Chapter 52: Extending a Helping Hand

"Well, this guy is certainly vigilant," Wan Yongkun said, scratching his head with a self-deprecating laugh.

Acting on the clues and photographs provided by Guna, Wan Yongkun and Kuang Suo had traveled specifically to this location to investigate. They were feeling rather dispirited; upon entering the coffee shop, Kuang Suo had already noted Hu Wenyi's presence, and his earlier glance had merely been a confirmation. That Hu Wenyi had sensed it so instantly was, however, entirely unexpected.

Wan Yongkun stirred the pot, saying, "I have to say, partner, your field skills are lacking... keep this up and you'll be the death of me."

Kuang Suo, feeling frustrated, shot him a glare, picked up his coffee in silence, and took a seat at a nearby table, with Wan Yongkun following close behind. After a few silent sips, Kuang Suo finally spoke. "I don't think this man is simple. If we tail him too recklessly, we might end up ruining everything."

Wan Yongkun disagreed. "There’s no need for tailing. As they say, the monk may run, but the temple stays put. Imperial Pictures is a massive enterprise, and as a shareholder, Hu Wenyi isn't going to just up and leave."

Kuang Suo nodded. "True. I suspect Hu Wenyi doesn't know our true intentions yet."

"You think his reaction just now was purely instinctive?" Wan Yongkun asked. He leaned toward this theory, knowing only a handful of people were aware of Beiting’s arrival.

Kuang Suo looked skeptical. "Perhaps, but there might be something more to it. Why was he so jittery? I only gave him a glance... Could it be that he really has killed someone, and is now seeing shadows of his own guilt?"

Wan Yongkun chuckled, squinting his eyes. "That’s hard to say. It’s equally possible he was busy trying to pick up a girl, and your jealous glare made him feel threatened."

"That’s complete nonsense!" Kuang Suo retorted, though he soon laughed as well. It was a plausible theory; given Hu Wenyi’s status, he naturally wouldn't want too many people knowing his private affairs. He added self-mockingly, "Maybe he just took us for paparazzi."

Wan Yongkun nodded. "That works in our favor. Next time we follow him, he won't be so suspicious."

"Mm." Kuang Suo lowered his head to his coffee, lost in thought.

Suddenly, Wan Yongkun asked, "Jiudao, what do you think about us playing the hero and saving the damsel?"

Kuang Suo scoffed. "Give it a rest. How do you know that girl needs saving?"

Wan Yongkun grinned. "Hu Wenyi is infamous for being a 'flower-crusher.' Can a young beauty really come out unscathed from his company? Besides, from my observation, this girl is quite green—she’s either just graduated or just starting out in the industry. If she’s run into Hu Wenyi, she’s bound to be chewed up and spat out." Information on Hu Wenyi had long since been shared within the Beiting group.

Kuang Suo was surprised. "You didn't even turn your head, yet you observed her that closely?"

"That’s why I said you’re not seasoned enough," Wan Yongkun said smugly. "Your brain might be faster than mine, but when it comes to field surveillance, you're still a novice. Do you have any idea who my mentor was?"

Wan Yongkun sighed, his tone turning serious. "If Hu Wenyi’s nervousness really was just because he was out with a girl, then we’re fine. But if he has any inkling of our true identity, this trip will have been for nothing. You saw him just now—such a shrewd man, if he really did commit murder, do you think we could easily uncover it?"

"Fine, I admit it. I committed a cardinal sin of surveillance," Kuang Suo said with refreshing honesty, then added, puzzled, "So, how do we proceed?"

Wan Yongkun thought for a moment. "My suggestion? Let’s start by pulling that girl out of his clutches. I don’t want to watch Guna’s tragedy repeat itself."

Kuang Suo drank his coffee and nodded slightly, offering no objection. "Whatever you say. We might even stumble upon some clues in the process—killing two birds with one stone."

***

Xiaoli, walking back to her dormitory alone, clearly sensed she was being followed. It wasn't that she was particularly sharp, but rather that the people behind her made no attempt to hide. The girl kept her guard up, purposely taking a winding, indirect route to avoid her own residence. She wasn't actually familiar with Dali and didn't know which areas were busy, so she simply followed her instincts.

Naturally, Kuang Suo and Wan Yongkun caught up to her quickly.

Just as Xiaoli was about to reach the pedestrian street, Wan Yongkun called out, "Little miss, could you wait a moment, please?"

Xiaoli frowned, thinking these people were quite bold. She pretended not to hear and quickened her pace instead. Kuang Suo blocked her path, forcing her to stop.

"Are you looking for me?" Xiaoli adjusted her sunglasses, forcing herself to stay calm. She recognized them as the two who had been in the coffee shop earlier.

"Yes," Wan Yongkun said, stepping forward quickly. "Don't worry, we aren't bad people."

Xiaoli said coldly, "I don't know you. Please move." Even if she were naive, she wouldn't fall for the "good guy, bad guy" routine.

Kuang Suo didn't move, and Wan Yongkun struggled for a moment to think of what to say.

Xiaoli pulled out her phone and threatened, "If you don't move, I'm calling the police!"

Wan Yongkun had a sudden stroke of inspiration. He smiled and said, "Guna sent us. Please, don't be nervous."

"Who is Guna?" Xiaoli gripped her phone tightly, her palms sweating. Her nimble fingers were already poised over "110," just waiting to hit the green dial button.

Wan Yongkun scratched his head. "You don't know Guna? Well, surely you know Yaozai?" He decided he would list every person he could think of.

As it turned out, his tactic worked; Xiaoli’s tension eased slightly.

"Why would Yaozai send you to find me?" Xiaoli accidentally admitted that she knew Xiao Su.

Wan Yongkun seized the opening. "He said he found a great company and wanted to invite you to join. He couldn't find a suitable actress on short notice, so he thought of you." He knew Xiao Su was dead, so he didn't have to worry about Xiaoli verifying the claim.

Sure enough, Xiaoli had no intention of verifying anything. She was still clutching her phone, but she asked suspiciously, "Yaozai has that kind of reach?... By the way, how did you know who I was?"

"I have a photo of you, and I happened to recognize you just now," Wan Yongkun said with a beaming smile.

Kuang Suo chimed in at the right moment, "I have a photographic memory, and you’re quite hard to miss." It was a rare moment of wit for him, and his coordination with Wan Yongkun was seamless, blending truth with deception.

Xiaoli seemed to relax completely. This wasn't the first time she had dealt with such situations. She tucked her phone into her pocket and pulled at her oversized jacket.

"Oh, well, that won't be necessary. I've already found a big company and I have scripts and roles in hand. Please thank Yaozai for me..." She thought for a moment and added, "If I have some free time, I'll contact him later."

"The person you were talking to earlier—he’s a big director, isn't he?" Wan Yongkun probed.

Xiaoli became guarded again. She feigned indifference and said, "Not exactly a big director, just a senior from my university. But he is indeed helping me out."

Wan Yongkun smiled kindly. "Actually, we’ve heard a thing or two about him. We’ve heard his lifestyle isn't exactly the cleanest, so you should be careful." He knew Xiaoli wouldn't have the patience to stand here chatting much longer, so he kept his warning brief.

Xiaoli didn't quite grasp the gravity of the warning; they were, after all, just strangers. She replied politely, "Thank you for the tip, I'll be careful. Is there anything else?"

Wan Yongkun quickly asked, "Could you introduce us to that company, too?" He wanted to keep up the act and see if Xiaoli had made it to the core of the operation.

Xiaoli let out a short, dry laugh, fully relieved now. "It’s not so easy to get into a big company... but if there's a suitable role, I'll recommend you." She was clearly just brushing them off, not even bothering to ask for their names.

Wan Yongkun pressed on, "Then thank you in advance. Could we get your contact number?"

Xiaoli hesitated for a second, then said, "Just ask Yaozai for it; he has my number. I have things to do now, let's talk later."

"Alright then, thank you for your trouble," Wan Yongkun said politely. He hadn't expected his own lie about Yaozai to backfire on him; now, where was he supposed to find a dead man to get her number?

Kuang Suo stepped aside, and Xiaoli walked quickly into the pedestrian street, soon disappearing into the sea of people.

"You brought this on yourself," Kuang Suo teased.

Wan Yongkun kept scratching his head, chuckling, "Maybe the police can help us out. I wonder if they found Xiao Su's phone at the scene."

"Fat chance of that."