it was just turning dark.

Due to what that officer said earlier, she felt as if her feet were floating and her mind was a chaotic mess, unable to concentrate. As she entered the house, she almost tripped over the threshold.

Fortunately, Mrs. Miao was right next to her, helping her in at that moment. She frowned and muttered, "You child, why are you always so careless? How will you serve your husband and mother-in-law well when you marry into the Zhu Family?

The Zhu Family is a wealthy household in the village; Zhu Yan’s uncle had some incredible luck back then. Several men from the village went into business with him, and he was the only one who found an opportunity and rose to the top. It’s only because you’ve been playing with Zhu Yan since childhood that her brother took a fancy to you and wants to marry you.

Before, you kept saying that Yu from the Zhuo Family wasn’t as good as you, yet everyone around you liked her, even the village chief’s son was infatuated with her. Now that you have this marriage with the Zhu Family, it’s not any worse than Yu’s, you ought to cherish it..."

"Enough!"

Miao Xianglan suddenly couldn’t suppress the violence in her heart, shouting, "Stop bringing up that woman in front of me! Even though she’s dead, she still haunts me. It’s truly disgusting!"

After speaking, she rushed back to her room and slammed the door shut with a force that seemed to make the ground tremble slightly.

Mrs. Miao looked in surprise at the direction she ran off in, and after a while, she returned to her senses and complained, "What is wrong with this child, with such a temper, she’ll suffer when she marries into the Zhu Family!

I also didn’t like that Yu, with her foxy looks, but she’s dead, right? We grew up together after all. Even I felt a chill when I heard the news, and yet this silly child cursed her, how could she be more heartless than me?"

"Enough,"

Miao’s father, sitting at the dining table, said impatiently, "Xianglan was called by the county government to help with the investigation today, wasn’t she? Maybe the investigation didn’t go well, or something happened to upset her.

It’s just a dead person, it’s not worth all this fuss, enough with the bad luck! Call her to come out to eat, I’m starving!"

However, that evening, Miao Xianglan didn’t come out for dinner.

She huddled at the edge of her bed, tightly hugging her knees with her head buried in them, her whole body trembling.

Did that officer say she left something that could identify her? Impossible, it’s impossible... Although she was in a hurry that day, she deliberately checked before leaving to ensure she hadn’t left anything behind.

The area was surrounded by grass, so it couldn’t have left footprints.

That guy must be trying to deceive her!

But... but, why would he do that? How did they even know someone had been near Yu?

Is it possible... that she accidentally dropped something which she didn’t notice?

No, it can’t be! She couldn’t let herself lose control! If she really went to the county government people tomorrow at noon, then what she did would be exposed.

That County Magistrate Deng promised to give her a chance and not make her identity public, but she didn’t believe it! Even if she didn’t kill the person, still, it was a life lost!

It’s something she never wanted anyone to know, she’d rather die than let it surface!

Because of growing anxiety in her heart, Miao Xianglan remained huddled like this unconsciously until the night outside turned pitch-black, and the noise outside quieted down completely. Occasionally, the sound of insects and the barking of the big black dog next door could be heard.

At some point, Miao Xianglan’s room suddenly dimmed, scaring her almost out of her skin, until she noticed the oil lamp had gone out.

The oil lamp was on a low cabinet right next to the foot of her bed, and Miao Xianglan slowly crawled over, just intending to relight it...

Suddenly, outside, there seemed to be a shadow flitting past her window.

Miao Xianglan’s body instantly stiffened, her heart skipped a few beats.

She was about to comfort herself that it was just an illusion when out of the corner of her eye, she saw that the shadow outside the window was swaying back and forth.

She inhaled sharply and collapsed onto the bed, her back drenched in cold sweat.

Just then, a mournful female voice came from nowhere—"I hate, oh how I hate..."

"Miao Xianglan, I always regarded you as my sister. Why did you harm me this way? Why!"

"I’m not reconciled, not reconciled! Even in death, I will drag you to hell with me!"