Lost in the Otherworld

At 9 a.m., in the Dean’s Office.

“Sit.”

Officer Huang sat in the dean’s swivel chair, leaning back slightly, crossing his legs with his hands clasped over his abdomen. His demeanor was relaxed, yet his presence exuded an inherent authority, as if he were in his own interrogation room.

Gao Yang sat properly before him, silent.

Officer Huang smiled, “Don’t be nervous. It’s just us here. I’m just going to ask you a few questions.”

“Mm...” Gao Yang thought to himself: Isn’t it because it’s just us that I’m even more nervous?!

“Is your face hurt?”

“Oh, I was bitten by an insect.” Gao Yang casually touched his face.

“Alright, let’s begin.” Officer Huang took out his notebook, “Student Gao Yang, what was your relationship with the deceased, Li Weiwei?”

“We’ve known each other since kindergarten. We’ve always been close, like childhood sweethearts,” Gao Yang replied.

Officer Huang took notes as he asked, “Were you with Li Weiwei the entire afternoon yesterday?”

“Yes, we watched a movie, had dinner, and hung out at the Da Wan Mall until quite late. I didn’t get home until midnight.”

“What time did you part ways with Li Weiwei?”

“Around 11 p.m., I think,” Gao Yang knew better than to remember the time too precisely—it would only make him more suspicious.

“Wasn’t it late? Why didn’t you see her home?”

“I walked with her part of the way. She said she could manage the rest, so I didn’t insist.” Gao Yang knew the surveillance for that final stretch had been disabled by Qing Ling, so he deliberately asked, “You can check the surveillance, Officer Huang; it should confirm everything.”

Officer Huang paused, a flicker of movement in his eyes, “To be honest, the surveillance on that route malfunctioned at the exact time you two parted.”

“What? How could that be?” Gao Yang feigned surprise.

“There’s a high possibility that this was a premeditated crime.” Officer Huang quietly scrutinized Gao Yang’s face, searching for any sign of guilt.

“It might have been someone she knew, but that’s just a preliminary assumption. There aren’t many leads at the moment. We don’t have the murder weapon or any witnesses.”

“No clues at all?” Gao Yang asked.

Officer Huang uncrossed his legs, leaning forward, “Did Li Weiwei have any conflicts with anyone, or did she offend someone?”

Gao Yang shook his head, “She was a kind person; everyone in our class liked her. I can’t think of anyone who might have held a grudge against her.”

“What about someone who was jealous of her? Or anyone else?”

Gao Yang thought for a moment, then shook his head, “Nothing comes to mind.”

Officer Huang nodded, his gaze never leaving Gao Yang’s face, “You liked Li Weiwei, didn’t you?”

Gao Yang hesitated, “I suppose... yes.”

“For the sake of the investigation, I reviewed Li Weiwei’s WeChat records. You confessed to her, and she accepted...”

“Yes, yesterday was our first date, but I never thought it would also be the last...” Gao Yang lowered his head, feeling genuinely sad. This part wasn’t an act.

Officer Huang didn’t ask any more questions. He stood up, “Alright, that’s enough for today.” He stepped forward, patting Gao Yang on the shoulder with a hint of meaning in his tone, “My condolences.”

...

The questioning ended, and Gao Yang breathed a sigh of relief, having narrowly escaped.

He left the office and headed toward the classroom.

“Gao Yang!” someone called out to him.

Before Gao Yang could turn around, a strong arm suddenly appeared, locking around his neck.

Gao Yang almost couldn’t breathe, “Cough, cough... cough...”

“Hahaha, weakling!”

A boy with dyed blond hair and a lip piercing released his grip—it was Wang Zikai.

Wang Zikai was Gao Yang’s high school classmate, though not anymore; he was expelled just a week ago after opening up yet another classmate’s head during a fight.

The reason for the fight: the other guy had looked at him the wrong way.

Wang Zikai came from money, driving a sports car to school every day, and on top of that, he was good-looking—a classic rich and handsome type. But he managed to squander all his advantages, becoming a feared school bully.

For some reason, ever since freshman year, this bully had taken a particular liking to Gao Yang. Wang Zikai had emphasized more than once that Gao Yang was his best, and only, friend.

This made Gao Yang both flattered and puzzled. Under Wang Zikai’s tyrannical influence, Gao Yang reluctantly became his friend and soon realized that aside from his penchant for fighting and occasional bouts of madness, Wang Zikai was actually a decent guy.

Today, Wang Zikai seemed to be in a good mood—he was probably here to complete his withdrawal paperwork.

“What’s up with you? You look like you just ate something nasty.” Wang Zikai asked.

“Li Weiwei is dead,” Gao Yang said.

“What?!” Wang Zikai was shocked, “How did she die?”

“She was robbed... and killed...”

“Damn! That’s some serious bad luck.” Wang Zikai clicked his tongue, “I just helped you confess to her a few days ago, too. Did she say yes? She must have rejected you, right? Hahaha, there’s no way a girl would like someone like you!”

Gao Yang rolled his eyes: This idiot never knows how to focus on the important things.

“Bro, my condolences.” Wang Zikai patted Gao Yang’s shoulder carelessly, “Look on the bright side—you’ll never have to worry about someone else stealing her from you.”

“...” Gao Yang resisted the urge to curse him out.

“After school today, I’ll pick you up in my car. Let’s team up and play some games! Turn your grief into motivation. This season, we have to reach Silver rank!” Wang Zikai said.

“No, I have to attend Li Weiwei’s funeral tonight,” Gao Yang replied.

“No way,” Wang Zikai jumped back in exaggerated surprise, “Don’t tell me you’re thinking of... taking advantage of the situation while she’s still warm...”

“Get lost!”

Gao Yang was at a loss for words, barely restraining himself from kicking him. But that’s just Wang Zikai for you—you’ll never hear a normal sentence come out of his mouth.