BL Ch40

In the reception room.

The snow-white rabbit fur carpet was stained with a patch of black ash, like a pot of white porridge spoiled by a rat dropping, making it look extremely unsightly—much like Pei Ming’s current expression.

“Officer Ji, do you always make such a big scene when you come to see Duqiu?”

Pei Ming’s hair was messy on one side, and his mohair suit had traces of ash that wouldn’t brush off. Though he was more disheveled than his usual impeccable appearance, he hadn’t lost his composure. However, his tone wasn’t as polite as before: “Anyone who didn’t know better would think you were here to catch a criminal, pulling out your gun like that.”

Ji Lin had just been caught off guard by Huang Hanxiang’s sudden, crazed outburst and had instinctively drawn the gun hidden at his waist. Fortunately, nothing serious happened, and Lou Baoguo swiftly knocked Huang out with a clean chop to the neck. The crazed man collapsed like a video that suddenly lost connection—his movements paused abruptly, and then he fell unconscious to the floor.

However, the commotion in the reception room had been transmitted via hidden earpieces to the colleagues outside, who thought something had gone wrong. Niu Feng immediately led the others to burst through the door, fully exposing the situation.

“Just a precaution, Mr. Pei. Don’t overthink it,” Ji Lin calmly slid his gun back into place and passed the blame lightly. “Wherever Mr. Yu goes, there’s always trouble, so I have to be careful.”

Pei Ming raised an eyebrow, unsure whether to believe him: “If that’s the case, why not let me leave?”

Zhao Feihua interrupted, “You’re free to go, but could you ask your photographer to delete the photos he just took? If they get out, it could damage our company’s image and affect your future investment returns.”

Pei Ming wasn’t easily fooled. He chuckled, “The photos on that camera are important evidence. How could I delete them? Officer Ji, don’t you agree?”

Ji Lin knew exactly what game Pei Ming was playing but couldn’t deny it. “Yes, Mr. Pei, please wait a moment. We’ll copy the photos from the camera. The scene also needs to be secured for inspection and surveillance footage retrieved. After you give your statement, you might need to come with me to the station.”

Pei Ming spread his hands. “Look, my people and I have been in this reception room the whole time. We haven’t even interacted with the guy on the floor. Duqiu, you can vouch for me, can’t you? I have an important meeting coming up, so I’m afraid I don’t have time to visit the police station.”

Yu Duqiu acted as though he hadn’t heard, squatting beside the unconscious Huang Hanxiang, head lowered, his silver hair falling to obscure his face.

“Duqiu?” Pei Ming called again.

Slowly, Yu Duqiu stood up, his movements so sluggish it was as if his limbs were weighed down by heavy lead, but he finally straightened and let out a long sigh. “What a coincidence. I haven’t been to the office in over a month, and everything was fine. The day I come back, this happens.”

Pei Ming brushed at his suit, still unable to shake off the ash, frowning. “I doubt it’s a coincidence. Someone probably planned for you to be here. The question is whether it was his idea or if there’s someone behind him.”

Yu Duqiu gently shook his head, raising his hand to sweep his hair back. “That’s not what I meant.”

“What do you mean, then—” Pei Ming’s words were cut off by the sudden opening of the reception room door.

Everyone turned to look—

The person who barged in leaned against the doorframe, slightly out of breath as if they had run over. Scanning the dozen or so people in the room, they quickly locked onto the one person they cared about, their pupils shrinking sharply. “Who hit you?”

Everyone, including Yu Duqiu, was stunned, not understanding what that abrupt question meant. Lou Baoguo voiced their confusion, “Brother, who are you asking? No one got hit. This guy went crazy, and I took him down.”

Bai Zhao didn’t respond, striding directly up to Yu Duqiu, grabbing the hand he hadn’t yet lowered, and glaring at the bruise peeking out from beneath his shirt sleeve. “Who hit you?”

Yu Duqiu’s gaze shifted from his hand to the bandage on Bai Zhao’s neck, and he suddenly smiled, a teasing look appearing as his usual carefree demeanor returned. “You did.”

Bai Zhao paused for a moment, then earnestly refuted, “I didn’t hit you.”

“I hurt you, so I got my comeuppance. Got hit by an ashtray. At the end of the day, it’s all because of you.” Yu Duqiu, ever the mischievous one, excelled at turning the tables with his absurd logic.

Zhou Yi, who had just entered the reception room, overheard this and felt a bit guilty. “Master, don’t blame Xiao Bai. As soon as he heard something happened, he nearly grabbed the driver’s steering wheel in a panic. I had to hold him back.”

Zhao Feihua nudged him with an elbow and whispered, “Can’t you see? They’re having a moment.”

Zhou Yi: “?”

He took a closer look and saw that Yu Duqiu didn’t seem to be blaming Bai Zhao at all. In fact… he looked rather pleased?

Ji Lin gave a heavy cough, equally determined to take down these “couple of lovebirds” and the criminals. “Can you two learn to pick the right time? If you keep dawdling, the guy’s going to wake up. Niu Feng, the ambulance is here. Take him to the hospital to determine the cause. If it’s really a new type of drug, hand it over to the task force.”

“Yes, sir!”

Ji Lin then directed two officers to take statements from everyone involved, while others went to retrieve surveillance footage and copy the photos. It was a good thing he’d brought enough people; investigating such a large company would’ve been a nightmare otherwise.

Pei Ming, seeing that he couldn’t leave, had no choice but to stay in the reception room and cooperate with the investigation. After finishing his statement, he leisurely strolled over to the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the small garden outside while continuing the half-smoked cigar from earlier.

“Brother Pei, your smoking habit is a bit excessive,” Yu Duqiu, who had just finished his own statement, said as someone massaged his hand—he looked like a decadent nobleman from ancient times, indulging in luxury.

Pei Ming removed the cigar from his mouth and gestured towards the man silently serving Yu Duqiu. “Is that why you and Lingya broke up?”

“That’s one of the reasons,” Yu Duqiu responded nonchalantly. “How could it be just one… Ah! Xiao Bai, are you taking this opportunity to get back at me?”

Bai Zhao remained silent, easing up on his grip, and continued massaging Yu Duqiu’s injured hand. His palms felt slightly rough, and the base of his thumb seemed calloused, with a warmth that seemed capable of melting someone.

Yu Duqiu’s gaze drifted from Bai Zhao’s high nose bridge to his tightly pressed lips. He paused thoughtfully for a few seconds before turning to Pei Ming and asking, “Strange, don’t you recognize him? He said he used to work at your company, and his father was one of your long-time employees.”

A flash of surprise crossed Pei Ming’s eyes. After a few puffs of his cigar, his eyes widened suddenly. “Bai Zhao?”

Bai Zhao gave a small nod. “It’s been a while, Mr. Pei.”

Watching their interaction, Yu Duqiu smiled. “Brother Pei, your memory’s slipping. He just left the company a few months ago, yet it took you this long to remember?”

Pei Ming sighed. “There’s been so much going on at the company. Two months ago, I was busy preparing for the Basel exhibition, and this month there’s been trouble with Xiao Zhuo’s U.S. orders. I’m still trying to help him recover from that. I haven’t had the time to keep track of these minor details. But I do remember him, because of his father—Bai Zhiming, right? Such a shame… Did you receive the compensation payment from the company?”

Bai Zhao nodded. “I did. Thank you, Mr. Pei.”

“You two can save the pleasantries for later. There’s something I need to confirm.” Yu Duqiu withdrew his hand, lightly touching the bandage on Bai Zhao’s neck before casually draping his arm over his shoulder. “Brother Pei, you helped organize my farewell party before I went abroad at eighteen. I got really drunk that night and don’t remember what happened afterward. Do you recall?”

Pei Ming shook his head. “That was almost ten years ago. How could I possibly remember?”

“I—!” Bai Zhao began to speak but was abruptly cut off—Yu Duqiu’s hand, which had been gently caring for him moments before, was now ungratefully choking him. The force was strong enough to press against his windpipe, leaving only a sliver of air for breathing.

Yet, somehow, that cruel hand had deliberately avoided his bandaged wound.

“Shh, it’s not your turn to speak,” Yu Duqiu stepped to the side, using his body to block the view of the nearby officers. He glanced sideways at Pei Ming, “Brother Pei, are you sure you don’t remember?”

“Does this have something to do with him?” Pei Ming asked.

“Yes. He said he was your temporary assistant at the time, and you brought him to my party.”

Pei Ming thought for almost half a minute, the cigar burning halfway down. As thick smoke nearly obscured his entire face and Bai Zhao’s complexion shifted from red to pale, Pei Ming finally spoke, “I think I asked him to take you back to your room.”

The grip on Bai Zhao’s throat suddenly loosened. His knees buckled slightly, and he nearly collapsed, barely managing to support himself by placing his hands on his knees. Gasping for air filled with the rich scent of cigar smoke, his throat tightened, and he couldn’t help but gag.

Hearing the commotion, Lou Baoguo and the others, who were taking statements, turned around and asked, “What happened?”

Bai Zhao waved them off, indicating he was fine. Before he could lower his hand, someone grasped it.

Yu Duqiu held his forearm, helping him stand upright. He softly said, “Congratulations, you passed another test. It’s remarkable—you’re the one I’ve distrusted the most, yet you’ve told the most truth.”

Bai Zhao coughed, trying to suppress his nausea. His voice was hoarse, “If you found out I lied… would you choke me to death?”

“Not necessarily,” Yu Duqiu patted his back kindly. “Just now was payback for you choking me at the Junyue Hotel. Besides, I don’t need to do it myself. There are plenty of ways to push someone to the edge.”

Pei Ming, standing nearby and listening clearly, suddenly interjected, “I know you have many ways, but don’t use them on your own people.”

Yu Duqiu feigned innocence and looked back. “Brother Pei, what are you saying?”

“Nothing, just a reminder. You need to stand united with your own people, not be suspicious of them. It’s outsiders you should be wary of. Otherwise…” Pei Ming’s gaze subtly shifted toward Ji Lin’s direction, and he exhaled a cloud of smoke. “It’s like this cigar—if it’s rolled too loosely, the tobacco will burn too quickly, and it’ll choke the person smoking it. Don’t let those cops choke you, because… jealousy can kill.”

Yu Duqiu nodded in agreement. “I believe you. But Brother Pei, it seems like you’re hinting at something? If you want to warn me, why not go all the way?”

Pei Ming took a step closer, lowering his voice to just within the small space between them. “I’ve heard… after Mu Hao’s incident, someone has been frequenting the Changhe Substation, trying to gather information on the case. They’ve even been sneaking around the alley where it happened, and recently, they got caught. It’s a pity—two schoolmates, once brothers, one rises to prominence in the city police with a bright future, while the other is stuck in a small substation. It’s hard to swallow, isn’t it?”

Yu Duqiu’s eyes narrowed sharply. “Brother Pei, with information this good, why not help find some clues?”

Pei Ming said, “Our family has been rooted in the Changhe District for many years, so we have some connections. This is just a small matter, nothing worth mentioning. When it comes to finding clues, that’s a professional’s job, and I can’t help with that. But I guess… the clues will come out on their own.”

Yu Duqiu chuckled. “I must be ignorant because I’ve never seen a clue grow legs.”

“Haven’t you just seen one?” Pei Ming’s gaze lowered to the bruise on Yu Duqiu’s wrist. “The investigation into the case had hit a dead end, and just when everyone was at a loss, a security guard suddenly showed up, suspected of using the same drug as your second uncle. He just happened to have a drug episode right under the cops’ noses and got caught red-handed by a whole team of detectives. Isn’t that a bit too coincidental? Mu Hao has disappeared, and now there’s a vacancy in the city’s criminal investigation team. There are plenty of eager young officers. If someone could crack this big case by finding a key clue… they wouldn’t have to worry about getting promoted.”

The search of the entire building didn’t end until 7 PM.

Lu Qing, who had come to help, found traces of a hallucinogen in a disposable cup in the breakroom trash bin. However, with so many people coming and going in the breakroom and the minuscule amount of LSD needed to cause hallucinations, the security footage was reviewed over a dozen times. All they could see was Huang Hanxiang drinking the water, but there was no clear footage of anyone spiking it. There was no way to tell if he had put it in himself or if someone else had done it.

Meanwhile, at the hospital, after waking up, Huang Hanxiang adamantly denied ever using drugs, insisting that someone had framed him. He said he had no ulterior motives and was just an ordinary worker who happened to fall in love at first sight with his boss.

Peng Deyu’s voice was filled with frustration over the phone: “You brought in so many people, and all you caught was someone telling a corny story? A story this tacky?”

Ji Lin was also annoyed and ended the call after only a few words. He sat alone on the couch, burying his face in his hands, his hunched back resembling a willow bent under a heavy weight.

After sending off the high-ranking figures temporarily cleared of suspicion, Lu Qing entered from outside. Seeing Ji Lin’s dejected state, she couldn’t help but console him in her own way. Ruffling his messy hair, she said, “Don’t lose hope! At least we’ve got new clues!”

Ji Lin, irritated, swatted her hand away. “These clues are worse than nothing. Can’t you tell? This was all a performance meant for us.”

“Do you think I’m stupid? Of course, I understand. I’m no fool,” Lu Qing pointed to her head. “Mr. Yu’s project just got approval and was about to start when this happened at his company. So many people witnessed it, and it’s sure to cause a scandal. The higher-ups might get cold feet. If you think about it, the motive is quite similar to what happened with Yu Wencheng. The other side just wants to send a warning to Mr. Yu; they didn’t actually want to kill him. Otherwise, a blow from an ashtray wouldn’t have been the end of it.”

Ji Lin nodded. “By the way, did you copy the photos from the photographer’s camera?”

“I did. I watched him delete the originals.” Lu Qing paused, then asked cautiously, “Brother Ji, do you think… this could be…?”

Ji Lin shook his head and let out a long sigh. “I don’t know. He has a perfect alibi, and there’s no evidence on his phone linking him to Huang Hanxiang. But no matter who’s behind it, they’re a master manipulator, so much so that we still haven’t found any trace of them. We all thought Huang Hanxiang was just a foolish pawn, his intentions to seduce his boss so transparent it was laughable. Who would’ve thought he deliberately left a clue to draw our attention, then had a public meltdown? It’s a clever play of appearing foolish. Both Mr. Yu and I let our guard down.”

Lu Qing collapsed into the soft sofa, sprawling out in a star shape. “It’s a miracle we, mere employees earning a few thousand a month, have managed to survive this long playing mind games with billionaires. When I sent Pei Ming off just now, he smiled and thanked me, and thinking he might be the one who killed Brother Mu gives me the chills.”

For once, Ji Lin showed some tenderness, patting her on the shoulder. “Don’t worry. When the time comes for a life-or-death struggle, it’ll be me facing him, not you. And if anyone’s more shaken than you, it’s probably Yu Duqiu right now. Did you see how pale he was earlier? I actually think… he’s got it pretty tough.”

“Huh? Why do you say that?”

“Think about it. Huang Hanxiang drank that water two hours before Yu Duqiu arrived. Whether he spiked it himself or someone else did, whether the mastermind was Pei Ming or not, someone definitely knew Yu Duqiu was coming to the company. They set up the trap in advance, informed Pei Ming, and drew in outsiders, including us, as witnesses. They were waiting for Yu Duqiu to walk right into it.” Ji Lin’s gaze fell on a pile of ash in the middle of the white carpet. Unable to stand the sight, he tried to brush it away, but the more he brushed, the more the ash spread, dirtying a larger area.

Just like the dark corners of the human heart, once cracked open, it becomes nearly impossible to mend.

“But that’s not the worst of it. I read the statements. His secretary said that today’s visit to the company wasn’t part of Yu Duqiu’s original plan. It was a last-minute decision. The only people who knew, apart from us monitoring him in real time, were the people closest to him. In other words… he’s been betrayed again.”