Chapter 1138: Too Eager To Show Off

Chapter 1138: Too Eager To Show Off

The lead officer, upon hearing the accusations, was so rattled by the complexity of the case that cold sweat slicked his forehead. Without hesitation, he ordered his men to storm into the house and search every corner.

Naturally, Jiang Nan couldn’t stop them — and judging by her demeanor, she hadn’t even intended to. She merely gave a cool, almost taunting smile and said, “The police have gone in now. If they don’t find anything, what will you say then?”𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Lin Miao, utterly convinced that this was where the case would finally crack wide open, didn’t flinch. She immediately made a dramatic wager. “If they find nothing,” she declared, “I’ll kneel in front of the entire village and apologize to you!”

Standing among the gathered crowd, Gu Zi’s brow furrowed in deep concern. She had read the original story, she knew the general outline of events—and even she, despite all her knowledge, could only suspect that Jiang Nan was guilty.

There was no concrete proof. So why was Lin Miao so recklessly confident that there was evidence hidden here? And how did she know so many specific details about the crime? Simply attributing it to the so-called ‘halo’ of a heroine was starting to feel woefully inadequate.

A daring, almost outrageous theory sprang into Gu Zi’s mind, but it was still too nebulous to confirm. It seemed she would have to find a chance to test Lin Miao—and soon.

She tightened her grip on Big Yellow’s leash and elbowed her way through the crowd, pushing closer to the front.

Just then, Lin Miao happened to glance back and caught sight of her. A flash of genuine surprise darted across Lin Miao’s eyes, followed almost instantly by a flicker of secret delight. It was as if she hadn’t expected Gu Zi to appear here at all—and that her presence somehow played directly into Lin Miao’s plans. Yet the exact nature of that glee remained a mystery to Gu Zi.

Almost immediately, another expression slid into place on Lin Miao’s face—a thin veneer of smugness. She sauntered over and greeted Gu Zi in an exaggeratedly casual tone.

“Gu Zi, you’re living here in the capital? In a place this remote?” she said, the corners of her mouth twitching upward with faux innocence.

Gu Zi smiled, radiating calm. “Yes, I’m living here. But you’re even more impressive. You don’t live here at all, yet you seem so well-versed in all the happenings of this place. The way you spoke just now, it almost sounded as though you watched Jiang Nan committing her crimes firsthand.”

A subtle panic flickered in Lin Miao’s eyes, but she quickly masked it and replied breezily, “It’s just coincidence—I happened to overhear a few things. You know how it is. We educated types can’t stand seeing superstitions and nonsense causing unrest. But don’t worry, Gu Zi, you’ll see soon enough—the evidence will surface.”

Her voice carried a note of pride. Today would be her triumph.

After all, Lin Miao wasn’t just here to solve a crime; she was here to make a name for herself. She had heard that Gong Zhan had recently been transferred to the capital, and had even written him a letter before arriving. Once Gong Zhan saw her success plastered all over the news, surely he would agree to meet her. This time, she would be the one outshining Gu Zi.

Gu Zi, for her part, wanted nothing more than for this convoluted case to be resolved quickly and cleanly. She had no desire to stir up trouble without solid proof.

Now that Lin Miao had so boldly stepped forward to drive the investigation, Gu Zi could hardly complain—it was an invisible push in the right direction.

And yet… Lin Miao was far too eager to show off.

Charging straight into Jiang Nan’s home with the police in tow—wasn’t she worried? If Jiang Nan had truly prepared, as her calm reaction suggested, then letting the police search so easily would have been part of her plan all along.

Still, Gu Zi said lightly, “Well, if you really can get to the bottom of this, the entire Jiangjia Village will owe you a debt of gratitude.”

Just as the words left her mouth, a commotion erupted near the house. The officers strode back out, their faces thunderous.

“There’s no ‘lunatic’ inside,” one officer snapped, barely containing his rage. “Just two elderly people. The old man is bedridden and barely coherent. The old woman can barely walk and burst into tears the moment she saw us. Lin Miao, you’d better give us a very good explanation, or don’t blame us for pursuing charges of false accusation.”

The officers’ patience was stretched to its breaking point. They had been called out to Jiangjia Village twice now, each time based on frivolous, unfounded reports. Their jurisdiction covered a wide area with countless real issues to handle — who had time to waste chasing after fantasies?

Seeing the situation spiraling, Jiang Nan seized her moment. She shoved Lin Miao aside and hurried forward, her voice trembling with emotion.

“My father- and mother-in-law have been out of their minds with grief ever since my husband and son went missing. I hope they didn’t offend you, officers,” she said, dabbing at her tears. “As for myself, I am just a poor widow trying to hold this family together, and now I am being slandered like this. Officers, I beg you to stand up for me and hold this woman accountable for her lies!”

The villagers, watching this pitiable scene unfold, turned completely in Jiang Nan’s favor. Guilt gnawed at them—how could they have been so easily swayed by the words of an outsider? They surged forward, surrounding Jiang Nan with sympathetic words.

“We knew it—there’s no way you could’ve done all those things!”

“Jiang Nan, you’re one of the kindest people in the village. Everyone sees it with their own eyes!”

“But this woman—this slanderer—she must be held responsible! She should pay for the harm she’s caused!”

“That’s right! You’re one of us, Jiang Nan. We can’t let an outsider come here and bully you. We’ll testify for you. Officers, you must punish this liar! Make her compensate Jiang Nan for all her suffering!”

Faced with this sudden tide of outrage, even Lin Miao wavered.

How could this be happening? She had been so sure they would find something. After all, hadn’t Gu Zi herself once solved a case exactly like this? Hadn’t she led the police in the same way?

Desperate, Lin Miao turned back to the officers and pleaded, “Please search again! I’m sure—I’m absolutely sure the evidence is somewhere inside that house!”

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