The Sweetness of the Seventies
Chapter 327 - 298: Admit Guilt, Drink Celebration Wine_1

Chapter 327: Chapter 298: Admit Guilt, Drink Celebration Wine_1

Outside, the sky was already faintly bright, and after Accountant Hu returned home, he didn’t go to sleep; instead, he sat in the courtyard.

By the time the police arrived, Accountant Hu raised his hands, and he was not planning to resist.

Accountant Hu was taken to the village branch office, and he confessed to killing Hu Erlai and Hu Goudan without any denial!

"Why did you kill them?" Qi Ling asked. "Where’s your other accomplice?"

Accountant Hu had already thought of an answer and said, "I had no accomplices, it was just me. Hu Erlai dragged me into gambling, and later I lost fifty yuan. I didn’t want to gamble anymore, but he threatened me and often demanded money from me. Desperate and out of money, that’s why I killed him. As for Hu Goudan, he was no good either, knowing what had happened between Hu Erlai and me, so after Hu Erlai’s death, he came to threaten me as well, and I killed him."

Although Qi Ling, Old Wu, and others still had some doubts, the earlier speculation about a woman’s involvement couldn’t be taken as evidence.

After repeated interrogation, Accountant Hu insisted he was the sole perpetrator and nothing more could be pried out of him.

The leaders from the city and the county wanted to close the case quickly, so Accountant Hu was taken away, awaiting trial and sentencing.

After Qi Ling finished his business, he went to Qijia Village to say goodbye to Secretary Qi and, incidentally, check on He Tiantian.

During the drink, Secretary Qi said with a sigh, "Old Hu, really... Alas, one false step and every subsequent step is awry!"

Village Chief Qi and Accountant Hu from Hujia Village frequented each other, and he did not expect such an outcome.

Qi Ling also sighed and said, "Indeed, gambling harms people. This time, we not only found the murderer but also knocked out a gambling den."

"Why can’t they just work honestly!" Village Chief Qi angrily decried, "By the way, did you find out why Hu Erlai and Hu Goudan destroyed our village’s peach orchard?"

Qi Ling shook his head, guiltily responding, "I’m sorry, Eldest Uncle Qi, with both parties dead, there’s no way to know."

"It’s alright," Village Chief Qi laughed. "You did what you could. Moreover, our village has now added more manpower, so there shouldn’t be anyone daring to do it again."

"That’s good to hear. If there’s anything, you can send me a message, and I’ll come over right away," Qi Ling laughed, seemingly willing to go to great lengths just to find an excuse to visit here.

"I’ll remember that," Secretary Qi laughed, not standing on ceremony with Qi Ling.

The news about Accountant Hu spread to Qijia Village.

He Tiantian naturally also learned that Accountant Hu had confessed.

So, it was indeed Hu who had killed Hu Erlai and Hu Goudan.

Then, what role did Liu Lingli play in all of this?

In this case, even if Liu Lingli wasn’t the mastermind, she was still an accessory to the crime, but Accountant Hu admitted to the murders all by himself, claiming both were killed by him.

Why didn’t Accountant Hu expose Liu Lingli?

Could he truly be so enamored with Liu Lingli?

He Tiantian pondered and then felt that was impossible, but there was no reasonable explanation at the moment.

Apart from Accountant Hu and Liu Lingli, who was the masked woman?

Maybe as previously speculated, was Liu Lingli the masked woman?

After this incident, He Tiantian became very wary of Liu Lingli, realizing she did not understand her at all.

In the future, she would pay more attention to Liu Lingli, perhaps finding some clues from her.

Half a month later, another piece of news about Liu Lingli spread.

Liu Lingli had actually married a young man from Hujia Village.

This young man was none other than Hu Damao, who had taken ten dollars from Hu Erlai’s corpse. He had no mother and only an elderly father.

Liu Lingli, with her haughty and proud nature, why would she suddenly marry a lazy and gluttonous man?

Just when He Tiantian was preparing to go to Hujia Village to inquire further, Liu Lingli came to her on her own initiative.

"Tiantian, I... I’m here to invite you to my wedding banquet the day after tomorrow." Liu Lingli’s face showed her misery, and her tone was mournful.

He Tiantian pretended to be surprised and asked, "Lingli, didn’t you look down on this place? Always wanting to leave? How could you marry that man?"

"Alas, it’s just my hard luck," Liu Lingli said with a bitter smile. "I’m just unlucky. That day I wasn’t working; I wanted to go up the mountain to gather some wild vegetables and fruit. It was very hot, and seeing a stream with no one around, I went down to bathe. I didn’t expect to be seen by Hu Damao, and he... he... sigh, anyway, I’m his now. If I don’t marry him, who else could I marry?"

He Tiantian squinted her eyes, secretly amazed. Although Liu Lingli’s story was very well concocted, she did not believe it.

If it was merely Hu Damao using force, with Liu Lingli’s temperament, she surely would have reported Hu Damao for rape afterward! And then take the opportunity to file a report and leave Taoyuan County!

There were previous examples of this; everyone knew about them.

"What?" exclaimed He Tiantian in shock, "then... let’s go, I’ll take you to report Hu Damao for raping you!"

Liu Lingli quickly grabbed He Tiantian and said, "Tiantian, please don’t, I’m begging you, please don’t report this."

"What are you afraid of?" He Tiantian said righteously, with a look of indignation. "As long as you report it, I’ll help you. Don’t be afraid, there are still places to speak up for justice!"

"Tiantian, I beg you, please don’t say anything," Liu Lingli pleaded. "Even if I do, how will I live in Hujia Village afterward?"

"Isn’t it better to take the opportunity to go back to Nan City? Even working as a temp, you could still find food to eat," He Tiantian frowned and said. "It’s because you swallow your words that they bully you."

Liu Lingli clung desperately to He Tiantian, saying, "Tiantian, don’t be like this. I know you mean well for me. But I can’t go back to Nan City now. My family’s house is so small. My brother is married, and my mother asks me for money, saying I should save more in the countryside and send more money back. She also said that this year for the New Year’s, I should not come back home because there’s no room. With my family in such a state, what can I do even if I return? It’s better to stay in Hujia Village—at least I can get enough to eat."

Since He Tiantian was just putting on an act, and Liu Lingli had said this, she did not insist anymore, saying, "Then I respect your choice. No matter how difficult it is, I will attend your wedding."

At this moment, Wang Shuping and He Jingyu came back from Peach Orchard in the hills. Seeing a young girl talking with their daughter, they quickly asked, "Tiantian, is this your friend?"

He Tiantian introduced her, "Mom, this is Lingli."

Liu Lingli’s complexion was pale. Seeing the parents of He Tiantian stirred up once more the suppressed jealousy in her heart.

He Tiantian’s parents were willing to move to a remote village for her sake. What about her own parents? For the sake of their son, they wouldn’t even let their daughter come home, and they even asked her to send money back. Both daughters, yet why was the difference so great!

Even if it meant living a day as wonderfully as He Tiantian, she would do so willingly!

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