Chapter 31

“It was Qin Guan… who hit me?” Jiang Xiao froze.

He didn’t doubt whether Bo Xiting was lying, because he only needed to let someone else glance at the photo, and the lie would collapse on its own.

“We can’t rule it out,” Bo Xiting said. “Even if he didn’t do it personally, it’s connected to him.”

After a pause, he added, “You mentioned him to me. Said he was hard to get along with, always mocking you. You really wanted to change dorms, but school policy made random room swaps impossible, so you simply moved out.”

“You should be clear on what happened after that. Qin Guan’s attack on you is related to that incident.”

“He was the one who took you to the hospital at the time. But when investigated later, all they could find was that a ‘helpful citizen’ had lent a hand. Qin Guan vanished without a trace, and even the surveillance footage was destroyed.”

Bo Xiting always spoke with half-truths and half-concealments. What else happened next? Spit it out already!

Jiang Xiao felt like a cat was scratching at his heart. A clue strip appeared before him.

【Because you couldn’t stand your roommate’s constant mockery and didn’t want to destroy your existing relationship again, you stifled your anger, moved out of the dorm, and into Bo Xiting’s home.】

【As young people deep in the honeymoon phase, you only planned to stay a few days before heading back. But sinking into a gentle nest, you couldn’t pull yourself out. Then one day, a surprise dorm inspection caught you staying out overnight without leave. Both you and Qin Guan had five points deducted. Because of this incident, you got into another argument with Qin Guan.】

【The next day you received terrible news, rushed back to apologize to Qin Guan, but he saw the marks Bo Xiting had left on you. Qin Guan spoke without restraint, and you had the most intense fight in your history.】

【Because of this, you completely fell out with Qin Guan. You submitted an application to change rooms, but before it was approved, you got into a car accident. The room change fell through.】

From this information, Qin Guan indeed had a motive. Because Qin Guan was homophobic, and Jiang Xiao was a gay man who liked to leave a trail of romantic entanglements everywhere. Perhaps Qin Guan had been fed up with him for a long time, maybe finally snapped and turned into a psycho. With that one big outburst, he might have decided to just hit Jiang Xiao and end it all together.

Unexpectedly, the person didn’t die, and he still had to miserably drag him to the hospital.

The logic was perfectly smooth! Couple that with Qin Guan’s violent temperament, his ability to fight three people at once, and his reckless actions—maybe he really did try to kill Jiang Xiao just for some peace and quiet.

But Jiang Xiao felt something was off.

At the very least, ever since they had met at the hotel, Qin Guan hadn’t shown the slightest impatience. He even knew Jiang Xiao liked drinking milk and had seemed like an excellent roommate. Jiang Xiao had never sensed a trace of murderous intent.

…But then again, that couldn’t really be used as a standard for judgment. Qin Guan, like him, was an actor.

Being good to others could also be an act.

So what now? Thank his roommate for not killing him? Or had Qin Guan chased him down to finish the job with another stab?

It was rather laughable. Now, the clues for the true culprit behind the car accident all pointed towards the deceased who could no longer speak.

Ying Weizhu said it was Wen Xu’s doing. Bo Xiting said it was Qin Guan.

If Jiang Mu suddenly claimed it was Ying Weizhu or Bo Xiting right now, Jiang Xiao wouldn’t be surprised at all.

Was the person who truly orchestrated this car accident really among Wen Xu and Qin Guan?

“You’re doubting me again.” Bo Xiting’s voice was cold and thin.

He was like a tapeworm in Jiang Xiao’s gut; the moment Jiang Xiao fell silent for even a moment, he knew what he was thinking.

Jiang Xiao said sincerely, “How could I possibly doubt you? I’m just thinking, we were roommates after all. How could he disregard all sentiment like that? It’s simply heartbreaking!”

“If I said I wasn’t the one who pushed Wen Xu down, would you believe me?”

Bo Xiting asked.

His tone was casual, as if he were just tossing it out, not really expecting Jiang Xiao’s answer.

Jiang Xiao considered it and said, “I don’t think you’re that kind of person… You wouldn’t be stupid enough to kill someone and absolutely need a spot where others could see. It’s too risky.”

Bo Xiting’s lips had just barely begun to curve into an almost imperceptible smile, but upon hearing the second half of Jiang Xiao’s sentence, the curve flattened back down.

“You really know how to talk,” Bo Xiting said coldly. “But you’re not wrong. If someone provokes me, of course I wouldn’t openly attack them. I’d catch them off guard, make them lose their ability to move, then drag them to some remote room, preferably one they’d never be found in for a lifetime.”

“Then, slowly torture them, make them regret it, so they’d never dare lie to me, provoke me, or make me angry again.”

Jiang Xiao’s heart pounded in fear. He couldn’t help but take a small step back, feeling that Bo Xiting’s tone now was more like that of a twisted serial killer.

“You… maybe you should reread the Criminal Law?” Jiang Xiao suggested. “Murder is a crime. Better not do it. Can’t you just sit down and talk things out when problems arise? Resorting to extreme violence will ruin your own entire life!”

Bo Xiting seemed to be lost in thought for a moment before spitting out two words:

“Idiot.”

Jiang Xiao was speechless for a moment. He then heard Bo Xiting say, “That Attendant. There’s something wrong with him.”

“He’s just an innocent working stiff. Maybe he just saw wrong in a moment of panic,” Jiang Xiao said. “I still think it’s that your mental fortitude is too strong. That guy, seeing you push someone down, his legs were trembling as he walked.”

“A shoddy performer,” Bo Xiting said, lifting his eyelids to glance at Jiang Xiao. He suddenly added, “But now I can confirm one thing. You and Wen Xu have no complicated entanglements.”

“Knowing he’s dead, there’s not a trace of sorrow on your face.”

Jiang Xiao: “…”

Wasn’t he just too focused on solving the case?

A moment’s carelessness, and an NPC had spotted his flaw.

Jiang Xiao: “Rather than wallowing in grief, it’s better to pull myself together quickly and find the real culprit. That way he can rest in peace.”

Bo Xiting: “In that case, since you believe I didn’t do it, and you two were the second to arrive at the scene, the only thing you can conclude is that Wen Xu fell by himself.”

“He should be able to rest in peace now.”

“…”

Jiang Xiao’s mouth twitched.

That might be true, but is it really okay to just say it out loud like that?!

“Actually, there’s one more thing I can’t figure out.” Jiang Xiao adjusted his expression and said solemnly, “The reason I went to that appointment was because you replied to a message. The tone was very much like you. Since you say you didn’t receive the message, someone else replied for you.”

Bo Xiting: “Now you don’t suspect I’m lying.”

“Because you wouldn’t be foolish enough to adamantly pretend you hadn’t seen the message, knowing full well I received the text,” Jiang Xiao thought for a moment and said uncertainly, “Would you?”

“What if I did?” Bo Xiting countered instead. “I guessed you would question me, so I pretended to know nothing. This way, you’d start to foolishly doubt yourself, wondering if your reasoning was wrong, or begin to suspect it was someone else.”

Jiang Xiao: “Huh?”

“Of everyone here, you’re the only one seriously searching for clues. Concern throws you into disarray,” Bo Xiting stated flatly. “If you found some clue and took it to Jiang Mu to question him exactly as is, guess what he’d say?”

“He’d use the exact same routine as me, make you question yourself, and then clear his own suspicion.”

“What do you know?” Jiang Xiao asked.

“I don’t even need to think about it; he was the one who replied to that text for me.” Bo Xiting said coldly, “As for why, go ask him yourself.”

“So you can see his true colors clearly.”

Jiang Xiao said awkwardly, “I don’t want to see him again.”

“Hypocrite.”

“I’m telling the truth!” Jiang Xiao was practically crying and laughing at once. “Why do you always act like I’m so in love with him? I really don’t—”

“Didn’t he date you before?” Bo Xiting’s voice cut in abruptly. The cold severity in his tone was extremely thick, as if it had been bottled up deep in his heart for a long time, almost festering into decay. Precipitated over time, it had become a bloody thorn in his chest, impossible to pull out, agonizing to the touch.

Speaking of it now, unexpectedly, his voice had a hint of desperate relief: “Do you dare say you never liked him?”

“He has ill intentions towards you, and even now, you still can’t forget him. You had to seek him out on your birthday, had to shake everyone else off when entering his room just to whisper in private with him. Am I wrong?”

Bo Xiting’s voice was unusually angry, as if every syllable was squeezed out from between his teeth—

“He’s your first love. After you broke up with him, the boyfriends you found always had his shadow. You clearly don’t like me, yet you insisted on chasing me, claimed it was love at first sight—”

“All lies.”