How I Tamed My Wolfish Husband Back in 80s
Chapter 246 - 248: Careful_1

Chapter 246: Chapter 248: Careful_1

Dong Lamei, in an attempt to clear Qin Jin’s name, arrived at Feng Erguanggun’s home with anger simmering within her.

Li Jinhua was tending to Feng Hu, who was confined to bed, and helping him drink water, "Mother, why are you here?"

Dong Lamei suppressed her rage and focused first on Feng Erguanggun, whose face was ghastly pale, his hands clutching at the blanket in a claw-like grip. She felt a sudden pang of anxiety—could this man still be saved?

If only he were dead! Then her daughter wouldn’t have to suffer beatings.

Outwardly expressing concern for Feng Erguanggun, she briefly exchanged pleasantries, then pulled Li Jinhua aside and quietly interrogated her about whether she had deliberately instigated the conflict between Mrs. Cai and Li Qiao over the broken engagement of Cai Hechuan.

Li Jinhua denied outright, "No."

"Then why do they point their fingers at you?"

"How should I know?"

"Jinhua, water... still thirsty," Feng Erguanggun weakly requested.

"Coming!" Li Jinhua turned to her, "Mother, I’m busy now and don’t have time to entertain you, please make yourself at home."

Dong Lamei, out of consideration for the Feng family’s presence, couldn’t continue the conversation and planned to resume questioning Li Jinhua after she was finished tending to Feng Hu. But there was an endless list of things to attend to for Feng Hu—either he needed water, or he had to urinate, or he complained of stomach pain, and at times he became delusional, demanding her assurance that she wouldn’t remarry after he died.

Unable to find the opportunity to reason with Jinhua, Dong Lamei had no choice but to hurriedly make an excuse to leave.

Passing by the Qin family-house, the courtyard was bustling with people, all chatting and laughing vibrantly.

She stepped over the threshold.

Li Qiao was sitting before a square table, writing couplets, surrounded by villagers who watched and praised.

She called out, "Qiaoqiao, writing couplets, eh? Write a few for me later, too."

Li Qiao responded indifferently.

"Qiaoqiao’s mother, did you come from Jinhua’s place? How’s Feng Hu?"

Dong Lamei’s face turned grave, "Not very good." By the looks of it, he probably won’t last many days.

"If he dies, wouldn’t Niu Qin be imprisoned?"

"Would Feng Dafa be pleased with that?"

"Murder isn’t a matter of Feng Dafa’s pleasure. Qiaoqiao used to work at the criminal police unit. Qiaoqiao, how would this be handled?"

Li Qiao replied, "Cases involving human life require incontrovertible evidence. The Feng family suspects the sister-in-law of poisoning based solely on an argument between her and her brother-in-law, which isn’t sufficient evidence for the police to make an arrest. At most, they might take her in for questioning."

"Doesn’t that let Niu Qin off easy?"

Li Qiao couldn’t help but retort, "How can you be so certain about evidence that even the police might not be able to obtain? Did you personally see Mrs. Niu poisoning him?"

"This..."

Dong Lamei unhappily said, "Qiaoqiao, you seem to be protecting the wrongdoers. You must understand, if something really happens to Feng Hu, your sister will become a widow." Clearly implying that Li Qiao took pleasure in Li Jinhua’s misfortunes. She continued earnestly, "Right now, Feng Hu needs money for medical treatment. If you have any, please help out."

Li Qiao had to control his emotions through deep breaths.

Qin Jin interjected, "Wasn’t it Li Jinhua who stirred up trouble earlier, causing Cai Hechuan’s mother to come seeking you, and now she knows she needs her sister’s help? Didn’t you say you would explain things to me? Where is your explanation? With a mother like you, being a widow isn’t frightening. As soon as a man leaves, you can find a replacement right after."

Everyone suddenly remembered the incident of Dong Lamei forcing Li Qiao to remarry in the past.

They all showed looks of contempt.

Dong Lamei’s face flushed red then turned white, lacking in confidence, "I also did that for Qiaoqiao’s own good."

Qin Jin continued, "If you truly have Qiaoqiao’s best interests at heart, you should be very attentive to her usual concerns, so how come you don’t know about her previous line of work? The police department has a rule that investigations must be conducted with extreme caution to avoid wrongfully accusing and harming someone for life. If anything actually happens to Feng Hu, Qiaoqiao will certainly follow up the investigation to find out who the real culprit is. Wasn’t it the same with Lame Feng’s case before?"

Li Qiao felt warmth in his heart—he wouldn’t understand these things if he hadn’t been paying careful attention to her.

He was really good!

Dong Lamei mumbled, "If not Niu Qin, who else could it be?"

Li Qiao remained silent. Wouldn’t you suspect your own daughter?

Li Jinhua suffered beatings every day; a vindictive poisoning wasn’t out of the question.

Qin Jin bluntly voiced Li Qiao’s thoughts, "Why don’t you suspect Li Jinhua? Every time Qiaoqiao comes back, she starts trouble, not to mention Feng Hu often beats her."

It was like an awakening for everyone present.

Li Jinhua is more likely than Niu Qin.

Everyone whispered among themselves.

Seeing this, Dong Lamei worried that if Feng Hu really died, everyone’s comments might affect the police’s judgment. She hurriedly objected, "Don’t talk nonsense!" She prepared to go back to the Feng Family to ask Li Jinhua if she was the one behind it. She left again.

After receiving Li Qiao’s couplets, everyone went back to their own homes.

When Dong Lamei once again arrived at the Feng Family, she pulled Li Jinhua aside for a private talk, "Did you poison Feng Hu?"

Li Jinhua’s expression faltered for a moment, "Mom, what are you talking about? How could I possibly poison him?"

Dong Lamei, "I also said you didn’t, but Qin Jin suspects you and is spreading the word everywhere. Plus, Li Qiao has worked in the forensic department before. If anything happens to Feng Hu, they can easily frame you."

Li Jinhua’s heart settled down for good. Although Feng Hu was poisoned, he couldn’t easily die from it.

She merely wanted to make him too weak to ever domestically abuse her again. How could the forensic department find evidence without a body? She firmly said, "It wasn’t me."

Only then did Dong Lamei relax, but she soon sighed again, "I was counting on Qin Jin to help Feng Hu make some money. Now, it seems impossible. You see, if you had followed Li Jianguo, you’d be living comfortably now. Wouldn’t that be nice?"

Li Jinhua felt regret as well.

Who could have expected Qin Jin to value Li Jianguo so much?

Li Jianguo must have been unsuccessful in his previous life; otherwise, she would have heard about him.

Could it be that his fate changed because he was connected to her this lifetime?

Oh heaven. Are you playing with me on purpose?

Not letting me have a good life?

...

On New Year’s Eve, Li Qiao cooked the paste early in the morning to put up the couplets.

Qin Jin got hold of a camera from somewhere and started taking pictures of her.

Upon noticing, Li Qiao dodged, "Don’t take pictures of me." Being photographed by a taller person meant being captured from a top-down angle; he would definitely make her look shorter and uglier.

Qin Jin, "Why hide? You’re pretty, you should be photographed more."

Li Qiao wasn’t flattered, "I’m scared it will disappoint when developed."

Old Mrs. Qin, "Can we take a family photo?" The family portrait on her Beijing room’s wall was drawn by Qiaoqiao. She wanted to take a picture just like it, but unfortunately, the dog wasn’t home. They must bring it back next New Year; it surely wouldn’t be fed as well by others as by their own family.

"We can."

Qin Jin set up the camera on a tripod and called Old Mrs. Qin and Li Qiao to stand in position. After he pressed the shutter, he quickly ran to Li Qiao’s side.

After a slight click sounded.

Qin Jin said, "All done."

Peng Chunhua, carrying her child, joined in the excitement, "What are you all doing? Taking pictures? Where did you get the camera from?"

Li Qiao ignored her.

Old Mrs. Qin was in a good mood and chose to engage, "Jin got it. Have you all prepared the New Year’s Eve dinner yet?"

"Not yet, have you?"

"We haven’t either." Peng Chunhua pursed her lips and mustered the courage to ask, "Do you still have any mushrooms? I’d like some to make sauce." She had once tasted Li Qiao’s pork with mushroom sauce and craved it now and then during her pregnancy, to the point of losing sleep over it last night.

Old Mrs. Qin, "No." Even if there were, she wouldn’t give any.

The kind who eat your food and then curse you out!

Qin Jin, "Grandma, I’m going to return the camera to the photo studio."

Li Qiao, "Wait, I want to take a couple of pictures of you."

Qin Jin, "The film is all used up."

Li Qiao, "..." So they only took one family photo? The rest all wasted on snap-shooting her? Profligate!

...