Jing Li has never liked Boss Chang's younger brother.
To put it nicely, that guy is uneducated and unskilled, to put it bluntly, he is just a gangster who hangs out in various gambling houses and opium dens all year round, and only comes back to ask his brother for some money when he runs out of money.
What a complete bastard.
However, Boss Chang was always patient and indulgent with him.
Boss Chang's parents died early, leaving him only a bookstore and a useless brother. Jing Li had witnessed Boss Chang's indulgence before and tried to persuade him.
At that time, Boss Chang just sighed and said, "After all, he is my only relative."
Jing Li knew Boss Chang quite well. He was an honest and upright man in his business and a scholar who was not bad at all. Jing Li did not believe that he had killed anyone.
He even less believed that he had killed his own brother with his own hands.
"It's hard to say for sure." Gu Heng said, "Isn't that bookstore mortgaged by Chang Lao Er? Maybe the two brothers had a dispute over something, and Boss Chang killed someone to protect the bookstore?"
Jing Li remained silent.
"Sister-in-law, you'd better not get involved." Gu Heng saw that he looked unhappy and advised, "The Ji family knows our relationship and will not embarrass you again. As for the bookstore, there is a murder case involved there. You have no relationship with Mr. Chang, so don't get involved."
"But..." Jing Li hesitated for a moment and asked, "Do you really think it was Boss Chang who did it?"
Gu Heng opened his mouth.
This matter is indeed strange.
Logically speaking, the bookstore issue had been resolved, and as long as Boss Chang waited patiently, Ji Zhifei would return the title deed sooner or later. There was no reason for him to cause a death at this time.
Now that he is in jail, not only can he not get the bookstore back, but even his life is in danger.
Also, why did Chang Laoer, who had been missing for so long, suddenly return home? Where had he been before? And how did the scholar Chang Laoban kill an adult man and secretly transport the body out of the city
Not only strange, but also coincidental.
Gu Heng was busy with the county exams for a few days and had no time to ask about the Ji family's affairs. Once he finished the exams, he would naturally urge Ji Zhifei to return the land deed. But just before the exams, a murder occurred in the bookstore.
The timing is just too coincidental.
Gu Heng had countless doubts in his mind in an instant, and he even had some guesses about the truth of the matter. But he said nothing, just avoided Jing Li's gaze and said in a low voice: "Sister-in-law, don't ask anymore."
No matter what the truth is, the matter has now been handed over to the authorities. They have no reason and no need to intervene.
Jing Li heard the hidden meaning in his words.
It’s not that we can’t, but that we don’t have to.
Gu Heng was willing to help him last time because of Qin Zhao's kindness and because it was just a piece of cake for him. He had always disliked Ji Zhifei and was happy to see him suffer.
But this time things were different.
It involves a murder case. If Gu Heng intervenes again, he will have to alert his father and the prefect.
The nature of them is completely different.
There is no need for him to wade into muddy waters.
As for Jing Li, he was just an ordinary civilian, and being involved in this matter would do him more harm than good.
There is no need to take a risk for someone you just met by chance.
"I understand..." Jing Li lowered his head and said softly.
Hearing what Jing Li said, Gu Heng breathed a sigh of relief: "It's good that you have figured it out. If anything happens to you because of me, I will be so sorry to Mr. Qin."
Jing Li forced a smile and said, "Don't worry, I know what's going on. Go quickly and don't make your friends wait anxiously."
Gu Heng nodded, walked forward quickly, and was helped by the servants to the carriage that had been waiting at the door since early morning.
Jing Li watched the carriage go away, then closed the door and walked back.
Qin Zhao was sitting in the main room holding the little fish, while Ah Qi was counting the thank-you gifts sent by Gu Heng. Seeing Jing Li enter the room, Qin Zhao glanced at him and frowned: "What's wrong?"
"Ah?" Jing Li looked a little dazed. When he heard Qin Zhao calling him, he raised his head belatedly.
Qin Zhao put the little fish cub down, walked towards him, and took his hand: "You look so bad."
"…Did Gu Heng say anything to you?"
Qin Zhao was so smart and knew Jing Li so well that he could tell at a glance that something was wrong with him.
Jing Li suddenly felt a little sad. He lowered his eyes and shook his head: "Nothing."
"Little fish..."
"It's really nothing." Jing Li interrupted, "I... I'm just a little tired, I'm going back to the house to rest first."
He gently broke free from Qin Zhao's hand, turned around and walked out of the main room, heading towards the backyard.
"gentlemen… "
Ah Qi stopped what he was doing. Even Xiao Yuzi looked at the direction where Jing Li left in confusion and pulled Qin Zhao's sleeve: "Cool...Cool..."
"Well, something is not right." Qin Zhao nodded.
Who else is looking for his young husband
When Qin Zhao returned to the house, there was no one inside.
He looked around inside and outside and finally found the bright red shadow in the transparent fish tank on the table.
Most of the little koi's body was buried in dense water plants and pebbles, leaving only a small piece of translucent tail swaying slightly at the bottom of the water. It was really hard to see if you didn't look carefully.
Qin Zhao shook his head.
here we go again.
Every time I feel unhappy, I hide myself in the water, what a guy.
Qin Zhao sat down at the table and knocked on the wall of the fish tank: "Your son, who is less than one year old, doesn't hide in the water anymore."
The koi's tiny body trembled, then it wagged its tail and swam back inside, hiding itself even better.
Qin Zhao couldn't help but smiled softly: "Don't worry, Yuzai is still playing with Ah Qi in the outer courtyard, he didn't see you look so embarrassed."
Jing Li: “…”
"I'm not unhappy, I was sleeping in there." Jing Li sat in front of the dressing mirror. Qin Zhao helped him dry his hair and put it up with a hairpin.
"Okay, you're sleeping." Qin Zhao's slender fingertips passed through his hair and asked gently, "Did you get enough sleep?"
Jing Li hummed: "Not bad."
Qin Zhao: "Do you want to go out with me?"
Jingli blinked.
From mid-February, the weather in the city began to warm up, and Qin Zhao's health gradually improved.
Not long ago, the doctor finally gave in and said that Qin Zhao could go out for a walk more often when the weather was good, which would be more helpful in regulating his body.
Today is sunny, it's a good time to go out.
Jing Li said: "Then I'll go get Yuzai in to change clothes."
"No." Qin Zhao helped Jing Li get his coat and said, "I want to go out alone with you."
Since the birth of the little fish cub, Jing Li and Qin Zhao rarely had the opportunity to go out alone. Qin Zhao did not shy away from it, and openly held Jing Li's hand, and the two of them slowly walked along the main street of the city.
The air in early spring is slightly cool, and the sunshine is warm but not too strong, making you feel warm and comfortable on your body.
Jing Li hadn't been out shopping with Qin Zhao for a long time, and gradually put his worries behind him. The two of them ate and played, and walked down the street, carrying a lot of things in their hands.
There is a bookstore at the end of the street.
The bookstore was quite large, with a long queue outside the door. It was actually the most popular place on the entire street.
Qin Zhao led Jing Li over and happened to see a man dressed as a shop owner coming out and shouting to the people in line, "The last copy of Dream Talk has been sold out. Please go to other stores to buy it."
"No more? I came all the way from the other city!"
"This is the third place I've visited!"
"Several bookstores have sold out. When will you print more copies?"
"That's not our decision." The shop owner said in embarrassment, "That book is not published by us, and the author can't be contacted. We have other vernacular books in our shop, such as the "Spring Night Collection" you are reading..."
But no one listened to his explanation. Everyone cursed at each other and soon someone said, "I heard that the South City Bookstore still has stock," and everyone dispersed.
"Hey, don't leave!"
The shop owner shouted and yelled, but to little avail.
Suddenly, only Qin Zhao and Jing Li were left in front of the bookstore.
The shop owner's eyes lit up and he came forward and said, "Sir, would you two like to take a look at this volume of "Spring Night Collection"—"
Jing Li didn't answer, so Qin Zhao asked, "Boss, what's going on with Fang?"
The shop owner sighed heavily, "They all came to buy 'Dream Talk Notes'. This book has been sold out in all the bookstores in the city these days, and my son Fang has also sold the last copy. When the customers saw that they couldn't buy it, they all left."
Qin Zhao asked again: "Why is it so scarce?"
"Sir, you don't know yet?" the shop owner said, "The publisher is Mr. Chang from Jing'an Bookstore. It is said that he committed a murder and was arrested by the government early yesterday morning. Many people saw him."
Shop owner: "Boss Chang is in charge of the book, and he is the only one who knows how to contact us. Alas, if I had known something like this would happen, I should have asked him for a few hundred more copies. Now, I don't know if Boss Chang can get out of the government office alive. You said that this incident caused a lot of trouble..."
"It's a murder case..." Qin Zhao said slowly, "According to the laws of our dynasty, if you kill someone, you must pay with your life. I'm afraid..."
Jing Li's eyes moved slightly, and he subconsciously grabbed Qin Zhao's hand.
Qin Zhao looked at him thoughtfully, and said to the shopkeeper: "I'll take this book, thank you."
As the midday sun grew stronger, the two went to the pavilion by the lake to take a rest.
The lake sparkled in the sunlight. Qin Zhao and Jing Li sat side by side under the pavilion, flipping through the storybook Fang bought. As they read, they couldn't help laughing: "This story is really..."
Jing Li leaned on his shoulder and asked, "…what happened?"
"This book, Spring Night Collection, tells the story of a prince who spent a fortune on a prostitute and risked his life for a beautiful woman." Qin Zhao closed the book, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. "What nonsense."
Jing Li: "Nowadays people just like to watch that."
"It's unrealistic." Qin Zhao commented, "A prince wouldn't be obsessed with love affairs, and it's even more impossible for him to meddle in other people's affairs just for a random acquaintance."
"You're right." Jing Li responded softly, "Then let's not watch it."
Qin Zhao hugged him in his arms and said with a smile: "But think about it carefully, if it were you, things would be different."
Jing Li blinked: "Why is it different?"
"You are my husband." Qin Zhao tilted his head and kissed Jing Li on the cheek, saying tenderly, "As a husband, shouldn't I do everything for you?"
Qin Zhao stroked his back gently with his palm and asked in a low voice: "So, you really don't have anything to say to me?"
Jing Li pursed his lips, and his nose felt a little sour again: "You figured it out..."
Qin Zhao felt a little distressed but also funny when he saw the miserable appearance of his little fish.
Not only him, even the little fish could see it.
But he didn't say anything, just waited quietly.
Jing Li buried his head in Qin Zhao's shoulder, his voice choking slightly: "I... I seem to have done something wrong..."