"Hey, wake up."
Splashed awake by a pail of water, Su Ya opened her eyes in confused daze, "where… am I?"
The area is an unfamiliar room with a group of people she has never seen surrounding her. Blurred eyes blinked while scanning the area until it landed on the teary face of Xiao Ming.
In an instant, clarity returned to the young woman's mind as she shouted out with a shrill warning. "Who are you?! What do you want with me?! Don't you know that this is ill-"
Pa-!
A familiar ring of crisp palm against skin echoed in the ears of each spectator who subconsciously shrunk back.
A large patch of redness began to color one side of the woman's cheek as she stared in disbelief.
"You…"
Pa-!
Another slap towards the other cheek for a more balanced visual.
Su Ya: "How-!"
Pa-!
Then another…
Su Ya: "... …" The young woman has finally realized her disadvantage.
Chu Nuan: "We're kinda in a hurry so I would appreciate it if you would just answer a few questions without fighting back."
"... …"
Su Ya nodded with an aggrieved look to her pretty face.
"Good, let's get started." The young lady nodded, "did you try to kill Xu Qianqian?"
Su Ya revealed a look of horror before shaking her head vigorously as a sign of denial. "No way! Her death does not have anything to do with me! I swear!"
Chu Nuan: "But you're aware that Xiao Ming plans to curse Xu Qianqian."
Su Ya: "... …" The young woman remained silent.
Chu Nuan: "Then have you met an old lady by any chance and bought a doll from her?"
To this question, Su Ya answered with another shake of her head, "I don't really like small dolls. I think they look very creepy."
Chu Nuan: "You didn't kill Xu Qianqian but you're sleeping with her fiance?"
To this, Su Ya expresses in a confident tone that in a relationship, the side that is not loved is the third party. Xiao Ming doesn't have any feelings for her any longer so why can't he be with me?
What does a successful man want in life if not a beautiful and confident woman like her who can stand beside him?
They eat, sleep, work, and even share their everyday life with each other more than his official fiancee. If they were to calculate the time spent together, Xu Qianqian seems more like the third party instead.
Everyone: "... …"
Xiao Ming: Su Ya my love! I knew you are the only person that can understand me!
After minutes of asking for more information, the group came to the conclusion that Su Ya indeed does not have anything to do with Xu Qianqian's death.
Although she does not have a direct relation to this incident. This does not mean she is guilt free either.
If only Su Ya had not intentionally gotten close to a man who is already seeing someone else. Then perhaps Xiao Ming would not have used the cursed doll and Xu Qianqian might have already gotten married and lived a happy life.
But then again, who can guarantee that without Su Ya in the picture, there wouldn't be a Su Qing, Su Ling, or Susu in the future.
The problem now is…
Who is the owner of that second doll?
Ding!
Just as everyone was pondering on this question, Man Tingshu's phone rang with an abrupt notification.
Reading the message that appeared on his phone with a serious expression. The solemnity on the man's face gradually loosened as he read the contents to turn into one of extreme disbelief.
Shutting the phone off after reading the message, the second eldest fell into a deep state of contemplative shock.
Under the worried gaze of the others, it took a few minutes later until the man was able to collect himself.
"I know who the other owner of the doll is." The man said in a raspy voice.
"Who is it?" Representing the others with the same questions in their minds, Rong Cheng stepped up to ask with a nervous intake of breath.
"It's… It's Xu Qianqian's mother."
_____
"Officers, I'm telling you that this is a misunderstanding! Why would I harm my own daughter!?"
Observing from behind the glass screen of what's happening inside the interrogation chamber.
Rong Cheng still could not believe that there are parents in this world that would harm their own child.
"But what is the point of killing her own kid? What's in it for her?"
"That's the reason why she's in there being questioned." Man Tingshu shrugged his shoulders with a helpless sigh. "I've heard and seen parents abusing their kids before in cases I've worked on in the past."
"But this is also the first for me to hear of a mother who hated their daughter enough to cast a curse."
Soon, with the video evidence of mother Xu at the entrance way of Xu Qianqian's house. Paired with the threat of imprisonment for life, the elderly woman admitted to her guilt right away.
The so-called video evidence was a recording from Xu Qianqian's front doorway camera. It was hidden in a corner outside of the door, placed in an angle which allowed the viewer to see mother Xu's actions.
The elderly woman snuck into her daughter's house one day when the owner of the house was not at home. In order to make sure that the doll is in perfect condition, Mother Xu took out the doll once.
Right in front of the entranceway where the camera was able to see clearly, the same curse doll that was found in the kitchen.
According to Mother Xu, Xu Qianqian also has a little brother a few years younger who is about to get married.
The family wanted to borrow some money so the ceremony could be held at a fancier place. But Xu Qianqian refused under the excuse that she is also planning to marry soon and wanted to save up money for her day.
How can Mother Xu allow that?!
In the woman's mind, Xu Qianqian isn't getting married right away so why can't she take the money out for her little brother to use first?
They aren't saying that she gives it out for free, it's a loan, they'll pay everything back eventually.
But her daughter wouldn't budge on that subject no matter what.
One day, when the elderly woman was sitting in one of the public parks wondering on how to get her hands on the money. An old lady she has never met before offered to sell her a curse doll that can aid in her wishes.
Unlike Xiao Ming who did not believe in supernatural occurrences, Mother Xu is a very superstitious person.
She accepted this suggestion right away and bought the doll off the hands of the old woman with an acceptable price. She doesn't know where the seller went afterwards nor did she notice or cared.
There was only one thing left in her mind.
Mother Xu wasted no time at all to write down her daughter's time and date of birth before sneaking into Xu Qianqian's house. Placing the doll inside the kitchen, the one place where Xu Qianqian rarely enters.
"I wasn't planning on killing her, really. I only wanted her to lose her sight for a few days or weeks so we could have the excuse to take care of her. That way we can have access to her accounts to pay for her little brother's ceremony."
"Afterall, if she doesn't give us her bank account information, how are we going to pay for her hospital fees when we take her to the hospital?"
"Officers, you must believe me. I love my daughter as well, she's a baby whom I carried in my stomach for months."
The elderly woman covered her face while weeping in a loud tone that goes well with the solemn ambience in the room.
Nonetheless, the beady eyes that peer out from between wrinkled digits were dry without a touch of moisture.
_____
"Although Mother Xu and Xiao Ming did not have the intentions to kill Xu Qianqian. It was their actions that caused this tragedy so of course they would get the punishment a criminal deserves."
"The both of them will be spending a long time in prison. Xiao Ming might still have a chance to get out but the chances for Mother Xu are slim."
"This sounds like a happy ending," Chu Nuan joined the conversation with a shrug of the shoulders.
"If only you didn't have to deal with this."
A slender finger pointed at the floating spirit distance away.
Xu Qianqian came out to greet them on this wonderful night at the office with barely a shred of moonlight.
"Well…"
The young woman flitted a glance at the situation before taking out her folding chair with a fatigue sigh.
"I'll be sitting here supervising as usual…"
Slender fingers tore open a bag of roasted peas.
"Krack!"