For the past two days, Zhan's mother has been accompanying Zhan's father until Zhan Suiyu and they packed up and prepared to leave Yueyang for Zhengzhou.

"Lin Zhao, take care of Qi Ning."

"Got it, mother."

Zhan Mu nodded and turned to Zhang Qining, and said with a smile: "Qi Ning, you kid is careful, and you have to look at Lin Zhao a little more along the way." Take care of each other and don't let us worry. ”

Zhang Qining nodded obediently, "Don't worry." ”

After explaining, Zhan Mu finally walked towards Ji Ran. admonished: "You and Lin Zhao are brothers, and my son is not a merciless person, don't resist anything alone." ”

The young man has his own thoughts and his own reluctance, so she won't say much.

"His brain is okay, but his kung fu is far worse than yours, and he will trouble you along the way."

Ji Ran looked at Zhan Mu's eyes slightly stunned, and finally nodded solemnly. "Okay, don't worry."

The three of them went on the road, watching them fade away and not be seen. Zhan's father walked back with his arms around Zhan's mother, and said, "It's just a trip to Zhengzhou, nothing will happen." Don't worry too much. ”

Zhan's mother sighed lightly and said, "It doesn't look like it's a matter in the yamen, I heard Lin Zhao mention files, old cases, and grievances in the rivers and lakes when I passed by... This time, I brought Ji Ran again. I've always felt a little uneasy. ”

"But in the end, you didn't say anything and let them go."

Zhan's mother: "They're not going to play, can I stop them?" ”

"Yes, yes, Madame is reasonable. Let's go back, it's hot, I asked someone to cook plum soup for you, and it's already cooled for you to go back and enjoy. Let's go. ”

Zhan Suiyu, Zhang Qining, and Ji Ran rushed all the way from Yueyang to Zhengzhou before sunset on the third day, and stayed at the inn under the name of the Zhang family.

Zhang Qining revealed the jade plate that proved his identity, and the shopkeeper immediately recognized that this was the three owners, and greeted him respectfully and cautiously.

"Third Miss, what are your orders?"

"Prepare three upper rooms, meals. I want hot water to bring it to my room. Also, let the man come to me in an hour. ”

"Yes."

Zhan Suiyu: "That person? Who is it? ”

Zhang Qining smiled, "Someone you also know." ”

Zhang Qining entered the room and bathed in the bath, changed into a light blue loose thin shirt, and put on a robe, his dark hair was slightly wet, his cheeks were crimson, and his eyes were deep and moist.

The shopkeeper ordered someone to bring the food in, and Zhang Qining sat down and just moved two chopsticks, when there was a knock on the door.

"Miss."

Zhang Qining let the man in while continuing to eat his own. After the man came in, she said, "It's been hard these days, Zhan Suiyu and Ji Ran are in the two rooms on the right, call them over together." ”

"Yes."

The man obeyed the order and knocked on the door of Zhan Suiyu and Ji Ran, and when Zhan Suiyu opened the door, he saw that he knew who the acquaintance Zhang Qining was talking about.

The man is dressed in an ordinary black power suit, and his honest facial features give people a generous impression, but the hidden skills under the ordinary are by no means ordinary. Isn't this Lin Su, who ranks high in the secret whistle of the Zhang family!

I haven't seen it since Qi Ning's "illness".

"Mr. Zhan, Third Miss, please go over with Mr. Ji."

Zhan Suiyu obviously cleaned up himself just now, and even changed his clothes, although he still wore white shirts and red accessories.

"Don't show your son, show your son's. You also know about me and your young lady, so let's call it the third aunt. ”

He smiled and said yes. then went to knock on Ji Ran's door.

Ji Ran didn't bother to take care of himself at this time, so he simply packed his luggage. When he opened the door and saw the man in black beside Zhan Sui Yu outside, he couldn't help frowning.

"Is he?"

"Ji Gongzi, in Xia Linsu. It was the secret whistle of the Zhang family, and he was ordered by Miss San to investigate the matter of Tao. Miss, please come over, please. ”

Ji Ran looked at Zhan Suiyu, only to see the other party nodding at him.

When they came to Zhang Qining, she was eating a whitebait stew, and when she raised her eyes, she put a spoonful into her mouth, and asked thoughtfully, "It's here." Together? ”

Zhan Suiyu sat down beside her unceremoniously and moved her chopsticks freely. Ji Ran also sat down, but he didn't have an appetite. Lin Su stood aside, as if waiting for Zhang Qining's orders.

Zhang Qining knew that Ji Ran's mind was not here, so she spoke: "Lin Su, how is the investigation of the matter I asked to investigate?" Let's hear it. ”

Lin Su nodded. "The young lady told me to check on three things. The first is about the arson case of the Tao family 20 years ago, the second is the relationship between Tao Xueqi and the Tao family, and the third is the situation of the Tao family's old house after it was burned. Now that we've got some results, I'll start talking about them in order. ”

"Say it."

Lin Su: "This first case is the case of the Tao family who were buried in the fire that year. The reason is that the thieves took advantage of the night to rob the house, the Tao family has a big business, and the old house is not in a place with many people, and it is relatively remote.

It is said that it is a place personally chosen by an ancestor of the Tao family, and he also invited a priest to come to see Feng Shui, saying that he could make a fortune.

Because the place is indeed a bit biased, the bandits were not discovered in time after they entered, and the arson was a matter after the bandits left. None of the Tao family in the official records survived, judging by the final number of charred corpses, but..."

Zhan Suiyu heard the meaning of his words. "The government's record may not be true."

"Yes. In fact, the number of charred corpses found that year was several more than the number of people registered in the Tao family. It is likely that one of those bandits fell and did not get out in time. In that case, it's also possible..."

Lin Su glanced at Ji Ran, and did not say anything below, Zhan Sui Yu thought of his implication, and said: "There are too many charred corpses, and it is determined that the Tao family may not let the government make a corpse to be examined, and as for the extra corpse, there is no way to find it."

But if there are more corpses, it may not be that the Tao family will have fewer corpses. What you want to say is that the Tao family, whether it is the master's family or the descendant, may have left a living mouth back then, and it is unknown whether the corpse of the bandit is missing. ”

Lin Su nodded.

Zhan Sui Yu looked at Ji Ran, "If that's the case, then one of the issues we talked about before is very big - in the Tao family's extermination twenty years ago, Tao Xueqi didn't die. ”

"Is that all?" Zhang Qining opened his mouth and said, "Since someone in the Tao family is not dead, how did she escape from so many thieves?" In fact, judging from the Tao family's family business at that time, it is strange that so many thieves have sneaked in at once, and no one has found out.

If it weren't for someone else behind the scenes, I could only think of one possibility if it went so smoothly - an internal thief.

There was a problem with the Tao family itself, and someone opened the back door for them from the inside that night, so the people inside didn't take any precautions and fell on the road, and they had no power to fight back.

If you don't believe it, ask Lin Su, like the Tao family, the Zhang family, and other big families, which one has not prepared a nursing home, a secret whistle, and a secret guard in private? ”

She said this to Ji Ran, and Lin Su looked at Ji Ran as if he was ready to answer his question at any time.

Ji Ran is not an idiot, so he naturally understands what she means. In the case of precautions, it is generally the two situations that she said are most likely to happen.

"If it is the second possibility, Tao Xueqi who survived may not be innocent. But she burned the entire cottage, exactly like Dow's back then, but it was also like revenge. Therefore, she may not be a thief. ”

Zhan Suiyu knew that Zhang Qining had taken Ji Ran's emotions into account when he said this.

Ji Ran is affectionate towards Tao Xueqi, no matter what the facts are, it is probably not good news for him.

"The first thing my subordinates have only investigated so much."

Zhang Qining nodded: "It's almost, almost all the things of the Tao family were burned back then, and you can dig here." How's the rest of the matter being investigated? ”

Lin Su: "About the relationship between Tao Xueqi and the Tao family...... Because the genealogy of the Tao family is enshrined in the ancestral hall, the ancestral hall is connected to the old mansion, and it burned down with the fire that night. The subordinates inquired about the local household registration and found that thirty-six years ago, the Tao family gave birth to a young lady named Tao Xueqi. ”

Ji Ran's eyes were stunned, three... Thirty-six years ago?!

Zhang Qining took a bite of the mushroom, chewed it slowly in his mouth, and said, "Thirty-six years ago, that is to say, twenty years ago, that Miss Yan was sixteen years old. This is the same age as Tao Xueqi we know. ”

But twenty years ago, how can a person not be old and still maintain the appearance of a girl? Is someone replacing Tao Xueqi's identity, or...

It's still Tao Xueqi, she is not a person at all.

Thinking of the black sickle that came out of Tao Xueqi's fingertips to slash people, Ji Ran thought of the second possibility.

But if all this is true, how could the Tao family give birth to Miss Yan, who is not a person, and raise her to such a big age?

Or did she encounter something after she left the Tao family?

Ji Ran is obviously not thinking about the problem in the same way as before. He didn't believe in any cows, ghosts, snakes, and gods before, but now he has to believe them one by one.

If there were no those in this world, how could Tao Xueqi trap those people in the cottage? And what is that black gas she manipulates? Why hasn't there been any change in her appearance after twenty years?

Zhang Qining looked at him quietly with side eyes, and Zhan Suiyu couldn't help but glance at him. The look on Ji Ran's face was clearly saying that there was Tao Xueqi in the cottage, and he had not told them, and this matter was related to Tao Xueqi's possible "non-human" existence.

Seriously, is Ji Ran afraid of knowing the truth? Or are you afraid that Tao Xueqi will go against his beliefs and be strangers to her from now on? Still is...

Zhang Qining looked away and continued to turn back to eat his own food.

"How's the third thing you checked?" She raised her eyes and glanced at Lin Su, and shook the chopsticks in her hand gently.

Ji Ran didn't see it, Zhan Suiyu saw it and didn't see it, and even helped Zhang Qining block it.

"Qi Ning, eat vegetables."

Zhang Qining ate obediently, Lin Su understood and thought: "This Zhan Gongzi and the third lady are really the same dog." ”

"Lin Su, you continue."

"Yes."

Lin Su: "About the specific location of the former site of the Tao family... Please give me two more days. ”

Zhang Qining acted in a full set: "What? That's not what you said in your letter. ”

Lin Su clenched his fists: "It was the subordinates' inappropriate wording that made the third lady misunderstand." In fact, the subordinates only inquired about the approximate location, after the old Tao house was burned down, the government did not care about it after the case was decided, and the bricks and trees were moved away by people who were more difficult to live nearby, and there were various reasons, so the specific ones could not be determined. ”

"What about Tao Xueqi?"

Lin Su: "My subordinates are also based on Miss's description, and I have seen a similar woman, but I am not sure that it is Tao Xueqi." ”

Zhang Qining nodded, asked Lin Su to continue the investigation, and then let him go down. After Ji Ran learned about the news, he thanked Zhang Qining and went back to the room.

Zhan Suiyu: "Ji Ran, don't you want to eat some?" ”

"No, you use it slowly."

"Ji Gongzi." Zhang Qining: "If you need to say anything, just say it directly." Even if you are hungry in the middle of the night, it doesn't hurt to get up in the kitchen to cook dishes and noodles, I will increase my salary. ”

"I'm tired. Miss Zhang said this because I was Lin Zhao's friend? ”

"Of course."

Ji Ran looked at Zhan Suiyu, suddenly laughed, and said, "Lin Zhao, you and my brother have to do it for the rest of your life." ”

Zhan Sui Yu waved his hand at him, "Get out." ”

Ji Ran went out, and Zhan Suiyu heard that he seemed to be walking away, so he said, "Why didn't you let Lin Su go on just now?" ”

Zhang Qining scooped a bowl of whitebait stewed eggs for him and said, "This tastes good, you can taste it." ”

"Actually, it's nothing, suddenly there was a conjecture, and suddenly a little curious. For the sake of your friend, help him avoid detours. ”

Zhan Suiyu raised his eyebrows, "What conjecture?" What do you want to do again? ”

Zhang Qining smiled, leaned into his ear and said something, Zhan Suiyu was stunned.

He thought for a moment and said, "In the current situation, aren't you afraid of doing this with half the effort?" ”

Zhang Qining: "I want to do it, at least in my opinion, it is necessary.

This world is very big, but the world in people's eyes is very small, and what they imagine in their hearts is only a corner of the world, but it is all for themselves.

Ji Ran is probably drilling this horn tip now. This problem is solved, it should be easier between him and Tao Xueqi, right? ”

"I find that you really care about this, and even though I know that you are devoted to me, I will still be jealous. What the hell is going on? ”

Zhan Suiyu restrained Zhang Qining's hand and didn't let her eat, smiling and asking for an explanation.

Zhang Qining, "What, do you think I'm all helping Ji Ran?" ”

Zhan Suiyu: "Isn't it?" ”

"Consultant Zhan, he is not the only one in Ji Ran's matter. You and he are brothers, and if you stand on his side, can't I stand on the other side? ”

He was stunned suddenly, "Tao Xueqi? ”

Zhang Qining nodded.

Zhan Suiyu let go of his hand, "You don't have a good impression of Tao Xueqi, right?" Help her? Why? ”

"Didn't I say it, I'm very similar to Tao Xueqi." Zhang Qining put down his chopsticks, raised his hand to support his head and lowered his eyes: "Some... Sympathy? ”

"You're not the same as her." Zhan Sui Yu cut the railway.

Zhang Qining looked at him and hooked his lips. "It's not the same, but it's similar. She kills people and sets fires, and treats human life like a mustard, and in my eyes, human life... It wasn't so noble before.

I'm just doing a perfunctory thing with the king's law, and I haven't done what she did. If I hadn't met you, or if it had been a little later, you might have seen me like that. ”

"No, it won't." Zhan Sui Yu caressed her face, the dark brown was warmer and clearer than any piece of amber agate in this world, and she kept looking at it like this, as if she was gradually merging with him.

"If you are really a villain, how can you ask for any perfunctory? Only people who are gentle in their hearts, but have been hurt too much invisibly, need to find excuses for not hurting others. Even without me, you wouldn't have become Tao Xueqi. ”

Zhang Qining looked at him, suddenly hugged him, and said childishly: "No! It's because of you that I didn't do that, and I would have been like that without you.

I have to be here, and you can't leave me no matter what happens!

Otherwise, I'm really going to lock you up, lock you up, and do all kinds of things to you, so that you can't leave me again. ”

Qi Ning's state has stabilized a lot after pulling out the ba, and the whole person is getting more and more gentle, not as difficult to approach as before, and words like locking him up have never been said again.

"No matter what you become, I will not leave you. If you are really heinous, I will lock you up myself and lock you up with you in a place where no one is around, so that you cannot do evil. ”