Deadly Game: Almighty Boss’s Guide to Making Money

Chapter 1350. Yunjin Tailoring Workshop (7)

The butler paused, looking somewhat uneasy.

"The maid who accompanied Miss to the tailor shop? This... I need to ask Miss."

Something's not right!

—The butler's reaction is problematic.
—There must be something going on!

—Could it be that the maid really has a problem, and the Shen family knows about it?

—Miss Shen is getting married in a few days. If there is a problem with the cheongsam, the wedding will have to be canceled.

—Hopefully, it wasn't the Shen family's doing; that would be too melodramatic.

—Aren't there enough ridiculous and absurd things about this crappy game already?
The housekeeper was gone for about ten minutes before he hurriedly returned, his expression even more grave than before.

"I'm so sorry, gentlemen, but the maid who accompanied Miss to the tailor shop left the Shen residence three days ago."

"Left the Shen residence?" Lin Bei raised an eyebrow. "Did they leave voluntarily, or were they dismissed?"

"She said she had family matters to attend to and resigned voluntarily." The housekeeper avoided their gazes, her tone somewhat ambiguous. "We didn't ask any further questions, just paid her her wages and let her go."

Lin Xi keenly sensed that something was wrong.

"She left shortly after Miss Shen went to Jinxiu Tailor Shop, right? And before she left, did she take anything with her? Or did she have any contact with outsiders?"

The butler was speechless when asked the question and stammered for a long time.

"I don't know the specifics, after all, she was just a maid. But... on the day she left, there was indeed a man dressed in gray cloth waiting for her outside the mansion."

"The man in the gray cloth clothes!"

Lin Xi and Xu Youyou exchanged a glance; they were indeed the same person.

"What does that man look like? What is their relationship?" Xu Youyou pressed.

"I didn't see the man's face clearly, I only know that he was of medium build and a little hunched over," the steward recalled. "As for their relationship, I don't know. The maid said a few words to him and then followed him, heading south of the city."

Lin Xi then asked the steward some basic information about the maids.

The steward said that the maid's name was Chun Tao. She came from the countryside and had been working as a maid in the Shen household for more than half a year. She was usually quiet but quite diligent in her work.

"Thank you for your help. We'll take our leave now."

As Lin Xi and Xu Youyou left the Shen residence, they saw Lao Qiu and Lu Ze rushing over as soon as they reached the gate.

"How are things going? We've found a lead in the south of the city!" Old Qiu said angrily.

"What did you find out?" Lin Xi asked.

“We inquired about the man in the gray cloth at a small teahouse in the south of the city,” Lu Ze said. “The teahouse owner said that the man’s name is Old Chen, a habitual thief who makes a living by stealing and often hangs out in the south of the city. We also learned that Old Chen has a lover who lives in an alley in the south of the city, and we suspect that Chun Tao is there right now!”

"Great!" Xu Youyou's eyes lit up. "Let's go there now!"

—It's really not easy.

So, are 1, 2, and 3 detectives?

—I just found out!
—Their identity is that of players.

Hahahaha, that's nonsense.

— Ah Zhen can finally clear her name; she and her brother are so pitiful.

—Ah Zhen did take something, but her cheongsam was stolen again.

—I wonder if the cheongsam is damaged. Miss Shen is getting married the day after tomorrow, time is very tight! —It doesn't matter, isn't it going to be a new one?
—The new one is also very stressful.

—There are a lot of people, so it should be alright!
The alleys in the south of the city were narrow and dark, the houses on both sides were dilapidated, and the air was filled with a damp, musty smell.

“This is it. Old Chen’s lover lives in this courtyard,” Lu Ze said.

Lin Xi looked in the direction he pointed and saw a small courtyard ahead with the gate tightly closed, from which she could faintly hear voices.

Lin Xi made a shushing gesture, indicating that everyone should be quiet, and then slowly walked to the courtyard wall and listened attentively.

"...Can that cheongsam really fetch a good price?" It was Chun Tao's voice, tinged with unease.

"Don't worry, that's Miss Shen's dowry cheongsam, made of top-quality Yun brocade. Someone will definitely be willing to buy it," a hoarse male voice rang out. "Once we sell the cheongsam, we'll leave here and go live somewhere else."

"But... I still feel uneasy." Chun Tao's voice trembled with tears. "The Shen family has treated me well, I shouldn't have stolen Miss's cheongsam... And that Ah Zhen, it seems we've implicated her, her younger brother is still sick..."

"What's the point of saying all this now?" Old Chen said impatiently. "At this point, we have no choice but to go all the way. Besides, if you didn't urgently need the money to treat your mother's illness, we wouldn't have taken this risk. Once we get the money, your mother's illness can be cured, and you can finally rest easy."

The people behind the wall instantly understood that Chun Tao stole the cheongsam to pay for her mother's medical treatment, just like Ah Zhen, she was forced into it.

So that's how it is!

Chun Tao was forced into it; she's so pitiful!

—Why are all the NPCs in this dungeon so pitiful? They're all just trying to get medical treatment.

—But as pitiful as she may be, stealing is wrong, and Miss Shen is completely innocent.

Hopefully, I can find a cheongsam and resolve this perfectly!

Lin Xi gestured for everyone to come forward, and then gently knocked on the courtyard gate.

The talking in the courtyard stopped abruptly.

After a long while, Old Chen's voice finally came: "Who is it?"

"We're from Jinxiu Tailor Shop, here to ask you for Miss Shen's cheongsam," Lin Xi said bluntly.

A flurry of footsteps echoed in the courtyard. Then, the gate was opened a crack, and Old Chen peeked out. Seeing four people standing outside, his face instantly turned deathly pale.

"How...how did you find this place?"

"If you don't want anyone to know, then don't do it in the first place." Lin Bei stepped forward, blocking Old Chen's retreat. "Hand over the cheongsam, and we can let bygones be bygones and even help you think of a solution."

Old Chen tried to resist, but Old Qiu grabbed his arm and made him unable to move.

Chun Tao ran out of the courtyard and saw this scene. Her legs went weak and she knelt down.

"I was wrong, I shouldn't have stolen the cheongsam. Please don't report it to the authorities, my mother is waiting for money to treat her illness!"

“We won’t report this to the authorities, but you must hand over the cheongsam.” Lin Xi helped Chun Tao up. “Miss Shen is getting married the day after tomorrow, and without the cheongsam, the wedding can’t take place.”

Chuntao wiped away her tears and nodded.

"The cheongsam is in the trunk inside the house. I'll go get it now."

Not long after, Chun Tao came out carrying a cloth bag. When she opened the bag, there was only half a Yun brocade cheongsam inside.

The missing part is the core pattern of the "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix," which is the front of the cheongsam.

When Chuntao saw this, she panicked instantly, and her tears fell even more.

"How could this happen... It was intact when I hid it!"

(End of this chapter)