“Young Mr. Ji, these are the documents that require your signature.”
“...Young Mr. Ji?”
Ji Qikun snapped back to reality. He took the documents that had been hovering in Secretary Tang’s hand for some time, gave them a cursory glance, and scrawled his name.
After Secretary Tang left the office with the files and softly closed the door, Ji Qikun’s brow furrowed once more.
He picked up his phone and checked it; there were no messages from Wei Zhi.
Was Zhang Kaiyang still at the house? Had he noticed the other car missing from the garage? Would Wei Zhi be clumsy enough to let something slip? Had Zhang Kaiyang already become suspicious?
He stood up and began pacing back and forth in his spacious office like a headless fly.
The situation at home, and the black Mercedes currently parked in the company’s underground garage—more specifically, the corpse in the trunk of that Mercedes—left him restless and consumed by anxiety.
From the moment he helped Wei Zhi clean up the blood, there was no turning back.
He finally endured until the end of the workday. Declining all social invitations, he rushed to the underground garage at the first opportunity.
At the end of the day, the garage was a cacophony of moving cars and noisy crowds. Ji Qikun’s black Mercedes happened to be parked next to the car of the Group’s Administrative Manager. Seeing Ji Qikun, the portly, middle-aged man paused just as he was about to slide into his driver’s seat and greeted him enthusiastically.
“Young Mr. Ji, what a coincidence! So this is your car? Why aren’t you driving your usual one?”
Whether he said it was for a car wash or maintenance, any excuse would leave a loophole for the police to verify later. Thus, Ji Qikun gave a non-committal smile.
“Just felt like a change of pace.”
“I was just saying, this car is modified beautifully. Look at those custom rims; I couldn’t imagine anyone else in the company having such taste besides our Young Mr. Ji—”
As the manager spoke, he began to walk a circle around the trunk.
“Young Mr. Ji, this trunk is quite large. It must hold a lot, right? I’ve been thinking of changing cars lately, and I want something with a bigger trunk so I can fit my gear when I go fishing—of course, I can’t afford a car like yours, Young Mr. Ji. I’m planning on getting a cheaper Japanese model.”
Ji Qikun’s gaze was fixed intently on the man’s limbs, terrified that he might press the trunk release at any second.
“...It’s alright. A bit larger than a standard sedan,” he said distractedly.
Fortunately, the manager was merely making polite conversation to flatter Ji Qikun and wasn't truly interested in the trunk's capacity. He circled back to the front of the car and smiled obsequiously.
“By the way, are you busy tonight, Young Mr. Ji? The club the Group uses for business entertainment just got a shipment of new tea. Would you like to come for a tasting?”
“No, thank you.” Ji Qikun’s hand gripped the pop-out handle of the Mercedes S-Class door as he smiled. “My wife is waiting for me at home.”
The stout manager let out a loud, deliberate click of his tongue and gave a thumbs-up.
“Young Mr. Ji truly is a man in a million. If you ask me, no one has better luck than Mrs. Ji!”
Ji Qikun gave a polite smile.
Only after the Mercedes engine roared to life did the manager reluctantly climb into his silver Honda.
On the drive home, Ji Qikun took special care to observe the water station across the street. The police tape forbidding entry had been removed, but the station’s rolling shutter was tightly closed, making it impossible to see what was happening inside.
Through bloodstain analysis, the police likely already knew who the victim was. Finding the body would be their top priority now. Whether based on his history with Weng Xiuyue or his proximity to the crime scene, he should be a primary suspect.
Yet, Zhang Kaiyang’s solitary visit this morning had defied his expectations.
Did the police think they lacked the motive or means to kill? Or had they already gathered evidence and were monitoring them in secret, waiting for them to slip up?
Ji Qikun parked the car in his garage and walked toward the elevator without looking back.
He had to act as if everything were normal, as if he didn't know a corpse was hidden in the trunk, because his every move might already be under surveillance.
When he opened the ebony-colored front door, the house was empty.
A surge of agitation rose in his chest again. He couldn't imagine why Wei Zhi wouldn't stay safely at home at a time like this. Where had she gone?
He pulled out his phone to check her current location. He never expected that she would be right in front of the water station.
He didn't understand why she was being so foolish, why she kept making such amateur mistakes at critical moments. Didn't she know that one wrong move could push them both into the abyss?
Ji Qikun closed his eyes, struggling to suppress the fury in his heart. He told himself he had to stay calm; he had to find a solution.
He dialed Wei Zhi’s number. After an agonizing ten-second wait, she finally picked up.
“Wife, where are you?” Ji Qikun asked, feigning a casual tone in case there were police nearby or the call was being intercepted.
“I’m at the entrance of the water station—” she said. “I just finished buying groceries at the supermarket and stopped by to look on my way back. The police tape is gone, but the neighbors don't seem to know what happened.”
Fearing she might say something she shouldn't over the phone, Ji Qikun quickly interrupted. “I’m already home. Come back quickly.”
Fifteen minutes later, Wei Zhi pushed open the door, carrying a bag of groceries.
As she changed her shoes, she said to Ji Qikun, “I bought a soft-shell turtle today. Do you want it in a soup or braised tonight?”
“Come here. I have something to say to you.”
Wei Zhi placed the grocery bag on the dining table and walked toward Ji Qikun, who was sitting on the living room sofa.
“What is it...”
Ji Qikun suddenly lunged up from the sofa and shoved Wei Zhi hard!
Wei Zhi’s defenseless body recoiled backward like a leaf swept up in a storm, falling heavily onto the sofa. The sudden force caused the sofa to slide back, making a harsh scraping sound against the floor.
“Do you have any idea that your reckless behavior will get us flagged by the police?” Ji Qikun hissed through gritted teeth.
Wei Zhi lay on the sofa, her scattered black hair veiling her face. After a long moment, she slowly looked up, her dark eyes staring rigidly at Ji Qikun above her.
“Husband, what are you talking about?” She stood up slowly, deliberately closing the distance between them. “Someone died near our home. Even if I don't know who it was, the two people who might have died were both my former colleagues. Of course I’d want to go ask around; I want to know who exactly died.”
“Don't you want to know who died? Those two were your former employees. Not to mention, one of them had a grudge against you. If it was her, that would be for the best—isn't that how a normal person would think?”
Ji Qikun’s brow was tightly knit, but the fire in his eyes gradually faded as she spoke. He stared at Wei Zhi’s slightly pale face, noting the way she intentionally moved closer and the hint of innocence and confusion in her eyes. He suddenly realized that she was the superior actor.
Her behavior was counter-intuitive for a killer, but perfectly logical for an ordinary person.
He was too tense; he had lost his composure. Weng Xiuyue’s death had been too sudden, too unexpected, and Wei Zhi’s method of killing was too crude and violent. He hadn't been prepared at all.
He couldn't go on like this. He had to regain his true form. Only then could he once again turn misfortune into luck and remain at large.
“Husband...” Wei Zhi’s low murmur interrupted his thoughts. He snapped back to his senses and found her looking at him with a reproachful gaze.
“I’m sorry, wife. I was just too anxious.” His smile was a bit forced as he tried to take her hand. “I was just worried something would happen to you.”
“Really?”
“Of course it’s true—”
“Then how are you going to prove it?”
Ji Qikun’s expression froze at those familiar words. Before he could react, those pitch-black eyes, like bottomless voids, swallowed his entire attention.
Wei Zhi cupped his face. Her hands, fresh from the outdoors, were as cold as a metal morgue table. It wasn't a coldness from the environment, but a chill that pierced through the skin to touch the very depths of the soul. Her hands held his cheeks gently but firmly, trapping him within her gaze. Her pupils, black without a single impurity, watched him coldly.
“You just pushed me. I’m very sad.” Her voice was low and steady, each word sounding as if it came from beneath a layer of ice. “Do you really love me? Or are you just using me to kill the people you hate?”
Every syllable from Wei Zhi was like a cold blade. Ji Qikun instinctively wanted to pull away from her icy touch and gaze, but his stiff body wouldn't move.
He had to appease her.
“Does my love for you still need proof? Everyone around me knows how much I love you; you are the only one in my heart. Saying this makes me feel like a failure, as if all the good I’ve done for you has been ignored,” Ji Qikun said.
Usually, at this point, Wei Zhi would stop questioning him and turn to comfort him, offering her certain support. But this time, there wasn't a trace of emotion on her face.
“Is that so?” Wei Zhi said. “Then call Secretary Tang and tell her you’re taking a leave of absence to stay home and be with me.”
“Why a sudden leave? There’s unfinished business at the company, and the police might be watching us. Taking a leave now is too suspicious,” Ji Qikun said with a forced smile.
“I’m too tired. My nerves have been frayed lately. I need you to stay home with me,” Wei Zhi said. “If you promise me this, I’ll drive the car out tonight and bury the thing in the trunk.”
Ji Qikun’s ears immediately perked up. “Where do you plan to bury it?”
“...I can tell you. It’s a place I spent a week finding. But are you sure you want to know?” Wei Zhi asked.
Ji Qikun hesitated.
Regarding the corpse, the less he knew, the better. His impulsive act of cleaning the blood had already put him in a disadvantageous position. If he got involved in disposing of the body, he would never be able to wash his hands clean.
“Never mind. I trust you, wife.”
“Then will you take a leave to stay home with me?” Wei Zhi pressed persistently.
To get her to deal with the body in the trunk as soon as possible, Ji Qikun had no choice but to agree to her demand.
“Don't go tonight. Wait a bit longer. It’ll be safer to drive out of the city once the police have completely left the water station,” he said.
“I’ll do whatever you say,” Wei Zhi said. “When are you calling Secretary Tang?”
At this point, Ji Qikun still didn't truly understand Wei Zhi’s intention.
Not until she explicitly demanded that he tell Secretary Tang over the phone that he was *choosing* to take a leave to be with her, rather than being forced into it by her nagging.
“Does it make a difference?” The forced smile on his face was nearly impossible to maintain.
“Yes, it makes no difference.” Wei Zhi hugged one of his arms and smiled at him affectionately. “So, hurry up and call—”
Under the surveillance of those eyes that held a smile but could turn icy at any moment, Ji Qikun was forced to dial Secretary Tang’s number.
“Hello, Young Mr. Ji?” Secretary Tang’s sweet voice came through the speaker.
“...It’s me. Work has been too busy lately. I’m planning to take a few days off starting next week to spend some quality time with my wife. Please handle the company matters for me.”
“I understand. When do you plan to start, Young Mr. Ji?”
“Next week.”
Secretary Tang’s voice turned surprised. “Next week? But there are several meetings scheduled for next week that you approved yourself. Senior Mr. Ji has been notified, and all the department managers have coordinated their schedules...”
Ji Qikun looked at Wei Zhi imploringly, but found no sign of compromise on her face.
“Attend them on my behalf. Send me the meeting minutes afterward,” he said in a low voice, suppressing his irritation toward Wei Zhi.
“This... I understand,” Secretary Tang said with a wry smile.
After hanging up, he looked at Wei Zhi coldly.
“Are you satisfied now?”
Wei Zhi’s eyes narrowed slightly, revealing an inscrutable smile. It wasn't a malicious smile, but it carried a clear sense of pleasure, like a child who knows they have the upper hand, happily watching their opponent’s confusion and unease.
“Having confirmed that my husband still loves me, what could I be dissatisfied with?”
Her obedient face and sweet voice only made Ji Qikun feel a chill throughout his body.
From her face, he saw no trace of the fear that should follow a murder.
Once, Ji Qikun had restricted her social life, forced her to cut ties with her family, and made her quit her job, all to leave her with no one to turn to. At that time, he never could have imagined that her having nothing would one day become the leverage she used to oppress him.
He had too many chips, and they were too heavy; instead, they had become the shackles that bound him.
He had reputation, wealth, youth, and health. He was only one step away from taking full control of a listed company worth billions. He was unwilling to become the subject of idle gossip because of one impulsive act by Wei Zhi.
But Wei Zhi had nothing, so she feared nothing.
Silently, the positions of the strong and the weak had been reversed.
Wei Zhi picked up the grocery bag from the table and walked toward the kitchen island as if nothing had happened.
“Husband, do you want soft-shell turtle soup or braised turtle?” she said nonchalantly, her expression as submissive as a lamb’s.
But he would never view her as a lamb again.
Ji Qikun watched her with a gaze that was partly cold and partly fearful.
For the next three days, police were in and out of the water station.
Except for the day Zhang Kaiyang came to question them and Ji Qikun drove the black Mercedes out, the car remained in the garage with its trunk tightly shut for the following two days.
The more he tried to control himself and not think about it, the more the image of Weng Xiuyue’s rotting body surfaced in his mind.
Could that plastic wrap and activated carbon really seal in the stench of a decomposing corpse?
Every day when he went to work, he couldn't help but take a deep breath in the garage, checking the air for the smell of rot.
On the fourth day, the police finally withdrew completely from the water station.
Ji Qikun deliberately stayed late at the office to work overtime, attempting to distance himself from the disposal of the body. His trust in Wei Zhi had been shaken; he couldn't predict what she would do next. He checked his phone repeatedly. Every time he heard Secretary Tang push open the door, his heart raced, thinking it was the police coming for him.
If time could turn back, he would never have personally cleaned the blood off the trunk, nor would he have asked Wei Zhi to get rid of Weng Xiuyue. Even earlier, he wouldn't have chosen Wei Zhi as his sacrifice.
For the first time in his thirty years of life, Ji Qikun felt a profound sense of regret.
***
