Chapter 414: The Arrogant Celebrity

The manager was caught off guard and stammered, “I’m not lying. You can ask anyone.”

Chen Shi glanced at the check-in information, “Your boss arrived with the team at 2 AM on the 15th. Why didn’t she come with you? Why the delay?”

“There’s nothing unusual about that. Manager Ji was overseas negotiating a film project. It’s normal for her to arrive a few days later.”

“Let’s hope your lies don’t have any flaws,” Chen Shi smiled, making the manager sweat.

As Chen Shi and Lin Dongxue left, Lin Dongxue asked, “Is it good to confront him like that?”

“They’re a collective unit with prepared responses. We need a breakthrough, so a little intimidation might help.”

Downstairs, the police were blocked by a woman, Luo Zuyu’s sister-in-law, Ji Xingyao. She stood with her arms crossed, looking coldly at Luo Zuyu, “Zuyu, what foolish thing have you done now?”

Luo Zuyu smiled apologetically, “Sister Ji, I didn’t do anything. These police are making a mistake.”

Lin Qiupu asked, “And you are?”

The woman handed over a business card; her name was Ji Xingyao. “I’m also his manager. I don’t know why you’re arresting him, but today’s schedule is packed. Canceling will cost the company millions, and we’ll need significant effort to explain to TV stations, media, and sponsors. Can we negotiate a mutually convenient time?”

“What do you think?” Lin Qiupu countered.

“Are all police this rude?” Ji Xingyao sneered. “If you don’t have evidence, I will sue you for all today’s losses.”

“Ma’am, this is a compulsory summons, not an illegal detention. You’re just conveying that Mr. Luo is busy. But remember, he’s a citizen first, and citizens must obey the law regardless of their earnings.”

Ji Xingyao gritted her teeth, asking the lawyer, “How long will this take?”

“The officer said 24 hours.”

“Fine. If Mr. Luo is released innocent after 24 hours, I’ll sue Long’an police. I’ll accompany you.”

Lin Qiupu instructed, “Arrange a car for her.”

“No need, we have our own.”

Back at the station, Luo Zuyu and his lawyer were taken to the interrogation room. Luo Zuyu looked around curiously, “Wow, these interrogation rooms are so low-class. Can’t you get better lighting? Oh, the eight characters on the wall, they look so real!”

The lawyer nudged him, signaling to stop talking.

Lin Qiupu wasn’t in a rush to start the interrogation. Detaining him was just the first step. Peng Siyue had paused all other work to examine the evidence brought in.

An hour later, Ji Xingyao demanded, “What are you doing? Why haven’t you started? Do you think our time is worthless?”

“Ma’am, if you keep causing trouble, we’ll have to ask you to leave. The police have their procedures.”

Ji Xingyao sneered, lighting a cigarette in the office. Lin Qiupu frowned, “No smoking here!”

“So what? Arrest me too?”

Peng Siyue arrived, and Lin Qiupu met him in the hallway. Peng Siyue handed over reports, “The blood and hair in the bathtub are from the victim. The rooftop traces match too. The vomit hasn’t found a match yet.”

“Good job!” Lin Qiupu said. “Let’s see him now.”

In the interrogation room, Luo Zuyu was demanding to use the restroom. The lawyer was banging on the door, shouting, “My client needs the bathroom! Do you not respect human rights?”

Chen Shi suggested, “Make him take a drug test.”

Upon hearing about the drug test, Luo Zuyu became uncooperative, even urinating on a police officer. This shattered Lin Dongxue’s image of him.

After the chaotic drug test, results confirmed recent methamphetamine use.

Back in the interrogation room, Lin Qiupu tossed the results on the table, “Mr. Luo, no denying these results. You recently used methamphetamine.”

Leaning back in his chair, Luo Zuyu smirked, and his lawyer said, “I admit the test results are clear, but you can’t conclude my client used drugs voluntarily. It just shows meth in his system.”

Luo Zuyu lazily said, “Someone handed me a cigarette after the show. I felt strange after smoking it. I have no idea what happened.”

The lawyer added, “See, someone framed my client. He neither intended nor willingly used drugs. Feel free to search his place.”

The synchronized responses felt like a rehearsed act. Lin Qiupu knew they were stalling. He said, “You know if you’ve used drugs…”

“Officer, stop using leading language,” the lawyer interrupted.

Lin Qiupu gestured for silence and continued, “What were you doing on the night of July 14th?”

Luo Zuyu sneered, and the lawyer replied, “My client was composing a new song.”

“Really? Let’s check the surveillance.”

A laptop was brought in, showing footage from that night. After watching, Luo Zuyu feigned surprise, “Who is that?”

“Stop playing dumb. The footage shows you entering the room with a young woman at 8 PM. At 11 PM, you left alone. We found a large amount of blood in the bathtub, confirmed to belong to a female victim. Any comments?”

Luo Zuyu shrugged, “I know nothing about that. I didn’t meet anyone that night. Ask my manager.”

“Are you saying the footage is wrong?”

“Electronics can malfunction,” Luo Zuyu said dismissively.

Outside, Chen Shi glanced at Ji Xingyao in the hallway. She smirked slightly with a cigarette between her lips. Chen Shi said, “They’ve prepared a perfect alibi. They’ll stall until the last moment to reveal their well-prepared lies.”

“What lies?” Lin Dongxue asked.

“Come on, let’s investigate!”