Chapter 260
To find the culprit who stole her assets, she first had to figure out who had received yesterday’s hidden task.
Time to start eliminating suspects.
Xiao Jingxi had completed a hidden task and received the Binding Card. Eliminated.
Qiu Chengye had done the public seaside “ten photos in a row” task. Eliminated.
Lai Bingxuan had secretly snapped photos of Qiu Chengye sleeping yesterday. She must’ve taken the public task of [Collect three sleeping shots of male guests]. Eliminated.
Liu Woxing had cooked in the kitchen yesterday and invited Yu Jinzhe to taste it. Her task was [Cook a meal for a male guest and receive a compliment]. Eliminated.
That left only three suspects.
Or rather… two.
Xie Mi glanced at obedient Yu Jinzhe doing homework beside her, then at Xu Shuangrong watering the flowers by the window.
Her lips curled into a fake smile, then she quietly slipped away.
“?”
Sensing something off, Yu Jinzhe looked up in confusion, only to see the sofa empty—no one there.
Was it just his imagination?
He didn’t think much of it and lowered his head to continue his homework.
Life in Liancha Town seemed especially peaceful today.
The guests went about their day harmoniously as usual, but something felt off.
“Why do I feel like… someone’s missing today?”
While watching TV in the living room, Lai Bingxuan finally couldn’t hold it in, “Don’t you think it’s really quiet today?”
Qiu Chengye, sprawled on the sofa like an uncle, glanced around, “Have you guys seen Xie Mi today?”
Liu Woxing frowned, thinking back.
Now that she mentioned it, after seeing Teacher Xie once in the morning, she hadn’t appeared again.
“Right! It’s Xie Mi!”
Lai Bingxuan slapped the table, “I knew something was weird! Turns out it’s because Xie Mi’s missing!”
She pointed at the recliner in the garden, “Normally at this time, she’d be lying there with her legs crossed, chewing on a dogtail grass stalk while sunbathing!”
[Damn, Sister Lai, you really know her well.]
[Even down to chewing dogtail grass? I’m crying.]
Liu Woxing thought for a moment, then turned to ask Shen Moqing, who was calmly reading by the window, “Mr. Shen, have you seen Teacher Xie today?”
Shen Moqing nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping subtly in a certain direction before quickly retracting. A faint smile tugged at his lips.
“Haven’t seen her.”
“Even Mr. Shen hasn’t seen her. That is strange.” Liu Woxing didn’t doubt him and withdrew her gaze.
Just then, Yu Jinzhe, having finished his homework, checked the time, closed his laptop neatly, and stood up, “Lunchtime’s coming up. I’ll go buy some groceries at the supermarket.”
Xu Shuangrong raised her hand, “Jinzhe, let’s go together. I need to buy something too.”
Yu Jinzhe: “Alright.”
[Is it just me, or do Yu Jinzhe and Xu Shuangrong seem to be getting close these past two days?]
[Yeah, ever since they shot that promo photo together, their relationship seems better.]
[You guys just noticed? In Xu Shuangrong’s livestream room, people are already shipping them as the “Shuang x Yu CP.” The fan forums keep cranking out content, saying they want to erase the dark history of the “Xiao–Shuang” pairing.]
[Holy sh*t, I didn’t even realize! The Shuang x Yu CP’s ranking in Liancha’s official forum has actually jumped up two places!]
[Damn it, all because I got lazy and only watched one livestream room the past two days. I missed so much! Watching Liancha really requires multiple phones and multiple rooms at once.]
The villa crowd kept discussing Xie Mi’s whereabouts, not noticing a fleeting black shadow in the corner.
Shen Moqing’s fingers paused briefly on the page. He raised his eyes, scanned the area once, then lowered them again, hiding the amusement in his gaze.
Yu Jinzhe and Xu Shuangrong walked side by side on the road to the supermarket.
Along the way, Xu Shuangrong, like a caring older sister, asked him many questions about his studies. Yu Jinzhe answered obediently. One question, one answer—the picture unexpectedly harmonious.
This sudden new “romantic line” drew countless gossiping netizens. Huge numbers of viewers flocked in, sending both their livestream popularity soaring.
The chat was buzzing with speculation about whether this CP could become real.
But suddenly—half a human figure quietly emerged from the telephone pole behind them.
Eyes staring fixedly at their backs.
[I will secretly peep at you… forever and ever… for all eternity… peeping at you endlessly…]
[Holy sh*t, a ghost!!]
[Wait, isn’t that the missing Old Xie?!]
[?? Old Xie, don’t do this, you’re scaring me!]
[Hahahaha Teacher Xie what are you even doing!!]
Yu Jinzhe frowned slightly and suddenly turned his head.
But behind him—nothing. Only the telephone pole standing silently.
…Another illusion?
“What’s wrong?” Xu Shuangrong asked.
“Feels like someone’s watching me.”
“Is your schoolwork stressing you out too much lately?”
“Maybe.”
In the supermarket, Yu Jinzhe stood before a shelf.
On the shelf: discounted regular beef and expensive steak.
He reached for the expensive steak.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, Xie Mi’s head popped out from behind the shelf, eyes staring straight at him.
[I will keep peeping at you… endlessly… relentlessly peeping at you… persevering in my peeping…]
Yu Jinzhe whipped his head around!
Empty shelf. Nothing.
“…” He frowned slightly, turned back, and reached for the expensive steak again.
[I will keep peeping…]
Yu Jinzhe spun around instantly!
No one.
“…” He turned back again, reaching out.
[I will keep…]
Yu Jinzhe turned again!
Still nothing.
“…” He turned back once more, trying to grab the steak.
[I will…]
Yu Jinzhe turned again!
[You psycho!!!]
[Question: are they playing “Red Light, Green Light”?]
[Help, I was eating noodles and now they just shot out of my nose from laughing.]
[Humans are really bizarre sometimes.]
Naturally, Yu Jinzhe still didn’t see Xie Mi.
But that constant, bone-chilling sense of being peeped at from behind—he could feel it clearly.
He paused for a moment, then reached for the regular beef instead.
After purchasing, he carried the groceries back to the villa, cooked lunch, ate, finished, and went upstairs for a nap.
He lay on the bed, eyes closing peacefully.
[Watching you… forever… until death… endlessly watching you… when you go to the toilet… when you bathe… when you go out to play… when you change clothes… when you sleep… every minute, every second… I’m watching you… staring at you…]
Wait—no!!!
Yu Jinzhe’s eyes snapped open. He bolted upright and looked around the room in a panic.
He rushed to the bathroom—no one.
Opened the closet—empty.
Got down to peer under the bed—nothing.
Pulled open drawers—still no one!
“…”
Yu Jinzhe was now sweating profusely.
Slowly, half a head emerged from the top of the wardrobe.
Eyes staring unblinkingly at him.
[I will always… be watching you… forever.]
