Chapter 38: Planned Murder

Zhou Shuyu stayed in her room, looking at her best friend's messages with a heavy and complicated heart.

【My silly girl, you finally realized Li Nanyue's true intentions! I felt from the very beginning that he had ulterior motives for getting close to you!】

【I think it's highly likely he would do something like this! His eyes are full of shrewdness and calculation. I wanted to say it long ago, but I was afraid you wouldn't want to hear it!】

【Shuyu, I suggest you call the police and break up with him!】

Li Nanyue pushed open the bedroom door. Hearing the sound of rushing water from the bathroom, his gaze fell upon the phone by the bedside.

"Bitch!" Having caught a glimpse of Zhou Shuyu's chat with her best friend, the man's face became distorted and hideous.

He absolutely could not let Zhou Shuyu call the police!

Li Nanyue gritted his teeth, the veins on his clenched fists bulging. He stared through the bathroom door at his girlfriend, his eyes turning sinister and venomous.

He couldn't give her the chance to speak.

Inside the bathroom.

Zhou Shuyu thought about her friend's words, her brow furrowed in deep internal conflict.

She was unwilling to believe that the boyfriend she had been with for three years was this kind of person.

Moreover, even if it was him, she didn't want to take things to such an extreme.

After thinking for a long time, Zhou Shuyu decided to give Li Nanyue one chance to come clean.

The two were staying in the same villa—one wanting to give her boyfriend a chance, and the other wanting to silence his girlfriend forever.

When Zhou Shuyu walked out of her room, she realized Li Nanyue was not home.

Her tense expression suddenly relaxed.

*I'll deal with it tomorrow, then.*

**

At 9:00 PM, Captain Zhang was still working overtime at the police station, his whiteboard covered in analyses of the theft case.

After a moment of contemplation, he went back to review the statements of the two thieves and repeatedly watched the surveillance footage from Zhou Shuyu's home.

A colleague returned to pick up some things and saw him working late. "Captain Zhang, hasn't the case been solved?"

Captain Zhang's brow furrowed into a deep line. "Miss Jiang told me there are more than two suspects."

The colleague said in surprise, "You actually believe that girl? She just said it in passing, and you're working yourself to baldness over it."

Captain Zhang smiled. "I didn't believe a word she said yesterday, but today, I do."

The colleague shook his head. "You've fallen for a honey trap. Watch out, or your wife will get jealous."

Captain Zhang laughed and scolded, "Don't talk nonsense. I'm old enough to be Miss Jiang's father!"

"Just joking!" The colleague waved his hand. "Take your time researching. I'm heading out."

An hour later.

Captain Zhang sensed something was wrong; the two thieves seemed very familiar with Zhou Shuyu's house.

One went to the bedroom to grab a suitcase, while the other went to the study to open the safe.

The entire process took less than ten minutes.

Even for a technical expert, it would be impossible to crack a safe password that quickly.

The only explanation was...

Captain Zhang's heart sank.

He took out his phone and dialed Si Heng's number. "Captain Si, do you have Miss Jiang's contact information? I have a question I'd like to ask her."

"I'll send it to you." Si Heng paused, then reminded him, "Remember to pay Miss Jiang a consultation fee."

Captain Zhang: "I will."

Upon receiving the number from Si Heng, Captain Zhang immediately pressed call.

After a few rings, a cool, clear voice came through. "Hello."

Captain Zhang said excitedly, "Miss Jiang, sorry to disturb you. I am Zhang Dongye. You said today that there were more than two thieves—is the other suspect Ms. Zhou's boyfriend?"

Jiang Yuan was sitting on the living room carpet, helping the twins build blocks. Hearing this, she responded calmly, "Yes."

She hadn't said it directly today because she was afraid Zhang Dongye wouldn't believe her.

"I understand, thank you, Miss Jiang!" Zhang Dongye hung up and immediately contacted his team.

After hanging up, Jiang Yuan waited half an hour before heading out to feed the small animals their late-night snack. Suddenly, she heard the birds talking about some "stinky man."

"What are you chatting about?" She leaned in to join the group chat.

In the past, she couldn't understand animal speech and didn't know what they were talking about. Now that she could, Jiang Yuan discovered she could learn many secrets through them.

Seeing her curiosity, the little sparrow immediately chirped, "Yuan Yuan, a friend of the youngest daughter of Sparrow Second Aunt's son discovered it! It said a human in the North Bay Villa area bought anesthetics and plans to kill his girlfriend."

North Bay Villa?

Jiang Yuan had an impression of that place; it was the luxury villa district where Zhou Shuyu lived, filled with mansions worth hundreds of millions.

She frowned slightly, her expression turning solemn. "Can you ask what that human looks like and which villa number he lives in?"

"Can do." The little sparrow readily agreed and flapped its wings to fly off. "Sparrow will go ask right now."

As Jiang Yuan watched the little sparrow fly away, her unease grew.

She took out her phone and dialed the most recent number in her call history.

Once the other party answered, Jiang Yuan immediately asked, "Captain Zhang, please send me Zhou Shuyu's number."

Zhang Dongye replied without hesitation, "Alright, we are just preparing to head to her house."

Jiang Yuan added, "I've received some inside information. Zhou Shuyu's boyfriend might try to attack her tonight."

Zhang Dongye's expression instantly sharpened. He hung up and immediately notified his team to deploy.

Zhou Shuyu was sleeping with headphones on when the music suddenly stopped.

She picked up her phone and saw an unknown caller on the screen, hesitating whether to answer.

The villa was silent in the deep night, making the sound of the electronic lock opening exceptionally clear.

The door opened—

A figure stepped inside.

The man walked through the hall and up the stairs.

He was carrying a paper bag containing the anesthetics he had asked someone to buy for him.

His eyes behind his glasses were filled with ruthlessness, and a dark, cruel smile hung on his face as he climbed the stairs step by step, like a vengeful ghost from the dark night.

*Zhou Shuyu, you forced my hand.*

"Miss Jiang, it's you." Zhou Shuyu hadn't expected Jiang Yuan to call her. "Is something wrong at this hour?"

After hearing the little sparrow's description, Jiang Yuan was certain that the person planning to kill his girlfriend was Li Nanyue.

Her hand tightened slightly around the phone. "Ms. Zhou, turn on your speaker and listen to me."

Zhou Shuyu was stunned. "I'm using headphones; the speaker isn't on."

Jiang Yuan said calmly, "Your boyfriend is planning to kill you. Before he returns, leave the villa immediately. If he does come back, you must do everything in your power to ensure your safety. Captain Zhang is on his way to North Bay Villa."

Hearing these words, Zhou Shuyu's heart skipped a beat, and her body began to tremble uncontrollably.

At this moment, she didn't even doubt Jiang Yuan's words.

Kill her...

She wanted to give Li Nanyue a chance to be honest, yet he was plotting to kill her?

With red eyes, Zhou Shuyu sobbed, "I understand."

She opened the villa's surveillance and saw that Li Nanyue had already reached the second floor.

"Miss Jiang, he's back! What should I do?" Zhou Shuyu was momentarily lost and panicked.

Jiang Yuan was also anxious; she had never experienced something like this and could only try to remain calm. "Lock the door from the inside."

"Okay..." Zhou Shuyu's voice trembled. "It's already locked!"

Through the surveillance, she saw Li Nanyue walking toward her room.

Jiang Yuan's slender brows furrowed, and fine beads of sweat broke out on her fair forehead.

After a moment of thought, she asked in a low voice, "Is there a source of fire in the room?"

Zhou Shuyu scanned the room frantically and saw a lighter on the nightstand that Li Nanyue used for smoking.

"There's a lighter."

"Burn something near the smoke detector, but be careful not to hurt yourself."

"Okay." Zhou Shuyu lit several cigarettes and stood on a stool, holding them under the smoke detector to burn them.

She glanced at her phone, and her breath hitched.

Li Nanyue had already gripped the doorknob to the room.