MMJWQC Chapter 16

Translator: Moonlit

Editor: kiki

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Because of a variety show program, Chu Ruochun appeared on Weibo, and his fanbase not only didn’t decrease but grew. However, the majority of them were haters who just waited for him to post on Weibo so they could criticize him.

Chu Ruochun hasn’t had time to go online recently. He’s got a lot on his plate these days, and time is in short supply.

Today is the weekend, and the school organized a spring outing activity. He woke up early to prepare bread, snacks, and fruits for Chu Ruolin. His cooking skills are nothing to write home about, so he decided to spare Chu Ruolin from that ordeal.

After dropping his brother off at school, Chu Ruochun received a call from He Jun.

After the Jiang Qiao incident, He Jun was assigned to other talent managers, and the company reshuffled him into different talent shows. He had very little communication with Chu Ruochun afterward, but he was willing to listen to Chu Ruochun. Every morning and night, he would recite the Amitabha Sutra, and he had told Chu Ruochun about it. He seemed to be on a path of self-improvement.

“Ruochun, I think I’m just too unlucky!” He Jun’s voice was somewhat choked up.

“What happened?” Chu Ruochun asked calmly.

His calm and gentle voice comforted He Jun, and he finally calmed down.

“I encountered another murder case. I’m at the crime scene again, and I’m going crazy!”

“Weren’t you participating in a reality show recently? How did this happen?” Chu Ruochun remained calm.

“We were shooting, and everything was going smoothly. Our mentor treated us to supper after a late recording session yesterday. Since the shooting location was far from the city, there weren’t many cars late at night. Our mentor mentioned that he had a friend with a vacant villa nearby, so he let us stay there for the night and planned to return in the morning. But the next morning, one of our group members was found dead in the villa. I’m just stunned. Two murder cases, and I’m somehow involved in both. No production team will want me in the future,” He Jun said, on the verge of tears.

Chu Ruochun was aware of his modest family background. In fact, his family didn’t support his entry into the entertainment industry. He had a younger brother and sister who needed to go to school, and his mother was ill. Currently, there were only him and his father as the breadwinners in the family. If he didn’t have TV show invitations, the money he earned might not be enough for his family’s medical expenses.

He Jun just wanted someone to talk to in order to ease his fear. He couldn’t leave at the moment.

“Where is that villa?” 

“I’ll send you the location. We can’t leave right now; we’re waiting for the police,” He Jun replied.

“Linshan No. 1,” Chu Ruochun silently recited the name of the villa area, “Sounds somewhat familiar.”

“It’s the villa area with a lot of celebrities and wealthy people. To even view a house here, you have to check your bank account balance first. Many stars have bought villas here, mainly because it’s closer to our Jingzhou Airport,” He Jun explained.

“I’d like to take a look,” Chu Ruochun expressed some interest.

“The police are on their way, and they’ll probably seal it off soon. Even if you come, you won’t be able to get in. It’s better if you don’t come,” He Jun thought he came to visit him, and his mood improved.

“It’s alright; I should be able to get in,” Chu Ruochun said.

“After an incident like this, I think the neighborhood security will be tighter.”

“I understand.”

He didn’t go home and instead took a taxi to Linshan No. 1.

–

Meanwhile, at this time, Feng Qi had a different worry. Just as he was sound asleep, he received a series of urgent calls from his friend Bai Yichen.

“Early in the morning, you better have something important to bother me!” Feng Qi was not a morning person.

“A person died! Feng Ge, what should I do? Lu Ge will kill me!” 

“A person died?” Feng Qi immediately woke up. “Today is not April Fools’ Day. Don’t make this kind of joke.”

“It’s true. I was recording a program on the Linshan side last night. It got too late, and there were no cars to return to the city, so I took a few trainees to stay at Lu Ge’s investment property in Linshan No. 1. But when we woke up in the morning, one of the trainees was dead! It was a gruesome death. The police are coming soon, and I don’t know what to do!”

Feng Qi ruffled his messy hair from sleep. “Don’t panic. Call Lu Ming and I’ll go to the villa area with him to find you. When the police arrive, just tell them the truth.”

“Okay, I’ll do as you say. Please come quickly.” Bai Yichen was experiencing a dead body situation for the first time and was on the verge of losing his mind in the villa.

Feng Qi quickly freshened up and changed his clothes. He, along with Lu Ming, who lived not too far from him, set off for Linshan No. 1.

It was early in the morning, and there wasn’t much traffic on the road. They reached Linshan No. 1 as quickly as possible.

As they were about to enter the villa area, a taxi stopped in front of them, blocking the entrance.

Someone got out of the car.

Feng Qi initially didn’t pay much attention to whether the person was male or female until the person walked directly in their direction. He knocked on the car window.

Lu Ming lowered the car window and smiled at Feng Qi, saying, “It’s a particularly handsome young man, probably the one seeking our help.”

Feng Qi, who had been rudely awakened early in the morning, wasn’t in the best mood. It wasn’t that he had a problem with dead bodies, but he had spent the previous night watching romantic movies for a new script, which had left his eyes feeling sore, and now he had a splitting headache.

“I don’t care about him,” he said in a bad mood.

As soon as he turned around, he heard a familiar voice, “Feng Ge, can you take me in with you? My friend is inside.”

Feng Qi, thinking it was just his lack of sleep from the previous night, turned to look, and the smiling face by the window irritated him, “What are you doing here?”

“We have the same purpose for coming here,” Chu Ruochun smiled.

He had also calculated the timing to meet Feng Qi. This was his way of getting inside – simple and straightforward, without any security interference.

Feng Qi clenched his teeth. In a matter of seconds, he thought of several ways to prevent Chu Ruochun from getting in the car. At last, he uttered two words, “Get in.”

Lu Ming asked Chu Ruochun, “What’s your name, young man, and how did you know we were coming here?”

“My last name is Chu, and my first name is Ruochun. You can call me Ruochun, Mr. Lu,” Chu Ruochun replied with a smile.

Feng Qi was regretting his decision now. He shouldn’t have let Chu Ruochun in the car; this was starting to involve his friend.

“Oh, I don’t recall meeting you,” Lu Ming hadn’t realized Chu Ruochun’s sinister nature yet.

“Judging by your appearance, you bear some resemblance to Lu Qing. I believe you’re closely related by blood. You’re Lu Qing’s brother, and I participated in ‘991’ with Lu Qing. I know him,” Chu Ruochun explained.

“Ah, I see,” Lu Ming politely smiled. Both of them were young people with complex thoughts, and his line of thinking was in sync with Feng Qi’s. He exchanged a meaningful look with Feng Qi.

Chu Ruochun got into the luxury ride and entered Linshan No. 1.

He Jun and the others were staying in Villa No. 18 of Linshan No. 1.

When they arrived, a police cordon tape had already been set up around the villa, with the police arriving before them. Two police officers stood outside, probably because the residents in this villa area were celebrities and wealthy individuals. The villas were also spaced quite far apart, and security measures were in place. There were no reporters inside the community.

However, even without reporters, Feng Qi still put on his mask – it was part of the etiquette of being a big star. On the other hand, Chu Ruochun had no such awareness.

Feng Qi handed him a mask, saying impatiently, “Put this on.”

Chu Ruochun didn’t understand his intention and asked, “Huh?”

Feng Qi, losing patience, explained, “I don’t want to trend with you.”

“Okay, thanks,” Chu Ruochun accepted the mask and appreciated Feng Qi’s goodwill. After all, this was a murder scene, and there might be law enforcement records even if there were no reporters.

Lu Ming was quite amazed. He had known Feng Qi since high school but had never seen him voluntarily offer a mask to anyone, despite his impatient demeanor. Lu Ming also overheard him mutter, “Annoying,” softly when he opened the car door.

After getting out of the car, Chu Ruochun saw the two police officers standing at the entrance. They were guarding it to prevent anyone from entering.

Feng Qi and Lu Ming explained their identities to the police officers and were allowed to enter the villa. Chu Ruochun was not stopped either.

The villa was quite spacious, and it wasn’t a problem to let them inside. The police officers collecting evidence and the forensic team were inside the villa, while the officers taking notes were outside.

Even though the three of them were allowed into the villa, they were not permitted to enter the rooms.

Chu Ruochun first spotted familiar faces, Zhang Dongliang and Xiao Li. Zhang Dongliang and Xiao Li were both checking the exterior of the house.

As He Jun had just finished giving his statement, he saw Chu Ruochun approaching. However, Xiao Li had sharper eyes, and he recognized Chu Ruochun through his eyes. It was a special skill for detectives.

Xiao Li, wearing a mask that left only his eyes exposed, showed a hint of joy in his eyes when he saw Chu Ruochun. “Ruochun, how come you’re here?”

“My colleague is here,” Chu Ruochun replied without asking about the case.

Xiao Li had an excellent memory and whispered, “It’s He Jun, right?”

During the Jiang Qiao case, Xiao Li had taken He Jun’s statement. They both worked for the same company.

“Yeah, can I walk around with you?” Chu Ruochun asked and glanced at the villa, making a request.

“I’ll ask Captain Zhang,” Xiao Li called Zhang Dongliang, who was at the back of the villa. After mentioning that Chu Ruochun was with him, Zhang Dongliang hesitated for a moment before agreeing.

Under the watchful eyes of Feng Qi, Lu Ming, and He Jun, Chu Ruochun openly followed Xiao Li.

Lu Ming came as the homeowner, and the mentor who had brought He Jun, Bai Yichen, was inside, still in the middle of giving a statement.

Lu Ming asked a nearby police officer, “Officer, why was he allowed to go in?”

They were being attended to by Officer Wang Yize, who also recognized Chu Ruochun. He had considered going over to say hello, but Xiao Li and Chu Ruochun had beaten him to it. With a hint of regret, he looked at their retreating figures and coolly replied, “No comment.”

Feng Qi felt that the way this police officer looked at Chu Ruochun was similar to how some people looked at his father. Oh well, it wasn’t his concern.

As Chu Ruochun walked alongside Xiao Li, he listened to Xiao Li talking about the recent challenges they had faced.

“It’s really tough. These are all serial murder cases. Fortunately, this time it happened in an affluent area, so it hasn’t spread online. Otherwise, who knows how big of a scandal it would become.”

“The smell of blood is quite strong. It seems the victim died quite terribly,” Chu Ruochun commented, placing his palm on the wall and then retracting it. “The victim’s brain seemed to be missing.”

As soon as he said that, Chu Ruochun and Xiao Li heard the sound of someone vomiting.

A familiar celebrity face appeared not far from them – it was Bai Yichen, the mentor from the new talent show that He Jun was on.

Xiao Li said, “You’re right; it’s indeed like that.”

Bai Yichen was crouched on the ground and continued to vomit.

Xiao Li didn’t disclose any case details; he maintained his police professionalism, even though Chu Ruochun was an unspeakable metaphysical expert.

It seemed like the big celebrity was on the verge of losing his lunch. When he saw Chu Ruochun and Xiao Li approaching, he weakly asked them, “Hello, do you happen to have any tissues?”

He had just finished using a whole pack of tissues, wiping his mouth and tears, feeling extremely uncomfortable.

Chu Ruochun happened to have tissues in his pocket. Ever since he started living with Chu Ruolin, he always carried a small pack just in case the kid messed up his face.

“I have some,” he walked up and handed the tissues to Bai Yichen.

“Thank you,” Bai Yichen, pale-faced with ear studs, and a head of bleached blonde hair, looked quite pitiful.

With others around, Xiao Li didn’t say much and instead asked Bai Yichen, “Are you okay?”

Bai Yichen weakly smiled, “I’m fine.”

Chu Ruochun offered, “Should I help you over there?”

Bai Yichen waved it off, “Thanks, I can manage on my own. I was just a bit shocked when I saw that scene for the first time. I’ll be fine in a moment.”

Chu Ruochun glanced at Bai Yichen several times and said, “Your complexion is very beautiful.”

Bai Yichen thought he was referring to his hair, “Thanks, it was done by a hairstylist.”

It was the first time Xiao Li had heard one man compliment another man’s appearance. Did metaphysical experts often give such compliments?

Holding the tissues in his hand, Bai Yichen stopped vomiting. He saw Feng Qi and Lu Ming in the distance and rushed over to them.

Chu Ruochun withdrew his gaze from him and continued to “tour” the villa with Xiao Li. In the end, he didn’t enter the house, after all, he was just an ordinary person, and there were many forensic experts on the scene who were not part of the detective team.

After circling around, Chu Ruochun didn’t say anything but smiled at Zhang Dongliang, “Captain Zhang, if you need anything, you can contact me.”

Captain Zhang Dongliang remembered the fear he had of being controlled by Chu Ruochun last time and didn’t dare to be presumptuous. He replied, “Alright.”

He was about to say something more, but Chu Ruochun turned and walked away.

He approached Bai Yichen, Feng Qi, and the others.

Bai Yichen was practically hanging onto Feng Qi, showing that their relationship was quite close.

He Jun intercepted his path, “Shall we go back? The police have finished taking statements, and the surveillance footage has proven my innocence.”

Chu Ruochun nodded, “Sure, but you’ll have to wait for me for a moment.” 

He approached Lu Ming, “Mr. Lu, can I add you on WeChat?”

Lu Ming was taken aback and glanced at Feng Qi, finding this handsome young man rather interesting. He made it quite obvious, satisfying Lu Ming’s male pride.

He cleared his throat and took out his phone, “Sure.”

Chu Ruochun opened his QR code, “If you have any issues with your other houses, you can reach out to me.”

Lu Ming was puzzled, taking this as a suggestive innuendo. Chu Ruochun continued, “Yes, I think you might need my help. By the way, you’re not a public servant, so you’ll have to pay for my services.”

Lu Ming’s face was almost cracking, “…” This young celebrity had quite the audacity! After many years in the dating scene, it was the first time someone had made a “proposition for services” sound so refreshing. However, considering the person was quite attractive, he scanned the QR code to add him as a friend.

Feng Qi looked at Chu Ruochun making up nonsense about his friend and was quite displeased. “This is a murder scene, Chu Ruochun.”

Chu Ruochun nodded, “I know, that’s why I said Mr. Lu will have trouble later, or else I wouldn’t have made this trip.”

Listening to their conversation, He Jun asked, “Aren’t you here for my sake?”

Chu Ruochun replied, “It’s part of it.” He then emphasized to Lu Ming, “Remember to reach out to me, Mr. Lu.”

Lu Ming thought he was quite persistent, “I will.”

“Then, until next time.” Chu Ruochun turned to leave, took three steps, and then turned back to say to Feng Qi, “You better not get close to this house.”

Feng Qi let out a deep sigh, then asked Bai Yichen, “Are you done here? Let’s go.”

Bai Yichen was practically leaning on Feng Qi, “Finished questioning, and done vomiting.” Bai Yichen seemed somewhat down.

Lu Ming patted his shoulder and said, “It’s not your fault. Let’s go together. We’ll have someone take care of this house later.”

Bai Yichen suggested, “What if I buy the house and transfer the money to you later?”

Lu Ming replied, “There’s no need for such things between brothers. Do I really need that small amount of money from you?”

Bai Yichen nodded, “I feel guilty. I wish we knew who did this. If we had, I would have arranged for them to be sent back last night.”

Lu Ming said, “I just took Captain Zhang’s phone number. They will notify me if there are any updates.”

Bai Yichen added, “I hope they solve the case soon.”

This mansion had turned into a crime scene and would likely not sell at its original price.

Most of the contestants at the scene had completed their statements. Bai Yichen arranged for the company’s staff to pick them up. If it weren’t for him bringing them here to stay overnight, this wouldn’t have happened.

After the three of them got into the car, Bai Yichen quietly asked Lu Ming, “Can you share Chu Ruochun’s WeChat with me?”

Feng Qi glanced at him and asked, “Why do you need his WeChat?”

Bai Yichen inadvertently spoke the truth under Feng Qi’s cold gaze, “He’s interested in me.”

Lu Ming replied, “Isn’t he interested in me?”

Bai Yichen said, “He just complimented my appearance, not yours.”

Lu Ming teased, “With your unchanging blond hair for ages?”

Bai Yichen brushed off Lu Ming’s hand, saying, “You have no taste.”

Feng Qi sighed. It was clear to him that Chu Ruochun was actually interested in him.

—

After returning to Linjiang No. 1, Jiang Zirong began trending on social media. She didn’t miss the recording of the first episode of “Campus Genius” and showed impressive presence on the show, answering questions alongside the contestants, almost overshadowing all the other geniuses present!

Jiang Zirong’s fans began flooding Chu Ruochun’s Weibo with all sorts of insults.

㇐”Idiots, look at our Sister Rong. She’s effortlessly dominating the show! What mediocrity are they talking about? Complete BS!”

㇐”Sister Rong, sue him for defamation!”

㇐”Just a trash seeking attention.”

㇐”Trying so hard to become famous.”

㇐”Do you want to climb up by stepping on our Sister Rong? Have some shame! With that ghostly pale face of yours, who would even look at you? Kneel down and apologize to Sister Rong!”

Chu Ruochun calmly read through the reports related to Jiang Zirong. He then opened the first episode of “Campus Genius” and quickly understood what was going on.

Afterward, he posted a Weibo message.

[Chu Ruochun: Overuse of dark magic will backfire.]