Chapter 140: The Necklace

The police arrived and noticed the group at the doorway before they had even entered. Most conspicuous among them was Nan Yi, who was writhing in pain.

The leading officer asked, "What is going on here? Who called the police?"

Liang Jinshang stood up. "I did."

"You reported a case of breaking and entering, didn't you? What about the injured person?"

Using her uninjured hand, Nan Yi grabbed the hem of Liang Jinshang’s trousers—a silent plea. Liang Jinshang did not look down at her, but instead said calmly, "These two broke into my home and caused a great deal of damage. They also nearly turned violent toward me just now. The person on the ground is my friend; she was injured by this man while trying to protect me."

"Bullshit!" Nan Wenqian snapped. "Officer, don't listen to her lies. The one on the ground is my sister. I didn't break in; she gave me the keys herself. I didn't hit her on purpose, either—look at me, I was the one who got hit first!"

Hearing that Nan Yi had given him the keys, Liang Jinshang, though she had already suspected as much, could not help but feel a wave of disappointment. She glanced down at Nan Yi. When she had taken Nan Yi into her home, she had genuinely intended for her to have a few days of peace. She had meant for her to treat the place as her own, to stay as long as she liked. But that did not mean Nan Yi had the right to hand out keys to others without permission—especially to people as crude and devoid of morals as this.

This was a home she had painstakingly reclaimed, and now it had been trampled upon. No, not just trampled—desecrated. The sofa in the living room was clearly beyond saving.

Her voice turned icy. "Nan Yi, say something."

Under Liang Jinshang’s gaze, Nan Yi lowered her head. Nan Wenqian was even more brazen; he kicked her leg, urging her, "Sis, say something! If you don't talk, I'm going to get arrested!"

Yet, Nan Yi remained silent. Perhaps because she looked so frail and was clearly injured, even the police officer felt a flicker of sympathy. "Let’s get her to the hospital first. We can conduct the interviews while she's being examined."

Nan Wenqian’s girlfriend, who had been hiding in the back, asked anxiously, "Do I have to go?"

The officer swept a glance over her disheveled appearance and said gruffly, "Everyone is required to give a statement!"

The girlfriend pushed Nan Wenqian in a panic. "You told me this was your place, that’s why I came! You liar, you scoundrel! You swindled me out of my money and took advantage of me!"

Nan Wenqian seemed afraid of her, cowering and saying nothing, letting his girlfriend push and berate him in front of everyone. The police, having no time to waste, ordered everyone to the hospital.

***

Upon examination, it was confirmed that Nan Yi had suffered a fracture—a severe one. Liang Jinshang felt a chill of fear; if that same force had struck her own head, she might not have survived. To this day, she still felt she hadn't repaid what she owed Nan Yi, and she had never viewed their relationship as one of equals. She certainly didn't believe Nan Yi had any obligation to sacrifice herself for her.

What Nan Yi had done today exceeded all expectations. Therefore, she would not vent her anger toward Nan Yi for what Nan Wenqian had done. However, she was not so muddled as to let Nan Wenqian off the hook just because of Nan Yi’s sacrifice.

When the group was brought to the hospital corridor for statements, Liang Jinshang insisted that Nan Wenqian had committed breaking and entering and property damage, and she demanded he be held fully accountable.

Nan Wenqian immediately retorted, "I did not break in! My sister gave me the keys!"

All eyes turned to Nan Yi. If the keys had indeed been given by her, it would be difficult to convict Nan Wenqian of "breaking and entering." At most, he would have to pay for the damages, but there would be no chance of jail time.

If Liang Jinshang remembered correctly, Nan Yi had never had a good relationship with her younger brother. Their elders were biased toward sons, and the way her brother had been raised was evident in his behavior today. Liang Jinshang believed that Nan Yi would never choose to stand against her just to protect him.

Yet, under Nan Wenqian’s repeated prodding, Nan Yi finally spoke.

"I... I gave him the keys," Nan Yi whispered, her voice barely audible. "He is my brother. The owner gave the keys to me, so he did not break in."

Liang Jinshang turned her head away, closing her eyes in disappointment. In a single day, she had tasted the bitterness of being "betrayed" twice. First, the sketchbooks left behind by Fang Xin'ou had slipped through her fingers, and now, she had to watch helplessly as her home was ruined without being able to make the culprit pay.

As Liang Jinshang remained silent, Nan Wenqian and his girlfriend, having escaped the charge, wore smug expressions. They intentionally said to Liang Jinshang, "Sorry about that, we'll be going now." The sight of them was enough to make one’s teeth ache.

Even the young officer couldn't stand it and intervened, "You are still suspected of damaging private property. You cannot leave until a compensation amount has been settled."

Liang Jinshang’s gaze swept over the two of them, calm as a dark current. Suddenly, her eyes landed on the woman’s neck. The necklace she was wearing looked strangely familiar. If Liang Jinshang wasn't mistaken, it was the designer necklace Shang Yucheng had given her on the day she moved in.

She immediately said to the woman, "Take off that necklace and let me see it!"

The woman clutched it tightly. "Why should I show it to you?!"

"Officer, I now suspect that they not only damaged my property but are also guilty of theft," Liang Jinshang said with clear articulation. "That necklace belongs to me, and it is worth well over thirty thousand."

Though she didn't know the exact price, based on her knowledge of Shang Yucheng, she knew that when she was his girlfriend, adding a zero to thirty thousand would still be a conservative estimate. By law, theft involving property worth more than thirty thousand could lead to a sentence of over three years in prison.

The girlfriend panicked. "This isn't her necklace! It’s a birthday gift from my boyfriend from the day before yesterday!"

At this, Nan Yi, who had been looking down, cast a complex glance at Nan Wenqian. It was that very look that sparked a sudden realization in Liang Jinshang: Nan Yi must have realized that her brother could never afford such an expensive necklace!

Very well.

Liang Jinshang immediately countered the girlfriend’s claim: "If he could enter my house today, he could have done so the day before yesterday as well. Given his behavior today, I have reason to conclude he is capable of theft."

Since she was so certain, the police naturally demanded the girlfriend produce the necklace. Liang Jinshang pointed at it, stating firmly, "That is my necklace!"

The girlfriend clutched it. "It’s mine! Just because it looks the same, does that mean I can't buy one?"

The officer interjected, "Whoever bought it, produce the receipt."

The girlfriend looked at Nan Wenqian, whose eyes began to dart around nervously. Liang Jinshang’s expression was no better. The receipt was with Shang Yucheng. Who would want to beg him for that? She had just been speaking with such conviction, but now she faltered. Nan Wenqian immediately seized the opportunity, "Exactly! Listen to the officer—show us the receipt! Otherwise, I'm going to sue you for slander!"

"You want the receipt?" A deep, mellow, and magnetic male voice echoed through the hall. "I have it. Do you?"