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CHAPTER 6
PART 1
Gong Yamei's memorial service was destined to be gloomy and unusual for several reasons: she died from murder, not natural causes; none of the people present were her relatives; there were fewer than 30 people in attendance (including the staff from the nursing home and some elderly residents). If you add one more special aspect to this, it's that among these people, there might be one who is her killer.
Members of the "extended family" all came. They wore black or plain clothing to represent family and friends bidding farewell to Gong Yamei. The memorial service was kept simple, scheduled for 10 in the morning. By 9:40, almost everyone had arrived—except one person who had agreed with Li Bin to attend the memorial, the lawyer Feng Zheng.
Li Xueli asked Tan Yong, "Old Tan, hasn't that lawyer Feng arrived yet?"
"Li Bin gave me his phone number, and I called him several times just now, but it's always turned off," Tan Yong said.
"So, do we wait for him?"
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Tan Yong thought for a moment. "We'll wait until 10:30 at the latest. If he still hasn't come and we can't reach him by then, we won't wait any longer."
Approaching 10:30, Tan Yong made one final call to Feng Zheng, who was still unreachable. He informed the master of ceremonies for the memorial service that they could start.
Under the guidance of the host, the attendees went through a series of farewell rituals: playing mournful music, observing a moment of silence, and presenting flower wreaths. Representing the eulogy, Li Xueli, a member of the "extended family," was unanimously chosen. Holding a prepared speech, she faced the crowd and emotionally recounted her acquaintance with Gong Yamei, reminiscing about the joyful times they had spent together during the past year and more. When she reached an emotional point, tears welled up in her eyes, and others also shed tears.
After completing the final segment of the ceremony, Gong Yamei's body was pushed into the crematorium. Read only on https://royaltywrites.com.ng/
The attendees sat inside the funeral home, waiting. At 11:20, a middle-aged man in a black suit dragging a suitcase hurriedly arrived. Upon inquiry, he learned that he had missed Gong Yamei's memorial service, and he looked very regretful and upset.
Tan Yong approached and asked, "Are you the one who contacted us yesterday, Feng Zheng, a lawyer and a close friend of Gong Yamei's?"
"Yes."
"I'm Tan Yong, a detective from the City Criminal Investigation Brigade."
"Hello, Detective Tan," Feng Zheng shook hands with Tan Yong, sounding disheartened. "I booked a flight for 6 am today, and I should have arrived by 8 am. But the plane was delayed, and I missed the chance to bid farewell to Sister Yamei."
Tan Yong patted his shoulder to offer comfort and said, "Do you know? Among all the contacts in Gong Yamei's phone, you were the only old acquaintance."
Feng Zheng nodded slightly, not appearing particularly surprised. It was clear that he knew about Gong Yamei's past circumstances.
This was exactly what Tan Yong needed to know, so he asked, "Do you know why Gong Yamei changed her phone number and cut off contact with her previous relatives and friends?"
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"I have some idea. You know, Sister Yamei used to run a business. When she was wealthy, her relatives and friends all flocked around her, flattering her and some even became shareholders in her company, hoping to get a piece of the pie. But when the company faced financial difficulties, these people immediately abandoned her, not offering any support and even demanding that she repay the money for their shares. Such behavior naturally added to her troubles and exacerbated the company's collapse. Sister Yamei must have felt heartbroken and decided to sever ties with all these people."
"What about her family? I mean her immediate family, like her husband and son. They wouldn't have acted the same way, right?"
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"As far as I know, her husband, or rather, her ex-husband, was one of the worst offenders."
"What? How so?"
"I heard that this man had been having an affair for a long time. The reason they didn't divorce was because Sister Yamei was very wealthy. After the company ran into problems, he revealed his true colors. I don't know the specifics, but I do know that in the end, they got divorced, and this man took more than half of the family's assets and left to be with his mistress."
"What about Gong Yamei's son?"
Feng Zheng shook his head. "This son takes after his father. It seems that Sister Yamei's parenting didn't go well. The child is very materialistic. After learning that his mother was in dire straits, he knowingly sided with his father, who had more money, and disregarded his mother's situation. Just think, not only did Sister Yamei lose her business, but also almost everyone around her turned against her. Such a blow is not something an ordinary person can endure."
The waiting area at the funeral home was small and very quiet. Su Xiaotong, Li Xueli, and the others heard everything Feng Zheng had just said. It was only now that they realized the extreme hardships Gong Yamei had gone through, which was truly lamentable. Li Xueli couldn't help but ask, "But... why did it turn out like this? Sister Yamei was gentle and kind, and logically, a person like her shouldn't have been betrayed by everyone around her."
Feng Zheng pondered for a moment. "Normally, I shouldn't say such things at Sister Yamei's funeral, but you're asking about the present, aren't you? She used to be a difficult person to get along with."
"Oh... really?" Read only on https://royaltywrites.com.ng/
"Yes, Sister Yamei used to be the epitome of a strong-willed woman. I was the legal counsel at her company, so I knew her way of doing things very well. But speaking of it, to manage a large company with hundreds or even thousands of employees, you need to have some boldness, right? Besides, when a person is at their peak, they are bound to become a bit arrogant, and such a style of doing things might have also carried over into her personal life. Generally speaking, men don't like overly dominant women, so..."
"I completely understand. This is the most unfair part for women," Fan Lin said indignantly. "Being a virtuous wife and mother at home might make you seem like an outdated housewife, going out and being in the spotlight or entertaining with alcohol makes you a career-driven neutral person, and if you make it to the level of a CEO, you think you can finally hold your head high, but then your husband can't stand the overbearing female executive and longs for a gentle and caring woman. No matter what you do, it's all wrong! Damn!"
Feng Zheng dared not speak and just shrugged his shoulders. Read only on https://royaltywrites.com.ng/
They waited for a while longer, and the staff notified them that they could collect the ashes. They went together and received a container containing Gong Yamei's ashes. After discussing it collectively, they decided to temporarily store it at the funeral home and decide on the burial arrangements later.
With this, Gong Yamei's post-funeral matters were temporarily settled. Just as everyone was preparing to leave, Feng Zheng said, "Everyone, actually, the reason I came to Li City this time, besides attending Gong Yamei's memorial, there's something more important I need to handle."
Everyone turned to look at him. Feng Zheng said, "Could the members of the 'extended family' please raise your hands to indicate?"
The others all raised their hands, and Tan Yong, not entirely sure, asked, "Including me?"
"I think so."
"Alright, then count me in. What is it that you want to discuss?"
"It's about Gong Yamei's will," Feng Zheng said. "Discussing it here might not be convenient. Can we find another place?"
"Since it concerns the 'extended family,' let's go to the place where we often gather, which is my home," Li Xueli suggested.
"Okay," Feng Zheng agreed.
Next, the group split up, some driving and others taking taxis, and they headed to the Yuehai Bay community, Li Xueli's home.
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