Chapter 63: Misunderstanding
  Fang Qing stood up on trembling legs, went into the kitchen, found some rope, and tied the man's hands and feet. She carefully checked his breath, and only then breathed a sigh of relief when she confirmed he was still alive.

  Then she scrambled up to the second floor and rescued Teacher Qiu. "Teacher Qiu, please wake up. I'm Fang Qing, Teacher Qiu?"

  After several calls, Teacher Qiu finally opened her eyes. She was startled at the sight of Fang Qing, but then breathed a sigh of relief. "Qingqing, why are you here? Oh, right, run! There's a burglar in the house. Go call the police!"

  Fang Qing nodded repeatedly, soothing him softly. "Don't be afraid, the thief has been caught. I'll call the police right away."

  She covered Teacher Qiu with a blanket, hurried downstairs, put on her shoes, and ran out...

  Sitting in the police station, Fang Qing, who had just finished taking her statement, felt a sense of emotion.

  Although she had avoided those terrible experiences in her life, it seemed as if she had forged an indissoluble bond with the police station. How many times had she sat here?

  Just as Fang Qing was distracted, two police officers walked in with serious expressions. "Fang Qing, even though you were the one who called the police, we can't let you go just yet."

  "Is there something wrong?" Fang Qing was puzzled.

  One of the police officers gave Fang Qing a scrutinizing look. "It's a big problem! The man just woke up. He confessed to the crime, but he also identified you as his accomplice."

  What? Accomplice?

  Fang Qing stared at the police officer with wide eyes. "No, Uncle Officer, he said I was an accomplice, and you believed me? I said I was wrongly accused and that I was there to save someone, so why don't you believe me?"

  The officer next to her knocked on the table. "Without evidence, would we suspect you? Your fingerprints are on both knives found at the scene, and the owner of the house doesn't know when you entered the house. There's no third person to verify the time of your entry, so you can't leave yet."

  Fang Qing was speechless. "My family can prove that I went to pick up Teacher Qiu this morning to celebrate New Year's Eve with me. Besides, why would I want to rob my own teacher? I have no reason, right?"

  The young police officer gave her a serious look. "Who said you have no reason? Haven't you said many times that you love the paintings in Teacher Qiu's house? I think you should stop quibbling and tell the truth!"

  She did say that, but how did these police officers know? Did Teacher Qiu also suspect her?
  Fang Qing nudged her cheek with the tip of her tongue, suddenly feeling absurd. "Comrade Police Officer, I've said everything I need to say. Since you don't believe me, go find the evidence yourselves. I have nothing more to say."

  Seeing Fang Qing's refusal to cooperate, the new officer immediately lost his temper and slammed the table. "I'm telling you, Fang Qing, don't think we can't do anything to you just because you keep silent. Once we find the evidence, we'll see how you can still be stubborn!"

  Fang Qing watched the two officers slam the door and leave with an expressionless face, closing her glasses in silence.

  What the hell was going on?
  It seemed like she was truly possessed by bad luck, encountering misfortune wherever she went.

  Fang Qing remained at the police station until the next morning, when Chief Wen opened the door, announced that the matter had been clarified and had nothing to do with Fang Qing. He then instructed the officers to unlock the door for her and let her out.

  "Uncle Wen, I'm sorry to trouble you again." Fang Qing looked dejectedly at Chief Wen across from her, lowering her head in embarrassment.

  Director Wen sighed. "It's not your fault. No one expected the thief to turn on you. Those two officers were new and inexperienced, and they were a bit hasty in handling the case, so you've been wronged."

  Fang Qing waved her hands quickly. "No, no, it's just bad luck. It wouldn't happen to others, but it did to me. Thankfully, the thief was caught. By the way, is Teacher Qiu okay?"

  Director Wen nodded. "He's fine, just a little shocked. He's still in the hospital, and he'll be fine after a few days of rest."

  Seeing Fang Qing's relief, Director Wen suddenly remembered something. "By the way, a man came in this morning and said he was Teacher Qiu's nephew. He's taking care of her at the hospital and wanted to see you."

  Fang Qing nodded. Since he was Teacher Qiu's family member, he really needed to go and see him.

  After bidding farewell to Director Wen, Fang Qing hurried to the hospital.

  In the cold ward, Fang Qing opened the door to see Teacher Qiu lying on the bed, looking pale, and a strange man sitting beside him, peeling an apple.

  The man looked to be in his thirties, with a trendy watermelon-style haircut. When he saw Fang Qing walk in, his eyes suddenly lit up and he couldn't stop looking at Fang Qing.

  Fang Qing frowned slightly, nodded slightly to the strange man, and then looked at the teacher lying on the hospital bed, "Teacher Qiu, how are you feeling?"

  "Qingqing, you're here. I'm fine, I was just scared and my heart feels a little uncomfortable. Thanks to you this time, otherwise, an old guy like me would have died and no one would know... I heard from the police that they suspect you... ahem... I'll let Dahai... go and testify for you..."

  Seeing that Teacher Qiu was struggling to speak, Fang Qing stepped forward and shook the teacher's slightly cold hand, "Teacher Qiu, it's okay, it's all over, we're all fine, let's not talk about anything else, you should have a good rest..."

  Teacher Qiu knew that Fang Qing had originally planned to take her over to celebrate the New Year, but now that something like this had happened, it was not convenient for her to go.

  "Qingqing, I'm sorry for making you suffer. Today is New Year's Eve, you should go back quickly to prevent your family from worrying. By the way, thank your parents on my behalf. I, an old woman, won't go over to disturb you..."

  Fang Qing wanted to persuade her, but the man next to her finally spoke, "Sister, I'm here. I'll accompany your aunt for the New Year, so you can go home without worry."

  Fang Qing then glanced at the man, hesitated for a long time, nodded, and gave Teacher Qiu a few more instructions before leaving the hospital and slowly walking back home along the long street.

  The streets were deserted on New Year's Eve. Every household was busy pasting up couplets and door gods, and there were children covering their ears and setting off firecrackers on the roadside.

  Fang Qing walked back home slowly in the cold wind like a ghost.

  Couplets had been posted and red lanterns were hung at the door. The quiet courtyard was the final psychological home for every child returning home.

  Fang Qing stood outside the door, listening to the anxious roars of the two big wolfhounds in the yard, then the sound of her eldest brother going out to stop them, and her mother's anxious questions in the house and her father's sighs...

  It was not until this moment that Fang Qing finally broke away from the thrill of yesterday, as if everything that happened yesterday was just a thrilling dream of hers.

  Go home...

  A voice in her heart told herself that no matter how difficult the future would be, as long as the red lanterns at the door of her house were still bright, she would never lose her way.

  Pushing open the door, Fang Qing saw her surprised parents and her surprised eldest brother, and walked in with a smile.

  (End of this chapter)