Chapter 169 “Arson”

Chapter 169 "Arson"

"Leaving work so early today?"

Old Liu looked at Tang Qingqing as she returned, glancing at the clock on the wall, quite surprised.

The little one crawling around on the floor quickly stood up when he saw Tang Qingqing, waddling over with his short legs.

"Mommy!"

Tang Qingqing hung her bag on the hook and hurriedly squatted down, opening her arms to welcome the little ball of flesh.

With the soft, milky scent of the little one pressing against her, Tang Qingqing felt all the fatigue of the day melt away, a smile spreading across her face.

"Nothing much happened today, so I came back right after work."

"Baby, what did you play with today?"

Tang Qingqing interacted with both of them, never neglecting one for the other.

The little one wrapped his arms around Tang Qingqing's neck, snuggling in her embrace, babbling words that no one could understand.

Xiao Bao had already learned some simple words but couldn't form sentences to express himself, yet he loved to talk, chattering away in a language only he understood.

Though others couldn't understand him, Tang Qingqing could guess the gist of it, listening intently and occasionally responding.

Xiao Bao was clearly very happy, kissing Tang Qingqing several times and talking for a while before going back to play with his toys.

Playing with toys, in fact, meant dismantling them.

Tang Qingqing didn't restrict him, letting him take things apart and then helping him put them back together.

At first, the child would randomly break things, but once he realized that broken pieces couldn't be reassembled, he became much more cautious, no longer tearing things apart recklessly.

"Has Brother Yi not come back yet?" Tang Qingqing asked, sitting on the carpet and playing with Xiao Bao.

"He has something urgent at the company to handle. He told us to eat without waiting for him. Give him a call so he doesn't come back to pick you up."

Old Liu now led a comfortable life, pursuing his hobbies and enjoying the joy of watching his grandson grow up.

This was something he never dared to imagine before, never thinking he would live this long.

In the past, he was indifferent to life and death, but now, with someone to care about, he wanted to live well.

Therefore, he listened to advice and wouldn't overwork himself as he used to, always worrying about being a burden to his children and looking for things to do.

He accepted Tang Qingqing and Zhai Hongyi's support without worry, not feeling like a burden or constantly trying to prove himself.

If he could work, he would; if not, he wouldn't force it.

Old Liu also had a pension, and if he wanted to buy something for his grandson, he didn't need to ask for money, which gave him some confidence.

With him at home, the children could focus on their careers without worry.

Although they had a nanny, having a family member at home provided additional peace of mind.

There had been cases where nannies kidnapped children, even those from the family, proving unreliable.

Just as Tang Qingqing was about to call Zhai Hongyi, he returned.

Since returning to her frontline position, it was rare for the whole family to have a meal together.

Before bed, Tang Qingqing brought up the topic of Huiguang.

"What happened there again?"

As a police officer, Zhai Hongyi was very perceptive.

"Tang Zhenzhen works there now, apparently for a few years. Did you meet her when you went there before? Her English name is Jessica."

Tang Qingqing had mentioned seeing Tang Zhenzhen at Aegean Castle Garden before.

Zhai Hongyi was well aware of the history between the two women.

Although Tang Qingqing no longer cared about Tang Zhenzhen, the past entanglements made it impossible for her to remain completely indifferent upon seeing her.

"She's at Huiguang now? She really has come a long way," Zhai Hongyi said with disdain, having no good feelings toward Tang Zhenzhen.

While it was true that if not for Tang Zhenzhen swapping lives with Tang Qingqing, he wouldn't have met her, and she wouldn't have achieved her current success, this didn't mean Tang Zhenzhen deserved any credit. Their meeting was fate, and Tang Qingqing's achievements were due to her own efforts.

Zhai Hongyi wasn't foolish enough to thank such a person. If not for her, Tang Qingqing wouldn't have suffered so much in her youth, taking years to recover her health.

"I only went there once before, and it's not a simple place," Zhai Hongyi paused before continuing, "The cigarettes and alcohol inside are all spiked."

Tang Qingqing was stunned, "Why didn't you tell me before?"

"I didn't want you to worry, and as a police officer, knowing about such things would only make you feel helpless. At that time, you were pregnant and already uncomfortable, so I didn't want you to stress."

Tang Qingqing wasn't a naive girl and didn't press the issue further.

"Did you touch any of those things?" Tang Qingqing asked worriedly.

Zhai Hongyi, now wealthy, was often targeted by various unsavory characters trying to lure him into their schemes. Cases like Xu Guangde were not uncommon, with many newly rich tycoons falling into such traps, becoming puppets of drugs.

"No, I've always been very careful outside."

Zhai Hongyi had almost gotten into trouble before, but fortunately, he was always lucky and extremely alert. Once he sensed something was off, he wouldn't force himself to stay for the sake of so-called face.

He would rather earn less than risk his health.

Coming from a military family, he knew all too well how destructive this stuff could be.

He had seen many second and third-generation heirs ruin themselves and drag their parents and elders down because of it.

There was absolutely zero tolerance for such things in the country.

Grandpa Zhai had often warned him about these matters, and every time he mentioned them, he felt deeply pained.

Life had just started to get better, and yet some people were already forgetting the humiliation of the past.

"Tang Zhenzhen became a PR manager in a place like this; she must not be clean either?"

"There's definitely a lot going on with her," Zhai Hongyi said firmly. "It's impossible for someone to climb to that position without being dirty."

A PR manager has access to client information and knows the social circles of members. These members are all wealthy or powerful and value their privacy greatly. It's not easy for just anyone to gain their trust, and an ordinary person couldn't possibly reach that position.

"Moreover, I've heard of Jessica before; she holds a high position at Huiguang."

After being taken to Huiguang, Zhai Hongyi quickly sensed something was wrong and wanted to leave immediately.

The business partner who brought him there stopped him, saying Jessica would be coming soon and asked him to wait a bit longer.

According to that person, Jessica was a very smart and capable woman. Conversations with her could provide a lot of useful information, and she had unique insights into future economic and political developments, often making accurate predictions.

Someone had once followed her advice and bought an obscure stock, which turned out to be highly profitable. She graduated from a prestigious foreign university with a degree in economics and was very capable.

Jessica was also exceptionally beautiful, a feast for the eyes.

In Huiguang, there were many beautiful women, but none combined beauty with intelligence like her.

Zhai Hongyi wasn't particularly impressed and left directly, but he remembered her name. He didn't expect her to be Tang Zhenzhen.

Tang Qingqing pursed her lips. Her grudges with Tang Zhenzhen were a thing of the past, but if Tang Zhenzhen was involved in illegal activities, she would definitely keep an eye on her and find a way to bring her to justice without any mercy.

"Third Brother is coming over tomorrow. I'll ask him if he knows anything about Tang Zhenzhen."

Tang Qingqing didn't care whether the Tang family continued to maintain contact with Tang Zhenzhen. They had lived together for so many years and treated each other like family. Even though some incidents had occurred, the bond was unbreakable, and Tang Qingqing understood.

However, as a victim, she couldn't remain peaceful with someone who had deliberately swapped lives with her. She didn't demand others to do the same, only that they not deliberately provoke her by showing up in front of her, which she considered a challenge.

She didn't delve into what happened behind the scenes. She had a lot on her plate and didn't want to deal with these matters. To her, Tang Zhenzhen was a thing of the past.

But now, the situation was different. Tang Zhenzhen might be a breakthrough, so Tang Qingqing wouldn't ignore her anymore.

Over the years, Tang Qingqing had mostly kept in touch with Tang Jixue. Tang Jixue frequently traveled south, and they often met.

During holidays, Tang Qingqing wouldn't return home, either going to the capital or staying put to celebrate the New Year with Old Liu, or working.

"Do you need me to check out Huiguang?"

Zhai Hongyi had mentioned before that he knew Huiguang was not simple and had been under surveillance.

However, it was difficult to enter without concrete evidence, and the relevant authorities couldn't conduct investigations.

Going undercover wouldn't be easy, but Zhai Hongyi had certain advantages.

Tang Qingqing declined. Zhai Hongyi was already very busy. Although he had many capable subordinates and was good at delegating, his workload was still immense, and even keeping regular hours was a challenge.

He wasn't part of the police force and didn't need to take on additional responsibilities.

Tang Qingqing still refused, "Our team isn't responsible for this. We'll see if we need to later."

Huiguang had long been under surveillance, and there were likely dedicated people watching it. There might already be an undercover agent inside, so Tang Qingqing didn't need to involve Zhai Hongyi, a non-governmental individual, in such a risky endeavor.

"If needed, I can arrange a joint venture general manager position for you. It won't be investigated, and you can enter openly."

Tang Qingqing knew Zhai Hongyi had the capability and looked at him gratefully.

"Brother Yi, why are you so good?"

She had never seen a man support his wife's work so much, both capable and considerate.

Zhai Hongyi smiled, "I became wealthy thanks to national policies, so I should give back. Don't think too much about it. Besides, a safe environment benefits me too. Things are indeed chaotic now."

Dongguan City was right next to Pengcheng and had developed rapidly alongside it. What was once a dilapidated small town had transformed into its current state.

However, due to numerous factories and a large influx of migrant workers, the city had become very chaotic.

Zhai Hongyi had companies on both sides and could clearly feel the difference in the environments.

The newly appointed official in Dongguan City was specifically sent to rectify the chaotic situation and create a better social environment.

Tang Qingqing knew he didn't want to pressure her, so she didn't say more and showed her gratitude through actions.

Early the next morning, Tang Qingqing called Tang Jixue, who was about to board a plane. They agreed to have lunch together at noon.

At noon, Tang Jixue drove to pick up Tang Qingqing. Although his main business was in Yang City, he also had operations in Pengcheng and Yangcheng, and had invested with Zhai Hongyi. Therefore, he owned houses in several cities for convenience and had a car for easy travel.

Tang Qingqing had always been low-key. While everyone knew she and her husband were financially well-off and capable, few knew exactly how wealthy they were.

Now, with Tang Jixue waiting for her in a luxury car worth over 500,000, it was hard to stay low-key.

"Didn't we agree to meet at the restaurant?" Tang Qingqing said with a hint of helplessness.

Tang Jixue was quite pleased: "It's rare for you to call me first, so I couldn't help but come over in excitement. How about it, does my car do you proud?"

Tang Qingqing didn't know what to say, "Third Brother, this is too much."

"These days, people always flatter those who are high up and belittle those who are low. Since you're new to this unit, everyone needs to see your strength."

"Third Brother, you're overthinking it. My colleagues are all very nice; no one cares about this. I never knew you were so flashy before."

Tang Jixue disagreed: "Things are different now. I don't think you need to be overly modest. Besides, you're in law enforcement; even if criminals know you have money, they won't dare to do anything to you. And some people, seeing how wealthy you are, won't even think of bribing you, then framing you. It's not worth it. If someone wants to frame you, no one will believe them."

"Third Brother, your words make it sound like you've been through something."

Tang Jixue pursed his lips, his expression turning sour, but he still spoke:

"It wasn't me, but a friend of mine at the tax bureau who was set up like this. His family had a sick member, and when the incident came out, everyone thought he was corrupt because he needed money for treatment. Although it's been cleared up now, it caused a lot of trouble. When he was falsely accused, his family almost fell apart."

Tang Qingqing still didn't think this was the right approach, but she didn't say anything more.

Tang Jixue himself was a high-profile person and particularly wanted to show off for Tang Qingqing, fearing that others would look down on her.

Zhai Hongyi's business was growing bigger and bigger, and he was now considered a public figure, often appearing in the news.

Tang Qingqing only wanted to focus on her work and had never attended any banquets with Zhai Hongyi, nor had she appeared in formal settings.

Everyone knew that Zhai Hongyi was married and had children, but no one knew who his wife was or what his children looked like. The secrecy was well-maintained.

However, many people knew that Zhai Hongyi and his wife had known each other since childhood, as childhood sweethearts.

So some began to speculate that Zhai Hongyi's wife was a 'poor wife' from before he became successful. These days, many people rise from poverty to wealth and then kick their original spouses to marry someone more beautiful.

Zhai Hongyi wasn't hiding his family to protect them but because he felt they weren't presentable enough.

Not only was Zhai Hongyi young and accomplished, but he was also tall and handsome. Many women had designs on him, and some just assumed the worst.

However, Zhai Hongyi rarely attended social events now, and while there were women around him, they were all career-focused and strong independent women who wouldn't entertain such thoughts. Those with ulterior motives couldn't get close to him.

But this couldn't hide the fact that he attracted many admirers. Tang Qingqing trusted Zhai Hongyi and wouldn't be jealous over this.

As a man, Tang Jixue was different. He feared his sister might be taken advantage of, having seen too many such cases.

Not only men lacked self-respect, but some women also tried to climb the social ladder by breaking up families.

Even though he knew Tang Qingqing was now very successful, he still felt it wasn't enough. He wanted everyone to know that his sister was both capable and wealthy, not just anyone.

This wasn't just Tang Jixue; Wang Heizi was similar, but he listened to Tang Qingqing and didn't act rashly.

Tang Qingqing decided to change the subject and asked about Tang Zhenzhen.

Tang Jixue was slightly taken aback, "Why did you suddenly bring her up?"

"I just want to know how she's doing lately."

Tang Jixue sensed Tang Qingqing's reluctance but didn't press the issue, saying frankly:

"She sends me gifts during holidays and calls me occasionally, but our conversations are brief."

Tang Jixue wasn't trying to prove his loyalty to Tang Qingqing but felt that he and Tang Zhenzhen no longer saw eye to eye.

He used to think his sister was smart, gentle, and kind, but later found out that wasn't the case.

She had hidden her true nature at home, but after marrying and divorcing, returning to the Tang family, he discovered she was ambitious and impatient, not a reliable person. They gradually drifted apart.

However, Tang Zhenzhen kept trying to contact him. Every time he went south, she wanted to have dinner with him.

Perhaps it was bias, but Tang Jixue felt a difference in Tang Zhenzhen's demeanor, thinking they were no longer in the same world.

Even though Tang Zhenzhen now seemed to be doing well and offered to introduce him to influential people to expand his business, Tang Jixue politely declined.

Tang Jixue was ambitious but also very cautious.

Even after years of being siblings, Tang Jixue didn't fully trust her.

These days, the ones who hurt you the most are often so-called acquaintances.

Tang Jixue trusted his instincts, which had saved his life several times. Therefore, he believed that business talks were unnecessary, and he didn't trust Tang Zhenzhen.

Moreover, every time he met with Tang Zhenzhen, he felt a bit guilty towards Tang Qingqing. Recalling what Tang Zhenzhen had done in the past, he found it repulsive, so he maintained a distance.

At most, if she faced difficulties, he would lend a hand.

Now that Tang Qingqing suddenly mentioned Tang Zhenzhen, Tang Jixue was surprised but didn't think there was anything to hide.

"Has she gotten into trouble?"

A sense of foreboding rose in Tang Jixue. Tang Qingqing was a forward-looking person who had long stopped paying attention to Tang Zhenzhen. Her sudden mention must mean something was up.

Given her profession, it couldn't help but raise suspicions.

"Do you know Huiguang?"

Tang Jixue's heart skipped a beat. Although he hadn't frequented such places, he knew of Huiguang's reputation.

"Is she working there?"

Tang Qingqing nodded definitively: "She's the PR manager at Huiguang and has completely transformed herself."

"What?!" Tang Jixue was shocked, "Has she gone mad! No way, I have to bring her back."

Tang Jixue was agitated, but Tang Qingqing remained calm and didn’t offer any opinion.

Seeing her reaction, Tang Jixue gradually calmed down: "Why didn’t you stop me?"

Tang Qingqing glanced at him.

Tang Jixue rubbed his nose awkwardly: "I must have been confused. If she’s decided to do something, who can stop her?"

"No wonder I felt something was different about her. To actually get involved in such a place, where the waters are so deep, where does she get the courage from!"

After calming down, Tang Jixue found that this kind of thing wasn’t entirely incomprehensible.

Tang Zhenzhen is capable of doing such things. Back then, she had better choices but insisted on picking a divorced man with a child.

If she had been willing to work hard after the divorce, with her intelligence, she wouldn’t be worse off than Zhou Mei now.

Now she’s gone to such a place, claiming to be some manager. In reality, if anything goes wrong, she’ll just be a pawn thrown out to take the blame.

"Did she ask you to go to Huīhuáng?"

Tang Jixue shook his head: "No, I got tired of talking business with her. But she did hint before that she could help me connect with Hong Kong businessmen."

At first, when Tang Zhenzhen said she could help him connect with local businessmen, Tang Jixue wasn’t very interested. He was already part of the circle through Zhai Hongyi, and he knew he had to rely on himself for what came next. Therefore, Tang Zhenzhen’s suggestion wasn’t very appealing.

But the idea of connecting with Hong Kong was indeed tempting to Tang Jixue.

The gap between the mainland and Hong Kong was significant, and many people, including Tang Jixue, had a certain admiration for Hong Kong.

However, he ultimately declined. He believed the mainland market was vast and still had much potential. There was no need to expend too much energy and effort in an unfamiliar place.

They’ve been developing for so long, and many things are already set in stone. It wouldn’t be easy for an outsider like him to get a share.

"Third Brother, if she contacts you again and says anything, can you let me know? It’s not because of personal grudges, but..."

"I understand," Tang Jixue interrupted her, knowing there were things Tang Qingqing couldn’t openly say. "Don’t worry, even if you don’t tell me, I’ll keep an eye on it. If she really causes trouble, it will affect us too."

Tang Zhenzhen has already fallen out with the Tang family and hasn’t mended relations over the years. But after raising her for so long, it’s hard to completely sever ties.

Tang Qingqing didn’t bring up the matter again; they both understood each other’s concerns.

She wasn’t just investigating but also warning Tang Jixue not to get entangled with Tang Zhenzhen, as it could lead to unforeseen problems.

Tang Zhenzhen was capable of dragging Tang Jixue into trouble. She had mercilessly taken advantage of those around her when she got involved in a pyramid scheme.

When Tang Qingqing returned to the bureau, Xu Fangran approached her.

"Teacher Tang, was that your partner just now?"

Tang Qingqing shook her head: "No, that’s my brother."

Her voice was low, but everyone in the office heard it.

Ren Feiyue quickly joined in, giving her a thumbs-up: "Teacher Tang, your brother is amazing. No wonder you didn’t bat an eye at luxury cars before. You have such an impressive brother."

Tang Qingqing smiled, knowing they were just gossiping without malice.

Du Jiabao: "If I drove such a car to Huīhuáng, I’d probably get in, right?"

"Heh, who knows."

At that moment, Jiang Minghao walked in and tapped the door with his file folder:

"Who can come with me to the scene? A fire broke out in the Dongjiao Match Factory residential area, one dead and one injured. We need to check the situation."

Xu Fangran immediately raised her hand: "Boss, take me!"

Jiang Minghao looked at her, hesitating, but finally nodded in agreement.

He then turned to Tang Qingqing: "Teacher Tang, please come along as well."

Tang Qingqing agreed and went to get her investigation kit.

The three arrived at the scene, which was already cordoned off by the local police station. The fire had been extinguished, but the site was in chaos.

Fire scenes are often the most chaotic, with everything burned and further damaged by firefighters or well-meaning individuals trying to rescue items. Understanding what happened requires more time and effort.

"What’s the situation?" Jiang Minghao lifted the police tape and approached the officer guarding the scene.

The officer hurried over: "You’re Captain Jiang from the City Bureau? Hello, hello, I’m Officer Wang Zheng. The residents involved in the fire were two elderly people. The old man was bedridden and cared for by his wife. We don’t know how the fire started, but it was intense. By the time the firefighters arrived, the house was fully engulfed, and the old man didn’t make it. His wife is still being treated at the hospital."

Just as Tang Qingqing was about to go upstairs, someone rushed over and was stopped by the officer.

"Let me through, I’m the resident here! How’s my dad?!"

Officer Wang Zheng approached: "Are you Mr. Xu’s son, Xu Guoqing?"

"Yes, that’s me. Where’s my dad? What happened? Why did it burn like this? My dad is usually very careful and rarely uses fire."

"You father passed away in the fire, and your mother is still being treated at the hospital. Please accept our condolences."

"What?! It’s her, it must be her who deliberately killed my dad! Police comrades, you must seek justice for my dad, get him his due! It must be that woman who killed my dad, this is definitely not an accident!"

"Who are you talking about?" Jiang Minghao asked.

Jiang Minghao was in plain clothes, so Xu Guoqing glanced at him but didn’t respond.

Officer Wang Zheng explained: "This is Captain Jiang Minghao from the City Bureau’s Criminal Investigation Brigade."

Xu Guoqing’s face darkened the moment he heard this, and he quickly reached out to grasp Captain Jiang’s hand.

"Captain Jiang, you must investigate this thoroughly. That woman had ulterior motives toward my father. I’ve always said there was something wrong with her, but my father never believed me. Now she’s taken his life!"

Captain Jiang frowned and withdrew his hand without showing any emotion.

"Who is the woman you’re talking about?"

"It’s the woman my father recently married, my stepmother, Li Guizhi."

Mentioning this person made Xu Guoqing clench his teeth in anger.

"My mother passed away early, and after my father got older, his legs were not good. He once fell and became immobile. My wife and I were busy with work and couldn’t come to take care of him, so we hired a nanny to look after the old man."

"At first, she seemed honest, a simple woman from the countryside. But it turned out she wasn’t what she appeared to be. She took care of my father and gradually convinced him to marry her."

Xu Guoqing felt ashamed when he talked about this.

"How old is my father? To think he would want to get married again! If this gets out, how can we, as his children, show our faces? For years, he didn’t remarry, and now at his age, he suddenly wants to get married. Who would believe there’s no foul play? It’s definitely that woman’s doing. My father has a good pension and is very frugal, so he’s saved quite a bit over the years."

"That woman must have set her sights on our house and my father’s savings. She deliberately deceived him. Later, she even secretly registered their marriage without us knowing. Everything was planned by her."

"Now that my father is gone, that woman can use her legal status as a spouse to claim his assets!"

The more Xu Guoqing spoke, the more agitated he became, his eyes red and his whole body trembling.

Wang Zheng hurried to calm him down. "Don’t get too worked up. If there’s really something suspicious, we will investigate it thoroughly."

"There’s definitely something wrong! Otherwise, the fire wouldn’t have burned so completely. If that woman hadn’t screamed, everyone could have helped put out the fire." Xu Guoqing insisted.

"You must arrest that woman! She’s the one who killed my father!"

Tang Qingqing ignored the commotion and began examining the scene.

The scene was a mess, trampled and thoroughly burned.

Xu Fangran coughed a few times from the acrid smell, which could be clearly detected even through the mask.

"The fire burned too thoroughly. According to the onlookers, they noticed the fire early and started using buckets to extinguish it, but the flames spread too quickly and couldn’t be contained. If the fire department hadn’t arrived in time, the neighbors would have suffered too."

The house was a small one-bedroom apartment, and standing in the center, everything was visible.

"The fire started here."

Tang Qingqing pointed to a spot about a meter from the door, where the damage was most severe, and nothing was recognizable.

"The ignition point is near the door? No wonder the elderly couple couldn’t escape. But why did the fire spread so quickly? There’s no smell of oil or any other accelerant."

Tang Qingqing scanned the area and asked the community police officer who was with them.

"Comrade, are you familiar with this family?"

The police officer nodded. "Very familiar. I’ve carried the old man downstairs to enjoy the sun several times."

The old man had mobility issues, and the old lady, being quite elderly herself, lacked the strength to carry him down. So, they often had to rely on neighbors or the police for help.

"Was their home cluttered with a lot of things?"

"Yes, the old lady often picked up trash to sell, so there was a lot of garbage and old items piled up inside. I’ve advised her before not to bring trash home, as it’s bad for her health. But the old lady wanted to earn money, so she continued picking up trash to sell."

Tang Qingqing: "They were short of money?"

"Technically, they weren’t. After Mr. Xu retired, he had a good pension, and his two daughters and son living elsewhere were very filial. Although they couldn’t come back to take care of him due to their marriages, they often sent him money and gifts."

"Then it’s a hobby?"

"Not exactly. The old man wasn’t short of money, but the old lady was. Her family didn’t agree with her marrying Mr. Xu, suspecting she had ulterior motives. While they were fine with food and drink, the main issue was that the old lady’s family was poor. She used to work as a nanny to earn money to send home. Now that she’s married to Mr. Xu, she doesn’t receive wages anymore, and while her own needs are met, she can’t support her children and grandchildren."

The old lady, Li Guizhi, was only in her fifties. Her youngest child was ill, and her daughter-in-law died during childbirth, leaving her son to raise both himself and his child. The financial pressure was immense, especially with the child’s frequent illnesses.

To alleviate the burden on her family, Li Guizhi came to the city to work as a nanny.

She thought marrying Mr. Xu would ease the financial strain, but the Xu family was wary of her and tightly controlled the finances, only providing her with living expenses.

Li Guizhi, having no choice, had to be frugal and go out to collect trash to earn money.

The Xu family had opposed this, finding the house like a garbage dump, but Li Guizhi was firm in her stance.

She was determined to help her own children, and if they wouldn’t give her money, she would find other ways to earn it.

Hearing this, Xu Fangran couldn’t help but comment:

"I don’t see how this is better than not getting married. As a nanny, she still had a salary. Now she does the same work but earns nothing. This is such a loss!"

This isn’t marriage; it’s like working as a free nanny.

Xu Fangran had heard before that some nannies had ulterior motives, trying to seduce the employers.

But if that’s the case, it would be better to continue being a nanny.

Listening to the son downstairs ranting, Xu Fangran thought the old lady must have seemed to benefit greatly, and Mr. Xu must have been very naive.

From Xu Fangran’s perspective, it was clear that the old lady was the one who lost out.

However, she didn’t say this aloud, as Mr. Xu’s son was still ranting downstairs.

"No wonder the fire spread so quickly. With so much garbage and clutter piled up near the door, it would ignite easily."

Li Guizhi mostly collected paper waste, which, while taking up space, would spread fire rapidly once ignited.

"If that's the case, it couldn't have been Li Guizhi who set the fire, right? The fire blocked the door; even if she had ulterior motives, she wouldn't risk her own life."

"Unless we were lucky and everyone reacted quickly, Li Guizhi would likely have died in there too."

Tang Qingqing: "How is the old lady's condition?"

"Not good. She inhaled too much smoke, and with her age, the damage is quite severe, but there's no immediate danger to her life."

Xu Fangran increasingly felt that the likelihood of Li Guizhi deliberately setting the fire was low; it was just too dangerous.

Tang Qingqing didn't comment on this, continuing to investigate the scene until it grew dark without finding the cause of the fire.

She didn't push herself and decided to go home and come back the next day to check the situation again.

When she got home, she saw Tang Jixue sitting on the sofa playing with the child.

Tang Qingqing, while changing her shoes, said, "Third Brother? Didn't you say you had something tonight and wouldn't be coming over?"

Tang Jixue let the child go and walked towards Tang Qingqing, his expression somewhat complicated.

"What's wrong?"

Tang Jixue: "I suspect Tang Zhenzhen has installed a radar on me. She somehow knew I came to Dongguan City and wanted to have dinner with me at Huīhuáng."

Tang Qingqing raised an eyebrow. Tang Zhenzhen had never told Tang Jixue where she worked before; why was she suddenly not being secretive about it?

"You didn't go?"

"Of course not!" Tang Jixue was wary of Huīhuáng. "I think she's not after me."

"What do you mean?"

"I think she has an ulterior motive. Although she hides it well, I can clearly sense her interest in my brother-in-law."

As he said this, Tang Jixue's eyes met Tang Qingqing's with a hint of guilt, as he had never mentioned this to her before.

Initially, he thought Tang Zhenzhen simply disliked Tang Qingqing, even though it was she who had taken someone else's life, yet she never felt guilty towards Tang Qingqing and instead constantly tried to outdo her.

When Tang Zhenzhen learned that Tang Qingqing had married Zhai Hongyi, she threw a huge tantrum.

She originally wanted to attend the wedding together, but everyone disagreed. Tang Qingqing's invitation to them was merely out of politeness; she didn't consider them family. The only relatives seated at the main table were Old Liu and the uncle's family, who were closer to them.

If they had brought Tang Zhenzhen, and something happened, Tang Qingqing would have severed ties with them immediately.

However, Tang Jixue hadn't connected it to Zhai Hongyi, thinking it was just jealousy.

But today's call made Tang Jixue realize something was off. Knowing Tang Zhenzhen's background wasn't simple, he couldn't view her the same way as before. He now wanted to understand what Tang Zhenzhen was up to more directly.

The feeling of someone coveting what belongs to you isn't pleasant. Tang Qingqing hadn't thought about confronting Tang Zhenzhen, but she certainly didn't expect Tang Zhenzhen to have designs on her husband.

Tang Qingqing didn't believe that Tang Zhenzhen simply wanted to get to know Zhai Hongyi.