[20201205] Happy Birthday, Xia Yan

At 00:00 on 12/5, a surprise occurs next to you.

With warm memories engraved in his chest, he works hard to make up for lost time.

We were lucky to have reconciled. From now on, we won’t be afraid of tomorrow as we face wind and rain together.

In the face of this precious reunion, his wish is…

Happy Birthday, Xia Yan!

Original Source: https://m.weibo.cn/7072153506/4578561593710157

“My birthday wish this year? ——Secret.
One day, eventually, I’ll tell you.”

On this cold winter day, just looking at the bright orange cake seems to dispel all coldness. 
Today is December 5th, Xia Yan’s first birthday after returning to WeiMing City as a detective. After so many years apart, slowly catch up with him after enjoying the cake!

Original Source: https://weibo.com/7072153506/IjgMM73r3 | https://weibo.com/7072153506/IjprrmBBr

Preview:

“I said, I already have someone I like
Therefore, let’s escape~
The night only just started. We still have the chance to go anywhere, make even more memories.”

Keep reading for the full date!
Word count: 10.4k (approx. 25-30 minute read)

It was Saturday night, and a sleek black company car was parked underneath my apartment complex. The man stood by the car and smiled kindly as he bowed, opening the car door to allow me to slip into the backseat. If I remember correctly, he should be Lu JingHe’s personal assistant.

MC:
“Assistant Wen?”

Wen Chen:
“It is an honor that you remember me, please address me casually if you wish. The young master has asked that I chauffeur you to the venue. If you may.”

After I fastened my seatbelt, Wen Chen started the car and we hurried to the banquet location. Tonight, I will be attending an auction hosted by the PAX Group. Since the auction items were expensive, only those of elite status would be in attendance, meanwhile PAX had asked our law firm to provide on-site legal advice if need be. Though I would’ve never thought that PAX would specifically ask me to attend…

MC:
(The items at the auction are all one of a kind, they must be priced at least a hundred million dollars. If something was to go wrong during the transaction… I don’t even want to consider the possibility.)

A clean and fresh scent lingered in the backseat of the car, likely a trace from the previous passenger. I couldn’t help but think about the culprit, so I struck up small talk with Wen Chen as he drove.

MC:
“Assistant Wen, do you know where Lu JingHe is?”

Wen Chen:
“The young master arrived at the venue an hour earlier to receive guests, that’s why he was unable to personally pick you up.”

MC:
“That’s… not what I meant, I had something to ask him.”

After I accepted the invitation, I thought that Lu JingHe would be busy with auction preparations so I didn’t want to bother him. All the documents regarding the auction were forwarded to me by a PAX employee as well. It’s advertised that the auction will showcase several priceless scrolls and works of art, and all of its proceeds will be donated to assist poor rural communities. On top of the charity auction’s profits, the PAX Group has pledged to match the donation.

MC:
(…It’s such a grand auction, why would he invite me to attend… All the starting prices are at least seven digits long, there’s no way Lu JingHe would expect me to participate in the bidding, right?)

Wen Chen glanced at me in the rearview mirror. He must have guessed what I was thinking, as he wholeheartedly consoled me.

Wen Chen:
“There’s no need for you to worry, although the young master tends to leave out details, he’s never without reason. I believe he specifically invited you because the event requires your attendance.”

MC:
“Requires my attendance?”

Wen Chen:
“That’s why I suggest you anticipate tonight’s events instead of worrying about it. For example… what the young master is wearing to the banquet.”

MC:
“What he’s wearing?”

Wen Chen:
“Since this event is a formal event, the young master had the Lu Family emblem embroidered onto his suit; a twin-headed serpent which breaks through the clouds.”

MC:
“I think I’ve heard that many large families have familial emblems, the kind that’s passed down through many generations.”

Wen Chen:
“Correct, it’s as you have said. The emblem features the serpent rushing up into the sky, bursting through the clouds in its path. This is the Lu Family message and wish for its successors, to show that they have made it.”

After Wen Chen’s enthusiastic explanation, I thought back to the familiar symbol I’ve seen around. What would Lu JingHe look like wearing such an exquisite suit? Before I could react, my mind already attempted to imagine it.

MC:
“But… why would you tell me all that?”

Wen Chen:
“The young master had instructed me to tell you if the opportunity presented itself. An hour ago, the young master sat where you are currently sitting and told me that he couldn’t wait to see you again.”

MC:
“…”

~~~

▌ Location- Resort Banquet Hall (Venue)

The auction was hosted at an upscale amusement resort park in Stellis City. Even the entrance to  the banquet hall screamed luxury.

MC:
(Even the marble flooring could be considered as a priceless treasure. The world of the rich, famous, and powerful… truly comes studded with gold…)

Wen Chen:
“Please wait a moment in the resting area. I will go ahead and help you get registered.”

MC:
“Mm, then I’ll have to trouble you.”

Wen Chen smiled, nodded toward me, and quickly walked toward the reception desk. I tried to tentatively look around in an attempt to mentally prepare myself. There were countless guests entering the hall, and judging from their evening wear, they were all extremely wealthy.

MC:
(I seem to be more nervous than I was before…)

I tried to take a couple deep breaths but was interrupted by little snippets of the conversations happening all around me. I couldn’t help but eavesdrop.

???:
“Lu JingHe… what’s so good about him… not like he’ll ever be the one in charge anyways… A charity auction? He’s just gartering sympathy… How ignorant and incompetent, how absurd.”

I looked toward the group of people in the resting area after hearing that familiar name. Aside from the man openly complaining, a couple guests gleefully egged him on in hushed voices. The encouragement stoked the man’s ego, and he spoke out braver than before.

???:
“I’ve been at PAX before the boy was even born, what’s there to be afraid of?”

MC:
“…” 

I looked at him and wanted nothing more than to walk up and speak my mind. However, now that I stood up, my determination wavered. Regarding Lu JingHe, ‘The Acting CEO of The PAX Group’, I understood next to nothing about his job… If I ran up to the man and said something like, ‘He works very hard’, it’ll probably come back to bite Lu JingHe.

Wen Chen:
“Miss lawyer, the registration has been completed, we may head in now.”

Wen Chen suddenly appeared behind me. His presence made me jump. Just then, the man who had been bravely speaking his mind clammed up.

MC:
“Alright…”

~~~

▌ Location- Banquet Hall

Before the auction, there was a reception. The hall was filled with guests who were dressed to the nines. Between conversations and exchanges, everyone wore a courteous smile.

Wen Chen:
“Please pay no attention to what you heard earlier.”

Wen Chen probably sensed that I was acting strange, and he once again rushed to reassure me.

MC:
“You heard them too, right?”

Wen Chen:
“I couldn’t catch the specifics, but I could infer what they were talking about. The young master is already used to such behavior. Thus, you shouldn’t take it to heart, either.”

MC:
“Is that so…”

Wen Chen didn’t delve into it any deeper. Instead, he guided me toward a corner of the banquet hall.

Wen Chen:
“The young master is just over there.”

I nodded and looked toward where Wen Chen was pointing to. Underneath the smattering of dim lighting, Lu JingHe sat in the resting area. Although he was the center of attention, he appeared at peace. He was unhurriedly rolling the champagne flute between his fingers, and swirling the bubbly liquid in its glass. Delicate threads were etched on his suit. The wispy clouds were disturbed by the twin serpent which was never fully seen or exaggerated and always hiding its intentions. The sharp glint in Lu JingHe’s eyes was only visible to the man who was bowing profusely before him.

Lu JingHe:
“I won’t talk business when I’m drinking. I won’t look at your acquisition proposal. Hand it directly to the PAX financial department. There’s no way to calculate risk based solely on a couple sheets of paper, if things really go awry… Is it something that you can take responsibility for?”

The man stood before him and began to apologize. Lu JingHe’s gaze cut through the crowd and settled on me. He slightly nodded when our eyes met, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Besides that, he didn’t make any other gestures.

MC:
(If I walked over to him right now, it might cause unnecessary attention from others.)

MC:
“Lu, Jing, He.”

I stood behind the throng of people that surrounded him and mouthed his name. Almost as if we were really connected, my action didn’t go unnoticed by Lu JingHe. When our eyes met once again, he smiled at me as his eyes lit up with joy. I carefully looked around to see if anyone was watching and tried to wave him over. He winked at me in response.

MC:
(No one would’ve noticed that, right…)

To be partaking in some kind of secret communication with him made my heart race and flutter with nervousness out of fear of getting caught. It’s a good thing Lu JingHe didn’t make me wait long.

Lu JingHe:
“Why don’t you all disperse for now, I have a very important client to speak to.”

I stood off to the side and stuck close to the buffet table, watching as Lu JingHe tried to shake off the people that crowded around him. Just as he was making his way over to me, two older ladies stopped him.

Lady A:
“Ah, JingHe, do you still remember me?”

Lu JingHe:
“You are…”

Lady A:
“How could you forget about me. When I stopped by to visit your family, I even changed your diapers.”

Lady B:
“Me too, I’m Auntie Zhang[1]. You used to follow me around when you had just learned how to walk.”

Lu JingHe:
“Hello.”

Lu JingHe schooled his expression from earlier and nodded respectfully toward the older ladies.

Lady A:
“That’s right, JingHe, this auntie’s daughter is around your age. The two of you should plan a date and enjoy yourselves sometime. Look, these are her photos.”

Lu JingHe:
“Ah, No I…”

Lu JingHe’s refusal was interrupted.

Lady B:
“Stop trying to get in on the action. I recently overheard that daughter of yours just broke up with her boyfriend. If you introduce a new match so soon, what if she rekindles her old flame, and you end up hurting JingHe’s feelings. JingHe ah, Auntie Zhang has a niece your age. You two were close enough to fight each other for baby bottles. You two count as childhood friends, why don’t I introduce you?”

Lady A:
“Childhood friends? They were barely even alive, how could they remember each other.”

Lady B:
“Who says they can’t remember, my niece even made JingHe cheer banners. See, I even brought them with me today.”

Lu JingHe:
“…”

MC:
(They’re trying to set up blind dates for Lu JingHe?)

I managed to overhear a couple key words. I watched the shameless matchmaking, and couldn’t help but back away a couple steps.

MC:
(Best of luck… may you return in one piece.)

 — PART 2 —

▌ Location- Banquet Hall

Ten minutes had passed since Lu JingHe was stopped by the sudden matchmaking attempt.

Lu JingHe:
“I can’t believe you, Jiejie, you just stood there and watched. You didn’t even think to come and rescue me.”

MC:
“I saw that you were quite good at telling people off, so I believed that you could handle it yourself.”

Lu JingHe:
“What’s wrong, are you unhappy that there were people trying to set me up on blind dates?”

MC:
“You wish.”

After my quick rebuttal, I deliberately looked away from him. Lu JingHe laughed quietly and began his explanation in earnest.

Lu JingHe:
“Those aunties are no different than businessmen presenting their sales pitches. Although they were aggressive, they didn’t beat around the bush. At first, I didn’t know what I should say, since I’m really not interested in going on blind dates. It’s a good thing I managed to convince them to let me go in the end.”

MC:
“How did you do it?”

Lu JingHe met my curious gaze with honesty. I didn’t know whether what he was going to say was just an excuse, or if it really was the truth.

Lu JingHe:
“I told them, I already like someone.”

MC:
“Huh?”

Before I could ask him who it is, my stomach growled embarrassingly loud in its own protest. Lu JingHe’s serious gaze cracked as he burst out laughing.

Lu JingHe:
“Look, it responded to me.”

MC:
“It did not! It’s just hungry.”

Lu JingHe:
“If it’s food that it wants, then let’s go and feed it.”

Lu JingHe brought me over to the buffet table. This banquet spared no expenses, the spread of delectable food was incredibly rich and intricate. Different meats, seafood, and sweets of all shapes and colors were laid out. Not long after, Lu JingHe’s plate was stacked high with little morsels.

MC:
“Lu JingHe, have you heard of the classic phrase: ‘Don’t eat too much or you will be killed.’[2]”

Lu JingHe didn’t even react. He continued to serve himself a hefty slice of cake, and blinked at me.

Lu JingHe:
“Then I’ll live and die with you. This portion is for both of us. Seeing how busy I’ve been today, I haven’t had anything to eat, either. You gotta eat all this with me.”

MC:
“Alright, then all I can do is accompany you to your fate.”

I took a portion of food off of his plate and walked toward the dinner tables.

Click.

Suddenly, the lights in the banquet hall went out. The guests scrambled around in the dark.

MC:
“Ah…”

A guest beside me screamed and I dropped the plate of food in my hand. The sound of glass shattering sent the crowd into panic. Just as I was becoming overwhelmed with the situation, Lu JingHe reached out and steadied me, pulling me by my waist flush against him.

Lu JingHe:
“Don’t be afraid, I’m here, watch your step around the broken shards.”

In the darkness, Lu JingHe held my hand tightly and turned on his phone flashlight, raising it high in the air. A single beam of light shone in the center of the banquet hall, and all the guests turned to look toward it.

Lu JingHe:
“Everyone, please remain calm!”

After hearing Lu JingHe’s voice, the crowds quieted.

Lu JingHe:
“The backup generators will be up shortly, please remain where you are and prevent further accidents. This issue is caused by our shortsightedness. As your host, I represent PAX Group and sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.”

A few minutes later, the electricity was restored in the building. Now that the banquet was lit once again, Lu JingHe immediately began to deal with the aftermath with Wen Chen.

Lu JingHe:
“Wen Chen, contact PAX logistics department and let them arrange condolence gifts, have them sent out to the guest’s homes as compensation. Then, immediately head over to inspect the auction…”

His words were cut short as someone’s blood-curdling scream rose from the crowd followed by terrified gasps.

Lu JingHe:
“What happened?”

MC:
“Over there, it seems like someone fainted!”

Lu JingHe and I rushed toward the commotion and found that a young lady had collapsed on the ground. Her body convulsed as her eyes rolled back. Vomit that frothed from her lips obstructed her airway, and she clawed at her own neck.

MC:
(…Shoot! Is she having a seizure? Judging from her breathing difficulties, we need to clear her airway first.)

Without hesitating, I rushed toward her. Lu JingHe followed suit, knelt down beside the girl, and pressed hard against her abdomen. After employing the heimlich maneuver, we were finally able to clear her airway of any vomit.

MC:
“What a relief…”

Before I could breathe a sigh of relief, the girl started to shake. Lu JingHe grabbed a napkin and wadded it into her mouth to prevent her from biting her tongue.

MC:
“Lu… Lu JingHe…”

The girl gasped and clenched her jaw, and bit down on Lu JingHe’s hand.

Lu JingHe:
“It’s ok, she didn’t bite too hard.”

He turned to look at the speechless crowd, his voice shook with unconcealed anger.

Lu JingHe:
“Why are you still dawdling? Bring a towel over! Wen Chen, call an ambulance, then call the hotel medics over.”

Wen Chen:
“Yes, Young Master!”

The ambulance arrived and took the girl away. Only then did we finally relax. That’s when I realized, even though I had washed my hands, the hem of my dress was stained by matter.

MC:
(What do I do…)

I turned around to look for Lu JingHe who had just finished talking with Wen Chen, when-

???:
“Young CEO Lu, it seems that the student has indeed surpassed his master.”

Lu JingHe:
“Director[3] Fang, I hope that you are well.”

MC:
(Director Fang? Wasn’t he the one by the hotel entrance earlier…)

~~~Flashback~~~

???:
“Lu JingHe… what’s so good about him… not like he’ll ever be the one in charge anyways… A charity auction? He’s just gartering sympathy… How ignorant and incompetent, how absurd.”

~~~Flashback Ends~~~

Director Fang’s first impression was not the best, and it made it much easier for me to remember him. Contrary to his arrogant behavior earlier, he looked every bit amicable now.

Director Fang:
“You remember me, I am truly humbled.”

Lu JingHe:
“No need for flattery, Director Fang. You are PAX’s important business partner, recognizing you is expected of me. The blunders during tonight’s banquet were of my own shortcomings, I hope that it did not impact your interests.”

Director Fang:
“Hahaha, you are too polite. No one can possibly anticipate accidents, it was good that no one was hurt.”

Lu JingHe:
“You’re right. I apologize, I have previous arrangements that I must see to, I wish that you may enjoy the auction to its fullest.”

Director Fang:
“Naturally. But I will admit, I’ve been looking forward to this auction for a long time.”

After bidding farewell to Director Fang, Lu JingHe grabbed my hand and led me out of the banquet hall.

MC:
“Lu JingHe? Where are we going?”

Lu JingHe:
“To the guest rooms upstairs.”

MC:
“W-what!?”

Lu JingHe’s interest peaked mischievously after hearing my exaggerated response, his head tilted to look at me, eyes flickering with ambiguity.

Lu JingHe:
“We’re going to the guest rooms upstairs to take care of the stains on your dress, do you have a problem with that?”

MC:
“I don’t, it’s just that I wish you would finish your sentences without pausing.”

Lu JingHe brought me to the hotel’s penthouse suites and stopped in front of a guest room.

Lu JingHe:
“A spare ball gown has already been prepared for you inside. If you don’t like wearing something that someone else picked out, there’s also stain removers so you can wash the skirt as well. Right, I’ve also asked for food to be brought up, you can have some if you’re hungry.”

After hearing everything he’d prepared for me, I couldn’t help but stare back in silence. In order to have so many things prepared, he must have already noticed that my dress was stained… He must have realized before I did…

MC:
“Thank you, Lu JingHe.”

I watched as Lu JingHe’s smile lit up. I hesitated, but spoke again.

MC:
“From earlier, Director Fang… I heard him say some nasty things about you, don’t take it to heart and believe him.”

Lu JingHe:
“I know.”

MC:
“You’re not surprised at all? He was so courteous to you, but behind the scenes he…”

He smiled and shook his head as he swiped the room key and opened the door for me. Everything inside the room was meticulously laid out for me to use, and it left me frozen in awe.

Lu JingHe:
“All of these events of materialistic desires, everyone comes with some sort of goal. As long as they have a goal, they’ll chase after it, even resorting to low-blow tactics in order to fulfill it. Two faced people are quite common actually. Like me, there’s no way I’d hold the same attitude toward other people the same way I treat you.”

MC:
“But… won’t all that dishonesty affect you?”

Lu JingHe:
“Don’t worry. It’s entirely because they are unable to face me head on that they must resort to speaking bad about me behind my back. Even if it sucks, patience is key… Think about it, they’re the ones tiring themselves out and not me, right?”

Lu JingHe spoke, and took a half step toward me.

MC:
“!!!”

Lu JingHe:
“As long as I’m by your side, it’s the only time I can relax. Because your eyes tell me that, you’ve never had those kinds of expectations towards me.”

His smile faltered as he watched me quietly. In those eyes, they reflected something I couldn’t fully understand, teetering between rejoicing, and feeling lost.

Lu JingHe:
“Now, I’m not so sure, whether expecting nothing from me, is it a good thing, or a bad thing?”

MC:
“…”

I didn’t know how to respond to him, after a few seconds, I could only retreat inside the guest room.

Lu JingHe:
“Should I have saved those words for another time…”

Not long after, a hotel employee walked over and carefully broke him out of his reverie.

Employee:
“C-CEO Lu, excuse me… May I pass through, the guest inside this room has asked me to bring them something.”

Lu JingHe:
“You’re talking about the guest room behind me?”

Employee:
“Y-yes…”

Lu JingHe:
“You can leave it with me.”

The hotel employee swallowed hard, and mustered up enough courage to continue.

Employee:
“But the person that phoned the front desk… was a woman. May I ask if it is someone that you know?”

Lu JingHe:
“She’s my… friend. This guest room is booked under my name. If you don’t believe me, you can check the hotel records.”

Employee:
“Er, alright then.”

Although the employee looked hesitant, when Lu JingHe reached out to accept the items, the bite marks on his hand answered her unspoken question. Only then did the hotel employee hand over the antiseptic and cotton gauze over to him.

— PART 3 —

MC:
(These kinds of ball gowns are always so hard to clean. No wonder people say you only wear them once. If I end up getting it dirty again, I won’t be able to afford the cost…)

After some deliberation, I carefully set aside the dress that Lu JingHe prepared for me and began scrubbing away at the hem of the dress that I was wearing.

MC:
(It’s almost clean, you can’t see the stain, and there’s no smell. But it’s been a solid twenty minutes already, why hasn’t the room service arrived yet…)

I opened the guest room door only to find Lu JingHe still standing there with two things in his hand. After seeing me again, he joyfully waved the antiseptic and cotton gauze and showed me his wound.

Lu JingHe:
“If you please.”

~~~

Lu JingHe:
“…Ah! It hurts, it hurts, it hurts…. Go easy… Forget it… Don’t, don’t touch there…”

MC:
“Lu JingHe, stop moving around. I’m already being gentle enough.”

I let out the breath that I was holding, grabbed the hand that he was trying to pull back, and pressed it on the table.

MC:
“See, the gash is bleeding. If you don’t wash the wound, what if you get an infection?”

Lu JingHe:
“Fine… I’ll listen to you, but you better compensate me later.”

This time, Lu JingHe sat still while giving me his best ‘oh, woe is me‘ look. Considering how well I know him by now, I couldn’t help but speculate.

MC:
“Lu JingHe, are you faking it… It doesn’t actually hurt that much, does it?”

Lu JingHe:
“Hahaha… You caught me.”

MC:
“No wonder! And I even fell for it!”

I looked at him, soaked a cotton ball in antiseptic and pressed it directly on his wound.

Lu JingHe:
“Ah! Forgive me, Jiejie, it really hurts this time!”

MC:
“CEO Lu, have you heard about the boy that cried wolf…”

Someone cleared their throat by the guest room door as Lu JingHe and I were talking. We turned to see Wen Chen awkwardly standing there.

Wen Chen:
“Er… Have I disturbed you two?”

Lu JingHe:
“If you know, why did you come in?”

Wen Chen:
“But, Young Master, you didn’t close the door properly, we can hear you outside as clear as day…”

Lu JingHe:
“…Does it sound good? Why didn’t you just help us close the door?”

Lu JingHe was muttering, and by the time he finished his sentence, a deep red blush settled on his face.

MC:
(Oops, looks like he got anxious.)

I couldn’t stifle my laughter.

Wen Chen:
“B-because I had matters to discuss with you, Young Master. It is as you have said, there were auction items that were stolen amidst the chaos earlier.”

MC:
“What!? Stolen?!”

Lu JingHe:
“Which ones?”

Wen Chen:
“…That jade hairpin.”

Lu JingHe:
“What?”

Lu JingHe’s air of indifference melted away as he sat up straighter, brows furrowing.

Lu JingHe:
“Why did it have to be that item…”

All of a sudden, I thought back to the girl that fell sick earlier. More than the power outage, that incident was caused directly at the scene to distract Lu JingHe and prevent him from checking the auction items.

MC:
“Is there anyone present tonight that knows of that girl’s medical history? I don’t think it was an accident.”

Lu JingHe:
“Wen Chen, when we provided the list of food allergies and medical conditions to the hotel, did we investigate possible employees that handled the information?”

Wen Chen:
“Yes we did. After looking at the security footage, we’ve narrowed it down to one suspect. Although the employee had a clear guilty conscience, the crime was committed during the power outage and there is no evidence that directly incriminates him, so he is currently still denying any allegations. Young Master, would you like me to directly call the police?”

Lu JingHe:
“There’s no rush, recovering the stolen item is our top priority. We can’t let it impact the procession of the auction.”

Lu JingHe turned to look at me with a fierce eagerness. It seems that he wants to see what I will do.

Lu JingHe:
“Would you like to return to the banquet?”

I shook my head without hesitation.

MC:
“I came here as part of my job. I can probably be of help if I stay here.”

Lu JingHe:
“Alright then, Wen Chen, please escort the server here. I’d like to question him personally.”

~~~

Fifteen minutes later, the server begrudgingly stood in front of Lu JingHe.

Lu JingHe:
“Have a seat.”

Server:
“N-no need, I can stand.”

Lu JingHe:
“Suit yourself. Allow me to introduce myself, I’m Lu JingHe, executive CEO of the PAX Group. This here is my exclusive lawyer, MC.”

MC:
(…Exclusive lawyer?)

Lu JingHe:
“We’re short on time, so let’s forgo the formalities. I only wish to ask you one thing, where did you hide the jade hairpin?”

Server:
“I, I really don’t know! That jade hairpin, I didn’t steal the jade hairpin!”

According to our plan, Lu JingHe and I would be playing the roles of ‘the good cop and the bad cop’. Currently, Lu JingHe is acting as the ‘bad cop’. After hearing the server’s weak excuses, he slammed his hand on the ottoman, the loud thump making all of us jump.

Lu JingHe:
“What, you won’t talk? You think I’d believe you?! The jade hairpin was stolen, and the auction is starting soon. We’ll need a scapegoat, and conveniently, you’re the most suspicious… Don’t you know it’s easier for us if you just take the blame?”

Server:
“Wh-what…”

Good, it looks like he’s shaken up by Lu JingHe’s angry words. It’s time for me to shine.

MC:
“CEO Lu, what you’re suggesting we do is illegal. If you accuse an innocent person, someone will find out in the end. The news outlets will be stirred into a frenzy, and you’ll become their headline.”

Lu JingHe pretended to hesitate, then scoffed indifferently. The server looked at me with hope, as if he were grabbing onto me like a drowning man to a lifebuoy.

Server:
“Then I…”

MC:
“The value of the item is astronomical, and it was for a charity auction at that. The sentencing won’t be light. Rest assured, CEO Lu.”

Lu JingHe:
“Oh? And how long would the actual culprit be locked up for, should we catch them?”

MC:
“If I was handling the case, a life sentence is not out of the picture.”

MC:
(… How shameless, it’s the first time I’ve ever boasted like this.)

Lu JingHe:
“What a shame, I originally wanted to handle this matter away from the law, but it looks like the culprit will just have to grow old and rot in jail.”

Lu JingHe waved his hand dismissively, signalling that the server may leave. But the server stood still and subsequently crumpled to the floor.

Server:
“D-don’t dismiss me, CEO Lu. If I talk, can you really handle it outside of the law?”

Lu JingHe:
“Why would I lie to you?”

Lu JingHe stood up and walked slowly in front of the server, looking directly down at him.

Lu JingHe:
“I’m going to ask you one last time, where did you hide the jade hairpin?”

After the server told us where the hairpin was hidden, Wen Chen took the server to retrieve the hairpin. When the missing hair pin was placed before Lu JingHe, his brows knit even tighter.

Lu JingHe:
“This hairpin is a fake.”

Server:
“Fake?! There’s no way! After I stole it, I hid it away. No one else touched it!”

Lu JingHe watched the server with a cold gaze. Different from our earlier act, his entire presence now radiated intimidation.

Lu JingHe:
“I forgot to ask earlier, why did you steal this particular auction item? The guests here tonight are wealthy, it would have been much easier for you to lift a wallet or two. Without a specific motive, there is no way you would risk yourself stealing something valuable… Who hired you to do this?”

Server:
“What, what are you saying. No one asked me to, I did it out of my own volition.”

As the situation progressed, I understood it less and less…

MC:
“Lu JingHe, you mean that his partner secretly duped him?”

Lu JingHe:
“There’s one other possibility. By the time this auction item arrived at the hotel, it had already been exchanged. I’m assuming their motive is to frame the PAX Group for auctioning counterfeits. It’ll be detrimental to our image… Selling fakes at a high price as a charitable donation, it’s illegal.”

Server:
“It wasn’t me, I… I really don’t know about that stuff…”

Lu JingHe:
“Then who was it!”

Lu JingHe stood mere inches in front of the server and stared him right in the eyes. Every word was uttered like a threat.

Lu JingHe:
“I’ve said it already, the situation has escalated past the point of petty theft. You are suspicious, and if you continue to protect your colluders, then you will pay the price. That jade hairpin is not cheap. When the time comes, not only will you rot in jail, you’ll shoulder the debt to go with it.”

Server:
“Then, I…”

Lu JingHe:
“Think carefully. Are you really putting your freedom and your family’s future on someone that will offer you nothing in return?”

Sweat dripped down the server’s face at the mention of his family. Ultimately, it was what broke his silence.

Server:
“…I’ll, I’ll talk! It was Director Fang… He wanted me to steal it.”

Lu JingHe:
“Director Fang? How do you know him?”

Server:
“Director Fang covered for one of my blunders with guests, so when he approached me today for help, I wanted to repay his kindness. Plus, he told me regardless of whether or not I succeed, he’s willing to compensate me well. I thought I’d at most be jailed for a couple days for theft. After all, I’m getting paid to do it, so I…”

MC:
(A couple days? Did you really think it was like shoplifting from a grocery store… Although counterfeits aren’t worth much in value, the nature of the case is different. Familiarizing citizens with the law is an important responsibility, but it looks like there’s still a long way to go.)

Lu JingHe:
“So, why was it this jade hairpin in particular?”

Server:
“Because Director Fang told me it would be easier to steal. The other items were far too big or heavy to take.”

Lu JingHe:
“… Then you really know how to pick them.”

Lu JingHe glared at him, and called Wen Chen to come and take the fake hairpin away.

Lu JingHe:
“No need to call the authorities, let him return to his post. Regarding this jade hairpin, put it back where you found it. Keep this matter a secret and pretend as though it never happened.“

When it was just the two of us in the guest room, Lu JingHe finally let out a sigh.

MC:
“Was it tiring trying to intimidate other people?”

Lu JingHe’s gaze softened and laughed.

Lu JingHe:
“So you noticed.”

MC:
“Mm, I knew that you were completely talking out of your ass.”

All that talk about ‘how he’ll ruin his life’ and all that, was all part of our scheme to get him to talk.

MC:
“Even if the server stayed silent, the police would have found out sooner or later that the item was faked. There would have been no need for him to pay the price.”

Lu JingHe:
“That’s right. So from my guess, Director Fang was well prepared to sell out the server. Failure to safeguard the auction items, then failure to recover them… he’ll cast doubt on PAX’s capabilities, and attempt to smear our name in front of the guests. Afterwards, he’ll push the blame to someone else. He has more than enough money, someone will bite.”

MC:
“But he would’ve never anticipated that you could tell it was a fake from a single glance…”

Lu JingHe:
“Mm, I guess you can call him extremely unlucky, for if he chose to steal anything else, there’s no way for me to tell.”

MC:
“So why is it that you can tell…”

Before I could finish my sentence, Lu JingHe closed the distance between us, and I staggered backward only to find that I had cornered myself between him and the guest room wall.

Lu JingHe:
“Shouldn’t you be most curious about why I asked him to put the fake hairpin back?”

He leaned in and looked at me.

— PART 4 —

Lu JingHe:
“Or maybe I really am trying to break the law and am attempting to achieve something through these underhanded means.”

In the quiet room, we stood mere inches apart. I could see and feel the rise and fall of his chest with every breath. Lu JingHe smiled, clearly hiding something from me. Perhaps he’s testing me to see if I can call his bluff. His eyes watched me with such a tender clarity.

MC:
“I trust you, you would never do that.”

After hearing my admission, he sighed and stepped away from me.

Lu JingHe:
“Of course, you have never let me down. Even if I had done so, you wouldn’t pit it against me.”

He avoided my questioning glance, turned to sit on the couch, and rubbed his temples.

Lu JingHe:
“Director Fang used to behave himself when my brother was still in charge. I knew he didn’t like me, but I would’ve never thought he would stoop so low. I guess, according to him, I’ll never be as good as my brother.”

MC:
“Actually… I don’t think you should compare yourself to others.”

Seeing Lu JingHe so sullen and with his head hung low, I felt like I should say something. As I walked over to the couch, wanting to pat him on the head to console him. He caught my hand that neared his head.

Lu JingHe:
“It’s true though, I’m not as good as he is. If it were my brother, we would’ve formed a conclusion by now. He would’ve seen this coming.”

He lifted his head, his eyes forever clear without haze. It represented his self awareness and self confidence.

Lu JingHe:
“I’m not as straight-laced as he is. I like to use a special method to problem solving.”

MC:
“You’ve already come up with a plan?”

Lu JingHe didn’t respond. He instead pulled me down to sit beside him. He leaned on me, resting his head against the crook of my neck as the tendrils of his hair tickled my collarbone.

Lu JingHe:
“I feel kinda tired, so let me rest here.”

MC:
“Alright.”

He closed his eyes, and in an instant, I saw the stress between his brows settle and dissipate ever so slightly.

~~~

▌ Location- Banquet hall

It was 9PM, and the auction proceeded as scheduled. Lu JingHe sat in the front, watching every item that passed by and was eventually sold, calm as can be. When the jade hairpin was showcased, the auctioneer’s face grew tense. The glass box housing the auction item came up to the stage empty. With a sudden noise, Lu JingHe stood up and walked up to the stage.

Lu JingHe:
“My apologies everyone, it was a shallow prank. Before the auction started, Director Fang had personally expressed his interest in purchasing the jade hairpin, so I lent it to him for a moment. After the events that occurred, I seemed to have forgotten to ask for it back.”

The crowd hurriedly sought out Director Fang and turned to look at him. Director Fang did not seem to react fast enough and only stared back wide-eyed.

Director Fang:
“…”

Lu JingHe:
“What’s wrong, Director Fang? Please return the hairpin. I understand that you truly do not wish to part with it, but we do have to proceed according to the rules, I’m afraid.”

Lu JingHe smiled and held out his hand expectantly. Director Fang sprung up from his seat.

Director Fang:
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. What jade hairpin, I didn’t even touch it!”

Just then, an elegantly dressed lady started murmuring, stopping halfway to gesture at Director Fang.

???:
“Director Fang, that’s not very kind of you. CEO Lu is still young, his funds run shallow, why do you feel the need to jest with him during such a setting?”

Director Fang:
“Mrs, Mrs. Wang? What are you implying?”

Mrs. Wang:
“You can cut the act, Director Fang, no need to treat me like a kid as well. When you were discussing business, didn’t you pick up a phone call and just so happen to misplace the jade hairpin inside your file folder?”

Director Fang hurriedly picked up the business documents and searched through the folder. Lo and behold, a jade hairpin fell out of it.

Director Fang:
“How… How can this be…”

On the other side of the room, I felt the same shock that he did. Wasn’t the jade hairpin a fake? Why would it be in his possession? And Mrs. Wang… Wen Chen was by my side, sensing my confusion, he explained with a smile

Wen Chen:
“Do you still remember the girl that was sent to the hospital for treatment? Mrs. Wang is her mother. As a parent, I’m guessing she’s seeking revenge for what happened to her daughter.”

MC:
“But why would the jade hairpin appear in Director Fang’s pockets?”

Wen Chen:
“We have that server to thank. He purposely slipped the hairpin into Director Fang’s files when he pretended to report back.”

MC:
“…Was this all Lu JingHe’s idea?”

Wen Chen must have been scared to anger me, so he hesitated before nodding.

Wen Chen:
“Yes, in exchange, the young master agreed to not press charges against the server.”

After getting a rough idea of what had just transpired, I set my attention back on the center stage. Lu JingHe held the jadepin that was handed to him and placed it back into its display case. But things weren’t over just yet.

Lu JingHe:
“That’s right, I do have one piece of good news I forgot to share. Director Fang had also told me privately, that he was prepared to spend ten times the asking price for the jade hairpin. To add, this donation will be given entirely to help children living in poverty. This kind of wholehearted generosity is well deserving of praise.”

Lu JingHe started to clap. The audience followed suit, the thundering sound filled the entire auction hall.

Director Fang:
“Hold on! I never said that! Ten times? What kind of joke is this!”

Director Fang’s outcry was drowned out in the sound of applause, and he could only holler towards the stage.

Director Fang:
“Besides, this jade hairpin is clearly a fake! Why would you force me to spend so much money on it!”

Lu JingHe:
“A fake?”

Lu JingHe feigned shock.

Lu JingHe:
“All the auction items have been authenticated by experts. How did Director Fang notice right away?”

Mrs. Wang:
“That’s true, Director Fang, I’ve known you for so many years, but I’ve yet to hear that you were well versed in appraisal.”

Mrs. Wang discretely gestured toward the server, and intentionally asked Director Fang.

Mrs. Wang:
“Ah, that server over there seems to know something, why don’t we call him over and ask?”

Director Fang:
“That…”

It was clear that Director Fang knew who the server was. He broke in cold sweat after seeing the server. If they called the police, the server’s testimony would be enough to incriminate him. Director Fang was faced with his own demise, and it was increasingly clear that Lu JingHe had already made his choice for him.

Lu JingHe:
“Mrs. Wang is hilarious, how would a man like Director Fang be acquainted with a mere server?”

Director Fang:
“T-that’s right! CEO Lu is right.”

Lu JingHe:
“But, regardless of how much you like this jade hairpin, there is no need to try and find an excuse to steal it. Keeping your hands above the table for all to see, isn’t that a much better lesson to us all? You’re a well taught man of a high caliber, and a famous one in the industry at that. I trust that no one would dare try and outbid you.”

Lu JingHe made sure to draw out Director Fang’s credentials like a veiled threat.

Director Fang:
“CEO Lu does… have a point, I am in the wrong.”

Lu JingHe:
“Actually, I am particular to this jade hairpin, just not particular enough to fight others for it. Director Fang, you’re guaranteed the item at ten times its starting bid, and it’s also going towards a good cause. Won’t you consider it a fantastic deal of hitting two birds with one stone?”

In the end, the jade hairpin was sold to Director Fang at ten times its starting bid. After the closing ceremony of the auction ended, I wanted to look for Lu JingHe, but…

MC:
(He looks like he’s very busy.)

I tried to look for him in a large crowd of people gathered nearby, and found Lu JingHe at the center of it. The most enthusiastic guest by far was none other than Mrs. Wang herself.

Wen Chen:
“Are you looking for the young master?”

Wen Chen stood behind me and followed my gaze. He instantly knew what I was thinking.

Wen Chen:
“When I was looking for the young master just now, Mrs. Wang appeared to be attempting to set her daughter up with the young master. After her daughter woke up and found out that the young master had saved her, she fell in love at first sight.”

MC:
“…He sure has a lot of options.”

I retorted offhandedly and continued watching Lu JingHe.

MC:
“Wen Chen, don’t you think Lu JingHe is acting strange right now?”

The wine glass in his hand was trembling, and his expressions looked stiff, almost as if he was hiding something.

Wen Chen:
“He must have had too much to drink. The young master has a high alcohol tolerance, but he’s been drinking since the banquet started, as well as mixing drinks. If this continues, the young master will probably be drunk.”

MC:
“…”

Wen Chen:
“When the young master gets drunk, he gets horrible hangovers, so he rarely drinks. Though, it’s unavoidable during events like these.”

After hearing Wen Chen’s explanation, I felt both worry and hesitation. If I head over to interrupt their conversation and demand that he stop drinking, would that be rude?

MC:
“Is he really alright…”

— PART 5 —

Seeing that I was unsettled, Wen Chen paused but spoke again.

Wen Chen:
“Actually, the young master was hiding one more thing from you. That jade hairpin, the reason why the young master was able to discern it was a fake was because he was originally preparing to give it to you.”

MC:
“For… me?”

Wen Chen:
“Mm, the young master has said so before.”

~~~Flashback~~~

Lu JingHe:
“Oh? Are these the items chosen for the auction? This jade hairpin is quite special… Hairpin, through silky strands of hair…”

Lu JingHe put down the jade hairpin that he was playing with.

Lu JingHe:
“Wen Chen, no need to forgo the selection process. Have it set as an auction item, I’m going to bid for it.”

Wen Chen:
“Certainly, Young Master, I’ll see to it at once.”

Lu JingHe:
“Normally, she’d never accept an expensive gift like this, but since it’s for charity, she shouldn’t have any reason to refuse, right?”

~~~Flashback Ends~~~

MC:
“…”

Wen Chen:
“This auction, the focus of the auction isn’t on the items itself. That’s why, even if there was an item missing, it would be of little to no impact on the event. The young master got upset because CEO Fang was targeting him, and thus, targeting all of PAX… Also, seeing as his original plan was ruined, the young master must have felt frustrated, otherwise the young master would not be drinking this much.”

MC:
“Assistant Wen, you’re telling me this to push me to make a decision, right?”

Wen Chen smiled but did not confirm or deny. To ‘save’ Lu JingHe, or to ignore him and watch from the sidelines, similar to CEO Fang during the auction, was akin to a multiple choice question. Regardless of who it is, however, when things fall on the last straw, whether it be CEO Fang, or myself, there is no such thing as a choice.

~~~

Lu JingHe swirled his wine glass and pressed a small sip of wine to his lips, tuning in and out of the conversation beside him. Seeing that Lu JingHe was prepared to reach for yet another glass, I hurried over to his side. Regardless of what happens, I need to find a way to get him alone first.

MC:
“C-CEO Lu, there’s a document that I need you to confirm, may I grant your pardon?”

Before Lu JingHe could respond, Mrs. Wang raised an eyebrow in discontent and spoke before anyone else did.

Mrs. Wang:
“Hold it, even if it were a matter of importance, the basic respect and etiquette should be observed, right? I’ve already called the toast, if CEO Lu cannot accept the drink, then this young lady here will have to take it in your steed?”

Lu JingHe:
“That’s right, you have a point.”

Lu JingHe, clearly wished to speak less as he prepared to raise his glass-

MC:
“Then please allow me.”

I grabbed the glass of wine and downed it in one gulp.

Lu JingHe:
“!!!”

MC:
“Mrs. Wang, now, you’ll allow CEO Lu to leave, right?”

Mrs. Wang nodded contently and patted Lu JingHe’s shoulder before taking her leave.

Mrs. Wang:
“Not bad, then I’m off. I wish you two all the best in your discussions.”

Lu JingHe:
“Even if you did not raise this toast, it would be successful regardless.”

I forced the burning warmth of the alcohol to settle in my stomach and waited until Mrs. Wang was out of earshot before launching into a coughing fit. Lu JingHe placed the empty glass on the table and passed me a small candy.

Lu JingHe:
“That was so unlike you.”

The sweet and sour taste of fruit burst in my mouth, replacing the bitterness of the alcohol.

MC:
“It was a special situation… Besides, I haven’t had anything to drink, unlike you, who literally hasn’t stopped drinking. I felt like, after the auction, the people trying to talk to you became even more fired up.”

Lu JingHe:
“Oh? Looks like you’re really observant.”

MC:
“…T-there were so many people looking for you, it would be hard not to notice!”

Lu JingHe said nothing about my hasty excuse and smiled.

Lu JingHe:
“What can I say, what I did back there during the auction turned out to be a great show of killing the chicken to scare the dog. Those with a clear conscience will naturally attempt to prove their innocence. While those who do nothing but waggle tongues are worried about their own outcomes and do well to stay away.”

After hearing his description of the people here, I couldn’t help but feel exhausted. For Lu JingHe, having to face so many people who say what they don’t mean and act as if they care, it must be even more exhausting for him.

MC:
“Lu JingHe, now that the auction has ended, are there any other items on the itinerary?”

Lu JingHe:
“Nope, we just have to wait for the guests to leave. The auction logistics are handled by professionals, so I don’t need to participate.”

MC:
“Why don’t you come with me, and we can sneak off. How does that sound?”

He must’ve never thought that I could suggest something so bold, as it definitely caught him off guard.

Lu JingHe:
“What’s this, that’s not something you’d normally say. Unless you’re a one-shot-wonder, and you’re already drunk?”

MC:
“No way, I just thought that the toasts would never stop with that many people approaching you. If you stay here any longer, you’ll be inebriated.”

As proof to my statement, a man called out Lu JingHe’s name. He was all smiles as he waved at us and brought two wine glasses over.

MC:
“See…”

Lu JingHe:
“I must be really popular with the old folks.”

Lu JingHe had no notion of raising his glass to the man in response. Instead, he turned to look at me with that same look of childish mischief that I know.

Lu JingHe:
“I am a man who listens to instructions, especially your instructions, so… lets make a run for it!”

He grabbed my hand and led me out of the banquet hall.

MC:
“!!!”

With his reassuring warmth pressed into my palm, I followed Lu JingHe as my dress bellowed in the breeze with every step. Away from the joyous and merry conversation, away from the clinking of wine glasses. We left that moment behind us. I couldn’t see in front of me, but I knew that as long as I could see his familiar back, it was the only truth that I needed to follow.

MC:
(I bet everyone is looking at us…)

Noisy comments from the guests faintly made its way to my ears, but after hearing all their voices, I couldn’t help but feel even more excited. The thrill of breaking away from our obligations simmered in my heart, and I couldn’t help but call out his name.

MC:
“Lu JingHe! Can you hear that? I think they’re talking about us.”

Lu JingHe tightened his grip on my hand and pulled me closer by a couple steps. His eyes lit up with laughter as he turned to look at me.

Lu JingHe:
“Then, right now, will you regret running away with me?”

MC:
“I won’t.”

My reply came naturally. I met his eyes and repeated it again.

MC:
“I won’t regret it. In fact, I feel fortunate to have experienced everything that happened today.”

Only that, I told him I’d be the one to steal him away, and it turned into him pulling me along, running all the way. Even so, it felt great!

Lu JingHe:
“Isn’t it a bit too early to celebrate? The night’s just begun. We still have a chance to go anywhere, to create more memories. Only you and I, we’ll escape the rules and expectations.”

No long after, we made it to the exit. But to me, compared to the dazzling lights in the banquet hall, the darkness and the still of the night was where my heart truly yearned to be.

~~~

We said goodbye to the banquet hall and stepped into the cool night breeze. I felt like I could finally relax.

MC:
“We’re finally outside… that sound is?”

The easygoing sounds of carnival music drifted by us, cutting through the still night. I looked for the source of the sound and realized we weren’t far from the amusement park.

MC:
“On paper, this banquet hall is included on the premise of the amusement park, but it’s usually not open to the public. I remembered on the news that this charity auction is hosted under the PAX Group, then this amusement park is also…”

Lu JingHe:
“Shh, no need to say what you already know.”

Lu JingHe pressed a finger to his lips. At the same time, I heard someone call out.

Guest A:
“CEO Lu! CEO Lu, wait a moment! Before you leave, can you spare me just three minutes of your time! I have an investment here…”

Guest B:
“What are you saying? CEO Lu is so busy, why are you so demanding? CEO Lu, where are you headed? I can drive you there, we can talk on the way, can we?”

Lu JingHe:
“…They actually followed us.”

MC:
“They seem to have important things to talk about…”

After hearing the word ‘invest’, I couldn’t help but hesitate…

Lu JingHe:
“No time for that. Let’s go, I know a secret passage. Let’s hide from them.”

With just one word, Lu JingHe convinced me and led me into the night. In order to move around easier, I took off my heels and carried them with me. Even though I don’t know where we’re headed, at least when I’m with him, anywhere we go can become a destination. We rounded the corner of the private villa, and that’s when I realized just how close we were to the actual amusement park. The separation between fantasy and reality was merely divided by a low wooden fence. Without needing to speak, Lu JingHe and I made our decision-

He hopped the short fence and reached out his hand to me. To escape from the pressures of rules, at last, we chose to cross the invisible barrier together.

~~~

▌ Location- Amusement Park

At the same time in the amusement park, the night parade was underway. The parade floats made their way around the main street, and underneath the sea of rainbow hued lights, the sound of joyous laughter pierced through my ears.

MC:
“Would anyone think we were park employees if we showed up dressed like this?”

Lu JingHe:
“If it’s like that… Why don’t we go along with it?”

MC:
“But…”

Lu JingHe:
“Look at me, have a bit more faith in yourself.”

Lu JingHe grabbed my hand and led me straight into the parade. As the fireworks reached its climax, the line between fantasy and reality blurred before my eyes, and it felt as surreal as a lucid dream.

Little boy:
“Jiejie, are you a princess? Can I… Can I hold your hand and walk with you?”

As we followed along the parade, a little boy suddenly stopped us.

Little boy:
“In exchange, I’ll let you eat my ice cream!”

MC:
“Huh?”

I looked around at the crowd. There were cast members walking with the children hand in hand. I didn’t want to crush the hopeful look in the boy’s eyes, but just as I reached out my hand-

Lu JingHe:
“You can’t.”

Lu JingHe took a step forward and stood in front of me, childishly choosing to argue with the boy.

Lu JingHe:
“If she’s a princess, then I am her prince. I am the only one who can hold her hand.”

Little boy:
“That’s baloney! You don’t even have ice cream!”

Now, Lu JingHe had completely lost his composure. Compared to how he had acted at the banquet, he became more honest, down to earth, and more… childish.

Lu JingHe:
“But I have money. I can afford a whole truckload of ice cream. Let alone just a single scoop, I can afford it all.”

Little boy:
“A-a truckload… of ice cream…”

MC:
“Er, Lu JingHe… Must you fight with children like this?”

Childish Lu JingHe grinned at the shocked little boy, grabbed my hand, and led me away from the parade.

MC:
“Where are we going now?”

Lu JingHe:
“I regret my decision, I shouldn’t have let so many people see you like this. Let’s go get ice cream.

“The night won’t extend for anyone, but a new night will always arrive as scheduled.
As long as I wish for it, there are still many things that are possible to do.”

Take all the showy fame and wealth and throw it behind you, and hold close the hand of the person next to you——
“The only restrictions after escaping all the rules is you and me.”

“And so it starts. Your heart, your body, your spirit, is for me to possess. Spirits don’t die out, for the contract is eternal.”

Even if it’s a weak flame, in the dark of night, it can still bring warmth and happiness to people——
“It’s not that it’ll succeed every time, but that you’ll always need to try, and you’ll always need to put forth effort.”

“Your face, your voice, your body, everything about you, I have remembered it all.”

When four eyes are meeting each other, the heart can’t help but race faster——” “Because you are you!”

“I don’t want to be an aloof person who walks alone, so… I need you.”

A carnival during free time from work allows for two hearts to gradually grow closer——
“I only hope I can make the flavor you speak of.”

The strike of midnight calls for a magnificent movement.
Unseal a mystical commission, and open a romantic scenery involving the monsters of the city. 

A brand new event 「Symphony of the Night 」will start on November 12. 

At midnight, the enchantress plays a symphony for all monsters of the world to hear. 
The engravings on the pumpkin flicker, and create illuminated illusion. For a moment, they can become eternal.
To get rid of the cursed wedding veil requires both to have unspoken understanding and unlimited trust in each other.
The law opens a strange door which cannot seal true love.
The sealed box awaits the fated person to open it and to escape together with it.
The music notes are moving up and down, and the enchantress has already nowhere to be found,
The real symphony of the night is up to you and him to compose.  

Zuo Ran CV | Zhao Lu: https://weibo.com/mzhaolu
Xia Yan CV | Jin Xian: https://weibo.com/riceranger
Mo Yi CV | Jiang GuangTao: https://weibo.com/jiangguangtao
Lu JingHe CV | Yang Tianxiang: https://weibo.com/u/1745507755

Tonight, secrets will be shared only with you. 

※The voices for the SR cards are only for the promotional video and will not appear in the game 

Original Source: https://m.weibo.cn/7072153506/4569298041052212

[2019-10-31] Happy Halloween!

 ！！！

You can’t be absent from tonight’s holiday party. Before the pumpkins are lit, there’s still much to do. If you don’t start getting dressed, you’ll be late!

Happy Halloween ！

Original Source: https://weibo.com/7072153506/Ie3TrEnVU

P.S. It’s admin’s birthday as well! @hallowsivy​

[Previous Part]|[Masterlist] | [Next Part]

▌Location- Crime Scene

(Jiang MingYue’s lie about the rooming arrangements combined with the strange position that Shen Xi was found in… tells me that the missing piece we needed to crack the case was about to be revealed.)

MC:
“Even if the hallway was empty, people could come and go as they pleased through the connecting door! This means Li Zhou could have entered Shen Xi’s suite when no one was watching. Officer, when did Li Zhou check-in?”

Officer:
“Last night, 7:00 PM.”

MC:
“That’s to say, Li Zhou was already checked in by the time Jiang MingYue brought up the box of chocolates. He had time to poison the chocolates.”

Mo Yi:
“You’re right. From my guess, Li Zhou and Shen Xi must be associated with one another.”

MC:
“You’re so sure of it, is it because…”

~~~Analysis Begins~~~

[Select:Position of Shen Xi’s Body,Misplaced Phone]

MC:
“Her cellphone! Last night when Shen Xi returned to her suite, no one entered or left it, but her phone was taken away by someone. The only one who could’ve done so was Li Zhou.”

Mo Yi:
“Not only that, judging by the position she was found in and the fact that she was still dressed in formal wear… points that it’s likely she saw someone in the room. Otherwise, the first thing she would have done upon returning to her suite would have been to get changed and remove her makeup.”

MC:
“Therefore, Shen Xi must have known Li Zhou.”

Mo Yi:
“The fact that Li Zhou was staying right next door and has the connecting keys to her room in his possession, is no coincidence.”

~~~Analysis End~~~

MC:
“Did Jiang MingYue intentionally plan the room arrangements so that Li Zhou would be next door to Shen Xi?! If so, then the lies that Jiang MingYue told in regards to the room bookings were told to cover up Li Zhou’s presence. Li Zhou and Shen Xi, what kind of relationship do they have… If Li Zhou wanted to talk to her, why couldn’t he just enter through the suite door?”

Mo Yi:
“It’s not outlandish to assume that Shen Xi and Li Zhou would be involved with some kind of secret romantic relationship. Li Zhou avoided entering through the suite door to prevent being photographed by paparazzi and risk exposing his relationship, which would ultimately affect his career.”

MC:
“That’s true. There’s a saying that fans will use, ‘when an idol dates, heads will roll’. There’s no way Li Zhou would publicly announce that he has a girlfriend.”

Mo Yi:
“Jiang MingYue’s intention behind the room bookings was to facilitate Shen Xi and Li Zhou’s secret rendezvous. She lied to protect her boss and a famous actor’s privacy. Jiang MingYue would have never suspected that her boss’s lover could be the murderer. She, like Shen Xi, believed that this was part of Lu JingHe’s revenge plan.”

MC:
“Truly, once you think about it, you can find a reasonable explanation through a sea of doubts.”

(As Mo Yi and I were discussing, another officer knocked on the door and let us know that we could interrogate the hotel manager on duty.)

Hotel Manager:
“How long will this police investigation take? We’ve been receiving guest complaints all morning.”

MC:
“As long as you cooperate in the investigation, I think the evidence gathering will end soon.”

Hotel Manager:
“There goes my yearly bonus, I suppose. Go on and ask what you need from me.”

MC:
“When did Jiang MingYue make the room bookings? At the time, were the connecting rooms to room 1817 and the executive suites on the 17th floor already booked?”

Hotel Manager:
“Miss Shen and Miss Jiang’s rooms were booked under Venus Fashion’s name. But the room next to it, room 1817, was booked by Miss Jiang herself. We never could have known that Mr. Li Zhou would be staying with us. In regards to the executive suites on the 17th floor, 1718 and 1717, both rooms were vacant. No one booked it and no one stayed in it.”

MC:
“Then the suites on the 17th floor, were they connected?”

Hotel Manager:
“No. The rooms were renovated last year, and any connecting doors were removed for all suites under the 18th floor. If it goes according to plan, the connecting doors will be removed for suites from the 18th to the 30th floor starting next month.”

Mo Yi:
“This confirms our previous suspicions, does it not? The rooming situation was premeditated, whether by Jiang MingYue or Shen Xi’s request, it was intentionally planned. The choice of staying on the 18th floor must have been because of the connected suites.”

(Mo Yi’s explanation could very well be concrete. I nodded as I thought of another key problem.)

MC:
“There’s another question…”

[Select the Red Wine in Room 1818]

MC:
“I saw Romanée Conti on the wine list, but I didn’t see the actual bottle. Does the hotel really offer this product?”

Hotel Manager:
“Of course! It is an expensive wine, and I personally dealt with the request in celebration of Miss Shen’s accomplishments. The servers brought it in after making the room last night.”

MC:
“Around what time did that happen?”

Hotel Manager:
“It was almost 7 PM.”

Mo Yi:
“7 PM? Then the banquet had already started…”

MC:
“I saw that room 1817 was already cleaned this morning. Was a bottle of Romanée Conti found in that room?”

Hotel Manager:
“No, there were no abnormalities when Mr. Li Zhou returned the room key.”

MC:
“What about Jiang MingYue’s room? Was the bottle of wine discovered there?”

Hotel Manager:
“Rooms 1713 and 1817 are regular rooms, therefore, Romanée Conti isn’t offered on their wine list.”

Officer:
“The police have already searched Jiang MingYue’s hotel room and nothing suspicious was found.”

MC:
(Where did that bottle of red wine disappear to?)

MC:
“The door connecting rooms 1818 and 1817, is it normally locked? Is there only one set of keys?”

Hotel Manager:
“Our hotel is considered a legacy of Stellis City; the connecting doors were built according to old safety standards. The door isn’t normally used, so we keep them locked for our guest’s safety and privacy. There were two sets of keys, one of which we keep at the front desk, and the other was given to Mr. Li Zhou.”

Mo Yi:
“What was Li Zhou’s reasoning for wanting a set of keys?”

Hotel Manager:
“Mr. Li Zhou asked us whether or not the rooms were connected at the time of his check-in. He says he was afraid of paparazzi or fans catching wind of his whereabouts and the connecting door was a liability. So he requested the set of keys kept at the front desk and took them. The keys to rooms 1818 and 1816 were also given to him.”

MC:
“That excuse was so unfounded. If he was truly scared of the paparazzi finding him, he should have chosen to stay in a room without connecting doors. If the other person was determined to harass him and invade his privacy, they would have been able to do so if they picked the lock, right?”

(I tidied up the testimony. Even if there were a couple of murky things, there wasn’t anything else, at the time, that I needed to ask the hotel manager for.)

Officer:
“The analysis report of the glass shards has been completed. After a search in the citizen database, the dried blood on the shard was determined to be left by Li Zhou.”

MC:
“So Li Zhou has been in this room!”

Mo Yi:
“The two of them were in this room. Judging by the shattered vase and the fact that he cut himself, they must have been arguing about something.”

Officer:
“Shen Xi’s autopsy report has been completed as well, her fingernails have been torn. Compared with the marks left on the connecting door, Shen Xi’s nails must have broke when she was knocking on the door.”

MC:
“Then what about the time of death? Was there anything that could shrink the window of opportunity?”

Officer:
“No, the suspected time still falls between 9 PM and 2 AM. To add, forensics can confirm that Shen Xi’s death was caused by the consumption of poisoned liquor chocolates. Other than the minute amount of brandy in the liquor chocolates, Shen Xi did not drink last night. We performed mark analysis on the liquor chocolates as well. There were only Shen Xi’s fingerprints, and indentations made from some kind of silk material.”

MC:
“Silk product? That’s to say, when the murderer was tampering with the chocolate, they were wearing silk gloves.”

Mo Yi:
“Even if it’s not a fingerprint but a silk imprint, it’s still a clue. Officer, even if there is not enough evidence that points to the culprit being Li Zhou… we can confirm that he has an undeniable association with this case. I suggest that Li Zhou be detained as soon as possible. If he possesses key evidence on his person and we’re too late, he’ll be able to destroy it.”

Officer:
“We have updated Captain Yan’s team, and they with the idea, but… we broke procedure by taking in Lu JingHe without proper documentation. If we breach protocol again by detaining Li Zhou…”

MC:
“But if we wait for the documents to come through, it might be too late. Can’t we expedite the process?”

Mo Yi:
“In the face of these rules you call protocol, does Yan’s team not know how to improvise?”

Officer:
“That…”

MC:
“Dr. Mo, the police must follow set procedures in the justice system. Because of Lu JingHe, the media already has their eyes on the police. If you add Li Zhou to the mix, the case will be blown out of proportion…”

Mo Yi:
“I acknowledge the police’s hardship. I’m simply regretful that when one knows the path one must take to exit hardship, one is walled up by rules, a mere social construct. The road ahead stays in sight, but out of reach.”

Officer:
“We don’t know where Li Zhou went after he checked out of the hotel, we’ll have to check road surveillance to find out and that requires additional clearance. To do so isn’t difficult, but considering the amount of heat Captain Yan’s team is under…”

MC:
“What can we do… I got it, I know where Li Zhou is!”

(Under Mo Yi and the officer’s watchful eyes, I took out my cell phone and dialed Cheng Cheng’s number. She’s a paralegal in our firm and is one of my juniors. She’s been with Themis for less than a year and she’s a die-hard star chaser.)

Cheng Cheng:
“Sigh, it’s Sunday, why did you call me so early.”

MC:
“Early? It’s literally lunchtime, Cheng Cheng!”

Cheng Cheng:
“It’s early for me. I was binging dramas until the sun came up.”

MC:
“Alright, it’s early, if you say it so. I’m calling about actual business, can you do me a favor?”

Cheng Cheng:
“What is it?”

MC:
“Can you help me check Li Zhou’s itinerary for today? See if he’s gone on set for a shoot or maybe at an event?”

Cheng Cheng:
“Eh? Since when did you start following celebrity news, and to be Li Zhou’s stan on top of that. Stay on the line as I check. There’s a lot of fan apps that you can search to see your idol’s public itineraries.”

MC:
“Then I’ll have to trouble you.”

Cheng Cheng:
“Hm… Li Zhou might be out of the province for a shoot. There isn’t anything on the app for this week.”

MC:
“But he was staying at the Manny Hotel last night.”

Cheng Cheng:
“Then it must be his private itinerary. It’s not right to expose stuff like that.”

MC:
“Where can I find his current-day plans? Like where he is, right now…”

Cheng Cheng:
“Oi, why would you want to know something like that! It’s an invasion of privacy and it’s not allowed!”

MC:
“It’s not like I want to do this, but Li Zhou is connected to the homicide I’m currently investigating. By the time the police find his whereabouts, it may be too late, so I might as well…Sigh, you know what I mean. I have no other options… So you can’t find out where he is?”

Cheng Cheng:
“A homicide? My gosh! Then I… why don’t I help you ask my friends if they know any paparazzi or information dealers…”

MC:
“Sorry about this, Cheng Cheng. If you could, please do. I’ve put you in a difficult situation.”

Cheng Cheng:
“If it gets out that I was looking for private information, my reputation will be smeared in the fandom! Everyone will accuse me. If things go south, they’ll expose me as a sasaeng fan. You owe me big time.”

MC:
“Alright, whatever you want as compensation. But don’t reveal the fact that it’s for a case.”

Cheng Cheng:
“Of course I know that. Don’t worry and wait for my reply.”

(After the call dropped, I lifted my head to see the shocked expression on the officer’s face. Mo Yi was trying his best not to laugh as he shook his head.)

MC:
“It was an emergency, I was at my wit’s end…”

Mo Yi:
“Even if I interact with students daily, I’ve always approached the subject of star chasing as a psychological lecture topic. I thought that it was low, but now… perhaps I needed to broaden my horizons. I should not have held onto prejudice for any group of individuals.”

MC:
“I’m not too knowledgeable either, it’s all Cheng Cheng…”

(Just then, Cheng Cheng’s message came through. She sure is speedy.)

(“I found it, Li Zhou is at Stellis Airport, his flight is outbound for 12:30 PM, he’s already through security checks.”)

MC:
“Li Zhou’s at the airport. His flight takes off in an hour, he’ll be boarding the plane soon!”

Officer:
“I’ll head over right away and stop him.”

(The officer ran out while dialing a number on his phone. He must have rushed to inform Yan Wei.)

Mo Yi:
“From the looks of it, we’ll have lots of things to ask Jiang MingYue again. Before that, we’ll need to organize the clues we obtained, so… we need to obtain more evidence that pertains to Li Zhou in this room, otherwise, Jiang MingYue will be unlikely to open up to us again.”

MC:
“Jiang MingYue still has a chance to commit the crime, but as it stands, her motives aren’t as clear. Unless…”

(A man and two women, the entertainment industry, a fashion house… my mind conjured up something in an attempt to explain it all, in the most logical way possible.)

MC:
“Unless her, Li Zhou, and Shen Xi are in a love triangle…”

(Voicing something so gossipy was awkward, but when it comes to a formal investigation, nothing is impossible.)

Mo Yi:
“You’re guessing that Jiang MingYue poisoned Shen Xi out of spite and that Li Zhou was simply arguing with Shen Xi and did not intend to kill her?”

MC:
“I cannot dismiss the possibility.”

Mo Yi:
“I believe that the culprit isn’t Jiang MingYue and that it can only be Li Zhou.”

——-

[Previous Part]|[Masterlist] | [Next Part]

——-

《CREDIT》
Translator: Humi
Editor:@cL
 QC:@hallowsivy​
《未定事件簿》Tears of Themis is a 2020 Chinese otome game by 米哈游Mihoyo. All original credits go to 米哈游Mihoyo.

《 VOICE ACTORS 》
Mo Yi | Jiang GuangTao: https://weibo.com/jiangguangtao
Lu JingHe | Yang Tianxiang: https://weibo.com/u/1745507755
Yan Wei: https://weibo.com/lengquanyeyue
Jiang MingYue | V17-Vila: https://weibo.com/u/7360408881

Zuo Ran:
Happy holidays, how are you recently, was the break good for you?

MC (Choice 1):
It’s alright, there’s no difference from resting and work!

MC:
Everyday I’ve been doing exam problems and studying.

Zuo Ran:
If you’re always stuck in work mode, you’ll feel fatigued.

Zuo Ran:
You should set aside work during your off days, and take it easy.

Zuo Ran:
…Is there anywhere that you want to go? We can take a day trip.

—

MC (Choice 2):
Yup, I’m completely in a vacation mood!

MC:
I get to wake up naturally, and then go shopping, and I’ve been eating well.

Zuo Ran:
That’s good, since work’s been busy,  it’s good to relax on vacation.

Zuo Ran:
Right, since I have time, why don’t we go out?

—

*Note: there’s an option 3 here, but we don’t have any way to get it, sorry! If anyone has a screencap they can share with us, we’ll edit this post.

MC (Choice 1):
Sounds good, we can go see a movie!

Zuo Ran:
Then I’ll go ahead and book the tickets.

Zuo Ran:
The sci-fi movie that premiered recently has good ratings, I trust that you’ll enjoy it.

Zuo Ran:
After we’re done, let’s have dinner together. Are you craving anything?

—

MC (Choice 2):
Mm… I heard Stellis Museum has a new ancient jewelry exhibit, I want to go see it.

Zuo Ran:
Actually, I already got tickets for two, I was planning on inviting you to come with me…

Zuo Ran:
I didn’t think you’d be interested, but it’s great that you are.

Zuo Ran:
After we’re done, let’s have dinner together. Are you craving anything?

MC (Choice 1):
I want to eat something that Lawyer Zuo made! I think your cooking is fantastic.

Zuo Ran:
If you put it like that…I’m happy to hear it.

Zuo Ran:
Actually, getting to cook for you is something I consider enjoyable.

Zuo Ran:
Let me know if there’s anything specific you would like to eat, I’ll make it with my best ability.

—

MC (Choice 2):
I want to have an extravagant meal! Since we’re on holidays, it’s time to indulge a little.

Zuo Ran:
Okay, you can pick a place, whatever you like, it’s on me.

Zuo Ran:
You’re right, we should indulge when it’s vacation time.

Zuo Ran:
The most easygoing and relaxed moments in my life are when you’re with me.

[Previous Part]|[Masterlist]|[Next Part]

▌Location- Crime Scene, Room 1818

(After the interrogation with Jiang MingYue ended, Mo Yi told me that she lied. That reminded me of the text he sent me during the interrogation. Jiang MingYue’s reaction showed that her cover was flawed.)

MC:
“Dr. Mo, how did you deduce that Jiang MingYue was lying? Was it through observing her reactions?”

(Provided that Mo Yi was a psychologist, I thought about the popular criminology subject of micro expressions.)

Mo Yi:
“Not just her expressions, but her body language as well. More precisely, the psychological stress micro reactions.”

MC:
“The accuracy of these types of observations must be high, right? Can you teach me as well?”

Mo Yi:
“You’re interested? Then can you guess what Jiang MingYue lied about? I’ll give you a small hint: she’s lying about more than one thing, and some of the things she said weren’t completely false but is lying by omission.”

MC:
“What kind of hint is that, it only increases the difficulty…”

(Mo Yi smiled wordlessly as he waited for my answer.)

MC:
“Jiang MingYue claimed that she never interacts with Shen Xi outside of work business, this must be false. It’s quite common for secretaries to organize their boss’ social and personal calendars. There’s no way for her to avoid coming in contact with Shen Xi’s personal business.”

Mo Yi:
“Mm, that’s correct. When I mentioned ‘interactions during private life,’ Jiang MingYue’s eyes widened slightly and her lips parted. This is a commonly seen shocked expression, but her response and claim that they only have a working relationship is abnormal. Therefore, she must be hiding important information.”

MC:
“Regarding the room bookings in the hotel, Jiang MingYue must have lied about that too. She looked really tense. Ah, that’s right, how did you know about the room booking situation, Dr. Mo? The police briefing didn’t mention it at all, did you specifically ask for it?”

Mo Yi:
“I did not. I was looking for Jiang MingYue’s information that you asked me for, and I wanted to see if there were any pictures of her everyday appearance. I needed those pictures to confirm that Jiang MingYue is mentally stable, as well as to get a baseline of her expressions. Regarding the room bookings, I improvised on the spot and lied to trick her.”

MC:
“Trick her?! But your attitude was so serious, even I believed it.”

Mo Yi:
“The occupation requires it, but personally, I don’t like telling lies.”

MC:
“I understand, of course, I’ll believe Dr. Mo.”

Mo Yi:
“That’s a relief. You were correct though, Jiang MingYue indeed lied about the room booking situation. She kept on fiddling with her fingers. She must have been nervous.”

MC:
“A simple question about booking rooms doesn’t warrant such a strong reaction. There must be something she’s hiding.”

(I turned to the detective.)

MC:
“Officer, can you help me check Manny Hotel’s recent room booking records?”

Detective:
“Of course, just a moment.”

Mo Yi:
“What else do you think Jiang MingYue lied about?”

MC:
“There’s more?”

Mo Yi:
“Regarding the two other secretaries that Shen Xi fired, Jiang MingYue is hiding something from us. Most importantly, she didn’t tell us the truth about the people that came in contact with the box of chocolates. She realized that I was observing her, so she lowered her head in an attempt to hide her reactions.”

MC:
“I didn’t even realize it at all. So, Dr. Mo, does this mean I didn’t answer your question correctly?”

Mo Yi:
“If I said that even if you answered it all correctly, I still wouldn’t teach you, would you be mad?”

MC:
“Why not? I won’t be mad, just a little regretful…”

Mo Yi:
“It’s because I don’t want you to be my student. I’m already the guest professor at Stellis University and have plenty of students. Plus, if I want to stay impressive to such a witty lady such as yourself, I’ve got to keep a few tricks up my sleeve, won’t you agree?”

MC:
“Dr. Mo, you have a great sense of humor.”

Mo Yi:
“Ah, so you saw through my act? I admit that I jest. The study of micro expressions is a systematic subject, thoroughly understanding it will require a lot of time and effort. If you have free time, I’ll happily teach you slowly. But for today, let me be your ‘lie detector’.”

MC:
“Alright, then it’s settled. It’s a shame that micro expression analyses cannot be used as evidence in court. Let’s look for more clues at the crime scene. Ah, Officer, what time did the first responder arrive at the hotel? Was there anything tampered with at the crime scene?”

Officer:
“The police received the call today at 7:45 AM and requested that the hotel staff immediately seal off the crime scene. The first responder arrived on location at 7:55 AM and the crime scene was kept as is.”

~~~Investigation Start~~~

[Check the Wine Glasses by the Counter]

Mo Yi:
“Amethyst wine glasses, how decadent.”

(Mo Yi picked up the wine glass and looked at it with interest. The wine glass was made intricately; the stem was hollow and filled with rough cut amethyst.)

MC:
“I remember in Roman mythology, amethyst is Bacchus’ symbol. That’s why amethysts are sometimes called ‘Tears of Bacchus.’”

Mo Yi:
“Not only that, in Western culture, amethyst is the guardian stone of love and symbolizes the honesty, chastity, and courage between lovers. Since it was placed in the wine glass, I can largely assume that it has to do with honesty and courage. Speaking of, I enjoy fermenting my own wines during my free time. Would you perhaps be interested in sampling it?”

MC:
“Really? Wine tasting is so niche, but if Dr. Mo’s offering me a chance to try it, then I’ll definitely go.”

Mo Yi:
“I will prepare a nice spread for your welcome. For example, I’ll take extra care in preparing the wine glasses, unlike this hotel, who chose to provide their guests with glassware with water spots.”

MC:
“No way they’d do that. Manny Hotel is our city’s most famous five-star hotel, yet they would make such an elementary mistake?”

(Mo Yi passed me the wine glass so I could take a look. Sure enough, there were water spots leftover from cleaning the wine glass.)

Mo Yi:
“The rest of the glasses on the bar counter were spotless, there is only one glass with water spots on it. Did a hardworking guest stop by and wash the wine glass after using it?”

MC:
“Was it something Shen Xi did?”

[Check Wine Bottle in Minibar]

MC:
“Tea beverages, soda, yogurt, Romanée-Conti… eh?”

Mo Yi:
“What did you find?”

MC:
“Dr. Mo, Romanée-Conti is a brand of red wine, right? I remember that this name is quite famous.”

Mo Yi:
“Correct. Romanée-Conti is considered as one of Burgundy, France’s top wine producers. What about it? This suit’s minibar had Romanée-Conti? Romanée-Conti, ‘The Dream Wine’, appearing in a standard suite like this, the bottle must be a fake.”

MC:
“I always wanted to try the luxurious and expensive red wine. Anyways, I noticed there were no other bottles on the counter or in the cooler.”

Mo Yi:
“Perhaps it was just written on the wine list to fool people. But on a serious note, we should ask the secretary on-duty about it.”

Officer:
“The secretary is currently being interrogated by the police. You’ll have to wait until they’re finished.”

[Check Glass Shard Under TV Cabinet]

(In front of the TV cabinet there’s a shattered glass vase on the floor.)

MC:
“The vase was shattered, did Shen Xi accidentally knock this over after the poison set in?”

Mo Yi:
“That would depend on whether or not cuts were found on Shen Xi’s body. It would be easy to hurt oneself after knocking over the vase while experiencing tetrodotoxin poisoning symptoms.”

MC:
“I don’t think that’s right. Judging from the way debris was swept aside, it must mean someone had tried to tidy up after the vase shattered. The majority of the glass pieces were by the wall with scattered bits around it. If Shen Xi was experiencing poisoning symptoms, she wouldn’t have swept the glass shards away.”

Mo Yi:
“Officer, did this room call for room service last night?”

Officer:
“They did not.”

MC:
“That’s strange, why didn’t Shen Xi call service to clean up the glass?”

(I knelt down and looked around for something to move the glass shards with, but I must have miscalculated the distance between the TV cabinet and myself. I lost my balance and tried to grab hold of the cabinet as my body was pitched forward.)

MC:
(Ah! The broken glass!)

Mo Yi:
“Careful!”

(Someone grabbed onto my shoulder and my wrist, and pulled me upright. Turning around, I came face to face with Mo Yi’s golden eyes that were widened in alarm. It was the first time I’ve seen Mo Yi so unnerved; the first time I’ve seen him lose his usually cool composure.)

Mo Yi:
“If you were looking for something to sweep up the glass, please allow me to do it. There are pieces everywhere. and you could get hurt.”

MC:
“A-ah, alright…”

(The warmth of Mo Yi’s hand on mine sent shivers up my spine, ending in pleasant sparks in my chest.)

Mo Yi:
“My apologies, I…”

(Mo Yi lowered his head slightly and smiled. Upon releasing my hand, he proceeded to inspect the debris.)

MC:
“Thank you for that, Dr. Mo.”

Mo Yi:
“No need to thank me, it was only natural that I would help.”

(Once said, Mo Yi went quiet as he began to investigate the broken shards scattered about. I quickly looked away from him and forced myself to take deep breaths…)

Mo Yi:
“This is…”

(Mo Yi’s voice grabbed my attention.)

MC:
“What did you find?”

(Mo Yi stood up with a piece of glass in his hand. While its edges were extremely sharp, more importantly, there was a streak of red smeared on it. It appears to be dried blood.)

Mo Yi:
“Officer, please analyze the bloodstain on the glass.”

Officer:
“Will do.”

Mo Yi:
“What happened in this room last night? Why was Shen Xi scared to call room service?”

[Check Magazine on the Desk]

MC:
“The cover feature of this magazine is Li Zhou.”

Mo Yi:
“I’m not familiar with Li Zhou, although I’ve heard the movies he’s starred in over the past two years were very popular.”

MC:
“Li Zhou’s acting is incredible. He’s one of the biggest names in the entertainment industry. Although, I saw on the news today that Li Zhou went to the emergency clinic and was photographed by paparazzi. I feel bad for all these celebrities, they can’t seem to get any privacy.”

Mo Yi:
“If it was at my research institute, I would never allow something like that to happen. To protect the confidentiality of my patients, that’s something every psychologist has sworn to.”

(I flipped through the magazine and found that most of the interviews were more or less centered around Li Zhou’s love life. Especially about Li Zhou’s current movie in production, people were praising how well he and the female lead looked good together. I skimmed through the magazine searching for any other useful information, but to no avail. I couldn’t stop staring at the cover of the magazine after I closed it. The cover photo was of Li Zhou’s latest role: a magician. He wore a pair of silk gloves and had a mysterious but sly smile. It was mesmerizing.)

MC:
“Just by appearance alone, Li Zhou must have attracted many fans.”

Mo Yi:
“I don’t believe a man’s attractiveness lies with his looks. I believe someone’s temperament and personality are more important.”

[Check the Marker Beside the Chalk Outline]

MC:
“What does this marker mean?”

Officer:
“It’s Shen Xi’s cell phone.”

(I put on gloves and opened Shen Xi’s phone. The screen lit up immediately.)

[Check the Fingerprint Scanner]

(There’s no way to unlock the phone, but I can see that the phone has 23% of its battery left.)

MC:
“Who else’s fingerprints are on the phone?”

Officer:
“There were only Shen Xi’s fingerprints.”

MC:
“Only Shen Xi’s? That can’t be right. Jiang MingYue said that Shen Xi’s phone was kept with her for the entire banquet. It’d be impossible to not find Jiang MingYue’s fingerprints on the phone.”

Mo Yi:
“Maybe someone took Shen Xi’s phone away and returned it after cleaning their prints off when she died… Then the phone would only have Shen Xi’s fingerprints left on it.”

MC:
(Was this done by the killer? Was this done to throw us off their trail by using her hand to leave prints on the phone after she had died?)

[Check Smear on Back of Phone]

MC:
“This is…?”

(On the back of the phone, there was a brown smear that was nearly imperceptible. If someone didn’t pay attention, it would just look like a normal stain.)

Mo Yi:
“Judging by the color, it’s probably chocolate.”

MC:
“Was this left after Shen Xi ate the chocolate?”

Officer:
“It is chocolate. It has been determined that it is the same composition as the chocolates Lu JingHe gifted her.”

Mo Yi:
“The smear appears to have started on the upper left and ends near the bottom right, but it doesn’t look like Shen Xi left it herself.”

MC:
“Why would you say that? Wait, I know! If Shen Xi’s right-handed, she’d use her phone with her dominant hand, so the smear should have started from the upper right down to the bottom left. If placed in her right hand, then the chocolate smear should have started by the camera lens.”

Mo Yi:
“It’s so much easier to communicate with smart, like-minded individuals. Even if we don’t consider the direction of the smear, this phone itself is suspicious. If Shen Xi was poisoned and she had her phone with her, why didn’t she call for help? To add, if she wanted to leave her suspicions about her killer, why didn’t she type it out on her phone? Compared to unlocking her phone and typing out “Lu”, versus climbing up to the table to write a note, the latter is more labor-intensive. Unless…”

MC:
“When Shen Xi was poisoned, her phone wasn’t even by her side!”

[Check the Chalk Outline of the Body]

(The police had marked the location where Shen Xi died, right in front of the connecting door to the other suite. As seen from the outline, Shen Xi was facing the desk, and her back was to the connecting door.)

MC:
“Was Shen Xi discovered in this position?”

Officer:
“She was.”

MC:
“May I see the sticky note that she left behind?”

Officer:
“Here it is. The sticky note had only Shen Xi’s fingerprints on it.”

(The officer passed me the note; this was the key evidence against Lu JingHe. His surname, “Lu” was scrawled lightly and messily on the note. It seems like by the time Shen Xi wrote the note, she was already weak. Especially the last stroke in the character “Lu” was extremely crooked. It was probably left when her hand grew slack and let go of the pen. From the looks of it, writing this note was the last thing Shen Xi did before she passed.)

MC:
“When Shen Xi experienced poisoning symptoms, Lu JingHe wasn’t at the scene. The note that Shen Xi left could have been her guess of who was the culprit and can’t be used as concrete evidence.”

Mo Yi:
“What was Shen Xi wearing when her body was discovered? Was she still in her dress, or was it a bathrobe, or sleepwear?”

Officer:
“She was wearing the same dress she wore at the banquet.”

Mo Yi:
“Then that’s wrong. When Shen Xi fell between the bed and the desk, it appeared as if she was feeling ill, and thus she got off the bed to walk toward the desk.”

MC:
“But the covers on the bed were left untouched. It looks as if no one had sat or laid down on it.”

(The queen-sized bed in the suite looked as pristine as if it were just made. The duvet with its one corner tucked and a card wishing their guests a good night’s rest was still on the bed.)

Mo Yi:
“Unless she was extremely fatigued, women most likely wouldn’t lie down unless they’ve removed their makeup and changed outfits. Banquet dresses tend to wrinkle easily.”

MC:
“Then the position Shen Xi was found in…”

Mo Yi:
“Officer, can this connecting room door be opened to enter the suite? Was there anyone staying in the suite next door?”

Officer:
“It can be opened. Last night, the person staying in room 1817 was none other than the famous movie star, Li Zhou.”

Mo Yi:
“Li Zhou… How did Shen Xi know that someone was staying next door and that they would help her…”

MC:
“Dr. Mo, are you insinuating… that Shen Xi tried to get help from the guest staying in the adjacent room?”

Mo Yi:
“Indeed. If she did not fall off the bed, the only logical explanation for her position is that she’s tried to knock on the connecting door.”

MC:
“Then is it possible that Shen Xi had frantically knocked at the door to get the other person to notice? She took a chance and probably didn’t know that someone was staying next door.”

Mo Yi:
“No, rather, I think Shen Xi very likely knew the guest staying next door. You forgot an important step in her timeline- writing the note was the last thing she did, therefore, she tried to knock before then. This proves that when she was still capable of looking for help, the guest next door was her first choice. Therefore, that person is someone she would trust wholeheartedly.”

MC:
“But we don’t have any evidence to show that Shen Xi tried to knock on the connecting door.”

Mo Yi:
“That’s true. If it’s something we would like to prove, we must ask the officer to search for any marks left on it. Perhaps they’ll find something then.”

(After investigating the crime scene for a second time, there were now more doubts and suspicions then when we had started the case.)

Mo Yi:
“Officer, during the police investigation, was the surveillance of the 17th and 18th floor viewed? Last night after Shen Xi and Jiang MingYue returned to their rooms, did either one of them exit their rooms?”

Officer:
“Of course we have. The security footage showed that after Shen Xi and Jiang MingYue returned to their respective rooms at 9 PM last night, neither of them had left their rooms and no one entered.”

MC:
“There wasn’t anyone who tried to get close to their suite doors? That’s to say, they never left their rooms and no one visited them? Were the connecting rooms, 1818 and 1713, vacant for the night?”

Officer:
“Room 1816 adjacent to Li Zhou’s room was occupied. Some guests entered last night at 11 PM. Besides that, until Li Zhou checked out this morning at 7:20 AM, there were no movements outside rooms 1818 and 1817.”

Mo Yi:
“Room 1817 is just a regular room and is suitable for a secretary like Jiang MingYue to stay in. But instead, it was given to a famous actor, which sounds a little too simple. Officer, where were the keys to the connecting door between rooms 1818 and 1817?”

Officer:
“That… we weren’t investigating in that direction.”

Mo Yi:
“I’m hypothesizing, when Li Zhou checked in, he must have asked the front desk for the keys to the connecting door.”

(The officer contacted the front desk manager and confirmed Mo Yi’s theory.)

Officer:
“That’s right, Li Zhou had the keys to the connecting door, up until he checked out this morning.”

Mo Yi:
“It’s about time we shed some light on the subject.”

——-

[Previous Part]|[Masterlist]|[Next Part]

——-

《CREDIT》
Translator: Humi
Editor:@cL
 QC:@hallowsivy​
《未定事件簿》Tears of Themis is a 2020 Chinese otome game by 米哈游Mihoyo. All original credits go to 米哈游Mihoyo.

《 VOICE ACTORS 》
Mo Yi | Jiang GuangTao: https://weibo.com/jiangguangtao
Lu JingHe | Yang Tianxiang: https://weibo.com/u/1745507755
Yan Wei: https://weibo.com/lengquanyeyue
Jiang MingYue | V17-Vila: https://weibo.com/u/7360408881

Xia Yan:
Hihi, how do you plan on spending the holidays?

MC (Choice 1):
Sleeping in! I’m going to spend the entire day in bed. Hooray for sleeping in!

Xia Yan:
It’s not good for your body to sleep in all day.

Xia Yan:
You need to get up and move around, ah, right! Why don’t we go on a little journey?

Xia Yan:
Like visiting historical sites, or going to a resort to relax, what do you say?

—

MC (Choice 2):
I wanted to rest at home for two days, and then go on a short trip!

MC:
Hm, but I haven’t decided where to go…

Xia Yan:
Haha, I wanna travel too, why don’t we go together!

Xia Yan:
Like visiting historical sites, or going to a resort to relax, what do you say?

—

MC (Choice 3):
After thinking it through, I still don’t know what I want to do….

Xia Yan:
Is that so? Then do you want to go on a short trip with me?

Xia Yan:
Like going to look around the nearby old garrison post, or look for a vacation resort to relax your body and mind. How about it?

*Note: Thank you to RAN on Discord for sending in the 3rd text! 

MC (Choice 1):
Okay, let’s visit the old garrison post. Have a look around, and we can take a couple photos~

Xia Yan:
Okay, we can also go try out all sorts of folk activities and eat the local specialties!

Xia Yan:
Remind me to make another travel to-do list. This way, we definitely won’t miss anything!

—

MC (Choice 2):
Let’s go to a relaxing resort, we can eat and drink to our heart’s content, it’s the best~

Xia Yan:
Sounds good, your wish is my command.

Xia Yan:
Let me make a travel to-do list and add all of the resort’s good delicacies and fun places.

Xia Yan:
This way, we definitely won’t miss anything!

MC (Choice 1):
Wow, I’m starting to get excited! Then I’ll leave the planning to you~~

Xia Yan:
Lol, of course.

Xia Yan:
All you have to do is have a good time, and enjoy the relaxing holiday!

—

MC (Choice 2): 
It’s over, I’ll gain weight for sure!! Yet I still wanna eat more delicious food~

Xia Yan:
You won’t, we’ll have plenty to do, so you’ll be active.

Xia Yan:
The good food will only help refuel us!

Xia Yan:
Alright, I’ll get started on our vacation plans, just wait and enjoy a perfect holiday!

[Previous Part]|[Masterlist]|[Next Part]

▌Location- Hotel Room 1817

MC:
“Alright, then Miss. Jiang, let’s start the interrogation.”

~~Interrogation Start~~

[About work overview]

MC:
“Miss. Jiang, how long have you worked for Venus Fashion? When did you start as CEO Shen’s secretary?”

Jiang MingYue:
“I have worked at Venus for five years, from the moment I was hired. I became CEO Shen’s design assistant and secretary.”

MC:
“CEO Shen must have trusted you to give you such an important role in her company.”

Jiang MingYue:
“CEO Shen truly trusts me, but in the beginning, I wasn’t her only secretary. I had two other coworkers.”

MC:
“How busy was the company for Shen Xi to require three secretaries?”

Jiang MingYue:
“Not to that extent. I was originally responsible for organizing CEO Shen’s business schedule. My two coworkers would handle hidden matters in CEO Shen’s private life. On paper, their roles were secretarial, but in reality, they were more like her life assistants. They left one after the other and CEO Shen didn’t hire anyone to fill the role ever again.”

Mo Yi:
“Why did the other secretaries leave? Was it of their own volition?”

Jiang MingYue:
“This…”

(Jiang MingYue looked startled as if she had never anticipated that Mo Yi would ask her that question. She took a nervous glance at Mo Yi and then lowered her head again.)

Jiang MingYue:
“One of them didn’t renew their contract with CEO Shen and left, and the other was fired due to violations of CEO Shen’s privacy.”

[Banquet Events]

MC:
“Did the banquet last night go without a hitch?”

Jiang MingYue:
“You could assume so. But we would’ve never imagined that CEO Lu would actually attend.”

MC:
“Didn’t think Lu JingHe would attend? Were the invitations not vetoed by you guys?”

Jiang MingYue:
“We did invite CEO Lu, but Lawyer, you must have heard about the failed negotiations between PAX Group and our company… And in this fashion week, we outshone PAX Apparel and took the gold prize, so… The invitation for CEO Lu to attend was more of a demonstration than anything else. That’s why we thought CEO Lu wouldn’t attend.”

MC:
“Did Lu JingHe’s appearance at the banquet have an impact on the banquet’s itinerary?”

Jiang MingYue:
“No, CEO Shen just added a small thank you to CEO Lu at the end of her speech. When someone came to propose a toast and mentioned CEO Lu, CEO Shen made a show of opening the box of chocolates and eating one.”

MC:
“CEO Shen ate the chocolates Lu JingHe gave her in front of others, was she not afraid that other people may misinterpret their relationship? That’s to say, was CEO Shen hoping for people to see, and if so, does that imply the fake news about CEO Shen and Lu JingHe’s engagement was leaked by your company?”

Jiang MingYue:
“No no, absolutely not. CEO Shen would never do that! Although CEO Shen used the PAX Group negotiations as exposure for our company, she would never use her personal relationships to achieve it. She ate the chocolate to prove that the two companies were on good terms - that Venus and PAX didn’t have any bad blood beyond a failed negotiation.”

Mo Yi:
“Chocolates are a common banquet gift and do not necessarily imply romantic interest between two parties.”

(After hearing Mo Yi’s comment, Jiang MingYue let out a sigh and her shoulders relaxed. I can’t understand why Mo Yi would help Jiang MingYue find a way out of the topic. However, after seeing how stressed Jiang MingYue was, I think I can imagine why he did it.)

MC:
“…”

MC:
(We won’t be able to get anything out of her if she’s too anxious. I gotta hand it to Dr. Mo for handling the pace of the interrogation.)

MC:
“Then it seems like the entertainment news outlets were once again making something out of nothing in order to pull in readers.”

Jiang MingYue:
“That’s right.”

[About the Rash on Her Wrist]

MC:
“Miss. Jiang, what happened to your wrist? Do you require medical attention?”

Jiang MingYue:
“It’s not urgent, I just had a minor allergic reaction. It’ll be alright after applying some ointment.”

MC:
“That’s good to hear. I have a coworker with a mushroom allergy. It must be so uncomfortable when it hurts and itches at the same time.”

Jiang MingYue:
“I’m allergic to chocolate. Last night, a server carrying a tray of chocolates bumped into me. I’m diligent about not being in contact with it and normally wouldn’t be like this.”

MC:
“Chocolate allergy exists? It’s the first time I’ve heard of it.”

Jiang MingYue:
“It’s rare. When I eat or touch chocolate, I’ll break out in a rash. The first time this happened, I was quite young and ate so much chocolate that I went into anaphylaxis. I now avoid touching chocolate whenever possible.”

[About Work Stress]

MC:
“Miss. Jiang, after the other two secretaries were fired by CEO Shen, it must have been really hard to handle three people’s worth of work right?”

(I looked at Jiang MingYue’s ill-fitting clothes and followed up with another question.)

MC:
“Are you often really busy?”

Jiang MingYue:
“It’s been alright. CEO Shen hasn’t had others handle her private business, so my day to day tasks have pretty much stayed the same in terms of handling her external affairs. CEO Shen is generous with our salary, and I’ve never had to work during vacation days. Even if it gets a little busier, it’s nothing I can’t handle.”

[About Her Relationship with Shen Xi]

MC:
“When CEO Shen gave you the box of chocolate from Lu JingHe for safekeeping, did she know that you were allergic?”

Jiang MingYue:
“She knew. Since I’m not sensitive to the smell of chocolate and they were in the box, I was safe. Most times, CEO Shen is quite a considerate person…”

Mo Yi:
“Most times? That’s to say, CEO Shen has lost her temper with you?”

Jiang MingYue:
“We had been working together for five years, moments like that are sure to happen. Which employee hasn’t seen their boss lose their temper?”

Mo Yi:
“Is it solely because of work-related issues? For CEO Shen to know that you’re allergic to chocolate, you two must have had a lot of interactions in your everyday life.”

Jiang MingYue:
“N-no. CEO Shen and I only have a boss and secretary relationship. We really don’t have anything more than that. I understand that you suspect me because I was holding onto the box of chocolates, but I didn’t do it.”

Mo Yi:
“Oh? If it’s nothing more than a work relationship, then your actions do not correspond with your claim.”

[About Last Night’s Rooming Arrangements]

Mo Yi:
“Usually during business trips, the secretary will choose to stay in a room near their boss’, to facilitate communication. Why did CEO Shen stay on the 18th floor, while your room was located on the 17th floor, Room 1713?”

Jiang MingYue:
“The hotel had no other vacancy because it’s fashion week, so I booked a standard room on the 17th floor.”

Mo Yi:
“Is that so? But the suite 1718 connected to 1717 on the 17th floor, was vacant last night. When you booked accommodations for Shen Xi, why didn’t you pick rooms on the 17th floor? Unless the rooms on the 18th floor are special? Both floors have the same pricing and considering Shen Xi’s net worth, I suggest you avoid using the excuse of how ‘the 18th floor was discounted.’”

Jiang MingYue:
“When I was booking rooms, there really were no other open rooms… Maybe someone canceled their reservations afterward…”

Mo Yi:
“That’s valid, you have a point.”

[About Her Timeline]

MC:
“Do you remember the exact time CEO Shen ate the chocolate at the banquet?”

Jiang MingYue:
“It should be a quarter after seven, I think.”

MC:
“And you’re sure?”

Jiang MingYue:
“Yes. The fashion week’s organizer’s speech was scheduled to start at 7:20 PM, so I was watching the time.”

~~~Flashback~~~

▌Saturday Night, 7:15 PM

Jiang MingYue:
“CEO Shen, the organizer’s speech is about to start, you…”

Shen Xi:
“Got it, go find Chairman Zhang and remind him.”

(Shen Xi spoke while unwrapping the box of liquor chocolates in Jiang MingYue‘s hand.)

Shen Xi:
“Although CEO Lu’s got a ways to go when it comes to doing business, he sure has a good eye for chocolate.”

Lu JingHe:
“As long as CEO Shen likes them. Please enjoy those at your leisure, I’ll take my leave for the night.”

(Shen Xi’s fingertips were capped with melted chocolate. Just as she was looking for a napkin, Lu JingHe made his way over to her. Shen Xi, holding one hand in midair, felt awkward as to whether she should bring her dirtied fingers back down to her side. Just then, a server passed by Lu JingHe, who plucked a tissue off of the tray and handed it to Shen Xi.)

Shen Xi:
“Thank you, CEO Lu. You’re a busy man, so I won’t keep you any longer.”

(Shen Xi accepted the napkin and wiped her hand without causing extra attention and raised her brow at Jiang MingYue.)

Shen Xi:
“MingYue, send off CEO Lu in my place. I’ll go and inform Chairman Zhang myself.”

(Shen Xi nodded and turned to leave.)

Jiang MingYue:
“CEO Lu, CEO Shen is quite busy tonight. Please don’t mind her attitude and allow me to see you off…”

~~~Flashback Ends~~~

MC:
“Then when did the banquet end? Excluding the time when CEO Shen was eating the chocolates, did you have the box in your hands at the time?”

Jiang MingYue:
“The banquet ended at 8:30 PM as scheduled, but I didn’t hold the box of chocolates for the entire time. After I saw CEO Lu off for the night, CEO Shen mentioned that the chocolates were a little melted when she ate it and told me to bring the chocolates back to her room’s mini cooler.”

Mo Yi:
“What time did you stop by?”

Jiang MingYue:
“It was around 7:30 PM, although when I was coming back from her room, I ran into an accident.”

~~~Flashback~~~

▌Saturday Night, 7:40 PM

Server:
“Ah! I’m sorry, I’m so sorry! Miss, are you alright!”

(Jiang MingYue finished placing the chocolates in the fridge. On her way back to the banquet a server carrying a tray collided into her.)

Jiang MingYue:
“What are you carrying? No way it’s….”

Server:
“It’s chocolate sauce.”

Jiang MingYue:
“Shoot!”

(Jiang MingYue hurriedly grabbed napkins from a table and scrubbed at the chocolate sauce spilled on her wrist.)

Server:
“Miss, are you okay? Do I need to escort you back to your suite?”

Jiang MingYue:
“I’ll head up myself. If the hotel has any rash medication or creams, please send it up to room 1713.”

~~~Flashback Ends~~~

Mo Yi:
“After you cleaned up and finally returned to the banquet, what time was it?”

Jiang MingYue:
“It was almost 8:00 PM when I returned. After the server brought me the medicated cream, he took my soiled dress for dry cleaning. If you don’t believe me, you can check their records.”

MC:
“After the banquet ended, what did you do? When was the last time you saw Shen Xi?”

Jiang MingYue:
“I was with CEO Shen when she saw all the guests off. I returned her room key to her, and left to rest in my room. We parted ways when the elevator reached the 17th floor, around 9:00 PM. That was when I saw CEO Shen last.”

Mo Yi:
“Shen Xi’s room key was in your possession?”

Jiang MingYue:
“That’s right. CEO Shen doesn’t like to carry purses or clutches at banquets so her room key and her phone were in my bag. After I changed my clothes and returned to the banquet hall, I never left CEO Shen’s side.”

[About anyone with access to the chocolates]

MC:
“Miss. Jiang, lastly I need to reaffirm that, besides CEO Shen and yourself, was there anyone else who was able to come into contact with that box of chocolates last night?”

Jiang MingYue:
“Let me think…”

(Jiang MingYue looked down in contemplation.)

Jiang MingYue:
“After thinking about it, no, there’s no one else. There was only CEO Shen and me. Of course, if CEO Lu was able to unwrap the box and then repackage it, I can’t say for certain.”

~~~Interrogation End~~~

MC:
“From the police, I heard that you were the one who found CEO Shen this morning?”

Jiang MingYue:
“It was me. The overseas fabric manufacturer had urgent matters to talk to CEO Shen about. Around 7:40 AM this morning, I picked up their call and went upstairs to find her, but I couldn’t reach her cell phone nor did she answer me when I knocked on the door.”

Mo Yi:
“So by the time you found the hotel staff to open the suite door, that was when you discovered Shen Xi’s body?”

Jiang MingYue:
“It’s as you said…”

MC:
“Alright, Miss. Jiang, that’s all the questions I have for you.”

(After we finished the questioning, Jiang MingYue stood up and saw that there had been officers standing behind us all this time.)

Jiang MingYue:
“Can I head back now? After everything that’s happened, CEO Shen’s family is still uninformed and there’s a lot of things I need to handle.”

Officer:
“Sorry Miss. Jiang, you’re still a suspect in the case and we’ll need to take you back to the station with us.”

Jiang MingYue:
“It’s not me, it’s really not me…”

Mo Yi:
“Sorry, if it’s possible without obstructing protocol, may we have a second look at the crime scene before you detain Miss. Jiang?”

Officer:
“Dr. Mo, you did not finish questioning the suspect?”

Mo Yi:
“There are a couple of things I’d like to ask and verify. But I can see that Miss. Jiang is already exhausted, I would like her to rest for a bit before we continue. In the meantime…”

(Mo Yi looked at me, his eyes seemingly allowing me to finish his sentence and decide our next step.)

MC:
“Officer, in the meantime, please allow us to see the crime scene again.”

Officer:
“Alright, follow me.”

(The officer halted Jiang MingYue as she was trying to follow us out.)

Officer:
“Miss. Jiang, I ask that you cooperate and remain in this room for the time being.”

(Jiang MingYue returned to sit at the office chair, held the cushion to her chest and sobbed quietly. As Mo Yi and I left the room, a hot breath tickled my neck. Mo Yi’s calm voice spoke into my ear.)

Mo Yi:
“Just then, she was lying.”

——-

[Previous Part]|[Masterlist]|[Next Part]

——-

《CREDIT》
Translator: Humi​​
Editor:@cL
QC:@hallowsivy​
《未定事件簿》Tears of Themis is a 2020 Chinese otome game by 米哈游Mihoyo. All original credits go to 米哈游Mihoyo.

《 VOICE ACTORS 》
Mo Yi | Jiang GuangTao: https://weibo.com/jiangguangtao
Lu JingHe | Yang Tianxiang: https://weibo.com/u/1745507755
Yan Wei: https://weibo.com/lengquanyeyue
Jiang MingYue | V17-Vila: https://weibo.com/u/7360408881

Mo Yi:
I recently received an out of print novel set.

Mo Yi:
If you’re interested, you can come read it in your spare time.

MC:
What genre is it?

Mo Yi:
It’s a suspense thriller involving psychology principles.

Mo Yi:
Although it’s quite dated, the plot is outstanding, and the twists are interesting.

Mo Yi:
I thought… you would be interested.

MC (Choice 1):
Very interested, I think the series sounds like a great read!

Mo Yi:
I’m glad you’re interested. Why don’t you come over to my place tomorrow? I’ll prepare tea and snacks we can share in the garden…

Mo Yi:
We can read while having afternoon tea.

Mo Yi:
Lazy afternoons are hard to come by, I want to cherish it with you.

—

MC (Choice 2):
I’m quite interested, it’s just… I would’ve never guessed that Dr. Mo liked collecting fictional novels?

Mo Yi:
This book… is my excuse to invite you over. But if you like…

Mo Yi:
Tomorrow afternoon, we can read it while sharing afternoon tea in the garden.

Mo Yi:
Lazy afternoons are hard to come by, I want to cherish it with you.

MC (Choice 1):
Sounds good, I’ll come by in disturbance, Dr. Mo.

Mo Yi:
Disturbance? I would be honored if you’ll visit.

Mo Yi:
It’s a real vacation when I get to spend it with you.

—

MC (Choice 2):
But tomorrow I have shopping plans… sorry, might have to raincheck that offer.

Mo Yi:
No worries, I’ll accompany you.

Mo Yi:
To me, it doesn’t matter the location or the activity, the most important thing that matters is who…

Mo Yi:
It’s a real vacation when I get to spend it with you.

[Previous Chapter]|[Masterlist]|[Next Part]

▌Location- Hotel Room 1817

(PAX Group’s successor Lu JingHe was incidentally wrapped into a homicide case, the murder weapon being a box of chocolates Lu JingHe had gifted the victim. After my interrogation with Lu JingHe, I uncovered that before he left, the victim had consumed a piece of chocolate and was alright afterward. Therefore, I’m speculating that the chocolates were tampered with after Lu JingHe left the banquet, although Mo Yi expressed his reservations about my hypothesis.)

Mo Yi:
“From what I’ve gathered thus far, your hypothesis may be correct, however not yet infallible.”

MC:
“Why would you think that?”

Mo Yi:
“There exist loopholes when comparing Lu JingHe’s testimony with the information provided by the detectives.”

~~~Analysis Start~~~

[Select:Shen Xi ate chocolate,Tetrodotoxin content]

(I skimmed over the lab results of the chocolates from the police and came across an important piece of data.)

MC:
“Tetrodotoxin may incur a delayed onset period as long as three hours after ingestion.”

Mo Yi:
“For most patients, symptoms of tetrodotoxin poisoning will appear around thirty minutes after ingestion, though there also exist people who do not experience symptoms until much later. The sample taken from the poisoned liquor chocolates determined that the amount and concentration of tetrodotoxin weren’t high. This may explain why Shen Xi experienced a delayed reaction after eating the chocolates and did not experience symptoms until after the banquet ended.”

MC:
“Lu JingHe saw Shen Xi eat the chocolates about a quarter after 7 PM. If we assume she experienced symptoms three hours later, then… Shen Xi would have displayed visible symptoms around 10 PM.”

Mo Yi:
“Do you remember the timeline that Yan Wei gave us? It must have happened approximately between 9 PM and 2 AM.”

MC:
“So we still can’t eliminate the possibility that the chocolates Lu JingHe gave the victim were already tampered with.”

~~~Analysis End~~~

Mo Yi:
“Besides the information about the incubation period, the report also mentions that not all the chocolates contained the toxin. Of the twelve chocolates in the box, excluding the two pieces that Shen Xi ate, seven out of the ten remaining chocolates tested positive.”

MC:
“So let’s say the second piece Shen Xi ate contained the toxin, then there were a total of eight pieces of chocolate laced with tetrodotoxin?”

Mo Yi:
“That’s right. The detectives found pin holes on all seven poisoned chocolates.”

MC:
“That means the culprit used a syringe to add poison into the center of the chocolates.”

Mo Yi:
“Mm, from the looks of it, there exist two possible points of doubt. What do you think?”

MC:
“The first point is…”

[Select:Why did the culprit poison the chocolate]

MC:
“Why would the murderer choose to poison the chocolates? There would’ve been plenty of finger foods at the banquet.”

Mo Yi:
“Why do you think so?”

MC:
“What’s your standpoint on this, Dr. Mo?”

Mo Yi:
“I think the murderer’s choice to poison the chocolates makes sense. In a buffet-style venue, it is very unlikely that someone would go out of their way to consume something specific. For instance, if a server is carrying a tray of wine, your victim will have a choice between many glasses. Aside from this box of chocolates that was specifically gifted to Shen Xi herself, there was no other way to predict what she might eat yesterday night. Therefore, the box of chocolates is the best vessel to choose.”

MC:
“I can’t disagree with that.”

[Select:Why the murderer chose not to poison all the chocolates]

MC:
“Why didn’t the culprit poison all the chocolates? Four out of the twelve chocolates were left as is. By chance, Shen Xi could’ve had a one in three chance of surviving.”

Mo Yi:
“If Shen Xi ended up sharing the chocolates with others, and she just so happened to consume one of the good chocolates, then the murderer’s plan would have gone up in flames. Even if the culprit was perverse and didn’t care if they would harm others in the process, they needed to guarantee that their target would be eliminated. Therefore, the fact that not all chocolates were poisoned is our first point of interest. The syringe used to administer poison is a point of interest too.”

MC:
“If the goal was to poison the chocolates without leaving a noticeable mark, then a syringe would be used, right?”

Mo Yi:
“But how would the culprit know that Lu JingHe would give Shen Xi chocolates?”

MC:
“Ah, that’s right. Lu JingHe said he bought the chocolates on his way to the banquet. If it wasn’t planned previously, then the culprit wouldn’t have the time to prepare the toxin and the syringe.”

Mo Yi:
“If it wasn’t premeditated, then what kind of person would have syringes on them at all times? One possibility is that the culprit has some kind of illness that requires self-administered medicine. The culprit would have already hatched a plot that required the use of a syringe, but upon seeing Lu JingHe gift the chocolates, they could have changed their plan on the fly to frame Lu JingHe.”

MC:
“That’s so impressive, Dr. Mo! To be able to deduce all that from one syringe!”

Mo Yi:
“Your praise is greatly exaggerated, this is only an occupational habit to look beyond one’s actions in great detail. Regardless of the deductions, the culprit must have the chance to interact with the chocolates.”

MC:
“So the person who helped Shen Xi keep the chocolates, her secretary Jiang MingYue, is very suspicious.”

(Just then, someone knocked on the door to Room 1817.)

Officer:
“Dr. Mo, Jiang MingYue is ready for interrogation.”

(Jiang MingYue stood behind the officer, her head hung low. Her left hand clutched her right side, almost as if she was cold and shivering.)

Mo Yi:
“Miss. Jiang, please have a seat over here.”

(Instead of gesturing to the sofa, he pulled a chair over from the writing table and even placed a throw pillow against the back of the chair. After our chat earlier, in my eyes, Jiang MingYue was a suspect. I scrutinized her as she took small steps into the room.)

MC:
(Is she the real culprit?)

~~~Observation Begins~~~ 

[Observe her hand]

[Note: It’s an allergic reaction]

MC:
(The red patch on the back of her hand and wrist… is that an allergic reaction? Is she allergic to alcohol? There must have been alcoholic beverages served last night at the banquet. Even the chocolates that Lu JingHe gave Shen Xi had liquor in them. What if she came into contact with alcohol after trying to tamper with the chocolates?)

(I took another glance at Jiang MingYue. The red patch on her hand was sizable.)

MC:
(If the syringe accidentally brought her in contact with alcohol, the size of her skin reaction wouldn’t be this big. It’s also unlikely that she drank at the banquet unless she was unaware that she was allergic to alcohol. This is something worth questioning Jiang MingYue about.)

[Observe Her Coat]

[Note: She’s not well-off enough to change coats]

MC:
(Venus Fashion is a clothing design company. Their boss’s secretary must be required to dress impeccably too, right?)

(Jiang MingYue wore a dull business ensemble that was a little too big on her. The oversized clothing made her look even smaller, as if a strong gust of wind would knock her over.)

MC:
(There’s no requirement that she has to wear branded clothing labels, but as a professional, shouldn’t she know not to pick clothes that don’t fit her? Unless she purchased this outfit a long time ago? If work gets busy and she isn’t eating or sleeping right, causing weight loss, perhaps she wouldn’t have time to buy new work outfits?)

[Observe Her Eyes] 

[Note: She’s scared]

MC:
(When I first arrived at the hotel, I saw that Jiang MingYue was crying. Was she upset about Shen Xi’s death?)

(Suddenly, Jiang MingYue lifted her head and looked at me. Our eyes met, and Jiang MingYue hurriedly averted her gaze.)

MC:
(Why would she avoid my gaze? Does she have a guilty conscience?)

(I thought back to the countless clients I had interacted with. More often than not, I notice this type of reaction.)

MC:
(If not for a guilty conscience, then is it possible that she’s nervous and trying to hide something?)

[Finish Observing]

MC:
(The allergic reaction and her work status are both important points to hit on during the interrogation. It may also be worth delving into whether her relationship with Shen Xi was bad or good.)

~~~Observation End~~~

(Jiang MingYue sat down on the office chair, hugged the throw pillow to her chest, and sighed after a long period of silence.)

Jiang MingYue:
“You guys must be CEO Lu’s lawyers, right? Please just ask whatever you have to ask.“

MC:
“Hello, Miss. Jiang, I am CEO Lu’s attorney, MC, and this is…”

(I was about to introduce Mo Yi as a psychologist, but…)

MC:
(If Jiang MingYue knew that Dr. Mo was a psychologist, would she be more likely to hide the truth?)

MC:
“This is the police department’s consultant, Dr. Mo.”

(After the introduction, my phone lit up. Mo Yi had sent me a text message.)

(“If you want to observe Jiang MingYue’s reaction and find the flaws in her story, I suggest you leave the questioning to me.”)

(I raised my head to look at Mo Yi just in time to see him tuck his phone into his pocket and hold his hand out to me.)

Mo Yi:
“The person of interest files from the detectives, can I see those?”

MC:
“Oh, okay.”

(I passed the dossier to Mo Yi, not knowing whether I should start questioning her right away or if I should wait until after Mo Yi finished reading over the documents. Mo Yi smiled warmly at me after noticing my hesitation.)

Mo Yi:
“No need to wait for me, you may start the interrogation. Although, I will be interjecting during this process. For that, I apologize in advance.”

(Mo Yi nodded at us and elegantly gestured with his hand that we may start.)

MC:
“Alright then, Miss Jiang, I’ll begin the interrogation.”

——-

[Previous Chapter]|[Masterlist]|[Next Part]

——-

《CREDIT》
Translator: humi
Editor:@cL
QC:@hallowsivy​
《未定事件簿》Tears of Themis is a 2020 Chinese otome game by 米哈游Mihoyo. All original credits go to 米哈游Mihoyo.

《 VOICE ACTORS 》
Mo Yi | Jiang GuangTao: https://weibo.com/jiangguangtao
Yan Wei: https://weibo.com/lengquanyeyue
Jiang MingYue | V17 Vila: https://weibo.com/u/7360408881

Lu JingHe:
Happy holidays, gorgeous goddess.

Lu JingHe:
Your temporary butler Lu JingHe is happy to be of service.

MC (Choice 1):
Haha, what kind of services is butler Lu offering?

Lu JingHe: 
Holiday accompaniment service of course!

Lu JingHe:
What do you say, anywhere you wanna go? I’ll accompany you.

—

MC (Choice 2): 
Mister CEO Lu, what kind of new trickery is this?

Lu JingHe: 
It’s not every day we get a long holiday like this, I wanted to go out and spend it with you! 

Lu JingHe:
What do you say, anywhere you wanna go?

MC (Choice 1):
Since you put it like that, then… let’s tour all of Stellis City!

Lu JingHe:
Sure thing, I found all the amusement parks, arcades, and art museums we haven’t visited yet.

Lu JingHe:
Whatever you wanna do, we’ll do it, I guarantee we’ll get to do them all!

Lu JingHe:
What do you think, are you satisfied with my plan?

—

MC (Choice 2):
Please arrange a luxurious trip for me, Butler Lu.

Lu JingHe:
No problem, I just booked a multi destination travel plan!

Lu JingHe:
We’ll go anywhere you’ve dreamed of going!

Lu JingHe:
What do you think, are you satisfied with my plan?

MC (Choice 1):
Would it be too overboard, I was just kidding…

Lu JingHe:
The planning’s already started, don’t refuse me, alright?

Lu JingHe:
Besides, you were working overtime into the holidays; you should take the time to relax!

Lu JingHe:
I guarantee, this will be an unforgettable trip.

—

MC (Choice 2):
Very satisfied, I’m looking forward to it!

Lu JingHe:
It looks like my services were well received, right?

Lu JingHe:
I always look forward to traveling with you.

Lu JingHe:
Because every single time, I will savor every single moment of it.