Chapter 11

Chapter 11 Chapter 11 “Spreading fallacious speech and causing confusion among the masses.”

Heavy rain. Night. Jian Qing.

Three key words stacked together, and the reception assistant immediately reported the matter to the Serious Crime Unit.

By the time Wang Lai hurriedly grabbed He Linfeng and rushed downstairs, only to end up face-to-face with the junior officer who kept apologizing, they realized it had all been a misunderstanding.

Bad news: the cufflink was lost.

Good news: no one was injured.

But since they were already here—and there just happened to be a good brother in the office who had studied the case—Wang Lai steeled himself and, in the end, let professionalism take the high ground and invited him upstairs.

As for He Linfeng…

At worst, he’d burn a few extra incense sticks this weekend.

With the holiday approaching, it meant the peak period of criminal activity was about to arrive. Meetings piled on top of meetings. Director Yan Qiuyu walked in with a notebook, and the group of “wild monkeys” in the room instantly went quiet. In the center sat a person, and she paused slightly, feeling that the scene looked oddly familiar.

A fluffy small blanket was draped over the shoulders. The black-haired young man held a paper cup, glasses fogged up by steam, giving off an unexpectedly soft impression.

Yan Qiuyu recognized it—the blanket was Song Xiaotong’s treasure, usually kept inside a panda-shaped pillow.

Probably because of its color scheme, it hadn’t been rejected by that certain CEO.

“What are you all talking about?” Seeing the relatively relaxed atmosphere, she felt slightly relieved. “About Xi Xue’s case, the bureau will issue a public notice later.”

“Remember to have your company account repost it for the North City police.”

Jian Qing froze slightly: “Thank you.”

Perhaps because he had just taken a small sip of hot water, his lips were a little redder than usual. His hair was jet-black, his skin pale, creating a strong visual impact.

Yan Qiuyu questioned her own judgment for the Nth time.

After confirming that her feelings were still unchanged, she continued: “Don’t thank me. Thank He Linfeng. He was the one who brought this up to Director Zhao.”

“Most case-solving processes need to be kept confidential. Sometimes we can’t take everything into account. I hope you understand.”

Jian Qing actually didn’t feel there was anything to “understand.”

No matter how intense public opinion became, it couldn’t truly harm him. Moreover, in most cases, he himself was involved to some extent. Issuing official clarifications one by one would be troublesome, and it could also easily lead to accusations of “collusion between the North City police and conglomerates.” It simply wasn’t a profitable arrangement.

But Jian Qing understood that Yan Qiuyu meant well.

At this point, deliberately skipping over He Linfeng again would be too obvious, so he turned slightly, preparing to thank the other party. Just as he lifted his eyes, the man sent him a perfectly standard wink, as if saying, “You’re welcome.”

Sweet yet cool—if placed in a boy group, he would at least be the visual center.

The mist on the lenses dissipated significantly, and Jian Qing passively absorbed the entire gesture, not missing a single detail.

With a perfunctory nod, he tightened his fingers around the paper cup.

Song Xiaotong had never imagined that something she bought for ten yuan in two packs would look so valuable.

Pale, delicate, well-proportioned, and long-fingered—even though faint scars were visible on the young man’s hands, he still looked like carefully carved jade, warmed by hot water into a faint blush, revealing the inner texture beneath.

But the moment the cup was barely saved from falling by Brother Wang, she suddenly thought—cheap is actually fine too.

At least it’s safe.

“Sorry,” not a drop spilled, Jian Qing said calmly, “I’m used to it.”

“All the cups at home are stainless steel.”

It was almost as if he was deliberately writing the word “on purpose” in ink for everyone to see.

Only He Linfeng pretended not to understand, smiling lightly: “Then I’ll buy you a new one later, a custom one. Use it next time.”

Wang Lai covered his face in grief: ……It’s over.

My good brother is completely done for.

What fox? He’s clearly a stupid dog who greets people with “HI, wife” the moment he meets them, shamelessly flirting all day long. No wonder he gets scratched all over by a cat.

“So what exactly is going on?”

Seeing the invisible sparks in the air in time, Yan Qiuyu interrupted them and casually poked open her milk tea, smoothly shifting the topic.

Wang Lai briefly recounted the situation.

Song Xiaotong immediately raised her hand: “I’ve already received the audio file. If it proves there are no edits, it should be usable. We just need to record the value.” For sentencing assistance later.

Jian Qing thought for two seconds and stated a number.

Song Xiaotong stuttered: “Th-then… that should be enough for her to be sentenced to ten years.”

Seeing the young man still seemed slightly disappointed, Song Xiaotong really wanted to tell him that in the Huaguo, this already counted as the highest “especially serious” level.

Yan Qiuyu, however, was surprised: “No reconciliation?” Yu Xiumei was a student of Jiang University. With Jian Qing’s temperament, he should have settled it privately to avoid adding another “famous scandal” to his alma mater.

“I’m just glad that gemstone on the cufflink was appraised,” Jian Qing said, fingers interlaced, “betraying kindness probably always makes it hurt more.”

Lies.

He Linfeng thought. He couldn’t find a single trace of sadness in the other’s micro-expressions. But how could someone who is constantly let down not be even slightly hurt?

It’s either numbness, or a mask.

But Yan Qiuyu nodded: “I can see that.”

Those previous brainless love affairs were also all handed over to lawyers. A situation like today, where he personally came over, was indeed rare.

“Since everyone’s still here, why don’t we just bring her in now?”

Jian Qing refused honestly: “Tomorrow.”

“She’s not that important.”

Since the city bureau rarely had a quiet moment, let the transmigrator be happy for one more day.

This was Yu Xiumei’s second time sitting in an interrogation room.

Yesterday, right after Jian Qing left the restaurant, the hard-earned favorability she had painstakingly raised dropped back to zero. She suspected he actually wanted her to follow him, so she hurriedly chased out, but didn’t see him at all and instead got drenched like a drowned rat.

Her nose was blocked and her head hurt all night. Yu Xiumei tossed and turned, dreaming only of Jian Qing’s unpredictable temper.

So close! Just a little bit closer and she could have exchanged for rewards from the system. If she had known earlier, she would’ve casually made an excuse like going to the bathroom first and grabbed the benefits.

Even more absurd was today.

Two police officers actually came to her door, showed their IDs, said she was suspected of stealing valuable property, and brought her to the city bureau.

Yu Xiumei immediately guessed it was He Linfeng stirring things up.

After all, in the original novel, Xi Xue didn’t even have a roommate named Yu Xiumei. It was only after she transmigrated that she used a few small tricks to get the counselor to sign off and arrange for them to live together.

If she could guess He Linfeng, then He Linfeng could naturally guess her too.

And so, when Yu Xiumei saw that annoying fox face in the interrogation room, she wasn’t the least bit surprised. There was even a faint hint of provocation in her eyes.

Until the other party, looking confused, started playing the recording.

——“I’m sorry, actually I was just too focused on you. I wanted to see what clothes you were wearing that day. When I came to my senses, the cufflink was already in my hand.”

——“I’m sorry, I really didn’t mean any harm.”

Yu Xiumei: ……

That was her voice.

But why would it…? Could it be that He Linfeng had been using his position to monitor Jian Qing all along, even planting a listening device on him?

Thinking of the failure of dozens of previous seniors, the system gradually broke down: 【Is it possible—just possible—that Jian Qing sold you out.】

Yu Xiumei, who had never suspected the protagonist at all: ?

!

【What? Why? Just because of a cufflink?】 Only realizing belatedly that she might actually be going to jail, she became frantic. 【At the beginning Jian Qing didn’t even plan to investigate!】

Out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of He Linfeng, and immediately found the “truth”: 【It’s him! It must be him! He’s spreading false rumors and misleading the protagonist!】

Pretending not to recognize her, acting all proper on the surface, but actually waiting to watch her make a fool of herself.

Green tea.

Scheming.

He Linfeng, who had been inexplicably blamed: ……?

Completely unable to understand why the girl was hostile toward him, he thought it over and could only find two possible reasons: Jian Qing and the cufflink.

But compared to Yu Xiumei’s attitude, He Linfeng was more curious about the motive behind her stealing—and then discarding—the item.

“So,” he said, leaning back casually in his chair, lifting an arm to point at the large words posted on the front of the desk, “confess and you’ll be treated leniently. Resist and you’ll be treated strictly.”

The person taking notes was Song Xiaotong.

With her index finger resting on the keyboard, she faithfully recorded every sentence: “A-as in the recording, I lost my mind and did something wrong. I hope Mr. Jian can forgive me.”

“Handkerchiefs, ties, shirt buttons—there were many of Jian Qing’s personal items in the gift box. Why did you choose the cufflink?”

——Of course it was because it was special enough not to be mistaken for anything else.

Annoyed by the man’s sharpness, Yu Xiumei forced down her anxiety and maintained her “strong little white flower” persona: “I… I didn’t think that much.”

Song Xiaotong glanced at the transcript on the screen and felt that the suspect’s nervousness was strangely consistent—every stutter landed at the same spot.

Like acting.

He Linfeng, unhurried, continued: “Why did you throw it away?”

“I didn’t throw it away. When I came to my senses, I regretted it very much. I wanted to return it to Mr. Jian immediately, but when I checked my pocket, it was already gone.”

“Lost,” He Linfeng nodded, repeating, “You also saw the scene photos just now. The place where the cufflink was found was full of dense vegetation. There were no signs of trampled or bent grass around it. Either it was thrown in from a distance, or someone bent over, carefully parted the leaves with their hand, and hid it in the deepest, hardest-to-find spot.”

“Unless…”

Completely unprepared for He Linfeng to accurately reconstruct her actions almost one-to-one, Yu Xiumei subconsciously rubbed her fingertips, her heart suddenly tightening.

He Linfeng: “Unless classmate Yu has practiced light-body martial arts.”

Yu Xiumei: ……

She was so stupid. Really.

She actually expected the method of clearing herself to come out of the opponent’s mouth.

At that moment, the system added fuel to the fire: 【Ding! Calculation complete: the probability of the host completing the mission has dropped significantly.】

【System will now unlink.】

【Timed mission issued.】

【Mission content: kill Jian Qing within fifteen days.】

【Kill Jian Qing?】 Yu Xiumei went crazy. 【How am I supposed to kill him when I’m already in the police station?】 Yesterday she could still have grabbed a knife in the restaurant and stabbed the protagonist a couple of times. Today?

Heh.

This mission really came too late.

If you want me dead, just say it.

“Silence equals giving up your defense,” He Linfeng tapped the table. “Yu Xiumei, why did you throw away the cufflink?”

With a guillotine hanging over her neck, Yu Xiumei no longer cared about anything else. “Why ask something you already know? Of course I did it the same as you…” to drag the protagonist into the plot.

In an instant, a sharp pain shot through her throat, as if she had swallowed a thousand needles.

“…the same as you, to gain Jian Qing’s attention,” the girl’s shoulders trembled. Suddenly she choked up, just like every other obsessive admirer who had pursued Jian Qing before her. She closed her eyes devoutly.

“I stole his cufflink, then hid it well, pretending I had accidentally found it, and admired his joy at losing and finding it again.”

“Oh, what a romantic plotline.”

“Mr. Jian would definitely like it.”