Yu Jingzhong called a car to take the hopping corpse away, while Zhou Hui went out and called all the Liao family relatives back to the villa. Old Master Liao finally caught his breath. He was old and still shaken from the terrifying events, and as the bodyguards helped him, he tried to grab Zhou Hui’s hand:
“Team Leader Zhou, thanks to you for what happened today. Keep up the good work…”
Zhou Hui pulled his hand away sharply:
“You must be confused, right? Alzheimer’s, get to the hospital already.”
The old man gasped, unable to catch his breath, while the dutiful sons and grandsons rushed up, patting his chest and helping him calm down.
Zhou Hui staggered back upstairs, where he saw Chu He had moved a chair to sit beside the bed, watching the hopping corpse carefully while eyeing the pile of se-x toys on the bed with a sort of scientific curiosity. Yu Jingzhong, apparently intent on figuring out how the bar heir died, was wandering around the bedroom, occasionally picking up items and flipping through the shelves. Liao Liang nervously followed close behind.
“When did you buy this villa?”
“Just… just in the past two years.”
“Pretty expensive, right?”
“Not too bad,” Liao Liang humbly gave a number, “The land prices two years ago weren’t as crazy as now.”
Yu Jingzhong made a pained face and exchanged a glance with Zhou Hui. Both thought they should have charged more—six million for a kick was way too cheap.
Liao Liang was no fool; he wanted to get on good terms with them and considered adding to the price. But since the payment was already made, suddenly asking for more might raise suspicion—gifts have to be given carefully. Even if well-intentioned, if not communicated well, they could cause misunderstandings and backfire.
He glanced around the room, thinking maybe he could sneak off with the jade cabbage and beeswax Buddha hand on the shelf—at least those were items from auction—and later claim to borrow the “Ten-Thousand-Foot Buddha Light” from the Special Department to ward off evil.
Before he could say anything, Chu He suddenly asked:
“—After what happened in this house, do you still plan on living here?”
Liao Liang recalled how they had raised prices in increments of two million each before; Chu He’s tone was so blunt that cold sweat instantly poured down his back.
“I—I only own this one property at the moment, and it’s convenient to go to work from here, so…”
Chu He responded with a simple “Oh,” seeming a little regretful, then turned back to stare blankly at the pile of se-x toys on the bed.
Liao Liang was horrified, thinking: What does he mean? Does he want the house, or is he asking for two BDSM toys as consolation? How do you even gift that? “Team Leader Feng heard you like BDSM, so here are two toys as a small gesture of respect”—he’d probably get kicked to death by someone named Zhou for that.
Luckily, he didn’t stay uneasy for long. Yu Jingzhong picked up an inconspicuous photo frame from the desk:
“This your school photo?”
Inside was a faded old photo showing Liao Liang in a graduation gown alongside another young man. Oddly, a rip ran between the two, as if the photo was pieced together.
Liao Liang’s expression briefly flickered awkwardly.
Yu Jingzhong glanced at him. As a longtime secret agent, his eyes were sharp. That complicated mix of sadness, fear, nostalgia, and pain in Liao Liang’s face was as if X-rayed, impossible to hide.
“This was my college lover…” Liao Liang coughed, hesitating, “We broke up after graduation. My family pressure was heavy… Later I heard he went to the U.S., and I never heard from him again…”
Zhou Hui said casually, “You’re quite sentimental.” He took the frame, running his thumb over the young man’s face.
Yu Jingzhong was close enough to see that at Zhou Hui’s touch, the young man’s face momentarily turned pale and lifeless, blood dripping, eyes flickering with hatred. But the photo quickly returned to normal as if nothing had happened.
Liao Liang didn’t see the change and smiled wryly: “Thinking back, we never even had a photo with just the two of us—maybe I was careless back then, thinking life was long. Who knew it would end so fast?” He carefully put the frame back on the desk: “I just hope he’s doing well now. That would make me feel at peace.”
“You’re living pretty well now, right? Drinking small wine, dating casually. How many poor couples wish they had your lifestyle but don’t,” Zhou Hui mercilessly mocked, ignoring Liao Liang’s embarrassed look. Then he affectionately called out: “Old Four, let’s go. Stop staring at that stuff, what’s so interesting? Go home and play all you want.”
·
Holding four million (including his ex-wife’s share), Zhou Hui left the Liao family satisfied. He helped Yu Jingzhong put the hopping corpse into the car and sent it to the Special Department, handing it over to Team Leader Situ Ying for research.
Situ was a master of zombies, specializing in the “Han” (drought demon), and further refining the “Hou” (a mythical beast), considered the top of the corpse food chain. He was a pioneer in developing edible corpse cooking methods and varieties; his skill was unmatched—footwork comparable to Nicholas Tse, cooking prowess to Bear Grylls, combining both to achieve a five-star chef level. So even though he lacked forensic training, Situ was the perfect person for this task. The only downside was that after dissecting the hopping corpse, he might casually eat parts of it.
Yu Jingzhong sat in the car, pondering: “Something’s strange here. Could that Liao fellow’s college lover be dead?”
“Dead,” Zhou Hui said lightly.
“Wasn’t he supposed to have gone to America?”
“Died locally within a month, the photo changes like that. I was thinking maybe that young man’s spirit, jealous of Liao’s decadent lifestyle, became a vengeful ghost and killed the bar heir.”
Before Yu Jingzhong could respond, Chu He in the back seat spoke:
“Not necessarily.”
Both turned to look at him. Chu He shook his head calmly:
“That Liao guy doesn’t have that kind of charm.”
His expression was relaxed, showing no sign of awkwardness at his bluntness. Yu Jingzhong’s forehead twitched, ready to argue, but Zhou Hui eagerly agreed:
“Exactly! I think so too! He’s not good-looking enough!”
“…Yu Jingzhong just felt a stampede of curses rushing over his head.”
“Anyway, Liao is too suspicious, insisting on staying to help us catch the hopping corpse probably means he has an agenda. He’s probably afraid we’ll find something in his house. And after all that happened, he refuses to move out. That kind of guts is unusual. He’s not normally so tough.”
Zhou Hui stroked his chin and added:
“I really don’t like that photo of his—I think his first love died violently, has strong resentment, and might still linger in this world.”
“Is there a way to find where it happened?” Yu Jingzhong asked casually.
“There is, but we need the victim’s name and birthdate. So first we’ll check missing persons. That old red aristocrat’s college lover should be easy to find.”
Yu Jingzhong looked back at Zhou Hui with hopeful eyes.
Zhou Hui lay across the SUV’s backseat, resting his head on Chu He’s lap while playing with crushed candy, looking shamelessly comfortable, making one want to smack him sideways.
“This isn’t part of my contract. I want overtime pay,” Master Zhou said lazily under Yu Jingzhong’s eager gaze, “Ex-wife, make your offer.”
Yu Jingzhong immediately felt his hair stand on end, fearing Zhou might add, “Two million each…”
Chu He was chatting on WeChat, smiling faintly.
“I heard you’re making pigeon soup for Brother Yan. Save a bowl for the two of us, one each.”
·
Yu Jingzhong deeply felt those two million were not worth it. Not only was he tangled in a red aristocrat’s one-night-stand death, but also inexplicably dragged into a violent first-love death. After being mercilessly dog-abused by Zhou Hui, he even had to pay separately for the soup.
Once a top red secret agent elite, how did he fall this far? Yu Jingzhong stood in the kitchen, smoking while washing dishes, utterly confused.
Yan Lanyu was eating in the dining room. His digestive system seemed weak; he ate like a kitten, taking a long time to finish half a bowl of soup. He lightly knocked on the kitchen door and asked, “Need help?”
The young man wore a light gray pullover sweater, very thin, with his collarbone showing obvious reddish-purple marks. Yu Jingzhong looked up, immediately shocked, quickly turning his gaze away:
“No, you go rest.”
Yan Lanyu silently came over to put down his bowl and left.
Yu Jingzhong stared at his disappearing back by the bedroom, cigarette in hand, dumbfounded, unsure how to react.
·
The next day, Chu He used Zhou Hui’s notes to calculate the victim’s name and birthdate. The remaining pigeon soup was packed by Yu Jingzhong into a thermos and taken to the National Security Special Department. Chu He tried half a bowl, then walked away with a nosebleed.
Curious, Zhou Hui stirred the thermos with a spoon, then angrily shouted:
“How can a five-hundred-year-old ginseng be used like this?! I told you just a thin slice! Who’s ever seen a ‘thin’ slice that’s three centimeters thick?!”
Yu Jingzhong: “…”
“A man!” Zhou Hui lectured fiercely: “A man who found a lover ten years younger has to bear the burden of grocery shopping, cooking, laundry, and childcare! Poor civil servants don’t get to live the five-star restaurant romance drama—first handle the housework! What use are you if you can’t even cook?!”
“…Your Majesty,” Yu Jingzhong sincerely asked, “How do you and the Empress divide housework? Who cooks?”
His Majesty said:
“Though the Empress is over ten years older than me… of course, it’s me! Do you think Old Four does housework? At most, he sprays flames while grilling meat, and you have to watch him so he doesn’t burn it to charcoal! Since Mohe was born, he’s only cooked for the child. The kid eats the full Manchu-Han imperial baby menu, and the two of us survive on cold water and steamed buns…”
Chu He wiped his nose as he walked out from the tea room attached to Zhou Hui’s office, his voice still thick with nasal congestion:
“That’s not how it is, don’t listen to him making things up. He fed Mohe vodka mixed with chili sauce—I couldn’t stand it, so I punished him by making him eat cold water buns, and I even ate several meals with him myself.”
Yu Jingzhong twitched at the corner of his mouth:
“No wonder your Da Mao tried to kill his father…”
Zhou Hui snorted, sitting behind the large desk with his long legs boldly stretched out on the edge. He casually pulled a tortoise shell calculator from the drawer. Yu Jingzhong recognized it as the tool he often used for calculations—something that could seemingly figure out anything, even knowing which of the two team leaders, Situ Hou or Shen Wu, had taken the potato chips hidden in his drawer. Truly remarkable.
“Based on the victim’s appearance I noted down, Old Four calculated that unlucky first love’s name was Lu Xiaocheng, twenty-seven years old. She appeared in the Four Evil Paths ghost register a month ago, but her soul didn’t fall into the Hell Path. In life, she was morally average—not virtuous enough to ascend to heaven, but not evil enough to become a hungry ghost or animal spirit. So it’s strange she didn’t enter Hell.”
“Still lingering in Beijing?” Yu Jingzhong asked.
“Definitely. The incident happened within thirty kilometers around the Liao residence. The place is unclear but described as a dilapidated building with a red roof, dark lighting, and large grounds, like an abandoned warehouse.”
Zhou Hui sketched the building’s rough outline on paper with the tortoise shell—just a common bungalow.
“Since the Liao family is sensitive, I’ll have people quietly investigate nearby similar buildings immediately. Lu Xiaocheng’s death should be connected to the hopping corpse.” Yu Jingzhong started to leave but paused when he saw Chu He.
“—Hey Feng Si, could you calculate it again? Make the direction more precise so the search doesn’t make too much noise and alert that Liao kid.”
Chu He grunted and went to get the tortoise shell.
But Zhou Hui grabbed his hand and snapped at Yu Jingzhong with a scowl:
“Go away! Get those freeloaders who do no work to do it! Why make Old Four do everything?”
Yu Jingzhong was stunned, but Zhou Hui took a breath and coldly added:
“Calculating life and death is like opening heavenly eyes. You think you can just casually do it? Old Four is weak. If possible, don’t let him calculate. If he stirs up the Liao family, Mohe might end up eating him.”
Chu He gave an apologetic gesture to Zhou Hui.
Yu Jingzhong sighed: “Fine, fine…” then nodded respectfully to Chu He and left.
·
Luckily, Yu Jingzhong had some connections in the Criminal Police Unit, so they quickly obtained the victim’s info.
This young man named Lu Xiaocheng had graduated from a prestigious Beijing university years ago and was a college classmate of Liao Liang. Their relationship status during school was unclear. What’s interesting is that half a year ago, Lu Xiaocheng returned from abroad after finishing his PhD and had applied for a job at Liao Liang’s company.
Lu Xiaocheng’s specialty was very niche, and only a few companies in the field could hire him. Before sending out resumes, he probably didn’t know one was run by his ex—because after the interview, he suddenly withdrew his resume, likely realizing Liao Liang’s identity and wanting no further entanglement with his ex.
Then things went awry.
Other companies that had shown great interest in the young returned-PhD all suddenly rejected him around the same time. Confused, Lu Xiaocheng asked former classmates to inquire, learning it was possibly due to Liao Liang’s influence.
—Up to here, it sounds like a typical urban melodrama. If Lu Xiaocheng were a woman, this might have turned into a domineering CEO romantic comedy.
Unfortunately, tragedy often sprouts from a single thought, growing rapidly fueled by jealousy beyond anyone’s expectation.
“Lu Xiaocheng had a boyfriend,” Zhou Hui took off his sunglasses and stared thoughtfully at the photo in his hand. “They came back from the U.S. together and were married in Las Vegas.”
In the café downstairs from Liao Liang’s company, Zhou Hui sat in a corner sofa, casually stretching his long, muscular legs. A luxury brand shirt showed off his well-trained upper body muscles from outdoor exercise.
Anyone dressed like this, wearing a Vacheron Constantin watch, Tony leather shoes, and a set of Mercedes keys on the table, would attract swarms of admirers. Not to mention his Hollywood star-level charming face, radiating intense hormones as if walking a red carpet.
Chu He hid his face behind the tea menu, almost unable to withstand the overwhelming masculinity:
“Didn’t you say to have Yu Jingzhong send the ‘freeloaders who do nothing’ to investigate this?”
“You didn’t want to stay in my office and insisted on going out for a walk.”
“That’s because…” Chu He suddenly stopped talking and silently stared at the tea menu.
Zhou Hui smiled smugly, rubbing Chu He’s calf with his toe, lowering his voice dangerously:
“If I close the office door and you’re still not happy, I’ll drag you onto the bus. Then you’ll know what fear is.”
Countless envious, jealous eyes immediately turned to Chu He—men, women, old, young, even a nearly fifty-year-old balding uncle at a nearby table. If looks could kill, Chu He would already be full of holes; even his phoenix tears couldn’t save him.
But Chu He, having been in business and big events for years, maintained a calm expression, silently pulling his leg back:
“—Where did you get that photo?”
“Hmm, every mountain has its secrets,” Zhou Hui put down the photo and laughed:
“Alright—turns out Brother Yan is a great informant inside Yu Jingzhong’s office. I just hinted we were very interested and wanted to go check it out. He obligingly took the related files from Yu Jingzhong’s desk and gave them to me… Of course, maybe he just wanted fewer people in the office so no one would disturb his dating.”
The photo showed Lu Xiaocheng and another man shopping at a supermarket. They were about the same age and matched well in looks—if ignoring gender, a perfect couple. The new boyfriend’s style wasn’t as flashy as Liao Liang’s red aristocrat look, but he was neat and lively, laughing while talking to Lu Xiaocheng. Their eyes clearly showed harmony and affection.
“This man’s name is Bo Chao. He graduated from the same university as Lu Xiaocheng and Liao Liang but in a different major. Coincidentally, Lu Xiaocheng went to the U.S. with him after graduation, and when they returned, they were already legally married.”
Chu He asked, “Is he dead too?”
“Yes,” Zhou Hui said calmly, “Within six months, two young returned PhDs have died mysteriously.”
A blushing waitress timidly came by asking if they wanted to order anything else. Zhou Hui politely declined and then asked Chu He affectionately:
“Want to order more, fiancée?”
“…” Chu He closed the menu and sighed: “A latte.”
The waitress left disappointed, nearly in tears.
“Did you know?” Chu He looked at Zhou Hui’s strong muscles under his shirt and his boldly spread legs expressionlessly:
“This sitting posture is very seductive, making me want to jump you. Is this your subtle way of saying you want to be jumped?”
He thought that sounded like Zhou Hui’s style—after all, years of experience should teach a few lines. But Zhou Hui only smiled, interested:
“I only accept one way of being jumped—riding. But can you do it? You get so soft you practically melt; probably can’t move yourself.”
Chu He stared at the table without a word.
This posture was the ultimate prize for a victor, indescribably alluring. Zhou Hui curled his lips maliciously, glanced at the café owner behind the bar watching her staff make coffee, then turned back close to Chu He:
“After Lu Xiaocheng’s resume was rejected by all companies, he met Liao Liang here. Later, Lu Xiaocheng’s boyfriend Bo Chao was caught by the local police station and detained for fifteen days for fighting. Now I want to ask the café owner about the situation, see if we can find clues between these three people. Since you said you want to jump me, why don’t we make a bet?”
He lowered his voice, hoarse but teasingly seductive:
“We each talk to her, try to get her to reveal what happened. Whoever uncovers more clues wins. The bet is what I asked you to do that day but you refused. If you win, I won’t mind you doing that to me—deal? I’ll let you go first.”
Chu He looked at him. They were so close their hot breaths intertwined.
After a moment, Chu He stood and said coldly:
“Deal.”
·
He turned and walked to the café restroom, closing the door. Three minutes later, the door clicked open and Chu He walked out. Zhou Hui instantly sprayed water all over the table—
The determination of the Phoenix King was so strong that he actually manifested one of the Ten Heavenly Beauties’ divine appearances right in this small café!
As he stepped forward, the surrounding noise dimmed rapidly, and a miraculous silence fell. Many stared at him, holding coffee but forgetting to drink. Someone even spilled a cup of water down their shirt.
Such breathtaking beauty often becomes taken for granted by those who possess it, but the shock it causes others never diminishes.
Chu He walked to the bar, pulled a wallet from his pocket, and gently placed two large bills under the tip jar:
“Hello,” he asked the café owner courteously, his eyelashes flickering gracefully, “May I ask you something? Do you have five minutes?”
