Chapter 525: The Orphanage in Ruins

ovi the scapegoat. Suddenly, she felt that Xia Chuixue was targeting her."Little Zhu, take good rest..."It was getting late, Zhu Xiaowei's weak constitution couldn't handle so much alcohol after a who...These days, Qiao Baier insistently asked to take her to the orphanage in the city for a field investigation.

"...This is the orphanage where Junzhi Yan lived as a child."

At noon, the sun blazed fiercely. Qiao Baier and two others had arrived at their destination after a four-hour flight from Cheng Cong City. This place was a charred wasteland, with ruined cliffs and crumbling walls. Seeing such a desolate scene, they couldn't help but feel a chill of fear.

This Western-style orphanage, had been reduced to a shell by the fire. Every window on each floor was shattered, and huge flames surged toward the ceiling, turning every brick and tile black with soot.

It can be seen how fierce the fire was that year. It is said to have started in the dead of night and killed three old nuns and two children.

What caused the fire

As an observer, Qiao Baoer couldn't help but be moved by the sight before her.

< shrugs and drops, "I don't know. ">

"Didn't you say you started investigating this a while ago"

"...This is an old case, something that happened over 20 years ago. At most, I found the records left by the police station back then. The internet wasn't developed back then, there were no online backups, everything was handwritten. When it comes to the cause of the orphanage fire, they just wrote a few words: 'Kitchen fire.'"

Qiao Bao'er turned to her, "A fire in the kitchen"

"This is outrageous! Even if you're going to make something up, at least come up with a reasonable excuse." Qiao Baoer pointed to the two-story building at the back of the orphanage that was blackened by the fire. "It obviously started from where the orphans were staying!"

Because the fire there was the most intense, burning the cleanest. If you didn't vaguely recognize those upper and lower bunks, you wouldn't even know that it was the dormitory building.

He scoffed, “You don’t need to get so worked up. You just lack experience. There are too many vested interests tangled up in this fire. Some people don't want things investigated too thoroughly and would rather just sweep it under the rug.”

"However," he pondered for a moment before adding, "… over 20 years ago, the 'public welfare orphanage', which already had many intricate and complex financial relationships, wasn't exactly a clean place to begin with."

When Junzhi Yan was a child, she was first sent to this orphanage. She lived there for less than a year before it caught fire.

That fire not only reduced the orphanage to ashes, claiming five lives, but also destroyed all the records accumulated since its founding.

Therefore, one knows nothing of the true parents of Lady Yan and why she was abandoned at the orphanage all those years ago.

"...The children who once lived in this orphanage probably suffered a lot."

She understands the mentality of homeless orphans because she was one too.

Maybe, I could try to find those orphaned children who survived and grew up. Perhaps I could learn about Jun Zhiyan's personality from them...

Joe Bao'er, hearing her say this, immediately excitedly urged, "Then let's go find those survivors now."

I glanced at her, “ ... The list is on the company computer. I don't have a photographic memory, so I need to go back and get the information. Besides, kids who grew up in orphanages and went through major disasters often have some psychological issues.”

For example, being unwilling to communicate with others.

“If your fiery past, you’re definitely not going to get any answers.” Lazily added, “If we want answers, then you have to learn patience first.”

Jo Bao'er looked at her, without refuting.

After going out for a while, Qiao Baoer felt she had learned a lot.

"About Miss Qiao, will she still personally visit that orphanage where Jun's former beauty ended up I'm free these days and willing to accompany you on a journey of self-sacrifice."

"...Was it burned like this too"

Tell her the truth, in a flat tone: "It's not that bad. Just the storage shed burned down, but seven people died."

Jo Bao'er was surprised by her calm tone, "Seven people died," she said. "That many people died in a storage room"

"Technically speaking, it wasn't death by burning. According to what I know, the door to the storage room was locked from the outside, and the people inside suffocated."

Having seen so many disasters and death, I was no longer surprised. However, it happened to be that both orphanages where Junzhiyan had lived as a child caught fire, with casualties in both incidents.

"...That storage room was later remodeled, and now a new large building stands there."

So even if they were to go back, they wouldn't see any trace of the past fire.

"...So many people have died, and there's no investigation"

"Three old nuns, and four men who were hired as handymen... Twenty years ago, surveillance wasn't as widespread as it is today. There was no evidence to corroborate the accusations. The orphanage, unwilling to disturb the children’s psychological state and daily lives, chose to avoid making a big fuss and settled the matter by paying compensation.”

Qiao Bao'er was very discouraged when she heard this, "After all that effort, we found nothing."

Very candidly, "Nope, not a thing."

He himself is also very depressed about this, mainly because the time period is too long ago, and in that era, domestic development was relatively backward. Various reasons led to a slow progress of the investigation.

"...but I'm sure Junzhiyan has some issues." she surmised, her professional instincts kicking in.

The midday sun was scorching. Qiao Baoer had been out in it for half the day and was sweating profusely. After marrying into the Jun family, she had always lived a pampered life and wasn't used to such exertion.

She wiped the sweat from her forehead, "…Let's head back to the hotel and talk."

Look at her like that, immediately getting smug, "Oh oh, who was it in the beginning who insisted on coming over to inspect personally Can't take the hardship anymore, Miss Jun"

Qiao Bao'er ignored her teasing and went to find a shady spot to rest for a while.

"And one more thing, … If your shepherd returns, you're not to tell him about this."

"Tsk, as if he wouldn't know if I didn't say anything," she said with disdain.

"I think you should take the late night flight back tonight. It's easy to get people talking when a married woman like you is out and about for so long."

"No rush, I'll go back in two days."

Qiao Baoer, looking at the unique and characteristic architecture of this city, suddenly remembered that it had been a long time since she had relaxed on a trip. Moreover, she hadn't had many friends since she was a child, and no one accompanied her to travel around.

It's unbelievable that she'd be seen with this woman. A year ago, Qiao Baoer would have thought it impossible.

Most importantly, Junzhimu is still on a business trip and hasn't come back. She doesn't have to rush back to serve her old man, she can just stay for a few more days as a vacation.

She has always ignored worldly rules and is too lazy to persuade her. Anyway, Qiao Bao'er has Jun Zhimu protecting her in the Jun family, so those idle gossips can be treated as wind in her ears.

The two women walked side by side on the road, feeling lighthearted and cheerful. They were both curiously eyeing the local delicacies at the roadside stalls and bought two skewers of grilled octopus. They ate them without a care, munching away as they went.

“ Qiao Ba'er, if you're not married, I can barely consider you a sister.” Very straightforward.

Joe Bao'er glanced at her, "Don't force it."

"Oh, Miss Qiao, you seem angry,"

feeling good today, talking to myself, " Qiao Ba'er, let me tell you, my purpose in life is simple: eat well, sleep well, and go to the bathroom well. That's all. But to be able to do this easily, one needs to be free from illness, pain, and financial pressure, which isn't easy either."

"Jo Baoer, do you know what your biggest flaw is You lack patience. Your opponents target your weaknesses, and once you lose your patience, you're easily led by your emotions, leading to wrong decisions that can have a domino effect, resulting in a complete loss."

Jo Baoer also rarely listened so carefully, mumbling, "No one has ever told me these things."

I thought about it for a moment and told her honestly, "That's because Junzhi Mu treats you as a pet. Of course, humans can't expect too much from pets."

Qiao Baoer's face was expressionless.

"She cried out."

What

I was thinking that Junzhimu's branches might be scattered all over the place, some possibly in remote, impoverished mountain villages deep in the forests.

"Yes, he has five private islands in the South Pacific."

Qiao Baoer gave her a meaningful look. "These days, you buy more sunscreen and mosquito repellent..."

"Why buy those I don't like using sunscreen..." Suddenly realizing something, she jumped up and shouted angrily, "You treacherous concubine! If you get me into a terrible mess, just wait, I will get revenge!"

"Listen, I don't know you very well. The string of grilled squid from just now cost 18 yuan, pay up!" Her face immediately changed, and she spread her hands, demanding payment.

Jo Bao'er looked at her with dejection, this person was so realistic.

"...Go back and play with your pigs. Our relationship is just an employer-employee one, we're not close!"

The more she changes her face, the more ferocious she becomes, which means she’s actually insecure. If she's really taken to those desolate islands by Junzhimu, her life will be ruined for the rest of her days.

She decided to not get too close to Qiao Bao'er, for one must be cautious when associating with powerful individuals.

She constantly teases Zhu Xiaowei as a pig. This is because she dislikes submissive and overly accommodating women, the similar pronunciation also allows her to sarcastically mock Qiao Bao'er as just another pet.

When it came to Zhu Xiaowei, Qiao Baier lost interest in arguing. Recently, she had called Zhu Xiaowei several times, but all calls went unanswered.

She felt that Pei Huoran and Xiao Zhu still suspected her about the saffron incident, so Zhu Xiaowei intentionally avoided them.

Qiao Bao'er has been digging into Jun Zhiyan's past these days, wanting to prove that the saffron incident really had nothing to do with her.y. We'd just wash ourselves in the river, getting soaked from head to toe. Our clothes would be dripping wet and we'd have to let them dry naturally in the sun and wind.Qiao Bao'er was soaking in the...