The paparazzi's sense of smell

Paparazzi are out in force, hiding countless secrets beneath the glitz and glamour of the city. And then there's a group of people, like keen-nosed hounds, who can sniff out shocking scoops from the slightest clues – these are the paparazzi.

Li San was one of them. Having spent years in the paparazzi world, he had honed his skills in tracking and secretly photographing. That day, he was at a bar with his colleagues, exchanging "intelligence" as usual. The whispers of a few colleagues in a corner caught his attention. "Have you heard? There's a big scandal going on, it seems to involve several well-known people." "Really? Don't keep me in suspense, tell me!" Li San's ears immediately perked up, and he casually leaned closer.

"I heard it from an informant. Apparently, there's a woman named Ah Yu, a woman named Zhong Hua, and a woman named Lin Wanqing. The relationship between the three of them seems complicated, and they even seem to have some ties to a wealthy family." Li San's heart skipped a beat. Wealthy families and complicated relationships between men and women—if this were exposed, it would definitely cause a media storm. He stopped pretending and went straight over, "Brother, tell me the details. We can share the juicy gossip." The other colleagues hesitated for a moment when they saw it was Li San, but still told him the bits and pieces of information they knew.

Li San returned to his small studio, piled high with photography equipment, and began carefully piecing together the clues. He started by searching online for information about Ah Yu, Zhong Hua, and Lin Wanqing. Ah Yu was a moderately well-known actress; while not a superstar, she had appeared in several popular web dramas and had accumulated a certain fan base. Zhong Hua seemed to be an ordinary girl, but from some vague information, she and Ah Yu had a close relationship. As for Lin Wanqing, information was relatively scarce; it was only known that she also had intricate connections with the two of them.

Li San decided to start with Ah Yu. He found out which gyms, restaurants, and studios Ah Yu frequented. Early the next morning, he carried his telephoto camera and waited outside Ah Yu's apartment building. He staked out the place for several days, but to no avail. Ah Yu seemed to know she was being followed, living a mundane life, going back and forth between home and work every day. But Li San didn't give up. He knew that patience was an essential quality in their line of work.

Initial clues

Just when Li San was about to give up on finding a breakthrough with Ah Yu, a turning point appeared. That evening, Ah Yu, unusually, drove out of the city and headed for a remote town. Li San followed cautiously, afraid of losing her. Upon arriving in the town, Ah Yu parked her car in front of an old-looking house, then got out to meet Lin Wanqing, who was waiting at the door. Li San was overjoyed and immediately found a secluded spot, set up his camera, and began taking pictures.

Through the camera's telephoto lens, Li San saw Ah Yu and Lin Wanqing searching through the old house, their expressions very serious. Every now and then, the two would huddle together and whisper, seemingly discussing something important. Although Li San couldn't hear what they were saying, from their demeanor and actions, he could sense that something significant was going on.

About an hour later, Ah Yu and Lin Wanqing emerged from the old house, carrying some yellowed papers that looked quite valuable. After getting into their car, they didn't head straight back to the city but instead went to a coffee shop. Li San quickly followed, finding a corner outside the coffee shop where he could see inside. Through the glass, he saw Ah Yu and Lin Wanqing looking at the papers, sometimes frowning, sometimes showing expressions of surprise.

Just then, Li San's phone vibrated. He glanced at it instinctively; it was a message from a colleague saying they'd seen Zhong Hua near A Yu's apartment, seemingly waiting for someone. A thought struck Li San—this was a perfect opportunity to connect the three of them. He quickly packed up his camera and headed towards A Yu's apartment.

When he arrived, Zhong Hua was already gone. But by striking up a conversation with the apartment security guard, he learned that Zhong Hua had just gone in and hadn't come out yet. Li San decided to continue waiting outside. It wasn't until evening that Zhong Hua hurriedly came out of the apartment, got into a taxi, and left. Li San quickly followed. After circling the city a few times, the taxi stopped in front of a hospital.

After getting out of the car, Zhong Hua went straight into the hospital. Li San lingered at the hospital entrance for a while, hesitant to go in for fear of being discovered. About half an hour later, Zhong Hua and A Yu emerged from the hospital together, both looking serious. A Yu gently patted Zhong Hua's shoulder, as if comforting her. Li San seized the opportunity and snapped several photos. From these photos, he could sense that the relationship between A Yu and Zhong Hua was far more than just ordinary friendship.

In-depth exploration

Back in his studio, Li San carefully reviewed the photos and information he had gathered over the past few days. He increasingly felt that the relationship between the three was far more complex than he had imagined, and that it must be hiding a huge secret that would shock the entertainment industry and the public.

To gather more information, Li San began to utilize his connections. He contacted an informant with some influence in high society circles to inquire about the connections between Gu Yanting, Ah Yu, Zhong Hua, and Lin Wanqing with wealthy families. The informant told him that Gu Yanting was a scion of a wealthy family and seemed to be preparing for an engagement party, with Zhong Hua suspected to be his fiancée. However, he also heard that Ah Yu and Zhong Hua had an unusual relationship, suggesting a possible love triangle.

Li San learned from another informant that Lin Wanqing's background seemed to be quite complicated as well, and that she had a secret past with Ah Yu. Moreover, it seemed that a fire had occurred there back then, and this fire seemed to be closely related to the fate of the group of people.

With these clues, Li San decided to intensify his surveillance. He discovered that Ah Yu, Zhong Hua, and Lin Wanqing frequently met in secluded places, always appearing hurried, as if they were hiding from something. Li San guessed that they probably knew they were being followed, hence their increased caution.

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