Chapter 948: Chapter 948: Murder

The woman was familiar with Young Master Jiang but unfamiliar with the young lady in front of her. Thus, she didn’t dare to cry out and seek sympathy like before. She quickly tucked away the handkerchief in her hand and replied softly, “The people living next door are Old Man Cui and his granddaughter.”

“His granddaughter? How old is she?”

“Five years old.”

Shu Yu frowned. “But I just heard a woman’s voice coming from inside–it doesn’t sound like the voice of a five-year-old.”

The woman froze for a moment, and then realization dawned upon her. “Oh, that must be the distant niece who came to seek refuge with Old Man Cui.”

Shu Yu furrowed her brow. Could this distant niece have come from Shangshi Village?

She remained silent, but the woman continued, “That distant niece and her husband came here two months ago. They said they had lost their parents and had no one left except Old Man Cui as a relative. So, here they are–they’ve been staying for two months now.”

She clearly had little fondness for the distant niece. Curling her lips, she said, “They’re so young, yet they’re shameless enough to come and rely on that old man and little girl. It’s a joke to even talk about it. But Old Man Cui doesn’t seem to mind. We outsiders can’t really say anything.”

Shu Yu inwardly agreed with her sentiments. She had initially thought that the distant niece had come alone–that as a young woman with no relatives in her hometown and having suffered grievances, it was understandable to seek out her only family member.

But from what was said, the niece was already married.

She was married and already had a husband, yet still needed to seek refuge? If the husband were wealthy and influential, it’d make sense if they were trying to take advantage of others. But the Cui family clearly struggled with farming rented land, barely making ends meet–under such circumstances, it appeared rather odd.

Squinting her eyes, Shu Yu was just about to ponder the mention of Shangshi Village when a sudden loud noise reverberated from inside, sounding like a water vat or something similar being smashed to pieces.

Everyone turned their heads simultaneously, looking toward the Cui household where the noise had erupted.

Shu Yu quickly walked to the entrance. “Something seems to have happened inside.”

Third Lu was, by nature, a busybody. If he hadn’t feared embarrassing Shu Yu while accompanying her, he would have already crouched by the doorway eavesdropping as soon as he heard the mention of “Shangshi Village” earlier.

Now, upon hearing another abnormal noise from inside, he didn’t hesitate to charge forward, shouting as he ran, “Let’s go check it out–it seems like a fight broke out inside. Just hope it hasn’t turned deadly.”

Saying this, he kicked at the door. Unfortunately, his strength wasn’t enough–the door didn’t budge, and he stumbled backward, almost falling on his rear.

Shu Yu called out, “Daniu, Ying Xi.”

Daniu and Ying Xi understood immediately. Both stepped back two paces, and with a combined effort, rammed the courtyard gate–it flew open with a loud crash.

Standing at the center, Shu Yu’s gaze swept over the scene within the now-open courtyard gate.

A man lay on the ground, covered in blood, slightly writhing. Nearby, a woman was turning to flee.

“Catch that woman!” Shu Yu ordered, her tone firm. Before her words had fully settled, Ying Xi, from his crouched landing position, leaped forward, diving toward the woman who was already running into the living room.

Startled, the woman desperately knocked over chairs in the living room to obstruct Ying Xi’s pursuit.

When she realized the chairs couldn’t stop him, she abruptly turned around, gripping a knife tightly with trembling hands. Pointing the blade toward him, she shouted, “Don’t come near me! Stay away!”

She spoke as she wildly swung the knife, brandishing it frantically.

Ying Xi’s expression remained unchanged. Stepping onto a table, he somersaulted and landed behind her. With a swift strike to the back of her neck, he knocked her unconscious. Only then did he drag her outside.