Zhu Yan tidied her hair before opening the door.
Feng Yaojun stormed in, only to find the room empty.
But he was sure he hadn't misheard. He searched the room thoroughly, even pulling open drawers where no one could possibly hide.
Zhu Yan rolled her eyes. "What are you doing? Suspecting me of having an affair?"
Feng Yaojun's eyes widened in fury. "Not suspecting, I'm certain!"
Zhu Yan shot back, "Where's the proof? If you're so certain, show me the evidence!"
Feng Yaojun's gaze shifted to the closed window.
He immediately walked over and opened it.
As he peered down, he heard a scream from downstairs: "Someone's dead! Someone's dead!"
Zhu Yan's face paled. She shoved Feng Yaojun aside and looked out the window. Indeed, she saw the man she had just pushed down lying on the ground, his back to her, his throat pierced by a sharp object, blood gushing out.
Feng Yaojun grinned menacingly. "Retribution, it's retribution!"
Zhu Yan was too terrified to speak, her face ashen as she looked at her hands.
Just moments ago, she had pushed the man.
If anyone found out, she would...
Zhu Yan quickly composed herself. A death wasn't the worst of it, but going to jail was!
"Feng Yaojun, you have a cruel heart! To push him from the third floor like this, he could die!"
Zhu Yan's baseless accusation stunned Feng Yaojun for a long moment.
"What nonsense are you talking? Who pushed him? When I came in, he was already gone!"
But Zhu Yan had already started shouting wildly, "Murder! Feng Yaojun is a murderer!"
Blood rushed to Feng Yaojun's face, turning it a deep shade of red. His pupils dilated, and he fainted from sheer rage.
Zhu Yan continued to shout, drawing the attention of the neighbors.
Soon, there was a commotion of people calling the police and rushing to the hospital.
Feng Xue stood in the crowd, meeting Zhu Yan's gaze.
Zhu Yan nervously lowered her head, missing the shock on Feng Xue's face.
The police informed the Feng family elders about the incident.
The old lady nearly collapsed. Already in poor health, the news of Feng Yaojun's alleged murder was a devastating blow.
The old man hurried to send for Cheng You. He had to go to the police station to understand the situation and couldn't spare any attention.
When Cheng You arrived, the old lady was insisting on going to the police station with him.
Seeing Cheng You, the old lady seemed to grasp at a lifeline.
"Youyou, your maternal uncle might not be a righteous man, but he would never commit murder!"
Unfortunately, Feng Yaojun was currently unconscious in the hospital, making it difficult for him to defend himself.
Cheng You steadied her. "Grandma, we know. Don't worry, let Grandpa go and find out what happened first."
She had heard a general account on the way: Zhu Yan and her lover were caught in the act, and Feng Yaojun, enraged, had pushed the man out of the window.
The ground floor was undergoing renovations, and freshly cut glass had been placed below, directly piercing the man's neck.
The story sounded plausible.
But Cheng You felt something was slightly off.
The group first went to the hospital to see Feng Yaojun. The doctor said he had suffered a stroke from extreme anger and hadn't woken up.
It was unclear when he would wake, but even if he did, he would be like a cripple and require constant care.
Feng Xue stayed by his side, appearing shaken, likely due to the fright.
She breathed a slight sigh of relief when the old man arrived.
"Grandpa..."
"What exactly happened? Why is your mother saying your father pushed the man? If he did, how could he have ended up like this?"
Feng Xue trembled and lowered her head, unable to meet his gaze.
"I don't know. When I got home, I heard my mother shouting."
Zhu Yan was still at the police station and had been taken away by the authorities before she could come to the hospital.
The old lady wept, covering her face. "What a disaster! If only we had divorced earlier, none of this would have happened!"
Cheng You was probably the only one still able to remain calm. Although Feng Yaojun was her uncle in name, they had little affection for each other.
Seeing him in this situation, she could only offer a brief thought of regret, with no extra sympathy.
"Where did you go before you returned home?"
Feng Xue bit her lip. "I went out with friends."
Cheng You: "With whom? Where did you go? It's such a coincidence that something happened at home right when you returned."
Feng Xue turned her face away. "You're not a police officer, I'm not obligated to answer you."
Cheng You ignored her and continued, "And where was your father before he caught your mother with another man?"
Hearing Cheng You's description, Feng Xue found it jarring and unpleasant.
She had never imagined Zhu Yan would be so bold as to have an affair at home.
"My father plays chess in the park every day. It was probably raining, so he came back early."
Cheng You pondered for a moment. Specific questions would need to be asked by the police. She had no standing, and Feng Xue wouldn't cooperate.
Feng Yaojun couldn't defend himself. If Zhu Yan insisted he was the killer, the police likely wouldn't investigate further.
"Grandma, let me take you home to rest first."
The old lady nodded. She was too weak to stay and contribute.
Just as she turned to leave, Feng Xue spoke urgently. "Grandpa, can we hire a caregiver for my father? I don't have money, and it's inconvenient for me to take care of him."
Though the old man was displeased with her, his son was now bedridden and truly needed care.
"Wait, I'll arrange it."
After taking the old lady home and comforting her, Cheng You returned home, exhausted.
Qi Chengyan poured her a cup of hot tea. It was raining outside, and Cheng You had been exposed to the cold wind all day.
"How is Feng Yaojun?"
Cheng You shook her head. "He had a stroke and hasn't woken up."
Her brow furrowed. She was actually somewhat suspicious of Zhu Yan's account, but couldn't quite pinpoint why.
"Help me analyze this. Could Feng Yaojun have done it?"
"It's hard to say."
It sounded plausible, but upon closer examination, there were still some suspicious points. It depended on what the police could uncover.
Cheng You yawned lazily. She was worn out after a long day.
"I don't want to think about it anymore. I'm starving. Is the cafeteria still open at this hour?"
Qi Chengyan glanced at the clock. "No, I'll make you some noodles."
Saying this, he went into the kitchen.
The rain began to fall again outside, and the aroma of cooking filled the kitchen.
Watching the man busy in the kitchen, Cheng You's worries suddenly cleared.
Whatever happened to Feng Yaojun, it wasn't of much consequence to her.
If it weren't for the old lady's health, she wouldn't have bothered with the matter.
Soon, a bowl of egg noodles was ready, sprinkled with chopped green onions, looking and smelling delicious.
"Eat up."
Cheng You had felt hungry earlier, but now, faced with food, she had lost her appetite.
Still, she ate a little less than half the bowl.
"I can't eat anymore," she said, blinking.
Qi Chengyan replied, "It's okay, I'll eat the rest."
Wasting food was a bad habit, and he always finished what Cheng You couldn't manage.