Chen Hede was dressed in a crisp deputy director's uniform, the epaulets gleaming with a cold, metallic sheen in the dim light of the ancestral hall.

As he strode through the seated crowd, the sound of his shoes striking the cobblestones was exceptionally clear in the deathly silence.

Those rebels, whether sitting or standing, all looked up, their expressions as if kneaded and reshaped by an invisible hand.

There was a stunned astonishment that made him forget to conceal his surprise, an inquisitive look as he tried to read the deeper meaning in his taut jawline, and a hint of expectation hidden in his eyes that even he himself might not be aware of, like a star flickering in the dark night.

Chen Hede and Cheng Muyun's friendship has always been kept behind closed doors.

It is the occasional exchange of glances on the eastbound-southbound route, the tacit indifference in the same setting, and the silence of never speaking in public.

Those tacit understandings are never in the light of day, let alone put on the table and become a connection that everyone can see.

The only exception was the fire at the Cheng Mansion.

But things are different now.

Cheng Muyun felt as if he had been thrown into the center of a whirlpool. The overwhelming rumors were like a heavy, wet net, making even his breath taste rusty.

Those who once surrounded him have long since scattered like birds and beasts, avoiding him as if he were a plague, as if taking a step closer would drag him into the same quagmire.

Just then, Chen Hede arrived.

Wearing a uniform that symbolizes their status, they walked step by step into the Cheng family ancestral hall, becoming the focus of everyone's attention.

His leather shoes rustled softly over the fallen leaves, yet the sound was like a heavy hammer blow to everyone's heart—was this a lone act of courageous rescue, or yet another silent declaration?

No one could explain it clearly, but it felt as if the air in the ancestral hall had suddenly become thick, and even the sound of dust falling to the ground carried a tension that made people hold their breath.

Xu Jixin's gaze swept over Chen Hede, then fell on the figure behind him with his head down, his brows furrowing into a tight knot.

Li Qirui was wearing a blue cloth jacket stained with blood, his hands were tied behind his back, and his back was hunched over like a reed that had been crushed by a rainstorm. He was completely different from the somewhat dignified figure he used to have at the Cheng Mansion.

“Deputy Director Chen,” Xu Jixin’s voice was hoarse from just recovering from grief, “Why did you bring him along when you came to offer condolences?”

In his memory, this man was nothing more than the Cheng family's butler.

Little did he know that this shadow had already gnawed a deep hole in the foundation of the Cheng family's house.

The entire Cheng family kept their heads down. Some people covered their faces with handkerchiefs, and suppressed sobs escaped through their fingers, but no one dared to look up at Li Qirui.

During that disaster that nearly destroyed the Cheng family, it was this steward they had raised for over twenty years who personally unlocked the gate, letting in the mob wielding clubs into the seemingly impregnable Cheng mansion.

But they had to keep this to themselves—family scandals shouldn't be aired in public, especially at a time when the whole city was in an uproar.

Chen Hede's face seemed to be covered with an impenetrable layer of frost, but deep sorrow floated in his eyes.

When he looked at Xu Jixin, his sadness almost overflowed, with a hint of barely perceptible guilt at the end, like a fine needle gently pricking him. "Second Young Master," he said in a low voice, each word carrying a chill, "he is the culprit."

"What?!" Xu Jixin stared wide-eyed as if struck by lightning.

The doubts that had been lingering in my mind for days suddenly exploded—the Cheng mansion was no more than three stories high, and Zhuohua was a girl who had been climbing trees to steal bird nests since she was a child, so she was very skilled; moreover, with so many guards in the Cheng family, how could they just stand by and watch the fire engulf people?

Unless... unless someone trips up us at the most crucial moment!

The string in his mind snapped.

The next second, Xu Jixin pounced like an enraged lion, grabbed Li Qirui by the collar, and slammed him against the wall.

The blue cloth jacket was torn and deformed, revealing the loose skin at the back of his neck. Xu Jixin's eyes were red as if they were about to bleed, tears welling up in his eyes, but he clenched his teeth tightly to keep them from falling, "It's you!"

His voice trembled violently, filled with overwhelming hatred, "Why did you do this? The Cheng family treated you well! What did you do to her?!"

Li Qirui was being strangled so badly he could hardly breathe, his face turning a deep purplish-red, but he kept his eyes downcast, his lips blocked, unable to utter a single word.

Only his slightly trembling fingertips betrayed that he was not entirely unmoved.

Xu Jixin's arm veins bulged as he gripped Li Qirui's neck, his eyes blazing with fury that threatened to consume him.

Chen Hede immediately grasped Xu Jixin's hand, "Second Young Master, don't be impulsive."

Chen Hede's eyes were calm as still water. Xu Jixin looked at Cheng Muyun beside the coffin and guessed what was going on. Cheng Muyun must know something.

He slowly released his grip and asked, "What did he do?"

Chen Hede said, "He locked the door on the second floor, locked the corridor, blocked the windows with stones, let the rioters into the Cheng Mansion, and then told everyone that Xu Zhuohua was not inside."

Upon hearing this, Xu Jixin felt a buzzing in his brain. He didn't know where the strength came from, but he kicked Li Qirui to the ground, clenched his fists, and punched Li Qirui's face again and again.

His voice was filled with anger: "Why! Why!"

Xu Jixin's tears fell in large drops. He didn't know that Xu Zhuohua was locked in the house and was enduring torment in the same spot.

Burned alive, how painful that must be!

It seems that my younger sister has never enjoyed any happiness. She practiced in a nunnery but did not gain any blessings and died such a tragic death.

Chen Hede did not pull Xu Jixin away this time, and he was also filled with hatred, wishing he could torture Li Qirui to death.

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