Chapter 143

Chapter 143

When Wen Miao found Nan Mu, he was sitting alone on a bench by the lake.

Hearing Wen Miao call his name, he raised a hand and pressed his index finger to his lips, signaling for her to be quiet.

Wen Miao noticed the earbud hooked over his ear and immediately realized he was listening in on Director Wu. She sat down quietly beside him and waited.

Only after another ten minutes or so did he turn to glance at her. “Done talking?”

Wen Miao nodded. A bone-deep chill gleamed in her pitch-black eyes.

After Nan Mu listened to the whole story, he said thoughtfully, “I agree with your deduction. And starting now, it would be best not to let Cheng Jiamin leave your sight.”

Wen Miao froze, then glanced nervously at Cheng Jiamin, who was still standing in the distance wiping her tears. “Why? Did you hear something?”

Nan Mu shook his head. “He’s very cautious. It sounded like he made a phone call, but all the wording was vague. I couldn’t pick up any useful information.”

Wen Miao let out a breath. “Then why did you suddenly say that? I thought… You scared me.”

“I’m not trying to scare you.” Nan Mu pressed his thin lips together, his cold gaze as frosty as snow. “Four whole years. Cheng Jiamin won’t be the first, and she definitely won’t be the last. The fact that he’s kept this going for so long without things spiraling out of control proves he is not someone easy to fool… Whether or not Wen Tangtang finally gave in and revealed who told her about this, Director Wu may not simply sit back and wait. How do you know his sudden decision to seek out Cheng Jiamin isn’t a kind of test?”

An inexplicable fear rose in Wen Miao. Her heart clenched as if an icy snake were crawling up her spine.

“Cheng Jiamin said Director Wu sometimes entertains those guests at a private residence. It’s the only fixed location she knows of. Do you think we should try going there to look for Wen Tangtang and the others?” As Wen Miao spoke, she looked up at Cheng Jiamin again. “Or should we take her with us?”

Nan Mu followed her gaze and swept his eyes over Cheng Jiamin. “Better not. Wen Tangtang only got into trouble yesterday. Cheng Jiamin and the others are exactly the people under suspicion right now. If she comes with us, she and we will only be exposed faster.”

Wen Miao frowned with worry. “Then what do we do? Should I have her go back to the dorm? Tell her she can’t leave?”

“Director Wu is her department head, after all. If he wants to call Cheng Jiamin out, it would be too easy.”

He would not even need threats or coercion. All he had to do was casually come up with some academic excuse, and even in full view of everyone, Cheng Jiamin would have no choice but to go.

“The best option is to split up. You stay with Cheng Jiamin. If Director Wu makes any move, you may be able to get information through her.” As Nan Mu spoke, he took the earbud off his ear and gently hooked it over Wen Miao’s. “I’ll go to the place Cheng Jiamin mentioned.”

Wen Miao was worried. She caught Nan Mu’s hand as he adjusted the earbud for her. “Going alone is too dangerous, isn’t it? Cheng Jiamin said that place is guarded by a lot of big, burly men.”

Nan Mu patted the back of Wen Miao’s hand soothingly. “Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing. Nothing will happen.”

Though unease still lingered in Wen Miao’s heart, she also knew that given the current situation, Nan Mu’s plan was already the best option.

After Nan Mu finished setting up the earbud, he stood. “Oh, right. Don’t go to the dorm, and don’t go anywhere acquaintances can easily find you. If Director Wu approaches you in his capacity as a teacher, you won’t be able to refuse. Classmates who don’t know the truth can’t become weapons to protect you. They’ll only become accomplices for the villain.”

Wen Miao had the distinct feeling that a storm was coming. Her heart pounded wildly. “Then… should I take her off campus?”

Nan Mu thought for a moment. “We don’t know whether Director Wu has accomplices. If someone is following Cheng Jiamin, it won’t be good for the two of you to end up isolated either… Do you know where the School Mystery Club meets?”
Wen Miao blinked. “You mean that club for… what was it, murder mystery games…?”

Nan Mu listened and pressed a hand to his forehead. “Yes. The Mystery Club that’s always dragging people in to play murder mystery games.”

“Oh, I know that one. I’ve seen posts about it on Moments before.”

Nan Mu said, “Then go to the Mystery Club later and look for Qiu Ziyu or Wang Zheng. Just tell them you’re my friend.”

Wen Miao was curious. “So you used to be a member of the Mystery Club?”

Nan Mu nodded somewhat helplessly. “I didn’t go often, but technically, yes. I have a lounge in the club. The passcode is 0771. If you see Qiu Ziyu or Wang Zheng, have them take you there. If neither of them is around, just look for it yourself.”

Wen Miao nodded. “Okay.”

===

Wen Miao brought Cheng Jiamin to the Mystery Club.

This was her first time visiting the school’s Mystery Club. In the past, everything she knew about the club had come from her roommates.

Apparently, the Mystery Club often rounded people up at night to play murder mystery games.

When Wen Miao first heard of murder mystery games, she hadn’t even really understood what kind of game they were. It was only after everyone explained over each other that she learned they were a large-scale roleplaying game centered on performance and identifying the culprit.

But she had been busy working on research projects with her advisor before. Even though people had invited her, she’d never had the chance to come.

When Wen Miao arrived at the Mystery Club, she happened to run into a group of people in the middle of a session. Hearing someone push the door open, everyone inside turned their heads in unison.

Wen Miao’s gaze swept over them. Wang Zheng didn’t seem to be there, and she didn’t see anyone she recognized.

Instead, a tall, thin boy seated in the host’s chair stood up and asked, his voice carrying a hint of curiosity, “Classmate, who are you looking for?”

“I’m looking for… Qiu Ziyu.”

The tall, thin boy looked puzzled. “I’m Qiu Ziyu. You’re looking for me?”

At that moment, the boys around the table all started hooting and teasing.

Qiu Ziyu shot them a glare. “Hurry up and keep deducing. It’s been two hours and you still haven’t figured out who the killer is? Stop making a fuss over nothing!”

The table erupted in boos, but everyone returned to the state of reasoning they’d been in before being interrupted.

Only Qiu Ziyu walked toward the door and asked curiously, “And you are?”

Wen Miao quickly pulled Cheng Jiamin forward and said, “I’m Nan Mu’s friend. Nan Mu told me to come.”

“Ah, Nan Mu?” Qiu Ziyu said, bewildered. “Didn’t he take a long leave and go home recently because something happened with his family?”

“Yes, I know. We’re not here to wait for him.” Wen Miao chose her words carefully. “It’s just that we have something to handle and need a slightly more private space. Nan Mu told me he has a separate lounge in the Mystery Club?”

Qiu Ziyu looked shocked when he heard that. “What, he said he’d let you use his lounge?”

Nan Mu’s lounge was the kind of place where even he and Wang Zheng would get scolded for going in. Who knew what treasures Nan Mu had hidden inside? In any case, unless Nan Mu led someone in himself, he basically didn’t allow anyone else to enter.

Qiu Ziyu was still somewhat skeptical. He took out his phone. “Wait a second. Let me confirm.”

The moment Wen Miao saw him take out his phone, her pupils trembled.

If he made that call, it was definitely going straight to that Nan Mu’s phone!

Wen Miao quickly half-reached out to stop him. “No, no, it’s fine. He… has been pretty busy lately too. I know the passcode. He told me the passcode.”

Qiu Ziyu sucked in a breath and couldn’t help but keep glancing at Wen Miao and Cheng Jiamin.

He even told them the passcode. Could that brat Nan Mu be…