Chapter 124 Guilty Feelings
Section Chief Li frowned even more as he pulled a transparent plastic evidence bag from his pocket and handed it to her.
"There's something else. Around 4 a.m. this morning, the security camera captured a slight shaking of the kitchen back door. When I went to check, I found that the latch wasn't locked, there were footprints on the ground, and the mud was still fresh. I found this right next to the drain near the threshold."
Inside lay a small, exquisite pearl earring, with a milky-white round pearl adorning the bottom of the earring.
Qiao Wanyin's gaze froze, and her pupils instantly contracted.
Of course she recognized the earring.
What does this prove?
Qiao Wanyin tried her best to keep her voice steady and without any ripples.
"Perhaps someone dropped it by accident, or perhaps it was left here before."
Section Chief Li shook his head, his tone low and resolute.
"Impossible. The kitchen back door is usually locked, and it's only opened around 5 a.m. when the delivery truck comes in. We've also checked all the support staff, and none of them wear that style of earring. Most importantly—the surveillance footage shows that at 4:23 a.m., a blurry figure flashed past the back door, wearing dark clothes, with a slender build, and looked like a woman."
"This earring was only discovered at six o'clock this morning. It was in a hidden location, so it couldn't have been left a few days ago. That means—someone did enter the kitchen through the back door recently, and it was very likely a woman."
Qiao Wanyin silently accepted the evidence bag, her fingertips slightly cold.
The earring was a breakthrough, but it was still insufficient as evidence for conviction.
She needs more solid evidence, she needs time, she needs a logical chain of events, and she needs the complete truth.
"Director Qiao!"
The female staff member, Xiaolin, came running up, panting, her cheeks flushed red.
"Commander Fang called again! He said he wants you to come to his office immediately; he has something important to discuss!"
Qiao Wanyin put away the evidence bag and returned it to Section Chief Li.
"Okay, I'll go right away."
At this critical juncture, why did Commander Fang suddenly summon her? What did he want to say?
Is this an attempt to expedite the investigation, or is there a deeper meaning behind it?
Could it be...?
What does he already know?
Pushing open the door to an office on the third floor of the administration building, a faint aroma of Longjing tea wafts towards you.
Commander Fang was standing by the window, dappled sunlight falling on his shoulders.
"Commander Fang."
Qiao Wanyin called out softly and closed the door behind her.
Commander Fang slowly turned around, his gaze sweeping over her like a blade.
"sit."
She sat down properly, placing her hands folded on her knees.
Commander Fang slowly sat down, his tone calm to the point of being almost indifferent: "Any new developments in the investigation?"
Qiao Wanyin was stunned.
The news hadn't been reported yet, and the internal announcement hadn't been released. How could Commander Fang have known so quickly?
After a moment, she decided to tell the truth.
She recounted in detail and in an orderly manner the laundry detergent test results reported by Section Chief Li, the contamination of the special bins in the west dormitory, and the details of the pearl earring and suspicious figure found at the back door.
"Earrings?"
Commander Fang's voice was not loud, but it carried a scrutinizing tone, "What can a single earring prove? Maybe someone dropped it, maybe it was deliberately placed there, or it might even be a coincidence."
He paused, his tone becoming even more serious: "A mass poisoning of children is no small matter. If handled improperly, it could not only harm innocent people but also shake the very foundation of the school's management. We must be cautious and absolutely cannot wrong any innocent person."
She added, "Yes, we shouldn't let the truly evildoers get away with it either."
Commander Fang's expression darkened slightly, but he quickly regained his composure.
"Comrade Xiao Qiao has a high level of ideological awareness and is right. No bad people can be let off the hook. Justice must be served."
Qiao Wanyin did not speak again.
If it really was Liu Piaopiao who did it, and Commander Fang knew about it...
Does he really not care at all?
His own daughter was among the children who were poisoned.
Does that mean his own daughter's life is less important than his niece Liu Piaopiao's future?
But if Commander Fang really didn't know the inside story, then his words just now were vague and unclear, making it impossible to figure out his true thoughts.
It's obvious they're giving Liu Piaopiao a way out!
After a long while, Commander Fang finally sighed, looking somewhat tired and helpless.
"Comrade Xiao Qiao, some things can't be judged by appearances alone. What you see isn't necessarily the truth; you have to look at things from multiple perspectives."
Upon hearing this, Qiao Wanyin's heart skipped a beat.
These words, seemingly reasonable, were actually a warning to her not to dig any deeper.
"Yes, Commander Fang is right. Everything must be based on evidence."
Her tone was calm, even carrying a hint of agreement, "Without concrete evidence, no one can easily draw conclusions."
"I believe Section Chief Li will investigate this matter thoroughly and give everyone an explanation."
She slightly raised her gaze and looked directly into Commander Fang's eyes.
"Then I'll wait for the investigation results."
When Commander Fang saw that she was no longer pressing him, his expression softened.
"Alright, alright! Comrade Xiao Qiao, you've worked hard too. You've been worrying too much lately. Go back and rest early."
Qiao Wanyin's movements were respectful, and her tone was calm.
"Okay, Commander Fang. If there's nothing else, I'll go take care of my business now."
She will not give up, and she will never stop.
We need to find a different approach, we need to start from somewhere else.
Qiao Wanyin walked home alone.
My steps were much heavier than usual, but my thoughts were clearer than ever.
Seeing the lights on in my own window from afar felt like a warm invitation.
Fu Li'an is back?
She was startled, and her steps faltered for a moment.
As soon as I opened the door, the aroma of food wafted towards me.
The kitchen door was open, and Fu Lian poked his head out.
"You're back? Dinner will be ready soon."
Qiao Wanyin stood at the door, looking at him with a complicated expression.
She was a little stunned, wondering what his sudden tenderness and return meant.
Is it genuine remorse?
Or is there another purpose?
She opened her mouth, but in the end only gave a soft "hmm".
"The investigation team has found a lead."
She deliberately raised her voice a little, as if to remind him of the weight of her words.
Upon hearing this, Fu Li'an paused, the spatula in his hand momentarily still.
He slowly put down the spatula and turned to walk towards her.
"Qingqing, can we eat first? We can talk while we eat."
He spoke with a hint of cautious probing, as if afraid of displeasing her again.
She looked at him, her gaze falling on the faint dark circles under his eyes.
Her heart felt as if it had been gently poked, and suddenly softened.
"good."
She finally spoke.
She took off her coat and hung it on the coat rack in the entryway.
The two sat side by side at the dinner table.
The only sound in the air was the occasional crisp sound of chopsticks touching the porcelain bowl.
In the end, it was Fu Li'an who broke the silence first.
He put down his chopsticks and looked up.
What's your opinion on Liu Piaopiao's situation?
Qiao Wanyin did not evade the question, stating her judgment firmly: "Regardless of whether she poisoned the person, she definitely knows something. Her eyes were off; that panic wasn't feigned, but rather a sign of guilt."
Fu Li'an frowned slightly, as if he was carefully considering her words.
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