"Dad, Lu Qiaoyi died in prison. The prison just called saying the body disappeared en route."
Lu Chengs: "..."
Thinking of that daughter, he looked pained, his grip on the phone tightening.
How could she have ended up like this?
She was the child he had doted on since she was small.
"Dad, give the phone to my third brother."
"Oh!"
Lu Chengs handed the phone to Lu Jinyan, "Your sister!"
"Nuannuan?" Lu Jinyan was surprised. They hadn't had any news of Nuannuan and were worried.
Lu Chengs warned, "Don't tell anyone else."
He wanted that brat Mu Jiuchen to suffer a little for making his daughter cry.
Lu Jinyan nodded slightly, took the phone, and affectionately called out, "Nuannuan, where are you?"
A smile bloomed on Jiang Nuan's lips, like warm sunshine melting the winter snow.
"Brother, I'm in Jinshi. You said Lu Qiaoyi's body disappeared, what's going on?"
"Nuannuan, I just received a call from the prison. They said Lu Qiaoyi hadn't been well recently and passed away last night from a cerebral infarction. But this morning, on the way to cremation, there was a car accident, and the body went missing."
Jiang Nuan frowned, half her face bathed in the setting sun, as if a sheer veil obscured her radiant beauty.
She knitted her brows, pondered for a moment, and said, "Third brother, do you think such a coincidence would happen? Not just anyone dares to steal a body."
Lu Jinyan, always sharp, understood immediately after Jiang Nuan's reminder. But then he grew puzzled again, "Nuannuan, do you think she faked her death? Could she have done it alone?"
A cold smile touched Jiang Nuan's lips, "Brother, I feel a danger approaching. You all must be careful. Lu Qiaoyi couldn't have done it alone, but if someone wants to use her as a sharp dagger against us, then she definitely could. Third brother, grandpa and grandma, you must protect them well. I'll investigate this matter as soon as possible."
After speaking, Jiang Nuan hung up.
Just as she was about to call Number One, his call came in.
"Nuannuan, did you hear about Lu Qiaoyi's situation?" Number One's tone was urgent.
"I just heard from my brother, but I still don't believe it. Who is behind Lu Qiaoyi?" Number One would know more than her.
"J, it feels like the sky is about to change."
Jiang Nuan: "..."
She let out a light laugh, "If even you say that, what can I say?"
J joked, "I need you to comfort me."
Jiang Nuan smiled, watching the sunlight in the snow gradually fade. She smiled, "Hugs!"
"Mmm! So warm. J, be careful." Number One's tone became heavier and quite helpless.
Jiang Nuan understood him. If he said this, it meant he didn't know the situation either.
"I understand, thank you, Number One." Jiang Nuan was genuinely grateful. No matter what awaited them, she would move forward without hesitation.
"J, goodbye. I need to get back to work. I'll inform you if there's any news. Be extra careful yourself. This matter is too bizarre." Number One said with a smile.
"Okay! Goodbye!"
After hanging up, Jiang Nuan fell into thought. Had she overlooked something?
Jiang Nuan sat for a while before getting up and going to the second floor. She took out her binoculars. From this height, she could see Yun Xia's backyard.
Li Qing shuo was very vigilant, with eight bodyguards guarding him front and back.
That black car had also left.
Jiang Nuan mentally counted the number of times the car had appeared. In the past few days, it had appeared more than ten times.
Was it monitoring Mu Jiuchen or Yun Xia?
Jiang Nuan suddenly saw Mu Jiuchen's tall figure standing at the entrance. She was momentarily stunned, and an ocean of suppressed longing spread from her heart.
Jiang Nuan watched him walk to a car. A black car slowly stopped, and the door opened. A very beautiful girl emerged, with long hair cascading down her shoulders, wearing a white high-end dress and a stylish pink coat. The girl had a gentle and bright smile as she ran into Mu Jiuchen's arms. Mu Jiuchen did not dodge but lightly embraced the girl.
A slight smile curved Mu Jiuchen's lips. Seeing this scene, Jiang Nuan gave a bitter smile.
She thought this man only showed such a smile when he was with her. It seemed she had overestimated herself.
The driver got out with a suitcase. Mu Jiuchen helped pull it inside.
Jiang Nuan moved away from the binoculars and checked the time. Her stewed chicken was ready, and she was hungry. She needed to eat well; she still had three treasures to think about.
Thinking this, Jiang Nuan felt a sense of release.
She went to the kitchen, and the fragrant aroma made her stomach rumble even more.
She carried the entire pot to the table. Looking at the glossy chicken soup with floating mushrooms, it smelled delicious!
She scooped out the chicken and placed it aside. She ate the mushrooms first and then had a bowl of chicken soup, feeling somewhat full.
She stared blankly out the window. Was she feeling jealous?
A sentence from Mu Jiuchen suddenly came to mind.
"That's because you don't love me enough."
Jiang Nuan's heart ached sharply, a dense pain enveloping her entire body.
She curled up slightly, staring quietly out the window for a long time before moving. Looking at the half chicken beside her, she knew she couldn't waste food.
Mechanically, she prepared a dipping sauce and tore the chicken with her hands.
After eating, she cleaned the kitchen and went upstairs to rest.
Lying on the bed, the scene of Mu Jiuchen holding that girl kept replaying in her mind.
She was restless and couldn't sleep.
She had never had such troubles before, but now she did.
Jiang Nuan gave a self-deprecating smile. Mu Jiuchen was right; she didn't love him enough, or she wouldn't have left so easily.
However, compared to staying by his side, she worried more about Mu Jiuchen's safety.
That woman resembled her so much, and her presence near Mu Jiuchen must have a purpose. Mu Jiuchen kept her around to catch the mastermind.
This was the only way to achieve lasting peace.
Jiang Nuan unconsciously tightened her grip on the quilt.
Her whole body started to ache again, a dense, uncomfortable pain.
Sweat soon covered Jiang Nuan's forehead.
She stumbled out of bed and took out some medicine from her backpack, swallowing several pills haphazardly. Her previous medication had run out, and those drugs had only relieved some of the pain, allowing her to persevere.
After taking the medicine, Jiang Nuan's vision blurred. She had never seen this poison before. She thought her medicine was good enough to alleviate it, but she was wrong. Those medicines could only provide pain relief and not a complete antidote.
"Mmm!" Wave after wave of pain made her unable to help but writhe on the bed.
The medicine she was taking now was from a medical book she had found on Mu Jiuchen's bookshelf.
This was the first time she had taken it. She wondered if it could relieve the pain.
She curled up even tighter, her teeth biting hard into the quilt.
Only three days had passed since her last episode.
She recalled what Han Yifan had said at the Dahoumen research facility – this was the result of his ten years of research.
A smile flickered in Jiang Nuan's bloodshot eyes. Han Yifan, let's wait and see if I can indeed cure your poison!