EAD BY AFREANA

Chapter 41.2

Liu Ze replied, “My wife is from Feng’an Prefecture, Tang County. A few years ago, there was a flood in her hometown, and all her family perished. She had no one to turn to and had to join a distant cousin in Xu City. The cousin’s family was not rich, while his wife was powerful. The wife was unhappy to support one more person. My wife also suffered a lot of grievances there. However, when Xu Matchmaker visited her relatives … Ah, the same Xu Matchmaker in Zhonglan City, Miss An also knows her, who arranged the marriage for your family. Xu Matchmaker is related to my wife’s uncle, which means she is her distant relative. Xu Matchmaker was lonely in Zhonglan City and wanted some companionship. When she saw her good behavior, she brought her back. Then, when I was looking for a suitable match, I met my wife.” He smiled embarrassedly. “Well, this how it was. Then we got married.”

An Ruochen nodded and said something nice. “This is a marriage within a thousand miles.”

Liu Ze pursed his lips and smiled shyly.

An Ruochen asked, “This time, your child was abducted and left on the roadside. Could it be a revenge plot?”

Liu Ze thought about it and shook his head. “Although my restaurant had different customers, I always talk about peace. I rarely offend people, and I cannot think of any enemies. This time thanks to Miss, I am grateful.”

When it comes to the reason for this, he did not think of Zhao Jiahua in a bad light. An Ruochen could not think of further questions, so she said a few words of courtesy and took her leave. Liu Ze personally sent her to the gate and expressed his gratitude again.

An Ruochen walked for a while and then looked back. She saw Liu Ze smile at her, then turn around to go back inside the residence.

Chun Xiao saw the situation and whispered in An Ruochen’s ear. “This Boss Liu is more reasonable than his wife. Miss, we have done a good deed but have almost been falsely accused of abducting a child. Mrs. Liu’s eyes looked at us like looking at bad people. Hmph.”

An Ruochen did not answer. She could not figure it out, so she thought of asking the General. After returning to the Purple Cloud House, she immediately went to find Big Long. She heard the guards say that the General was in the room and she could visit him.

An Ruochen was delighted and hurriedly ran inside when she saw Big Long holding a thin book in his hand.

An Ruochen suddenly stiffened, almost forgetting about this. It was a bad time to come here! He was currently reading ‘General Long’s New Biography.’

Big Long looked at her, revealing his eyes from the top of the book. There was a greasy smile in his eyes. He must be happy to read that book. It was unknown whether he was suffering from gorgeous words of flattery or truly appreciated her literary talent.

An Ruochen strongly resisted the urge to run away. “Er …..” 

Calm down.

It was not a mistake to beautifully complete the task of writing the book.

After clearing her throat and straightening her back, An Ruochen wore a solemn expression. “General.”

Big Long put the book down and revealed his whole face.

That serious face! It made people not dare to take it lightly.

“General.” An Ruochen became more serious. “This servant has something to report.”

She practiced the word ‘servant’ for many days, and now she spoke it fluently. An Ruochen felt that it positively maintained a stable communication atmosphere.

“Hmm. Say it.” Big Long waited.

An Ruochen hurriedly got to the point and told him the story in detail.

“General, is that Zhao Jiahua trying to test me? She said to me that her child is her weakness. Then she placed her child in front of me to test how I reacted.”

“What can she do after seeing your reaction?” Big Long asked.

An Ruochen was also confused. “I do not know. I cannot guess her intention at all. Does she want to frame me for abducting her child? Even if it does not work out, throwing dirty water at me will make the people around me suspicious and hinder me from investigating the case.”

Big Long pondered and said, “How did the people around you react?”

An Ruochen recounted the situation of Liu Ze, the restaurant shopkeeper, Liu Residence’s steward, maids, and other people, and carefully repeated the conversation between her and Liu Ze again.

Big Long raised his eyebrows: “Where do you think the problem is?”

“Never felt where there is a problem. Liu Ze trusted his wife. He was considerate and caring. Their subordinates also reacted as usual.”

“Then why did Zhao Jiahua intentionally make you suspicious of Li Xiu’er?”

“To show they are in collusion and to get my attention?”

“She’s more suspicious than Li Xiu’er. Why bother with this?”

An Ruochen was stunned. Right. If they did not talk to each other and bit the bullet, there was no way for her to investigate. But Zhao Jiahua deliberately hitched to Li Xiu’er.

“Also, didn’t Liu Ze share too many details with you?”

An Ruochen was stunned again. Too detailed?

“Such a complicated relationship. Zhao Jiahua’s birthplace, suffering a disaster, whom she ran to, how she met Xu Matchmaker, and why she came to Zhonglan City with Xu Matchmaker. Why do you need to say so much to an unfamiliar outsider? I would have just said where she was born if it were me. Then, about her being a distant relative of Xu Matchmaker, you have not asked about that at all, but he took the initiative to explain it. It is a bit too much.”

“……” An Ruochen felt like a light flashed through the fog, but she still could not see the vein. “The General thought that perhaps Boss Liu is not oblivious to Zhao Jiahua’s affairs?”

“Now when you ask that, it made me remember, how is Zhao Jiahua different from Li Xiu’er?”

An Ruochen quickly replied. “Zhao Jiahua is from a foreign county, and Li Xiu’er is from this county. Zhao Jiahua has a daughter. Li Xiu’er has no children. Zhao Jiahua has no other relatives, but Li Xiu’er has a mother and a sister.” After thinking about it, she added. “Zhao Jiahua is two years older than Li Xiu’er.”

Big Long said. “Li Xiu’er manages the business, but Zhao Jiahua does not.”

An Ruochen. “……” So how did Zhao Jiahua gather information?

Big Long looked at her. “Xie Gang told me that one of the reasons you targeted Zhao Jiahua was because I had purposely met you at the Zhaofu Restaurant. I met you there because Zhao Jiahua was a girl picked up from outside the county by Matchmaker Xu, which is different from others. The other thing is that the restaurant was close to the court. It is a nice place to eat and drink. With people coming and going, it is easy to mingle. If you want to have news spread out quietly, that kind of venue is more than suitable.”

“And I only focused on Zhao Jiahua.”