Qin Guan's opportunity came quickly – his father-in-law was hospitalized due to sudden kidney stones.
It was Qin Guan who had deliberately sent Qi Min to take care of the uncle at the hospital.
His purpose was simple – even though he had been attentive throughout, in the hospital ward, his father-in-law still refused to speak much to him. He couldn't open his father-in-law's heart; the father-in-law had built a wall between them. He could only rely on external force to reach over that wall, to probe, to communicate.
This external force could only be Qi Min, and only Qi Min.
Qi Min was sharp, intelligent, and skilled at reading expressions.
Even if the father-in-law refused to speak the truth, Qi Min would surely be able to read his real thoughts from his expressions.
So, that day, Qin Guan used the excuse that he was swamped with work and couldn't get away, and that Xu Ruyi had to take care of their child who had a cold, to have Qi Min go to the hospital to help keep watch for one night.
"Your father-in-law is really such a good man. He kept thanking me, saying 'sorry for the trouble' and 'thank you for your hard work,' very politely. And he chatted with me a lot. He didn't talk much before at your place, but when he really spoke, I realized how much he knows! His professional knowledge is solid, and he's very low-key. Among locals, few have such high quality. Many locals I've met, if their family conditions are even a little good, act so arrogant!"
The next day, during a private meeting, Qi Min picked up her coffee, filled with emotion.
"He's truly a good person, speaks very down-to-earth. I even think he's quite progressive! He really empathizes with the situation of young people today. He asked about my family situation, my studies and work, listened patiently to me talk, then said it's really tough for a girl like me to make it in this big city. He even talked about his own youth, saying he suffered a lot too, especially in the workplace. A young man fresh out, knowing nothing, handling things clumsily, always causing trouble, making mistakes. Once a mistake happened, he had to rely on others to clean it up."
Qin Guan listened silently, but his heart sank inch by inch – women are ultimately women, long hair, short insight. The hidden meaning in those words, Qi Min couldn't hear, but he understood perfectly.
The father-in-law wasn't just making small talk.
He was deliberately speaking for Qi Min's ears.
The father-in-law knew about this affair.
From Qi Min's words that day, Qin Guan could confirm this almost one hundred percent.
"He said young people today have it harder than they did back then, because the overall environment is harsher on young people. Especially for a girl, and especially for a girl like me, coming from out of town to struggle here, having nothing, no support behind me, no one lending a hand, everything relying on myself. But the workplace already has few opportunities, exploitation is rampant, and there's unavoidable gender discrimination. He said, although we've been shouting about gender equality for years, in fact, girls always bear more pressure than boys."
Qi Min didn't dare hide anything; she told Qin Guan every word of that night's conversation truthfully.
"Qin Guan, your father-in-law is really amazing. He understands women so well, respects women, has no discrimination against vulnerable groups like me, and speaks very tactfully. I think he probably doesn't know about our relationship, otherwise why would he talk to me so much?"
Yes, the father-in-law hadn't asked Qi Min a single question about it.
Qi Min didn't understand, but Qin Guan did.
His father-in-law had excellent upbringing and would never embarrass someone to their face.
Even if he knew full well that the girl before him was his son-in-law's mistress.
Yes, he knew.
Because Qi Min said: "Your father-in-law also told me quite a bit about himself. He said when he was young, he was also confused, also eager for quick success, wanting to reach the top in one step. But he later understood that life is like this: the higher you jump, the harder you fall. Only by being down-to-earth, going up step by step, can you step firmly. And only what you earn openly and honestly with your own hands, bit by bit, can be relied upon, can be held firmly."
Such words, the meaning couldn't be clearer.
The father-in-law knew. He knew the real relationship between Qin Guan and Qi Min. He was hinting to Qi Min, hinting to Qin Guan.
"Your father-in-law clearly knew about your affair with Qi Min, that's why he made the will! His purpose was to protect the Xu family's property! Such a big thing, something so closely related to you, Qin Guan, you didn't know?"
Old He bellowed sharply.
His voice was loud and powerful, like a stone hammer, jolting Qin Guan back from his memories.
Qin Guan looked around – several officers were rummaging through his home, forensics personnel were dusting for prints inside and outside the safe, a young technician expertly and carefully wrapped up the will.
"Such a huge amount of property, Qin Guan! Worth millions, maybe even more! All because of an affair, a mistress, about to be completely lost. What would any man do to save it?" Old He paced back and forth rapidly in front of Qin Guan, his hands rubbing together anxiously.
He didn't need to say more; Qin Guan understood.
Anyone would understand – faced with millions in substantial assets, any man involved would do everything to prevent this from happening.
The first step was denial: firmly deny the affair in front of the father-in-law.
Simultaneously, what needed to be done was a complete severance with the mistress, using concrete actions to show his stance.
"But what if you wanted to end it, and the mistress wasn't willing?" Old He's gaze, sharp as electricity, landed on Qin Guan's face.
His eyes glittered with excitement.
He had indeed connected it all, strung it together just as Qin Guan had anticipated.
"What if the mistress, at this critical moment, refused to bow out, refused to break up, and insisted you divorce and be with her?" Old He pressed closer.
Qin Guan swallowed hard, his Adam's apple making a strange sound.
He could no longer speak; sweat cascaded like a waterfall from his forehead.
As a lawyer, he understood all too well – this was motive. This was the most sufficient reason for him, Qin Guan, to have killed his mistress, Qi Min.
His breathing grew rapid, his legs went weak. He staggered, grabbing a nearby chair to keep from falling.
This was the function of the "will." He realized it belatedly, only now.
Xu Ruyi. It was her.
She had gone to such great lengths, planting this "will" in his safe, all to find the "motive" for him killing Qi Min.
This "motive" – whether from a professional standpoint or not, Qin Guan had to admit it was too perfect, seamless, flawless.
The timing, the opportunity, were grasped perfectly.
That vicious woman. What a vicious woman.
"It's Xu Ruyi…" Qin Guan's face was deathly pale as he struggled to speak. He felt the breath in his chest dissipating bit by bit; his usually agile tongue felt stiff and clumsy. "It's her, she did it. That malicious woman, she wanted to…"
"Currently, you haven't fully inherited your in-laws' estate. To my knowledge, Xu Ruyi still hasn't gone to process the inheritance for these properties and shops," Old He cut him off coldly before he could finish. "Why hasn't your wife done it? Is it because she also suspects your relationship with Qi Min? Or has she also discovered your affair?"
No, Xu Ruyi delayed processing it because she was overwhelmed with grief; she hadn't yet emerged from the pain of losing her father.
Qin Guan's mouth opened slightly, his increasingly blank mind rapidly overturning his previous thought – that vicious woman had said that before, but who knew if it was true? Could a single word she said be trusted?
"In short, your wife doesn't trust you either, and refuses to forgive you, right?" Old He's voice grew even colder.
A wife doesn't trust, or a wife refuses to forgive her husband?
As the husband, naturally, he should sincerely admit his mistake, slap himself, kneel and beg for forgiveness, promise to reform earnestly, and truly put it into action, caring for his wife doubly – just as Qin Guan had been behaving these past few days in the hospital and at home.
"Is your next step to deal with her?"
Deal with her, push all the blame onto her head, say this was all her scheme, that she ordered someone to do it, that she had accomplices…
Just like now, Qin Guan desperately "framing" her.
It all matched up. Every detail.
Like a perfectly smooth silk ribbon, she had finally shaken it out completely.
Qin Guan slumped heavily into the chair.
"I didn't…" He licked his parched lips. No, he had to defend himself, quickly. Though his mind was completely blank now, he mumbled, struggling to open his mouth. But his tongue couldn't form a complete sentence. "I… not me… Qi Min, she came back alive… I didn't…"
Just then, a young officer ran in through the door, panting, "Boss! The body was found!"