Plunder
Chapter 128 - 128 128 Fighting Over the Dead

Chapter 128: Chapter 128: Fighting Over the Dead Chapter 128: Chapter 128: Fighting Over the Dead Qiao En’s wedding with Ding Hao had not gone through, so strictly speaking, she was not yet a part of the Ding Family.

So, when she died, her ashes could not be interred in the Ding Family’s cemetery.

Her funeral services were very simple, held at a small funeral home.

When Zhou Jin’an rushed over, the place was very quiet.

Qiao’s father leaned on his wheelchair, staring dumbly at the still black-and-white photo.

Qiao’s mother bent over, crying while burning paper money.

“Madam Qiao, please restrain your grief!”

Cheng Lu accompanied Zhou Jin’an in, and when Qiao’s mother looked up at them, her lips trembled and tears streamed down like fountains.

“My daughter is dead, what are you doing here?”

She seemed unwilling to see Zhou Jin’an.

“She is not dead.”

Zhou Jin’an said with conviction.

She was so strong, so optimistic, how could she possibly just die so easily?

But Qiao’s mother did not listen to him.

Cheng Lu handed her a thick envelope.

“Madam Qiao, take good care of yourself. Secretary Qiao’s spirit in heaven wouldn’t want to see you so heartbroken.”

Qiao’s mother nodded, took the large envelope, and held it tightly in her arms.

Zhou Jin’an stayed there for a moment.

The person in the photo was Qiao En, smiling brilliantly, but he always felt strange.

“Director Zhou, let’s go.”

Cheng Lu reminded him.

Zhou Jin’an turned to walk out, but as he reached the door, he ran into Ding Hao.

His eyes bloodshot, Ding Hao charged over furiously upon seeing Zhou Jin’an.

“What are you doing here? Haven’t you caused En’en enough misery? She’s dead, and you still won’t let her be?”

Like a madman, he grabbed Zhou Jin’an by the collar, roaring.

“Young Master Ding, please accept my condolences.”

Cheng Lu stepped forward, pulling Ding Hao away.

A mocking cold smile crept across his face as he closed in on Zhou Jin’an once again.

“I’m telling you, she’s still mine even in death. Zhou Jin’an, you’ll never have her again. This time, you have completely lost to me.”

He laughed derisively, gloatingly, as if he was insane.

A cold light dawned in Zhou Jin’an’s eyes.

He swung his fist and hit Ding Hao.

“Director Zhou, what are you doing?”

Qiao’s mother appeared with the two Qiao sisters, and upon seeing Zhou Jin’an hitting Ding Hao, they quickly stepped forward to break up the fight.

“Mom, don’t bother, let him hit me. If he’s capable, he should kill me!”

Ding Hao sat slumped on the ground, his face marred by the fight, but still provoking Zhou Jin’an with his words.

“Heh, you men are really childish, fighting over the living and the dead. Isn’t it unlucky?”

Ding Ruyi rolled her eyes in a mocking tone.

Ding Ruxin tugged at her sleeve and approached Zhou Jin’an, speaking gently, “Director Zhou, I’m sorry. My brother is a bit out of his mind with grief. If he has offended you, I apologize on behalf of the Ding Family.”

“Apologize for what? Does he even deserve it?”

Ding Hao spat contemptuously on the ground.

“Director Zhou, let’s go.”

Cheng Lu pulled on Zhou Jin’an’s arm and spoke in a muffled voice.

As they left, Ding Hao became even more smug.

“Hao Hao, stop it. Mom knows you’re heartbroken, but the dead cannot be brought back to life. We’re here today for important business, don’t lose your composure,”

Ding’s mother lowered her voice and whispered in Ding Hao’s ear.

Ding Ruxin and her mother helped Ding Hao up from the ground, and the group walked inside.

Ding Ruyi rolled her eyes again, “I don’t understand, she didn’t even marry into the Ding Family, why the desperate need to have her ashes stay in the Ding Family’s cemetery?”

Ding Hao turned around abruptly, pointed a finger at Ding Ruyi, and barked fiercely, “Shut up, this has nothing to do with you.”

The Ding Family came to pay their respects to Qiao En, and Qiao’s mother cried once again.

“Young Master Ding, it’s just that En’en wasn’t blessed.”

Qiao En’s mother clasped Ding Hao’s hand as she spoke.

Ding Hao’s mother’s eyes reddened, “We all liked En’en a lot, and we never expected such a tragic accident. Even though she’s gone, we don’t want her to have departed in vain.”

There was an implication in Ding Hao’s mother’s words, but she didn’t elaborate.

Clasping Ding Hao’s mother’s arm, Ding Ruxin continued, “Aunt Qiao, En’en was once engaged to my brother, so we hope her ashes can be interred in the Ding Family’s mausoleum.”

Qiao En’s mother hesitated momentarily, but without much thought, she nodded immediately.

“Good, that would be best. En’en won’t be a wandering ghost then.”

“Who knows if she would have been a flirtatious ghost?”

Although Ding Ruyi’s voice was soft, everyone heard it.

“Ruyi, get out.”

Ding Hao’s mother reprimanded.

“Fine, I’ll go. As if I want to stay in a place like this,” she said, turning on her heel and walking away.

“Mom, I’ll go keep an eye on my younger sister,” said Ding Ruxin as she followed her out.

“I’m sorry about this, En’en’s mom, and for the trouble. My daughter doesn’t know when to hold back, it’s my fault for not disciplining her well. Don’t take it to heart,” Ding Hao’s mother explained apologetically, handing a card to Qiao En’s mother.

“This is a little something from us, you must accept it.”

“How could I possibly accept this?”

Qiao En’s mother demurred, but in the end, she accepted it.

That evening, Qiao De came back.

“Mom, my sister died, and just like that, we let the Ding family off the hook?”

Qiao De had left school and was living with Zhang Xiaoxia in the old Qiao Family home.

“They said they would place your sister in the Ding family mausoleum and they also gave some money.”

Qiao En’s mother discreetly handed the card to Qiao De.

“Ah De, this money was bought with your sister’s life, spend it wisely,” she cautioned.

Qiao De took the card and immediately stashed it in his pocket.

“All right, I got it. I haven’t found a job yet, but once I do, I’ll definitely make big money. Then I’ll move you and dad in with me, and we’ll buy a big villa to live in together as a family,” he said.

He had not yet faced society and was full of unrealistic ideas.

But his words were comforting to his mother, who nodded again and again.

“Mom always knew you’d make something of yourself. Now I only have you, Ah De, so please don’t let anything happen to you.”

Qiao De disliked his mother’s needless worrying.

“Okay, I’m off then,” he said.

Chu Garden.

Zhou Jin’an locked himself in the study.

All the surveillance footage from Qiao En’s wedding day was now in his hands. He stared at the computer screen, having watched the footage over and over at least five times.

At 9:38 AM, she left the hotel and boarded the bridal car.

The bridal car traveled along Rong City’s main thoroughfare, smoothly uninterrupted.

At 10:03 AM, the bridal car stopped for a minute at the East Main Street intersection.

Afterward, it continued on its planned route.

At 10:39 AM, the bridal car’s brakes failed, and it suddenly veered towards the Happiness Bridge railing, plunging into the sea.

At 10:52 AM, rescue personnel arrived at the scene, and the people inside the car were retrieved.

Zhou Jin’an dragged the mouse, scrutinizing the video frame by frame.

He didn’t want to miss any detail.

While he was fixated on the video, Cheng Lu was watching him.

“Director Zhou, please stop watching, Secretary Qiao is gone.”

Cheng Lu’s voice was nasal, as he couldn’t bear to see Zhou Jin’an in this state.

But Zhou Jin’an refused to believe it.

“She’s not dead.”