Beneath the Dome, Sin within Sins - Chapter 90 - The Woman on the Stage

orld had somehow gathered here.

Su Mo, already grinning from ear to ear, ran off to strike up conversations with others. As for me, to be honest, I felt a little shy.

Just as I was momentarily lost in thought, an eighteen- or nineteen-year-old girl accidentally bumped into me. Instinctively, I reached out to steady her.

She was wearing an off-shoulder short dress in a creamy white color that perfectly complemented her fair complexion. As my hand landed, it happened to rest on her soft shoulder. The touch-well, let’s just say it was unforgettable!

However, once she was steady on her feet, I quickly withdrew my hand. After all, she was just a young girl, and I couldn’t let my thoughts wander inappropriately.

“I’m so sorry, handsome guy!”

The girl flashed me a slightly embarrassed smile. When she smiled, it was stunning-those two little tiger teeth were absolutely adorable.

“No… no problem.”

It was the first time someone had called me a “handsome guy,” and I was completely at a loss for words.

The girl glanced around at the people nearby and then asked, “Handsome guy, are you here by yourself?”

“Ah! No, I’m here with a friend. He just… he just stepped away for a moment.”

Whew, that was close! I almost blurted out that he had gone off to chat with someone. If I’d said that, it would’ve been way too humiliating!

“Oh, I see! Handsome guy, my name is Bai Yue. What’s yours?”

“Me? My name is Lu Ying.”

“Oh my gosh! Handsome guy, you even share the same last name as that famous celebrity! And you’re just as good-looking as he is!”

Seeing her gaze full of admiration, I couldn’t help but sigh and respond, “What are you talking about? Compared to that celebrity, I think I’m far better looking.”

“Wow, handsome guy, you’re really not modest, huh?”

“So, where are you from? And what do you do?”

Whatever slight inclination I had to flirt vanished instantly after hearing her endless stream of questions. Looks can really be deceiving-this little girl wasn’t shy at all!

“Handsome guy, why aren’t you saying anything? Is it that you don’t feel comfortable sharing?”

Hearing this, the corner of my mouth twitched involuntarily. Before I could respond, Su Mo’s voice suddenly chimed in from behind me: “This guy is a famous detective!”

Bai Yue’s eyes lit up with awe as soon as she heard Su Mo’s words. “Oh my gosh! Like Detective Conan?!”

“No, no, no! Not at all!” Su Mo quickly corrected. “Young lady, my friend here has a knack for sniffing out crime scenes wherever he goes. Conan, on the other hand, is called the Grim Reaper Elementary Schooler. They’re completely different!”

Su Mo stood off to the side, giving an exaggerated explanation. After finishing, he nudged me with his elbow and smirked, “You’re impressive! It’s only been a few minutes, and you’ve already charmed a young lady!”

Hearing Su Mo’s teasing, I was at a loss for words.

As the party became more crowded, Bai Yue stuck with us and we moved to a quieter spot. Honestly, I was a little puzzled as to why this girl kept following me around.

Just as I was deep in thought, Su Mo suddenly tugged at my arm and said, “The young lady is asking you something!”

His tone carried a hint of annoyance, startling me.

“Huh… what? Bai Yue asked me something?”

“She’s asking if you have a girlfriend!”

“Oh! Haha, no, I don’t have a girlfriend. But if you’re thinking about becoming my girlfriend, you might have to wait two more years.”

The excited look on Bai Yue’s face immediately fell as she heard my response. And it wasn’t just her; even Su Mo looked at me with wide eyes.

Seeing their reactions, I laughed awkwardly and said, “W-what’s with you two? Why are you looking at me like that?”

Su Mo pulled me aside and whispered sternly, “Are you an idiot? This is a golden opportunity to leave the single life behind!”

“But come on! She looks like she’s barely eighteen or nineteen. It’s not appropriate; she’s way too young.”

“If you think I’m too young, handsome guy, I don’t mind waiting a few more years!” Bai Yue interjected, winking at me. Then she added with a playful smile, “Lu Ying, you might’ve forgotten me, but one day, I’ll make sure you remember!”

With that, Bai Yue waved at me and turned around, quickly running off.

“Senior, do you know that girl?” Su Mo asked, looking intrigued.

I shook my head. “How would I know? I really don’t have any memory of her.”

The moment I finished speaking, Su Mo gave me a solid punch to the head and grumbled, “You’re such an idiot! Forgetting such a stunning girl-you deserve to stay single for this long!”

Hey, hey, hey! Even if you’re mad, isn’t that a bit too much force? That punch really hurt!

As soon as Su Mo finished speaking, the lights in the room suddenly went out. In that moment, everyone began whispering in hushed tones. Then, a deep and magnetic male voice echoed through the space:

“Ladies and gentlemen, please remain calm! Now, let’s give a warm round of applause as we welcome today’s birthday star!”

The moment he finished his sentence, thunderous applause erupted in the room. A spotlight illuminated the stage, and just as the audience’s clapping echoed throughout the hall, a piercing scream tore through the noise.

Su Mo and I quickly hurried forward to see what was happening. One quick glance, and we understood everything.

On what was supposed to be a joyful, celebratory birthday party, the birthday star was now lying on the ground, covered in blood, motionless.

And standing next to the lifeless body… was Bai Yue.

She stood frozen in place, clutching a bloodied knife in her trembling hand, her expression one of complete shock and confusion.

The host was so terrified that he dropped his microphone to the floor. I frowned, walked up, calmly picked up the microphone, and announced, “No one is allowed to leave! Everyone must remain here. Staff, call the police immediately!”

At that moment, a mob of people stormed out from backstage, their faces contorted in anger and grief. They were shouting and crying, some of them yelling that they would strangle Bai Yue right then and there.

“She’s the murderer! Bai Yue killed her aunt!” one of them shouted furiously as they tried to charge forward.

But before they could get any closer, Su Mo dashed in front of Bai Yue with a single quick step, positioning himself protectively in front of the victim. He reached into his pocket and held up his police ID, his voice steady but firm.

“I’m a police officer. Everyone take a step back and calm down!” he said, scanning the angry crowd with piercing eyes. “This is clearly a murder case. Unless we have a verdict, you had better behave yourselves!”

“‘Behave’? Are you kidding me?” A woman’s voice cut through the chaos, sharp and furious. “Bai Yue obviously killed her aunt! She was caught red-handed!”

Her voice was loud enough that everyone in the room, even those far from the stage, could hear her clearly.

However, what shocked me the most wasn’t her accusation. It was the claim that Bai Yue and the victim were related. Bai Yue was the victim’s niece? She must be a lady from a wealthy family, then. But… come to think of it, I had no childhood memories whatsoever of knowing anyone like her, let alone a wealthy heiress.

I furrowed my brow and stepped beside Su Mo, instinctively putting myself between Bai Yue and the enraged mob. Fixing my gaze on the woman who had just spoken, I asked challengingly, “Whatever the final truth may be, nothing has been determined yet. Until the police investigate and close this case, everything is still in question. Why are you so aggressive? Could it be that you have some connection to this case yourself?”

The woman’s face instantly darkened at my words, her expression twisting with anger. “Who do you think you are? What gives you the right to accuse me and meddle in this? How did you even get in here?”

“Today is the hotel owner’s birthday,” I replied coolly, without looking away from her face. “And we happen to be guests invited personally by the owner. So, why do you think we’re here?”