Chapter 298 Idle Talk
"Qiao Wanyin, who do you think you are? Are you worth me playing these games with? What would I gain? To see you suffer? Or to make myself look bad?"
Several girls from the performing arts troupe peeked over from a distance; some were holding sheet music, others were leaning against the doorframe, their eyes filled with curiosity and speculation.
Liu Piaopiao immediately put on a wronged look, her brows furrowed and her eyes reddening, as if she was about to shed tears at any moment.
But her voice remained icy cold: "I know you've always disliked me, but you can't just make things up out of thin air, can you? You're accusing me of spreading rumors? Do you have any evidence? Can you produce it?"
Song Yazhi slowly put down her chopsticks, calmly turned her gaze to Fu Lian, and suddenly asked softly, "Lian, I heard you've found out the cause of the kindergarten fire?"
Li Hongmei's hand suddenly trembled, and the chopsticks fell to the ground with a "thud," hitting the cement floor with a crisp sound.
"Ouch, my hand is really useless now..."
She hurriedly looked down and bent down to pick it up, her movements were somewhat rushed, and her fingertips trembled slightly, as if she was afraid of missing something or as if she was afraid of being seen.
Qiao Wanyin and Fu Li'an noticed her unusual behavior almost simultaneously. They exchanged a glance, a barely perceptible hint of wariness flashing in their eyes.
"We've got a lead."
Fu Li'an spoke slowly, his tone unhurried, like a stone sinking to the bottom of water, steady and weighty, "Someone saw that someone had indeed entered the garden before the fire."
Unbeknownst to Li Hongmei, a fine layer of sweat had appeared on her forehead, her breathing was slightly rapid, and her fingers quietly clenched the chopsticks she had just picked up, her knuckles turning slightly white.
"Who could be so heartless?"
Qiao Xuezhi slammed his hand on the table, his voice rising sharply, his face contorted with rage, "How dare they lay a hand on such young children at the kindergarten? We must get to the bottom of this! We can't let a single one of them get away with it!"
Fu Li'an did not respond immediately, but slowly shifted his gaze to Li Hongmei, his eyes lingering on her face for a second, like a fine needle gently piercing her flesh, silently but making one's heart tighten.
Li Hongmei's heart was pounding wildly, as if a drumstick was pounding incessantly in her chest, but she remained silent with her head down and her lips pressed tightly together, as if she was trying her best to suppress something.
The meal, which was originally piping hot, tasted like chewing dry wood; it was bland and difficult to swallow.
Each bite felt like swallowing an invisible pressure.
After dinner, Qiao Wanyin stood quietly in the courtyard, looking up at the starry sky.
The night breeze was cool, ruffling the stray hairs on her forehead. Her eyes were vacant, but her thoughts were surging like a tide.
Behind me, I heard soft footsteps, light and hesitant.
Li Hongmei slowly walked over carrying a plate of neatly sliced apples, forcing a smile on her face.
"Little sister, have some fruit."
Her voice was soft, almost a whisper, as if she were afraid of disturbing the night, or as if she were afraid of waking up some memories that shouldn't be awakened.
Qiao Wanyin took the plate, her fingertips touching the cold porcelain. She paused, then suddenly looked up, her tone calm but probing: "Second sister-in-law, were you home that night?"
Li Hongmei's body stiffened instantly, her hand holding the plate trembled slightly, and the apple almost slipped from her grasp.
She managed to compose herself, forcing a dry laugh as she explained, "I...I was sleeping in my room, what's wrong?"
"Nothing much."
Qiao Wanyin didn't look away, staring straight into her eyes, her voice still calm, "Just asking casually."
Li Hongmei didn't dare to meet his gaze, quickly lowered her head to avoid his direct stare, and gave a dry laugh: "I was exhausted that day, I slept like a log, I didn't even know I was on fire... I didn't hear a thing about the commotion outside."
Qiao Wanyin's heart sank little by little, like a stone being slowly dropped into a deep well.
She knew that her second sister-in-law was lying.
That night, flames soared into the sky and thick smoke billowed, waking up the entire alley. Cries and shouts for help rose and fell, and even people from several streets away came to watch the commotion.
Who can sleep now?
Who can pretend they know nothing?
"Second sister-in-law."
She took a deep breath, feeling as if a thousand-pound stone was pressing on her chest, but her voice remained restrained, "If you really have something to hide from me, you can tell me now, it's not too late."
Li Hongmei's face turned deathly pale in an instant, as if it had been washed by moonlight, completely devoid of color.
She took a half step back, her voice trembling slightly: "What could I possibly be hiding from you? Little sister, have you been listening to some nonsense? I haven't done anything wrong!"
Qiao Wanyin didn't answer, but continued to look at her quietly, her eyes filled with deep sorrow and disappointment, not anger.
The moonlight spilled into the courtyard, casting flickering light and shadow on Li Hongmei's face.
Her gaze was unfocused, like a piece of paper drifting in the wind, unable to find a place to settle.
"Second sister-in-law, we are family, I don't want to force you."
Qiao Wanyin's voice was soft, as if it came from a very far place, but every word was like a nail, pressing down on the pain in her heart, "I just want to help you, I don't want to see you sink deeper and deeper."
She wished her second sister-in-law would say it herself.
Even a simple apology or a word of repentance would be better than this stalemate.
"That fire at the kindergarten... really had nothing to do with you?"
She finally asked the question, her voice so soft it was almost carried away by the night wind, yet so heavy it could crush a person's heart.
Li Hongmei was stunned, as if she had been frozen in place, a look of disbelief flashing in her eyes.
"Little sister!"
She suddenly raised her voice, which boomed like thunder in the quiet night, "What do you mean? You doubt me? You actually doubt me? I'm your second sister-in-law! I've always been completely honest with you, how can you see me like this?"
Qiao Wanyin looked at her reddened eyes and felt a sharp pain spread from her chest, as if she had been pricked by a needle.
Those eyes were filled with resentment, anger, and the pain of being misunderstood, making it almost impossible for her to breathe.
She reached out to grab her second sister-in-law's arm, trying to convey a hint of apology and a desire to keep her, but Li Hongmei shoved her away forcefully.
The action was swift and decisive, like a slap across her face.
"Second sister-in-law, that's not what I meant..."
Her throat was dry, and her voice was as hoarse as the last drop of water squeezed from a dry well. "But this matter is too crucial. It concerns the safety of the entire courtyard and Xiao Chuan's life. I can't fool myself, and I can't fool everyone."
"key?"
Li Hongmei's voice trembled sharply, each word seemingly squeezed out from between her teeth, "You're convinced I did it! Aren't you?! I could tell from your eyes just now—you've already pinned the blame on me! Haven't you?"
She turned around abruptly, pointing her finger directly at the outside of the courtyard wall, her fingertips trembling slightly: "You actually believed all those gossips? You believed just because someone said something? Can't you see the sincerity of your own family? I do your laundry and cook for you every day, and help you take care of the children. Is this all I get in return? A casual doubt?"
Startled by the sudden shout, Qiao Wanyin took a half step back, her heel hitting the threshold, and almost fell.
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