Chapter 65 The array father's actions... seem a bit perverted.
Zhao Lixin's legs went even weaker, and he used all his strength to barely stand up, managing not to show any abnormality.
Could there really be some evidence in the little garden?!
Old Zhao remained completely unfazed, coldly scoffing, "Miss Ling, I opened the door, you found the earring, and that's it?"
As for the evidence that Mu Ting kept mentioning, he didn't care at all and pretended not to hear it.
Ling Shu nodded seriously: "Of course, I just want to find my earring."
Old Zhao didn't give in easily. Instead, he said, "How much is this earring worth? The Zhao family can offer three times that amount as compensation."
It's just a yellow diamond earring, how much could it be worth? A mere tens of millions.
Paying three times the amount, isn't that sincere enough?
She pointed to the greenhouse next to her, "The earring wasn't lost, it just fell in. Old Zhao would rather pay compensation than open this door. Could it be that what this lady is saying is true, and there's something inside that he's ashamed to show his face?"
Old Zhao's expression grew increasingly somber.
Zhao Lixin inwardly felt a sense of foreboding.
The father's reaction... really does seem a bit like he's feeling guilty!
Could it be true that Mu Ting was telling the truth, and that her brother was really killed by Old Zhao? Is there really evidence in the small garden?
No, it shouldn't be like this.
That happened six years ago. Even if there was evidence, it has long been buried by time!
His voice was hoarse as he whispered, "Father..."
The guests are all watching from here.
Old Zhao closed his eyes, seemingly finally giving up.
He waved his hand: "Open the door."
"yes."
The old butler immediately stepped forward and used his fingerprint to open the tightly closed door to the small garden.
The forbidden area of the Zhao family slowly revealed its true face amidst the curious or bewildered gazes of the crowd.
What comes into view is a lush expanse of flowers and plants, with every corner clearly carefully arranged, and various blooming flowers complementing each other, weaving a colorful picture.
In the center of the greenhouse is a small wooden platform with a single sofa, a small table, and a half-empty bottle of red wine on it.
Beside the small table was a cabinet resembling an ancient display shelf, with items in each compartment. Some contained dusty rag dolls, some contained crooked little clay figures, and some contained textbooks and notebooks that looked quite old.
Although these items look old, they are all very clean, as if someone has been handling and savoring them from time to time.
Zhao Lixin leaned against the door, feeling that these things looked somewhat familiar.
Especially that rag doll and the little clay figure...
He thought for a moment, then asked somewhat uncertainly, "This is... my older sister's?"
Standing next to him, Mr. Zhao stepped inside, walked all the way to the platform, and naturally sat down on the sofa, looking dejected: "Yes, I'm sorry for making you all laugh. This is... a place I specially used to remember my daughter."
Since he had said that, the guests crowding at the door were naturally too embarrassed to come in, and only dared to crane their necks to watch from the doorway.
Old Zhao looked nostalgic, as if he were lost in memories: "Li'en... my eldest daughter, she was smart and sensible from a young age, and so lovely. Back then, I was so busy every day that I didn't even have time to eat, but she was the one who cared most about my health. To make sure I ate dinner on time, she would only eat after seeing me every day..."
Every word and phrase is filled with the father's deep longing for his daughter.
He stopped halfway through his sentence, probably realizing that this wasn't a suitable occasion for reminiscing.
Old Zhao raised his eyes and looked coldly at Ling Shu: "Miss Ling, are you satisfied?"
Ling Shu's gaze swept over Zhao Li'en's various items, her smile remaining unchanged: "Mr. Zhao, you're joking. I haven't found my earring yet."
She stood at the door like everyone else, without stepping into the greenhouse.
It is clear that the ground near the entrance is clean and tidy, with no trace of the yellow diamond earrings.
The old housekeeper stepped into the greenhouse, carefully searched among the plants around the entrance for a moment, then shook his head at Old Zhao, indicating that he had not found it.
Old Zhao raised his hand to rub his temples and ordered in a deep voice, "Send a few more people to come and look."
It's just an earring, how could it be hard to find?
The old housekeeper nodded and called in a few more servants. They searched inch by inch along the various plants planted along the edge. This greenhouse, called the Little Garden, wasn't large, only about thirty square meters, square and easy to see at a glance. After searching for a while, they still found nothing.
With the earring still missing, Mr. Zhao's expression grew even more displeased.
Ling Shu tilted her head slightly: "That's strange. Could it be that there's something in this room that hid my dropped earring?"
She looked around, wondering curiously, "Is it a spider? Or a mouse?"
Mr. Zhao stared intently at her: "Miss Ling, as I just said, if your earrings are lost in the Zhao family, the Zhao family is willing to compensate you three times the amount. Now that the door is open, if you can't find them, it's probably fate. If you're still not satisfied, I can make you another pair of identical yellow diamond earrings, how about that?"
Ling Shu smiled and lightly refused, "No, that's not a good idea."
The remaining yellow diamond earring dangled beside her ear, emitting a bright yellow glow. Her expression was very serious. "Even if they're exactly the same, they're not the original pair."
Mr. Zhao stood up from the sofa and looked her in the eye: "What exactly do you want?"
Ling Shu refused to back down: "I need to find my earring."
Mr. Zhao shrugged: "Our people have already searched the whole place. If Miss Ling is not at ease, she can come in and look for it herself."
The greenhouse is only so big; she can find whatever she wants there.
Old Zhao looked at Mu Ting, who was silent beside Ling Shu, and said, "Didn't you say there was evidence in the room? The evidence is there, please point it out."
The guests gathered at the entrance exchanged glances.
The greenhouse was indeed a clear sight; apart from Old Zhao's daughter's belongings, there were only some flowers and plants. Neither the yellow diamond earring nor the evidence of the murder were found.
Is this just a farce?
The viewers in Huang Mao Ge's live stream were also confused.
[No, I was in Xingxing's live stream just now, and I saw the earring fall in with my own eyes. How could it be gone? That's too bizarre.]
[Mr. Zhao really feels sorry for his daughter. It must be very upsetting for her to have so many people barging in.]
Why is that arrogant woman who claimed to have evidence silent now? Did she chicken out?
What's going on? Are they going to dig deeper?
I have to say that the last commenter was right.
Ling Shu calmly replied, "Just because it's not on the ground doesn't mean it's underground. Mr. Zhao, don't you agree?"
Old Zhao stared intently at her, his face ashen.
Every word he uttered was chilling: "This is a place where I commemorate my daughter; it's not your place to do whatever you want. Miss Ling, there's a limit to your nonsense!"
"Nonsense?"
Ling Shu raised an eyebrow. "How can this be considered nonsense?"
As soon as she finished speaking, another commotion arose outside.
A security guard rushed in, looking flustered, and reported to the old housekeeper, "Police! There are a lot of police officers outside!"
The old housekeeper frowned deeply and subconsciously looked at General Manager Zhao.
Old Zhao, enraged, laughed coldly and turned to look at Ling Shu: "Did you call the police?"
The fact that the police would come to the Zhao family's door on such a joyous occasion must be because the Sheng family was behind it all.
Ling Shu readily admitted, "Yes, it was me. I lost my earring, and you wouldn't open the door, so it's normal for me to call the police."
If valuable items worth tens of millions are lost, isn't it normal to ask the police for assistance?
Mu Ting stood next to Ling Shu and said with a sneer, "I also called the police. I told you, the evidence of the Zhao family's murder is right here."
Yes, she was a powerless and vulnerable woman.
But justice and fairness exist in this world, and the Zhao family cannot cover up everything.
Old Zhao's expression grew increasingly grim, his gaze shifting back and forth between Ling Shu and Mu Ting.
He realized that this situation was destined to end badly.
He clenched his teeth so tightly they almost broke, each word forced out with force: "Please...let them in."
The police arrived quickly, carrying several pieces of special equipment.
A familiar guest exclaimed, "Is that a metal detector?"
"Yes, a metal detector."
Ling Shu maintained her smile throughout. "I told you, I just want to find my earring. It's not on the ground, so maybe a mouse carried it underground. Please search underground."
The police officers looked at Old Zhao, seeking his opinion with their eyes.
Of course, this was just a formality. Ling Shu's earring was indeed lost in the room, and Mu Ting kept saying that it contained evidence of the Zhao family's crimes and murders. In any case, the police had an obligation to search the place thoroughly.
Old Zhao also understood that he couldn't resist.
He closed his eyes, as if making a decision, and said coldly, "Search."
With his permission, the police entered the greenhouse and quickly searched the premises using metal detectors.
In the southeast corner of the room, there was a patch of blue-purple hydrangeas. When the detector passed over the hydrangeas, it emitted a beeping sound.
There is something under the flowers.
Upon hearing the beeping sound, the police officers stopped what they were doing and all looked towards the southeast corner.
Zhao Lixin, standing at the door, also looked at the hydrangeas, and his mind involuntarily drifted to the blue-purple hydrangeas, which were his eldest sister Zhao Lien's favorite flowers...
So, what exactly is under the hydrangea?
The scene was completely silent, with only the beeping of the metal detector echoing through the air.
Old Zhao opened his eyes and calmly admitted, "Li'en... my daughter, is buried here."
When the secret buried deep in his heart was exposed to his face, the once spirited General Manager Zhao seemed to age ten years in an instant, and his figure became somewhat hunched.
He looked at the blooming hydrangeas, his eyes filled with pain and longing. "Li'en fell seriously ill and passed away suddenly. For ten years, I have not been able to accept reality and I cannot bear to part with her... So, I buried her here and often come to see her."
Zhao Lixin's eyes widened.
His eldest sister... is buried here?!
No wonder that in the past ten years, Old Zhao never told them where his eldest sister was buried, nor did he ever take them to pay their respects.
Zhao Li'en... truly a beloved child of his father, who even in death wanted to keep him by his side!
Zhao Lixin felt a complex mix of emotions, unable to tell whether it was jealousy or fear.
The guests began to whisper among themselves.
For the first time, the tough CEO Zhao showed his tender side to the public. Many of the female guests present were moved by his pain and showed their sympathy.
That wasn't enough, Mr. Zhao continued, "If you don't believe me, you can dig it up and see. Li En is gentle and kind-hearted, she won't mind you disturbing her."
After saying that, he raised his hand and wiped the corner of his eye.
The murmurs among the crowd grew louder.
"Let them rest in peace; we shouldn't disturb them any further..."
"It's just a yellow diamond earring, why make such a scene?"
"Even if Ling Shu digs three feet into the ground and finds the earring, her reputation won't be good if word gets out about what happened today."
At this moment, Ling Shu is like the villain in the story, using the yellow diamond earring as a pretext to force Old Zhao to reveal the side he least wants to show to others.
That's pretty bad.
The villain Ling Shu's smile remained unchanged: "President Zhao is joking. As I said, I just want to find the earring. Since the metal detector has sounded the alarm, of course we have to dig."
Old Zhao sneered, turned his head away, and ignored him.
The police then brought some digging tools, dug up the blue-purple hydrangeas, and began searching through the soil.
At a depth of about half a meter, a metal coffin was indeed unearthed.
When the dust covering the coffin was brushed away, even the bravest policeman couldn't help but let out a low gasp.
"This, this is..."
A small, transparent window peeked through the metal coffin, revealing the scene inside. A dim light shone from within, illuminating the features of a young girl. She was beautiful and delicate, her eyes peacefully closed, as if she were simply asleep.
Who would have thought that this was a girl who had been dead for ten years?
Ling Shu slowly walked over, lowered her gaze, and looked at the girl's serene eyes, as if she were talking to her across ten years.
Old Zhao remained standing by the sofa, his gaze seemingly deliberately avoiding that corner, his voice hoarse: "That's right, I couldn't bear to part with her, I wanted her beauty to last forever, so I made this coffin."
The guests, who had been so reluctant just moments before, were now silent.
Even Zhao Lixin couldn't help but gasp and subconsciously took two steps back.
The father's actions... seem a bit perverted.
My eldest sister has been dead for ten years, yet her face remains remarkably lifelike, hidden in this corner.
Not to mention passersby, even his own younger brother didn't dare to go over and take a look.
That's terrifying.
Old Zhao looked at Ling Shu with a mocking expression: "Miss Ling, are you satisfied now? If not, would you like to open the coffin and take a look?"
Then, he looked at Mu Ting by the door, "And you, didn't you say the evidence was underground? Your brother disappeared six years ago, and my daughter died ten years ago. What could that have to do with your brother?"
Mu Ting remained silent, like a statue, showing no reaction whatsoever to his provocative words.
She just stared fixedly at that corner, her eyes soft and sorrowful.
Ling Shu chuckled again: "Mr. Zhao is joking. No matter how powerful the spider and the rat are, they can't possibly bring my earring into the sealed coffin. Of course, I won't ask them to open the coffin."
She tilted her head, seemed to look around, and casually pointed to the area next to Zhao Li'en's coffin. "How about we investigate this place?"
Old Zhao suddenly flew into a rage, almost roaring at Ling Shu, "Haven't you caused enough trouble yet? Forcing me to dig out my daughter wasn't enough, you want to dig up the whole place?! Ling Shu, that's enough, the Zhao family won't give in any longer!"
Ling Shu looked at him calmly, her pupils reflecting his impotent rage.
Her tone was also calm: "Mr. Zhao, you seem to be feeling guilty because you're so angry."
The police officers stood silently beside her, offering their unspoken support.
The metal detector did indeed react at the location Ling Shu pointed to, emitting a beeping sound.
Old Zhao paused for a few seconds, then turned to look at the greenhouse entrance.
Apart from Mu Ting and Zhao Lixin, the area outside the door was crowded with people who were there to watch the show.
His gaze slowly swept over everyone, wishing he could silence them all and keep this whole affair a secret forever, within the Zhao family.
Unfortunately, this was just a fleeting fantasy of his.
Finally, Old Zhao looked at the old housekeeper not far away.
Their eyes met, and the old butler nodded calmly, his eyes conveying everything.
Old Zhao withdrew his gaze and sat back down heavily: "Alright, you guys dig."
He closed his eyes, seemingly no longer wanting to care about anything.
The police quickly started digging again.
The metal detector kept beeping, indicating that there was something else below. After digging another half meter beside the coffin, something shiny and shimmering with a yellow light finally appeared in the soil.
The policeman picked it up, carefully blew away the dirt, and handed it to Ling Shu: "Miss Ling, your earring has been found."
Although I don't know why the earring "fell" from the crack in the door all the way down to a meter on the ground, I finally found it.
Ling Shu took the earring and smiled with satisfaction: "It's good that you found it. Those spider rats are really naughty."
Both the guests outside the door and the netizens in the live broadcast room were stunned at this moment.
So, is Ling Shu really looking for earrings?
It wasn't unreasonable, nor was it intentional mischief. From beginning to end, it was just as she said—she simply wanted to find the earring.
Is this a story about the fantastical journey of the yellow diamond earring?
Wait a minute, no matter how much the earrings flutter, how could they possibly float a meter underground?!
Even Old Zhao opened his eyes in surprise, somewhat caught off guard: "...Found it?"
"Yes, we found it. Thank you for your support, Mr. Zhao, and thank you to all the police officers."
Ling Shu greeted the hardworking police officers with a smile, but her gaze inadvertently drifted into the pit, and she exclaimed in surprise, "Wait, what's in the pit?!"
Old Zhao closed his eyes again and stopped talking.
He knew it was bound to happen.
The police looked down and saw a glimpse of white peeking out from where they had just found the yellow diamond earring.
...the color of bone.
The police officers' expressions instantly turned serious.
Mu Ting, who had been standing at the door, also reacted. She stumbled over, knelt by the pit, and looked at the white patch in the soil.
"elder brother……"
I've finally... found you.
-
The farce of searching for an earring unearthed human bones, instantly turning into a criminal case.
The police deployed more officers and politely dispersed the guests gathered outside the greenhouse, setting up a yellow cordon.
As a witness, Ling Shu could stay in the greenhouse and watch the excavation progress from afar.
Right next to Zhao Li'en's coffin, more than a meter below the ground, lay a skeletonized male corpse. His body was curled up, as if he had suffered great pain before his death.
Mu Ting knelt blankly by the pit, tears streaming down her face and dripping into the soil.
She insisted that this was her brother Mu Feng, who had been missing for six years.
Police have collected hair samples from the male corpse and sent them to match with Mu Ting's hair sample.
By questioning the Zhao family, the police learned that the greenhouse was a forbidden area in the Zhao family, and only the old boss and the old housekeeper were allowed to enter on weekdays. The police quickly focused their suspicions on the two men and conducted temporary questioning on them separately.
Mr. Zhao said calmly, "I don't know what's going on."
The old butler remained silent, not uttering a single word.
Seeing that the situation was reaching a stalemate, the forensic doctor found a metal button in the man's skeletal hand. The metal button looked simple and elegant, with a number engraved on the back, which is still clearly visible today.
It must have been in his hand before he died, and by some coincidence, it has survived to this day.
Ling Shu recognized the button's origin at a glance: "This is a special button from a high-end bespoke suit brand in Country E. Each button has a number. Based on the number, you can trace it back to the person who ordered this suit."
This is a feature that this brand is very proud of.
Now, Old Zhao is even more suspicious.
Upon hearing the news that the male corpse was clutching a button, Old Zhao's expression froze for a moment, but only for a brief instant.
He quickly processed the news and returned to his usual calm: "I don't know what's going on."
However, although he appeared calm on the surface, his fists were actually clenched tightly.
After all, six years had passed, and his memory was somewhat hazy, making it impossible for him to recall what clothes he was wearing that day.
Why did I have to wear a custom-made suit? And why was a button missing?
How did it end up being held in Mu Feng's hands?
How come it wasn't discovered when it was buried?
The more Mr. Zhao thought about it, the more bizarre it seemed, as if some unseen force was orchestrating everything.
The thought sent chills down his spine.
But it doesn't matter, it's just a button, not enough to convict him.
However… I'm afraid I'll have to abandon the trusted confidant who has followed me for over a decade.
In another room, after hearing that the male corpse was clutching a button, the old butler, who had been silent all along, finally spoke.
He readily admitted his crime: "Yes, I killed the person, it has nothing to do with the Zhao family."
"The motive for the murder? That day, while Mr. Zhao was away, I tried on his clothes and secretly drank his red wine. I didn't expect to be caught by Mu Feng, who came to the Zhao family to look for his sister. In my panic, I accidentally pushed him down the stairs. His head hit the steps and he died on the spot."
“I was terrified. I thought that only I could go into the greenhouse, so I dragged him in and buried him. I didn’t notice that he was holding a button in his hand.”
"Yes, I killed him, it's that simple."
His tone was calm, as if he weren't talking about murder.
Inside the greenhouse, the forensic doctors were still carefully cleaning up the scene. Ling Shu received a message on her phone and read it aloud: "Butler Zhang confessed to the murder, saying that Mu Feng caught him stealing the master's red wine, and in a panic, he pushed Mu Feng down the stairs, where he fell to his death."
Mu Ting, standing nearby, sneered, "The Zhao family really has a loyal dog."
She shook her head. "Butler Zhang has no grudge against my brother and has no motive whatsoever. As for stealing the red wine, that's a joke. Everyone in the Zhao family knows that Butler Zhang is extremely loyal to the Zhao family and would never do such a thing."
He's just taking the blame.
Ling Shu patted her shoulder reassuringly: "It's okay, he can't just take the blame for this."
Inside the pit, the forensic doctor cleaning the scene indeed discovered something unusual: "Wait, what are these things?"
Beside the bones, there were many strange marks, as if they had been left intentionally by someone.
Ling Shu looked up and met the gaze of a policeman, then nodded to him.
The policeman calmly nodded in response and strode forward, immediately recognizing the origin of these marks: "This is... a ghost marriage formation that was popular in Wan City more than a hundred years ago."
A ghost marriage?
The forensic doctor had never heard of such a thing before and stared in astonishment.
The person next to him nodded: "By the way, Xiao Jiang was transferred from Wan City. Have you seen this before?"
The policeman surnamed Jiang nodded: "Yes, I've seen it. This kind of formation is very evil; it's said to be able to absorb luck. There aren't many people in Wan City who know this kind of thing now; you can count them on one hand."
The forensic doctor's gaze gradually hardened: "Speaking of which... Mr. Zhao, you're from Wancheng, right?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
