The backdrop can also be propped up.

352. Escaping the Huang Mansion 18

Having learned from Huang Muyan about the relationship between the four suspects and Master Huang, Xu Qinying prepared to go with Zhou Hefang to the study where Master Huang died.

Huang Muyan also wanted to go and see, so Lu Renkui followed the three of them to the study.

Upon arriving at the study, Lu Renkui, thinking he wouldn't be of much help, stood at the door and watched Xu Qinying and the others search for clues inside.

Inside the study, the group had indeed found a clue and were discussing it together. Lu Renkui, having nothing else to do, turned around to see if anyone was coming. If someone was coming, she would have to greet and remind the three people inside.

After watching for a while, Lu Renkui spotted a furtive figure outside the study's wall. Upon seeing someone inside, the figure hid.

"Who's there?" Lu Renkui didn't pretend to be blind and asked loudly, attracting the attention of the three people in the room.

The person outside the wall was startled, and then heard running sounds.

Zhou Hefang realized what was happening and immediately took off after him. Xu Qinying and Huang Muyan also hurriedly left the study and followed. Lu Renkui followed at the very back, watching as Zhou Hefang subdued the suspicious person.

Xu Qinying and Huang Muyan stepped forward and immediately recognized who this person was—the mill manager.

"Uncle? What are you doing here?" Huang Muyan asked, frowning. She didn't think her uncle was here for anything good.

"Oh dear, Little Flower Dew, I just came to take a look. You maid are so easily startled. You should go back and discipline her properly." Since he couldn't escape, the mill manager immediately took the initiative and tried to shift all the blame onto Lu Renkui, who was inside Mu Wanqing's body.

“My maid is young and timid, so it’s normal for her to scream when she sees someone acting suspiciously,” Huang Muyan said coldly. “But you, Uncle, said yesterday that the place where my father died was unlucky and that you would stay far away from it. Why did you come here in broad daylight?”

"Oh dear, I just felt that your father was my cousin, and it wasn't very nice of me to say such things to him, so I came over to burn some things to comfort him." The mill manager looked at the ground guiltily, "so that he wouldn't leave in such a shabby way."

"You're here to perform a sacrifice?" Zhou Hefang clearly didn't believe her. "But you didn't bring anything to start a fire, nor did you bring any sacrificial items like paper money. Are you going to pick something out of the study to burn on the spot?"

"Oh dear, how can you talk like that..." The mill manager was a little nervous when he realized his lie had been exposed.

“Am I wrong?” Zhou Hefang was very unconvinced. “You said you came to the sacrifice without even bringing a bottle of wine? Who would believe that? Don’t you think so, Miss Xu?”

"Oh dear, I was in such a hurry to leave that I forgot..." The mill manager's voice grew softer and softer, and he became increasingly less confident.

The mill manager felt that if he continued to ask questions, he would really be unable to handle it. He glanced around and saw Huang Muyan standing in front of him talking to Xu Qinying. He immediately shouted, "Hua Lu! What's wrong with you? Your uncle is being pinned to the ground, and you're not going to speak up for him? Are you just going to watch him being pinned to the ground?"

“Uncle,” Huang Muyan said irritably as the conversation was interrupted, “you sneaked into my mother’s room before, trying to steal her jewelry to gamble.”

"I borrowed money from my older brother before, hoping he would give me some money so I could go see my lover."

“Your father has told you this many times, but you never listened and even talked back to him on several occasions. Now you suddenly remember to offer sacrifices to my father? What were you doing before?”

"Tell me the truth, what exactly do you want to do in Father's study?"

Hearing Huang Muyan say this, the mill manager knew that he probably couldn't avoid it this time. He cursed inwardly and finally admitted the purpose of his visit: "I came here to secretly take some of your father's collection from his study and sell it."

"Stealing collectibles? You're going to sell them for money, right? What are you going to do with the money after you sell them?" Huang Muyan frowned and continued to ask.

"Oh dear, I'll just buy some wine and then meet up with some friends. It would be embarrassing if I didn't have any money." The mill manager looked down at the ground again.