Chapter 2: The World Is Full of Fools

Chapter 2: This World Has More Fools

What Jian Ruochen most wanted to do right now was to have that pair of lawless outlaws from the original story, who trampled on human lives, thrown into jail.

If this world didn't have police, it would be a bit troublesome.

But since there are police, at least there's no need to build a police department from scratch.

Jian Ruochen observed the female officer before him in the light.

Chen Yunchuan, around 30, was heroic and spirited, with a serious expression. She appeared straightforward, upright, and aboveboard.

Her body was tense, her expression guarded.

She wore a khaki short vest over a white high-neck fitted sweater. A leather belt at her waist held a holster and a handcuff pouch. She paired this with loose, casual black jeans and nearly flat, casual shoes with a two-to-three-centimeter heel.

Chen Yunchuan was also sizing up Jian Ruochen.

She hadn't expected Jian Ruochen to be so beautiful, so pale and slender.

The young man's silver hair, falling by his cheeks, swayed in the wind. His cheeks were gaunt, and the overly large dark suit draped over him made him appear even younger than his actual age in the records.

His amber eyes were glistening, and his cheeks were flushed with a sickly redness, like a frostbitten plant, looking somewhat wilted.

Too thin—he didn't seem strong enough to kill someone.

Chen Yunchuan's expression softened slightly as she stepped forward and asked, "Jian Ruochen?"

"Yes." Jian Ruochen smiled faintly and extended a hand toward Chen Yunchuan. "Hello, Madam."

Chen Yunchuan was taken aback for a moment but also extended her hand. "...Hello."

His looks... were truly breathtaking. When he smiled, his eyes sparkled like stars, starkly contrasting with the dilapidated buildings near the Tai Shek Tok Quarry.

Jian Ruochen asked, "Officer Chen, how would you like me to cooperate?"

Chen Yunchuan said, "Let me see your identification."

"I came back just to get my documents. They're all inside."

Jian Ruochen pointed toward his home door, then glanced at the two male officers behind Chen Yunchuan. His gaze lingered for a moment on the silver cases in their hands. "Are you from the Forensics team here to search? Please show me the search warrant."

His tone was exactly the same as when Chen Yunchuan had said, "Let me see your identification."

The younger intern, startled, reflexively displayed the search warrant.

Jian Ruochen glanced at it, lifted the overly long hem of his suit jacket, pulled out a key, and handed it over. "You can open the door and search yourselves. After you're done, please bring out my documents for me. I won't go in and disturb your work."

The Forensics officer stammered, "Oh... okay."

He took the key, opened the door, and entered. He crouched down to examine the books piled in the corner, flipping through a couple absentmindedly before snapping back to reality.

Strange, how did this person know they were from Forensics?

They hadn't introduced themselves.

The intern, feeling a bit embarrassed about how readily he'd produced the search warrant, started chattering to his colleague while searching.

"The suspect is so straightforward; there's definitely nothing in this room."

"Do you think he's the murderer? He's quite good-looking; he doesn't seem like the type to kill."

"How do you think he knew we're Forensics officers? Hey... I've been talking so much; why aren't you saying anything?"

His colleague, eyes downcast, glanced back at Chen Yunchuan's expression before turning to warn the greenhorn beside him. "Stop chatting."

After searching the entire place and finding nothing, they simply placed the documents they found into an evidence bag and handed it to Jian Ruochen.

Jian Ruochen took it, a faint smile in his eyes. "Only Forensics brings silver cases filled with equipment when on a call... Any other questions? You can ask me directly."

The intern's face immediately flushed red.

Although he hadn't said anything particularly bad, being caught gossiping about someone behind their back was utterly embarrassing.

He stammered an apology, "Sorry."

Jian Ruochen said, "It's fine, not your fault. Go on, play."

Intern: ...

He'd rather be directly scolded.

This tone was like talking to a child; it didn't take him seriously at all.

Jian Ruochen retrieved his Hong Kong resident ID card from the evidence bag, glanced at the information, memorized the ID number just in case, and then handed it over.

Chen Yunchuan shone a flashlight on it to verify its authenticity before clipping it into her notebook. "I'll hold onto this for now. I'll return it to you after you've completed your cooperation."

Jian Ruochen said, "Alright, let's go."

Sham Shui Po Police Station in West Kowloon isn't far from Tai Shek Tok Quarry—just a 20-minute drive.

The group sped all the way, cutting the journey down to 10 minutes.

Sham Shui Po Police Station isn't very large. The marble signboard was somewhat worn, stained with rust-yellow marks from rain.

Late at night, the station was extremely quiet, with only a few detectives working overtime.

Jian Ruochen followed Chen Yunchuan through a maze of corridors in the police station before finally entering a room.

The room wasn't very big, only about four to five square meters. A long table sat in the center, with two people already seated facing each other.

Chen Yunchuan introduced them: "This is Sergeant Zhong, a Police Sergeant. The other one you know—Chai Jinwu."

Jian Ruochen thought: *I don't know him.*

*Ah, he knows nothing. The only thing he's sure of is that "Jian Ruochen" didn't kill anyone. He needs to take control of the conversation; otherwise, he'll definitely give himself away.*

Sergeant Zhong glanced at Jian Ruochen and gestured with his chin. "Sit."

He pulled out a photo from the A4 clipboard in his hand and placed it in the center of the table. "Do you know Feng Jiaming? Today, someone found him lying in a small grove behind the south gate of your university. He was stabbed three times and died. The initial estimated time of death is between 3:30 PM and 5:00 PM yesterday."

Jian Ruochen spoke first: "I don't recall him."

Before Sergeant Zhong could respond, Chai Jinwu sneered, "How is that possible?"

"Oh?" Jian Ruochen turned to look at Chai Jinwu. "Then tell me, why should I remember him?"

Chai Jinwu choked, mumbling, "He... he said a week ago he was going to ask you to come to the medical school rooftop for some 'fun.' He's had it in for you for a long time. How could you not remember?"

This wasn't playing around—it was bullying.

Jian Ruochen mused briefly, "So many people at school have it out for me, am I supposed to remember every single one?"

Chai Jinwu was infuriated by his dismissive tone, his expression darkening.

Chen Yunchuan, to prevent an outburst, quickly steered the conversation elsewhere, "Where were you between 3:30 and 5:00 PM yesterday?"

Chai Jinwu: "Yesterday afternoon, I skipped my elective class and was sleeping in my dorm... Wait, officer, why are you asking this? You don’t suspect me of murder, do you?"

The officer ignored him, "Can anyone vouch for your whereabouts?"

Chai Jinwu nervously picked at his fingers, "No, I was alone in the dorm."

Chen Yunchuan then turned to Jian Ruochen, her tone softening slightly, "What about you?"

Jian Ruochen thought, *I just arrived in this world this evening, how would I know where I was yesterday?*

*Even though he didn’t know, he could poke for reactions to gather clues from their rebuttals.*

He glanced sideways at Chai Jinwu and, without specifying a location, said, "I was also alone. No one can back me up."

"But someone saw you at the library at 2:45 PM," Chen Yunchuan tapped her pen on the table. "The library is only about a five-minute walk from the small grove where Feng Jiaming was killed. You had plenty of time to commit the crime."

Jian Ruochen shook his head, "But having the time doesn’t mean I did it. By that logic, wouldn’t anyone still at the library at 2:45 PM be a potential suspect?"

Chen Yunchuan and Officer Zhong exchanged a glance.

Jian Ruochen remained calm, more composed and easier to communicate with. He didn't seem like a murderer, but he wasn't easy to deal with either.

Sergeant Zhong pulled out two more photos—one showed a watch, the other a bracelet.

"We have witnesses who state that the watch and bracelet belong to each of you respectively. They were found at the crime scene. Do you have any explanation?"

Chai Jinwu immediately retorted, "The watch is indeed mine, but it was stolen a week ago!"

Jian Ruochen searched his memory carefully and finally recalled the bracelet’s origin from the earlier chapters of the novel.

It was the only accessory the original owner had saved up to buy—a high-end replica of a luxury brand, matching the one Lu Qian wore. He was thrilled to have bought a "couple’s bracelet," but it was stolen not long after.

Jian Ruochen mimicked Chai Jinwu’s phrasing, "The bracelet is mine, but it was stolen."

Chai Jinwu flushed with anger. He slammed his fist on the table, "Why do you keep copying me? Who would steal your cheap bracelet? It’s just a fake! Did you take my watch? And then accidentally drop it at the crime scene while committing murder?"

Jian Ruochen countered, "But why would I take your watch?"

Chai Jinwu: "My watch is worth 200,000. You could’ve sold it!"

Jian Ruochen looked at Chai Jinwu and slowly sighed, "You said your watch was stolen a week ago. If I stole it, I had a whole week to sell it for cash and improve my life. Why would I keep it with me?"

Chai Jinwu rolled his eyes, "How should I know? Maybe you thought it looked nice and wanted to wear it yourself!"

Jian Ruochen’s gaze grew increasingly pitying.

He picked up the photo of the bracelet and pointed to the scale next to it, speaking as if teaching a kindergarten child, "Look, the bracelet’s circumference is 14 cm, while the watch’s is 21 cm. This means our wrist sizes are vastly different."

"In that case, if I wanted to wear your watch, I would’ve taken it to a watchmaker to adjust the strap, not dropped it at the crime scene a week later."

Chai Jinwu gritted his teeth, "So you’re saying I stole your bracelet? That I’m the murderer?"

"I’m not saying that," Jian Ruochen said helplessly. "Think it through."

"Can your 21 cm wrist fit my 14 cm bracelet? Or would someone who wears a 200,000 watch even want a replica?"

He suspected that the reason "Lu Qian and Jiang Hanyu" could live so inseparably and happily in this world was because there were more gullible people here.

If Chai Jinwu couldn’t see it, fine—but surely the police had thought of it?

It’s just a basic logical fallacy. The police academy should have taught them.

Don’t be too pessimistic. Assume they have.

Jian Ruochen reassured him, "Mr. Chai, you don’t need to be so nervous. Actually, neither of us is a strong suspect."

"Before bringing us to the station, the police thoroughly searched our rooms and personal belongings. If we had any tools related to the crime, we’d be sitting in an interrogation room wearing handcuffs, not together in a well-heated interview room."

Jian Ruochen continued calmly, "This is a fairly obvious case of framing. Someone stole personal items from both of us and intentionally left them at the crime scene to pin the blame on us. They knew we didn’t get along and wanted to see us accuse and suspect each other."

Chai Jinwu’s lips trembled. The person in front of him was already strikingly androgynous in beauty, and now, speaking in a soothing, child-coaxing tone, it sent a tingling sensation down his spine.

He frowned, extremely uncomfortable, his anger visible but his resolve weak. He looked across at Chen Yunchuan, seeking confirmation.

Chen Yunchuan nodded slightly and said tactfully, "What Student Jian said is largely consistent with our deductions."

More than consistent—it was practically the standard answer.

After searching both their rooms, Chai Jinwu and Jian Ruochen were indeed no longer the primary suspects.

This case seemed more like a deliberate frame-up.

They were called in for questioning firstly to fully eliminate them as suspects, and secondly to assess their relationship, see if they had common enemies, and possibly uncover new leads.

From the looks of it, their relationship was strained, and Chai Jinwu seemed to look down on Jian Ruochen.

But both were students at Hong Kong University Medical School, and Jian Ruochen was clearly more composed and intelligent. From the moment he entered the room, he had firmly taken control of the conversation.

He seemed less like someone being questioned and more like the one leading it.

As for Chai Jinwu...

Chai Jinwu’s face flushed red with embarrassment, his toes curling inside his shoes. He stubbornly said to Jian Ruochen, "What’s the point of saying all this? It doesn’t solve the case. What? You want to sit in the police officer’s seat for a couple of days?"