Chapter 114 There was a person at the shop entrance?
"In the eastern corner of my yard, under the third loose brick, wrapped in a waterproof tarpaulin... there's an old cell phone, and... some quality inspection reports, and the stamp of Wansheng Company..."
Jiang Ling immediately took out her phone and dialed Mo Chen's number, stating succinctly: "The evidence is in the east corner of his yard, under the third loose brick."
"The third brick in the east corner of the yard," Mo Chen repeated her words. The sound of bricks being moved came from the other end of the phone.
A short while later.
Mo Chen's voice came through: "Found it."
Jiang Ling didn't say anything and hung up the phone.
She took one last look at her father's tombstone; the smile in the photo was still gentle.
She didn't say anything more to Kang Yong, turned around, and left the cemetery step by step.
Just as Jiang Ling turned around, the police officers who had been guarding the shadows in the cemetery came out.
"Kang Yong, we suspect you of being involved in the fireworks factory explosion case. Please come back with us to cooperate with the investigation!"
The evidence left by Kang Yong was conclusive and compelling, and the police acted swiftly, taking Wang Jingjing and Wang Fugui away for investigation.
Inside a quiet coffee shop.
Mo Chen pushed a cup of hot drink in front of Jiang Ling, his tone calm and firm: "The evidence is sufficient, and the process has been initiated. Don't worry, I will keep an eye on this matter to ensure that the investigation and trial are fair and just, and that no one has the opportunity to engage in favoritism or corruption. I will definitely clear your father's name."
Jiang Ling held the warm cup and said softly, "Thank you, Young Master Mo. I really owe you a lot for your help this time."
Upon hearing this, Mo Chen gently shook his head, a faint smile curving his lips: "There's no need to be so polite all the time, and you don't have to keep calling me Young Master Mo. Just call me Mo Chen."
The subsequent legal proceedings proceeded very smoothly.
Faced with irrefutable evidence, Kang Yong confessed to his crimes and actively cooperated with the investigation, testifying to the instigation and coercion of Wang Fugui and Wang Jingjing.
Wang Fugui attempted to use his connections and wealth to evade punishment, but all his attempts failed due to the Mo family's attention and solid evidence.
Ultimately, Kang Yong was sentenced to imprisonment for crimes including major liability accident and dereliction of duty.
Wang Fugui, as the mastermind, was convicted of crimes including instigating crime and endangering public safety, and received a heavier sentence.
Wang Jingjing also received due legal punishment for her involvement in the planning and bribery.
The once-prominent Wansheng Company suffered a severe reputational blow and fell into a huge crisis as a result of this incident.
After a thorough investigation and clarification, the assets and responsibilities of the Zhanfang Fireworks Factory, which had previously been burdened with the responsibility for the accident and huge debts, were reassessed and ultimately legally returned to Jiang Ling.
On the day the dust settled, Jiang Ling went to her father's grave alone.
She placed a copy of the court's judgment and a bouquet of her father's favorite white chrysanthemums in front of the grave, and stood silently for a long time.
The sky was blue, and the breeze was gentle; it was as if all the gloom had dissipated.
And her life is about to turn a new page.
————
When Jiang Ling opened the wooden door again, the entrance was covered with a thick layer of withered yellow leaves, which rustled underfoot.
It looks very desolate.
A gust of cold wind immediately swept in, carrying the chill of autumn. Even though Jiang Ling was wearing long-sleeved ancient costume, she couldn't help but shiver.
The sky was just beginning to lighten, with the distant horizon tinged with a pale white.
The autumn harvest is over, there's no work to be done in the fields, the village is quiet, and most people haven't gotten up yet.
Jiang Ling took a deep breath of the crisp, cool air. She had just stepped out the door when she suddenly saw a small figure huddled in a corner.
What is this?
It looked like a rag was covering something.
Until I saw the bare feet sticking out of the rag.
Jiang Lingcai realized then that this was actually a person!
She looked around again and confirmed that this was indeed the familiar Jishui Village.
Jiang Ling breathed a sigh of relief, considering that the weather was probably not freezing cold enough to kill anyone.
The person looked very small and thin, with his head buried deep in his knees, huddled up in a small ball, looking like a four or five-year-old child.
He was dressed very thinly, wearing only a patched, dirty linen garment, which shivered slightly in the cold wind.
Jiang Ling was somewhat at a loss.
Judging from this situation, did the child stay here all night?
She tiptoed closer, careful not to startle him.
However, before she could even get close, the child seemed to sense something and suddenly raised his head, revealing a small face that was blue from the cold and covered in dirt.
His eyes were filled with the wariness of a small animal, and he looked at Jiang Ling helplessly.
Jiang Ling was also carefully examining him, confirming that she had never seen this child before.
Seemingly certain that Jiang Ling wasn't the one who had driven him away before, the fear in his eyes subsided slightly, but his body remained tense.
Jiang Ling crouched down and asked him gently, "Little friend, why are you here all alone? Where are your parents?"
The child stared at Jiang Ling with wide eyes, his lips trembling slightly, but no sound came out.
He thought he had fainted from hunger and had seen a goddess; she was so beautiful and gentle, and she was wearing clean, warm clothes.
Dressed in emerald green, she looked as beautiful as a goddess in a painting.
Just as Jiang Ling was about to ask something else, footsteps came from around the corner.
Then Xiao Ran came out from around the corner carrying a broom.
He habitually comes to clean the shop entrance first thing every morning.
When he saw Jiang Ling standing at the door, he was stunned. He subconsciously rubbed his eyes, wondering if he was hallucinating because he hadn't woken up properly.
It wasn't until it was confirmed that it really was Jiang Ling that the store door was indeed wide open!
Xiao Ran's eyes immediately reddened. He dropped the broom and ran over, his voice trembling with obvious sobs and surprise:
“Sister Jiang?! Is it really you? You’re finally back! I… I haven’t seen you for twenty-two days! I thought… I thought you were never coming back, and the shop would never open again…”
Since Jiang Ling was kidnapped, the grocery store has been closed for a full twenty-two days.
This is the longest the grocery store has ever been closed.
Everyone thought that after everything that had happened, the shop probably wouldn't reopen.
Only Xiao Ran stubbornly comes every day to wipe the door and sweep up fallen leaves, without fail.
But as time went by, he himself began to panic and became increasingly uncertain.
I'm afraid the shop will really never open again!
Seeing Xiao Ran's excited expression, Jiang Ling felt both touched and apologetic: "I'm sorry, Xiao Ran, there was an urgent matter at home that needed to be dealt with, which delayed me for so long. I should have told you beforehand."
Too many things were swirling in her mind, leaving her no time to pay attention to this matter.
Fortunately, everything has been resolved.
She had only been gone for a little over two days, while more than twenty days had passed here.
Jiang Ling comforted him a few more times, then pointed to the child who had shrunk back into the corner and asked:
"Xiao Ran, do you know this child? Whose child is he? What's he doing in front of the shop?"
Xiao Ran then noticed the familiar small figure in the corner, and her brows furrowed.
“He’s not from our village. He’s a refugee from the north. He’s been staying in front of the shop for several days. I’ve chased him away several times, afraid he’d freeze or starve to death there. But every time he leaves, he comes back on his own soon after and just huddles there.”
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com