Chapter 183: 99. Sometimes, we have all fantasized about becoming another person (2 updates 1).
This is a kind of transference.
Shi Nian couldn’t help but recall the behavioral analysis class that day, when Tang Yanqing guided her to analyze Mark: Mark clearly chose to sit next to Zhou Guanghan, which could prove that their private relationship was good, yet Mark never mentioned Zhou Guanghan.
Shi Nian remembered her analysis at the time resulted in two conclusions: either Mark couldn’t accept the fact that Zhou Guanghan was already dead; or he felt guilty.
But now that "transference" has occurred, it proves that Mark’s situation is more likely the former.
—Their private relationship was too good, so Mark couldn’t accept the sudden death of Zhou Guanghan. He began to think Zhou Guanghan was still alive, even merging himself bit by bit into Zhou Guanghan’s shadow.
So the girl Zhou Guanghan liked, he had to like too.
But if his situation was the first kind, then the possibility of him murdering Zhou Guanghan would be reduced.
Shi Nian silently stared at his eyes that began to show zeal, but gently, gently shook her head.
"I’m sorry, Mark, I can’t accept your confession. Even though you’re such a handsome and excellent guy..."
She dropped her head, the wind-tousled ends of her hair tangling with her lashes. Tears fell silently from her eyes.
Mark indeed froze, stepping forward to grab her arm: "Why can’t you accept it?"
He wanted to "transfer," but she insisted on peeling him away from Zhou Guanghan’s shell, forcing him to reveal his true heart. He was already a bit emotionally unbalanced, and she was getting closer to the truth.
Shi Nian cried even more sorrowfully: "Because... he just died, his body hasn’t even grown cold. I came here for him, now that he’s gone, I should at least avenge him! If I can’t find his murderer, I’ll be trapped in nightmares forever, never waking up."
Shi Nian looked up at Mark: "Mark, if you were his best friend, why couldn’t you protect him when he was in danger? And why, after he’s been dead for so long, haven’t you helped find his killer, haven’t you avenged him?"
"Is it really as the police and school authorities say, that he died from excessive drug abuse? Ha, you and I both understand what kind of person he was. He was so cautious, so calm, even if he used some drugs, he wasn’t someone who would abuse them to the point of killing himself, was he?"
Shi Nian grabbed Mark’s arm: "There must be something they’re hiding from us, right? Zhou Guanghan didn’t die from drug abuse, someone killed him, didn’t they?"
Mark’s breathing started to quicken, the light in his eyes growing brighter and brighter.
He looked down at Shi Nian, suddenly nodding briefly and firmly: "That’s right, someone killed him! Don’t be sad, I’ve already executed the killer, I’ve already avenged him!"
Shi Nian’s heart skipped lightly again but deliberately asked in a confused manner: "When did this happen? Who was the killer? You’re not lying to me, are you?"
Mark’s eyes gleamed brightly to the point of being scalding, yet his breathing gradually steadied as he looked at Shi Nian with composure, gently holding her hand.
"Nian, it was Sean. I’ve already killed Sean, avenging him!"
.
It seemed as if a large flock of birds suddenly flew past her eyes, dense and hurried, surging into her vision. Shi Nian could even hear the sound of their wings brushing across her forehead.
She silently took a deep breath, telling herself to stay calm.
She moved her handbag to her back and silently reached for the recording pen.
She was getting closer and closer to the truth, and the opportunity to capture Mark’s psychological weakness and guide him to confess was fleeting. She couldn’t miss it.
She was stunned: "What did you say? Sean killed him? But why?"
Mark’s eyes slowly turned cold: "Because of Zhou Ping. Can’t you see Zhou Ping’s relationship with Sean? Sean wanted to turn Zhou Ping into a pet that belonged only to him, but Zhou Ping used every opportunity to approach Zhou Guanghan."
"She flirted with him, trying to attract him. Zhou Guanghan, of course, had no interest in Zhou Ping, but considering they were all Chinese, he couldn’t be too cold, so occasionally they chatted and laughed or went out for a meal together. But in Sean’s eyes, this was naturally intolerable."
Shi Nian nodded, this made sense.
Especially considering Sean was a man with unspoken difficulties, his incapability in that regard would make him particularly strict in controlling his sexual partners. Spicy Girl’s closeness to Zhou Guanghan would make him feel it was because Spicy Girl thought he was incompetent... This was the utmost blow to a man’s self-esteem. So, born from resentment, he developed a murderous intent.
"But Sean didn’t do it directly, right? He tampered with the drugs?"
Mark nodded angrily: "That’s right! You know, there are some students on campus who are in the drug business, and if they want to do business in the dormitory, they have to bribe the campus police. So, it was extremely easy for Sean to get them to help."
Shi Nian gently closed her eyes.
That’s why Sean was so eager to show the officers photos of all the girls Zhou Guanghan had been involved with when Tang Yanqing and Jia Tianzi were investigating the scene. He wanted to use this to tell the police officers that Zhou Guanghan died because of a dissolute private life, wanting to say Zhou Guanghan deserved it, he got what he asked for.
Every criminal... subconsciously wants to explain in a veiled way that he is actually innocent. That the victim deserved it themselves.
"Ok," Shi Nian took a deep breath, slowly raising her eyes: "Mark, you’re saying Sean killed Zhou Guanghan, and you killed Sean, is that right?"
Her fingertip was already on the "stop button" of the recorder. As soon as Mark confirmed finally, the evidence would be in hand.
But Mark suddenly squinted and looked at her hand behind her back: "Nian, what are you hiding from me?"
In behavioral analysis terms, hiding one’s hands from another is a subconscious act of [concealment].
Shi Nian froze, wanting to withdraw her hand but it was too late. Mark, with his height and long arms, quickly snatched the bag from behind Shi Nian!
The contents of the bag spilled on the ground, Mark swiftly scanned them, reaching out to pick up two items.
Phone.
Recording pen.
Holding these two items, he slowly looked up, surprisingly looking at her with a warm smile: "What is this, hmm? Nian, you tell me."
.
The situation took a sharp turn for the worse, Shi Nian was so nervous she couldn’t breathe.
The phone, her last safety reliance, the recording pen, the most critical piece of evidence, all now in Mark’s hands!
She quickly glanced around, within her sight, there were no pedestrians or passing cars.
She subconsciously looked down at her own feet again. She had made preparations ahead of time, so when she came out she wasn’t wearing high heels, just flat loafers. But even so, on this unobstructed road, running, she was no match for Mark with his long legs.
She was driven to a dead end.
She could only feign compliance.
Shi Nian smiled slightly, pointing at the two items in his hand: "Eh, what else could they be, a recording pen and a phone. Whose bag doesn’t have a phone in it, what’s so strange about that?"
Mark squinted, unlocking the phone’s screen, but saw there was no emergency call made, and no recorder was on, so he nodded slightly.
But he raised the recording pen: "What about this? Not everyone carries a recording pen in their bag, right?"
Shi Nian was so nervous she took a deep breath: "Uh, a recording pen, huh, not everyone has one. But I needed it. I recently came to M Country, and I can’t quite understand much of the oral language. I can’t keep up with the teacher’s lectures either, so I need a recording pen for reference."
Shi Nian had already adapted to the situation to the extreme, even Mark nodded.
Yet he still pressed the playback button of the recording pen...
Mark’s voice reverberated in the recording pen. He squinted, staring at Shi Nian with a sardonic smile: "But what is this? Why did you record my voice? You did it on purpose, you led me to admit the thing about Sean, right?"
All around was desolate, the air echoing with the voice of two Marks. Just one line from the recording pen, and the bizarre situation became clear.
"Nian, you’re a cop, undercover in the school, aren’t you?"
Shi Nian’s situation nose-dived; she was so anxious she couldn’t breathe.
The phone was her last safety measure, the recorder pen held the most crucial evidence, but both were now in Mark’s hands!
She instinctively glanced down at her own feet again. She had prepared in advance, so when she came out, she hadn’t worn high heels, just flat shoes, but even so, being chased by Mark on this bare road, she stood no chance.
She was cornered.
Her only option was to stall.
Shi Nian gave a weak smile: "Why do you think I’m hiding something? Isn’t it common for people to have phones in their bags, what’s so strange about that?"
Mark squinted, swiped open the phone’s screen, only to find no outgoing calls made, and no recorder was on, so tranquil looked at Shi Nian with a gentle smile: "What about this, hmm? Not everyone keeps a recorder pen in their bag, right?"
Shi Nian was so tense she inhaled deeply: "Well, a recorder pen, you know I don’t always understand spoken language very well, I can’t always keep up with the teacher’s lectures, so I needed a recording pen to record it down for reference."
Yet Mark pressed the replay button on the recorder pen...
Mark’s voice echoed from the recorder, and he squinted, glaring coldly at her: "So Nian, you’re a cop, you went undercover to the school, didn’t you?"
Open spaces stretched all around, only the two Marks’ voices lingered in the air.
Freakish situation.
"Nian, weren’t you trying to turn me? Did you come to this school as an undercover cop?"
Without a word, Shi Nian turned and ran.
.
But how could Mark let Shi Nian go? With a cold laugh, he stepped forward and grabbed her by the hair as he gave chase!
The searing pain on her scalp forced Shi Nian to stop, powerless to resist.
It was as if she was back in Zhou Guanghan’s room, as if Jack had strung her neck with a charming ribbon again.
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[Another update this morning.]
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