Li Chonglou found it speechless that this version stated the bandits had internal strife due to unequal distribution of spoils. This immediately turned the two good people into accomplices.
This was rather disheartening.
However, since the only ones who knew the truth were the two of them, and the two men had also been dealt with, it wasn't difficult to understand why such a speculation would arise.
He just didn't know if the children who were given sleeping pills had seen Zhiwei and the other person beforehand. If they had, the case would likely receive more attention once they woke up.
He was thinking too far ahead, Li Chonglou shook his head.
"We heard about what you said on the way here. If your friend really disappeared nearby, it should be related to this matter."
Yu Yan was stunned.
"Brother Hua, what do you mean?"
Li Chonglou's expression suddenly turned grim, and he said coldly, "Are you hiding something else from us?"
Was he being this direct? Da Bao was a bit confused. He had thought Li Chonglou would use some veiled words to trick her into talking.
Moreover, would this actually work?
In the next second, Yu Yan provided the answer.
Her expression shifted from astonishment to calmness, and then to a touch of sadness.
She then spoke, "I understand. You've met the person, haven't you? Or is what happened this afternoon related to you?"
Da Bao hadn't reacted yet, but Li Chonglou's pupils suddenly contracted.
If everything was as Zhiwei had said, this person's scheming was too terrifying!
Just a moment ago, he was the one questioning her. At this point, whether she dodged or panicked, Li Chonglou could have deduced the answer he wanted.
But she did neither, instead, she turned the question back on him!
If he answered this, wouldn't it be tantamount to admitting that he had killed someone?
At this moment, Li Chonglou was beginning to believe Zhiwei's words. After all, what ordinary woman would have such cunning?
"Are you thinking that I might have actually done what they said?"
Li Chonglou frowned, "I didn't say I had met anyone. Isn't this a bit like confessing without being asked?"
Yu Yan shook her head, "Actually, when you called, I already felt it. Your attitude has changed a lot compared to before."
Li Chonglou looked at Da Bao. Had his attitude really changed that much?
How would I know?
Da Bao directly averted his gaze. Li Chonglou could only say to Yu Yan, "That doesn't explain anything, does it?"
Yu Yan interrupted, "I understand. If it weren't for that, your attitude wouldn't have changed so drastically. I'll show you something."
Yu Yan's words left them both a bit bewildered. They had come to question and confirm the facts, but it seemed as if she now held the initiative.
However, when the two of them saw what was on Yu Yan's phone, their pupils suddenly contracted.
It was a certificate of mental illness!
The name on it was Zhiwei's! Zhiwei had a mental illness?
Li Chonglou felt as if his brain had been struck by a hammer; he was completely stunned.
Da Bao had the same reaction, and for a moment, everything he had been thinking was overturned!
Yu Yan sighed, "If I'm not mistaken, they must have asked you to expose me, right? Preferably to bring me to justice."
She could guess that much, it seemed this wasn't the first time something like this had happened.
Li Chonglou took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.
"Tell me what happened."
Yu Yan didn't explain immediately. Instead, she asked, "First, tell me if they are alright."
"When we met them, they were being chased. Da Bao led us into the mountains; he's a child from the mountains and knows the terrain best."
"As for what you mentioned about this afternoon, it was something they did to escape."
Da Bao lowered his head silently beside them. He was ashamed of his inability to clear their names. The dead could not be revived, and shifting the blame to a dead person was indeed the perfect solution.
And it wasn't entirely a bad thing; those scumbags deserved to die, so in a way, it was even an honor.
However, Li Chonglou didn't mention that the two of them were already dead, as the living were ultimately more useful than the dead.
Yu Yan let out a heavy sigh, as if a great weight had been lifted from her heart.
"It's good that they're alright. I know you have many questions. Shall we find a place to sit and talk? I haven't even eaten dinner tonight."
As soon as she finished speaking, the two of them actually heard Yu Yan's stomach growl, a physiological reaction that occurred when one was extremely hungry.
Yu Yan's face instantly flushed.
For a girl, such an occurrence was no different from farting in front of others. The blush not only filled her face but also spread to her neck.
The two exchanged glances and finally nodded.
Perhaps things were indeed that melodramatic, and the one deceiving them wasn't Yu Yan, but the person who had passed away.
After all, considering all her reactions, Yu Yan's behavior seemed normal, and her previous evasiveness was likely related to this.
When ordinary people saw someone with a mental illness, their first reaction was to keep their distance. If it were their own friend, they wouldn't volunteer information if they could avoid it.
After the three of them left the park, they found a fried chicken chain. Li Chonglou had wanted to find a restaurant, but Yu Yan insisted on this, and he couldn't refuse.
As they walked, the two could clearly feel that after hearing that they were alright, Yu Yan's mood had become much brighter. People with heavy hearts generally wouldn't touch things like fried chicken.
No, to be precise, people with worries wouldn't even think of eating, they simply wouldn't have the appetite.
After everything was served, Yu Yan recounted the entire story.
It turned out that Zhiwei's mental illness was hereditary and wasn't caused by her, as they had speculated. It had been discovered when he was in elementary school.
As for the bullying, it was utter nonsense. According to Yu Yan, the truth was the exact opposite; they had both inexplicably held a grudge against her, which was something their friends all knew.
One point that remained unchanged was the love triangle between the three.
However, from Yu Yan's perspective, the version they heard was even more explosive.
Yu Yan didn't like Zhiwei; she liked that other girl, whom Yu Yan referred to as Fei'er.
This appellation differed from Zhiwei's, but it wasn't the main point. The crucial detail was that Yu Yan claimed Zhiwei had forcefully broken them apart.
"Fei'er clearly had feelings for me back then. Zhiwei confessed to Fei'er, and later..."
Yu Yan paused at this point, seemingly reluctant to elaborate. She skipped ahead, saying, "In short, the reason I still hung out with them was for Fei'er, not him."
Yu Yan sighed. Even though she was the one being bullied, she didn't show much resentment towards the two of them.