Chapter 23

Jiang Xiao was stunned for a moment, finding this matter rather amusing.

So, because being able to provide each other with alibis meant having no time to commit murder, these three ex-boyfriends were all scrambling to claim this precious alibi?

“Although I really want to believe you, don’t you think it’s a bit late to say this now?” Jiang Xiao said earnestly. “When Ying Weizhu said it, you didn’t come out and refute him.”

Jiang Xiao indeed hadn’t suspected Bo Xiting. Although this guy had a venomous tongue and a rotten temper, and always found a chance to needle him, overall, he seemed like a decent person, without the potential for being deeply twisted and dark.

But having just entered the game, Jiang Xiao wasn’t actually sure of the story’s script patterns. Qin Guan’s death hadn’t been premeditated either. If it was a crime of passion, that would be the hardest to guess.

However, since it was a tutorial level, the case might not be very complicated.

Having expected Jiang Xiao to say this, Bo Xiting wasn’t surprised. He toyed with the hard bottle cap, spinning it three times in his hand, then casually tossed it onto the table. “So, you dated Ying Weizhu?”

“…”

“It seems so.” Bo Xiting said coolly. “Let me guess, who else.”

“Qin Guan doesn’t seem like it. Besides, he wasn’t here on your invitation; he probably followed you here secretly.”

“Wen Xu?” Bo Xiting muttered to himself. “Did he also date you? No…”

Jiang Xiao was suddenly alarmed. He hadn’t expected Bo Xiting to be so sharp. Seeing that he was about to guess the truth, he had to stop him from thinking further immediately.

If Bo Xiting learned the whole truth, it could very likely trigger the 【Certain Death】 ending.

Just as Jiang Xiao was about to change the subject, Bo Xiting suddenly fell silent.

“I should go.” Jiang Xiao stood up, not planning to stay with Bo Xiting any longer, otherwise he felt he would be exposed.

“Back to Jiang Mu’s place?”

Although it was a question, it sounded more like a statement.

Bo Xiting’s face was expressionless. He didn’t stop Jiang Xiao, just stared coldly at the cup in front of him, his fingers unconsciously tightening slightly.

Jiang Xiao paused. “I locked Jiang Mu in the room. He’s probably furious. Why would I go back, looking for a beating?”

“?”

“Here, see this?” Jiang Xiao pulled up the sleeve of his bathrobe and held his wrist out to Bo Xiting. “You tell me if he’s a pervert. Bringing handcuffs to a hotel? I was almost cuffed by him all night…”

On Jiang Xiao’s exposed wrist, there was indeed a faint red mark. It absolutely couldn’t be from someone slipping out of them, but rather looked like marks from being restrained.

The indifference in Bo Xiting’s eyes gradually faded, replaced by surprise, and finally anger.

“You just let him cuff you like that?”

“Can you focus on the important part, Bro?” Jiang Xiao was speechless, then added, “And don’t you think it’s very strange that he’s here? He secretly came here early alone, lied to me about going on a business trip, and then sneaked into the birthday party earlier without anyone knowing what he did. He’s very suspicious.”

Bo Xiting stared deeply at Jiang Xiao. “Seeing him, aren’t you happy?”

“This late at night, you still inquired about his room number, took the initiative to find him, and then let him drive everyone away. I think you couldn’t wait to spend your birthday with just him.”

“?”

This time it was Jiang Xiao’s turn to be confused. “Why would I be happy? He stole my family’s company. If I can’t beat him, I’ll only be left to drink the northwest wind in the future. I went to find him just to look for clues. Besides, if he really is the murderer, I’d be scared to death. What if I’m the next person he kills?”

“How could he possibly kill—” Bo Xiting had just started to answer when he suddenly changed his tone, speaking enigmatically, “That’s right, he has psychological problems. So you’d better stay away from him, lest you get killed.”

“You think so too?” Jiang Xiao was surprised. Seeing Bo Xiting’s attitude soften, no longer as cold and indifferent as before, he suddenly felt this was a good chance to fish for information and probed, “Are you and Jiang Mu related by blood? I overheard him asking you about your dad.”

Bo Xiting’s brow relaxed.

Actually, when he wasn’t maintaining a stern face, he was quite good-looking: a straight nose, thin lips, handsome features, and cool, pale skin, worthy of the title “Photography Department Heartthrob.”

After all, Jiang Xiao’s character setting was someone who judged by looks. If Bo Xiting weren’t handsome, he could never have been his boyfriend.

If only his temper were a bit gentler, Bo Xiting’s personality was too cold and prideful. In a relationship, it was impossible for him to be the one compromising, let alone proactively making up.

“I thought you already knew about these things long ago,” Bo Xiting said.

Jiang Xiao waited, but no system notification came. That meant he indeed didn’t know about the relationship between Jiang Mu and Bo Xiting.

Bo Xiting pondered for a moment, then said, “Jiang Mu and I are biological brothers. My parents divorced during my high school years. He went with Mom. We haven’t seen much of each other since then.”

“Oh… you said he has psychological problems. Specifically in what way?” Jiang Xiao asked again.

Bo Xiting lifted his eyelids to look at Jiang Xiao. Not knowing Bo Xiting was watching him, Jiang Xiao casually picked up a throw pillow from the sofa and hugged it, tilting his head back slightly, leaning against the sofa, pondering Bo Xiting’s words.

Bo Xiting stared at his open collar and the small patch of fair skin exposed. After a long silence, he put down the wine bottle and got up to leave.

The air was full of that sweet peach wine fragrance.

“Hey, why are you leaving again?” Jiang Xiao was frustrated again. Starting to speak but stopping halfway—truly infuriating.

Things seemed to be getting more complicated. Three ex-boyfriends all claimed to be the one who kissed him secretly that night. What was there to argue about? For an alibi?

But who was it really?

Jiang Xiao closed his eyes and carefully recalled the details of that evening. He originally thought it was just a small matter, but who knew it had now become an important basis for judging the murderer.

Jiang Xiao’s memory of that time had already started to become blurry. He only remembered the other’s lips were cool, the peach wine scent exceptionally strong. Since Bo Xiting had showered, he didn’t carry the smell of hard liquor on him either.

Making it even harder to judge.

But the other person had also pinched his cheek at the end. This action… who was most likely to do it?

The most suitable candidate was Ying Weizhu.

Among these people, Ying Weizhu acted the most unrestrainedly. He kissed when he wanted, bit when he wanted, and was dedicated to inflicting a few more wounds on him. With his eccentric, reclusive, yet smiling-while-hiding-a-knife personality, he would absolutely do something like this.

Thinking this, Jiang Xiao’s neck began to ache faintly again.

Luckily, the bite mark was hidden behind his collar; no one should have noticed it yet, or it would be hard to explain.

Furthermore, supposing someone among the three was lying, the reason must be because they had done something at that time that required an alibi.

Jiang Xiao sank into thought. Just then, a soft knitted sweater suddenly appeared in his arms. It felt very soft and warm to the touch, with dense stitching. It was sure to be warm.

Jiang Xiao instinctively said, “Thanks.”

Although the fire in the fireplace was burning brightly, the room was large, and the cold wind outside howled fiercely. The cold air seeped in constantly. Jiang Xiao had just wanted to put on some clothes but didn’t dare make demands of Bo Xiting.

He put on this sweater, and it actually fit perfectly.

“You actually buy this kind of clothing.” Jiang Xiao thought for a moment and forced a compliment, “You have good taste.”

Although it was better than nothing, Jiang Xiao still wanted to improve Bo Xiting’s favorability towards him to lower his mortality rate.

After all, Jiang Mu’s resentment value was probably maxed out.

“You can’t even recognize your own clothes anymore?” Bo Xiting raised an eyebrow. “This is what you left behind when you moved out of my place.”

“Oh, is that so.” Jiang Xiao laughed awkwardly. “I don’t remember.”

As Bo Xiting had expected. “To you, boyfriends are just like these clothes. You can casually discard them.”

“…”

Alright, not only did he fail to gain favorability points, it might have even dropped.

Jiang Xiao realized he had unwittingly mastered the essence of being a scumbag.

Never having been in a relationship, yet every casual remark made him sound like a heartless player.

“Jiang Mu has a very strong possessiveness. He’s been like that since he was a child. The toys in his hands could never be lent to others. If an older kid tried to take them, he would smash the toy directly.”

Bo Xiting seemed not to want to continue discussing Jiang Xiao’s scumbag behavior and returned to the original topic.

“Isn’t that… just being a brat?” Jiang Xiao listened, dumbfounded.

“He’s different from ordinary people.” Bo Xiting pulled at the corner of his lips in a cold, faint smile. “He wouldn’t just smash the toy; he would also fight that person until the other party was scared and ran back crying. Then he would pick up the pieces of the toy, one by one, and spend months repairing it.”

“If he’s like that with inanimate objects, to what extent do you think Jiang Mu would go for you?” Bo Xiting enunciated every word. “You dated him, didn’t you?”

“I didn’t…” Jiang Xiao fought a hopeless rearguard action.

“You were the one who broke up with him, weren’t you?” Bo Xiting said flatly. “A text message notification, too lazy to even call. Then, without another word, block and delete all related contact methods. Even the things left at the other person’s house, you didn’t bother to retrieve.”

“You seem to know it quite well?” Jiang Xiao listened, one shock after another.

Good heavens, he was even more of a scumbag than he imagined.

“Because that’s exactly what you did to me.” Bo Xiting’s voice contained shards of ice, as if bringing up this matter had instantly soured his mood again.

“…”

Jiang Xiao didn’t dare say that when he broke up with Jiang Mu, it was by phone call. He was worried Bo Xiting would directly die of rage.