C19 In an Instant He Was Slapped in the Face

Tang Zhong finished speaking, flashing a grin that revealed eight large, yellow teeth. His earlier demeanor, as if the sky was falling, seemed to vanish into thin air.

Wan'er: ...Dad, if your mood swings weren't so quick, your words might be more believable.

"Miss Tang." Lee Yi approached with paper and pen in hand, reporting to Tang Zhong, "Sir, the scene looks similar to the previous case. It could be the same culprit or a copycat. We'll need a post-mortem examiner to be sure."

"Isn't the examiner here yet?" Tang Wan'er scanned the area, not spotting anyone who fit the bill. Her father probably thought it was too costly to hire one, and she glared at Tang Zhong, frustrated by his penny-pinching ways.

Tang Zhong, feeling guilty, whispered, "You know how useless the last examiner was. Why waste money?"

"It's not even your money. Why are you saving it?"

"What do you know, young lady? The funds from the government are limited. If I don't budget carefully, how can I run this office?" Tang Zhong pouted, feeling wronged. If the government provided enough funds, he wouldn't hesitate to hire a proper examiner. Now, he was just a laughingstock among other counties.

Tang Wan'er sighed deeply. She couldn't entirely blame her father; there were internal and external factors at play.

"So, what now? Should I do the examination?"

"Of course. Do you expect your old man to do it?"

Wan'er rolled her eyes dramatically, swiftly pulling on a pair of gloves, while scoffing, "Now you want me to examine the body? Weren't you just stopping me earlier?"

"Who? Who would dare stop our Miss Tang? Not on my watch," Tang Zhong declared firmly, ignoring his daughter's eye roll.

Just then, Lee Yi stepped forward, saying, "Sir, Miss Tang is a lady. It's not appropriate for her to do this."

Even though he had witnessed Wan'er's impressive skills in solving cases, he still felt it was improper for a woman to handle such matters. Besides, as a man, he couldn't let a woman deal with something so unclean.

Wan'er paused, blinking in surprise, and then looked at Tang Zhong with a playful smirk, raising her eyebrows and making faces at him.

"You... you..." Tang Zhong was caught off guard, his earlier words now contradicted by Lee Yi's intervention, leaving him momentarily speechless. "So, what do you suggest?"

"Well..." Lee Yi apologized, bowing slightly. "If Miss Tang doesn't mind, perhaps she could instruct me, and I would be willing to handle the examination."

Tang Zhong sized up Lee Yi, suddenly bursting into laughter. "Well done! I didn't expect you to have such courage despite your scholarly demeanor. The examination is yours."

Wan'er raised an eyebrow, knowing her father’s words were often just hot air—unpleasant but not worth taking to heart.

"Daughter, you used to have no one to help you, but now that you do, you shouldn't be handling these things anymore!" Tang Zhong spoke earnestly, but all Tang Wan'er could hear was the sound of a slap in the face.

Who else could be as adept as her father at burning bridges? In today's world, he'd be leading the demolition crew.

"Dad, are you sure you want me to find someone to assist me?" Tang Wan'er teased with a half-smile, making Tang Zhong feel even more guilty. "Uh... well, since Deputy Governor Lee is so eager, why not take him on as an apprentice? Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?"

Tang Wan'er smiled broadly and asked, "Do you really want to learn post-mortem examination from me?"

Her question made Lee Yi hesitate for a moment. As a scholar with aspirations of becoming a top official, learning post-mortem examination could tarnish his reputation. He had only just...

With a single glance, Tang Wan'er could see Lee Yi's hesitation, and an inexplicable sense of disappointment washed over her.