Chapter 16: Oh No! Caught Cleaning Up the Crime Scene

I reclaimed the medicine that belonged to me, clutching the small bottle as though it were my lifeline.

Inside Li Feng’s hotel room, I busied myself with tidying up, leaving no detail unattended. With a damp wipe, I carefully cleaned the tabletop, the windowsill, even each speck of dust on the floor. Sunlight streamed through the gap in the curtains, casting mottled shadows on the floor, now shining as if new.

Just as I believed everything was arranged to perfection and was preparing to slip away unnoticed, a faint “click” suddenly broke the silence—it was an old newspaper wedged in the wardrobe door, accidentally dislodged by my touch, now lying conspicuously on the floor. My heart leapt into my throat.

I had just closed the lid of the suitcase where Li Feng’s body lay when hurried footsteps and frantic voices sounded from the hallway.

Peering through the peephole, I saw my roommates pale-faced and terrified, speaking urgently into their phones, likely describing my location. My heart pounded, sweat trailing down my cheeks as I spun around, searching desperately for any possible hiding place, only to find none. At that moment, I heard a key sliding into the lock from outside. I held my breath; the world seemed to freeze.

With trembling hands, I slowly turned the lock. The squeal of the hinges was unnaturally loud, as though the world itself was holding its breath. The gap in the doorway widened, revealing an uncanny silence—no blaring sirens, no hasty footsteps approaching. Cautiously, I peered out. The corridor was deserted, each wall sconce casting a lonely, yellow glow and stretching shadows along the emptiness, making the place seem even colder. At the corridor’s end, the elevator doors were closed, the digital display unlit and lifeless.

A foreboding sense washed over me; this deserted scene was more chilling than any commotion.

Dragging the heavy suitcase, I crossed the silent hotel lobby, each step feeling as though I walked on knife’s edge. The crystal chandelier bathed the space in a dim, icy light, pulling my shadow long and warped, a reflection of my own unease and dread.

Outside, the night was as dark as ink. Occasionally, a breeze would stir the fallen leaves, their rustling blending with the turmoil in my heart. I hurried across the empty street, each backward glance haunted by the imagined pursuit of police, the suitcase wheels rumbling loud in the silence—an intrusive presence in the night.

The darkness was deep. The streets of the small town were narrow and dim, flanked by weathered walls and sparse lights. Just as I stepped into a quiet alley, the figures of my three roommates emerged from the shadows, their outlines stretched by the feeble glow, at once familiar and strange.

Zhou Jie, quick and agile, lunged forward, expertly twisting my arms behind my back, the cold bite of handcuffs snapping onto my wrists. I stared wide-eyed in shock, momentarily forgetting to resist.

In the moonlight, the other two roommates wore complex expressions—shock, fury, and a hint of sorrow—closing in around me, gazing down as if I were a stranger. The night wind swept past, carrying a chill and dissolving the last warmth between us.

Seeing this, I hurried to explain, my voice quivering with anxiety: “It’s all a misunderstanding, please listen to me! The gun that day was only for practice—the gun and bullets were fake, just for a simulation, there was never any danger! I asked you to tie me up because I was too angry then, I didn’t want you to interfere while I handled an emergency, not to hurt you. Please believe me, there’s a reason for everything!”

As I spoke, I shook my head desperately, searching their eyes for a glimmer of trust, but their gazes remained doubtful; Zhou Jie’s handcuffs stayed tight around my wrists, unrelenting. The moonlight shone coldly on us, and the night wind carried a sense of impending doom.

Yet the three of them, brows furrowed, stood firm for justice, insisting on taking me to the police station to investigate the evidence.

Sweat beaded on my brow, my eyes rimmed red. I pleaded again, “Please, just trust me one more time. I truly meant no harm—everything I did was out of desperation.” As I spoke, tears finally slipped from my eyes, soaking my collar. Seeing my sincerity, Zhou Jie’s expression finally wavered; she slowly loosened the handcuffs. The other two exchanged glances and nodded in hesitant agreement. Under the moon’s gaze, our shadows stretched across the ground. Overcome with emotion, I grasped their hands, and the four of us exchanged relieved smiles, as if all misunderstandings had melted away.

We walked side by side on the way back to our dormitory, our laughter echoing into the night, as though we had returned to those carefree days once more.