Chapter 126 Finding a Clue

Liu Piaopiao's voice trailed off, "But I...I saw with my own eyes...someone sneaking around the back door of the kitchen."

Qiao Wanyin suddenly grabbed her wrist, the force of which made Liu Piaopiao tremble slightly.

"What did you see? Who was it?"

"A man."

Liu Piaopiao finally raised her head, her lips trembling slightly, "He was wearing a mask, and the brim of his hat was pulled low, so I couldn't see his face. But he..."

He poured something into the porridge bucket, his movements hurried, as if afraid of being discovered.

"Then why didn't you stop him?"

Qiao Wanyin's tone was filled with disbelief and anger, "Why didn't you call for help? There are so many people at the mutual aid center! You were right there! If you had just shouted, nothing... nothing would have happened!"

Liu Piaopiao's eyes flickered, and her lips moved: "I...I...I was really scared, my mind went blank, so...I hid in the woodshed."

Qiao Wanyin froze as if struck by lightning.

She took a step back, her voice trembling slightly: "You did this on purpose, didn't you?"

Liu Piaopiao didn't speak, but the expression on her face said it all.

"You clearly saw someone poisoning the food, but you pretended not to know."

Qiao Wanyin spoke each word carefully, "Because you know that if something happens to the children, I, as the person in charge, will definitely be held accountable and arrested."

Liu Piaopiao's face turned deathly pale, and her voice was barely audible: "...I did have that thought."

"Anything else?"

Qiao Wanyin stared intently at her, not missing a single subtle change in her face. "Don't just say half of it, spill the whole story!"

Liu Piaopiao bit her lower lip, her voice filled with years of suppressed grievance: "My aunt... has always looked down on our family."

"And then there's my cousin Fang Yueyue, she steals everything from me. When I got first place in an exam, she said I cheated; when I wore a new dress, she said it looked bad. She knows I like Chen Ming from the next class, so she deliberately seduces him and goes around saying that I have an improper relationship with someone."

"At that time, I was holding my breath."

Her voice carried an almost desperate stubbornness, "I just thought... if something happened to Qiao Wanyin, if she collapsed, perhaps..."

Maybe I can rise to the top, gain recognition, and show them that I'm not someone to be trifled with.

After she finished speaking, she felt as if all her strength had been drained away, and she was also a little scared.

After all, this matter involves so many children.

If anything were to happen to her, she would never have peace of mind for the rest of her life.

Qiao Wanyin gasped, her eyes flashing with disbelief and shock: "So you just stood by and watched your own cousin drink that bowl of poisoned porridge? She's your blood relative, how could you do this?"

"I didn't mean to kill her!"

Liu Piaopiao suddenly looked up, her voice trembling violently, "I just... I just wanted to make her suffer a little, to let her know what it means to be humiliated! I never intended for her to die! Laundry detergent won't kill anyone, she'll only feel bad for two or three days... Really, I really didn't mean to do anything to her..."

Qiao Wanyin was stunned, frozen in place as if struck by lightning.

A chill ran up her body from her feet and spread throughout her entire body, causing her to shiver involuntarily.

"Liu Piaopiao".

Qiao Wanyin's voice was just like the north wind blowing through the barren forest in the cold winter of the north.

"Do you...do you know what you're saying? Your 'suffering a little' could very well cost a life! It's a living, breathing child! A young, innocent girl who isn't even an adult yet! How could you do this?"

Liu Piaopiao's lips trembled violently, but she could no longer utter a single word.

"you say."

Qiao Wanyin took a step forward, staring intently at the other person.

"What consequences will you face? You've harmed your own family and a member of the organization. Once this is investigated, it won't just be family law, but also military law! Have you thought about that?"

Liu Piaopiao's face turned even paler, and her knees buckled, almost causing her to collapse to the ground.

Qiao Wanyin sighed softly, her tone tinged with weariness and disappointment.

She saw fear in the other person's eyes, but also a sliver of conscience that had not yet been extinguished.

That's enough.

"I'll give you a day to think it over."

“If you don’t turn yourself in by this time tomorrow and confess everything, I will tell Commander Fang every single word you just admitted. Then, not only you, but the entire Fang family will be disgraced because of you.”

She didn't look at it again and turned to leave.

Suddenly, a heart-wrenching wail came from behind.

The cries echoed in the empty courtyard, lingering for a long time.

The bright sunshine was shining on her face, but she couldn't feel any warmth at all.

On the contrary, her heart felt as if it had been soaked in ice water, frozen and stiff.

The conversation she had just heard weighed heavily on her mind, making it hard for her to breathe.

She never expected that Liu Piaopiao could be so cruel.

Out of spite, he actually committed such a heinous act against his own cousin.

She never imagined that behind this seemingly isolated incident, there might be a deeper conspiracy.

The logistics staff usually appear honest and unassuming, never causing trouble.

How did you get involved in this kind of thing?

Was he merely being used, or did he have ulterior motives?

Her brows were furrowed, her mind filled with doubt.

We must get to the bottom of this and find out who's really behind it all.

She decided to go to the logistics department first to check and see if she could find any clues.

The logistics department was a drab little building, standing out starkly from the brand-new barracks around it.

As soon as Qiao Wanyin stepped into the lobby, she ran into several staff members who hurriedly came from the other end of the corridor.

They looked nervous, and when she came in, they only nodded hastily.

"Hello, Director Qiao!"

Two young men stood beside the guard post and greeted each other in unison.

She didn't say much, only responding softly, "Hello."

Wang's office is on the second floor of the office building, at the very end of the corridor.

Qiao Wanyin walked over step by step, her steps steady.

She walked to the office door and gently knocked on the door with her knuckles.

A deep, slightly hoarse male voice came from inside the room: "Please come in."

Qiao Wanyin reached out and grasped the doorknob, slowly pushing the door open.

The door hinges creaked slightly, and the scene inside gradually came into view.

Officer Wang was sitting at the table, the pages of paper covered with dense writing.

Hearing the noise, he subconsciously looked up and met the gaze of the person entering the room.

He reacted quickly, his movements slightly flustered.

"Director Qiao? What brings you here?"

His voice held a hint of surprise, and even a touch of unease.

Qiao Wanyin walked in with a gentle smile on her face, her steps unhurried.