Chapter 316 Key Making
Lin Shuxian was in her early fifties, her face showing signs of fatigue, but her scholarly air was undeniable; she was clearly a teacher and educator.
Although she was dressed simply, she behaved properly. Even when she was sobbing uncontrollably, she never lost her composure and shouted. She just sobbed quietly.
She used to be a Chinese language teacher at a top-tier middle school, with neat and powerful handwriting on the blackboard, but now all her sharpness has been worn down.
The Song siblings are tall and have eyebrows and eyes like their mother, but their faces are ashen and they have lost all their youthful vigor.
Song Siyuan's forehead veins bulged, his fists clenched, and his eyes were almost spitting out anger; Song Siqi shrank to the side, her face ashen and her lips bloodless.
"What exactly happened?"
Fu Xianxiu got straight to the point.
He took off his coat and hung it on the back of the chair, walked to the coffee table, and spoke calmly but with an unyielding tone.
He knew time was precious and he couldn't afford to beat around the bush any longer.
Lin Shuxian wiped her face, her hands still trembling: "He Ting is being held at the Hongqi Farm on the outskirts of the city. Zheng Mingyuan personally led people to search his home, saying they found a letter in which he was communicating with people abroad..."
Her teeth chattered and her voice was weak as she spoke, as if each word was too heavy to utter.
"fart!"
Song Siyuan slammed his fist on the table, his eyes red-rimmed. "My dad hates traitors the most! He's never even touched a foreign newspaper in his life!"
The tabletop shook from being hit, the teacup jumped up, and water spilled all over the table.
His chest heaved violently, his eyes bloodshot: "My father has lived an honest life, how could he do such a thing!"
"Siyuan, don't rush."
Fu Li'an grabbed his shoulder firmly, his grip steady. "Who has that letter now?"
Her voice remained calm, yet it carried a comforting power.
Her hand rested on the boy's trembling shoulder, like a small anchor, preventing him from completely losing control.
"In the investigation team."
Lin Shuxian smiled wryly, "They said this is irrefutable evidence and that it will only be made public after it has been approved by higher authorities."
A sarcastic smile played on her lips, but her eyes held no laughter, only a deep sense of powerlessness.
“They won’t allow him to visit or appeal, as if… he’s already convicted.”
Qiao Wanyin's heart skipped a beat.
My blood seemed to suddenly turn cold, and a chill ran from the soles of my feet straight to the top of my head.
The original book mentions this "letter of treason," but it doesn't say where it was hidden.
Later in the story, this letter becomes crucial evidence for overturning the verdict—because it was a forgery.
If we can find evidence to prove that the letter is fake...
There might be a chance.
Once this thought pops up, it grows wildly in the heart like weeds, entwining every nerve, making it hard to breathe, yet igniting a faint but persistent hope.
Fu Maihe brought over the tea, his hands trembling violently.
She lowered her head, her fingertips turned white, and the tea in her cup swayed slightly, almost spilling out.
She tried to steady her arms, but the trembling seemed to seep from her bones and was completely uncontrollable.
For her, a young girl who has just come of age, this period has been harder than brewing poison.
During the day, I had to pretend to be calm, but at night I couldn't sleep at all. The scene of my uncle being arrested kept replaying in my mind—that forged "letter of treason" was like a sharp knife, cutting off all my escape routes.
She didn't even dare to ask a single question, for fear of saying the wrong thing and implicating more people.
Fortunately, her parents and brother came back—she could finally catch her breath.
Although the atmosphere at home remained somber, the return of loved ones brought some comfort.
They sat together, whispering their solutions, and she was finally free from facing that boundless fear and helplessness alone.
Qiao Wanyin glanced at her sister-in-law, and a detail from the original book suddenly flashed through her mind.
That brief passage at the end of the original novel was like a faint lightning bolt that cleaved through her chaotic thoughts—Fu Maihe and Zheng Mingyuan's daughter, Zheng Xiaowen, were classmates. The two used to be as close as sisters, and had even made a vow to "be best friends for life."
A thought quietly took root in her heart.
The thought was initially just a wisp of smoke, but in the blink of an eye it condensed into a ball of fire, burning her heart with intense heat.
If we can get close to the Zheng family through Zheng Xiaowen, we might be able to find some clues about that letter.
"Maihe," Qiao Wanyin asked in a low, almost inaudible voice as she took the teacup, "are you still in contact with Zheng Xiaowen?"
Her eyes were fixed on the other person, afraid of missing any subtle change in expression.
Fu Maihe was taken aback, her hand trembled, and she almost dropped the teacup: "Yes, we're in contact. She even invited me to her house for dinner last week."
Her voice was a little weak as she spoke, and her eyes flickered; she was clearly caught off guard by the question.
She suddenly stopped, her eyes widening: "Sister-in-law, why are you asking this? It can't be...?"
She swallowed hard, not daring to say the rest, but her surprised and doubtful expression said it all.
Qiao Wanyin didn't answer, but simply nodded slightly, a very light movement that conveyed a sense of decisiveness.
She turned to the people inside and said, "Dad, Mom, I feel a little dizzy. Could Maihe please accompany me to my room to rest for a while?"
His tone was calm, as if it were just a normal discomfort.
Lin Shuxian panicked and immediately stood up: "Hurry up! Your body can't take this kind of stress!"
As she spoke, she looked at her daughter-in-law's face with concern and reached out to support her, saying, "Lie down properly, don't push yourself."
As soon as she entered the room, Fu Maihe slammed the door shut with a crisp sound, like a warning line being lowered.
She immediately lowered her voice and even breathed softly: "Sister-in-law, do you have an idea?"
Her eyes held both nervousness and a hint of anticipation.
Qiao Wanyin pulled her to sit on the edge of the bed, gently took her hand, and felt a coolness in her palm.
She didn't rush to speak, but first patted the back of her hand reassuringly before saying softly, "Maihe, tell me, how close are you and Zheng Xiaowen? I mean, the kind of close relationship where you'd be willing to shoulder anything for each other even if the sky were to fall."
"We grew up together."
Fu Maihe blurted out, her tone tinged with nostalgia and determination, "She was the only true friend I had in school. She was incredibly honest, completely unlike her father. Zheng Mingyuan was ruthless and scheming, but Xiaowen never got involved in those things. Back in school, I went to her house every day, and she even secretly made a copy of her bedroom key for me."
As she spoke, she took a small brass key out of her pocket and held it in her palm.
Qiao Wanyin's eyes suddenly lit up, as if she had suddenly seen light in the darkness.
She stared at the key, her heart pounding faster: "Now, does she still believe you? Even though rumors are circulating that our family is 'colluding with the enemy,' will she still believe you?"
"Of course!"
Fu Maihe nodded, his tone unwavering.
But the next second her expression changed, her lips trembling slightly: "Wait... Sister-in-law, you wouldn't be thinking of making me..."
She didn't dare to continue, but just stared intently at Qiao Wanyin.
"Go to the Zheng family's house to find that letter."
Qiao Wanyin stared straight at her, her gaze piercing, but her voice was extremely soft, like a blade slicing through silk, "That letter that was said to be about treason."
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