DF Chapter 21
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Zhen Yi stood by the roadside, feeling a little out of place. It wasn’t that she was some innocent, straight-laced girl, but… She glanced sideways at Yan Ge, who was dressed in white from head to toe, looking pure and unworldly. His presence was completely out of sync with the surrounding environment.
He wasn’t like some men who pretended to be gentlemen. He simply exuded an air of detachment, probably without even realizing it. His face and eyes were so clear and pure that there was not a trace of restlessness or misconduct. Any woman who was slightly tainted by the world would feel ashamed just by standing near him. Despite his exceptional looks and refined aura, no one would dare to approach him easily. He really did look like a serene monk mistakenly dropped into a brothel.
Zhen Yi pursed her lips. She had arranged to meet the club manager outside the door. Standing with her arms crossed, an idea suddenly struck her. She looked at Yan Ge with a mischievous grin and asked, “Are you planning to go in later?”
“You think I’m here just to be your chauffeur?”
“No.” Zhen Yi chuckled lightly, clearly up to no good. “The women here are pretty bold. They might approach you, offer you drinks, or even block you with their dance moves. I’m worried you won’t be able to handle it.” Yan Ge remained silent, furrowing his brow ever so slightly as he considered this.
Zhen Yi laughed to herself. “Hmm, looks like you’ve never been to a private bar.” Silence.
“No wonder you don’t know.” Zhen Yi continued, deliberately teasing him. “The people here are all looking for casual hookups—super thirsty. Sometimes, they even host sex parties. Think about it, would Lin Ziyi come here if there wasn’t something special going on? Look at you…” She sized him up like a madam inspecting a new recruit, shamelessly giving him the once-over. “You’re premium quality. The moment you walk in, it’ll be like entering the ‘Kingdom of Women’ from Journey to the West—everyone will want to take a bite out of you.” She finished by playfully mimicking a cat pawing and biting, making a “rawr” sound.
“…” Yan Ge’s face turned a shade grayer. “If what you said is true, how dare you go in?”
“Tch.” Zhen Yi raised her chin confidently, “Any man who tries anything with me is doomed.”
Yan Ge: “…”
Just then, the manager arrived. He was a young man, full of energy, named Suo Lei. As he got out of the car, he smiled and said, “Sorry, got stuck in traffic.”
Zhen Yi replied, “It’s us who are bothering you.”
“No trouble at all. The police have already been here three or four times.”
Suo Lei led them inside, through a long, dimly lit corridor with neon lights. Music played from up ahead. Yan Ge walked behind them, and just as they were about to enter the main hall, he suddenly tugged on Zhen Yi’s arm.
Zhen Yi turned around, surprised. “What’s wrong?”
Whether it was the lighting or something else, his pale face seemed to flush slightly as he whispered, “What you said earlier… that was all a lie, right?”
Zhen Yi paused for a second before bursting into light laughter. “Yan Ge, you’re still so adorable. I absolutely love it.”
“…”
The lighting inside was soft and ambiguous. Guests sat in pairs or small groups at the bar, small tables, or booths, quietly drinking and chatting. The atmosphere was calm and relaxed. Some people were dancing, but at the moment, the music was slow and gentle, not too intense.
A small staircase in the corner led up to the second-floor private rooms. As they walked up, Zhen Yi noticed there were only two security cameras, both positioned at odd angles. Just like Si Gui had said, there were blind spots. If you walked close to the wall, you could avoid being seen. Zhen Yi asked, “The camera angles aren’t very wide, are they?”
“This is a high-end private bar. Our clients are celebrities and wealthy individuals. The cameras are mostly for show, to pass inspections. They’re often turned off.”
Zhen Yi glanced at her watch. It was 10:30 PM, but the second floor was empty. The door signs above the private rooms were off, indicating that no one was there. She looked around—the way they came in was the only exit, and at the end of the hallway was a tightly shut emergency door.
“Can that door be used?”
“No, it’s an emergency exit, but it’s kept locked all year round for security reasons.”
“How do you know no one used that door the day of the incident?”
“The key’s at my house. Plus, there’s a small surveillance camera facing the door. No one’s been through it, not just on the day of the incident but for the past few months.”
“Do people rarely use these private rooms at night?”
“The booths downstairs are already pretty private. Using a private room would attract attention. If someone really wanted privacy, they’d just go to a hotel. Celebrities come here to experience the bar atmosphere—hiding away in a private room is boring.”
“So, why do you think Lin Ziyi came upstairs?”
Suo Lei scratched his head. “If someone wanted to have a private conversation with me, I might come up here. It’s quieter.”
“That’s what I thought too.” Zhen Yi smiled and pushed open the door to the room where the incident occurred. The forensic team had already finished their work, and the room had been cleaned, but there was still a faint scent of blood lingering in the air.
“Who discovered the body?”
“The cleaning lady in the bathroom. She was scared to death, and honestly, I was pretty shaken too. I’ve seen a lot of things over the years, but this was something else.” Suo Lei shuddered. “His lower half… it looked really…”
“Painful?”
“Uh, yeah, pretty… uh, painful.”
“Probably hurt like hell.”
“…”
Suo Lei couldn’t keep up with her sharp remarks and looked to Yan Ge for help. But Yan Ge remained calm. “Trust me, she’s toned it down.”
“Was the murder weapon from here?” Zhen Yi asked.
“It was a fruit knife from the room. It’s a common style, you could buy one at any supermarket. The killer stabbed him in the chest and didn’t take the knife.”
“What about the blood?”
“There was blood all over the bed, and on Lin Ziyi’s clothes, but the rest of the room was clean.”
“Clean?” Zhen Yi murmured to herself, thinking. “The killer must have used his clothes to shield themselves from the knife and the blood.”
Suo Lei was surprised. “How did you know?”
“It’s obvious. Wrapping the weapon in fabric prevents injury and also messes with the police’s blood analysis. A clever person.”
Silence.
Zhen Yi turned around. “What are you staring at?”
“It sounds strange. You seem to know a lot about this.”
“Haha, well, if I were going to kill someone, I’d be just as meticulous!”
“Please don’t say that. It’s creepy.” Suo Lei rubbed his hands together. “Are all lawyers this skilled in these areas?”
“I don’t look it, but I’m a graduate of criminal investigation and forensic science.”