Ch57 - Juice

“You met with Uncle Ma today, right?” Ji Qinghuai walked to the desk, pulled over a chair on the side and sat down, before hesitantly asking, “You don’t want to ask me anything else?”

Ji Xianzhi asked, “If I ask, what will you answer?”

“Mr Xie didn’t kill him.”

“Then what else do you want me to ask?” He glanced at Ji Qinghuai, “Do I have to follow the others and question you also?”

Originally, Ji Qinghuai only had vague speculations about this matter, but those three words confirmed this suspicion, “Father, do you know something?”

Without waiting for Ji Xianzhi to refute or explain, he continued, “I don’t know what kind of person Mr Xie is, but I know one thing. You’ve always had a hard mouth but a soft heart. Uncle Ma is grieving because of his son’s death, and he personally asked you for help, you would without doubt promise to help him. But now, you found out about my relationship with Xie Yan, and you also promised to help Uncle Ma, why aren’t you asking about this?”

Instead of answering his question directly, Ji Xianzhi said, “Your thinking is very clear.”

“That’s right, I’m very smart.” Ji Qinghuai boasted and returned to the subject. “Father, do you know who the real murderer is?”

“I don’t know.” Ji Xianzhi replied crisply.

“Then I’ll ask you a question you can answer.” Ji Qinghuai’s gaze fixed on Ji Xianzhi, not letting go of any change on his face, “What’s the relationship between Mr Xie and the Shen family?”

Ji Xianzhi understood why Ji Qinghuai asked this. Xie Yan’s pupil colour was different from ordinary people’s. Since Ji Qinghuai had established a relationship with Xie Yan and became lovers, he must have seen it.

“As far as I know, red pupils are a unique feature of the Shen family, but…” Ji Qinghuai paused, “Isn’t the Shen family already…”

“They’re almost dead.” Ji Xianzhi spoke the second half of the unspoken words for Ji Qinghuai, sighing, “And now, there is only that one left.”

“That one” referred to Shen Xie, the God of War famous throughout all four directions.

Ji Qinghuai did not doubt it, but his heart was a little puzzled, “Then Mr Xie…”

“It’s just a coincidence.” Ji Xianzhi didn’t want to dwell on this topic and used a light tone to change the subject. “With your current relationship with him, you can ask him directly. Why waste time asking me, you might as well use your brain to find clues.”

“But…”

Before Ji Qinghuai could finish speaking, Ji Xianzhi raised his hand and interrupted him, “Get out.”

Ji Qinghuai was a little vexed that he wasn’t able to ask what he wanted, but looking at his old father’s face, he felt that he might soon be thrown out by Ji Xianzhi’s own hand and could only shut up and leave.

Coming out of the study, Ji Qinghuai was a little absent-minded. When he went downstairs, he almost tripped over his own feet. Qin Xiaoru had just finished arranging the flowers when she heard his footsteps. She turned around and asked, “Qingqing, does it look good?”

Ji Qinghuai looked at the vase on the table and praised, “It’s beautiful.”

Qin Xiaorou herself was very satisfied. She cleaned up the table and said to Ji Qinghuai and Qin Lang, “Since the two of you are back, eat lunch before you return to work.”

The two brothers responded in unison and Ji Qinghuai took out his phone to message Xie Yan. When Xie Yan replied to him, Qin Lang’s phone also vibrated at the same time.

Xie Yan: Thank you.

Qin Lang replied and looked up at Ji Qinghuai.

It wasn’t a coincidence that both Qin Lang and Ji Qinghuai returned home at the same time.

When Ji Qinghuai had left Xie Yan’s house, Qin Lang had received Xie Yan’s message. He was uneasy about Ji Qinghuai going home alone and asked Qin Lang to accompany him in his place. In case Ji Qinghuai was beaten up again, there was still someone who could intervene and prevent the situation from escalating.

Fortunately, it was a false alarm and they were all relieved.

After lunch, Ji Qinghuai and Qin Lang left their home and went back to the city. If the culprit wasn’t found, the matter wouldn’t be settled. They had to hurry.

Ji Qinghuai drove directly back to Dixin community and planned to walk the rest of the way. However, just when the car was about to turn into the neighbourhood, a figure suddenly leapt out from the side. Startled, he slammed on the brakes and the car screeched to a halt.

In front of the car, the young man in the white shirt was also frightened and he fell softly to the ground.

Ji Qinghuai hurriedly took off his seatbelt and asked, “Did I hurt you?”

“I…I’m fine.” In front of the car, the young man was also stunned and fell to the ground weakly.

Ji Qinghuai was relieved to see he was alright and couldn’t help but say, “You should watch the road even if you’re in a hurry. I was really frightened when you popped out of nowhere suddenly, what would I do if I really crashed into you.”

“I’m sorry, it’s my fault. I’m really sorry.”

The young man sat on the ground and apologized profusely with a timid voice. Ji Qinghuai noticed his regretful attitude and couldn’t say anything else. He reached out and pulled the young man up.

Ji Qinghuai was still a little uneasy and asked again, “Are you really all right?”

“It’s okay, I’m not hurt.”

“Then go do your business ba.” Ji Qinghuai turned around and prepared to re-enter the car. “Remember to watch the road.”

“En.” The young man agreed. Seeing that Ji Qinghuai was about to open the car door, he hesitantly spoke, “Wait a moment.”

Ji Qinghuai turned around.

The young man walked towards Ji Qinghuai, opened his backpack and took out a bottle of fruit juice. He handed it to Ji Qinghuai. “I’ve troubled you a lot, please take this fruit juice as my apology.”

“Thank you.” Ji Qinghuai first thanked him and said, “I won’t take the fruit juice. Save it for yourself.”

The young man’s beautiful eyes looked up and down at Ji Qinghuai’s clothes, then at his car and lowered his head and slowly withdrew his hand.

Ji Qinghuai understood. He didn’t want to let the young one think too much, so he said helplessly, “Give it to me.”

The young man raised his head and handed the juice to Ji Qinghuai again.

Ji Qinghuai took over, unscrewed the bottle cap in front of the young man and drank a large sip, “It tastes good, thanks.”

He screwed the cap on the bottle and got into the car with the juice.

The young man stood aside and watched Ji Qinghuai’s car enter the community. The timid look in his eyes gradually disappeared. Instead, a cunning smile appeared after his purpose was achieved.

Ji Qinghuai was unaware of this. He parked his car in the garage and when he got out of the car, his sight fell on the bottle of fruit juice he had drunk. He thought about taking it upstairs with him.

At that time, Xie Yan was talking to someone on the phone. After arriving home, Ji Qinghuai put the bottle of fruit juice on the table and sat down on the sofa to play with his phone quietly. After a few minutes, Xie Yan hung up the phone and came over, glancing at the fruit juice on the table.

Ji Qinghuai immediately explained, “I didn’t buy it. Just now, someone at the entrance of the community rushed into the road and I almost hit him. He was the one who gave me the fruit juice.”

Ji Qinghuai liked to drink fruit juice and Xie Yan had known this from the beginning. However, most of the products sold outside had artificial flavours and additives. He felt they were too unhealthy and didn’t want Ji Qinghuai to buy them. Moreover, it was winter and he didn’t want him to drink too many cold beverages.

Xie Yan picked up the juice on the table and threw it into the trash can.

Ji Qinghuai watched silently. Although he felt that it was a waste, he didn’t dare to say anything.

“I just spoke to Zheng Lin.” Xie Yan sat down beside Ji Qinghuai and said, “It’s confirmed that the person who witnessed Ma Wenbin’s murder that night was telling the truth. The culprit they saw was me, there was also a senior who was present at the time. He also thought the person was me.”

Hearing this, Ji Qinghuai realized the problem. “Since there were high-ranking people present and they didn’t see anything wrong, does that mean…”

“It may not be an illusion technique.” Xie Yan and Ji Qinghuai thought of one possibility.

Ji Qinghuai thought about it. “Another person…Who looks just like you?”

He pondered for a moment, “I see it now!”

He made a sudden expression, “You might have a twin brother spying on you in secret. Seeing that you have such a good boyfriend like me, he was jealous, so he stirred up trouble for you.”

Xie Yan: “…”

He remarked, “In the future, stop watching all those dog-blooded dramas.”

Ji Qinghuai became anxious when he heard this, “What’s wrong with my dramas, they were all carefully selected, okay?”

Xie Yan rubbed his hair and smoothed it out. “I have no brothers.”

“Then how can this be explained?” Ji Qinghuai was confused.

They purposely targeted someone with a strong background and even impersonated Xie Yan. The culprit was clearly looking for trouble with Xie Yan, but why?

“Since he came prepared, we won’t be able to figure it out easily.”

“That’s right.” Ji Qinghuai considered it and said, “I just don’t know what he wants to do. In case something else happens afterwards, we have to find out who he is as soon as possible.”

Otherwise, it would be terrible to dump another crime on Xie Yan.

As the two were conversing, someone knocked on the door, followed by a man shouting, “Hello, express delivery.”

“Express delivery?” Ji Qinghuai hadn’t bought anything lately. He asked Xie Yan, “Yours?”

Xie Yan shook his head.

“Wrong address ba.” Ji Qinghuai said as he got up and went to open the door. He saw a small delivery brother standing at the door, holding a small cardboard box in his hand.

Seeing someone come out, the delivery brother did his routine and confirmed his identity, “Hello, is this Mr Xie?”

“Yes,” Ji Qinghuai replied.

“Please sign for it.” The little brother handed the box and the pen to Ji Qinghuai.

Ji Qinghuai penned down his signature, returned it, and closed the door after thanking him.

Ji Qinghuai looked at the address and recipient on the courier slip and walked slowly towards Xie Yan’s side. “Yanyan, this package is yours. Is it from a friend?”

Xie Yan felt a little strange. Few people knew his address, and most of them were his friends. If someone wanted to send something to him, they should have informed him in advance.

Ji Qinghuai shook the box in his hand, “Want to open it?”

“Let me open it.” Xie Yan took the box in his hand, “It’s better to be careful in the near future.”

He took out the scissors from the drawer, sliced the sealed tape on the box, and took out the contents.

It was a small black box.

Xie Yan became vigilant and raised his hand to open the lid.

The anticipated danger didn’t happen. There was only one thing lying quietly in the box.

A bloody tail.

The smell of blood quietly penetrated Ji Qinghuai’s nose, causing him to frown.

Xie Yan didn’t notice his movement and observed the tail. He looked at the tail and was slightly stunned. “This is…”

Rat tail.

Xie Yan closed the lid and threw it back into the box.

He had a guess in his mind, but he couldn’t come to a conclusion yet.

He placed the scissors back in its original place and raised his head, seeing that Ji Qinghuai’s face looked a bit off.

“What happened?”

“It’s fine…” Ji Qinghuai opened his mouth and his voice trembled.

Xie Yan couldn’t help but frown.

Seeing the situation, Ji Qinghuai pressed down the uncomfortable feeling on his body and said with a smile, “Maybe it’s because I didn’t sleep enough. It’s still early. I’ll catch up on some sleep.”

After he finished speaking, Ji Qinghuai rushed back to his room without waiting for Xie Yan to speak.

Xie Yan didn’t think much and also didn’t pursue the matter.

Updates will be paused for about a week or so 🙁 I’m super sorryy, especially since this chapter kinda ended on a cliffhanger. School started, and first week just passed but I’m struggling to catch up with week 2 lectures and assignments while trying to finish week 1 materials T-T My extracurriculars also aren’t helping sooo there’s that. Once again, I’m so sorry and thank you for patience I’ll make an announcement on discord within the next week!