BL Ch53

The bright summer sun shone dazzlingly on the hotel’s glass facade.

The jewelry exhibition was on the second floor of the hotel, open only to invited guests. The venue wasn’t large, but the pieces displayed were the Pei family’s masterpieces over the years, worth a fortune. The security was stricter than usual, requiring not only an invitation card but also ID verification, X-ray scans of belongings, and body searches under three high-definition cameras.

As expected, Yu Duqiu and Bai Zhao were stopped at the security gate. Zhao Feihua tried to explain to the guards that they simply had an eccentric sense of style and posed no threat. But the guards, responsible for these valuable exhibits, insisted they remove their accessories before passing through again.

Without protest, Bai Zhao removed his choker and passed the check a second time, with no alarm sounding.

But then, there was an issue with Yu Duqiu again.

Holding Yu Duqiu’s razor blade necklace and watch, Zhao Feihua commented, “There shouldn’t be any metal left on you. Why is it still going off? The detector must be faulty.”

The guard, wary of Yu Duqiu’s appearance, softly explained, “Mr. Pei imported the most advanced security equipment specifically for this event; it won’t malfunction… Sir, could you empty your pockets for us? Sorry for the trouble.”

Yu Duqiu obligingly turned out his empty pockets and waved his hand—on which a massive ruby ring was set in a silver or platinum band.

“Is it this?” He removed the ring and handed it to Zhao Feihua for safekeeping.

Ji Lin, coming from another gate and already wearing his watch again, saw their struggle and mocked, “Who are you trying to impress by wearing so much jewelry? Everyone knows you’re rich.”

Yu Duqiu shook his head. “I’m helping you test the system, Captain Ji.”

Ji Lin asked in confusion, “How does this involve me?”

The guard finally finished his check without further alarms, visibly relieved. “See, we wouldn’t make a mistake. Thank you for your cooperation. You may enter.”

“No, you were completely mistaken,” Yu Duqiu replied unexpectedly, not explaining further. He put his ring and necklace back on and casually asked Ji Lin, “Do you get it?”

Ji Lin looked baffled. “Get what?”

“Oh, if Mu Hao were here, he would’ve understood long ago. Captain Ji, you still need some training.” With that, Yu Duqiu patted the young officer on the shoulder, shook his head, and walked away.

“What’s his deal?” Ji Lin muttered. “Did any of you understand?”

Zhao Feihua and the others also shook their heads in confusion.

Bai Zhao, deep in thought, asked Zhou Yi, “Is that ring a recent purchase?”

Zhou Yi replied, “It should be. I haven’t seen it before.”

“The ring’s too big; it doesn’t fit his hand,” Bai Zhao noted thoughtfully. “The band seems a bit thick, and the design isn’t very stylish. Why would he buy a ring like that?”

Although Yu Duqiu was notorious, no one could find fault with his appearance or fashion sense. Even when simply walking his dog on his lawn, he dressed meticulously, with every detail from clothing to accessories in place. Today, at a formal occasion, he was even more stunning. His poppy-patterned suit paired beautifully with red rubies, yet the design and craftsmanship of his ring were subpar, like pairing top-grade caviar with an under-aged wine—a slight mismatch. One would think he would have noticed this flaw after wearing it for so long.

Zhou Yi couldn’t think of an answer. “The young master buys whatever he likes and doesn’t care about others’ opinions. Maybe he bought it on a whim.”

Just then, a double beep sounded from another security gate, interrupting their conversation.

Everyone turned to see Du Shuyan and Du Lingya, whom they hadn’t seen in a while.

The two siblings were clearly related; their jewelry matched perfectly. Du Shuyan wore a conservative diamond brooch on his chest, while Du Lingya wore a diamond necklace and earrings—no longer the pigeon-blood earrings she used to wear.

They had passed through security, but the beeping came from Fei Zheng, their secretary, who had no jewelry and carried only a small tin of colorful fruit candies in his suit pocket. “I have low blood sugar,” he explained to the guard.

Staff in exhibitions like this usually had to stand around and often didn’t get seats even if their bosses did. The guard nodded in understanding. “It’s okay; we just had two people come through wearing razor blades and dog collars. Go ahead.”

Bai Zhao silently raised a hand to touch the choker around his neck, only to have Yu Duqiu, who had returned unnoticed, intercept him. “Careful, it’d hurt my heart if you got scratched.”

Zhao Feihua rolled his eyes. As if it wasn’t your idea to wear it?

Seeing their affectionate exchange, Du Lingya’s eyes reddened, and she quickly turned away, taking her brother’s arm to leave. As they passed, Du Shuyan greeted Yu Duqiu, “Let’s talk later, Duqiu!”

Yu Duqiu smiled and replied, “Sure.”

“Why put on a show for her?” Bai Zhao raised an eyebrow. “Trying to make her give up?”

Yu Duqiu, having used him as a prop, moved on. “Don’t ask what you shouldn’t. You’ll be more likable that way.”

Inside the jewelry display area, a few guests had already arrived. They were less interested in the jewels and more focused on networking. Bai Zhao thrived in this social setting, striking up conversations and touting his company’s new project so convincingly that people were left amazed. Inevitably, someone asked, “Isn’t Mr. Yu involved in some murder case? Can his new project proceed safely?”

“If you don’t believe me, my assurance won’t mean much,” Bai Zhao said, handing out his business card. “But we’re holding a launch next month—come see for yourself.”

Lou Baoguo chuckled, hearing the flattery from afar. “He should be an actor. Born for the stage.”

“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players,” Yu Duqiu said, scanning the room and spotting his target. “Zhou Yi, Baoguo, spread out and stay on standby. Bai Zhao and Captain Ji, you’re with me—too many people draw attention.”

Lou Baoguo struggled with the first part of that English phrase and by the time he looked up, Yu Duqiu and his group were already some distance away. “Looks like I’m out of favor since the boss reclaimed his position,” he sighed.

Zhou Yi comforted him, “Look on the bright side. You’ve been falling short on looks since the start, plus he’s younger.”

“True, at least I’m better-looking and younger than you. Can’t be too greedy.”

“One more word, and I’ll make a mark on your face,” Zhou Yi warned, miming a slash. “Let’s see you try going to a parent-teacher meeting or a bank without getting mistaken for a robber.”

As Lou Baoguo was about to retort, someone nearby asked, “Excuse me, was that Mr. Yu Duqiu who just passed by?”

Lou Baoguo and Zhou Yi turned to see a well-groomed, courteous man with a graceful air and a gentle smile.

Zhou Yi found him vaguely familiar but couldn’t recall who he was. “Yes, do you need something from him?”

“Nothing much,” the man replied, “just thought he looked familiar and wanted to say hi, but his hair’s dyed, so I wasn’t sure. Thank you—I’ll look for him later.”

As the man walked away, Lou Baoguo whistled softly. “What a refined guy. The young master has admirers everywhere.”

Zhou Yi slapped his forehead. “I remember who he is! Trouble for Xiao Bai!”

“What? That guy isn’t as good-looking as our boss,” Lou Baoguo said with a curious grin. “An ex?”

“More than an ex,” Zhou Yi said, shaking his head. “If I’m not mistaken, that’s the young master’s first love and art consultant from the U.S.!”

In the main display case sat the exhibit’s centerpiece: a natural Colombian emerald and diamond necklace, radiating vibrant green and dazzling light—a masterpiece.

When Yu Duqiu and his companions arrived, Pei Ming was holding a champagne flute, chatting with Du Shuyan by the display. The emerald ring on his finger matched the necklace in the case, giving him an added sense of prestige.

Seeing him, Peizhuo’s face fell. Turning away without a greeting, he took Du Lingya to the next display case, feigning interest in the exhibits.

Unbothered, Yu Duqiu walked up with a friendly greeting. “Brother Pei, Brother Shuyan, what’s the conversation?”

“Ah, the guest of honor,” Pei Ming said smoothly. “Didn’t expect to see you. I thought you’d be too busy.”

“Just keeping busy, nothing noteworthy,” Yu Duqiu replied, shaking his hand.

Pei Ming responded with a thinly veiled compliment. “I heard you got quite the reception at your speech at the junior high. The kids’ screams were so loud they blew out the light bulbs?”

Yu Duqiu caught the implication but played along. “You weren’t there, Brother Pei, yet you know so much. Captain Ji, didn’t the police say they’d keep it under wraps? How did an outsider find out?”

Ji Lin picked up on his cue and turned a critical gaze toward Pei Ming. “I have no idea, Mr. Pei. You’ll have to explain, or our reputation might suffer.”

Pei Ming smiled, unfazed. “I heard it from a relative’s daughter who’s in junior high.”

Du Shuyan, still concerned about his sister, greeted them with more respect than Pei Ming. “Duqiu, it’s been over a month. I heard your project’s made a huge breakthrough. Congratulations!”

“Not so fast,” Yu Duqiu replied. “If we get the first batch of prototypes by year’s end, I’ll be happy. There’s a launch next month. Would you both come?”

“Of course. I’m ready to invest,” Pei Ming replied, adding, “But I’m surprised you’ve advanced so quickly. A few months ago, you said it would take three to five years to use brain-interface devices to treat addiction. How come you’re suddenly producing samples?”

Yu Duqiu’s eyes narrowed slightly. “You’re well-informed, Brother Pei. Plans don’t always keep up with reality. Recently, I received data from one of my late grandfather’s students. This helped my lab overcome some bottlenecks, so things sped up.”

“Which student? Sounds impressive,” Pei Ming’s eyes flashed as he fingered his champagne glass.

Ji Lin, studying Pei Ming’s expression, caught a flicker of unease.

Curious, Ji Lin thought, why does he care about a long-deceased student? Shouldn’t he be more concerned about the project’s potential impact on his interests?

As Ji Lin considered this, Yu Duqiu decided to keep things under wraps. “Let’s save that for the launch. I’ll answer all questions then.”

Pei Ming nodded, his response unreadable.

Du Shuyan, sensing an opportunity, broke in. “Duqiu, I heard you’ve been through a lot lately, even dealing with the police. I tried to handle the media, but rumors are hard to control. This must be Captain Ji. My sister mentioned you. Please, take care of Duqiu. He has too many enemies.”

Ji Lin accepted his hand with polite thanks but felt something was off—neither Du Shuyan nor Pei Ming acknowledged Bai Zhao’s presence, as if he were invisible.

The irony was almost laughable.

They covered their arrogance with polite veneers, categorizing people by rank and value, treating the lowest as if they didn’t exist.

No wonder these people didn’t like Yu Duqiu, who was undeniably one of the elite but acted according to his whims. He didn’t follow their social rules and even entrusted low-ranking people like Bai Zhao with important roles, bringing him along as a companion.

It was as if he’d slapped these hypocrites in the face, exposing their pretentiousness and ineptitude.

“Shuyan Ge is thoughtful,” Yu Duqiu remarked, his focus not directed at Du Shuyan tonight. His tone was still polite. “Have those old board members been giving you trouble lately? If they have, let me know. Grandpa asked me to keep an eye on you, worried that you might be taken advantage of.”

Du Shuyan showed a somewhat fake expression of gratitude, unsure if it was sincere: “It’s alright, it’s alright. Please thank Uncle Yu for me. If it weren’t for him, Lingya and I might have been kicked out by my cousin long ago. Luckily, I haven’t let him down, and over these years, I’ve gradually secured my position.”

“Shuyan is also lucky. In the past two years, he’s met quite a few benefactors, right? I’ve heard all about it,” Pei Ming remarked unexpectedly. “This is what they call ‘Heaven rewards those who work hard.’ After struggling for so many years, it seems like his luck has finally turned around.”

In just a few words, Pei Ming summarized Du Shuyan’s years of hard work as simply good luck. At first, it sounded like a compliment, but upon closer inspection, there was a trace of bitterness.

Du Shuyan forced a smile: “Yes, since my dad passed away nine years ago, the whole family collapsed. Only I truly know how it feels. But compared to your family’s situation, it’s nothing, we’ve all had it tough.”

Meaning, your father was better off dead than alive.

Ji Lin listened to their subtle exchange of sharp words and couldn’t help but look at Du Shuyan with new eyes. He hadn’t expected this seemingly delicate young man to have the same sharpness in backhanded jabs as Yu Duqiu.

Thinking about it, anyone who could survive the whirlpool of money, interests, and desires for so many years couldn’t possibly be weak or timid.

Pei Ming tightened his grip on his champagne glass, his expression unreadable as he replied, “Yeah, we’ve all had it tough.”

After watching the drama unfold, Yu Duqiu finally interjected, “Alright, aren’t we here to enjoy ourselves? Why bring up these sad topics? Pei Ming, can you introduce these exhibits to me? If I like something, I might just buy the whole lot.”

Pei Ming’s gaze instantly darkened.

Showing off the most valuable things from one’s family is one thing, but someone casually saying they’d take everything if they liked it felt more like a slap in the face. It was an insult—so casual it was almost like shopping at a market. The difference in wealth and status was glaring.

Ji Lin thought to himself, “Well, you three are really all neck-and-neck when it comes to sarcasm.”

Pei Ming’s polite smile seemed to almost snap, and he found an excuse to leave: “I need to arrange for tonight’s banquet, let Xiao Zhuo explain things to you. Excuse me for now. Xiao Zhuo! Come here.”

Peizhuo, who had been quietly watching them, reluctantly walked over. Du Lingya was still standing where she was, clearly not wanting to engage with her former fiancé. Du Shuyan apologized and went to comfort his sister.

Now left alone with Yu Duqiu and the others, Peizhuo’s already fragile presence seemed even weaker. He was looking for someone to explain things, but Yu Duqiu, in a brotherly fashion, casually slung his arm over Peizhuo’s shoulder and, almost playfully, pulled him back, lowering his voice, “Peizhuo, we’ve been classmates, how can you treat me like this?”

Bai Zhao and Ji Lin exchanged glances, understanding that this was about to turn into an old grudge. They stepped forward, blocking the view of other guests.

Peizhuo had always been a little afraid of him, and his physically underdeveloped frame was no match for Yu Duqiu’s, so he couldn’t move at all. With panic, he stammered, “I-I don’t understand what you mean…”

“Lingya was my fiancée before, and you gave her jewelry and accessories. What’s that supposed to mean? Trying to steal her from me?” Yu Duqiu’s voice was cold.

“No, no, I just wanted to give her a gift from my trip back home. Our family’s mine produced some good-quality raw stones…” Peizhuo stammered, trying to explain.

“Fine, I’ll let it go for now, but what about now? Lingya just broke off the engagement with me, and you’re chasing after her? Don’t you think you’re disregarding me?”

Peizhuo swallowed hard, and when it came to his crush, he suddenly found the courage: “You didn’t treat her well, made her sad… and now I’m not allowed to be good to her?”

Yu Duqiu sneered, placing his arm around Peizhuo’s neck. He used his fingers like a blade, lightly grazing his trembling throat with his ruby ring. “Between brothers, there’s no need to let a woman cause rifts. You don’t lack young and beautiful women, do you? She’s almost thirty, even if you catch her, it won’t last long. You’re not really going to marry her, are you?”

Peizhuo froze. Then, suddenly fueled by a surge of energy, he struggled desperately, finally breaking free from Yu Duqiu’s grip. His carefully styled hair was disheveled, his face flushed with anger, like an infuriated bird ready to explode. He growled at Yu Duqiu, “Yu! You really think I’m afraid of you? If I didn’t care about Lingya, I would’ve had someone take care of you by now! She loves you so much, and you dare to dump her? Without your money, what are you? You don’t deserve her! Trash!”

The outburst of the weak should not be underestimated. Even Yu Duqiu and Ji Lin were left speechless.

After Peizhuo finished shouting, he glared at Yu Duqiu with venom and stormed off toward the Du siblings.

Yu Duqiu didn’t seem bothered by the harsh words. Instead, he watched Peizhuo’s retreating back thoughtfully and rubbed his chin. “Considering he’s at least sincere, if he catches Lingya, I’ll give them a big red envelope.”

Ji Lin, curious about how big this “big” red envelope could be, asked, “How big?”

Yu Duqiu smirked, “It’s a number you’ll never earn in your lifetime.”

“…” That’s what you get for being curious.

Bai Zhao asked, “What if he’s not sincere?”

Without hesitation, Yu Duqiu answered as he toyed with the potential weapon around his neck: “What do you mean? I’ll just slit his throat.”

Ji Lin, fed up with Yu Duqiu’s dark humor, snapped, “Can you stop joking about things like that? Why do you wear a weapon instead of jewelry? Are you planning to kill someone at any moment?”

Before he could continue, his words faltered. It was as if he had been frozen in place, mouth agape but unable to speak.

“Ji?” Yu Duqiu waved his hand in front of his face.

Ji Lin’s dazed expression shifted to one of sharp clarity and excitement. His tone changed from frustration to excitement as he grabbed Yu Duqiu’s hand, “Holy crap! I think I know what the murder weapon used to kill Wu Min and Huang Hanxiang was!”

Yu Duqiu looked at their clasped hands, surprised, “What is it?”

“Jewelry! Do you remember, in the surveillance footage from the Yu Xiang case, the murderer was wearing a shiny gemstone ring on their right hand? It was about the width of a finger, around one centimeter. And the parallel cuts on Wu Min and Huang Hanxiang’s necks? They were exactly one centimeter apart. Could it be that the murderer attached blades to the sides of the ring, creating a trap? The ring itself is the weapon?!”

Yu Duqiu raised his finger, gently pressing a spot on his ruby ring. Suddenly, two thin, razor-sharp blades sprang out from the ring’s side, like wings unfurling from the gemstone.

“Is this what you mean?”

Ji Lin’s excitement froze, his face visibly changing as confusion, surprise, and uncertainty flitted across his features. Just as he was about to show signs of anger, Bai Zhao stepped in swiftly, covering his mouth to prevent any unspoken curses from slipping out.

“Mmm, mmm!” Ji Lin mumbled angrily, “You knew about this and didn’t tell me?!”

“First of all, I’m glad you didn’t suspect me as the killer,” Yu Duqiu slowly turned the ring on his finger, the ruby reflecting light from countless facets, though the blades’ gleam remained cold. “Secondly, I didn’t tell you sooner because I was testing how feasible this idea was.”

“I thought of it during the Charlotte banquet when I passed through the security gate. I’d seen a similar ring-blade design at an antique auction.”

“After returning home, I had one custom-made and only got it recently. The first test was at the Yiqing bar, and the second one was today. Turns out, no one suspects it’s a murder weapon.”

“When you want to kill someone, just press lightly, and the blades will pop out. If I had pressed the trigger when I sliced Peizhuo’s throat earlier, he would have been dead already, without even knowing what killed him.”

Yu Duqiu pressed the trigger again, and the blades retracted back into the ring seamlessly. “Afterward, it’s easy to retrieve and no trace is left. This kind of weapon can be carried around easily, doesn’t get confiscated anywhere, and is nearly impossible to detect. It makes people lower their guard, thinking the killer is unarmed.”

Ji Lin was absorbing the massive information, while Bai Zhao nodded in agreement: “It’s possible, but if that’s the case, the chances of finding the weapon are even slimmer.”

Yu Duqiu shrugged: “Exactly. Small, discreet, easy to hide, and if it was made with fake gemstones, more than one, you can just throw it away after use and remake it easily.”

Ji Lin finally snapped back to reality, swallowing hard. He muttered, “No wonder those two died in such a brutal, clean way.”

Bai Zhao picked up the flower and placed it back into the boutonnière of his suit. As he turned around, he happened to see a pair of long hands reach past Yu Duqiu’s ears—one hand hooking around his neck, the other threading through his hair. The skin was so pale it almost blended seamlessly with the silver hair.

The man closed his eyes, kissed Yu Duqiu’s cheek, then embraced him.

“I think you might need my comfort, so I came.”