Chapter 329: Testing Jia Zhangshi

Liu Jianguo's spoken words.

Like a great bell in a temple struck by a novice monk, it almost shocked Jia Zhangshi into becoming a complete fool.

Laoqianpo's brain.

With a buzz, the pot exploded.

Her eyes also showed a look of confusion.

Looking at Liu Jianguo in front of her, she suddenly didn't know what to say.

That threatening remark from yesterday was purely because Jia Zhangshi had been dazed by Qin Huairu's beating, worried about her dignity, and she shouted wildly.

She truly hadn't considered it in terms of conspiracy or scheming.

But Liu Jianguo, early in the morning,

came seeking her.

Without further ado, he directly told Jia Zhangshi his purpose, asking whether she had the most direct evidence of Qin Huairu's involvement in the case.

Heaven pities her.

She has no evidence at all.

Not even the most basic clue.

Otherwise she wouldn't have been backlashed by Qin Huairu and publicly beaten.

Liu Jianguo is not foolish; he is smart. After stating his purpose, he fixed his gaze on Jia Zhangshi, carefully observing her every move, hoping to verify his guess through her body language and facial expressions.

Seeing Jia Zhangshi's dazed expression, her confusion still mixed with a bit of bewildered puzzlement.

She even felt like dying.

Liu Jianguo realized that Jia Zhangshi seemed truly unaware of the inside story; her expression didn't look like she was pretending, unless she was acting deliberately.

Before moving into the siheyuan.

Liu Jianguo had already become familiar with Jia Zhangshi's relevant information: she was an ignorant village woman who had self‑awakened a talent for shamelessly causing a scene.

The implication.

Jia Zhangshi is innocent.

At this moment, her shocked and bewildered expression is the truest portrayal of her innermost feelings.

Thus.

How then should that threatening remark she made last night toward Qin Huairu be explained!

There must be some concrete source for it.

One can't just spout nonsense.

Liu Jianguo acted this way because he heard that remark, saw Qin Huairu's guilty reaction at the time, combined with some prior experience, suspected there was more to it, and thus took these actions.

Whether there are dates or not, he still strikes three times.

If by chance he could get even a useful clue from Jia Zhangshi's mouth.

"I'll give you a few minutes to think: consider whether your son, Jia Dongxu, had any abnormal behavior back then, and whether your daughter‑in‑law Qin Huairu showed any behavior in those days that was completely opposite to her usual conduct."

"What is abnormal?"

"It's behavior; for example, Bangeng is your grandson."

"My good grandson."

Jia Zhangshi forced a smile onto her face.

Bangeng is the pride of the Jia family.

It is Jia Zhangshi's capital for showing off.

"My analogy might be inappropriate, and I hope you don't take it to heart; Bangeng's usual conduct is known to you and the neighbors—one day he suddenly found money on the street, didn't hide it, but stayed there waiting for the owner, and eventually returned every penny to the loser; that is abnormal."

"The money I picked up is mine; why should I give it to the loser?"

Liu Jianguo finally understood what it means to play the lute to a cow.

"You clearly said east."

"But she insists on thinking west."

"Turning in found items is common sense; forget it, now isn't the time to quibble over that—I'll give another example: Bangeng usually doesn't study hard, but suddenly he started studying seriously; that is abnormal, understand?"

Liu Jianguo didn't expect that after hearing his words, Jia Zhangshi would still wear a clueless, bewildered expression, revealing a certain meaning from inside out.

"I don't know anything!"

This wasn't the result Liu Jianguo expected; he slightly calmed his mind, shifted his approach, from striking the mountain to shock the tiger to luring the snake out of its hole.

He deliberately steered the topic onto Yi Zhonghai.

"During that period involving Jia Dongxu, Qin Huairu, and Yi Zhonghai, did any behavior similar to Bangeng suddenly studying hard occur? Think about it."

As soon as she heard the three words "Yi Zhonghai", the Jia Zhangshi who had seemed relatively honest in front of Liu Jianguo instantly exploded like an overinflated balloon.

"Yi Zhonghai, that old scoundrel, deserves to have no offspring; a person like him lacking great virtue should have no children."

Her gritted‑teeth tone still carried a hatred so fierce she wished to devour Yi Zhonghai alive, even months after his death and departure from the Dao.

Her gaze also turned ruthless.

Her complexion became even more ferociously grim.

If Jia Dongxu hadn't met with an accident, Jia Zhangshi wouldn't have ended up like this; for a bite to eat she agreed to let her daughter‑in‑law remarry, but after the remarriage she turned against her, broke the promise they had made, and even in front of the neighbors demanded that Jia Zhangshi pay Huaihua's upkeep expenses.

Jia Zhangshi's reaction.

It was both within and beyond Liu Jianguo's expectations.

After all, she had endured a period of hardship.

She felt resentful inside.

Let her vent it all.

"The focus is to talk about Qin Huairu."

Liu Jianguo just wanted to know whether Qin Huairu had participated; he went to Jia Zhangshi, also hoping to hear from her some useful clues about the case.

"I'll think about it." Jia Zhangshi thought for over a minute, then solemnly said to Liu Jianguo: "I, the old woman, haven't noticed her doing anything unusual; she should cook, she cooks; she should wash dishes, she washes dishes; even my old woman's underwear, she washes them. If we talk about abnormal behavior, the cloth shoes I made, she took back to her parents' home when she went back to her natal home—does that count?"

Liu Jianguo shook his head.

Jia Zhangshi, right in front of him, thoroughly recounted some matters of the Jia family to him.

It was all just petty, nutritionally worthless talk—either Qin Huairu doing chores, or Qin Huairu helping with something.

Even the couple's most common arguments, Jia Zhangshi hid them and didn't speak of them.

Liu Jianguo couldn't help but suspect that Jia Zhangshi wasn't telling him the truth.

Because Jia Zhangshi's account didn't align with the real situation Liu Jianguo had learned from the neighbors, some details didn't match.

Liu Jianguo also didn't expose her, chatted with Jia Zhangshi a few irrelevant pleasantries, then got up and left.

The bait has already been cast.

Just wait for the fish to bite the hook.

Jia Zhangshi is that greedy fish about to bite the hook; as long as he keeps an eye on her, he can follow the vine to find the truth.

If my guess isn't wrong, it won't be long before Jia Zhangshi eagerly appears before Qin Huairu, making a big deal out of Jia Dongxu's death to Qin Huairu.

Press her.

Then she'll reveal her flaw.

According to Liu Jianguo's speculation, Jia Zhangshi will have to delay a day or two before going to see Qin Huairu.

Unexpectedly, Jia Zhangshi is an impatient person.

After Liu Jianguo talked with her for an hour, she hurriedly ran to the Yagangchang, asking someone to call Qin Huairu.