Feng Yu sighed and let him talk to Qiao Nian.
s.h.i.+ Fu walked forward. "Don't you want to investigate the cause of your mother's death?"
Qiao Nian narrowed her eyes at him.
s.h.i.+ Fu's expression was as straight as ever as he continued calmly, "I used to work in the same laboratory with her. Xie Tingyun and I were most convinced by her. She was very skilled and had qualities that most of us don't have…"
He looked at the girl with a burning gaze. "But I know that the truth about her death is hidden in the reclusive families!
"How do you plan to investigate the cause of her death if you don't want to enter the Privy Council? Can you find the truth by catching a few small fries?"
s.h.i.+ Fu shook his head and said firmly, "You won't be able to find out the truth just like this, and the people who know the truth won't tell you.
"The only way you'll have access to the truth of her death is if you get close to them and enter their core."
Feng Yu tugged at his sleeve and secretly observed Qiao Nian's expression. He frowned in disagreement. "Alright, stop talking."
However, Qiao Nian listened to s.h.i.+ Fu. For a moment, she was distraught. She pursed her lips silently. Then, she raised her hand to pull her cap but then lowered it again.
Seeing that she seemed to have listened, his expression softened and he said slowly, "I know you don't want to have anything to do with the reclusive families, but it doesn't matter if you admit it or not. A quarter of the Ji family's blood flows in you.
"… You're from the Ji family, and you're their direct descendant."
The blood flowing through Qiao Nian's veins was the ticket for her to attend the Privy Council's recruitment. She could only admit her relations.h.i.+p with the Ji family.
"Alright." Feng Yu raised his voice and pulled his arm again, glaring at him with a frown.
s.h.i.+ Fu held it in and turned his head away without saying anything else.
Zhou Zhou looked at the girl, wanting to say something but hesitating.
Qiao Nian pulled out a chair. Looking much calmer than s.h.i.+ Fu, she slightly pursed her lips. One could tell that she was in a bad mood. "I'll consider it."
Feng Yu subconsciously let go and looked at her worriedly. "Nian Nian, don't take it to heart. He's just like a stinky rock in a latrine pit. He won't know how to change his temper for the rest of his life."
"I know you're doing this for my own good." Qiao Nian nodded and turned to look at s.h.i.+ Fu again. She said in a low voice, "I'll consider this matter, but I can't guarantee that I'll go."
s.h.i.+ Fu's tense back muscles relaxed and lowered his head, not daring to look into the girl's eyes. "Mm."
He also knew that he was asking too much.
He could not find the cause of Ji Qing's death. How could he ask a 20-year-old girl to do something she did not want to do?
However…
He and Xie Tingyun both wanted to know who killed Ji Qing back then. If he could not figure this out, he would not be able to close his eyes even if he died.
Therefore, he could only let Qiao Nian down.
"I'm sorry." s.h.i.+ Fu still could not withstand the torture and scrutiny. He apologized in a low voice. His voice was very soft and quickly floated into the air.
Qiao Nian nodded and said softly, "I didn't take it to heart."