Wen Kexing, using his hand to support his chin, turned things over in his mind for a few minutes then asked, “You mean the Delighted Mourning Ghost had taken a liking to Fang Buzhi and the latter struggled to fight off the former’s advances, so he killed his unattainable object of fancy in a fit of rage?”

He shook his head and sighed after that, “After all, it has always been inevitable for beauties to suffer.”

Zhou Zishu replied, his expression betraying nothing. “What an excellent explanation from Brother Wen, why did I ever think that the murderer must have killed Fang Buzhi for something on his body.”

Wen kexing choked on his words briefly, pretending to agree. “Sounds reasonable enough.”

He turned his head to see Zhou Zishu looking at him meaningfully. The other man asked, “Did Brother Wen lose anything else that day beside from the pouch?”

Wen Kexing faced his eyes directly and confessed. “Yes. The money was intact, but the piece of Lapis Armor was nowhere to be found.”

The smile on Zhou Zishu’s face slowly receded, his eyes dark and cold as if submerged in ice. Wen Kexing looked innocent and smiley as usual.

After a good while, Zhou Zishu lowered his voice. “What are we to do about this, Mister Charitable Wen? You didn’t kill him, but he died because of you.”

Wen Kexing fell silent. At that moment ahead of them, Cao Wining and Deng Kuan were discussing Zhou Zishu’s illness. Deng Kuan turned around, about to ask if he could manage traveling through the night and if they should hire another carriage for him, but he sensed a change of atmosphere between the two men.

Wen Kexing was no longer smiling, and there was an unreadable flash in Zhou Zishu’s eyes. Deng Kuan felt puzzled and was going to inquire the two further when Wen Kexing suddenly laughed, his hand as quick as lightning gripping Zhou Zishu’s chin as he leaned down and kissed him.

Deng Kuan stood there stunned, but educated as he was, he turned away awkwardly after a few minutes, feigning calmness at the dazed Gao Xiaolian and Cao Weining. “If… Then, us four should take steps in advance, let’s do that…”

Too bad he miscounted the moment he phased out.

When the three of them ditched without looking back, Zhou Zishu broke away from Wen Kexing’s grip, ruthlessly delivering a punch to the other’s abdomen, his expression cold. “The joke is not funny, Brother Wen.”

Wen Kexing bent forward to clutch at his stomach, an unnerving hint of a smile still evident on his face. “I didn’t kill him, but he died because of me? Have you considered that you’re wrong, Ah-Xu?”

Zhou Zishu watched him icily.