The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife-Chapter 484 - 487. Wedding, Homicide (Change of Name Notification, Important)

"Sister, I want to see him," Ya Xi said.

Qinglan stood up and followed Ya Xi to find Doug. She could feel that Ya Xi was very satisfied with her life now and didn’t want to talk about the past; naturally, Qinglan didn’t bring it up either.

Doug was playing football with Anan on the lawn. The Fu Family’s estate didn’t have such a large lawn for Anan to play on, so this was like fulfilling a small wish for him.

Anan was running around, sweating profusely, and they could hear his laughter from a distance.

"Sister, Anan has grown a lot, even more handsome than in the photos," Ya Xi said gently, a hint of envy flashing in her eyes. The carefree nature of children was the most enviable thing.

"Yes, time flies. Anan is already three years old."

"Indeed, everyone moves on." Only she remained in place, unwilling to step out of the prison she had drawn for herself.

Anan had already seen his mother and ran over, "Mommy." He glanced at Ya Xi standing beside Qinglan, "Hello, sister."

A smile emerged in Ya Xi’s eyes, "Hello, Anan, but you can’t call me sister, you should call me auntie."

"Hello, auntie," Anan complied readily.

Ya Xi reached out to touch Anan’s head. He didn’t dodge and even waved at her, inviting Ya Xi to crouch down. Curious, she did so, and Anan kissed her on the face. Doug’s expression changed slightly, fearing that Ya Xi might suddenly get angry since she disliked physical contact with others.

Fortunately, apart from a moment of stiffness, Ya Xi didn’t make any excessive movements. Doug breathed a sigh of relief, but Qinglan didn’t notice the change in his expression; she simply watched Ya Xi with a gentle smile in her eyes.

"Pretty auntie, I like you," Anan said with a beaming smile.

Ya Xi’s heart trembled slightly, her smile gradually unfurling in her eyes, spreading out like stars. She reached out and gently hugged Anan, "Auntie likes you too."

Doug hadn’t expected Ya Xi to have such a special interaction with Anan. Before, when neighbor’s children came over to play, Ya Xi never had any physical contact with them, even when Doug suggested she try, she was unwilling.

"Sister, can I play with Anan for a while?" Ya Xi asked for Qinglan’s opinion.

Qinglan nodded with a smile and walked aside with Doug. She needed to inquire about Ya Xi’s condition.

"Her condition is improving, but it can also be said to have worsened." Doug’s first statement made Qinglan’s heart sink. "Doug, what do you mean?"

"Her thoughts of death are fading, but her heart is becoming more closed off. She’s unwilling to interact with anyone. Before you came, she barely spoke even to the housekeeper and would occasionally say a few words to me. But more often, she would rather be alone."

"You said her condition was improving, didn’t you?" Qinglan said.

"Yes, her depression is getting better, but Qinglan, I can’t unravel the knots in her heart. Perhaps because I’m her lover, she’s even more unwilling to face me. I can’t provide her with complete psychological treatment. I called a friend of mine a few days ago, hoping she can assist me. I think maybe with a change of person, Ya Xi might be more willing."

Qinglan had thought Ya Xi was much better, but the truth turned out to be quite different. "Is that method useful?" Qinglan asked. If Ya Xi was unwilling to engage with strangers, would she accept psychological treatment from another doctor?

"I’m not sure if it will work, but we must try. Qinglan, I can’t stand by and watch Ya Xi live in pain forever. Sometimes, when I get up in the middle of the night to check on her, I can hear her suppressed crying." Doug’s voice was filled with sorrow. It had been over two years, and Ya Xi had not been able to escape the shadows of her past. He had exhausted all the methods at his disposal, but none had been effective.

Qinglan understood Ya Xi’s pain and Doug’s sorrow as well. For a long time, Qinglan did not speak.

From their angle, they could see Ya Xi playing with Anan, a rare smile appearing on her face, looking like an innocent child in his company.

"Qinglan, could you and Anan stay here for a while longer? I haven’t seen Ya Xi this happy in a long time."

Qinglan couldn’t refuse such a request, "Okay."

On the day of Catherine’s wedding, Qinglan didn’t take Anan with her but left him at the estate, "Mommy has some errands to run today, is it okay if you stay with uncle and auntie?" she asked her son.

"Mommy, can’t you take me with you?" Anan looked at Qinglan with his big, watery eyes.

"The place mommy is going to today isn’t suitable for kids."

"Then will you come back soon?"

"Yes."

"Okay then, I’ll stay with uncle and auntie. But mommy, you have to come back quickly," Anan agreed reluctantly.

"I promise I’ll be back before you go to sleep."

"Pinky promise."

"Um, pinky promise."

**

When Jin Enxi and Qinglan arrived at the wedding venue, the bride and groom were not yet there. Looking around, Jin Enxi commented, "An, I didn’t expect the wedding to be so grand."

"After all, it’s the union of two prominent families in Xueli City; it couldn’t be anything but grand," Qinglan wasn’t surprised by this outcome. It would have been odd if Catherine’s wedding had been anything less.

Most of the guests today were from noble families of Xueli City; there were very few Easterners. Qinglan and Jin Enxi’s Eastern faces were especially noticeable in the crowd. "What do you think Catherine meant by inviting you with a personal card? To let you see their family’s power?" If that were the case, then Catherine was simply being silly. The Boyle Family might be influential in Xueli City, but isn’t the Shen Family just as prominent in Beijing?

"Let’s sit down and talk," Qinglan said to Jin Enxi. Since they were here for the wedding, as long as Catherine didn’t provoke them, Qinglan had no intention of disrupting the ceremony.

Catherine was unwilling to accept the arranged marriage, which should have taken place two years ago, but when Catherine attempted suicide, her mother Daisy had no choice but to postpone it. After two years of resistance, Catherine ultimately couldn’t escape the fate of being used by her mother as a tool for an arranged marriage.

"Mommy, can I—"

"You cannot." Daisy cut off Catherine as she started to speak, her cold eyes fixed on her daughter, "Catherine, I’ve given you two years of freedom. If you cause any trouble today and the wedding ceremony cannot proceed smoothly, you’ll no longer be my daughter, no longer a part of the Boyle Family."

Catherine’s expression stiffened as she hung her head dejectedly. She had expected this outcome; her mother never regarded her as a daughter. In her eyes, there were only interests.

Two years ago, because Catherine had run away from her wedding, her marriage to her fiancé had naturally been called off. That time, her mother had been furious. If Catherine hadn’t nearly died, perhaps her mother had other means waiting for her.

The current groom was also a scion of a wealthy family, but this family had connections to the underworld. Daisy had chosen such a marriage partner to help her own brother. In the past two years, the struggle within the mafia had become increasingly fierce, and some people had discovered she was the sister of the boss. She had survived several assassination attempts, only because her brother had taken precautions in advance.

Choosing such a marriage partner was actually to protect Catherine; the family’s power was substantial enough to safeguard someone like Catherine with ease. Even if people from the mafia found out she was the boss’s niece, they wouldn’t dare to harm her out of respect for the family. Catherine knew none of this. All she understood was that her mother had sold her for profit, so naturally, she hated her mother. She saw her mother as a cold-hearted and ruthless person.

Daisy didn’t bother to explain her actions. Even knowing what her daughter thought, she didn’t correct or explain. Some things, Catherine didn’t need to understand too deeply.

At the ceremony hall, when Catherine caught sight of Shen Qinglan sitting among the guests, she nearly burst into flames. She didn’t understand why Shen Qinglan would appear at her wedding. Was she there to mock Catherine?

With this thought, Catherine’s anger flared even stronger, and she almost rushed over to confront Shen Qinglan.

Shen Qinglan noticed the change in Catherine’s eyes and raised her eyebrows slightly, "It seems that the invitation wasn’t extended by Catherine," she said in a low voice to Jin Enxi.

If it had been Catherine, she wouldn’t have looked at her with such an expression.

"Then who was it?" Jin Enxi asked.

Shen Qinglan glanced towards Daisy, suspecting that it was Daisy who had invited her. But what was her purpose in doing so?

It was plain to see that Catherine was resentful. Throughout the entire process, Catherine had a blank expression on her face. It was so obvious it would have been strange if others hadn’t noticed. While Daisy’s face bore a smile, her eyes were filled with fury. Her daughter was truly foolish. Even if she was unwilling, she shouldn’t let it show and allow others to see it.

After the ceremony, there was a wedding banquet in the form of a buffet. Perhaps she had been warned by Daisy because when Catherine appeared again, there was a smile on her face, albeit a forced one.

"Shen Qinglan, why are you here? To laugh at me?" Shen Qinglan and Jin Enxi were talking when an angry voice interrupted them. It could only be Catherine.

Shen Qinglan raised an eyebrow and spoke indifferently, "You realize that you are a joke?"

A hint of amusement flickered in Jin Enxi’s eyes; sometimes Shen Qinglan’s sharp tongue could be quite cutting. Didn’t Catherine’s face turn green?

"Shen Qinglan, get out of here; you are not welcome." Catherine hissed, managing to keep her voice down and her wits about her, avoiding a full-out outburst.

"I’m afraid that’s not for you to decide. I have an invitation," Shen Qinglan looked behind Catherine, "Isn’t that right, Mrs. Daisy?"

"I’m very pleased that Mrs. Fu could attend my daughter’s wedding," Daisy said with a smile. "Catherine, apologize to Mrs. Fu for your rudeness just now."

"Why should I!" Catherine was reluctant.

"Catherine, do I need to explain?" Daisy’s face became stern, and Catherine shrank back, stomping her foot, "Sorry."

Shen Qinglan smiled amiably, "It’s okay."

Catherine did not expect Shen Qinglan to really hold her ground, looking at Shen Qinglan with eyes that seemed to devour her. However, Shen Qinglan was not just anyone; she turned a blind eye to Catherine’s gaze, her main interest was in the woman named Daisy. This woman was deeply shrewd and her means far exceeded those of Catherine. The fact that Catherine was able to do so much without leaving any obvious tracks was because of this woman covering for her behind the scenes.

But now, it appeared that the mother-daughter relationship wasn’t as good as she had initially thought.

"Mrs. Daisy, I finally meet you."

Daisy had a gentle smile, but neither Shen Qinglan nor Jin Enxi would take her for a gentle person. "Mrs. Fu, I formally apologize for my daughter’s previous behavior."

Previous behavior? Which previous behavior?

"Now that my daughter is married, I will keep her in check going forward and prevent her from bothering you."

Shen Qinglan raised an eyebrow, not expecting for Daisy to invite her to the wedding as a gesture of goodwill. But why?

Indeed, Daisy’s invitation was a conciliatory gesture. The motive was simple—in the constant internal strife of the mafia, she faced assassination attempts now and then. Her husband had already been injured twice because of it, once almost fatally. Under such circumstances, she naturally did not want to make an enemy of someone like Shen Qinglan. Inviting Shen Qinglan to the wedding was primarily to signal that Catherine was now married and would no longer disrupt Shen Qinglan’s life. She hoped that Shen Qinglan too would not kick them while they were down in times of trouble for her own family.

If Shen Qinglan knew what Daisy was thinking, she would certainly tell her she was overthinking it; as long as Catherine did not provoke her, Shen Qinglan wouldn’t bother herself with their family’s fortunes.

Jin Enxi, always keen on the street news, understood a bit of Daisy’s intention and whispered to Shen Qinglan. Shen Qinglan then realized and softly said, "Mrs. Daisy, I’ve always lived by ’If no offense is given, none is taken.’"

Upon hearing this, Daisy laughed, "Then I thank Mrs. Fu for that, and since we have several artists here today, shall I take you to chat with them?"

"Sure." When someone was extending an olive branch, Shen Qinglan naturally went with the flow. Rather than having another high-IQ enemy like Daisy, she preferred to save face and turn swords into plowshares; it was something that had to be done occasionally.

Catherine, witnessing her mother treating Shen Qinglan with such respect, felt an unspeakable hatred. But the people her mother had lent her had been taken back, and now even if she wanted to do something, she didn’t have the manpower to act, so all she could do was watch Shen Qinglan chatting merrily with others.

"Catherine, haven’t you let it go yet?" Brody stood by Catherine, following her gaze. Catherine gritted her teeth, "Let go? How can you ask me to let go when it’s because of this woman that I left the art circle and was forced to marry a man I don’t love? Brody, you don’t understand the hate in my heart."

Brody sighed, "Catherine, why don’t you understand? If it hadn’t been for what you did initially, Shen Qinglan might not have touched you."

Catherine suddenly turned her head and looked coldly at Brody. They had both been Frank’s students, with a far deeper connection than Shen Qinglan had, yet he actually defended Shen Qinglan, "What did I do?"

""

"Katherine, I know you were behind the cruise incident," Brody said in a hushed tone.

Katherine’s face changed slightly before regaining composure. "I don’t know what you’re talking about, Brody. We used to be friends. Isn’t it not very nice of you to slander me like this?"

A flash of sorrow passed through Brody’s eyes. Once, Katherine had been dazzling and excellent to him, perhaps a bit temperamental but at least kind-hearted. But then, watching her slowly stray from the right path, it would be a lie to say he wasn’t heartbroken.

"Katherine, I overheard you talking on the phone with those people." So he had known from the beginning that it was Katherine who did it. He had not exposed her; it was selfishness that drove him. He had loved Katherine for many years and had not yet let go. He came to attend Katherine’s wedding today because he wanted to witness with his own eyes the girl he loved getting married.

He had hidden this affection deep in his heart for many years, so well that no one could see it.

"So what, are you planning to run off now and tell Shen Qinglan that I wanted to kill her all those years ago?" Katherine really wasn’t afraid of him telling on her; so much time had passed since the incident.

"No, if I really wanted to expose you, I wouldn’t have waited until now," he would have done so long ago.

"So what are you trying to say now? You expect to get some benefit from me?" Katherine said with disdain.

Brody looked at her disappointedly. "In your eyes, is that the kind of person I am?"

"If not, why else would you be bringing this up to me?" Especially at such a time.

Brody couldn’t quite describe his current feelings. The girl before him, once the moonlight in his heart, now slowly turned into a stain of mosquito blood. Humans are a strange kind of animal; some feelings emerge without reason and persist through the years until you think they will remain in your heart forever. However, in one fleeting moment, they quietly dissipate. And the person or thing that once wore a filter in your eyes suddenly reveals their true self.

"Katherine, I don’t want anything from you, nor will I ask you to do anything. The reason I spoke up today was to advise you from the perspective of a former friend: stop harboring ill intentions, and cherish your current days." Having said that, Brody turned and left, not seeing the scorn at the bottom of Katherine’s eyes behind him.

"Hmph, he thinks he is someone important coming to lecture me, just a penniless painter," Katherine muttered.

Brody hadn’t gone far when the words, carried by the wind, reached his ears. He paused briefly, his gaze turning cold as he gave a self-deprecating smile and left the place.

Katherine watched Brody’s retreating figure, her eyes cold. If this man tried to do anything, he shouldn’t blame her for casting aside past friendships. But now, the tricky part was that she had no one at her disposal.

Although that incident had happened a long time ago and Shen Qinglan might even know that she was the one behind it, a suspicion was still different from reality. If there was conclusive evidence, Shen Qinglan would have leverage to use against her, which would be very detrimental for her. With this in mind, Katherine began to harbor murderous intentions towards Brody. If just moments ago she was simply thinking of teaching Brody a lesson, now she was plotting how to quietly eliminate him. Brody would have never guessed that by trying to persuade her, he had brought upon himself the potential disaster of being killed.

Now that Katherine had no one at her disposal, she thought of hiring an assassin. Still, it wasn’t suitable for her to deal with this personally. What should she do then? Maybe call her uncle? Although she rarely saw her uncle, she could tell from the few encounters they had had that he was quite fond of her. Would it be feasible to have her uncle arrange for someone to kill Brody?

Thinking of this, Katherine decided to wait for a convenient moment to call her uncle.

The artists who came here were generally those from Xueli City, and most of them had been seen by Shen Qinglan before at Frank’s house. Frank hadn’t expected Shen Qinglan to attend this time, knowing the grievance between her and Katherine. However, seeing Shen Qinglan here was something that made Frank quite happy.

"Miss Shen, it’s great to see you again. Has it been over a year? You have become even more beautiful than before," Frank said heartily.

Shen Qinglan shook hands with him, "Mr. Frank, I didn’t expect to see you here this time." Shen Qinglan stepped forward and shook hands with Frank, whom she had met at an art exhibition a little over a year ago.

"Miss Shen, you must come to visit my house this time. My wife has mentioned you many times," Frank said with a smile.

Shen Qinglan smiled lightly and nodded, "Alright, I’ll definitely visit your house another day. Your wife’s desserts are incredibly tasty; I still remember that delightful flavor."

"If Miss Shen likes them, I’ll have my wife make some extra for you to take home," Frank said, delighted that Shen Qinglan enjoyed his wife’s desserts.

"Then it’s settled, Mr. Frank." Shen Qinglan and Frank chatted very pleasantly. They were already acquainted and, although they hadn’t seen each other much over the past few years, they both belonged to the art circle. Frank greatly admired Shen Qinglan’s talent, and he himself was a very talented artist who had taught her quite a lot. Shen Qinglan respected and admired him. Two people who admired each other like this wouldn’t become strangers simply because they didn’t keep in constant contact.

Since Daisy had invited her to the wedding, not Catherine, and the purpose was to show goodwill, Shen Qinglan did not linger at the wedding and soon left the venue.

"An, do you think they really came to show goodwill?" Jin Enxi was skeptical on the way back. She had noticed several times that when Catherine looked at Shen Qinglan, her eyes were cold. Could such a person be here to show goodwill?

Shen Qinglan smiled faintly, "The one showing goodwill isn’t her, it’s her mother. Daisy is a very clever and ambitious woman; I believe Catherine can’t cause a stir under her control."

Jin Enxi thought it over and agreed. Although she hadn’t said much that day, she had been quietly observing Daisy - a woman truly worthy of being the mafia boss’s sister, far from simple.

When Shen Qinglan and Jin Enxi returned to the estate, Anan was building blocks with Ya Xi. Seeing her mother return, Anan simply greeted Shen Qinglan and then continued playing.

Ya Xi didn’t recognize the current Jin Enxi, and neither Jin Enxi nor Shen Qinglan planned on telling her. So, for Ya Xi, Jin Enxi was just a stranger, and Ya Xi was a bit nervous around her, which even made her somewhat distracted from her games.

Jin Enxi noticed her discomfort and excused herself after saying a word to Shen Qinglan; Daniel was still staying alone at the hotel.

The next day, Shen Qinglan paid a visit to Frank. She had intended to bring Anan, but he didn’t want to go, saying he would stay to accompany Ya Xi. Shen Qinglan saw they were both enjoying themselves and agreed.

"Mommy, please come back early tonight," Anan said before she left. Shen Qinglan nodded and patted his head, "Alright, you must listen to Auntie at home and not cry or fuss, understand?"

Anan brushed away his mother’s hand, frowning, "Mommy, I’m very well-behaved."

Shen Qinglan laughed and drove away in Doug’s car, reassured by Doug’s presence.

Knowing that Shen Qinglan was going to visit today, Frank had invited several close friends, all from the art circle, whom Shen Qinglan also knew. It was already evening when she left Frank’s house.

Driving halfway home, Shen Qinglan saw a dessert shop along the road and remembered that Ya Xi had once loved desserts, so she decided to stop and buy some. However, there was no parking space in front of the shop. Looking around, she saw a spot about fifty meters ahead and parked there.

It was winter in Xueli City, and there weren’t many pedestrians on the streets, which were quite quiet. As Shen Qinglan walked back, she paused for a moment, turning her head to listen. She thought she had just heard a cry for help, and most importantly, the voice sounded very familiar.

To her left was a small alley; the voice had come from there. Shen Qinglan thought for a moment and went inside, then saw a man lying on the ground, covered in blood, with blood all around.

"Brody?" Shen Qinglan asked uncertainly.

Brody was already nearly unconscious when he suddenly heard Shen Qinglan’s voice. He struggled to open his eyes, but he couldn’t see the person in front of him clearly. Instinctively, he reached out his hand, "Save me."

It was indeed Brody’s voice. Hadn’t he left before her? How could he be here, and in such a state?

Without a moment to waste, Shen Qinglan quickly dialed the emergency number, then tore off her silk scarf to cover the wound on Brody’s chest.

"It’s...it’s Kay...Kay..." Brody tried to speak, but as soon as he opened his mouth, blood bubbled from the corner of his lips. "Don’t talk, the ambulance will be here soon," Shen Qinglan said in a stern voice.

The ambulance arrived quickly, and Brody was rushed to the hospital, but in the end, attempts to save him were unsuccessful. Brody died, and Shen Qinglan stood at the door of the emergency room, listening to the doctor announce the results, speechless for a long time.

She had seen the wound on Brody’s body; it was a professional gunshot wound. The shooter did not intend to kill Brody outright but wanted him to slowly bleed to death, ensuring he was painfully aware of his life slipping away. The shooter hit an artery near his heart, a shot that required precise marksmanship, something a regular person could not achieve.

She simply did not know who held such a grudge against Brody to do this to him. Wait a minute, Brody seemed to have been trying to tell her a name before... Kay? Catherine?

But why? Catherine and Brody were from the same sect and had a good relationship with no conflicting interests. Now that Catherine had also left the art circle, there was no reason for any intersection between the two, unless it was someone else with "Kay" in their name?

If that was the case, then Shen Qinglan had no idea because she was not familiar with Brody.

Frank had already arrived at the hospital but was unable to see Brody for the last time.

"How could this have happened?" Frank found it hard to accept. "He was just fine before."

"Mr. Frank, please accept my condolences; no one could have expected this," Shen Qinglan consoled him.

"Miss Shen, where did you find him?"

Shen Qinglan mentioned the location. She was not familiar with Xueli City, so she named the dessert shop. Conveniently, the shop was famous, and upon hearing it, Frank understood immediately.

"That’s on the way Brody would take home," Frank explained. "There’s a pizza place nearby that Brody loved. He often went there to eat pizza, and he even mentioned wanting to go there for pizza tonight."

A murder in Xueli City could not be ignored by the local police, and as the first witness, Shen Qinglan naturally had to go back and give a statement.

When Shen Qinglan left with the police, Brody’s family had already arrived at the hospital. The death of their child was certainly heartbreaking, especially for a woman who appeared to be Brody’s mother, who cried particularly hard, perhaps even in despair.

But by the time Shen Qinglan got there, the killer had already fled. She hadn’t seen what the assassin looked like, nor had she noticed anything suspicious, so her statement wasn’t of much use.

Shen Qinglan left the police station; it was already past midnight, and Doug came to pick her up personally.

Throughout the ride, Shen Qinglan remained silent. Doug glanced at her, "Qinglan, this isn’t your fault." Even if someone else had found him, they wouldn’t have been able to save him, unless he had been taken to the hospital right after being injured.

"I know, that’s not what I was thinking," she said.

"Are you wondering who the killer is?"

Qinglan nodded, "I heard from Frank that Brody had a good temper, to the extent that he hardly had any enemies. Who would have attacked him, and in such a brutal way?" By the time she arrived at the scene, the ground was covered in blood, and Frank’s phone was nowhere to be found. The police had not located it either.

"Even people with good temperaments can unintentionally offend someone. Perhaps that’s what happened with Brody," Doug commented.

But Qinglan didn’t see it that way. She always felt that this incident seemed related to her in some way. It was an intuition, without any evidence. Perhaps she was wrong, and she hoped she was.

Though Brody wasn’t exactly a friend, he was an acquaintance. The incident had somewhat dampened Qinglan’s mood for leisure. The Xueli City police were still investigating and had asked Qinglan to stay a few more days to assist with their inquiries, since she was the last person to see the victim.

Qinglan agreed; she too wanted to know who the killer was.

The police found Brody’s phone in a trash can not far from the scene. The call log showed that the last call Brody received was from Catherine. However, Catherine couldn’t have committed the crime that day, as she was out with her new husband.

Moreover, she had no grudge against Brody and no motive for the crime, which brought the investigation to a deadlock.

Having learned the results of the police investigation from Frank, Qinglan understood that Catherine was likely the culprit, especially when considering Brody’s last words. It seemed highly probable.

Catherine might not have had the time to commit the crime herself, but she could have someone else do it. After all, for Catherine, finding an assassin wouldn’t be difficult. But what was her motive?

Qinglan was puzzled. Moreover, Daisy had said she would keep a close eye on her daughter, and yet the very next day, an incident occurred. It seemed too coincidental.

"Could it be that Catherine’s new husband helped her?" Jin Enxi speculated, "After all, his family has close ties with the underworld."

Qinglan shook her head, "No, she isn’t that foolish. To reveal her other side to her husband, even in an arranged marriage, no one would be that stupid."

"It can’t be that she hired a hitman herself," said Jin Enxi. But this seemed unlikely. After all, hiring a hitman to commit murder usually required time. The person who shot Brody was a professional, indicating expertise in the field. Finding such a professional on short notice would be possible only if you have well-established contacts, like them. But Catherine, it wasn’t that Qinglan looked down on her, simply that Catherine wasn’t capable of such a feat. Daisy, on the other hand, might be.

"If it’s neither this nor that, then probably only Catherine knows the truth. An, shall we capture Catherine and question her?" Jin Enxi suggested.

Qinglan shook her head; that wasn’t a good approach. They had just accepted an olive branch two days prior, and now to take Daisy’s daughter into custody would clearly signal their unwillingness to coexist peacefully.

They were in Xueli City, Daisy’s territory. Such an unwise move was out of the question.

Jin Enxi understood this as well and dismissed her own suggestion after saying it. "An, shall we just let it be? After all, we have no ties to Brody. How he died is for Xueli City’s police to investigate. We shouldn’t trouble ourselves with it."

Qinglan certainly understood this logic, but she was moved by the memory of Brody’s mother crying in distress, feeling a pang of compassion.