Genius Club-Chapter 261 - 74 Welcoming the Grand Death_3

It was Lin Xian.

Their gazes met, and they shared a wordless silence.

It was as if, in the brilliant explosion of fireworks from the previous dawn, their stares had acknowledged each other’s presence, "I know you, you know me," yet between them lay an insurmountable galaxy.

Lin Xian pulled out a chair and sat opposite Ji Lin, looking at him:

"Ji Xinshui has confessed everything."

Ji Lin was amused, shaking his head slightly:

"Impossible."

Lin Xian took out the video and transcript he had prepared and showed them to Ji Lin.

In the video, Ji Xinshui was cheerfully, without a care, narrating how he had accidentally killed Dr. Pang Simai in Wolfsburg, Germany.

Ji Lin’s expression changed slightly.

He knew Ji Xinshui too well; this was not something he would do.

It was tantamount to sentencing himself to death.

Why would he do this?

Ji Lin couldn’t figure it out.

"However, Ji Xinshui did say that you and Angelica are innocent."

Lin Xian put away the tablet that had been playing the video and looked up at Ji Lin:

"That took me by surprise, I didn’t expect someone who was so ruthless to his student, ah no, more accurately, to his son-in-law... to choose to protect his child at the end of his life... even if they were not his own but adopted."

"It’s hard to imagine that the saying ’even fierce tigers do not eat their young’ could apply to Ji Xinshui."

Upon hearing this, Ji Lin spread his hands:

"That’s because Angelica and I are indeed innocent."

He laughed and looked around at the narrow interrogation room tightly packed with soft foam:

"Lin Xian, this must be the real birthday present you wanted to give me, right? Honestly... compared to a Gothic version of ’Rhein Cat,’ this gift is more of a surprise."

Snap.

Lin Xian snapped his fingers.

Thud, a familiar dull sound.

The one-way glass went dark, turning into a black screen, all the surveillance electronic devices in the interrogation room were turned off, and all conversation within became secret, unknown to any third party.

Ji Lin looked at the cameras hanging their heads around him and turned his gaze back to Lin Xian, wondering what trick he was going to pull.

And then...

Lin Xian took out a brown file envelope and unwound the white cotton string on it.

From inside,

he removed a folded white sheet of drawing paper.

He laid the white drawing paper on the table and pushed it toward Ji Lin:

"This is what Chu Anqing and I truly wanted to give you for your birthday."

Rustle...

Lin Xian unfolded the drawing paper.

Ji Lin took a deep breath through his nose and looked at the skillfully drawn pencil sketch before him—

The clean sheet of paper, the smooth pencil lines, depicted a warm and harmonious threesome.

Lin Xian and Ji Lin stood in the background, looking down at Chu Anqing who had suddenly sprung towards them.

Chu Anqing, prepared for the moment, had her eyes curved into shallow crescent moons, making cute scissor hands, squeezing in front of the two of them.

In that moment, the camera’s shutter captured the warm instant of their group photo.

"Well then... let’s exchange gifts! Let’s promise to give each other gifts on every birthday from now on! That way, everyone can be assured of receiving at least two gifts on their birthdays!"

"As good friends, of course, we should celebrate together until the very last birthday!"

"Ji Lin, just you wait, I and Lin Xian will definitely prepare a big gift for you! We’ll make up for all the birthday presents you missed over the years!"

"Ji Lin... wishes shouldn’t be spoken aloud, if you say them, they won’t come true!"

"There’s a phrase that generally refers to two people who have a very good relationship and similar ideals. It’s the title of a classic song by the famous singer Zhou Huajian and also used as the code name for the antagonist in the renowned comic-based movie ’20th Century Boys’! The phrase is——"

...

Looking at this pencil sketch.

The words Chu Anqing once said, like the tide returning, surged from the depths of memory... surrounding Ji Lin with mirth and laughter.

"Originally, Chu Anqing had planned to add watercolor to the sketch before giving it to you."

Lin Xian said softly:

"But later there wasn’t enough time, so she ended up giving you something else."

He leaned back in his chair, changing his position, and looked at Ji Lin:

"There’s no other implication, I’m not here to play the sentiment card. I just think that after today, we probably won’t have any further interactions. Since the painting is done... it’s better to give it to you."

Looking at his wristwatch,

Lin Xian checked the time:

"In a few minutes, your 24-hour detention will be over. All surveillance here is already off, and, besides, I’m not a professional interrogator, so any confession I obtain would have no legal effect."

"I came today just to ask you one question."

He lifted his head again, looking into Ji Lin’s eyes:

"Did you really take part in the murder of Xu Yun and Tang Xin?"

...

A brief silence.

Ji Lin shook his head:

"No."

Lin Xian just looked at him.

It was a long pause.

Neither of them spoke.

Ji Lin kept his gaze on the sketch on the table, while Lin Xian kept staring at the silent Ji Lin.

Tick-tock.

A beep came from Lin Xian’s digital watch.

It was a time reminder he had set for this period.

He flipped his wrist.

00:42

Rustle.

Lin Xian fumbled a bunch of keys out of his pocket and tossed them onto the sketch in front of Ji Lin:

"You’re free now."

Those were the keys to the handcuffs and leg irons.

Lin Xian stood up and walked towards the door.

"Lin Xian."

He had just taken two steps, his hand on the doorknob, when Ji Lin called out to him from behind.

Lin Xian didn’t turn around.

Ji Lin’s voice came from behind:

"Are we friends?"

Lin Xian stared at the doorknob below and did not continue to turn it:

"What counts as a friend?"

Ji Lin laughed:

"I don’t know how to define it either, it seems to be so easy and yet so difficult. Just like what I told you last night... if you’d be sad after the other person died, then you probably considered them a friend."

"I have a different view."

Lin Xian’s right hand left the doorknob and he turned back:

"I think that being able to tell each other the truth, that’s what makes a real friend."

He looked into Ji Lin’s eyes again:

"Tell me, Ji Lin, did you take part in the murder cases of Xu Yun and Tang Xin or not?"

This was the second time Lin Xian had asked this question.

At this moment.

He didn’t even know what answer he wanted.

A continued denial?

Or a contradictory admission?

However...

Faced with this question again, Ji Lin fell silent.

For over a minute, the two of them just looked at each other, as if time had stopped, without a word.

Lin Xian let out a soft sigh through his nose.

At this point, silence pretty much amounted to affirmation.

He couldn’t clear up what he felt right now.

But this was the answer he most wanted to clarify, to prove that all along, he had not guessed wrong, nor had he wronged anyone.

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At least this time, Ji Lin hadn’t lied to him.

"Lin Xian."

Ji Lin chuckled and spoke:

"If I die one day, would you be sad?"

He asked the same question for the second time.

It seemed that he, too, wanted to know Lin Xian’s answer.

Only...

Lin Xian turned, opened the doorknob, and walked out.

Slam.

The heavy door closed, leaving Ji Lin in the dimly lit interrogation room, while Lin Xian quickly crossed the brightly lit corridor to the dazzlingly bright chief surveillance room under the incandescent lights:

"Let the plan begin."