Chapter 333: Chapter 333: Must Restore Their Innocence
Chu Xi dared to speak to Chu Tian and Li Sulan like this because she thought they must feel guilty for letting her wander outside for twenty years, and they wouldn’t truly blame her.
But Chu Xi overestimated how much they valued her. Chu Tian’s expression suddenly darkened, and he stared at Chu Xi silently with an ominous look.
Only now did Chu Xi feel the pangs of regret—she had acted impulsively.
She had never lived with Chu Tian since childhood; there was no bond of father-daughter affection between them at all.
"Chu Xi." Chu Tian’s tone was stern; this was the first time he had called her by her full name.
Chu Xi instinctively shrank her shoulders back, the rebellious energy instantly dissipating.
"Adult affairs are not for you to comment on." Chu Tian bent his knuckles and tapped on the coffee table with force. "You’ve lived in the Sang Family for twenty years and still retain many behaviors and speaking habits that are utterly unpresentable. I thought since you’d only just returned home, you’d slowly improve without pressure, but now it seems I must correct your thoughts immediately. Remember this: The interests of the company will always outweigh your personal interests! Compared to the Chu Group, a mere daughter means nothing."
Chu Xi’s throat tightened with bitterness, and her eyes began to grow moist. She understood all this in her heart, but hearing it directly from Chu Tian was unbearably hurtful.
Li Sulan’s expression shifted, and she nudged Chu Tian with her elbow while giving him a warning glance.
"Xiao Xi, your father has been very busy with work lately and inevitably has a bit of a temper. Don’t take it to heart—I’ll discipline him. As a daughter, don’t let it weigh on you." Li Sulan stepped forward, took Chu Xi’s hand, and led her out of the living room, heading toward the bedroom on the second floor.
Once seated on the sofa in the bedroom, Chu Xi’s emotions overflowed, and she collapsed into Li Sulan’s arms, crying uncontrollably.
"Mom, actually, my life in the Sang Family wasn’t that bad. I lied to you. Sang Youming and Hu Zhi weren’t that harsh to me, and even Sang Chuan didn’t bully me much. Could you and Dad let them off the hook?"
Compared to Chu Tian, Chu Xi felt Li Sulan was more empathetic and might actually listen to her plea.
It took immense courage to clarify that Sang Youming and Hu Zhi hadn’t treated her poorly—she worried Li Sulan might think of her as a liar. However, Shen Yi’s words deeply affected her, reminding her she had the right to be genuine.
Li Sulan gently pushed Chu Xi away, wiping the tears off her face with her fingertips. Wearing a benevolent mother’s expression, she said, "Xiao Xi, Mom knows you’re kind-hearted. Sang Youming and Hu Zhi did raise you for twenty years, so it’s understandable you’re reluctant to see harm come to them. But listen: follow your father’s lead in this matter. Regardless of whether they treated you well or not, they simply cannot have a good outcome."
Though Li Sulan seemed to be comforting Chu Xi, the overall impression she gave off was firm and unyielding.
Chu Xi felt even colder and more powerless. It became clear that they didn’t truly care about how her twenty years in the Sang Family had been.
She suddenly found it ridiculous—how she had once loathed Sang Ning due to Chu Tian and Li Sulan’s intention to bring Sang Ning back into the family.
In hindsight, it was obvious they didn’t truly cherish Sang Ning as a daughter; they simply couldn’t stand losing control.
How could they accept Sang Ning treating Sang Youming and Hu Zhi—people so far beneath them in wealth and status—so kindly?
"Alright, Mom, I understand," Chu Xi said, reluctantly compromising.
"Xiao Xi, don’t overthink. Focus on being happy. Our family’s status is about to rise to another level. When that happens, no one will dare say anything against you—people will be scrambling to curry favor with you instead." Li Sulan gently patted Chu Xi’s shoulder, yet Chu Xi offered no response.
After successfully calming Chu Xi, Li Sulan left the second-floor bedroom and returned to the living room downstairs, where Chu Tian sat on the sofa with the same severe expression.
"Is she pacified?" Chu Tian asked casually.
Li Sulan stepped forward and punched him firmly in the chest with her fist. "There’s nobody else here, so why keep up the act? Let me warn you: Sang Ning—the ungrateful traitor—will never return in this lifetime. Xiao Xi is the only daughter we have left; if you scare her away with your attitude, what will we do then?"
"Got it. Young girls have short fuses but are quick to forget. Xiao Xi will let this go in a few days," Chu Tian muttered. He spoke in a lowered tone, visibly subdued. Damn it, he wasn’t sure why, but he must have owed Li Sulan something in a past life—what else could explain how terrified he was of her?
"We’re about to meet Mr. Li soon. At such a critical juncture, don’t stir up trouble." Even though he felt intimidated by Li Sulan, Chu Tian maintained the posture of a family head, clinging to the last shred of his pride.
...
Sang Ning and Li Juezhou went door to door, gathering information, until they finally found a lead. It came from a homeowner who frequently worked night shifts.
According to this homeowner, on the night Doctor Zhou fell to his death, he indeed saw two unfamiliar women enter the building.
However, due to the building’s old and malfunctioning lights, the dim hallway made it impossible for him to clearly see the features of the two women.
Sang Ning asked Li Juezhou to show the homeowner full-body photos of Li Sulan and Duan Wenhu for identification. The homeowner said the two women’s physiques matched those of whom he had seen, but he couldn’t confirm their faces.
This clue was significant enough for Sang Ning—it validated her suspicion that Doctor Zhou’s death must be linked to these two women.
As for why they would collaborate with each other, the motive was obvious—they now shared the same thorn in their side.
Sang Ning immediately passed on the information to Shen Fang, hoping he could inform his colleagues to prioritize investigating interactions between Duan Wenhu, Li Sulan, and Doctor Zhou.
At the scene of Doctor Zhou’s death, a cellphone was recovered. Unfortunately, the phone was severely damaged, making it impossible to restore its records—and therefore, useless for gathering any useful information. However, leads might still come from Duan Wenhu and Li Sulan!
"Sang Ning, I’m sorry. The police may have to discontinue the investigation into this matter," Shen Fang said.
Sang Ning had expected Shen Fang’s support, but his response instead poured cold water on her hopes.
"What do you mean?" Sang Ning asked, her tone puzzled and tinged with frustration.
"Doctor Zhou’s family insists his death was a suicide by jumping, and they’ve already cremated his remains. They’re even planning to file complaints against the officers who handled the case initially, saying they defined the cause of death without consulting the family—and deeply hurt their emotions as a result. The case has to be dropped; otherwise, they’ll take up a relentless legal battle against us."
Shen Fang explained helplessly but didn’t forget to comfort Sang Ning: "But don’t worry. Even if no one else in the precinct is investigating this case, I’ll continue digging into it on my own. Trust me, I’ll ensure your uncle and aunt’s innocence."