Chapter 449: Following the Paparazzi

While Lin Qiupu was negotiating inside, Chen Shi and Lin Dongxue were outside looking for the red car. To their surprise, they found it parked inconspicuously. The car was empty.

Lin Dongxue remarked, “These guys are quick. They got here before the police.”

Chen Shi glanced back. “Even if we confront them, they won’t admit they have a list.”

Shielding his eyes with his hands, he peered into the car and noticed a device emitting a red light. It looked like a bugging device. If it wasn’t being used to spy on the police, who else could it be spying on?

Chen Shi suddenly understood and motioned for Lin Dongxue to follow him. He retrieved a bug detector from his car and went to the building where the incident occurred.

The hallway was filled with armed police officers, ready for action. Inside, the family members were arguing. Chen Shi signaled for silence, then quietly approached the door, scanning it with the detector. Finally, he found a suspicious signal from some dried mugwort hanging above the door.

Putting on gloves, Chen Shi retrieved a wireless bug from the dried mugwort and removed its battery. Lin Dongxue realized, “So that’s how they got their intel!”

“Let’s follow them.”

They drove out of the neighborhood and waited nearby for the red car to leave. Lin Dongxue, feeling uneasy, kept saying, “I wonder how my brother is doing.”

“Don’t worry. He’ll handle it.”

Inside, Lin Qiupu was listening to the siblings’ escalating argument. He interrupted, “Let’s focus on the issue at hand. How did today’s incident start?”

The three siblings exchanged looks before the eldest began, “Today was supposed to be a birthday celebration for our mother. I even ordered that cake over there. During lunch, things got heated…”

The youngest sister said, “My brother wanted to invest using our mom’s compensation money from the demolition. He brought it up at the table, and things escalated.”

The eldest countered, “Don’t blame me. I at least don’t secretly push Mom to make a will. I mentioned the investment in front of everyone to be transparent. This money isn’t just for me. Second Brother wants to buy a house, and you want photography equipment. My plan is to invest it and return both principal and profit in three years.”

“Who knows what kind of investment that is? You’re always falling for scams, trying to use Mom’s money too,” the sister sneered.

“Watch your mouth! My investments are legitimate.”

“They’re all scams! Every time you’ve invested, it’s been a disaster for the family!”

The second brother, who had been silently crying, suddenly spoke up, “Sis, don’t act all righteous. At lunch, we were all fighting over the money, saying ‘when Mom dies, we’ll get it.’ No one’s better than anyone here!”

Both the eldest and the youngest fell silent. Lin Qiupu asked, “And then?”

The sister replied, “Second Sister-in-law started saying Mom always favored the eldest. She’s always been harsh, but today it really got to Mom. Mom pulled out a gun. At first, we thought it was a toy. But when it went off, Second Sister-in-law was shot.”

The sister glanced at the body on the floor, showing shock but no sadness.

The old lady finally spoke, “You all want my compensation money? Well, I burned the property deed. None of you will get a penny. Even if there’s money left, I’ll donate it to charity. You three ungrateful children won’t get anything!”

The eldest pleaded, “Mom, don’t give it to strangers. We’re your flesh and blood. Blood is thicker than water.”

“Shut up! I’ve seen through all of you!” The old lady pointed the gun at him. He cowered on the floor, covering his head.

Lin Qiupu thought, This guy is still worried about money at a time like this?

The old lady turned to Lin Qiupu, “Officer, you understand the situation. This is all my fault for having these ungrateful children. They’ve been waiting for me to die to split my money. Now they’ll get nothing.”

Lin Qiupu tried to reason with her, “Ma’am, put the gun down. We know someone gave you that gun to provoke this incident. Don’t let them succeed.”

She looked at the body, her lips trembling, “I’ve already killed someone. It’s too late… I just want to send these ungrateful ones to meet their father and then kill myself!”

She aimed the gun at the eldest, who screamed, “Mom, please! Give us another chance. We’ll change!”

“Ma’am, don’t be rash,” Lin Qiupu pleaded. “They’re still your children. Even a tiger doesn’t eat its cubs.”

“A tiger doesn’t eat its cubs, but they’ve driven me to this. They’ve been waiting for me to die for my money. Now they’ll get nothing,” she said, resolute.

Seeing the conflict was beyond reconciliation, Lin Qiupu tried another approach. “How about this? Who would you most like to see leave? Let’s start by letting one person go.”

She thought for a moment and pointed at the youngest, “You’ve ignored me, but you haven’t mistreated me. You and your boyfriend can go.”

The youngest daughter, relieved, got up, “Mom, please don’t do anything rash.”

“Go!”

The couple hurried out. The second sister-in-law then said, “Mom, this is a family issue. I’m an outsider. Let me go. Fengfeng is waiting for me.”

But the old lady pointed the gun at her, “You’re the one I want to kill most! If it weren’t for your constant nagging, my son wouldn’t be like this.”

“Mom, it’s not my fault. Your son is naturally like this. You don’t know how awful he can be…”

“Shut up!”

The eldest slapped his wife and told his mother, “Mom, I know you suffered when you lived with us because of her. If you want to shoot her, go ahead. I won’t stop you!”

“You…,” his wife looked at him in disbelief.

The old lady actually believed him and raised the gun at her daughter-in-law…