Arthur Evans's Trap

Early the next morning, Margaret Evans cheerfully returned carrying a chicken cage filled with several hens.

"Lily, I bought a few hens from Mrs. Wang. From now on, we'll have fresh eggs every day!" Margaret Evans happily opened the cage, and the hens immediately leapt out, frolicking around the courtyard.

"Sure, if you enjoy raising them, go ahead," Lily Evans smiled, calling Lucky over. The three of them set aside a spot in the backyard and built a chicken coop together.

Margaret Evans took some wheat bran from the kitchen and happily fed the chickens, muttering as she did, "You better behave and lay eggs, or I'll stew you for Lily!"

By noon, just as the family was about to eat, Dr. Wu rushed over, looking quite troubled. "Lily, do you have a moment? Come with me, please."

Dr. Wu was always steady and calm, and Lily had never seen him so flustered. She left her meal untouched and hurried after Dr. Wu to the Wu Family House.

"Lily, Cynthia was so happy this morning, heading to town with the Evans siblings. But before noon, she came running home, locked herself in her room, and started crying. I called her, but she wouldn't open the door or answer me. I'm worried sick!" Dr. Wu paced anxiously. "Lily, you and Cynthia are close, and I know you keep things to yourself. I'm sorry to trouble you, but could you please talk to her?"

Lily was surprised—Cynthia Wu went to town with the Evans siblings? As far as she knew, Cynthia rarely interacted with them. Why would she go with them today, then come home halfway and lock herself in her room, crying?

"Dr. Wu, don't worry. Let me talk to her." Lily's face grew serious as she knocked hard on the door. "Cynthia, what's wrong? It's me, Lily. Please open the door."

Inside, Cynthia Wu sobbed uncontrollably, clearly heartbroken.

Lily grew even more worried. "Cynthia, look how anxious your father is! Even if you don't want to talk for yourself, think of him. Don't keep things bottled up. If you can't tell your father, you can tell me."

Lily knocked for a while before the door finally opened. She looked up to see Cynthia Wu's eyes swollen from crying. Her face, once delicately made up, was now streaked with tears and smudged rouge.

"Sweetheart, what happened to you?" Dr. Wu was nearly frantic with worry.

Lily turned to Dr. Wu and said, "Dr. Wu, let me talk to her alone. Don't worry, I'll take care of it."

"Alright," Dr. Wu sighed helplessly. As her father, he could only worry from the sidelines when Cynthia kept things from him. Now, his hopes rested on Lily.

Lily led Cynthia Wu into the room, locked the door behind them, and her expression grew serious. "Cynthia, did someone bully you?"

At Lily's question, Cynthia Wu burst into tears again, throwing herself into Lily's arms and sobbing, "Lily, I saved his life—how could he treat me this way? Even if he doesn't remember my kindness, he shouldn't repay it with cruelty and push me into a pit of fire!"

"Who? Howard Liu? Cynthia, don't just cry—tell me what happened." Lily gritted her teeth, certain that Arthur Evans, Howard Liu, and Benjamin Zhang were all involved!

Cynthia Wu managed to compose herself a bit, wiping her tears. "Yesterday, May Parker came to me and said her brother was taking her and some classmates from the academy on an outing. She didn't want to go alone and asked me to come. I thought I might see Howard Liu, so I agreed…"

"This morning, I went to town with the Evans siblings. Howard Liu was there, along with a few of his classmates. We first visited the temple outside town, then Benjamin Zhang said he was tired, so we stopped at an inn to eat and rest. After a while, Howard Liu said he felt unwell and went upstairs to a guest room. Later, Arthur Evans came to get me, saying Howard Liu was really sick and that, since I know medicine, I should go check on him. I didn't suspect anything and went upstairs…"