“I see. This guy really is despicable! How could he do something like that? A total scumbag!”

The young man nodded with an exaggerated, thoughtful expression.

Lei Xiaoman wiped her tears. “Exactly!”

The young man said, “In my opinion, people like that deserve to die!”

“By the way, you’re going to call the police now, right?”

Lei Xiaoman hesitated a few times. “Yes, I definitely have to call the police. After all, someone died.”

The young man sighed. “Ah, I’m suddenly a bit worried about you.”

Lei Xiaoman asked, “Worried about me about what?”

The young man said, “Even though your testimony, including the marks on your neck, can prove that he struck first…”

“But based on many cases I’ve handled, in a situation like yours, without a third party present or surveillance footage, it’s hard to prove that your words aren’t hiding anything.”

Lei Xiaoman’s heart pounded. “Then… do you count as a third party?”

The young man shook his head. “No, I don’t. I just passed by. When I passed by, he was already dead.”

Lei Xiaoman said, “Then the hallway should have surveillance cameras that caught something, right?!”

The young man shook his head. “The surveillance system in this building was hit by a virus. It hasn’t been fixed yet!”

“So that’s why I’m so worried about you!!!”

Lei Xiaoman had already been worried about whether she’d be convicted of excessive self-defense and spend a few years in prison.

By the time she got out, everything would have changed, people and circumstances alike.

Her lips started to stutter.

But then, recalling something the young man had just said, she seized on a certain point and abruptly lifted her head. “You said, many cases you’ve handled. Are you a cop?”

The young man shook his head. “I’m a lawyer.”

Lei Xiaoman clung to it like a lifeline. “Then, based on your experience, what’s the best possible outcome for my situation?”

The young man adopted a contemplative expression. “It’s tough. Without a third party or surveillance footage to prove whether this guy was choking you continuously and you killed him, or if he choked you a few times, stopped, tried to run away, and was killed by you while fleeing…”

“The former is justifiable self-defense. The latter is excessive defense.”

“I once handled a case very similar to yours. Also a young woman. Same situation—the guy harassing her was accidentally killed by her. In the end, she had to pay the victim’s family a huge sum of money and served nine years in prison!!!”

Lei Xiaoman was terrified. This was exactly what she feared most.

Nine years. If she really spent nine years inside, would Sun Jiankang wait nine years for her?

No. She didn’t want to go to prison!

She really, really didn’t!!!!!

But… but there was no way!

Lei Xiaoman collapsed weakly onto the ground, her whole body drained of strength, no interest in anything. Even if her boyfriend showed up here, she couldn’t muster any joy.

“Ah… seeing you like this, I feel awful too!”

“Your name is Lei Xiaoman, right?”

The young man asked with a sigh.

Lei Xiaoman: “Mm-hmm…”

She answered weakly.

The young man said, “I have an idea that can help you avoid disaster. I just don’t know if you’re willing to use it.”

Lei Xiaoman struggled to lift her chin. “What idea? Is it paying money to avoid punishment?”

Lei Xiaoman thought of her dad. If she really needed money, her dad was her lifeline.

The young man was speechless. “What are you thinking?”

“My idea isn’t about paying money to avoid punishment.”

“It’s this—don’t call the police. We’ll quietly dispose of the body ourselves!”

In fact, this idea had crossed Lei Xiaoman’s mind deep down.

But she had always buried it in the deepest part of her heart, never daring to act on it.

“Dispose… of the body ourselves? This… won’t other people find out, will it?”

Lei Xiaoman’s face was full of terror.

If she was discovered, she’d never be able to explain it clearly.

The young man walked into the room and closed the security door. “If you trust me, I’ll handle it. I guarantee that body will be cleaned up without a trace!!!”

Lei Xiaoman looked at him with a glimmer of hope. “Really?”

The young man said, “Absolutely.”

Lei Xiaoman asked, “But… why are you helping me like this? Helping me do something illegal?”

Lei Xiaoman didn’t know this young man at all. He was just a random passerby. Why would he help her?

“Is it about money? Name your price. I’ll try to scrape it together.”

Her voice was still a bit strained.

The young man sighed. “It’s not about money. Helping you dispose of the body, covering up a killing… you probably won’t believe this, but…”

“This is the justice I’ve always upheld as a lawyer.”

“I think it’s incredibly unfair for a young woman with a bright future to go to prison because of a scumbag like him!!!”

“Have you ever heard of terms like the Underground Judge?”

“Not only am I not repulsed by people like that, but I actually admire them!”

“That’s why I’m helping you!!!!!”

Lei Xiaoman cried, tears streaming down her face. She was deeply moved.

Moved that this person, whom she had met for the first time, would help her so much.

Especially because he trusted her.

“Alright, stop crying. Don’t worry about this anymore.”

“You did a good thing. So cheer up!”

He patted Lei Xiaoman’s shoulder.

The young man opened the security door. “Wait here for me to come back.”

Lei Xiaoman nodded and then fell into a long wait.

Long, but in reality, it was only fifteen minutes.

When the young man returned, he was carrying a large suitcase.

Closing the security door, he loaded the corpse into the suitcase.

Fortunately, the middle-aged man wasn’t very tall, only about five foot four, and curled up, he barely fit.

“I’m going to dispose of the body now. You take care of the bloodstains in your apartment and the clothes you’re wearing. Don’t let anyone find them!”

Lei Xiaoman did as she was told.

“Oh, right, I haven’t asked your name yet?”

“Oh. My name is Zhang Yao. I live here too, but in Room 301, Building 1. Feel free to come find me if you’re free.”

With that, Zhang Yao pulled the suitcase and left Lei Xiaoman’s apartment.

Bang. The moment he left, Lei Xiaoman’s security door closed.

Hearing the sound, an eerie, twisted smile involuntarily curled at the corner of his mouth.

Even though he was quite handsome, with sharp features, that smile always gave off a petty, underhanded vibe.

Zhang Yao was the one who had replaced the Old Man in Room 301.

He was the same person who, after Hong Nan failed to hit on Jiang Ran, took the initiative to hit on Hong Nan, only to fail as well.

After that, he had pretended to be a new tenant, knocking on every door on the third floor, handing out gifts.

Now, it was simple why he had appeared in Building 2.

He wanted to pursue and get Hong Nan.

But that woman, Hong Nan, was always on guard against Zhang Yao.

No way around it. Zhang Yao didn’t succeed and had to leave dejectedly.

As luck would have it.

On his way out.

He happened upon this incident.

Especially since one of the parties involved was a lab rat, and a woman at that.

An idea struck him.

And so, he staged the entire performance just now.

Of course, his goal was simple.

It was to get Lei Xiaoman.

He hadn’t touched a woman in a long time, and he didn’t have a taste for prostitutes.

So…

He had to use his own cleverness!!!