"Thank you, young lady, thank you. Can I tell you sothing?"
"No need."
Yin ng went to various shops to ask around, then requested others to keep an eye out.
After finishing this set routine, Yin ng inexplicably felt a sense of irritation.
Because she knew well, the strategies she could think of, they could also think of, and only do it better and more ticulously.
This town was not very large, and there weren’t many outsiders. Surely if anyone asked, the people on the street or the shop owners would have a profound impression, but there was none when she previously interacted with them.
"ng ng, what’s wrong?"
"I’m fine."
"Shall we continue searching then?"
"No, let’s go back."
The two returned to the Zheng family house, the door was closed.
Zheng Jiayi went up to push the door, and the door opened.
Then, Aunt’s voice ca from behind the door: "You’re back."
And then, she herself ca out, wearing the sa clothes as last night.
"Aunt, you’re back?"
"Yes, I’m back."
"Is Uncle back too?"
"No, Da Qiang ca to the mountains to find us; he took over my shift so I ca back to prepare your lunch. Didn’t you eat breakfast, didn’t Da Qiang tell you?"
"Aunt, Brother Da Qiang told , but I wanted to take my friend to try the local breakfast here, so I deliberately kept my stomach empty."
"Oh, are you going to eat lunch at ho?"
Zheng Jiayi looked at Yin ng; Yin ng shook her head lightly.
"No, Aunt, we’re going to eat out later."
"Okay."
Aunt walked into the house and then directly went upstairs.
Yin ng fetched so water from the well, washed her hands, and then her face.
This house, and the people in this house, gave off a peculiar vibe.
It’s a pity that she couldn’t find Brother Xiao Yuan; these clues couldn’t be reported for now.
The two went back upstairs, and when they reached the corner of the stairs on the second floor, Yin ng pointed at the stairs leading further up.
"ng ng, that’s the attic, right? I’ve never been there."
"Let’s go take a look."
Yin ng went up; the attic wasn’t cramped and seed to be well-maintained, not dirty at all.
A red antique coffin was placed there.
Zheng Jiayi was startled by the coffin and hid behind Yin ng.
"It’s nothing, I used to sell coffins."
Yin ng walked to the coffin. The craftsmanship and materials of the coffin were not very exquisite; slightly well-off elders would not choose it as their burial material.
"Jiayi, your grandparents have passed away a long ti ago, right?"
"Yes, the last ti my parents ca back, it was to visit my grandfather’s grave."
Both grandparents had passed away, then why was there still a coffin in the house?
Although she hadn’t t Zheng Jiayi’s uncle yet, judging from Aunt’s age, the couple probably weren’t at the age to prepare their burial materials in advance.
Just as Yin ng was about to open the coffin to take a look, Aunt’s figure appeared at the doorway.
"Why did you co here?"
Zheng Jiayi replied, "We were just wandering around."
"This is a relative’s house being renovated; they temporarily placed their elderly’s prepared burial material in our ho."
Yin ng retracted her hand and said, "Oh, I see."
"There are many rats in the house, don’t run around and get frightened by them, haha."
"Yes, we know."
Yin ng and Zheng Jiayi ca into a room on the second floor; Zheng Jiayi sat on the bed while Yin ng stood at the doorway.
"ng ng, shall we go out to eat?"
"No need, let’s just eat sothing simple." Yin ng took out so biscuits from her backpack, handed them to Zheng Jiayi, then went back to standing by the door.
"ng ng, where should we start looking next?" Zheng Jiayi asked.
"We start from this house."
"Ah, I ant looking for your friend Mr. Xue."
"The sa thing, finding his house will make it easier to pinpoint the root of your parents’ illness."
"Oh, I see," said Jiayi, nodding. She believed it.
"Jiayi, don’t you think your uncle’s family is very strange?"
"I ntioned it last night that their family has always been cold in character. Also, I don’t really interact much with them."
"Are you done eating?"
"Yes, I’m done."
"Then let’s go out then."
Yin ng took Zheng Jiayi and left the Zheng family to start visiting neighbors, looking for those aunties and grandmas who seed fond of chatting.
The neighbors revealed that the Zheng family was notoriously reclusive; they hardly interacted with outsiders and even didn’t invite them over even when their house needed sothing. Only the two brothers ca ho once or twice a year.
In the countryside, even the most introverted and unsociable people wouldn’t dare to skip attending village events.
Because everyone knew, such family events will eventually co to one’s own ho; if you don’t attend others’, they won’t co to help at yours either.
The neighbors couldn’t provide any concrete information, so Yin ng had to return to the Zheng family house and sat in the courtyard.
She was sowhat at a loss without contact from Xiao Yuan.
It seed that, for now, she could only continue with the established pattern.
Like, trying to uncover the real secrets of the Zheng family without antagonizing them.
Yin ng spent the entire afternoon sitting in the yard.
Finally, she saw Zheng Jiayi’s great-uncle; he returned carrying a fertilizer bag, with sothing moving inside it.
Zheng Jiayi greeted him, "Uncle."
"Yes, Jiayi."
"Where’s Brother Da Qiang, why didn’t he co back with you?"
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