The wind and snow grew louder, battering against the windows, while inside, it was as warm as spring. Heat radiated upwards, yet Jiang Xiao’s face remained pale and cold, devoid of any color.
He leaned back slightly, his shoulder pressing against the soft back of the sofa. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Bo Xiting wasn’t listening to his denials.
“Where’s the knife?”
“What knife? I don’t know.”
Jiang Xiao’s fingers curled up, but a stinging pain made him stop. The next moment, someone pressed his arm against the back of the sofa, and a soft, tight circle of pressure wrapped around the wound.
Bo Xiting had put a bandage on him. It seemed to have a cooling, soothing effect; the originally stinging, burning wound was now enveloped in a cool sensation.
Jiang Xiao, however, didn’t accept Bo Xiting’s kindness. With a cold face, he moved to tear the bandage off. But as soon as he touched a corner of it, his other hand was grabbed.
Through the thick sweater, Bo Xiting held his wrist.
Even when putting on the bandage, the other man had been very careful not to touch his hand.
Was it habitual politeness, or did he simply not want to touch him at all?
Perhaps disgust was the dominant emotion; otherwise, he wouldn’t have been silent since entering the room.
Bo Xiting seemed angered by his actions. He took a few deep breaths, then pulled Jiang Xiao up by the wrist. Jiang Xiao stumbled after him. “What are you doing?”
With a crisp click, Bo Xiting led him into some unknown room, then stared at him wordlessly.
“You lured everyone here and brought a knife. What exactly are you planning to do?”
Behind Jiang Xiao was a wall. He simply leaned against it, crossing his arms—a defensive posture.
Bo Xiting found it laughable.
Jiang Xiao was actually being defensive against him.
“I went in to get something earlier and accidentally cut my hand.” Jiang Xiao knew it wasn’t yet time to reveal the truth.
At this moment, Jiang Xiao was almost grateful for his blindness. Though Bo Xiting was a man of few words, every question he asked struck at the heart of the matter.
Indeed, the biggest contradiction was that his established character was someone who never revisited past relationships. His breakups were always clean and decisive, never messy. For such a person to suddenly invite all his ex-boyfriends to a birthday party—anyone with half a brain would know this was a banquet with ulterior motives.
It certainly couldn’t be a scheme to get back together.
“Do I need to search your bag myself, Jiang Xiao?” Bo Xiting said. “Murder is against the law.”
That line completely threw Jiang Xiao. “I… I know that.”
He paused for a few seconds, then found himself somewhere between crying and laughing. “Senior… you don’t actually think I want all of you dead, do you? With these eyes that can’t even see? Have you been reading too many mystery novels?”
Bo Xiting was also taken aback.
After a moment, his tightly furrowed brow slowly relaxed. He said flatly, “You’re the one who loves mystery novels.”
“Your favorite novel was a ‘snowbound mountain villa’ type. Everything about it is very similar to today. You used to read that book over and over, and you forced me to read it with you. You could recite the plot backwards and forwards.”
“Tonight is when the killing should start.”
His voice was low and cold, like the emotionless narration in a movie, inexplicably adding a heavy sense of immersion.
Jiang Xiao: “…”
How was he supposed to know about this backstory?
And why did it feel like Bo Xiting knew the script even better than he did?
Was he some kind of seer?
“Look at me,” Jiang Xiao spread his hands. “Could I even make a move? I’ve never learned any combat skills. And finding someone’s exact location with my eyes closed? I’d have to be an ancient martial arts master. Aren’t you giving me too much credit?”
“Also, I haven’t done anything wrong to you, have I? From the moment you walked in, you’ve been glaring at me like I’m a criminal. What’s that about?”
Jiang Xiao flipped the script, launching a counterattack.
Bo Xiting said coldly, “You know exactly what you’ve done.”
With that, he stepped forward with long strides, bypassed Jiang Xiao, and sat down directly on a high stool nearby.
“The door is on your right.”
Clearly, he had no intention of engaging with Jiang Xiao further.
Jiang Xiao had wanted to keep pestering Bo Xiting for information, but he was afraid Bo Xiting would bring up the knife again. He decided to simply open the door and leave.
Bo Xiting had brought him to a private cocktail room. He picked up a stemmed glass, poured some whiskey, and added a few ice cubes. The glass and ice clinked and clanged. Bo Xiting had returned to his usual self: silent and cold.
A heartless, lying fraud.
—
Wen Xu entered covered in wind and snow, the flakes quickly melting on his clothes and leaving wet patches on the fabric.
At that moment, Jiang Xiao was comforting Qin Guan.
Qin Guan had been bustling around, running up and down, carrying things upstairs, only to find that Jiang Xiao’s hand had already been bandaged by some other wild man.
“Bo Xiting?” Qin Guan’s lungs nearly exploded with rage. No wonder the guy had been sitting there like an empress, so regal and poised after entering the house. He’d been secretly waiting for a chance to get close to Jiang Xiao. And deliberately showing off those matching phone cases—such a manipulative schemer!
“Thanks, the bandage will be useful tomorrow too.” Jiang Xiao slowly unwrapped a chocolate he’d taken from the table and held it up. “Want some?”
Qin Guan stared at Jiang Xiao’s hand like a large dog waiting for a treat. But alas, Jiang Xiao couldn’t see him. He could only lean over and pluck the chocolate away with his mouth. He mumbled indistinctly, “You’re planning to stay here?”
Jiang Xiao felt as if his finger had been licked, but it could have been his imagination. He hesitated, about to speak, when Wen Xu’s gentle voice interjected.
“Yes, Xiaoxiao isn’t feeling well. I heard the hot springs here are good for treatment, so he’ll be staying a few days to recuperate.”
Jiang Xiao felt instantly reassured upon hearing Wen Xu’s voice. “Did you pick the person up?”
Wen Xu took off his coat and warmed himself by the fireplace, dispelling the chill he’d brought in from outside, before approaching Jiang Xiao.
“No. I called Jiang Mu, and he said something came up and he couldn’t make it.”
Jiang Xiao paused, then said slowly, “Is that so…”
“He said he’ll make it up to you with a gift when you get back.” Wen Xu smiled. “I heard he recently took over a company under the Jiang Family. This is a particularly busy time for him.”
The System’s voice suddenly appeared.
【Jiang Mu, your elder brother】
【You despise him very, very much】
【Hidden Identity: Your first boyfriend】
The repetition of “very” seemed to hint at some hidden story behind Jiang Mu.
“Is he in the hotel right now?” A rather unlikely guess rose in Jiang Xiao’s mind.
He didn’t think this story would feature characters who weren’t physically present in the hotel.
System: “Please explore on your own, Player.”
Jiang Xiao’s curiosity intensified. If the man hadn’t come, what role was he playing among these people? If he had come, why was he hiding and not showing his face?
But it seemed all answers would need to be found slowly.
That missed call, saved under the contact name “1”, might also have been from Jiang Mu. Jiang Xiao now regretted it; he suspected he had missed a crucial plot point.
“What time is it?” Jiang Xiao asked.
Wen Xu: “Ten minutes to six.”
“Call him back for me.” Jiang Xiao thrust his phone into Wen Xu’s arms. “I want to ask him myself why he’s not coming.”
“Could the Jiang Family business possibly be more important than me?”
Wen Xu chuckled softly, seeming to find Jiang Xiao’s question a bit naive.
“Don’t you dislike Jiang Mu quite a lot? He probably knows that too. So it’s normal for him not to come to the birthday party, to avoid making you angry.”
“Besides…” Wen Xu tapped the phone screen a few times, unlocking it with ease. He looked at the contact name “1” on the screen, lowering his gaze. “His mother likely wouldn’t want you two to meet anymore, either.”
Jiang Xiao immediately realized that the phrase “his mother” held significant information.
His expression remained unchanged as he asked slowly, “How come I didn’t know about this? Did my dad agree?”
Wen Xu assumed he was just angry. Jiang Xiao’s intense dislike for Jiang Mu was known to the entire family. So he soothed him: “You are Uncle Jiang’s biological son. The Jiang Family’s main business will ultimately be yours.”
Jiang Xiao gave a noncommittal “Mm,” but inwardly, his mind churned with this new clue.
So Jiang Mu wasn’t his biological elder brother!
He was likely a step-brother who came with his mother after a divorce. Though it was unclear how the two of them had ended up in a relationship, the reason for his current hatred of Jiang Mu was now surfacing.
Jiang Mu had inheritance rights. It was uncertain who would ultimately gain control of the Jiang family assets.
What was more, he was now blind…
That car accident—it was very likely orchestrated by Jiang Mu!
If Jiang Xiao had died in the crash, the Jiang family fortune would naturally fall into Jiang Mu’s hands.
And the other party would definitely be wary of him. Not meeting face-to-face was the best way to avoid exposing any clues.
Once he connected the dots, the logic instantly clicked into place.
Jiang Xiao opened the Side Quest panel. He needed to fill in a name within the brackets and submit it.
But he didn’t fill it in.
“When is the Side Quest due?” Jiang Xiao asked.
System: “Upon Instance completion or Player death.”
Jiang Xiao thought for a moment, then closed the panel again.
He had no evidence.
Even though everything made sense, it was still just his personal deduction. The real situation was unknown, and he couldn’t waste this opportunity so easily.
Buzz… buzz… buzz…
The call connected. The other end was silent, as quiet as the environment surrounding Jiang Xiao.
Jiang Xiao stayed quiet for a few seconds, then spoke.
“Jiang Mu. Why aren’t you coming to my birthday party?”
A helpless chuckle sounded from the other end of the line.
“I thought you didn’t want to see me.”
“Now. Immediately. This instant. Show up in front of me,” Jiang Xiao enunciated each word clearly.
“It’s snowing heavily outside, the cars can’t get through.” Jiang Mu’s voice was unhurried and calm. His mature temperament held a steadiness greater than Bo Xiting’s, and lacked the gentleness of Wen Xu, carrying a unique magnetism through the electric current. “When you get back, I’ll give you your gift then, alright?”
It was a tone completely meant for coaxing a child.
“Do I lack that one gift from you?” Jiang Xiao said. “Don’t tell me you’re still at the company right now.”
There was a long silence on the other end. Finally, Jiang Mu sighed. “Even if I rushed over now, it’s too late. Besides…”
Jiang Xiao hung up the phone.
“Qin Guan, come with me to the lobby,” Jiang Xiao said. “I suddenly thought of a dish I want.”
Wen Xu spoke: “There’s an intercom line…”
“The power’s out here, didn’t you know?” Qin Guan snorted coldly. “Intercom? Everything’s manual now.”
“I’ll go with you,” Wen Xu said.
“No need. You just got back from outside; warm yourself up. Look, your hands are colder than mine.” Jiang Xiao brushed the back of Wen Xu’s hand. Wen Xu froze for a second.
Jiang Xiao had already turned around and left with Qin Guan.
This time, Qin Guan wasn’t angry at all. Jiang Xiao had chosen him, not Wen Xu!
Wanting to show off, Qin Guan warned him about every single step down the stairs. “Lift your foot… okay, and down—”
Jiang Xiao couldn’t take it anymore. He swatted Qin Guan’s hand away and trotted briskly down the stairs by himself.
Absolutely ridiculous.
“There’s just one butler at the front desk,” Qin Guan caught up in a couple of strides. “You can tell him whatever you need.”
Arriving at the lobby, Jiang Xiao seemed to remember something else. He said to Qin Guan, “It’s a bit chilly. Go get my jacket for me.”
Qin Guan was overjoyed. Jiang Xiao was just wearing a thin sweater; standing in the lobby, it was bound to be a little cold.
“You can wear my—” Qin Guan instinctively moved to take off his coat, then realized he was only wearing a vest, which was probably even less warm than Jiang Xiao’s sweater. He said, “I’ll be right back.”
Qin Guan left. Jiang Xiao leaned one hand on the service counter and lowered his eyes slightly.
“Hello, I’d like to ask, which room is a guest named ‘Jiang Mu’ staying in? He’s my brother. His phone died, and I can’t reach him. I need to find him urgently.”
Jiang Xiao wasn’t probing; he was completely confident because he already had evidence.
Jiang Mu had lied to him.
He was, right now, in one of the rooms within this very hotel.
