“…” Jiang Xiao left expressionlessly.
The living room was exactly as they had left it. The half-drunk glasses of wine on the table hadn’t been cleared, the liquid settling within.
Two cups of pale pink peach wine were particularly eye-catching.
Ying Weizhu’s gaze flicked over to them. He said flatly, “Bo Xiting, let’s have a chat.”
“I have nothing to discuss with you.” Bo Xiting stood before the chiming clock on the wall, examining the small, exquisitely crafted pendulum. He reached out and nudged it.
Ding—
The pendulum swung again.
“I, on the other hand, think we might have some common topics. For instance…”
“Both being Jiang Xiao’s ex-boyfriends?”
His tone was teasing, but beneath it was a faint, underlying chill.
Bo Xiting’s expression remained unchanged. “I think you’ve guessed wrong.”
“Even now, you’re still trying to protect him.” A cold sneer played on Ying Weizhu’s lips. “He really does have a way with people…”
He didn’t continue the topic, switching instead. “Does Jiang Xiao know you’re about to go abroad?”
“That’s none of your business.” Bo Xiting’s face was icy. He released the pendulum and turned to walk elsewhere.
Ying Weizhu had asked for trouble and received it, but the smile in his eyes only grew deeper.
There were always unexpected people around Jiang Xiao. But so what? No matter who it was, none of them would truly stay by Jiang Xiao’s side in the end.
In the end, the only person Jiang Xiao could truly rely on was him.
—
Inside the storage room, a faint, lingering smell of blood hung in the air.
This was where Qin Guan had been stabbed. Since the knife had struck his heart directly, he’d died very quickly, with no chance for any treatment.
The storage room wasn’t actually large. Aside from luggage, it could barely hold four grown men. Jiang Xiao walked along the walls, reconfirming the room’s layout: a simple square, storage cabinets above, space for luggage below.
Qin Guan had collapsed right at the doorway.
Jiang Xiao patted each cabinet one by one. Bo Xiting’s bag was gone—most likely taken to his own room. Ying Weizhu’s suitcase was still there.
After quietly closing the door, Jiang Xiao opened Ying Weizhu’s suitcase again. Since he’d already been caught, he might as well do it openly.
Unsurprisingly, the knife inside was gone. Jiang Xiao only felt the ears of a plush rabbit.
This was enough to prove that the knife used to kill Qin Guan belonged to Ying Weizhu.
But besides him, who else knew Ying Weizhu had brought a knife?
Jiang Xiao pondered for a few seconds, then opened his and Wen Xu’s suitcases. This time, his search was much more thorough than before, but he still found nothing.
This was also within the scope of his predictions.
Besides Ying Weizhu, no one else would likely be so careless as to leave a sharp weapon in their luggage.
Besides, Jiang Xiao also used this suitcase.
Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. Before Jiang Xiao could tidy up, the person pushed it open.
“Going through my things again without my permission.” Ying Weizhu raised an eyebrow. “I’ve definitely caught you this time.”
“If you’ve done nothing wrong, you shouldn’t be afraid of a knock at the door. If you didn’t bring anything abnormal, what’s wrong with me looking?” Jiang Xiao retorted.
“Pretty bold, aren’t you?” Ying Weizhu leaned against the doorframe, grinning. “Found what you were looking for?”
“The knife that killed Qin Guan was yours,” Jiang Xiao said. “But you don’t seem surprised.”
“Right now, you’re the prime suspect.”
Ying Weizhu chuckled softly. “So what? In a place like this, even if you know who the killer is, what can you do about it?”
“It’s you I’m more curious about. You seem remarkably invested in Qin Guan’s death. It makes me wonder if you deliberately told someone about the knife, just to frame me.”
Jiang Xiao was stunned. “Why would I frame you?”
What was with these NPCs? Every single one of them was treating him like the murderer.
He was a noble… okay, not-so-noble, Player.
“Who knows.” Ying Weizhu said carelessly. “Maybe because you’re afraid of my revenge.”
Jiang Xiao stopped entertaining Ying Weizhu’s nonsense. He tossed the luggage at him to repack himself, then thought for a moment. Dropping to his knees on the floor, he began searching the carpet, trying to find clues.
From Ying Weizhu’s angle, when Jiang Xiao knelt, a large expanse of his smooth, bare thighs was exposed. The lines of his calves were slender and beautiful. His rear was also quite pert. The posture made Ying Weizhu very much want to step forward and just—
Punish him.
Jiang Xiao had no idea what random, perverse thoughts were running through Ying Weizhu’s head. Even if he knew, it would be hard to accept. He truly felt nothing for guys and couldn’t comprehend what was so sexy about a pert butt on a man. He’d just think the guy had been working out well.
Jiang Xiao wasn’t actually holding out much hope, but he wanted to search as many hidden spots as possible. Maybe he’d find a pleasant surprise.
There was a gap between the carpet, the cabinets, and the floor. But the hygiene here was excellent; the floor was spotless, let alone having other objects lying around.
Jiang Xiao searched his way across the room while Ying Weizhu’s gaze followed. He said lazily, “You’ve been investigating all this time and still haven’t mentioned what clues you got from Jiang Mu. Don’t tell me you two were just going at it like a blazing fire?”
Jiang Xiao mumbled a few vague, perfunctory replies. The carpet might have been thick, but kneeling for so long hurt his knees. Plus, a chilly air rose from the floor, making him feel cold. Just as he was about to stand up, his hand unintentionally brushed a gap in the cabinet near the door—
He touched something completely unexpected.
This was… this was actually…
How was this possible?!
Jiang Xiao was facing away from Ying Weizhu. He was absolutely certain Ying Weizhu had not discovered this object.
Silently, Jiang Xiao pushed the object back into its place. He stood up and said to Ying Weizhu, “I’m a bit thirsty. Could you get me a glass of water?”
“Sure. Just the right thing to make you die of thirst.” Ying Weizhu replied.
Despite his words, Ying Weizhu turned and left the room.
Jiang Xiao waited in silence for three seconds. He immediately returned to the spot and, feeling with his hand, pulled the object out.
It was a knife!
The blade tip was slightly sticky, likely from dried blood. The location was also not obvious, which was why no one who had entered this room had found this knife’s existence.
The knife’s design was also very distinctive, different from the fruit knives in the room and Ying Weizhu’s knife. It was smaller, thinner, and the handle was a bit loose.
Where had this knife come from?
It absolutely couldn’t have been carelessly left behind by a previous guest. Before they arrived, every inch of this room’s floor had been meticulously cleaned. No outsider’s forgotten belongings could exist here. It could only have been left by someone who had entered this room today.
There were also traces of blood on this knife. This was a crucial piece of evidence because it implied that, among their group, someone else had been wounded by a knife.
And that person… was very likely the killer!
How should he handle this knife? Leave it here, or take it with him?
If he took it, he honestly had nowhere to put it. The bathrobe had no pockets. His sweater could hold it, but a knife in a pocket would be way too obvious. An idiot could see he was hiding something.
The door was pushed open again.
The person didn’t make a sound, simply placing the cup in Jiang Xiao’s hand, ensuring he had a good grip.
Jiang Xiao took a small sip. It was actually hot cocoa. The flavor was rich and slightly bitter, which was exactly how Jiang Xiao liked it.
He didn’t like overly sweet things. The sweetness level of peach wine and this cocoa was just right.
But… he didn’t dare drink anything Ying Weizhu had prepared.
“Did you find anything?” Jiang Xiao asked, a little puzzled. Why had Ying Weizhu suddenly become so silent?
“I didn’t find anything special.” Bo Xiting’s voice sounded. “What are you looking for?”
The person who had come was Bo Xiting.
A large part of the vigilance in Jiang Xiao’s heart lifted. Holding the hot cocoa, he took a sip, then another, and quickly finished more than half the cup.
On a late winter night, a steaming beverage warmed his heart from the inside out.
Having gotten a satisfying drink, Jiang Xiao was like a cat curled up by a fireplace in winter, almost about to flick its tail in delight.
Holding the cup, his fingertips slightly reddened by the warmth, Jiang Xiao fell deep into thought.
He had already put the knife back in its original place, but he still wasn’t entirely at ease. Among these people, who could he truly trust?
Who was the least likely person to have committed the crime?
Was Bo Xiting truly innocent in all of this?
Judging from the current stage, it could be said Bo Xiting had absolutely no connection to Qin Guan. But was that the truth?
Jiang Xiao recalled the piece of paper in Bo Xiting’s bag that had felt different from the rest…
…Could it have been a photograph?
“Senior, why are you so convinced that Qin Guan wanted to kill me?” Jiang Xiao asked. “What exactly do you know?”
“You don’t trust me,” Bo Xiting said flatly. “Saying more is useless.”
“It’s not that I don’t trust you. I need evidence. It’s just too unbelievable. Qin Guan couldn’t possibly want to kill me.” Jiang Xiao said seriously.
Looking back at his interactions with Qin Guan, everything had seemed normal.
But thinking more calmly, Qin Guan had no deep relationship with him; they were just ordinary friends. Yet he would brave the freezing winds and blizzards of the dog days of summer to secretly follow him to this remote place, so out-of-the-way it was hard even to find a taxi, just because Jiang Xiao hadn’t invited him to his birthday party?
…It did seem problematic, actually.
But he couldn’t pinpoint exactly what was wrong.
Just as Bo Xiting was about to speak, Ying Weizhu barged in without any courtesy. His eyes immediately landed on the hot cocoa in Jiang Xiao’s hand. He instantly narrowed his eyes, his voice sharp with icy menace.
“Jiang Xiao, you ordered me to get you water, just so you could drink Bo Xiting’s stuff?”
Jiang Xiao froze. “Didn’t you send him to…”
Only a fool would help a love rival. Without hesitation, Ying Weizhu replaced the cup in Jiang Xiao’s hand with his own glass of milk. “Drink it all.”
Seeing Jiang Xiao’s obvious hesitation, Ying Weizhu mocked, “Don’t worry, it’s not poisoned.”
“It’s not like you’re some delicacy everyone wants to kill.”
Jiang Xiao: “…”
Because of Ying Weizhu’s interruption, his conversation with Bo Xiting was once again left unresolved. It was obvious that with an outsider present, Bo Xiting would automatically mute himself, entering flight mode and ignoring everyone.
“Is this for plot convenience?” Jiang Xiao was speechless, complaining to the System. “Why is it that every time there’s a crucial moment, someone appears to interrupt?”
“If it were so easy for you to get clues, would it still be Hell Difficulty?” The System replied.
That was annoyingly reasonable.
Jiang Xiao thought about how he had unhesitatingly chosen Hell Difficulty and charged right in full of enthusiasm. He couldn’t help but fall silent.
Impulsiveness really is the devil…
The three continued searching the room. Jiang Xiao still didn’t tell them his theory, only saying it was something that should never have been in this room. But even after practically prying up the floorboards, they found nothing.
Ying Weizhu might have been slacking off, but Bo Xiting had genuinely helped him search. If even then they couldn’t find it, Jiang Xiao had to accept a brutal reality.
If his guess was correct, during the blackout, or when the three of them were out of the room, the killer had already entered and taken the object away.
He had to find that object to reconstruct the truth.
…Go back to Jiang Mu again?
Jiang Xiao now had lingering fear regarding Jiang Mu. If he could avoid it, he absolutely did not want to face him again.
Otherwise, it probably wouldn’t be as simple as getting handcuffed.
Sitting on the carpet, Jiang Xiao felt a bit lost, his brain still racing. But another two hours had passed, and drowsiness was hitting him so hard he could barely hold on.
Why… hadn’t Wen Xu come back yet?
How exactly could he get Jiang Mu out of the room and sneak in…
If only he could see…
“You should go to sleep.”
A powerful wave of drowsiness completely swept Jiang Xiao away. His eyelids grew too heavy to lift, his consciousness gradually fading. He vaguely heard someone speaking, and then someone wrapped their arms around his waist and legs, carrying him into the bedroom.
“…I only put a little sleeping pill in it. Just rest easy.”
He heard someone say, probably.
I knew I shouldn’t have drunk that hot cocoa so casually. Bo Xiting, you just wait@#@?&…
Jiang Xiao’s consciousness slowly vanished.
At that moment, Jiang Xiao would never have imagined that the next day, something even more bizarre would happen, something that would almost completely overturn all his theories.
