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墨書 Inktalez
The most suspicious individuals right now are Second Lady Ru Qing and Third Madam Yu Yao.
Both of them had previously helped old master Bai find high-quality pearls—one in the past and one in the present.
Is this merely luck, or is there something more to it?
After receiving Bai Haoran's permission, Wan Shaobai and Ting Yu were led by the butler to Second Lady Ru Qing's residence.
Second Lady was seated before a bronze mirror, meticulously applying her makeup. Upon hearing Wan Shaobai and Ting Yu's arrival, she remained unfazed, as if she had anticipated it all along. She casually remarked, "Not bad, you have some skill! You managed to get that old man to send you over to ask me."
Recalling what Madam had said about Second Lady's longstanding discord with Bai Haoran, this moment clearly confirmed it.
Ting Yu understood the situation and gave Wan Shaobai a reassuring smile, signaling him to relax. She then walked over to a round stool without hesitation, sat down steadily, and said to Second Lady, "Your chamber is quite lavishly decorated! Are the other madams' chambers as exquisite?"
A slight smirk appeared on Second Lady's lips as she replied with disdain, "I don't know about the others, but everything here is what I deserve. I helped Bai Haoran find those pearls, making him a fortune; taking a small portion for myself is only natural."
"Indeed, since you don't care for old master Bai's feelings, it’s only right to gather wealth for yourself," Ting Yu nodded slightly, her expression one of understanding.
Second Lady turned her head slightly, her gaze sweeping over Ting Yu before casting a sidelong glance at Wan Shaobai standing nearby. "You are more sensible than that blockhead."
Ting Yu's smile widened as she followed up with curiosity, "So how did you manage to find those pearls?"
At that moment, Wan Shaobai finally understood Ting Yu's intention; her interest was not merely superficial.
The words about accumulating wealth were spoken by the Second Lady herself, and now she could not refute them. Since there was wealth, where did it come from? Indeed, the Second Lady's hand trembled slightly as she held the eyebrow pencil. Pausing for a moment, she picked up a silk handkerchief to wipe away the crooked eyebrow line and calmly replied, “Naturally, it is my luck and fortune.”
Wan Shaobai's gaze sharpened, and he said sternly, “If one knows nothing about the sea, relying solely on luck and fortune to find so many pearls is quite fortunate for you, madam! Are you the Sea God? Two lives have been lost in this household; I hope you will speak truthfully.”
“Ha! If I were the Sea God, that would be wonderful! I wouldn’t be trapped here by this old man for a lifetime!”
The Second Lady's grip on the mirror tightened suddenly, her knuckles turning white. Then she slowly relaxed her hand and continued in that indifferent tone, “I found a piece of paper near Third Madam's courtyard with several locations written on it. Third Madam has gone mad; that paper must have floated out from her courtyard. The the Bai Family's pearl business thrived because of Third Madam’s eyes that could see pearls. The paper indicated where the pearls grow; that is how I was able to find them.”
After explaining all this, the Second Lady let out a cold laugh and said, “They say there’s no such thing as a free lunch in this world, yet I stumbled upon such good fortune. This Third Madam—who knows if she is truly mad or just pretending…”
Both Wan Shaobai and Ting Yu were taken aback. If what the Second Lady said was true, then the appearance of that paper indicating the pearl-growing locations was indeed too coincidental.
However, if the Second Lady was lying, everything would fall into mystery. Wan Shaobai and Ting Yu exchanged glances that conveyed mutual understanding and trust.
Ting Yu intuitively moved closer to the Second Lady, gently patting her shoulder. As the Second Lady turned her head, Ting Yu quickly met her gaze and said deliberately, “Tell us everything you know.”
“I…” The Second Lady hesitated for a moment but then numbly repeated what she had just said.
Once she finished, Ting Yu pressed further, “Is there anything else you haven’t mentioned?”
The Second Lady furrowed her brows slightly, seemingly struggling against the deadly allure in Ting Yu's eyes. Yet eventually, she spoke slowly, “One night, I saw a ghostly light flash through Third Madam’s courtyard; it was just for an instant.”
Wan Shaobai immediately inquired, “Why didn’t you mention this earlier?”
"If there really is a water ghost, knowing that I have seen it, the next person to die will be me."
A flicker of intensity flashed in Ting Yu's eyes, and the Second Lady instantly regained her composure. Her face turned a deep shade of red, and although she usually acted indifferent to everything, she found herself confessing her fear of the water ghost in front of two strangers. Embarrassment quickly turned to anger as she waved her hand and shouted, "Who are you? Get out! Leave!"
The two had no choice but to depart from the Second Lady.
Wan Shaobai turned to Ting Yu and asked, "Could her reaction have been feigned?"
Ting Yu gently shook her head and replied, "If she were an ordinary person, then her reaction would be genuine. But if she is one of the Shark People, I can't be sure if she could evade my gaze. However, I can't discern anything from the Second Lady's expression when she ordered us to leave."
"Then we can only check with the Third Madam. But the matter with the paper seems too coincidental," Wan Shaobai continued.
Ting Yu pondered for a moment before slowly saying, "We need to ask the Third Madam about the paper; only she can see the pearls. If we return empty-handed from the Third Madam's place, then..."
"That would be a last resort. Let's consult the Third Madam first," Wan Shaobai interrupted her, seemingly unwilling to hear more.
Standing outside the Third Madam's courtyard, they heard her voice rising in anguish: "Bai Haoran, if I can't have children, then you don't want me! You heartless man! Devil!"
The steward and Madam had already been waiting outside. Seeing Wan Shaobai and Ting Yu approach, Madam stepped forward with a helpless expression and explained, "Third Sister has gone mad; we don't know what she might do. The master instructed me to keep an eye on her so that you won't be harmed."
Wan Shaobai and Ting Yu nodded in understanding. The steward then opened the door.
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