Guangxi University, class 17, 11:21 AM.
A dead silence was spreading its wide wings between the rows of students. Their eyes were all directed toward their tall handsome professor who was explaining the lesson vividly. He was writing on the electronic board confidently the solution to a complicated math issue that was nothing but a game in front of his outstanding genuineness.
The sound of upcoming steps jolted a girl awake from her sweet dreams with Qian Deming, so she directed her eyes toward the opened door.
Knock knock.
Qian Deming's hand stopped writing as he moved his attractive fox eyes toward the entrance.
It was Ye Xiao Xie with two policemen. One of them was holding a red file between his hands and the other, a little notebook.
When the students saw them the absolute silence started breaking bit by bit. Qian Deming noticed that things started getting out of hand, so he wore an indifferent expression and requested hoarsely, "Stop talking. Let's complete the answer first." His eyes landed on Ye Xiao Xie and his companions just to add, "My time is priceless…" His tone was so serious that even one of the two policemen murmured to Ye Xiao Xie, "Let's wait for him a little… I mean, we shouldn't cut off his students now, it's against the rules after all."
Ye Xiao Xie turned a deaf ear to his words and walked in. "Put in mind that I'm the rules here, not him," he said with full confidence.
Qian Deming kept explaining the lesson as if he did not see anyone, but Ye Xiao Xie stood in front of his desk and smirked hypocritically, "Hello, Professor Qian. Could you give us some minutes of your "priceless" time and sit down to talk a little?"
Qian Deming kept facing him with his back. He didn't stop writing as he said coldly, "Come back after the class finishes."
"I refuse. Our time is also priceless, so we must talk now. If you're not willing then I'll use some roughness" Ye Xiao Xie said straightforwardly as he kept his fake smile.
Qian Deming decided not to give a shit about him and turned around to face his students.
"If you finished writing this down, Let's go to page 230, now"
Ye Xiao Xie started getting nervous about his provoking moves, so he faced the students and said in a high tone, "I want to talk to your teacher now. If anyone stays here one more minute, we won't hesitate to arrest you all."
In the blink of an eye, the large hall became empty.
Ye Xiao Xie sat cross-legged on Qian Deming's chair and said, "Your dear students are quite obedient. No wonder they were listening to you quietly. Now come sit down…Oh, I forgot that I sat on your chair hahaha…" He noticed the freezing look that Qian Deming pierced him with, so he looked him up and down before he added, "Don't tell me that you're planning to continue the session without students"
Still speechless, Qian Deming stepped forward and sat on his desk. He crossed his slender legs next to Ye Xiao Xie's face and said after wearing a challenging look, "And who told you that the session is finished?" He bent down and offered him a fake smile, "I mean, I can also teach some morals."
Ye Xiao Xie frowned at him.
"You've got a sharp tongue…"
The first policeman entered with a pen and a notebook in his hands. But, when he noticed the weird mood between the two of them, he hesitated for a while and asked, "Detective Ye… are we going to start now?"
Ye Xiao Xie kept fixing the man in front of him with his gaze as he answered, "Of course, we will. I'll ask this sharp-tongued man personally."
Qian Deming took out his pocket watch and said, "Alright, ask whatever you want. However, you only have fifteen minutes."
Ye Xiao Xie gave the other policeman the sign to move toward him.
"Alright, let's get to the essentials." Ye Xiao Xie leaned comfortably on the chair and asked, "Professor Qian, can you tell how the relationship you had with your deceased student, Feng Xuan was?"
Qian Deming answered straight away, "Nothing special, he was just respectful, hard-working, and like a little brother. Sigh… It was such a loss for him to die that way…"
Ye Xiao Xie's eyes narrowed as he raised his hand and ordered the policeman behind him, "Good… Now give it to me please."
The policeman handed him the file.
"Alright, let's have a look at this." He said sarcastically and handed him a picture from it, "Is this red baby yours?"
Qian Deming took it between his hands and answered calmly, "Yes, it is." He grinned at him and put down the picture, "Did you like it? I can give it to you as a gift if you wish to. After all, I started getting bored from riding it"
Ye Xiao Xie puffed a sarcastic laugh and said, "Just keep it to yourself and tell me, what was your beautiful car doing yesterday at 9:40 AM next to Ling Huan Beach?"
Qian Deming kept his smile as he answered coldly, "I was just passing by when I saw your cars parked there. I knew that it was something urgent, so I stayed there to watch." He removed his glasses and started cleaning them, "I become a little curious when it comes to such things..."
"Alright, Mr. "Curious"." Ye Xiao Xie took out another picture, "Look at this one too"
Qian Deming examined it as well and before he could say anything the man below him asked, "You are a rich man, so I think that you'll be able to tell me if this Air Jordan is real or not so easily."
"Just ask me your question directly, no need for any downs or ups" The man stopped for a while and added, "I was the one who bought it for him on his birthday two days ago, why are you asking for such a thing? Are you jealous? I can send you one on your birthday too."
"Hahaha, how funny…" Ye Xiao Xie mocked him, "Just keep it for yourself as well. What kind of teachers buy their students shoes and gifts on their birthdays?"
Qian Deming smiled, "The rich ones like me of course." he put back his glasses and added, "He was a good student with very good grades, so I…"
"But why him and not the others?" Ye Xiao Xie cut him off. He put the results of the last semester on the desk and added, "Look here, isn't he the third one in class with a result of 92.1/100? There are already two girls before him, so why not them?"
Qian Deming's smile started fading away little by little. He frowned at him and asked, "Could you please be more specific in your questions? What are you trying to say with all of this?"
"Nervous? No, please don't. At least for now…" Ye Xiao Xie stood up. He gave him a malicious look and added, "We are just chatting here, plus, aren't you a math professor? you should be used to indirect questions…" He started stepping around him slowly as he talked, "Feng Xuan was a handsome quiet young man. He was also a pretty obedient youngster who came from a poor background… I think that meeting such a good man like you was a great blessing for him, or is there something that I don't know about?"
Since the conversation reached that point, Qian Deming understood everything. That detective was trying to say that he was profiting Feng Xuan sexually. So, he tried to keep his composure and moved his pink lips calmly, "Sigh… Are you trying to say that I'm a perverted teacher, or what?"
"You've guessed the first part right…" Ye Xiao Xie stood behind him and added, "Compared to your face, you're really smart…"
"Oh, I was about to say the opposite about you…" He said mockingly, "Why would you assume that I'm in such a relationship with my student?"
Ye Xiao Xie leaned against the desk from the opposite so their backs were facing each other now. He took out a cigarette, but as soon as Qian Deming noticed him, he frowned at him and requested, "Do not smoke here. We are in a class, Mr. "Laws"."
The smoker watched him for a while before he put back his cigarette in its bag.
"I assumed that judging by the victim's relative's statements." Ye Xiao Xie looked at him coldly, "Feng Xuan's mother said that he was receiving many calls from someone, and each time she heard him talking to them, she would notice how her son's face got pale. That person, or people, were forcing him to meet them, and the teenage boy did not have any choice but to do as they told him."
"Moreover, one of his friends announced that you seemed to be so interested in him, and you've always liked to stay alone with him and take him on dates…"
Qian Deming had long since stopped smiling. he faced him with a cold look as he supported himself with his hands and leaned backward, "I and Feng Xuan were nothing but a teacher and his student. I won't repeat this sentence because you're not deaf." He stopped for a while and then asked, "Tell me, have you found that criminal that troubled you for more than two years, so you started working on new issues? If that's not so, then I'll be happy to tell you that you are just screwing up things here."
Qian Deming got down from the desk and sat on his empty chair cross-legged. He wore his usual smile again, "You policemen are nothing but toys between the hands of your secret bosses. You've nothing to do but lick black boots and kiss old asses… Tell me, if you were a good independent detective, why would a stupid serial killer trouble you for more than two years? I mean he killed enough victims, but what did you do about it?"
Ye Xiao Xie's heart skipped a beat when he heard his poison-like words. It was as if the man behind him hit it right where it hurts, so he gathered his hand into a rough fist without anyone's notice and tried to acknowledge the bitter truth. He didn't turn around to face him even if the latter was crossing all his private lines. As a result, Qian Deming got bolder and added, "Instead of focusing on the case, you're offering your mind the trouble to think about things that'll only make it more complicated, and that's so bad for your current state…" he was gathering his long hair into a horsetail, so he started playing with its end between his fingers, "Detective Ye, your ways of solving cases are so odd. However, I don't think that it's because of your stupidity…" he narrowed his eyes, "There should be another reason for sure…"
The policemen behind them started looking at each other surprisingly without uttering a single voice.
Just who investigates the other now?
Ye Xiao Xie's voice didn't sound for a long while. He got down from the desk and ordered, "Alright, time for us to go. We've gathered enough information. Just go first, I'll follow you later."
Both men looked at each other for a long while before they nodded at him and headed out.
Ye Xiao Xie stepped forward and stood in front of him as he gave him a sharp look, "Talking to me like that, You've got balls indeed…" He bent down to make the distance between their noses not even longer than a needle. "Do you think that you are so funny? Stop messing around with us, today, I came here just to warn you. Whatever relationship you've had with him, it doesn't concern me. At least currently…, All I want to know is what were you doing at the crime scene that morning? What are you up to?"
Qian Deming put his hand on Ye Xiao Xie's shoulder and surprised him by placing his lips next to his ear. He whispered with a hot breath that made Ye Xiao Xie's mind halt for a second, "I'm planning to free the ones like you and change this world, little handsome one…"
At first, when Qian Deming charged toward him, Ye Xiao Xie's mind thought that that man was trying to do something worse. Therefore, he was speechless for a long while before his mind finally reacted and pushed him back.
"Talk properly."
Qian Deming laughed as he gave him a cunning look, "But you're the one who started, you were close enough to arouse me with that handsome face of yours…"
Ye Xiao Xie, "..."
"Hey! Are you gay?"
Qian Deming started laughing. He stood up slowly, "No, I'm not... I'm just a perverted teacher as you assumed earlier…"
Ye Xiao Xie kept looking at him for a while before he said, "Stop meddling with things that are none of your concern." He narrowed his eyes and added with a smirk, "And if you keep interfering with our business, then just consider it as if you're playing with fire." He walked away and before he opened the door he puffed a sarcastic laugh, "Also, I suggest you change your beautiful car's number… It'll cause you many problems the next few days''
Qian Deming started gathering his stuff and then said arrogantly, "Save that advice for yourself. Why should I change the number when I have more than sixty cars?"
Ye Xiao Xie rolled his eyes as he muttered under his breath, "What an arrogant peacock" With that, he slammed the door.
Qian Deming rolled his eyes and took out his phone which started vibrating after the latter got out.
"Hello, old man~"
"Stop calling me that, you pampered brat!" Professor Hiu's voice was enraged as always, "The results are out now. Come to my lab right away, I have something to tell you."
Qian Deming's expression changed immediately, he smiled viciously.
"Oh, finally… I'll be there by the evening."
*************
After having that blood-boiling conversation with such a spoiled man like Qian Deming, Ye Xiao Xie was so enraged that he wasn't able to focus on his work. For some reason, he felt as if that man was aware of many things. He thought about his words from earlier as he leaned against his desk in frustration.
…if he was a good detective, those new victims wouldn't die.
He would've caught the murderer in no time and handed him to justice…What a big loser he was!
Ye Xiao Xie cursed under his breath, "Fuck this all…" He sighed when he suddenly remembered something. He unlocked his drawer and took out a piece of paper from it.
"play the genius and all of them will die"
Those were the words that the policeman who tried to kill him showed him that day. They were also the reason for every death XTXD caused in the last two years…
Ye Xiao Xie looked at the paper for a while before he tore it angrily and drew its shattered remains away. At the same time, the door opened and a bunch of paper was slammed heavily on his desk. Sing Tao sat down and took a deep breath, "Those are so heavy… It took me all this time to finish extracting the ones you asked me for"
"Good job, Sing Tao…" Ye Xiao Xie started separating the mountain of papers into little groups.
Sing Tao's peach blossom eyes shined in happiness as she stayed still, "You said I did a good job?! So, can I have some rest now?"
"No." Ye Xiao Xie smiled at her.
The girl leaned back on the chair in big frustration, "Damn it! You lied to me again…"
"hahaha… That's what I should always do with you so that you fight that laziness of yours"
Sing Tao removed her glasses and showed him her dark circles, "Look at this! Even my poor eyes are no longer as charming as they used to be, and you still have the mind to laugh!"
Ye Xiao Xie started examining the papers one by one as he moved his sharp lips calmly, "Why are you so upset about it? Xian Wen Tian has got circles bigger than yours, and he did not complain about it"
"He is a MAN!" Sing Tao uttered, "He doesn't care about it even if they cover his face. You don't care about your looks the same as us, women!"
For some reason, her words blew along with them the picture of Qian Deming to his mind. He puffed a sarcastic laugh and said between his teeth, "If you saw that bastard, you'll reconsider your words…"
"Sorry?"
Ye Xiao Xie shook his head "Oh, nothing…" His eyes landed on the picture of a young boy as he asked, "Are you sure that all the people here were wearing black clothes during the performance?"
Sing Tao nodded lazily while closing her eyes.
Ye Xiao Xie leaned against the chair as he read the information about each person there. After a while of silence, his phone started ringing. It was Xian Wen Tian.
"Hi, what's up with the anatomy results?"
"The file is with Ying Yang Li. She's about to reach the department. However, there is something odd that the doctors noticed about his corpse… " Xian Wen said, "They found a bunch of animal hair inside his nose and between his teeth"
Upon hearing that, Ye Xiao Xie frowned as he gave it a thought.
"Could it be a coincidence?" Xian Wen asked from the other line, "I mean if you still remember, we've also found it on the previous victim's clothes"
Ye Xiao Xie didn't answer him after a long while of silence. He stood up and asked, "Wait… Which animal's hair was it?"
"I'm not sure, it could be a cat or a dog. However, the doctors said that there is a very big chance for it to be a cat."
"Okay just hang up now, I'll think about that more."
Sing Tao was waiting for them to finish just to ask surprisingly, "Since when XTXD started putting animal hair on his victims?"
"Since this summer" Ye Xiao Xie answered in a serious tone. He opened the door and ordered her, "Inform the others that I'm not available this day. I'll go to the archives… the thing that I was doubting is about to turn real…"
"What thing?"
Ye Xiao Xie turned around and said, "We are dealing with a different problem this summer."
**********
In the middle of the city where no one sleeps at night, a white range rover parked next to a high building.
A tall bodyguard got out of it and opened the backdoor for Qian Deming. This last one was only wearing a simple red shirt, broad black trousers, and Buscemi 100mm diamond** sneakers. His tall long hair was covering his fair back like a long black curtain this time.
Note: **It's an extremely expensive type of sneaker. u may google it for more info.
He left behind him the man to guard the car like a rough mountain and entered the building alone.
"Hey, Oldie~ Could you open the door?~" Qian Deming called next to an apartment on the fourth floor.
When the door opened, the first thing he received was a rough hit on his head, after that an old hand dragged him angrily inside.
"How many times did I tell you to stop calling me that? I'm just 50 years old… I'm only 21 years older than you!" Professor Hiu said, "Also when you come to my apartment, knock on the door. No need to raise suspicions! Do you want my wife to kill me?"
Qian Deming started laughing, he smiled at him and said, "Okay, okay. I won't do it again." he stroked his head and closed one eye in pain, "That indeed hurts, Ouchie…"
Hiu Kong rolled his eyes and walked towards his desk. He brought him the transparent bottle of that day and said, "This poison was quite hard to deal with… it's composed of many lethal substances, the thing that made it so hard for me to decompose it easily."
Upon hearing his words, Qian Deming's childish face changed to a serious one. He took the bottle between his hands and said, "Tell me, what are its components?"
Hiu Kong sat on his desk heavily and answered, "It has the HF, and it's the one that destroys the insides of the victim. It also has some of the As and the Pb…" He handed him some papers and added, "This list made me so confused, it was gathered weirdly. somehow, they managed to merge those three monsters but also they forbid them from interacting, which needs high experience and precise tools. Therefore, there are two possibilities…"
Qian Deming took a look at the document as he asked, "The poison either came from an American lab or a secret lab here in China…" his hand tightened around the file, as his face darkened clearly. he murmured loathingly "America…"
Upon noticing the young man's expression, Hiu Kong stood up and put his hand on his shoulder as he said, "I'm sorry… I did not mean to…"
Qian Deming shook his head and faked a smile, "No it's okay… I'm not traumatized to that extent" He was about to add something when he suddenly started sneezing.
"Do you have any… achoo! Any cats here?"
Professor Hiu shook his head, "Of course not. You know clearly that I hate them"
Qian Deming's eyes landed on Professor Hiu's shoulder just to notice a black little hair on it and pointed at it.
Hiu Kong removed it as he said, "I think that that's the one I removed from the bottle that day and because I haven't changed my clothes since then, it kept being stuck on me…"
Qian Deming took out a tissue and wiped his nose, "You've found it in the bottle of poison?"
"No… It was just stuck on the cap. I drew it away and I did not think that it would stay and wait until you come and show up again. Hahaha, how unlucky could you be?"
Qian Deming wasn't able to stop sneezing, so he put the poison back in his hand and said, "Keep this one with you… I'll need it later…"
"And why would you need such a thing later?"
Qian Deming smiled and said, "Nothing major… Just for fun" He was about to get out when he heard Hiu Kong say, "This smile of yours is something that frightens me. Whenever I see it I know that you are up to some sort of calamity…" He stopped for a while and added, "Whatever you're up to, just pay attention… The police are not something that you can play with any time you like"
Qian Deming nodded without looking back and closed the door behind him.
///
After reaching his house late at night. A young man with a black suit welcomed Qian Deming with a warm smile, "Welcome back, Master Qian. I hope that you had a good day… The flower bath is ready…" he removed Qian Deming's glasses and started cleaning them before he placed them inside their box. "There is also a chocolate sundae waiting for you there just the way you like… I hope you'll enjoy it."
Qian Deming removed his shirt and wore a golden Vicuna Nightwear robe. He walked to the bathroom and the young man followed him silently.
The water was so warm, and Qian Deming's body was so charming that it seemed to be a beautiful mural inside that bathtub. The young man was brushing his black strands softly while their owner was enjoying his expensive chocolate dish.
After a while of silence, Qian Deming asked, "Shen Yuan, did she visit today?"
Shen Yuan kept fiddling his hair as he answered, "No, Young Master Qian… She did not." he was about to add something when a woman's voice came from behind the door, "Young Master Qian, a young woman is asking to see you "
Qian Deming gave Shen Yuan the sign to let her in.
The sound of high heels started getting closer bit by bit until the woman entered.
Qian Deming put aside the half-eaten cake and took a lemon juice instead, he asked her, "Two days no see, could you explain this?"
The woman's face was not so obvious since she was standing far away from the candles, she was silent for a while before she answered, "I'm sorry Young Master Qian… It's just because I didn't get the chance to get out from the PSD the last days in time… In one of the surveillance cameras, the suspect appeared while wearing black clothes… However, his face wasn't so obvious. Therefore, Ye Xiao Xie gave me the order to extract all the people that were wearing black clothes in the performance. "
"He's still messing around, huh?" Qian Deming leaned inside the flowers-covered water comfortably, he moved his tall legs seductively and said in a hoarse voice, "I see… So is there any news? Did our genius hero find out anything new? Come closer, so that I can hear you clearly, Miss Sing Tao"
Sing Tao walked three steps closer and stopped. Her face had become obvious and her dark circles did not reduce a single bit as she answered, "He did… He's about to solve the case"