My Dearest General: It Has Always Been You

Zhang Jiancheng rode the motorcycle to a café that looked cozy and affordable. The tone of the café was light brown with decorated lights hanging down from the ceiling. From the window, Shi Nian saw that there were many people inside and some were even wearing uniforms of Sangzhe and other schools. The majority of them were pairs, sitting and talking intimately.

Was this a famous spot for dating?

Zhang Jiancheng took off his helmet and bit his glove to pull it off.  The series of movements attracted the attention of women who sat by the window. They took a glance outside and couldn't look away anymore. Then, their eyes turned to Shi Nian, curious, envious and scrutinizing.

He tilted the motorcycle almost 45 degrees and offered his hand, whispering, "Be careful."

Shi Nian still wasn't willing to accept his help and jumped down agilely. She took off the helmet and blew out a long sigh before handing it to him.. Zhang Jiancheng proceeded to put it under the seat's storage and together, they went inside the café.

"Welcome," The waitress smiled widely. "Table for two?"

"Yes." Zhang Jiancheng looked around and saw an empty table in the corner. "We will take that one. Thank you."

This was the first time for Shi Nian to come to a café after school, with a boy at that. She couldn't help looking around with wide and curious eyes. Zhang Jiancheng smiled and handed her the menu. "Is this your first time here? You should come more often, the steak here is delicious."

Shi Nian gingerly accepted the menu and almost choked on her breath. A glass of mineral water was almost twice more expensive than the one sold in the cafeteria in school. She sucked in a deep breath and shook her head.

"Don't want to eat?" Zhang Jiancheng lifted a brow. "How about a drink?"

Shi Nian shook her head. [What do you know about Li Qing's death?]

It was none other than Zhang Jiancheng saying he knew something related to Li Qing's death that could possibily denied the possibility of suicide that she was willing to follow him. But she didn't expect that he would bring her to a place like this. Shi Nian pursed her lips, uncomfortable.

Zhang Jiancheng closed the menu and sighed. "About the screenshot—you like a university student, is it true?"

Shi Nian frowned. [What does it have to do with Li Qing?]

"Just satisfy my curiosity, will you?" Zhang Jiancheng rested his chin on his palm and looked at her in interest. "At least I will know why you despised me so much."

[I don't despise you.] She wrote seriously. [Let's not waste anymore time, classmate Zhang. My family will worry if I am late.]

Zhang Jiancheng's smile deepened. "Is it the man who walked to the subway station with you a week ago as well as the one whom you walked together with under the black umbrella yesterday?"

Shi Nian lifted her head in surprise. Her eyes turned sharp and wary.

"Don't look at me like that." Zhang Jiancheng lowered his head and chuckled helplessly. "I really don't have any bad intentions. If you react so strongly, I will know your answer even if you don't say it."

Shi Nian's face darkened. Even if she didn't deliberately hide it when she went home twice with Jiang Jinyan, she didn't expect that someone would pay so much attention to it that they could connect it to the screenshot.

"You like him, right?" He leaned back and ordered a cup of macchiato for him and milk tea for Shi Nian. After the waitress walked away, he turned to her. "But I don't think he likes you that much."

Shi Nian's lips pursed, her displeasure was evident. [None of your business.] Even her tone wasn't so polite anymore. [If you don't want to talk, then don't.] She really didn't like the feeling of someone interfering in the matter between her and Jiang Jinyan, especially someone who didn't know them very well.

Facing Zhang Jiancheng was very similar to facing those eunuchs who kept on urging General Jiang to take in concubines lest rumors spread that he brought 'the witch' home as a pet.

Zhang Jiancheng saw her seriousness and said abruptly. "I overheard that Li Qing had someone she liked."

Shi Nian paused and after sizing Zhang Jiancheng for a moment, sat back down. [Someone she liked?]

"Yes." He tapped on the table and elaborated. "I heard it when she was talking with Ruo Tingran's group. After the monthly exam, she planned to ask him out. Do you think that someone who created such a plan would commit suicide all of a sudden?"

Shi Nian's face turned solemn and she shook her head. Planning to ask the boy she liked out? Shi Nian understood the feeling of anticipation, excitement and happiness of meeting the person she liked. If that was true, then there was no way that Li Qing would commit suicide

Even if she was rejected before the exam, it wasn't a reason strong enough to end her life.

[You didn't tell Detective Qin?] She looked at him strangely. He had such a strong lead but decided to tell her instead.

Zhang Jiancheng laughed softly. "Li Qing and I have no relationship with each other. The police didn't have to question me about her."

Shi Nian nodded. [Do you know who—]

"I don't know." He interjected. "I only heard it in passing and they never said any name."

Shi Nian's displeasure toward him lightened a lot. This was quite an important lead. If Zhang Jiancheng didn't know, Shi Nian was sure that someone in Ruo Tingran's group did. If they could trace that person, then they might be able to find another clue.

The gloom in Shi Nian's heart was wiped away and she began to see the emergence of lights. Her eyes brightened up and she offered Zhang Jiancheng a faint smile. [Thank you very much.]

From their previous chat, Shi Nian found out that Li Qing didn't really like Zhang Jiancheng. It seemed like she hated him quite a lot. Actually, he wasn't as bad as how Li Qing described him to be.

Zhang Jiancheng smiled, leaned forward and whispered in a low voice. "See, I am not a bad person. I have helped you so much. How do you want to repay me? Let's see, how about being my girlfriend for a week?"

Shi Nian's expression cooled down in an instant and she retracted her previous remark.

School Grass Zhang was a shameless rogue disguised as a good and obedient student!

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A/N: New lead! Li Qing has someone she likes! Who could that be?