Chapter 1874 - 1874: Framed
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
This place was as ordinary as it could get. There was nothing special inside. There was some old furniture, a few tools like hoes and brooms, and also a bicycle without wheels inside.
Qiao Mei found an item in the depths of the storeroom that was suitable for holding strawberry plants. It was a rectangular pot filled with soil. It looked like it was used by Xie Jing to grow things at home. After all, Xie Jing was an outstanding student in the agriculture faculty. He must also have studied plants at home.
When no one was paying attention, she threw five seeds into the flower pot. She kept infusing energy into them and the five strawberry plants grew quickly. After it was done, Qiao Mei stuck her head out and shouted towards the house, “Professor, I found it!”
A few teachers hurriedly ran out of the house when they heard that. They came to the storeroom and looked inside. There were indeed five green plants in the corner.
The dean was an impatient person. He rushed straight to the storeroom and took out the flower pot. There was no doubt that these plants were strawberry plants. As for whether it was really Qiao Mei’s plants or not, the fact was not that important anymore. The number of plants matched the number which Qiao Mei had lost.
“Xie Jing, what else do you have to say for yourself?” the dean said as he pointed at the flower pot on the ground.
“This isn’t mine! I’ve never planted strawberries at home! She must have brought it in secretly! She must have done it!” Xie Jing said as he pointed at Qiao Mei agitatedly.
Qiao Mei rummaged through her pockets and said, “My pockets are only so big. Are you saying I put them inside my clothes and brought them in? The plants are so big and the teachers are with me all the way. How can 1 be the one who did this?”
“Xie Jing, please watch your attitude! Qiao Mei came with us and you didn’t notice anything wrong with her along the way! Isn’t it too much for you to accuse her now!” the dean said angrily.
Xie Jing also realized that he had gone overboard with his words and quickly said, “But what reason do I have to steal Qiao Mei’s strawberry plants? What do I need them for?”
“Of course it’s to pass off my strawberries as your own after destroying my plants. This way, you can surpass Wang Wei’s strawberries,” Qiao Mei said seriously.
Xie Jing actually had no way to refute what Qiao Mei said. Logically speaking, it was indeed possible for him to do such a thing. Now, all the clues indicated that not only did Xie Jing destroy Qiao Mei’s plants, but he had also stolen the five strawberry plants for himself. This was such evil behavior!
Cui Hua immediately started crying as she walked up to them and said, “Qiao Mei, even if there is a grudge between us, you can’t do this to my family! If you want to do anything, just come at me! Don’t target Xie Jing!’
Everyone looked at Qiao Mei and Cui Hua in surprise. How were the two of them involved with each other?
“You have a teacher-student relationship with Wu Duo from the engineering faculty. He’s your best student. There are some unresolved grudges between him and me. In order to avenge Wu Duo, you must have been waiting for an opportunity to take revenge on me and Xie Jing,” Cui Hua said aggrievedly.
When the villagers in the surrounding heard the commotion, they also stuck their heads in to take a look. During the years when Xie Jing was studying in the university, his father, Xie Kun, had been mocking the neighbors for a long time. Xie Kun had always felt that it was a very grand thing for his son to be studying at Capital University and that other families were not as good as his family.
“It must be you… You must have sneaked into my house last night and put these here! It must be you! Your family is very powerful, so it won’t be difficult for you to do such a thing!” Xie Jing defended himself.
“This is my first time at your house. I was at home last night and all my neighbors can vouch for me. Moreover, I don’t even know where you live. How can I come to your house to put things here?” Qiao Mei said.
“Just because you can’t come! It doesn’t mean that you can’t arrange for others to come!” Cui Hua shouted.
Qiao Mei looked at the villagers around them and said, “Did anyone see any strangers here last night? Did any of you see anyone?”
During this season, the air was very dry and things caught fire easily, so the men in the village proactively organized a patrol every night. There was only one entrance to the village. If anyone wanted to enter the village, these men would definitely know about it.
“There were no suspicious people,” said the village chief.
“Then did anything suspicious happen last night?” Qiao Mei asked..