Chapter 3: Don’t Walk with Your Hands in Your Pockets

Chapter 3: Keep Your Hands Out of Your Pockets When Walking

Just before Jian Ruochen transmigrated, he was on the cusp of joining the police force, at the peak of his ambition to become an officer.

He never expected someone to be so foolishly insightful as to voice his deepest desire.

"Heh." Jian Ruochen chuckled softly, fixing his gaze on Chai Jinwu. "You're quite amusing."

Chai Jinwu squirmed under the scrutiny, a tingling sensation spreading through him, and he involuntarily began to jiggle his leg.

How strange. Why was Jian Ruochen so calm?

He was suspected of murder, interrogated and searched by the police, and now provoked without cause.

How could he maintain such composure?

Chai Jinwu’s heels tapped a restless rhythm on the interrogation room floor.

His leg trembled, and soon his hands followed suit, shaking uncontrollably, making the table rattle along.

Officer Zhong, unable to quell the fidgeting, frowned and asked, "Why are you shaking?"

The tapping of heels abruptly ceased.

Chai Jinwu had a sudden realization.

Jian Ruochen explained, "He's shaking, of course, because he's embarrassed and nervous. Medically speaking, when people are anxious, their adrenaline surges rapidly. To alleviate tension, the body produces subconscious reactions, such as leg-jiggling."

Chai Jinwu's Adam's apple bobbed as he awkwardly drew his legs back, attempting to hide them under the chair.

Jian Ruochen acted as if he hadn't noticed. "Leg-jiggling can divert some attention and lessen the discomfort of being observed. If it doesn't work… it means he's too nervous, with an excessive adrenaline rush, leading to his current state."

He subtly gestured with his chin, directing the two officers' attention to Chai Jinwu's hands. "His hands are trembling."

Chai Jinwu clasped his hands together, trying to refute Jian Ruochen's observation, but it was futile.

He was still shaking.

Jian Ruochen gathered his fingers, touched the two photos on the table, and with a gentle flick of his thumb, swept them into his palm.

"Don't be nervous. In fact, whether this case can be solved largely depends on you."

Chai Jinwu stammered, "What? Why?"

*Because I've 'lost my memory' and have no clues,* Jian Ruochen thought to himself.

He didn't answer, but raised his hand and shook the photos, recapturing Chai Jinwu's attention. "Think carefully—is there anyone who dislikes you, can't stand me, and also intensely despises Feng Jiaming?"

"Neither of us lives on campus, so we likely only cross paths during medical school classes. If you don't usually badmouth people behind their backs, then it's probable someone witnessed you bullying me directly. There shouldn't be many people who fit all four of these criteria."

As his words faded, the interrogation room fell into a silence so profound you could hear a pin drop.

Officer Zhong and Chen Yunchuan exchanged glances, seeing identical shock reflected in each other's eyes.

They had arranged for Chai Jinwu and Jian Ruochen to be questioned together precisely to glean more information from their interactions and arguments.

But Jian Ruochen was simply too professional.

His logic was flawless, his approach strategic—not a single wasted word since he entered the room.

Chen Yunchuan suppressed her astonishment and promptly told Chai Jinwu, "Think carefully. Start by listing people who dislike you."

She handed Chai Jinwu a piece of paper and a pen. "You can write as you think. Take your time."

Chai Jinwu lowered his head, gripped the pen, and wrote a few names on the paper before hesitantly crossing some out.

Jian Ruochen watched for a while until his stomach let out a loud growl.

So hungry. He wondered how Luo Binwen was faring outside.

At least the Porsche's leather seats were certainly more comfortable than the backless wooden stool in the interrogation room.

If only he had a phone—he could contact Luo Binwen to order some late-night snacks and use the opportunity to build rapport with the officers.

Jian Ruochen zoned out for a moment. When he snapped back to attention, he heard two knocks on the interrogation room door.

Chen Yunchuan stood up to open it, finding Luo Binwen politely standing outside, holding up a paper bag. "These are some late-night snacks my young master prepared for the officers. It's quite late, and my young master hasn't had dinner yet. He's also running a fever. Would it be possible for him to rest for a while?"

Jian Ruochen: …

Luo Binwen truly lived up to his reputation as the top-tier butler from the book—so perceptive and diplomatic.

They were practically on the same wavelength!

"Isn't this Huangji?" Chen Yunchuan stared dumbfounded at the gold-embossed crown on the paper bag. "I heard the cheapest congee at this place costs 2,000 yuan a bowl."

Jian Ruochen: Pfft!

What?

2,000 yuan a bowl?

That's an outrageous price.

Luo Binwen smiled warmly. "The young master specifically asked me to buy it. You've all been working hard. There are five bowls of shark fin congee here, along with some accompaniments."

He turned to Jian Ruochen and reminded him, "There's also a pack of fever medication. Remember to take it after you eat."

Jian Ruochen stood up in a daze and took the paper bag. Before even opening it, a savory, umami aroma wafted to his nose, making his mouth water.

He looked at Chen Yunchuan.

Chen Yunchuan waved her hand. "It's too extravagant."

She never imagined she'd one day use the word "extravagant" to describe a bowl of congee!

"You should eat it yourself."

Jian Ruochen opened the paper bag and saw five ceramic insulated bowls with plastic lids neatly stacked inside, each about the size of an adult man’s fist.

He closed the bag, feeling his resolve waver.

2,000 yuan for a fist-sized bowl of congee.

But with 10 billion yuan in the bank, the daily interest alone was nearly 100,000 yuan.

From here on out, that profit would only snowball.

Oh well, never mind then…

Jian Ruochen said brightly, "No worries, I can't finish this alone. It won't taste good once it's cold, so dig in."

He turned to Luo Binwen: "How about you? Have you eaten?"

Luo Binwen was caught off guard, not expecting Jian Ruochen to show concern for him. "I've already eaten, don't worry about me."

He took a few steps back and then carefully closed the door.

So elegant, truly elegant.

Jian Ruochen passed out the congee to Chen Yunchuan and Officer Zhong, then set a bowl by Chai Jinwu.

Chai Jinwu had already filled half a page with names he'd eliminated.

He looked bewildered. "Huangji's shark fin congee? This stuff's expensive... Why are you giving this to me?"

He had been so harsh and said things he shouldn't have earlier.

Did Jian Ruochen really not hold a grudge at all?

Jian Ruochen said, "It's fine, go ahead."

Five bowls were only one-fiftieth of the interest money, plus he had some dividends coming in.

Couldn't spend it all if he tried.

He scooped a spoonful into his mouth, and the rich texture and aroma bloomed from his tongue straight to his nose.

Classy. So classy.

After swallowing the first mouthful, Jian Ruochen quipped, "If you've really done something wrong, the law will take care of you. This might just be your last good meal."

Your last meal.

Chai Jinwu: ...

He gripped the exquisitely crafted small porcelain spoon tightly, realizing that this person truly didn't give a damn about people he didn't like.

To Jian Ruochen, people like them didn't matter as much as the congee in front of him.

They were like stones on the roadside—kicked aside without thinking.

Jian Ruochen was very different from the rumors; at the very least, he wasn't timid or awkward around people.

The four of them finished their late-night snack, and Officer Zhong started clearing the table, taking out the trash, and returned with two cups of hot water.

Still tasting the shark fin in his mouth, he looked at Jian Ruochen and said, "Never thought I'd get to have something like this today, thanks to our witness. This is way above our pay grade. Have some hot water and take your medicine."

"Thank you."

Jian Ruochen took the water, swallowed the medicine, and felt his whole body warm up.

Holding the remaining water, he looked at Chai Jinwu and asked, "So? Anything come back to you?"

Chai Jinwu: "I haven't yet..."

He choked up, and he suddenly shuddered, his face went pale as he stared at the paper filled with writing, his eyes fixed on one name.

Jian Ruochen observed his expression.

Rapid breathing, pupils contracted, orbicularis oculi muscles tightened, eyebrows slightly raised.

Surprise and fear.

"Looks like something came back to you."

"How did you know?" Chai Jinwu asked instinctively.

He didn't have time to think about it and quickly continued, "Yes, I remember now. The person who meets all four conditions is Huo Jinze!"

Chai Jinwu's hand, holding the paper, began to tremble again.

He looked at Jian Ruochen and said, "Many people at school can't stand you and are jealous of you. But you never cause trouble. The only person who might truly hate you is Huo Jinze! Huo Jinze's GPA isn't as high as yours; he's ranked second and missed out on the top scholarship."

Chai Jinwu took a breath and continued, "Huo Jinze probably holds a grudge against me because I once said he stole from the restaurant, which cost him his part-time job. He couldn't find a new job for a long time after that and was broke."

"A week after he lost his job, Feng Jiaming called him up to the rooftop. Feng Jiaming wasn't picky about gender. I heard Huo Jinze let Feng Jiaming have his way with him for a while, so his financial situation was actually decent during that period."

Chai Jinwu's face was dead white. "I once teased you in anatomy class, saying you were too pretty to pass for a guy. Huo Jinze is also in our department, and he was in that class. He must have heard it."

Jian Ruochen tsked.

It seemed Huo Jinze's motive for committing the crime checked out.

Now, all that was missing was evidence.

"Knock, knock."

The interrogation room door was tapped, and an intern in a white lab coat stuck his head in with a stack of A4 paper. "Madam, we found some skin tissue under Feng Jiaming's fingernails, likely left behind during a struggle with the perpetrator. We didn't find a match in the database. Have you identified any suspects for DNA comparison?"

Jian Ruochen recognized the chatterbox from the crime scene investigation. Though a bit of a blabbermouth, the intern had a good heart and seemed like someone worth befriending.

He cut in, "Madam has found one and is about to make an arrest."

Chen Yunchuan shrugged on her jacket and headed out. "Without you, this person probably wouldn't have surfaced so quickly."

Officer Zhong also praised, "Jian Ruochen, you're not just here to assist with the investigation—you're practically participating in it."

Jian Ruochen waved it off. "Just a coincidence, really."

Chen Yunchuan said, "Your suspicion has been completely cleared. Would you like to go home first? If we need further investigation later, I'll call you."

Jian Ruochen thought for a moment. "No, I'd like to meet with Huo Jinze as soon as possible."

There were some inconsistencies in Chai Jinwu's statement regarding Huo Jinze and himself.

These inconsistencies even cast a subtle sense of discord over Chai Jinwu's entire testimony.

He needed to verify it personally to feel at ease.

Huo Jinze had deep-seated grievances related to personal dignity against both Chai Jinwu and Feng Jiaming.

Chai Jinwu had falsely accused him of theft.

Feng Jiaming had treated him like a plaything.

But the "scholarship" was something Jian Ruochen earned through his own efforts. Huo Jinze shouldn't hate someone so intensely for that reason.

It seemed like a stretch.

If Huo Jinze's reason for implicating Jian Ruochen in the case was unfounded,

then what could be the real reason Jian Ruochen was framed?

Lost in thought, Jian Ruochen tucked his hands into his sleeves and ambled out distractedly.

He walked with his head down, absentmindedly counting the floor tiles, and was just about to reach a corner

when suddenly, a tall figure rounded the corner from the break room not far away.

In his peripheral vision, Jian Ruochen caught a glimpse of a man who seemed over 190 cm tall, wearing a long trench coat and reading documents.

He quickly shifted left to avoid him.

But both of them were walking close to the wall—one absentminded, the other reading documents.

The man reacted quickly too. As Jian Ruochen dodged left, he instinctively stepped wide in the same direction Jian Ruochen had moved.

Both were confident in their evasive moves, neither slowing down, and they crashed directly into each other.

Jian Ruochen tripped over the other man’s suddenly extended leg, his hands still tucked in his sleeves, unable to even pull them out to regain balance.

Damn it.

This body was completely untrained—its agility was terrible.

Jian Ruochen held his breath, instinctively clenched his eyes shut, and braced to smash his forehead against the floor tiles. But suddenly, an arm wrapped around his waist, pulling him sideways. He was suddenly pulled against a chest that carried the scent of black tea.

His forehead didn't hit the floor—it collided firmly with someone else’s chest.