PDLP Chapter 1961 A Qualified Actor
Chapter 1961 A Qualified Actor
The wind and snow raged all night, only gradually subsiding in the early morning.
The entire city of Yanjing was covered in silver, and the sunlight shone through the thin clouds onto the snow, reflecting a dazzling white light, but it could not dispel the biting cold in the air.
Life seemed to proceed in an orderly fashion within the courtyard house.
The courtyard was bustling with activity early in the morning.
The neighbors got up early to shovel snow, saying that this snow was a sign of a bountiful year and that the coming year would surely bring good fortune.
Li Xiangnan naturally got up early to shovel snow, sweeping the backyard first and then the front yard.
Zhu Qiuju and Li Fugui were preparing breakfast, while Tang Qingshuang was cooking millet porridge on a small stove. Qin Ruobai was feeding Xiao Xitang and then humming a lullaby to lull her to sleep in the room.
Everything was fine, as if the harrowing events that had unfolded in the Lan family's cottage the previous night had never happened.
However, beneath the calm surface, undercurrents had already begun to surge.
Li Xiangnan noticed that more people had come to the Xu family to congratulate Qin Cuilian on her pregnancy than usual. Today, in addition to neighbors from the neighborhood, there were also his factory colleagues, distant relatives, and some people that even Xu Damao himself couldn't name.
After all, you can't hit a smiling face. Even if someone just looks familiar, you can't turn them away when they bring a gift.
So these people flocked to Xu Damao's house in droves, wave after wave, in huge numbers.
Around 10 a.m., Lan Cuihua arrived, carrying a small cloth bag and trudging through the snow.
Her eyes were a little red, I don’t know if it was because she didn’t sleep well last night or because she had been crying, but she seemed to be in good spirits.
Seeing a large group of people carrying gifts heading into the backyard to see Qin Cuilian, she exchanged a glance with Li Xiangnan and immediately understood what he was looking at. She then familiarly helped Zhu Qiuju pick vegetables at the door.
"Oh dear, your little hands are so cold! Quickly have some tea to warm them up!"
Zhu Qiuju touched Lan Cuihua's hand and quickly handed her a steaming cup of tea.
"Thank you, Auntie!" Lan Cuihua took the bowl and drank, her eyes darting around, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.
Zhu Qiuju noticed her unusual expression and asked with concern, "Cuihua, what's wrong? You don't look well. Is your father feeling unwell again, or are you just tired? Why don't you stop working and go home to rest!"
"No, no, my dad is much better!" Lan Cuihua quickly shook her head, then raised her voice so that everyone passing by the Li family's door could hear her, "Auntie, the weather's getting colder now. I got up in the middle of the night to get water for my dad, and I heard the wind outside was so strong. It's awful the weather in Yanjing. You can't believe my dad, with his robust health, can't handle it. What about the back house..."
Her words caused many footsteps walking towards the backyard to pause slightly.
“I keep hearing a lot of coughing from the back room. I keep wondering if the old lady is feeling unwell. In this cold weather, she can’t be bedridden like my dad! That would be so uncomfortable! Should I go over and take care of her?”
Her words were hesitant and her eyes darted around, revealing a girl who was both concerned and afraid of being a busybody, yet the sincerity in her tone was unmistakable, leaving no room for criticism.
Upon hearing this, Zhu Qiuju's expression changed slightly. She glanced at the backyard subconsciously, but quickly regained her composure.
"Cuihua, you must have misheard. There's been a lot of noise in Yanjing lately, all sorts of rumors! The old lady is doing quite well, she's fine. With Nannan and his grandfather here, don't worry! You're such a thoughtful child, thinking of us even while you're at home! Alright, help me pick some vegetables, we'll have spicy and sour cabbage for lunch!"
Zhu Qiuju's reaction was natural; she neither admitted nor denied anything, but simply brushed it off lightly. Moreover, she did not agree to Lan Cuihua taking care of the old lady. The change in her eyes and her subconscious glance back at that moment were themselves a piece of information to anyone with a discerning eye.
"Okay!" Lan Cuihua replied obediently, without asking any further questions.
She secretly remembered the task that Li Xiangnan had given her.
First, he coughed, seemingly taking advantage of the strange noises he heard in the backyard, as if he were trying to get information out of Zhu Qiuju unintentionally.
Given Zhu Qiuju's concern and caution towards the old lady, these words were likely mentioned in a small circle, and may even have reached Li Xiangnan's ears.
This was exactly the effect Li Xiangnan wanted: a piece of evidence that seemed to have been inadvertently leaked from within the family.
For the next two days, Lan Cuihua helped out at the Li family's house as usual, but she was noticeably more "attentive".
She would often use the excuse of delivering things or cleaning to go in and out of the backyard, lingering a little longer at the door of Li Xiangnan's back house.
If the door is open, she will "casually" glance at the coffee table, the eight-immortal table, and the locked drawers around the chest of drawers.
That day, the opportunity came. Li Xiangnan was called to the back room by Zhou Yuejin to answer a phone call. The door to the back room was ajar.
The notebook Li Xiangnan was looking at was on the table, and he hadn't had time to put it in the drawer yet.
In the backyard, many of Xu family's "guests" were coming and going. Lan Cuihua happened to be carrying a basin of washed fruit. Upon seeing this, she hesitated at the door for a long time before taking the fruit plate inside.
Her gaze "curiously" fell on the open notebook, which was filled with many complicated symbols and icons that she couldn't understand at all.
She glanced at it only once before quickly looking away, her face showing an expression that said, "This thing seems very important, but I can't understand it."
But she also skillfully displayed her struggle and desire to write it down, revealing her unease to outsiders.
Just then, Li Xiangnan returned after finishing his phone call. Upon seeing Lan Cuihua standing by the table and the notebook on it, his expression changed slightly. He quickly stepped forward and closed the notebook, his movements revealing a hint of barely perceptible tension.
"Cuihua, is something the matter?" Li Xiangnan's tone was relatively calm, but his eyes swept sharply across Lan Cuihua's face.
Lan Cuihua seemed startled and quickly lowered her head: "Dr. Li... I didn't, it's nothing! I just wanted to bring you some fruit... I didn't see anything!"
She almost blurted it out, the last sentence carrying a sense of panic and an eagerness to distance herself.
Seeing her flustered expression, Li Xiangnan's expression softened a bit. "It's nothing, just an old notebook. There's nothing wrong with looking at it. You can go back to your work!"
"Okay!" Lan Cuihua breathed a sigh of relief and quickly turned to leave, her steps somewhat hurried. She could even feel the cold gaze that Li Xiangnan deliberately placed on her back.
Back at the Intermediate People's Court, Lan Cuihua's heart was still pounding.
She even believed what she just witnessed.
Dr. Li's reaction was consistent with the way someone would instantly become alert and then try to remain calm when their secret is discovered.
She believed that if the mysterious man had sent someone to infiltrate the guests who came to visit Qin Cuilian, the details of the notebook that she had inadvertently glimpsed today, which Li Xiangnan hurriedly put away, would be very significant evidence!
In the backyard, after she left, Li Xiangnan hurriedly peeked at the crowd and quickly closed the door, as if he couldn't wait to pack up the notebook.
With a bang, the panic on his face vanished as soon as the door closed, replaced by a cold smile.
The notebook on the table has a cover that says "The Barefoot Doctor's Manual." It contains only analyses of complex medical cases and notes on the contraindications of traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions, which, to outsiders, are naturally shrouded in mystery.
This accident, including the earlier incident where Lan Cuihua tested her mother, was all a carefully designed prop and performance.
The Lan Cuihua storyline is progressing meticulously according to his script.
Her simple intelligence and natural performance are irreplaceable by any professional actor.
Li Xiangnan sneered.
He believed that after these past few days of continuous baiting, Little Buddha's men must be eager to verify something.
Let the bullets fly a little longer!
Li Xiangnan turned on the TV and started watching it listlessly.
But around noon, hurried footsteps came rushing over from the front yard.
Bang bang bang!
Bang bang bang!
A loud knocking sounded in response. Li Xiangnan frowned, got up and opened the door, only to see Song Ziming grabbing his wrist with an uneasy expression.
"Brother Nan, holy crap, it's him!"
Li Xiangnan's heart skipped a beat, and he subconsciously asked, "Who?"
"Abbot! The abbot of Pudu Temple, Yuantong!"
"what?!"
Li Xiangnan was shocked.
How could he be the first person to arrive?