Preserve the Criminal Evidence, Koike, Stop Hiding (Bonus Update)

Two minutes later.

Lin Yu triumphantly raised his phone high in the air.

Below him, Chi Qingchi jumped desperately, whining like a wounded puppy:

"Lin Yu, you can’t do this to me…"

"Please delete those photos, I’m begging you…"

Lin Yu kept his arm outstretched, teasing:

"Qingchi, your script-reading skills need work."

"At a time like this, shouldn’t you be adding, ‘I’ll do anything’?"

The moment he’d spotted the suspicious image earlier,

Lin Yu had moved lightning-fast—snatching his phone,

snapping a "perfect evidence shot" of Qingchi’s startled face and the incriminating screen behind her.

Such a golden opportunity.

Letting it slip without photographic proof would’ve been criminal.

Now,

fully aware of her predicament, Qingchi launched into full tantrum mode.

Delete the photo?

Not a chance!

"Lin Yu, you can’t exploit someone’s weakness like this! You’re supposed to be the nicest guy in the apartment!"

"Just delete it, okay? That image… wasn’t something I was actually looking at…"

Still trying to lie her way out, Chi Qingchi squirmed.

Lin Yu delivered the knockout blow.

Casually, he remarked:

"Oh, I know it wasn’t you. Isn’t this your sister Da Chi’s computer?"

"We’ve uncovered her secret together—we’re allies now. Why so nervous?"

"Let’s just send this to Da Chi and ask…"

"How the prestigious Film Academy’s student council president secretly fantasizes about two sisters and one man?"

"Disgraceful! Tsk tsk."

Even knowing this was pure provocation,

Chi Qingchi couldn’t risk it.

If that silver-tongued devil actually followed through…

Who knew what horrors might unfold!

Twenty-year-old boys were so… impulsive.

"Don’t send it! I’ll confess, okay…"

"Wahhh! I only clicked out of critical analysis and curiosity!"

"I never saved that image—it just magically appeared on my hard drive!"

"Wuuu, this is so unfair!"

Her theatrical sobs contained zero tears.

The otaku girl’s lies had failed; now came the "honesty gambit."

But Lin Yu zeroed in on another bombshell…

She owned an external hard drive?!

Aspiring to be a truly cultured connoisseur?

This unassuming shut-in had layers!

Faking shock, Lin Yu clutched his chest dramatically:

"WHAT?!"

"So the ‘two sisters one man’ fantasy belongs to YOU, little miss pure?!"

"Qingchi, we’re so close—for this behavior, I’ve got four words…"

"Call me sometime!"

Chi Qingchi frantically crossed her arms in an "X" gesture.

Lin Yu dodged past her, plopping back at the computer.

"Enough drama. Let’s fix your malware first."

Chi Qingchi: "…"

A split second of distraction,

and his phone had vanished into his pocket.

Attempting a pat-down might trigger even worse "outbursts."

Her heart sank.

Had she literally invited the wolf into her home?

She’d noticed Lin Yu’s growing "You wouldn’t want people to know…" villain vibes lately,

but now he’d actually seized blackmail material.

Heart = crushed.

Spirit = weeping.

All this over a two-minute task.

Lin Yu continued to stall for time, making excuses to emphasize how complicated the process was.

Old workplace habits had crept back into his daily life.

To sum it up:

Turn simple tasks into convoluted ones, report excessively on complex tasks, document every step via email, and fill those emails with empty buzzwords.

Occasionally, he’d even let his superior catch a minor mistake just so he could butter them up with a flattering, "Only you could’ve spotted that, boss."

If every task wrapped up too quickly, how would anyone even notice he was "working hard"?

"Qingchi, grab me a notebook and pen."

"I need to jot down the file codes. This virus infected a lot of your sister’s study materials."

"We’ll have to delete them all first, then recover them one by one."

"If we miss even one, won’t your sister murder you?"

At that, Chi Qingchi didn’t waste a single word. She immediately dashed to her little desk.

At the same time, Lin Yu switched the atmosphere back from "forbidden ruins exploration" mode.

Now, it was time for him to embark on a wondrous "treasure hunt."

Lin Yu: "This notebook’s too small—it won’t fit all the file codes. Look for a bigger one underneath."

Chi Qingchi: "How about this one?"

Lin Yu: "Uh, isn’t that your class notes? Find a useless one!"

Chi Qingchi: "Oh, let me check again."

Lin Yu’s eyes locked onto a glint of gold peeking out from the stack of books. He kept directing her:

"Can’t you just move the pile? It’s about to topple!"

Chi Qingchi nodded and obediently split the stack into two.

Now, only a used notebook stood between her and that shiny object.

"That one! Perfect. Hand it over."

Lin Yu quickly pointed at the obstructing notebook.

Chi Qingchi picked it up, puzzled:

"This? It’s even smaller than the last one..."

But as she lifted it, her gaze landed on the "comic book" now exposed on top—

Thud! She slammed the notebook back down instantly.

Chi Qingchi: "!!!"

Lin Yu smirked imperceptibly:

"It’s just right. Bring it here—what’re you waiting for?"

Under his knowing stare, Chi Qingchi stammered guiltily:

"Uh, this one’s already full. I’ll find another the same size."

Lin Yu was inwardly delighted.

His curiosity about that golden glint only grew stronger.

He stood up and walked straight to her desk.

"Full? Doesn’t look like it. Seems pretty new to me. Let me see..."

As his hand reached for the concealing notebook—

Chi Qingchi frantically clamped down on it, mumbling:

"R-really, it’s all written on..."

"Hey! Lin Yu, what about this one instead?"

She pointed desperately to another notebook in a different pile.

But when she turned back, Lin Yu was grinning like he’d uncovered a secret.

"Qingchi, no use hiding it. I already saw the..."

"Was that a goblin drawn on top?"

Chi Qingchi’s inner scream:

Why did I even let him in here?!

...