Bloodstains Under the Red Carpet

"The wedding decorations were completed a day in advance. If the bloodstains under the carpet are verified to be Lu Kai's, then he was attacked last night."

Behind Gu Jiu, another man's voice sounded, almost at the same time as Cheng Yuzhou's.

"Brother," she turned her head, meeting Gu Jingyang's dark eyes.

Gu Jingyang was Gu Jiu's older brother, six years her senior. He had a rugged, resolute face and peach blossom eyes. Like Gu Jiu, he rarely smiled. This diminished the seductive charm of his peach blossom eyes but exuded the mature appeal of a grown man.

Gu Jingyang looked at Gu Jiu and patted her shoulder, signaling her to stay put. Then, he parted the crowd and walked toward the spot where the red carpet had been peeled back.

"Police..."

Gu Jiu stared intently at the tall back amidst the crowd. Gu Jingyang's steady voice echoed in her ears, instantly silencing the bustling crowd.

The scene was quickly cordoned off. On the other side, Gu Jingyang was calling the criminal investigation team.

Soon after, several unfamiliar faces began to appear inside the wedding hall. Walking at the very back was a tall, slender young man with a highly attractive appearance. The moment he stepped into the banquet hall, his eyes locked onto Gu Jiu.

Sensing someone staring at her, Gu Jiu turned her head, but the young man had already looked away. She paid it no mind, casting her eyes down to stare at the white ceramic tile beneath her feet, unclear whether she was deep in thought or simply dazed.

"Captain Gu, this is human blood. The specifics will require further testing."

A voice suddenly rang out in the quiet room, catching Gu Jiu's attention.

"How could that be? It's impossible, nothing will happen to Lu Kai..." Dressed in a pure white wedding gown, Zhou Ziwan stood frozen. Her eyes stared blankly at the bloodstains on the floor as she shook her head frantically, unable to believe the reality before her.

In an instant, good news had turned into a tragedy.

In truth, life was like a gamble; joy and sorrow could shift in a split second, and no one knew what would happen in the next moment.

"I know you, you are Gu Jiu's brother," Zhou Ziwan suddenly noticed Gu Jingyang, clutching his hand like a drowning person grasping at a straw. "Lu Kai will be fine, right? I met him last night, and the four groomsmen saw him this morning. The blood under the carpet... it can't possibly be his..."

Her voice trailed off into a sob, sounding utterly helpless. Zhou Ziwan denied it vehemently because deep down she knew a tragedy had occurred; she simply couldn't accept it.

Gu Jingyang watched Zhou Ziwan sway as if she might faint at any moment. He reached out to support her, his expression remaining calm and unchanged. "Everything is still under investigation. Miss Zhou, where was the last place you saw Lu Kai? Exactly when was it?"

Zhou Ziwan lowered her head and choked up for a long time. When she looked up, her eyes were red and filled with tears, using what little strength she had left to hold herself up. "Last night, probably around seven o'clock, we met at Tianjie Square—the place where Lu Kai proposed to me. After that, he drove me home. We parted before nine o'clock. I didn't pay much attention to the time."

She paused, her emotions still unstable but seemingly calmer than before. "My house is too far from the wedding hotel. Besides, Xia Ning City doesn't have a tradition of fetching the bride, and furthermore..."

"Lu Kai's health isn't very good," Zhou Ziwan's voice grew much softer. "So there was no door-blocking games at the hotel. Lu Kai and I just wanted a simple wedding, inviting only a few close friends and relatives."

Lu Kai had congenital heart disease. As the only son of the Lu family, he had always been carefully protected. On the other hand, the Lu family was a prominent family in Xia Ning, and Mrs. Lu cared deeply about reputation. At this point, Zhou Ziwan lowered her voice even further.

"Actually, the wedding was about to start, but Lu Kai suddenly vanished. I didn't see him this morning either, but the groomsmen who came with him... Zhou what was it... Zhou Yue, the man over there..."

Zhou Ziwan pointed to a man in a suit standing not far away. "Just now, Zhou Yue told me that after they arrived at the hotel this morning, Lu Kai said he hadn't slept well last night and had been resting in his room the entire time. Who would have thought that when the wedding was about to begin, he couldn't be found."

As soon as Zhou Ziwan finished speaking, Gu Jiu habitually raised her eyebrows.

"This red carpet was flipped over by someone. It's hard to say, could it be..."

The second half of the sentence was left unsaid, but "could it be"—a criminal case.

It was unclear where this whisper came from, but it drifted into Gu Jiu's ears. The volume was so low that others couldn't hear it, but Gu Jiu's hearing was excellent, and she caught every single word.

She turned her head, calmly looking at the groomsman Zhou Ziwan had just pointed out.

Assuming Lu Kai was murdered last night, how did the four groomsmen meet him this morning? If he was already dead last night, who did the groomsmen travel to the hotel with?

What puzzled people was, if Lu Kai was killed last night, why did no one notice until just before the wedding started? His family didn't notice, the groomsmen didn't notice, and the guests didn't notice. A living, breathing person had vanished just like that, without anyone knowing.

From beginning to end, Lu Kai's disappearance held too many inconsistencies.

"Things that seem hard to explain usually have very simple reasons."

A familiar voice slowly drifted into her ears—a raspy, magnetic voice with the characteristic low undertone of Cheng Yuzhou.

"Investigating cases is the police's job. Lawyer Cheng should focus on finding potential clients at the scene instead. Given your track record, the chances of the culprit seeking you out are quite high."

She mocked him bluntly, her voice cold and several degrees sharper than before.

Three years ago, Cheng Yuzhou rose to fame due to the "billionaire wife-killing" case in Xia Ning City. Despite being the junior-most lawyer at the Meng Ao Law Firm, he played a crucial role in helping the billionaire Pan Weiliang win his appeal. He was subsequently highly favored by the man, becoming an honored guest and receiving countless praises and insults alike.

In the face of Gu Jiu's ridicule, Cheng Yuzhou merely laughed it off.

He was very tall, standing slightly behind Gu Jiu. With a downward glance, he could see her fair nape and the alluring curve hidden beneath her shirt collar. Cheng Yuzhou's gaze fell openly on Gu Jiu without any avoidance, as if appreciating an artwork in a gallery. There was no dark intent, though his deep, captivating eyes grew heavier at this moment.

No man had ever been like him, openly etching the word 'desire' in his eyes, only to appear completely indifferent a moment later.

"Xiao Jiu, I'm not lying. As for them, perhaps they are the ones who are lying." After speaking, he brushed past her without stopping.

After Cheng Yuzhou left, Gu Jiu remained standing in place. Her arms hung by her sides, her trembling hands clenched into fists, not letting go for a long time.