Chapter 38

Chapter 38: What Did Ye Wan Lan Have to Fear?

The room went quiet again.

Fang Qing Ye suddenly laughed. “Interesting. Very interesting.”

He narrowed his eyes at Ye Wan Lan. Something about her silhouette felt familiar.

Had he seen her before?

Where?

“A false report?” Fang Qing Ya’s eyes filled with open mockery. “I have evidence. How could I be filing a false report? Fine—tell me what ‘consequences’ there are. What, you studying law now?”

The male police officer spoke evenly. “According to regulations, filing a false report or deliberately exaggerating a case and wasting police resources can result in five to ten days of detention.”

Fang Qing Ya’s words caught in her throat. A chill crawled up her spine.

She forced herself to steady. “But I didn’t file a false report!”

“Miss Ye,” Sheng Yun Yi said quietly, face pale with distress, “I know you didn’t mean to. It’s just… that painting is very important to me. I…”

Her voice broke.

Zhou He Chen’s expression turned icy. “Ye Wan Lan. Enough.”

This time, he wasn’t going to help her clean up anything—not when it involved Sheng Yun Yi.

“I have an alibi,” Ye Wan Lan said.

She didn’t even look at Zhou He Chen. She turned slightly toward the female officer. “They decided it was me with no real evidence. It could even be a setup. Does that count as filing a false report?”

“It does,” the officer replied. “Where’s the footage?”

“Don’t play dumb,” Fang Qing Ya snapped. “You know No. 1 High School’s multipurpose building was renovated. There’s only a camera at the stairwell.”

Ye Wan Lan’s tone stayed unhurried. “The footage is on my computer. I need to go home.”

“Fine,” the officer said. “We’ll go with you.”

“We’re going too,” Fang Qing Ya said sharply, disgust curling her lip. “Maybe we’ll find her tools. Yun Yi—let’s go.”

Sheng Yun Yi’s eyes flickered, uneasy.

Other footage?

She got into the car with Zhou He Chen’s support.

—

At the Lin Family home, Lin Huai Jin and the others happened to be away.

Cheng Qing Li was at the building entrance. She saw Ye Wan Lan with the two officers—and then saw Zhou He Chen’s group behind them. “Sister Lan… they…”

She’d rushed over after Ye Wan Lan called, only to run into this pack of young masters and young ladies again.

Why did they cling to Ye Wan Lan like dogs with a bone?

Ye Wan Lan gave her a small shake of the head—she was fine—and unlocked the door. “Qing Li. On my computer, there’s a folder of recordings. The folder number is 0293. Open it.”

“Okay.” Cheng Qing Li dashed into the study.

Fang Qing Ya’s gaze suddenly snapped upward. “Fine. You even stole Yun Yi’s painting.”

She pointed at the bird-and-flower painting hanging above the living room sofa.

Everyone looked.

Fang Qing Han’s eyes changed. His stare latched onto the painting like a hook.

Ye Wan Lan’s voice turned cold. “Use your brains before you speak to me.”

Fang Qing Han pressed a hand to Fang Qing Ya’s shoulder. “This is Miss Ye’s home. The painting is naturally hers. What nonsense are you saying?”

“Brother, you don’t understand her.” Fang Qing Ya bristled. “Last month she tried to steal Yun Yi’s painting—she just didn’t succeed. If that’s not true, then tell me where this one came from.”

Ye Wan Lan didn’t blink. “I picked it up from a trash can.”

She wasn’t lying.

The Great Ning Imperial Tutor Han Yun Sheng had taught her painting, passing down his techniques personally. His standards had always been strict.

If she painted at this level, he’d toss it—and she’d get her palms smacked for it.

It was something she’d sketched casually five years ago. She’d meant to throw it away, but Lin Huai Jin had fished it out, feeling sorry for it, and had it framed and hung on the wall.

Cheng Qing Li returned carrying the laptop, outrage flashing across her face. “Miss Fang, don’t you think your question is unhinged? What does the origin of this painting have to do with you? Is your sister so domineering that because she paints, no one else in the world is allowed to paint?”

Sheng Yun Yi’s specialty was landscapes and oil painting. This piece was bird-and-flower—and the brushwork and style were completely different.

“Qing Ya…” Sheng Yun Yi forced a strained smile. “This isn’t mine.”

Fang Qing Ya’s face stiffened, but she clung to stubbornness. “I knew she wanted to imitate you. It won’t work.”

Sheng Yun Yi had been back for three months, and Ye Wan Lan had targeted her the entire time. She didn’t believe Ye Wan Lan would give up so easily now that she was finally close to squeezing into the circle through Zhou He Chen.

This wasn’t some personality change.

It was playing hard to get.

“Imitate what?” Cheng Qing Li snapped. “Hanging a painting means she’s copying? Then why don’t you burn down the entire art market? Do you think you’re some precious bun everyone has to ‘learn’ from?”

Fang Qing Ya’s face flushed. “You—”

“Officers,” Ye Wan Lan said evenly, “this is the recording from outside No. 1 High School’s counseling office.”

Cheng Qing Li opened the folder.

The art studio was diagonally to the right of the counseling office. The camera clearly showed Ye Wan Lan entering and leaving the counseling office—never stepping into the studio.

But it did catch someone else.

A figure in a hat and mask—impossible to identify as male or female—slipped into the studio. One minute later, the figure hurried back out, movements furtive and fast.

It was obvious.

Sheng Yun Yi’s painting had nothing to do with Ye Wan Lan from start to finish.

A ridiculous frame-up.

Silence.

Ye Wan Lan lifted her gaze. “Do you see the one who destroyed your painting? Is it me?”

Her eyes moved to Sheng Yun Yi. “Miss Sheng?”

The color drained from Sheng Yun Yi’s face. Her lips trembled as if she’d been struck.

She swayed and gripped Zhou He Chen’s hand. “N-no…”

Xu Li, remembering how confidently he’d insisted it was Ye Wan Lan, flushed crimson and couldn’t force out a word.

Ye Wan Lan’s eyes were calm. “You never learn. You disappoint me.”

She’d thought the Qin Family incident might have taught them something.

Apparently not.

Fang Qing Ya shrieked, frantic. “Where did you get this footage? No. 1 High School’s security room doesn’t even have it!”

A private camera outside the counseling office?

“Alright, alright,” Xu Li said quickly, trying to smooth it over. “We found the real culprit. The misunderstanding’s cleared up. Since it has nothing to do with you, Ye Wan Lan, there’s nothing to argue about.”

“Fine,” Fang Qing Ya said stiffly. “This time I’ll pretend nothing happened.”

Then she added sharply, “But remember this. Stay far away from Yun Yi and her paintings. Not everyone is someone you can afford to offend.”

Zhou He Chen stared at Ye Wan Lan, his expression shifting again and again.

So it really wasn’t her.

“No,” Ye Wan Lan said flatly. “This isn’t over. And I won’t pretend nothing happened.”

Her gaze lifted, steady and cold. “I’m calling the police.”