Scientific Travel

With things having come to this point, Deng Yin had no choice but to resort to her ultimate weapon—moral blackmail.

She slightly adjusted her posture, took a deep breath, and then slowly placed her hand on the fake passerby's shoulder. Her eyes were full of sincerity as she softly said, "But don't you think that helping others in this world is also a way of gaining something for yourself?" Her voice was neither loud nor soft, but it carried an indescribable power that easily convinced people.

Deng Yin paused for a moment, then continued, "I've always believed that you're that kind of person. Look, you were just speaking up for the shopkeeper, which shows that you're a kind-hearted person who enjoys helping others, isn't it?" Her gaze was fixed on the fake passerby's eyes, as if trying to find a positive answer in his eyes.

Moral blackmail is ineffective against only one type of person: those who lack morality.

The fake passerby had just spoken quite a bit on behalf of the shopkeeper, and he was filled with righteous indignation.

Regardless of his morals, at this moment, he must be moral.

The fake passerby was like a rabbit roasting over a fire, extremely flustered. He didn't know how to respond to Deng Yin's words, and subconsciously turned his gaze to Che Suimu.

This scene, of course, did not escape Deng Yin's keen eyes.

She immediately raised her voice, deliberately using a questioning tone, and said, "Why are you looking at the shopkeeper? Do you expect her to nod in agreement before you're willing to do this?"

The fake passerby hurriedly shook his head, stammering, "No...no..." Fine beads of sweat had appeared on his forehead, and his eyes were full of panic. "I was just thinking about what you just said, so I accidentally looked over there."

Deng Yin chuckled inwardly, but outwardly she pretended to be magnanimous. Following the fake passerby's words, she asked, "So, have you thought it over now? Do you want to take the gamble or not?"

The fake passerby couldn't refuse and had no choice but to agree.

Although Liu Ding didn't know if Deng Yin could really talk to inanimate objects, she wasn't worried at all.

That's Deng Yin; she would never do something she's not sure about.

Deng Yin wanted to prove that what she said was true. It was simple: she just needed to let others know that she really had this ability.

As long as it's confirmed that she can talk to inanimate objects, no one will suspect that she is slandering Che Suimu.

This kind of thing requires finding a volunteer, which isn't difficult; there are plenty of people willing to do it. However, the extent of the impact that volunteer can have is uncertain.

The more familiar someone is with others, the more credible their words will be.

Many of the people watching the play knew each other, so Deng Yin chose the person who knew her the most.

The girl's name was Su Qi. Her pale yellow dress made her look very energetic. The accessories she wore on her head were also pale yellow, small and round, and matched her outfit perfectly.

Deng Yin borrowed her hairpin, saying she wanted to use it as a prop.

Deng Yin gripped the hairpin tightly and asked, "Do you know any secrets? Anything is fine, as long as you can name the person who gave it."

"what?"

"Ouch!"

"Hey hey!"

Everyone was so anxious they were scratching their heads, wondering what they couldn't hear.

Returning the hairpin to the girl, Deng Yin patted her shoulder and said sincerely, "Su Qi, that Chen Shusheng is no good person. The jade on this hairpin he gave you wasn't carefully selected by him, but was something his cousin didn't want."

Su Qi was surprised that Deng Yin knew her name, but at that moment her mind was drawn to what Deng Yin was about to say.

"How could that be? Chen Shusheng comes from a very well-off family. How could he do such a thing? Besides, he is a humble and kind person. He would never deceive me!"

The young girl is still young and doesn't understand the dangers of the world, but Deng Yin does.

"His family is well-off? Your family is eight generations richer than his, how is that 'well-off'?"

"He's supposed to be humble and kind, but that's all an act. Behind his back, he's like a firecracker, cursing everyone."

"You have no idea how crazy he is. He'll be making a hairpin for you while cursing you. If you accidentally cut your hand while making it, he'll curse you out too."

"Sayings like 'brainless' and 'stupid as a pig' are mild insults; there are even harsher ones."

Su Qi's face turned deathly pale.

Chen Shusheng did tell her that he accidentally cut his hand while making hairpins, and she felt very sorry for him at the time.

How did Deng Yin know about this?

Su Qi had never told anyone about this.

Undeterred, the little girl persisted, saying, "You're lying, I don't believe you."

A woman stormed out from the crowd and said to Su Qi, "No wonder you cherish this broken hairpin so much! I knew the design was outdated and the inlaid jade was cheap turquoise. Why do you still like it so much? It turns out he gave it to you. Come with me! I'm going to take you to settle the score with him today!"

"No." Su Qi pulled away from the woman's hand and snatched the hairpin back from Deng Yin's. "He would never lie to me! How can you doubt him based on a few words from outsiders?"

Deng Yin had no intention of interrupting their conversation, but was the focus at this moment misplaced?

Who even remembers that this is her clarification event?!

"It's precisely because I'm an outsider that I can prove I can't possibly slander him." Deng Yin realized that this woman must be Su Qi's mother, and complained to her, "I'm reporting that Su Qi stays up late every night embroidering, and she's given those jade stones that were missing from her room, as well as that painting of Sun Cang Gong that you gave her before, to that boy."

The people around were so engrossed in the endless stream of gossip that they couldn't stop talking. Even the passersby were watching with wide eyes.

Su Qi's mother became even angrier when she heard Deng Yin say that.

"Well, that's why you always look so sleepy and are so forgetful. I'd even suspected a thief had broken into the house, but I never suspected you. Turns out, we've had a thief in the house!"

Su Qi couldn't believe that Deng Yinlian knew this.

Does that mean...?

...Are all the things she said about Chen Shusheng true?

Seeing that Su Qi seemed to have realized what was going on, Deng Yin continued, "Oh, by the way, three days before he gave you the hairpin, he had his father do some work on it. The marks on the hairpin were made by his father."

"When his father was carving it, he was having an affair with another man. The hairpin said it was put in a box, but I didn't hear what he said. I only vaguely heard him call that man Xiao Mo, or maybe Xiao Mu."

Su Qi's mother calmed down and asked Deng Yin, "Ask the hairpin again, I haven't heard anything else."