Lin Xudong drove everyone back home.

Upon entering the house, Zhao Yi looked around and couldn’t help but sigh, "Lin Xiaoqing really is the epitome of beauty and wealth!"

Two floors!

He didn’t count how many bedrooms there were, but the living room was quite spacious, complete with a study and an extra-large balcony.

This was just too extravagant!

Zhao Yi half-laid himself down on the sofa, feeling a bit sour inside. If he hadn’t known Xiaoqing’s mother’s family was loaded, he would have suspected Lin Xudong’s character.

Zhao Hongjuan had gone out to buy groceries.

As soon as Lin Xudong entered, he went straight to his study.

Xiaoqing was very hospitable, bringing out snacks and drinks, and even got a laptop for Sun Liang.

Sun Liang waved his hand and refused it.

"No, I want to go for a walk." Sun Liang pointed out the window and asked, "Is that Phoenix Bay there? Since we’re here, why don’t we go to the park for a bit?"

As he spoke, he winked at Zhao Yi.

Zhao Yi pretended not to notice and lazily stood up. "Alright, let’s go together." He then looked at Lin Xiaoqing. "How about you join us?"

Xiaoqing nodded confusedly, "Okay."

Gao Yuan had no objections.

Impatient, Sun Liang grabbed Zhao Yi’s sleeve in the hallway. "Didn’t you get the signal?"

"Idiot!"

Zhao Yi cursed and went on.

As the four of them arrived at the entrance, Zhao Yi suddenly stopped and said to Lin Xiaoqing, "I just remembered I need to do something on your computer."

"You go ahead, the password is..."

"I can’t remember!"

Zhao Yi pulled Lin Xiaoqing upstairs and shouted without looking back, "Don’t wait for us, just go ahead!"

"Okay!"

Sun Liang finally understood.

Zhao Yi and Lin Xiaoqing went upstairs together, showing no sign of coming back down.

Zhao Yi sat back on the sofa, slightly slouched, playing with his phone. He scoffed at Sun Liang, "So stupid. Why didn’t you see that Gao Yuan wouldn’t go downstairs alone with you when I went down to help you?"

Lin Xiaoqing was a bit uneasy and awkwardly laughed along, feeling a bit nervous.

This was the first time she had been alone with Zhao Yi.

At school, there were always other people around. It wasn’t strange for them to talk and joke, but being alone in her home felt different and somewhat inappropriate.

Zhao Yi put down his phone and complained, "You’re really too much! Having your dad block me at the door, I already said I’d come!"

"Just admit it!"

Lin Xiaoqing exhaled and said disdainfully, "It’s a good thing my dad came. Otherwise, you’d definitely have gone home!"

"Is that what you think of me?"

Zhao Yi smiled and looked at her.

Normally, Lin Xiaoqing would have slapped him away, but instead, she just glared at him.

Zhao Yi found it interesting and moved closer, whispering, "I suddenly remembered, you still owe me a favor, right?"

Lin Xiaoqing couldn’t look him in the eye and suddenly changed her expression, clenching her fists, and said, "What do you want? This is my house!"

"Bring it on!"

She raised her head proudly and even pushed her chest forward.

"My short temper..."

Zhao Yi glanced around the corner and quickly moved one hand behind her and the other one reaching out. He only meant to scare Lin Xiaoqing, so his movement wasn’t too fast.

"You!"

Lin Xiaoqing dodged away and pushed his arm hard. Zhao Yi didn’t give up, and the two started playing around on the sofa.

Eventually, they held hands.

Lin Xiaoqing tickled Zhao Yi, who promptly retaliated. Highly sensitive, she lay half on the sofa, laughing uncontrollably.

"Ahem! Ahem!"

Two loud coughs.

Zhao Yi and Lin Xiaoqing quickly straightened up, pretending they hadn’t been doing anything. Zhao Yi slowly looked up to see Lin Xudong’s green face.

Lin Xudong softly reminded them, "Boys and girls should maintain propriety. Be mindful of your boundaries!"

"Dad~~!"

Lin Xiaoqing let out a sweet, embarrassed sound. "What are you talking about? We didn’t do anything just now!"

Zhao Yi calmly greeted Lin Xudong, "Uncle Lin, are you finished with your work?"

"Mhm."

Lin Xudong just gave a symbolic nod and cast an unsatisfied glance at Zhao Yi. He couldn’t say anything with his daughter there, so he just placed his computer on the coffee table and sat down on the other side of the sofa. He had come to supervise.

This was awkward.

Zhao Yi decided to stay silent and started playing a mobile game.

Lin Xiaoqing sat next to Lin Xudong, acting like a well-behaved daughter. "Dad, are you working on another case?"

Lin Xudong pointed at the screen, "A car accident. Can’t make a definitive judgment, so I’m asking if the criminal division has any ideas." He complained, "Nowadays, everything falls on the criminal division, even when we haven’t solved our own cases."

"What kind of car accident?" Lin Xiaoqing asked in a follow-up manner.

"Take a look."

Lin Xudong pointed to the screen, "At night, on a dirt road, without surveillance, someone was hit and killed. The body was lying by the side of the road, and four cars passed by. The drivers all said they ’felt like they ran over something,’ but they’re not sure."

"That road is really too narrow and bumpy, so even if they ran over a person, they’d think it was just the road."

Zhao Yi stopped playing on his phone and leaned over to glance at the screen. He was almost scared back by the image of the dead person’s head and body being run over by several cars, one of which was a small cargo truck...

Indescribable!

Lin Xudong suddenly looked at Zhao Yi, "Aren’t you into psychology?"

"Um, yeah?"

"Take a look at this." He patted the spot next to him, signaling Zhao Yi to come over, "Are any of these people lying?"

Zhao Yi sat down.

On the screen, several videos of drivers being questioned played. They recounted their driving experiences one by one, and their statements were quite similar, "Can’t remember, the road was very bumpy."

"It seemed like I ran over something?"

"I’m not sure!"

"The road was so narrow that the car swayed back and forth as it passed, who could imagine someone was lying in the grass..."

Lin Xiaoqing asked, "What if they can’t find out who hit the person?"

Lin Xudong shook his head, "Everyone would share the responsibility. Usually, it’s handled like this. As for who has more responsibility, it’s up to the traffic police department to decide. We’re just helping to see if anyone is lying."

He looked at Zhao Yi as he spoke.

Zhao Yi stared at the screen, thinking. He suddenly asked Lin Xudong, "Are there any other clues?"

"What clues do you want?"

Lin Xudong closed the videos and photos, found the folder for the case, and opened each file for Zhao Yi to see, "The relationships between the drivers and the deceased, two of them are from the same village, and the person driving the cargo truck might also know the deceased."

"Also, photos of the cars, the tires that might have run over the deceased... "

"The autopsy report shows that the deceased died from being drunk. He probably got too intoxicated to tell where he was and ended up lying by the side of the road..."

Zhao Yi propped his chin with one hand, thinking and standing up. He crossed his hands and said seriously, "The truth —"

"There’s only one!"

"??"

"??"

Lin Xudong and his daughter looked at him confusedly.

Zhao Yi cursed inwardly at the uncooperative crowd, but maintained a serious expression, "The person driving the cargo truck is lying."

"Also..."

"This is a case of murder!"

Lin Xiaoqing was stumped for a while before bursting into laughter, "Zhao Yi, have you been watching too much Detective Conan?"

Lin Xudong also laughed.

Zhao Yi glared at Lin Xiaoqing, feeling stifled. If it weren’t for Lin Xudong being there, he would definitely place Lin Xiaoqing on his lap and give her buttocks a merciless spanking.

Slap, slap, slap!

For not cooperating!

He shook his head and sat back down to explain, "When the cargo truck driver spoke, his pupils constricted and the corners of his eyes trembled. He was clearly very worried and afraid, but he was lying the whole time."

"Why did he only say he didn’t know?"

"Even if he was the first to run over the person, it would’ve only been a traffic accident. Given the road conditions, and the fact that the deceased was drunk and lying on the side of the road, with half his body covered in weeds, there’s no way to know which car caused the direct death, etc. His responsibility isn’t great."

"His reaction was excessive. There must be some problem."

"I think you can check if there are any fingerprints or DNA from the cargo truck driver on the deceased. Maybe he had contact with the deceased that day?"

Zhao Yi carefully explained his reasoning.

Lin Xudong listened with a puzzled expression, unsure whether to believe him or not. But after thinking it over, he picked up his phone and dialed a number.

He went to the balcony to make the call.

Lin Xiaoqing gave Zhao Yi a thumbs up, "You’re really good at making up stories; even my dad believed you."

"What kind of remark is that!"

Zhao Yi looked up at Lin Xudong and slapped Lin Xiaoqing on her meatiest part with all his strength.

Slap!

Lin Xiaoqing’s face turned red with shame and anger. She glanced at Lin Xudong and didn’t dare to make a scene, so she could only glare at Zhao Yi angrily.

"That was refreshing!" 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Zhao Yi sat back down in a good mood.