Shi Lan asked Huo Zhao not to startle the snake by hitting the grass, but instead to follow, monitor, and investigate the identity, and then, if opportunity arose, to collect evidence directly.
Now, the tasks Huo Zhao was receiving were becoming increasingly dangerous.
Prior incidents were minor troubles, but anything genuinely involving the Shi Family could be fatal. Like the person he was currently surveilling, who was already a seasoned criminal in Jianghu and likely had the backing of a very powerful syndicate.
An Yang, who had gone to Japan, contacted Huo Zhao almost daily.
But lately, Huo Zhao didn’t respond much; first, because he needed to focus, and second, he feared that any mishap might drive the person across the ocean mad.
An Yang had also figured out the difference between Huo Zhao’s working and non-working hours.
So, during the times when Huo Zhao sent fewer messages, he tried not to send any at all.
Second Madam Shi stayed up all night due to the scandal of her being a suspect in a poisoning case, trending on Weibo.
It left Ding Hong sleepless the whole night, contacting her hired "fixer" several times, but the person remained calm and never picked up Ding Hong’s calls, escalating her inner unease.
The cold treatment from her husband and the aloof behavior of Shi Yihui and his wife pushed Ding Hong into an abyss of fear.
Once the seed of suspicion took root in her heart, it soon grew wildly like weeds.
Therefore, Ding Hong wanted to handle things herself to ensure that everything was foolproof.
The butler saw Ding Hong’s panic and, under the instruction of Madam Shi, aimed to intensify Ding Hong’s fear.
So, at breakfast, while serving Ding Hong her coffee, the butler deliberately said, "Second Madam, Officer Yan has come back today, and he said he wants to ask you some questions, so he hopes you can make some time this morning."
"I don’t have time," Ding Hong immediately responded.
Seeing Ding Hong’s face, Si Junlan hurriedly said, "Second Sister-in-law, don’t worry, I’m with you, nothing will go wrong."
"Yet, you were also there yesterday, and things still went wrong, didn’t they?" Now, Ding Hong had a significant trust crisis with Si Junlan.
"Second Sister-in-law, I am only looking out for you..."
"No need, butler, take me to the equestrian field."
"Yes," the butler complied.
Shortly thereafter, the butler followed Ding Hong, who hadn’t eaten a bite of her breakfast, out the door.
"Second Madam, you are naive. Sometimes, you should listen less to what Third Madam says."
Hearing this, Ding Hong immediately asked, "Do you know something?"
"Second Madam, think about it. Every time there’s an issue in the Shi Family, it’s you who takes the front line, but what has Third Madam ever done?"
With the butler deliberately steering the conversation, Ding Hong’s complexion became increasingly grim.
Upon reflection, she understood what the butler meant.
Si Junlan had always appeared weak in front of her, but in reality, she had been using others to do her dirty work all along.
"You need to think more for yourself."
Ding Hong turned pale and suddenly felt that there were no trustworthy people in the whole Shi Family.
Her husband blamed her, her brother and sister-in-law schemed against her, her son... wasn’t her biological child.
Dazed, Ding Hong went to the equestrian field and then just sat in the VIP lounge all morning.
For she realized that her situation was no different from Madam Shi’s; both were merely meat on someone else’s chopping block.
She went to extremes in her actions, making it impossible for everyone else to disengage, except for herself...
The weapon was bought by her, the poison was administered by her, and from beginning to end, Si Junlan was just cheering on!
No, she couldn’t just sit and wait for doom...
The whole family had not noticed Ding Hong’s condition, as today was also a famous business conference in Yancheng.
Famous entrepreneurs of Yancheng would all attend.
However, Yan Shixiu had no time tonight, so Shi Lan, who had just announced her marriage, attended in his place.
It was unknown what sort of scenario it would be when facing up directly against the Shi Family members.