Chapter 257: Outsiders
Translator: Lonelytree
It was late at night, and there was no light, so the road was not easy to walk on.
Gong Tianhao pulled Zhang Xiaolan, making her stagger as she walked.
On the other hand, he carefully guided Xiao Lingyu. He said with concern, “Be careful, don’t trip.” In fact, if it was possible, he wanted to carry her home. But it was clear that Xiao Lingyu wouldn’t like that. Gong Tianhao didn’t force it lest Xiao Lingyu became more resistant against him.
Zhang Xiaolan said fearfully from behind, “Xiao Lingyu, let me go! I was just passing by. I didn’t start the fire. Don’t accuse me.”
When Xiao Lingyu heard this, she suddenly stopped in her tracks. Gong Tianhao immediately stood beside her to protect her.
Xiao Lingyu looked at Zhang Xiaolan and laughed coldly, “Auntie Zhang, do you think I will really let you go? I have no grudges against you, but you have to come to my land to start the fire in the middle of the night. What is your intention? Now, you want me to let you go? That’s impossible.
“Also, I’ve already called the police. The police will be here soon. Whether you’ll be let go, it’ll depend on the police.”
When Zhang Xiaolan heard that Xiao Lingyu had called the police, she was so scared that her entire face turned pale. She was so afraid that she knelt down on the spot.
Her expression was a little incredulous as she said, “You called the police? You actually called the police? Why did you call the police?”
Xiao Lingyu frowned for a moment and then said in a somewhat amused manner, “Auntie Zhang, you’re very interesting. You set fire to my land, so why can’t I call the police on you? Don’t you know that arson is a crime?”
“Crime?” Zhang Xiaolan’s pupils constricted, and she looked extremely scared. Then, she knelt on the ground and refused to get up. She kept shaking her head and said, “No, no. I don’t want to go… I don’t want to go to jail.”
“It’s too late now.” Xiao Lingyu said. “Why didn’t you think of that before you started the fire?”
“No, I won’t go!” Zhang Xiaolan refused to budge. Before she started the fire, she didn’t think that she would be caught red-handed.
She had a thought-out plan. After she started the fire, she would quickly retreat. Once she waded back through the river, she could disappear into the night.
However, she didn’t expect she’d be caught by Xiao Lingyu, who was waiting for her at the riverbank. However, she was still not that afraid then. Being caught by Xiao Lingyu was not that scary. All she needed to do was to shake off Xiao Lingyu and go back to her maiden home to hide. When the dust settled, she could return.
She didn’t think that arson would be a crime, and she could be arrested.
One had to admit that a lack of education was very scary!
People knew that murder was a crime, but they didn’t know that arson was a criminal crime too.
Zhang Xiaolan was shocked and terrified.
Gong Tianhao pulled her a few times, but she did not want to get up. This made him frown.
Xiao Lingyu said, “We can’t allow her to act crazy like this.” Xiao Lingyu looked across to the field. People were still fighting the fire. She couldn’t distract them. She came out in a hurry, so she didn’t bring her phone either.
Gong Tianhao thought for a while and said, “Since she doesn’t want to leave, we’ll wait here with her. The fire is already dying down. I’ll call someone over in a while.”
Gong Tianhao came with Xiao Wang and Xiao Zhang. They had helped him notice Xiao Lingyu earlier. They would come looking for Gong Tianhao after the fire was put out.
As expected, the fire died after a few more minutes. The people started to disperse.
Xiao Wang and Xiao Zhang subconsciously looked over to where Gong Tianhao was. They had undergone special training, and their eyesight was better than ordinary people’s.
They immediately saw Gong Tianhao and Xiao Lingyu.
“That’s eldest young master and Xiao Lingyu. What happened over there?” Xiao Wang asked curiously.
Xiao Zhang frowned.
Gong Tianhao made a hand gesture. Xiao Zhang said, “Eldest young master seems to be calling us over. Let’s go over and take a look.”
When they approached, they saw a woman kneeling on the ground with her face full of panic.
The two of them greeted Gong Tianhao, “Young Master!”
Gong Tianhao pointed at the woman on the ground and said, “This woman is the culprit behind the fire. She refuses to leave, so I need you to haul her back with you!”
Xiao Wang and Xiao Zhang were stunned for a moment. Then, a burst of anger appeared on their faces as they said, “So, someone really set the fire on purpose. This is too hateful. We’ll drag this woman back with us!”
They moved to grab Zhang Xiaolan by her armpit, and they dragged her away.
Zhang Xiaolan struggled with all her might as she said, “Let go of me! What are you doing? Let go of me!”
The villagers who were walking back heard Zhang Xiaolan’s shouts and aimed their torches this way. They saw Old Master Gong’s subordinates dragging a woman.
Everyone’s eyes widened when they realized that this woman was Zhang Xiaolan.
Zhang Xiaolan saw the villagers and immediately started to struggle and shout, “Help! Help! They are trying to bully me! You can’t allow these outsiders capture me!”
When someone heard this, he immediately went forward and asked, “Xiao Wang, Xiao Zhang, what’s going on? Why are you holding Auntie Zhang?”
Little Zhang said very angrily, “This woman is the culprit behind the fire.”
“What?” The villagers were shocked. “There’s really an arsonist, and it’s Zhang Xiaolan? How is this possible?”
“No, no, I didn’t set the fire. Xiao Lingyu is framing me!” Zhang Xiaolan shook her head and defended herself. “She wronged me. I didn’t set the fire.”
Xiao Wang asked sharply, “Auntie, why would Xiao Lingyu frame you? Plus, what were you doing on the other side of the river when everyone was busy putting the fire? It was because you tried to run away from the crime scene, and Xiao Lingyu caught you.”
Xiao Wang and Xiao Zhang had found out everything from Xiao Lingyu.
Zhang Xiaolan defended herself loudly, “Who said I set the fire? Even Xiao Lingyu didn’t see me do that! Why do you believe her and not me? Village chief, are you going to let these two foreigners treat me like this?”
The village chief, who was called out, didn’t look too good. He spoke fairly, “Zhang Xiaolan, although Xiao Wang and Xiao Zhang are from the outside, they are good people.. They definitely wouldn’t grab you for no reason. Also, you said that you didn’t set the fire, so what were you doing on the other side of the river when everyone was helping to put out the fire?”