Chapter Thirty-Four: The Abacus

Previously, Li Qiao had been determined to play dumb and feign ignorance, never expecting Ning Shuyi to so bluntly lay everything out, down to the precise times and places, even exposing his secretive tailing of Wang Yuluo. The revelation left him utterly flustered, his face ashen and his cheeks puffed out, likely from clenching his jaw so tightly. Even his slightly trembling knees betrayed the effort it took to hold himself together; if he wasn’t careful, he might bite his tongue.

Ning Shuyi didn’t press him relentlessly. She had said enough to make her point, then fell silent. She simply sat there, watching Li Qiao, waiting for him to collect himself and offer an explanation.

Li Qiao resembled someone suddenly plunged into an icy lake in the dead of winter, just dragged out and left shivering—or perhaps more like a mouse cornered by a cat, his whole body stiff with fear, trembling uncontrollably.

Huo Yan frowned, a look of undisguised disdain growing in his eyes for the man before him.

Ning Shuyi caught that look out of the corner of her eye, and was quietly surprised. It seemed this man was not a complete emotional void, not some frigid automaton incapable of feeling; he too could feel scorn, could be perplexed. Yet when it came to engaging in positive, well-intentioned interactions with others, he entirely shut down, erecting an invisible wall without even realizing it.

This was a type of person Ning Shuyi had never encountered before, and her curiosity about her new colleague grew even stronger. What kind of life could forge such a temperament?

Li Qiao sat shivering for a while, finally regaining a sliver of composure. He stammered out, “Could… could you two tell me the truth? Why exactly have you come to see me? Did Wang Yuluo call the police, say I was going to do something bad to her?

That would be so unfair! I—I admit, I was near her home, but I didn’t do anything, you can check, it’s true!

I would never hurt her. I don’t hate her because I loved her. I have a bright future ahead of me, I wouldn’t throw it all away for the sake of a relationship!”

“Wang Yuluo is dead.” After Li Qiao had stumbled through his anxious self-defense, Ning Shuyi cut in coolly.

The words were brief, but enough to stun Li Qiao into silence. He had meant to say much more to clear his name, perhaps even call Wang Yuluo to confront her, but now, hearing she was dead, every word caught in his throat.

“You… you’re not joking about something like this, are you?” Li Qiao’s voice was nearly a sob.

“What do you think?” Huo Yan replied with a question of his own.

Li Qiao shrank back into the couch, his face a storm of tangled emotions—shock he hadn’t yet processed, some remorse, and more than a little frustration.

“I was wrong… really wrong…” he muttered, “I never should’ve tried to get back together, never should’ve followed her… If I’d known something would happen to her, I’d have stayed far away. None of this would’ve happened… But instead, I walked right into it!”

Huo Yan’s frown deepened. At first he didn’t understand Li Qiao’s muttering, but then he realized: all the man’s regret and misery came from the fact that, after trying to reconcile with Wang Yuluo, she died, so he not only failed to win her back, but now had to endure an investigation. He felt cheated by fate.

Huo Yan’s disdain sharpened even further.

“So now you understand why we’re here,” Ning Shuyi said to Li Qiao. “Given your past actions—your persistence in pursuing Wang Yuluo, your repeated surveillance and stalking—we have reason to suspect that you might have acted out of resentment after love turned sour, and may have harmed her.”

“I didn’t! Really, I didn’t!” Li Qiao was too desperate to care about his trembling now. He staggered up from the couch, his voice a little too loud before he realized they were in the lobby of the office building. He quickly lowered his voice, anxiety etched on his face. “I had no reason to do anything like that!

At this point, if it will clear my name, I’ll tell you everything honestly, no matter how embarrassing it sounds. Yes, I did want to get back together with Wang Yuluo.

But to reconcile with her, she’d have to be alive, wouldn’t she? Only then could I marry her, have a father-in-law to rely on, and get a boost in my career and elsewhere!

Now that she’s dead, how could I get back together with a ghost? Even if her family wanted to arrange some ghost marriage, the law wouldn’t protect my rights! Why would I do something so damaging, with no benefit to anyone?”

His words were so blunt that Ning Shuyi was momentarily taken aback, unsure how to respond. Regaining her composure, she asked, “If you wanted to reconcile with Wang Yuluo, why not just show it openly? Why sneak around and follow her? And what about the posts you made online—do you really think the internet is beyond the law, that you can do whatever you want under some anonymous account?

You keep saying you want to get back together with her for a better life, but look at your own actions! If you think it over, doesn’t it all reek of resentment born from love?”

Li Qiao awkwardly scratched his head and slowly sat back on the couch. For all Ning Shuyi’s accusations, he was a little guilty. “I… I admit, I did feel a bit resentful, but I never actually did anything to hurt Wang Yuluo!

I had my reasons!

I tried to win her back, but her attitude was always ambiguous—never outright rejecting me, but never accepting me either.

At first I thought maybe she was testing me. After all, things were different now: before, she was pursuing me, but now I was pursuing her. Of course she’d want to maintain some pride, show a bit of authority, so I went along with it, made her happy.

But after months, she was still the same—never committing, always keeping me dangling. It was torture! I just wanted to know if she was seeing someone else behind my back, if she was stringing me along on purpose. That’s why I secretly followed her a few times, to see if there was another man in her life!”