The man finished speaking and handed a letter to Lin Xingwan.
"Do I have to open it myself?" Lin Xingwan's probing gaze fell on the letter. Seeing the signature 'Cheng Zhiyuan', she finally took it and opened it.
"Xingwan, please forgive Uncle Cheng for being a coward. I cannot apologize to you in person for what happened last night. I never imagined that Manqing would be so insane to do such a thing to you. I have no face to see you again. All these consequences are due to my and Yanze's complicity. We have all been punished. Yanze is a kind child. If he is released from prison in the future, I hope you can help him. Don't worry."
The letter was very short, but Lin Xingwan saw traces of water stains between the lines.
Perhaps it shouldn't be called water stains, but tears.
Lin Xingwan could imagine how sad and distressed Cheng Zhiyuan was when he wrote this letter.
But from this letter, she also smelled something unusual.
This looked like a suicide note, didn't it?
Just as Lin Xingwan was looking for her phone to call Cheng Zhiyuan, Zhou Jinbai, who was standing beside her, spoke, "There's no need to call. Cheng Zhiyuan committed suicide."
Lin Xingwan looked at the man in front of her in shock. Her expression froze for a moment before she asked in disbelief, "Cheng Zhiyuan committed suicide? How could he commit suicide? When did it happen?"
"At five o'clock this morning, Cheng Zhiyuan set fire to the villa where he was living. By the time the firefighters put out the fire, the bodies of Cheng Zhiyuan and Hao Manqing had been burned to charcoal."
Zhou Jinbai's words made Lin Xingwan stumble back a few steps.
Lin Xingwan didn't know how to express her current feelings, but her ultimate goal was not to bring about the ruin of Cheng Yanze's family.
She remembered envying Cheng Yanze when she was a child. He had a gentle and beautiful mother and a father who doted on his wife and children. If she were with Cheng Yanze, could she also have such a happy family?
Rather than saying Lin Xingwan liked Cheng Yanze, it was more that she liked Cheng Yanze's family atmosphere.
But later, Lin Xingwan gradually realized that some things, though appearing beautiful on the surface, could not withstand the test of time.
She and Cheng Yanze eventually went their separate ways. Even though Hao Manqing had done many unreasonable things during their growth, Lin Xingwan did not wish for this outcome.
Lin Xingwan was silent for a long time before continuing to walk forward.
Zhou Jinbai had no choice but to follow behind Lin Xingwan.
Unfortunately, Lin Xingwan didn't even spare Zhou Jinbai an extra glance. After leaving the hospital, she hailed a taxi to her company.
Zhou Jinbai watched the taxi drive away, feeling utterly helpless.
Why did his wife's attitude become even colder and more distant after she woke up?
The man couldn't think of any reason.
At the same time, in a prison in Rongcheng, a scene was unfolding.
Cheng Yanze sat inside the bulletproof glass wearing a tattered outfit, while Ye Qingning, dressed elegantly, sat outside.
"Fiancé, are you well?"
Ye Qingning's tone was inexplicably uncomfortable.
Cheng Yanze merely raised his eyelids. Seeing Ye Qingning's smug and arrogant demeanor, he said, "Speak, what do you want to see me about today?"
Cheng Yanze was very familiar with Ye Qingning's nature. This woman would only show such a gloating expression after achieving some goal.
Upon hearing this, Ye Qingning raised her hand to her nose and chuckled, "You say that as if I can't visit you without a reason."
"You are not that kind of person." This time, Cheng Yanze fixed his indifferent, emotionless gaze on Ye Qingning.
Ye Qingning stopped laughing and said, "You know me best. Cheng Yanze, I'm here to take you out. But after you get out, you have to marry me immediately and swear that you will be enemies with Lin Xingwan for the rest of your life."
"Thank you for your kindness. I think it's quite good here. I apologize for wasting your years of youth. Although we cannot be husband and wife, I sincerely wish you find a good person and that all your tears bring joy." Cheng Yanze said indifferently. His leisurely and lazy expression only made Ye Qingning more consumed by jealousy.
"Heh heh, you'd rather stay in prison than be enemies with Lin Xingwan. You are truly deeply in love with her. If your mother heard this, how angry she would be." Ye Qingning adjusted the hairpin in her braided hair, as if suddenly remembering something, and spoke again, "No, I almost forgot. Your mother will never be angry again, and neither will your father."
"What happened to them?" Cheng Yanze's eyes suddenly tightened. Since last night, he had been feeling a suffocating闷闷不乐.
That uneasy feeling was as if something was about to happen.
"What else could happen? Your mother drowned, and your father, worried that your mother would be too lonely on the road to the underworld, went down to accompany her. Tsk tsk tsk, it's truly tragic. The fire your father set was really thorough. It burned down your family's villa, leaving nothing behind. Even his and your mother's bodies turned to charcoal."
Ye Qingning's words sent Cheng Yanze's heart plummeting into an ice cellar.
His emotions immediately became agitated, and he slammed his fists against the bulletproof glass.
"What did you say? How could my parents die? Ye Qingning, what nonsense are you spouting? How can you curse them like this? I've wronged you, but they treated you well!"
Cheng Yanze couldn't believe that in less than half a month since he left, both his parents were dead.
He was more inclined to believe that Ye Qingning had deliberately come to provoke him and deceive him.
Ye Qingning had long anticipated that Cheng Yanze wouldn't believe her. She turned her phone screen towards Cheng Yanze, "Take a good look. Am I spouting nonsense? The news online is all about the deaths of your parents. Do you think I have any reason to lie to you about something like this?"
Cheng Yanze looked at the screen, at the two charred bodies. On the finger of one of the bodies, there was a green emerald ring.
This green emerald ring was a gift he had personally made for Hao Manqing. Hao Manqing loved it very much and had worn it for several years.
Cheng Yanze's eyes widened in fury, and tears streamed down his face uncontrollably.
"Father... Mother..." Cheng Yanze's voice was filled with immense grief. He had never imagined that their last parting would be a separation by death. "Why... how could it have become like this? What exactly happened?"
Cheng Yanze roared, his emotions fluctuating wildly. He pounded on the bulletproof glass, even alerting the staff guarding him.
These people thought Cheng Yanze was trying to escape and quickly rushed to subdue him.
However, Cheng Yanze was like a ferocious beast at this moment, attacking the staff.
Soon, Cheng Yanze was beaten black and blue by two strong staff members.
Ye Qingning watched this scene unfold. Only after Cheng Yanze was subdued and his knees slammed onto the ground did she speak again, "You ask me why? Hahaha, you should be asking Lin Xingwan, asking her why she didn't save your mother and forced your father to his death!"
"No, I don't believe you. Ye Qingning, you are lying. I don't believe it. Lin Xingwan is not that kind of person. She isn't." Cheng Yanze refused to believe that Lin Xingwan would do such a thing. He glared at Ye Qingning, unwilling to accept it all.
Ye Qingning's heart burned with jealousy at Cheng Yanze's words.
Even the death of his parents couldn't shake Lin Xingwan's image in Cheng Yanze's heart. Cheng Yanze truly embodied the word 'infatuated'!
Good!
Very good!
Since Cheng Yanze trusted Lin Xingwan so much, Ye Qingning would not hesitate to destroy her completely!
An unprecedented hatred and madness surged in Ye Qingning's eyes. Her voice became rapid due to her agitated emotions:
"Last night, Hao Manqing tried to kill Lin Xingwan, but she failed and ended up falling into the water with Lin Xingwan. After she fell into the water, Dongfang Junze jumped in to save her without hesitation. Then everyone watched as your mother drowned! We all underestimated Lin Xingwan's ambition. Cheng Yanze, don't you understand why Lin Xingwan doesn't care about you? Because she's hooking up with Dongfang Junze! You are a useless person, truly incomparable to Dongfang Junze.
Chen Yuchu personally delivered Hao Manqing's body to the Cheng family. I don't know what Chen Yuchu said to your father, but shortly after they left, your father also committed suicide. If Lin Xingwan had pleaded for your mother, with Dongfang Junze's capabilities, your mother wouldn't have died! If Lin Xingwan had pleaded for your family, your father wouldn't have had to die to atone. Because Lin Xingwan hates your family, your parents had to die!"
Cheng Yanze's face paled as Ye Qingning spoke.
At this moment, even breathing became a luxury, as if sulfuric acid or poison gas was entering his lungs. His internal organs also ached intensely.
A surge of blood rushed to his head, and Cheng Yanze vomited a large mouthful of blood in front of everyone.
"Oh, right. Your father sent me a recording before he committed suicide, asking me to play it for you." Ye Qingning said, opening the recording file on her phone. Soon, Cheng Zhiyuan's voice came from the phone:
"Yanze, my son, when you hear this recording, your mother and I will have already passed away. I, Cheng Zhiyuan, have lived a life of good deeds and hard work, yet I have met such a tragic end. I treated Lin Xingwan as my own daughter, but she has brought such ruin upon our Cheng family. I was wrong about her; she is a woman with a venomous heart and a greedy nature! Not only did she kill your mother, but she also threatened me with your safety. I had no choice but to choose death. You must avenge us!"
Cheng Zhiyuan's words were filled with such sorrow and despair.
After listening, Cheng Yanze pounded the ground with his fists. Even when his hands began to bleed, he felt no pain.
He hated his own powerlessness!
He hated that he couldn't protect his parents!
He hated Lin Xingwan for... driving them to their deaths!
"Cheng Yanze, this is the retribution for your love for Lin Xingwan. You are destined to live in regret and self-blame for the rest of your life, hahaha."
Ye Qingning laughed wildly and turned to leave.
However, Cheng Yanze didn't notice the tears streaming down Ye Qingning's wet eyes.
She had given Cheng Yanze a chance, but he didn't cherish it!
Ye Qingning remembered her last meeting with Cheng Zhiyuan a few hours ago. Her face, filled with jealousy and hatred, showed a sinister smile.
Cheng Zhiyuan and Hao Manqing were indeed more valuable dead than alive!
Ye Qingning drove away after leaving the prison.
She didn't notice a black sedan across the street. Inside, a woman exuding an aura of exquisite refinement watched the direction her car was leaving with the gaze of someone spotting prey.
"This woman is so stupid and pathetic. Asang, will I become like her?" The refined woman's tone was light, more like she was telling a very funny joke than asking a question.
The girl she called 'Asang,' about fifteen or sixteen years old, had a round face but was already a beauty. "You are the exalted sun, no one can compare to you. Anyone who dares to provoke you will have to step over my dead body first."
---
When Lin Xingwan arrived at the company, she found many luxury cars parked at the entrance.
Unsure of what had happened, she hurried into the company.
As she approached her office, she saw several familiar faces. They were the bosses she had agreed to cooperate with last night at the Elysian Feast.
Liu Mengqin, who was extremely busy, handed her work to her assistant upon seeing Lin Xingwan. She quickly walked over to Lin Xingwan and asked, "Zhou Jinbai said you fell into the water last night and were in the hospital. I thought you wouldn't have much energy today, so I didn't call you. Why are you at the company now? You look unwell. Why don't you go home and rest? I can handle things here."
Liu Mengqin had worked under Lin Xingwan for many years. Although her work ability was not as strong as Lin Xingwan's, she could handle many situations.
"I'm fine," Lin Xingwan said, and walked into the office.
She was completely absorbed in her work and was busy all afternoon.
As it neared closing time, the last luxury car at the company entrance departed.
A white Mercedes, parked arrogantly directly in front of the company's main entrance.
Zhou Jinbai, sitting in the passenger seat, looked at Lu Shiyan with a scrutinizing gaze and asked, "Have you found anything after an entire afternoon?"
"Leave professional matters to professionals, okay? I'm a doctor, not a forensic pathologist!" Lu Shiyan's mind flashed back to the two charred bodies. If it weren't for someone with a dark expression telling him to investigate, Lu Shiyan wouldn't want to deal with dead people; it was too unlucky.
Zhou Jinbai remained silent, his hawk-like gaze fixed on Lu Shiyan, making him feel a chill down his spine.
"Alright, alright, I'm not teasing you anymore." Lu Shiyan then took out a document and handed it to Zhou Jinbai. "The answers you want are all in here."
Zhou Jinbai opened the document and glanced at it before unbuckling his seatbelt and getting out of the car.
Soon, Zhou Jinbai walked to the door of Lin Xingwan's office.
Lin Xingwan, who had been smiling and chatting with Liu Mengqin, her expression turned cold upon seeing the man looking at her expectantly. She said to Liu Mengqin, "Sister Qin, let's get off work."
With that, she picked up her bag and walked out.
As Liu Mengqin walked out, Zhou Jinbai remained expressionless.
When Lin Xingwan reached Zhou Jinbai's side, the man directly grabbed her wrist.
Liu Mengqin turned back to look, but her eyes met Zhou Jinbai's cold and imposing gaze. She shivered and quickly said, "I'll leave first. You two talk."
She didn't want to be a third wheel, fearing she might be directly "blown up"!
"Zhou Jinbai, let go of me!" Lin Xingwan frowned deeply, trying to shake off the man, but only managed to hurt her own hand.
"Let's talk."
"There's nothing to talk about."
"It's about Cheng Zhiyuan's suicide, and your mother's necklace."