Chapter 16 fourth quarter

Mizuho was writing a letter to her mother in her own room when there was a humble knock on the door.She responded with a pen in hand, and Qing Jiang opened the door with a rare melancholy expression. "Dinner will be ready soon," he said. "Well, thank you for letting me know." Mizuho turned off the desk lamp and stood up from the table. "Who is this letter for?" Qing Jiang noticed the letter paper on the table and asked. "For mom, she should be worried about me." "Write a letter to report the incident?" "It's not a report. It's just something that Mum might want to know, and kept it within limits that won't worry her."

When Mizuho and Qing Jiang left the room together, it happened that Kaori was about to take the elevator, and Nagashima was standing beside her.A shy smile appeared on Kaori's face, the two of them seemed to have not noticed Mizuho yet. Shui Sui followed Qing Jiang to stop, and it was not until Jiazhi and the two walked into the elevator that Qing Jiang took a slow step. "Like the measles." His tone was emotionless. "Mizuho, ​​have you experienced it too? Anyone will go through a period of longing for that kind of mature man." Shui Sui looked at Qing Jiang's profile in surprise.She sensed that he was feeling jealous from the bottom of his heart.

When the two arrived at the cafeteria, Katsuyuki and Hehanako had already arrived, and they sat on the seats opposite Shizuka.Kaori and Nagashima, who arrived at the cafeteria a little earlier than Mizuho, ​​sat beside Shizuka, and Mizuho and Aoe sat opposite them. Mizuho and Wahako helped Suzue serve the dishes, and the dinner began. Today, the atmosphere at the dinner table is warmer than it has been for a long time.In particular, Katsuki talked the most. He tirelessly told Shizuka about kabuki and stage plays, and Shizuka also echoed with interest. Obviously, everyone avoided talking about the incident, and looked for happy topics to make everyone laugh.Mizuho, ​​who is unmarried, naturally becomes the target of conversation with Hanako and others.It's almost time to find a partner, what type of man do you like, don't get married in Australia - to these words, Mizuho tries to answer what the other party expects.What the other party was looking forward to was an answer that would stir up the atmosphere at the scene.

Among the crowd, only Qing Jiang beside Shui Sui has a small number of openings.He sipped his soup in silence, chewed on his salad, and passed piece after piece of steak to his mouth.And the knife and fork in his hand would stop unnaturally from time to time.It seems that he has been thinking about something, and when his thinking changes, his hands will stop moving unconsciously. "It's not like you at all." Hearing Shui Sui talking to him, Qing Jiang first had an expression of waking up from a big dream, and then smiled wryly. "There are too many things in my mind, and I don't have time to chat."

"What are you thinking?" "Various things." After finishing speaking, Qing Jiang drank up the red wine in the glass. "Still busy with your detective career?" Jiazhi who was sitting opposite said, she stared at Qingjiang sternly. "Some time ago, you said that you would surprise me and Sister Shuisui, right? How about that?" "Don't worry, I will definitely fulfill this promise." Qing Jiang looked directly at her and smiled. "What is that thing?" Yongdao also joined their conversation. "Is it related to the incident?"

"It's just a matter of riddles." Qing Jiang said with the same smile on his face. "However, if my reasoning is correct, it may also be involved in this incident. It will definitely surprise Mizuho and the others." "I don't understand what you mean." "He himself is an incomprehensible person." Jiazhi said. "You got some hints from the puzzle book I lent you, right? If you have any ideas, why don't you just say it?" "It's too early to tell. There's still a whole range of investigations and evidence to be had. The same goes for police searches, alibis, fingerprints, witnesses - even the smallest details will play a pivotal role in the end. .”

Perhaps Yong Dao was not in the mood to deal with this inexplicable conversation, so he shook his head lightly and stopped asking.Jiazhi also ignored the Qingjiang newspaper, and the topic ended here. During dessert time, the living room phone rang, and Suzue went to answer it.At the dinner table, everyone was talking about the new store in Yongdao. Suzue came back soon, and she whispered something in Katsuyuki's ear.Katsuyuki asked back, Suzue nodded and answered.His expression became more severe. When Mizuho came back to his senses, everyone around him focused on Katsuyuki.The smile on his face was gone.

"Well, I see." Katsuyuki bit his lower lip, stood up and left the cafeteria.Everyone stopped enjoying the melons in front of them, and a suffocating silence engulfed the entire cafeteria. Everyone could slightly hear Shengzhi's voice, but couldn't understand what he said.But as bursts of voices came, the uneasiness on everyone's faces became more and more intense. About five minutes later, Katsuyuki returned to the cafeteria.His forehead was slightly red, and his facial expression was stiff. "Who is calling?" Shizuka asked. "My subordinates are calling."

Katsuyuki replied after sitting down. "I asked this subordinate to be in charge of contacting the police. He just got the news, and the police seem to have found out who wrote the message." "Who is it?" Hanako asked. Katsuyuki swallowed: "It seems to be Rieko Mita." He replied. After a few seconds of silence, Katsuyuki spoke first. "There are still many points to be confirmed, and it cannot be concluded that she wrote it. But it is absolutely impossible to be wrong that the message came from the printer in her room. Her printer can tell what has been typed from the ink ribbon. The police are on her desk. An ink tape was found in the drawer of the office, with the content of the message Matsuzaki said printed on it."

"What's going on here?" Shizuka looked around the crowd for advice. "Why did that woman leave such a message to Mr. Liangze?" "It's still unclear. The only thing that is certain is that Matsuzaki did not lie about the message." Sheng Zhi's expression was serious, but his tone revealed a sense of relaxation.The person who wrote the message was not someone from the mansion, which seemed to reassure him a lot. "That is to say, Ms. Mita knows about Mr. Matsuzaki's bribery?" He Hanako asked her husband. "This possibility is indeed not small. Mita used to work under President Lai Zi."

"If Ms. Mita knows, Mr. Zongyan also knows?" Nagashima interjected cautiously.Several people in the room nodded in agreement. "Actually, the police seem to think so too." Sheng Zhi's tone was a little heavy. "Moreover, the police suspected that the president knew about Mita's message to Matsuzaki in advance. In other words, they suspected that the president himself planned to let Matsuzaki see the message and sneak into the basement." "Why did Zong Yan do such a thing?" There was blame in Shizuka's inquiry.Katsuyuki also lowered his eyes in self-reproach. "Although there is no evidence yet, on the police side, it seems that people who support the trap theory account for a large part of it." "The trap said?" "In other words, Matsuzaki was framed. Although the president noticed his bribery behavior, he didn't have conclusive evidence, right? So he wanted to send this kind of message to Matsuzaki to test his reaction. If he really Sneaking into the basement is equivalent to admitting his bribery. To put it bluntly, the president has always regarded Matsuzaki as a thorn in his side. So he wants to use this opportunity to sweep Matsuzaki out of the company." "So, Ms. Mita's night visit to the mansion is also a planned behavior?" Kazuko asked. "It should be like this. Maybe she came to confirm whether the plan is going well. But what I never expected was that what was waiting for her in the basement was the president's body." Speaking of this, Shengzhi coughed twice, as if he couldn't hold back his old-fashioned way of expression. He continued steadily. "Everything in front of her was too much of a blow to her. She pulled out the knife from the body and ended her own life. The police seemed to be thinking this way." "Suicide? Just that woman?" Kazuko screamed in disbelief. "This is impossible!" Kaori also objected.Her speech was more eye-catching than anyone else. "That woman can't really love Dad." "But as things stand, that argument is the strongest." Shengzhi spoke to comfort her. "Also, I personally hope that's the truth. If Matsuzaki hadn't lied, or if Mita's death wasn't suicide. We'll have to continue living this gloomy life." What he meant was that he had to doubt his own life. "And there's also the question of motivation." Qing Jiang tasted the last bite of melon and said.Only he never stopped holding the spoon from the beginning to the end. "The motive for killing Mita-san. Does her death benefit anyone?" "I hate her." Jiazhi looked directly at him and said firmly. "I hate her so much that I want her to die. Mom's death was caused by that woman!" After finishing speaking, she was ashamed of her gaffe and lowered her head. Qing Jiang couldn't help sighing, squinting his eyes and smiling slightly. "I really lost to you. Usually, whenever I say that the murderer came from the mansion, you will criticize me with scary eyes, won't you?" "I just... I just think that Uncle Matsuzaki still has something to hide!" "Well, that's the end of the discussion. It's pointless to say anything without evidence." Katsuyuki interrupted their argument. "In short, we can only wait for news from the police. This is the most certain thing." "Katsuyuki is right. If we continue to argue, there will be no results." Shizuka stood up from the chair and said.There was an unnatural elasticity to her voice, clearly a forced mental voice. "Hehanako, Katsuyuki, can you come to my room later? I have something to tell you." "I understand." Katsuki replied. Taking Shizuka's departure as an opportunity, everyone stood up.Nagashima pushed Kaori's wheelchair to the living room. At this time, Qing Jiang suddenly spoke. "Mr. Matsuzaki is not lying." This line stopped everyone's movements for an instant, perhaps because his voice was heavier and louder than usual. "Qingjiang, enough is enough for you." Shui Sui reproached her, but was surprised in her heart, the Qingjiang in front of her gave her a different feeling than usual. "Someone has to take on this haunting role." Qing Jiang looked at Shui Sui and smiled, his smile seemed artificial. "Mr. Matsuzaki is not lying," he repeated. "It's just that there is such a possibility. Mr. Matsuzaki lied unconsciously." The crowd remained motionless for a moment.Shizuka made the first move, she stretched heavily as if deliberately ignoring Qing Jiang. "Hehanako!" She called her daughter's name. "Then I'll go back to my room and wait for you." Her tone was steady and natural. "Yes." Compared with Hanako's reply and Shizuka's voice, it was a bit stiff. As Shizuka left the cafeteria, Nagashima also pushed Kaori into the living room, followed by Katsuyuki and Wahako.Everyone scattered like birds and beasts as if they hadn't heard Qingjiang's words.Suzue also started to clear the table with her usual attitude.Only Qing Jiang, whose eyes were a little red, stood in place like a puppet that had run out of spring. Abandoning the dazed Qing Jiang, Mizuho also left the cafeteria. That night, just like the day of the incident, Yongdao and Shengzhi stayed overnight at the Cross Mansion.Everyone drank, chatted, and listened to Kaori playing the violin until late at night.Mizuho also showed off her not so good violin technique.Maybe it was the piano that Lai Zi used to play in the corner of the living room that made Jia Zhi see things and think about others, and her eyes filled with tears on the way. Katsuyuki and Wahako stayed in Shizuka's room for nearly an hour, seemingly talking about the mansion.Laizi and Zongyan passed away one after another, and Shizuka seemed to hope that the couple would inherit the mansion.Faced with this request, Katsuyuki asked Shizuka to give them some time to consider. During this time, Qing Jiang seems to have been staying in his room.While dealing with Kaori and the others, Mizuho was thinking about him.What he said in the cafeteria has been echoing in his ears and cannot be dissipated.What was his intention in saying that? Except for her, other people didn't care about Qing Jiang's words at all, Mizuho was dissatisfied with this.It's almost as if they are deliberately ignoring. Surrounded by some inexplicable twisted air, the Cross Mansion ushered in the night.