The entire Major Crimes Unit was buzzing with the news: Captain Ji had brought back a suspicious suspect who… acted cute—and was even a guy. Shen Qi choked on a tapioca pearl from his milk tea, dropped the cup, and rushed over to witness it firsthand.

Although the murder had taken place at Ling Lie’s residence, current evidence didn’t definitively prove he was the killer. He was temporarily brought to the interrogation room. The same female officer who had previously taken Shao Ling’s statement even asked Ji Chenjiao if they should also prepare a can of Wangzai Milk for Ling Lie.

Ji Chenjiao: “……”

Most people suddenly stopped by police go through stages—confusion, fear, anger. The real killer often either talks too much or plays dumb. But Ling Lie had stayed calm from beginning to end. Even when told that a corpse had been found in his home and that he was now a prime suspect, he merely raised one brow, paused for two seconds, then said, “Oh, so I seem like the killer?”

The sun was already sinking in the west, casting golden light through the plum blossoms into his deep brown eyes tinged with red. Relaxed. Indifferent. He really did seem like a charming sociopath.

Ji Chenjiao said, “I need you to come with me to the station and explain where you were last night and what you were doing.”

Ling Lie nodded, pressed his hands together, and offered them up toward Ji Chenjiao.

Ji Chenjiao: “Handcuffs? That’s not necessary.”

“Oh.” Ling Lie withdrew his hands, smiling. “My bad. Thought you were gonna cuff me.”

When Qiang Chunliu and the other aunties saw this, they immediately ran over.

“What are you doing? Why are you taking Xiao Ling?” Chunliu demanded.

The aunties insisted on an explanation. Ji Chenjiao had no choice but to say that Ling Lie was needed for assistance in an investigation.

Chunliu wasn’t reassured and stood protectively in front of Ling Lie. “He’s a good young man. I’ll vouch for him!”

The aunties were fierce. In the end, it was Ling Lie who managed to calm Chunliu down and persuade her to go home.

Once in the police car, Ling Lie suddenly said, “I’ve seen you before.”

Ji Chenjiao feigned ignorance. “Oh? I don’t recall.”

“You’re in charge, right?” Ling Lie said.

“Yeah. Captain of the Major Crimes Unit,” Ji replied.

To his surprise, Ling Lie sighed. “Captain of the Major Crimes Unit, with poor memory and poor observation. Your skills can’t be that impressive. My future’s not looking great.”

This was the first time Ji Chenjiao had his competence questioned by a suspect. He tilted his head and studied Ling Lie, who didn’t seem the least bit fazed by the scrutiny.

“Strange that I’m worried?” Ling Lie said calmly. “I didn’t kill anyone, but someone set me up and now I’m homeless. I need you guys to clear my name. But if the captain doesn’t even remember seeing me, how can I trust him to do that?”

The officer driving couldn’t help but snort with laughter. Ji Chenjiao’s face darkened. “You’re something else.”

“People say that about me a lot,” Ling Lie said cheerfully. “Life’s short. Gotta enjoy it.”

Maybe it was the car ride that annoyed him, but Ji Chenjiao didn’t offer him any Wangzai Milk. Ling Lie asked for a cup of coffee instead. “Let’s hurry this up. I’m getting sleepy.”

Shen Qi, watching from the surveillance feed, was fuming. This guy’s really got some nerve. Flirting with my brother?!

Ji Chenjiao asked, “Sleepy? Didn’t get any sleep last night?”

“Exactly. Should’ve just stayed home last night. If I had, I wouldn’t be sitting here now.”

“Where did you go last night?” Ji asked.

“Night ride on my bike. Around 3 a.m. I caught a movie, then slept in the theater till morning. One of the janitors woke me up for work.” Ling Lie patted his own shoulder. “I even have the ticket stub… oh, wait, it’s in my bag. You guys took it.”

Xi Wan’s voice came through the earpiece: “Boss, there’s a stub. Movie started at 3:15, ended at 5:00. Lanlong Cinema, Wanbin Road in East District.”

Ji Chenjiao said, “Xieyang Road is in the North District. You went all the way to the East District in the middle of the night just to see a movie? By bike?”

“Personal preference. I like to roam the city when it’s asleep.” Ling Lie answered leisurely. “A city only reveals its true face to night owls. Plus…” he smiled, “it’s spring. The flowers smell stronger at night.”

Shen Qi clenched his fist. “Bro! He’s lying!”

To any listener, this would sound like an attempt to cover something up—or bait the police. But Ji Chenjiao appeared to be taking it seriously.

“What areas did you ‘roam’ last night?” he asked.

“Hm…” Ling Lie cupped his chin and listed seven streets, three neighborhoods, and more than a dozen restaurants and shops along the way.

Ji Chenjiao kept watching his eyes as a mental city map lit up in his brain—street by street, from north to south. It matched perfectly, even down to traffic lights.

Shen Qi checked the map on his tablet and was stunned. “He remembered all of it?”

At that moment, Ji Chenjiao was certain: Ling Lie wasn’t ordinary. That level of recall meant professional training. Could he really be just a drifter who memorized an entire city on one bike ride?

“I really didn’t kill anyone,” Ling Lie said. “You’ll see me on the theater cameras. I go to late-night shows a lot. I’ve got plenty of ticket stubs.”

Ji asked, “Why?”

“Sometimes I ride too far, and I’m too tired to go home. Hotels are expensive, I only need two or three hours of sleep. Can’t stand smoke in internet cafés, massage parlors get raided. Theaters are the most comfortable.”

Since the clues were still too thin, Ji Chenjiao didn’t bother pushing logical contradictions for now. He moved on. “After you left the theater, where did you go? Did you join the aunties then?”

“No, I had work in the morning,” Ling Lie replied, hands on the table, looking very cooperative. “Bet you couldn’t tell—I’m a volunteer at a kindergarten.”

“A kindergarten?” Ji was immediately alert. “Which one?”

“Moonflower Kindergarten. It’s just a street over from Xieyang Road. It’s run by the neighborhood. Their braised pork buns are amazing.”

“You take care of kids? You like children?” Ji Chenjiao narrowed his eyes.

Ling Lie blinked. “Captain Ji, are you really capable of clearing me? I’m starting to worry again.”

Ji Chenjiao: “?”

“I already told you. Their buns are good. That’s why I go. You’re asking again?”

Shen Qi was ready to explode from the surveillance room. “You—you—you!” But Ling Lie couldn’t hear him anyway.

“Alright, I’ll verify all this.” Ji Chenjiao kept his cool. “You don’t usually keep your phone on?”

“Just a habit. Turn it on only when I need it. Supposedly makes the battery last longer.”

“Ever lose your keys?”

“No. But my landlord might have.”

Ji Chenjiao continued asking about other jobs Ling Lie had held besides the kindergarten and the waist drum troupe. Ling Lie answered smoothly: he claimed he was born in Xiarong City but moved abroad with his parents in elementary school. His parents were into shady business—black-market tourism. He helped them out until they died. Afterward, he struggled a bit, couldn’t survive abroad, and returned home.

But Xiarong City had changed. He lost touch with all his relatives. He wandered a bit, then decided to settle in Xiarong. Rent was cheap on Xieyang Road, gig jobs were easy to find. He’d done delivery, repairs, even worked at an auto shop—switching jobs whenever the novelty wore off.

People who treat life like a game do exist, but it’s still unusual. And considering his involvement in a murder case, plus his uncanny memory and observational skills, he looked suspicious as hell.

Ji Chenjiao filed a request to hold him temporarily. Ling Lie nodded understandingly. “Makes sense. What’s for dinner?”

The interrogation ended. Shen Qi charged into the room. “You’re still thinking about food?!”

Ling Lie glanced at him. “Cops don’t feed suspects? I’ll make a scene.”

Shen Qi was ready to blow. “Just wait—I’m going to find your weak spot!”

Ji Chenjiao waved him off. “We’ll feed you. Any requests?”

Ling Lie: “Can I order McDonald’s? I’ve got coupons. You can use them—save some money.”
Ji Chenjiao: “……”

Ling Lie said, “There’s a McDonald’s right across from the city bureau. It’s supposedly the first one in Xiarong City.”

Ji Chenjiao gave a short laugh. “You sure know a lot.”

“That’s because I’m a loyal fan of chicken wings.” Ling Lie tried to get his phone back to show Ji Chenjiao the discount coupons. Ji waved him off, telling him to just sit tight.

Ling Lie was indeed obedient. The moment Ji Chenjiao left, he sprawled out on the sofa and hugged himself to sleep. A few minutes in, he felt cold and asked for a blanket to cover himself.

“This guy’s way too chill. He’s more comfortable here than in a hotel,” Xi Wan clicked her tongue in amazement, then brought Ji Chenjiao another update—Ji Zhan had just called to say that he absolutely couldn’t find the key to apartment 4-2, even though he distinctly remembered not losing it.

“Then it’s lost,” Ji Chenjiao said, resting his forehead on his right hand. There were two major investigative leads at this point. One: Ling Lie was the killer—his behavior was bizarre, and it was possible he was deliberately misleading the police. Two: someone else was the killer and had framed Ling Lie by stealing Ji Zhan’s key at some point.

But why would Ling Lie want to kill Huang Xuntong? And why would an unknown killer frame Ling Lie? Why did Huang Xuntong undergo a complete personality shift three years ago? None of these questions had answers yet.

They’d have to start with the basics.

Not long after, the chicken wing combo Ji Chenjiao had ordered arrived. Ling Lie had been deep asleep, but the moment the smell hit his nose, he sat bolt upright. His hair was messy from sleep, and his eyes were still a bit hazy.

His movements, however, were anything but sluggish. He swiftly opened the food packet with the kind of practiced efficiency that reminded Ji Chenjiao of the stray cats that roamed their neighborhood.

Those cats treated the neighborhood like their home. Give them anything, and they’d be satisfied. They loved to wander. Honestly, Ling Lie with his late-night bike rides wasn’t that different.

Ling Lie even put on gloves before eating, but as he reached for a wing, he paused slightly and looked up to flash Ji Chenjiao a pure, harmless smile. “Thanks, Captain Ji.”

There was a particular cat that would always meow at Ji Chenjiao after receiving food, so the other cats would steal its kibble while it was distracted. Ji Chenjiao often ended up giving that cat extra so it could eat in peace.

For a moment, Ji Chenjiao found himself wondering if that cat had been cunning—like Ling Lie. Did it meow on purpose just to get more food?

Ling Lie was already digging in, clearly enjoying himself. The air filled with the smell of fried food. Ji Chenjiao wasn’t a fan—he didn’t understand how anyone could enjoy chicken wings so much. Greasy, heavy, unhealthy. What was the appeal?

As Ji Chenjiao watched him eat, Ling Lie looked up again. “Captain Ji, you want some?”

Ji Chenjiao’s eye twitched. He hadn’t wanted any—just like a person would never think of trying cat food. But suddenly, he had the urge to tease this guy.

“Mind giving me one?”

Ling Lie looked visibly confused. He didn’t say no, but it was obvious he didn’t want to share—after all, it was a single-person combo.

Ji Chenjiao felt satisfied. He reached into the box, took a wing, and walked out, closing the door behind him.