How is it You?

Mad Detective

[Author: Kuang Hai Wang Hu]

[TL: Spades]

[PR: Blitz]

[QC: Lumi]

Chapter 31 — How Is It You?

——————

When the two collided, Zhao Yu's first reaction was a giant question mark!

Weird?

The bathroom had been gushing with water, clearly the toilet flushing. So why was this woman wrapped in a bath towel, hair dripping wet?

Seeing a sneaky figure in her home, the woman screamed in terror!

Then came Zhao Yu's second question.

Whoa!?

Her figure was flawless, even outshining that young "Flower" girl! So, this wasn't Flower…

Disaster!

If it was Flower, he might've explained his way out. But a stranger? Zhao Yu was toast, caught trespassing in a beauty's home… he'd walked into a death trap!

So dramatic!

Too damn dramatic!

Amid her relentless screams, Zhao Yu stood frozen, bizarrely blaming the Adventure System.

System, this soap-opera-level drama, you didn't arrange this too, did you?

Is this… fun?

After about 20 seconds of screaming, the woman grew puzzled. Why hadn't this intruder pounced?

By normal script, she'd be tied up or subdued by now, but this guy just stood there, staring like she was a painting.

Curious, she sized him up, Pikachu boxers, barefoot, covered in dust. Could he be… a lunatic!?

Wait!

Suddenly, she recognized Zhao Yu's face, exclaiming in shock, "How… it's—you!?"

"Ma'am, I swear it's not on purpose," Zhao Yu clasped his hands, bowing and rattling off, "I'm Old Zhao, your next-door neighbor. I got locked out, thought your place was empty, just wanted to pass through. I know you're usually out at night, didn't know you were home, I'm not a bad guy, you can check my ID…"

Only after his frantic spiel did he notice her expression. Then he saw her face clearly, and his jaw dropped.

Huh!?

How is it you?

You're not…

The words "gold-digger" nearly slipped out, but he swallowed them.

Yes, this was the woman he'd met at the bar, nearly assaulted by the taser creep. Zhao Yu had stopped the guy, indirectly saving her!

No wonder the perfume smelled familiar! It was hers!

"How is… you!?" Zhao Yu pointed, dumbfounded.

"This is… too much of a coincidence, right?" She shook her head, "Flower told me yesterday our neighbor's a nutcase detective, didn't expect… it's you!?"

Damn!

Zhao Yu gulped, not expecting Flower's harsh take. His bad jokes hit hard!

"I… didn't expect this either!" He repeated his explanation, then asked, "I've seen the Four Beauties, but not you?"

"Hehe… come, sit!" With their unique connection, she dropped her guard, ushering him to the bedroom to sit on the bed. "It's Five Beauties, really. Three live downstairs, Flower and I are up here!"

"Oh…" Zhao Yu got it, the neighbors rented out the second floor too, keeping just a ground-floor laundry shop.

"Officer Zhao, it's Zhao Yu, right?" She grabbed a pack of premium cigarettes from the table, offering one, "After that incident, I learned the truth when I woke up, knew you saved me! I wanted to thank you in person, but… you know my situation, I…"

"Rainbow… Yang Rainbow?" Zhao Yu recalled the taser case file, guessing her name.

"Yes, Yang Hong!" She confirmed.

"No need to thank, it's my job…" Zhao Yu took the cigarette but didn't want to smoke. Since linking smoking to the Adventure System, he'd lost interest. When Yang Hong offered a light, he politely waved it off.

But she lit one for herself.

"No matter what, thank you!" Yang Hong said sincerely, "If that guy had succeeded, I… I'd never face anyone again!"

"Don't say that…" Sensing her sadness, Zhao Yu shifted topics, "What a coincidence today, you didn't go out?"

"After that incident, I've got some shadows…" Yang Hong exhaled a faint smoke ring, her tone dim, "I'm taking a break… Was sleeping fine today until some door-banging woke me!"

So that's it, all sparked by Jiang Xiaoqing's chain reaction.

After her words, silence fell, the bedroom growing awkward.

"Officer Zhao!" Yang Hong broke the quiet, "I've always wondered, that day at the bar, with so many people, why'd you pick me? How'd you know the creep would target me?"

"This…" Zhao Yu, a seasoned player, caught a hint in her tone, grinning, "Honestly, I was smitten. No one there was prettier than you! Guess my taste matches that taser creep's, huh?"

Pfft…

Yang Hong burst out laughing, "Officer Zhao, a real charmer, rare chance today."

Her words were blatant flirting, but Zhao Yu kept his cool, playing the suave role.

This sent Yang Hong into giggles. After laughing, she fixed him with a sultry stare, "Why wait for an invitation? Flower's gone till noon, and you climbed out without keys, how'll you get back?"

Zhao Yu was thrilled inside but wouldn't spill about the spare key under the mat.

Forget the "don't mess with neighbors" rule! Like a beast, he lunged at Yang Hong!

But his force was too much, her iPhone 6S flew off the bed, crashing to the floor.

Thud…

The loud noise paused their movements.

"Uh… iPhone 6S… sorry…" Yang Hong licked her lips, murmuring.

Zhao Yu leaned off the bed, grabbing the phone. Luckily, it was sturdy, likely fine.

As he showed it to her, the screen was lit, her lock screen showing a photo of Yang Hong herself.

Oddly, it depicted her at a piano, playing with focus.

Piano again!?

"What, don't recognize me?" Yang Hong pointed at her younger self, "That was me in school!"

"You… play piano too?" Zhao Yu asked instinctively.

"Hehe, surprised?" Yang Hong said proudly, "Qinshan's called the piano capital, my mom forced me to practice since I was little! Oh, I'm piano level 10, even competed in Qinshan's top high school piano contest!"

At those words, Zhao Yu's spine chilled, goosebumps erupting.

"I'm asking," his voice trembled, "which… competition?"

"The 10th, why?" Yang Hong answered without pause.

Thud…

His hand shook, and the pricey iPhone 6S hit the floor again!