Chapter 26: I Have Evidence to Prove My Innocence

I had long anticipated that Zhou Chenyan would not easily agree, so I remained exceptionally calm.

"Why?"

"Because you framed Gardenia out of jealousy, causing chaos at home. If you actually went to the company, wouldn't you turn everything upside down?"

He did not trust me.

I smiled. "You still believe I was the one who planted the hair."

"If not you, then who?"

His gaze was frigid; it was clear that he preferred his so-called "evidence" over me.

"You two are husband and wife, so why do you bicker the moment you meet? It’s just a diary. Whether or not Yanyan was the one who brought it out, Zhou Gardenia should have known it would be exposed sooner or later. Even if Yanyan really did it, it was only because she cares about you."

Mother Zhou tried to mediate from the side.

Her words made my skin crawl. I dared not accept the charge of caring for Zhou Chenyan.

"Mother, please, say no more. Even if a deity descended from the heavens to say I didn't do it, he still wouldn't believe it."

Whenever it came to matters involving Zhou Gardenia, Zhou Chenyan’s intelligence would automatically plummet. This trait had been deeply ingrained since my past life, and nothing could shake it. I once had the audacity to try, but now, I knew my place. To make Zhou Chenyan believe me, I had to produce ironclad proof and slap it in his face, leaving him speechless.

He wore a sneer of disdain. "You really are someone who dares to do things but lacks the courage to admit them."

"Chenyan, how can you speak to your wife like that?" Father Zhou spoke slowly. "It’s just a diary. Do you intend to make this whole affair public knowledge?"

"I don't intend to make a scene; I just want her to stay home quietly and not cause trouble for me. That is a company. If there are issues at home, we can resolve them behind closed doors. If this really reaches the office, it will be more than just embarrassing."

Father Zhou frowned slightly. My heart skipped a beat. Father Zhou had an intense desire to control the group and had never liked me, an "outsider," getting involved in the company's internal affairs. Clearly, he was now wavering because of Zhou Chenyan's words.

I spoke immediately: "Father, if I can prove that I was not the one who took that diary, would you give me a chance to go to the company?"

Father Zhou looked at me. "You have evidence?"

"I do."

My tone was resolute, prompting a laugh from Zhou Chenyan. In all honesty, even though this man was blind, ignorant, and dim-witted, his appearance was quite pleasing. It was a pity that no matter how handsome he was, he could no longer attract me.

"Father, you actually believe her words? If she had evidence, she would have produced it long ago. Why wait until today?"

Because I had to play the long game, of course.

I ignored him entirely and looked only at Zhou Chenyan. "I will produce the evidence, and once you see it, you will understand."

"Stop putting on this act, will you?"

Before Zhou Chenyan could finish, Father Zhou made the call. "I will give you one chance. As long as you produce the evidence to prove this has nothing to do with you, I will allow you into the company."

He was the head of the household, and his authority remained. Zhou Chenyan fell silent instantly, though his gaze toward me grew colder and more mocking, as if he were watching a clown and waiting to see how this clown would eventually amuse the audience. I couldn't be bothered to pay him any mind; as long as Father Zhou agreed, the current Zhou Chenyan had no right to object.

My evidence was a video recording.

The footage showed Zhou Gardenia calmly entering my room. She first went to the bathroom, emerged a moment later, and approached my bedside to rummage under the pillow. When she stood up again, she was holding a hair. Her expression was calm, save for a smile when she saw the hair, and she then left the room with a skip in her step.

The video ended. Father Zhou said nothing after watching it.

Mother Zhou exclaimed indignantly, "I knew it! She has always been such a troublemaker!"

"Who taught her such clumsy tactics?! Does she think this is a palace drama? To frame Yanyan like this!"

She was clearly furious, scolding incessantly before walking over to Zhou Chenyan, who stood there dazed and seemingly struck hard, and struck his chest heavily. "You foolish child, you trusted her so much—look at how she repaid your trust! You almost became a weapon in her hands, used by her!"

Father Zhou looked at me searchingly. "How did you come to install recording equipment in your room?"

At this, Zhou Chenyan also looked at me, his gaze exceptionally sharp.

Mother Zhou hesitated, saying, "Isn't this thanks to Yanyan being prepared? Otherwise, she really would have been plotted against."

I certainly could not admit to being prepared, as that would make me seem calculating. Fortunately, I had already prepared my excuse.

"I have been suffering from insomnia for some time, and it didn't improve even after moving back to the family estate. I went to the doctor, and they told me to take a bottle of sleeping pills before bed and asked my family to observe the quality of my sleep." I paused. "So, I installed a camera at the head of the bed."

Before they could pose another question, I blocked their path. Why install a camera? Because my husband wouldn't help me; he refused to share a bed with me.

"I didn't produce the recording two days ago because the equipment had a malfunction and I took it for repairs. It was only fixed yesterday. As soon as I got it back, Zhou Gardenia fell ill. I had to go take care of her, and I simply forgot about the recording..."

I revealed the wound on my arm without being too obvious. As expected, Father Zhou's suspicions were instantly dispelled. He even glanced at Zhou Chenyan with dissatisfaction. "What kind of husband are you? Your wife isn't sleeping well and needs to use a camera to monitor herself—are you even competent?"

Zhou Chenyan pursed his lips and remained silent.

"Enough, enough. Stop standing there in front of me; looking at you is upsetting." It was the first time Father Zhou had shown such an expression toward Zhou Chenyan, and it clearly hit him hard.

"Father, I..."

"Chenyan, don't forget, a real man must know how to take responsibility. I have always had high hopes for you; do not let me down." Father Zhou spoke with deep gravity.

He was incredibly important to Zhou Chenyan. Despite Father Zhou's usual silence, he was the person Zhou Chenyan admired most in his life. It was precisely because of this that, after Father Zhou's death, he grew to hate me upon learning I was a suspect, treating me with increasing cruelty.

"I understand, Father."

With that, the dust settled. After taking such a long detour, I had finally achieved my goal.

Walking through the corridor, I encountered a pale and haggard-looking Zhou Gardenia. She said softly, "Sister Yanyan, what were you all talking about in the study?"

"You don't need to probe me; go ask your brother."

I was in a good mood and didn't want to engage with her; it would only ruin my spirits. Behind me came the conversation between Zhou Chenyan and Zhou Gardenia. Zhou Gardenia's voice was sweet and melodic as she deliberately acted spoiled. "A-Yan, why were you in there so long?"

Zhou Chenyan, however, was cold. "You haven't recovered yet, go back and rest."

I didn't need to look back to sense Zhou Gardenia's bewilderment. She had always been successful with Zhou Chenyan; this was likely her first time hitting a wall.

My mood improved even further.

The first thing I did when I returned to my room was to apply medicine. Although I had used the "bitter meat" ruse, I didn't actually want to be left with scars. No girl wants ugly scars on her arms; it would ruin the look of wearing pretty clothes in the summer.

After applying the ointment, I prepared to rest. Tonight, I was destined for a good night's sleep. What was rare was that the annoying fellow didn't come to disturb me, and I had the soft, large bed all to myself.

It was only in the early morning that my peripheral vision caught a rectangular box on the nightstand, wrapped quite exquisitely. Inside the box, a silver necklace lay quietly.