My Dearest General: It Has Always Been You

Murderers didn't have to take up a knife, didn't have to end a life with their own hands, they could just use their mouth, their eyes, their fingers; words, gazes, gestures, all of it could converge into an invisible knife that was more hurtful that the real one.

Qin Weizhe was stunned silly by Shi Nian's solemn words. Those mature quotes, paired with her face that still had a bit of baby fat, round cute golden eyes, made Qin Weizhe burst out laughing. "You're right…" He held his stomach, shoulders trembling. "You said it well ah, Shi Nian."

Shi Nian scratched her nose awkwardly.

"Okay then, thank you for your answers." Qin Weizhe said. "...My condolences, Shi Nian.."

Shi Nian's hand clenched around the pen. In fact, Li Qing wasn't anyone important in her life. They had only met for a short time and if nothing happened, they would take the university entrance examination and go on their own ways afterward.

At most, she was just one of the passersby in Shi Nian's life.

However, such a passerby might be the center of the world for other people.

Such as Li Qing's parents, the people who cherished and loved her from the bottom of their hearts.

Qin Weizhe saw Shi Nian off and coincidentally, saw Luo Ning return. The two police officers then decided to take a break, running to the cafeteria to buy two bottles of coke. The cool sensation ran down Qin Weizhe's throat and he groaned in satisfaction.

Luo Ning waited for him to finish drinking before saying, "Li Qing's parents decided to cremate her. They aren't willing to do an autopsy because it's just too embarrassing. Even her parents believed that she committed suicide for real." He stole a glance and asked carefully. "Then Detective Qin, why are you trying so hard to learn about her? For what?"

They could have closed the case directly as a simple suicide.

In the end, what was he trying so hard for?

Qin Weizhe stared into the distance, his gaze wandering. "I have interrogated a total of 15 people for the last 5 hours and guess what, only two people told me with confidence that Li Qing couldn't have committed suicide."

Luo Ning tentatively guessed. "Principal Mo?"

Qin Weizhe shook her head, chuckling. "It's her homeroom teacher, Yao Xiurong and the new transfer student, Shi Nian. One is the most hated teacher with multiple bad reputations among students and the other was someone who had just known Li Qing for a short period of time. Even her parents, her classmates, her closest friends…" Qin Weizhe sighed. "No one doubted it. Say, do you think that it's ironic?"

Luo Ning had seen this kind of gaze on Qin Weizhe before. It was just after they concluded Wu Wengen's case. At that time, he had murmured. "If Wu Wengen didn't act on impulse and threaten Cui Qiqiang, if Wu Ruoqing had just chosen a more peaceful way, if Cui Qiqiang cared about Wu Wengen more…do you think they would end up like today?"

He didn't know how to describe that gaze. Bitterness, irony and a faint hint of regret…

"Detective Qin…" Luo Ning followed Qin Weizhe's line of sight to look out of the window and discovered that the sky had gotten dark without them knowing. Subsequently, a droplet of water splashed upon the window pane, then another and another. "Do you believe that she didn't commit suicide?"

"I don't know." Qin Weizhe admitted. "But as long as one person thinks otherwise, I will do my best to dig out the truth." He patted Luo Ning's head with a smile. "That's what the police are for."

Luo Ning's eyes reflected his smiling visage, a faint feeling bubbling inside his chest.

Then, Qin Weizhe broke off the solemn and touching atmosphere just like that. He leaned forward and scrutinized Luo Ning's face properly. "I have felt it before but you're really baby faced. Should I find you a uniform to see whether you can mingle with those high school students?"

Luo Ning's face flushed from anger and shame. "Stop teasing me!"

Qin Weizhe laughed and dashed away. The exasperated Luo Ning could only follow after him.

Behind them, rain started to fall, bringing with it the chilly scent of grass and wind. Dropping gently, just like tears.

***

Droplets of rain fell upon the windowpane, blurring the reflection of Jiang Jinyan who sat by the window. He wore a long sleeve sweater with comfy pants, hair pulled up into a half bun with a mask covering his face.

In front of him, the lecture was still going on full force but somehow, he couldn't find himself to concentrate anymore thus he looked out of the window, hand supporting his cheek, daydreaming. The class he was in right now was on the fourth floor and from his position, he could faintly see the connecting bridge leading to Moonlight Pavilion, a place famous for its spot suitable for confession.

Not that he cared, but a few moments ago, he seemed to have seen a familiar shadow on the rooftop of Moonlight Pavilion, standing on the edge of the railing as she looked down.

…Of course, it could only be a fragment of his imagination.

Or else, how could Shi Nian be there?

The classroom had an ascending seating pattern with the teacher's podium being the lowest position while the rows of seats surrounding it in a half circle. People sat in one or two, or groups if they wanted to. In front of Jiang Jinyan sat two men who kept on playing with their phones and he could see the interface of the widely known League of Legends on the screen.

If the teacher looked closer, then he might see only one or two students who paid close attention to him. The others were immersed in their own business. Even if he knew, he didn't care. This was how university was, no one would walk around the aisle to confiscate phones or throw chalk toward you when you're not paying attention to class.

As long as you didn't cause a ruckus, then you could do whatever you want. If you failed the exam, then it was your own business. No one would guide you anymore and you must learn to wipe your own ass.

This kind of attitude…was it indifference or freedom, he wondered?

The man in front of him took off his earphone and switched to WeChat. He cursed softly. "Holy shit." Due to their seating position, Jiang Jinyan could hear him clearly even if he didn't want to. "Look at this, my sister just told me that someone jumped down from Moonlight Pavilion."

…What?

Jiang Jinyan's heart jolted and for some reason, he recalled the shadow he had seen just now.

"Moonlight Pavilion?" His friend asked incredulously. "Our Moonlight Pavilion?"

"Yes, now the whole school is sealed. Wait a moment, she said that it's a third year student, someone named Li Qing."

Jiang Jinyan's clenched fists relaxed unknowingly. It's not Shi Nian…

He wanted to laugh. How could it possibly be her? Even though he had stood on the edge of the roof and caught red handed by her, it didn't mean that she would also jump down, right? What was he so nervous for?

The two men discussed in low voices excitedly. This kind of matter was too thrilling. They had only heard it from dramas or detective stories. Stuff like, do you think there's some kind of conspiracy here? What if she didn't commit suicide and was killed instead? Could she possibly confess and be rejected, then jump down on impulse?

The man was chatting animatedly with his sister, all the while talking to his friend. "It's the new transfer student again? Why is she so phenomenal? The suicide could be related to her? Whoa…how scandalous."

"The new transfer student that has appeared in the forum lately? The one named Shi something?"

"Hahaha, see, she's gotten so famous that even a geek like you has heard of her."

Suddenly his shoulder was grabbed from behind. He turned around in surprise to find a pair of dark, sharp eyes looking back at him. 

"W—What do you want?" He shrunk his neck and looked at Jiang Jinyan strangely. Who the heck is he? Did I offend him somehow?

A muffle voice sounded behind the mask. "The transfer student surnamed Shi. Can you tell me more about it?"

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A/N: Qin Weizhe (´ε｀*) even though you're often silly but still, you're quite reliable