Chapter 65 Su Yunruo was taken away by the police...
"Check the surveillance footage to see how long he stayed in Han Shicheng's hospital room."
"Please wait a moment..." came the rapid typing sound from the other end. About three or four minutes later, the reply to Su Yunruo came: "About ten minutes later, Lin Yuanzhou left quickly after meeting Han Shicheng."
Su Yunruo was about to question the matter further when there seemed to be a knock on the office door, followed by a female voice saying, "Dean, the police are here."
The police... Su Yunruo thought that since Han Shicheng had gone missing and Han Yao had thrown a tantrum and caused trouble for the hospital, it was the police's job to handle this matter. So she told the hospital director, "That's all for today. You should fully cooperate with the police investigation. Lin Yuanzhou, send me a copy of the surveillance footage of Han Shicheng and the footage of Han Shicheng leaving."
"receive."
A pop-up window appeared in the lower right corner of the computer screen, displaying an email from the dean.
Su Yunruo clicked on the link and downloaded the video.
I first noticed Lin Yuanzhou from the video title, probably after he took me to Aunt Lin's grave and then we met Han Shicheng.
Han Shicheng left the morning after meeting Lin Yuanzhou.
She first watched Lin Yuanzhou's video. It didn't contain much content; it was just Lin Yuanzhou being himself, calmly going in and calmly coming out.
However, Han Shicheng's video is very strange.
Su Yunruo felt a strong sense of unease when she watched the surveillance footage for the first time.
Han Shicheng was still the same Han Shicheng; even when he went out, he wore a hospital gown and made no special disguise.
He accidentally bumped into a nurse while turning a corner and reached out to help her up.
Su Yunruo paused the video and rewound to watch it again.
Watching that wasn't enough, I also searched for Han Se-sung online, opened Orange Video, found the variety show "Let's Travel Together" featuring Han Se-sung, and watched all of Han Se-sung's clips.
It jumps back and forth, playing repeatedly, the computer screen getting dimmer and dimmer, and the surroundings getting brighter.
Su Yunruo was blinded by the light and suddenly realized that she had unknowingly watched a video all night.
Sizzle sizzle
The phone on the table rang.
Jiang Chunrou: [Ruan Rourou came out of the operating room. The doctor said she was out of danger and now they're just waiting for her to wake up.]
It was quite a coincidence, because of this interruption, Su Yunruo inexplicably figured out the train of thought.
No wonder it felt so out of place!
The Han Se-sung in the surveillance footage is completely different from the Han Se-sung in "Let's Travel Together".
A person may experience changes in physical posture in a short period of time due to reasons such as low mood or high excitement, but their behavior is ingrained in their bones.
Based on what Su Yunruo knew about Han Shicheng, if he were bumped into while walking, he would never help the other person up. The fact that he didn't kick them a couple more times was because he was in a good mood and didn't want to do anything.
Just like Cheng Xiran said before, it feels like Han Shicheng has changed.
She now feels the same way; Han Shicheng has changed.
Su Yunruo gently tapped her phone on the table, the sound echoing as the sky outside grew brighter.
At seven o'clock in the morning, the housekeeper brought breakfast into the house.
Having resolved the problem that had plagued her all night and replenished her carbohydrates, drowsiness finally overwhelmed Su Yunruo's body.
...
Upon waking up, Jiang Chunrou brought good news: Ruan Rourou had also woken up.
Based on Xiao Ou's account and Ruan Rourou's recollection, Jiang Chunrou roughly deduced the sequence of events: Sister Mi said she came here to have dinner with the regional head of Xianpai, but in reality, she had received a bribe from Chen Wanxiang. As agreed, she sent Xiao Ou away, drugged Ruan Rourou, and then let Chen Wanxiang enter the villa after Ruan Rourou fell unconscious.
After that, Sister Mi drove away.
Perhaps she had some drinks while having dinner with Ruan Rourou, perhaps she did something wrong and felt guilty, or perhaps it really was an accident. The car crashed into the guardrail while traveling at high speed. Even though passing vehicles immediately called the police, by the time the ambulance arrived, Sister Mi was already dead.
People die every day, but it still feels bizarre when it happens to someone close to you.
Su Yunruo suddenly remembered something she had been curious about with the system.
Why would she commit suicide for a man?
It's illogical and unbelievable, but the ending is inevitable.
For example, right now.
This scene is in the book.
Mi Jie betrayed Ruan Rou Rou to Chen Wan Xiang, but Han Shi Cheng came to her rescue. Afterwards, Chen Wan Xiang was expelled, and Mi Jie was replaced. Neither of them appeared again in the later plot.
Now that Chen Wanxiang is dead and Sister Mi is dead, in a sense, it has indeed reached an ending that will never happen again.
But what caused it?
"Miss Su, what should we do about Sister Mi's matter?"
Jiang Chunrou's voice pulled Su Yunruo back to reality from her deep thoughts.
"Has anyone found out why Sister Mi betrayed Ruan Rourou?"
"..." Jiang Chunrou remained silent for a long time on the other end of the phone. "This is very strange. She has other artists under her management, and their combined annual salary exceeds one million. Her children also work, and in high-paying jobs. None of her relatives are seriously ill, involved in gambling, or have any disputes. From any perspective, she is not short of money. Moreover, when you asked me to find an agent for Ruan Rourou before, I thoroughly investigated Sister Mi. She is serious and responsible at work, and a very good person in private. She completely refuses to let her artists participate in drinking parties. Because of these reasons, I felt comfortable entrusting Ruan Rourou to her at that time. Therefore—I highly doubt the authenticity of the claim that Sister Mi accepted money to do things for Chen Wanxiang."
Not only are Sister Mi's motives questionable, but Chen Wanxiang's are as well.
After she gave Chen Wanxiang some pointers at the training camp gate that day, he clearly didn't do anything to Ruan Rourou again. In fact, he was busy dealing with his former backer and was in debt crisis. So why did he suddenly start targeting Ruan Rourou again, even knowing that it would anger her?
The ending was like that, and upon closer examination, the cause seemed completely absurd.
"Miss Su?"
After a long silence, Jiang Chunrou called out to her.
Su Yunruo's thoughts were still lingering, so she forcibly interrupted and gave Jiang Chunrou a brief reply, "After all, it happened during work hours, so let's compensate Sister Mi's family according to the law."
“But Ruan Rourou—” she paused, “Although I also find it hard to believe that Sister Mi would do such a thing, what she did to Ruan Rourou last night was illegal, and Chen Wanxiang and Ruan Rourou were accomplices. We should consider things from Ruan Rourou’s perspective. As a victim, she needs an explanation. She will definitely feel bad if she sees the company compensating the perpetrators.”
“I understand…” Su Yunruo rubbed her temples, “I understand that Ruan Rourou is a victim and needs justice…”
As someone who was drugged, deceived, and almost harmed, Ruan Rourou is definitely the one who needs comfort the most in this whole affair.
But Su Yunruo couldn't figure out whether Sister Mi was forced to act according to the plot of the book or acted out of her own heart.
To be fair, she trusted Jiang Chunrou's judgment more, and also trusted her own assessment of Chen Wanxiang.
If the system were still around... well, there's no point in having that useless, clueless system anyway.
She felt that these two real people were led by the plot to do things against their will and lose their lives.
Su Yunruo sighed, "Let's give Ruan Rourou justice first, and do it your way."
"OK."
"By the way, before doing these things, let's check where that bottle of medicine came from."
"medicine?"
"Isn't there a bottle of medicine that Ruan Rourou drank? If we call the police, they might investigate, but let's look for it in advance so we can make plans."
"OK."
Since things have already illogically veered towards the plot of the book, it is highly likely that the story will continue to unfold as it is in the book.
If she remembered correctly, in the book, this bottle of medicine was given to Chen Wanxiang by her.
She was also the mastermind behind drugging Ruan Rourou. The reason was simple: at this point in the book, when she was about to marry Han Shicheng, she discovered that Ruan Rourou and Han Shicheng had a close relationship, and she became jealous and wanted to harm Ruan Rourou.
ha
It's really funny.
Given the bizarre logic in the book, it's absurd that a legitimate fiancée would want to fight off a mistress without leveraging public opinion or causing trouble for Han Shicheng, yet instead of playing her cards right, she chooses to become a law-breaking figure. Even the police would probably find that ridiculous.
"We must find out who provided the medicine as soon as possible, preferably before the police," Su Yunruo urged again.
“Okay.” Jiang Chunrou typed rapidly on the keyboard. “There’s another thing. Ruan Rourou’s hospitalization has been exposed.”
...
The news of Ruan Rourou's hospitalization was brought to light by paparazzi after the police announced Chen Wanxiang's death.
In order to attract widespread attention, marketing accounts that got the first-hand information posted on Weibo: "Ruan Rou Rou escaped from the training camp and had a secret rendezvous with Chen Wan Xiang. She overdosed on drugs and caused Chen Wan Xiang's death."
Every word excited netizens.
[Holy crap, I suspected they were having an affair before, and then they issued a statement trying to cover it up. It's hilarious.]
I always knew Chen Wanxiang was undefeated when it came to pursuing beautiful female celebrities; he's truly had his share of goddesses.
[Oh my god, it seems no beautiful woman in the entertainment industry can escape Chen Wanxiang's clutches. He even does drugs. I wonder if he did drugs when he was dating other female celebrities before.]
[I watched the training camp these past few days and thought Ruan Rourou was a hard-working actress who would become a good one, but I never expected her private life to be so scandalous. I'm so disillusioned.]
[Female celebrities are all like this, I'm used to it.]
While the opinions of passersby can be dismissed as being misled due to a lack of knowledge of the facts, Ruan Rou Rou's fan club, which she built up through variety shows recently, has been in an uproar. If you don't check the messages for a few minutes, they will be 99+, all of which are debating Ruan Rou Rou's relationship with Chen Wan Xiang.
Some believed it, some didn't, and others infiltrated the situation to stir up trouble.
Fortunately, Xiao Ou was in charge of coordinating with the fan club. Xiao Ou promptly clarified to the big fans in the big fan group that things were not as described online, and told the big fans to manage their smaller fans well.
Three hours later, the police issued another statement, confirming that Chen Wanxiang colluded with Ruan Rourou's agent to drug her. Ruan Rourou was taken to the hospital last night for treatment. Mi Jie died in a car accident, and the cause of Chen Wanxiang's death is under investigation.
This news served as a slap in the face to the marketing accounts and the netizens who made malicious speculations under their posts.
Unscrupulous marketing accounts took a different approach, posting another Weibo message: "Was Ruan Rourou drugged? Has the innocent beauty lost her innocence?"
The online trolls echoed this sentiment.
[Sigh, such a beautiful woman, wasted on a pig.]
How am I supposed to watch her dramas the same way now?
[Ruan Rourou could act in erotic films in the future; she would definitely be very vivid in them.]
[Congratulations on successfully blocking another group of idiots. A girl was drugged by people around her and suffered so much harm that she's still in the hospital. Instead of condemning the perpetrators and fighting for justice for her, you're using this incident to mock her.]
After being alerted by a clear-headed netizen, everyone finally realized that something was wrong.
What are these online trolls saying?!
This marketing account started by maliciously misleading people, and now it's taking the lead in rubbing salt into the wounds of the victims.
Immediately afterwards, a large number of netizens who felt sorry for Ruan Rourou took screenshots of the bizarre comments, and the hashtag #HeartacheForRuanRouRou# went viral and became a trending topic.
At this point, Ruan Rourou's company finally issued a formal statement, claiming that Ruan Rourou was still in a coma due to severe poisoning, and that all the rumors circulating online were false. Ruan Rourou's assistant had noticed something was wrong in advance and sent her to the hospital, preventing a tragedy from happening.
Netizens were finally relieved and completely condemned the malicious marketing accounts, while also cursing Ruan Rourou's agent.
Ruan Rourou and Sister Mi have both found partners, but what about Chen Wanxiang's death?
Unsolved cases are most likely to spark discussion. Marketing accounts started writing short articles based on police announcements and speculations from other industry peers, speculating from various angles, and even turning them into novels, fabricating the events and endings of that night, as well as the murderer of Chen Wanxiang.
The issue gained increasing attention and remained a trending topic even two days later.
The whole nation is solving cases, which is even more exciting than a major suspense drama.
Just as everyone was excited and eager to know the inside story and the truth, the paparazzi broke the news—Su Yunruo was taken away by the police!
...
Let's go back to one day ago.
Su Yunruo had just finished discussing with Jiang Chunrou how to deal with the rumors circulating online about Ruan Rourou when she received a friend request from Pei Xue on her phone.
Hello Ms. Su, I'm Pei Xue.
This greeting seems rather formal.
Although there had been a slight disagreement earlier, Su Yunruo was not happy to see Pei Xue's deliberately ingratiating tone.
She hesitated for a few seconds before asking her friend.
Pei Xue immediately sent a message: 【Hello Ms. Su, this is Pei Xue.】
Su Yunruo: [Hello.]
There was some misunderstanding about what happened before. I wonder if Ms. Su has time to invite you to dinner to apologize.
No need to spend money, I didn't think much of it.
Pei Xue persisted, saying, "[There are some things I'd like to discuss with you about 'The Female General,' which are related to Hu Yang.]"
Su Yunruo didn't understand what she had to do with the "Female General" story, especially since it was related to Hu Yang. Hu Yang should have come to talk about it himself sometime.
However, on second thought, Pei Xue might not be that smart, but actors are naturally sensitive. After what happened at the brand banquet, she had been silent for so long, probably because she was internally strife. If she didn't go to this dinner, Pei Xue would always suspect that she harbored resentment towards her because of the online trolls. And if anything related to her were to happen in the future, she might pin the blame on her.
Su Yunruo has always advocated for a peaceful coexistence where everyone lives their own life and no one is bothered. She dislikes having a pair of eyes staring at her inexplicably in the darkness.
Okay, time and place?
...
Pei Xue chose a regular chain hotel.
The reason it's considered "regular" is because that place is basically the first choice for social events. Su Yunruo has invested in many companies and attends countless "team building," "annual meetings," and "business negotiations" every year. Most of these events are held there because it looks grand, is easy to book, and has convenient transportation nearby, unlike Building A which is always congested.
As soon as the car rounded the huge fountain in front of the hotel, a woman in formal attire came out of the revolving door and offered to open the car door for Su Yunruo.
Good evening, Ms. Su.
Su Yunruo nodded and followed the manager inside.
"Knowing that Miss Su was coming today, our boss was worried that you might be tired of the usual dishes, so he specially found an old chef from Hong Kong. His Cantonese cuisine is so authentic, everyone says it's delicious. Would you do me the honor of trying it today?"
There was no such thing as knowing she was coming and making special arrangements; it was all just a standardized script.
Su Yunruo was used to such flattery and did not refuse, "Then I'll trouble you."
"No trouble at all." The manager opened the door to the corridor. "Ms. Su, who are you meeting with today? Would you like to use the previous private room or would you prefer to change rooms?"
"Pei Xue has already made a reservation, let's go to her room."
"Pei Xue?" The manager was taken aback, probably wondering when Pei Xue and Su Yunruo had become close. The two were fierce rivals online. But he quickly regained his composure, "The private room is on the third floor at the very back. This way, please."
Su Yunruo: "The innermost room... I remember it was quite far from the other private rooms."
"Don't worry, that private room is the quietest one here, you will definitely not be disturbed."
Has Pei Xue arrived?
Pei Xue is already inside.
"Okay." Su Yunruo raised her wrist to check her watch. "The Cantonese food you mentioned, please bring it in 20 minutes after I go in."
"OK."
Su Yunruo didn't plan to eat this meal; she only gave Pei Xue 20 minutes.
After all, Pei Xue didn't have any business to discuss with her.
The two took the elevator to the third floor. Su Yunruo told the manager to go ahead and then pushed open the door to Pei Xueding's private room.
It's pretty much the same as other regular private rooms, about 50 square meters, with a bright crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Half of the space below is for chatting and playing cards, and the other half is a large round table. It also includes a restroom and a food preparation area for restaurant staff.
To be honest, Su Yunruo felt it was a bit low-class.
It's not that there's a problem with the hotel, but rather that Pei Xue chose the wrong location.
It's not that two people can't use such a large private room, but it's strange that a large round table can't be filled.
In her memory, there were only two people apologizing, and she thought it would be better to choose a small, elegant private room with a pleasant ambiance and some music playing.
Click.
The bathroom door was opened from the inside.
Pei Xue came out and gave her an awkward smile when she saw her. "You're here."
"Um."
Su Yunruo looked her up and down.
Her hair was probably washed yesterday morning; it wasn't dirty, but it had lost the fluffiness of freshly washed hair. If it were Su Yunruo, who was going to meet someone important that evening, she would probably choose to wash her hair in the morning or before leaving home.
Her style of dress leans towards comfort and everyday wear.
This might be the most comfortable pose for many ordinary people in their daily lives. If you were to exaggerate a bit, you could call it "meeting your best friend" makeup – whatever makes you comfortable. But it's very unreasonable on Pei Xue.
She is a female celebrity, and it is her duty to ensure that she looks more refined and beautiful than ordinary people in public. Moreover, this is a dinner to apologize, and it would be impolite to dress up in a less-than-elegant manner.
Furthermore, Pei Xue is considered one of the better-off female celebrities in the entertainment industry right now. She just won an award and has big-budget TV dramas and movies in production, so she's definitely on the rise in her career. But Su Yunruo didn't see any high spirits on her face at this moment; she was even less radiant than the last time she suddenly ran to her door and went crazy.
She was like a wilted flower, listless and lifeless.
Su Yunruo couldn't help but reflect on whether she should have told Pei Xue earlier to stop hiring online trolls to target her, otherwise she wouldn't have had to suffer such internal strife.
Such reflection only briefly crossed her mind before Su Yunruo quickly realized that Pei Xue should reflect on her own behavior and judgment, and that her current state had nothing to do with her.
So he casually pulled up a chair and sat down, asking, "Isn't your agent coming along?"
Pei Xue shuddered and sat down next to Su Yunruo. "Today it's just you and me."
"Hmm, what do you want to talk about regarding the poplar trees?"
Pei Xue glanced away, "His situation... does he... want some water?"
Su Yunruo looked at the trembling hand pouring water and felt even stranger.
She wondered, was Pei Xue acting?
Or was this actually the recording site of a variety show, where she was tricked into participating in Pei Xue's ancient costume poisoning play?
Pei Xue looks exactly like the villainous female supporting character in an ancient costume drama.
Su Yunruo reached out and took the cup, but didn't drink it. "Is this something you find difficult to talk about? Is it your problem?"
"How did you know?" Pei Xue asked in astonishment.
"..." Su Yunruo silently gave her a look that said, "What do you think?"
Pei Xue bit her lip and remained silent.
"I'm actually quite busy." Su Yunruo raised her wrist to check her watch. "You only have 15 minutes. I won't come out next time you ask me out."
Pei Xue lowered her head, "If, if your boyfriend secretly filmed you and him doing that..."
Su Yunruo wondered if she should remind Pei Xue that it was better to choose "I have a friend" over "you" because the two pronouns had the same meaning, but the latter sounded more comfortable.
He then continued, "He also threatened you with the video, forcing you to do things you didn't want to do. What did you do then?"
"..."
"What will you do?"
"..."
Su Yunruo roughly understood, and found it laughable. It wasn't surprising that this conversation happened between Tao Minmin and her, but why did it happen between Pei Xue and her?
Does she look like a benevolent philanthropist who helps everyone she meets? Or has Pei Xue failed to understand her relationship with this stranger?
"You...you don't know what to do either?" Pei Xue's voice weakened.
never mind.
She has witnessed far too many people being harmed by these kinds of videos during this period.
Su Yunruo answered honestly, "I never argue with the dead."
"..." Pei Xue's pupils dilated, and her mouth opened slightly. "But murder is illegal."
Su Yunruo thought that this operation might be a bit difficult for Pei Xue, so she said, "I don't argue with women."
"W-What do you mean?"
“Send him to get sex reassignment surgery, find a man to have sex with her, film it, and then give him a taste of his own medicine by threatening him with the video.”
"..."
"..."
"..."
Pei Xue thought the answer was outrageous, but Su Yunruo's expression was very serious. Unlike the innocent look she put on in front of the camera, her eyes were dark and deep, as if she was really planning it.
But thinking about it this way, if we could actually turn a scoundrel like Zhou Kantian, who always secretly films women, into a woman and have her suffer the things he does to women, it would feel so satisfying.
It felt more satisfying than cutting it off back then.
But how could I possibly do something like that? Probably only someone from a family like Su Yunruo's would dare to do it.
“Or I can give you a normal person’s approach.” Su Yunruo lowered her eyes, “If you’re being threatened, call the police immediately.”
"No, if we call the police—"
"Han Shicheng contacted you?"
"Han Shicheng?" Pei Xue was stunned.
Isn't Han Shicheng at the hospital? I heard the management there is really strict... it must be really strict, she hasn't heard from Han Shicheng in a long time.
Su Yunruo gently placed the cup on the table. "Who is that?"
"..."
Pei Xue bit her lip and lowered her head, not daring to answer.
"You came to me because you think I can help you. How can I help you if you don't tell the truth?"
"Are you willing to help me?"
"How about I hear what you're planning to use to help you?"
Pei Xue opened her mouth, "I...I..."
"Um?"
"I can act as your inside man."
Recently, Pei Xue overheard Zhou Kantian and Han Yao's phone conversation and realized that they were brewing a plan, seemingly aimed at Su Yunruo. Pei Xue had been burned by Zhou Kantian before and knew that this madman was not worth cooperating with, so she immediately wanted to inform Su Yunruo in exchange for Su Yunruo's help to escape from his clutches.
Su Yunruo has her only chance. Her family is so powerful, she's sure she can succeed.
Pei Xue thought this way, and her resolve strengthened. "Zhou Kantian threatened me to work for Han Yao with him. They've been planning to deal with you recently, and I can help you as a spy."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"Why are you looking at me like that? Aren't you worried that Zhou Kantian and Han Yao might do something to you?"
“I’m just wondering if you can be a good spy.” Su Yunruo glanced at her watch; there were still 10 minutes left. “Make a long story short, tell me what you need me to do for you.”
“Zhou Kantian has videos of me and Han Shicheng doing that, and I hope you can help me get rid of them.” Pei Xue paused, then hurriedly explained, “Those videos were all secretly filmed. Han Shicheng filmed them without my knowledge, and the equipment Han Shicheng used to film them was provided by Zhou Kantian.”
It's exactly the same as Miao Xiaoyun's situation.
Sometimes Su Yunruo really admired Zhou Kantian. He seemed to be particularly persistent in this regard. Even after escaping from the last disaster with heavy losses, he still couldn't change his ways.
Perhaps this kind of thing is really effective; it threatened Ning Yu and others before, and now it has successfully threatened Pei Xue.
The difference is that Pei Xue never used the word "voluntary".
She doesn't even need the courage to bear the consequences herself, because she is the victim.
"Please help me. When my contract with this company expires, I'll take all my resources and move to Youqian Entertainment."
Su Yunruo scrutinized Pei Xue's face and saw that her serious expression didn't seem like she was lying.
But if you have money, you don't need entertainment.
Moreover, what did Pei Xue lose by signing with Youqian Entertainment? She directly announced to the public that she had a relationship with the Su family, making her a reliable backer.
"With money, entertainment will still only have me as an artist in the future." Su Yunruo leaned on the back of the chair and carefully examined Pei Xue.
Through Pei Xue, she saw Miao Xiaoyun, Lin Xingsen's eyes, Lin Yuanzhou's eyes... and many other people.
In the future, Pei Xue may become one of them, becoming what netizens call an "ugly woman with an out-of-shape figure".
Su Yunruo didn't think it was a happy thing.
She rested half her face on her hand, and after a while, she grinned and said, "I'll do some things that normal people do for you for free."
...
After meeting with Pei Xue, Su Yunruo went straight back to the island in the middle of the lake. Less than an hour later, as night fell, two flashing red and blue lights streaked across the sky.
Police said they hope she will cooperate with the investigation.
*
I don't know why the news of Su Yunruo being taken away by the police was leaked online. There are no paparazzi on the island in the lake, and even if there are paparazzi outside the island, they shouldn't have guessed that the person taken away was Su Yunruo.
Jiang Chunrou found it unbelievable no matter how she looked at it. It was Miss Su who asked her to investigate the drug, and in the end, the police found out in advance that it was also Miss Su who gave the drug.
Miss Su would never do such a thing to Ruan Rourou; even Xiao Ou could make sense of it.
But that's the situation now. Ms. Su has been taken away, and Youqian Entertainment is leaderless. There are people on the internet constantly trying to smear Ms. Su.
Jiang Chunrou only let the public relations department handle it; she herself didn't dare to open Weibo to see netizens' speculations and malicious comments.
"Sister Jiang, what exactly happened?" Xiao Ou asked anxiously. "How could it be Miss Su? Why would Miss Su arrange for someone to drug Ruan Rourou? She just helped Ruan Rourou deal with Chen Wanxiang not long ago. I don't believe Miss Su would do such a thing."
"The person who supplied Chen Wanxiang with the medicine claimed to be acting under Miss Su's orders, but that's likely a false accusation. The real mastermind wants to temporarily detain Miss Su so they can carry out other operations." Jiang Chunrou turned a corner and saw Xiao Ou anxiously stamping her feet in front of Ruan Rourou's ward. "How is Ruan Rourou?"
"I'm always listless, can't eat anything, and am constantly drowsy."
She walked up behind Xiao Ou and asked, "Do you think she's ready to return to training camp in her current state?"
Xiao Ou suddenly turned around, almost startling Jiang Chunrou.
The little girl had a large dark patch under her eye, as if she had been punched.
"Sister Jiang."
"Mm." Jiang Chunrou couldn't help but say, "If you're sleepy, take a nap. Don't stay up late; your health is important."
"I'm not sleepy, I was asleep. Why are you here? What if the paparazzi see this and write something nonsense?" Xiao Ou's voice softened. "Some netizens are already speculating online that Youqian Entertainment will come to us to coordinate our story."
Jiang Chunrou lowered her eyes. "Those speculations don't matter. What we need now is for netizens to know that Ruan Rourou was actually supported by Miss Su."
Xiao Ou suddenly realized, "Oh right! Right now, everyone on the internet is speculating that Miss Su colluded with Chen Wanxiang to frame Ruan Rourou because she was afraid that Ruan Rourou would threaten her position. If the whole internet knew that Miss Su was actually Ruan Rourou's backer, then the rumors would be dispelled—who would be so stupid as to send someone they've trained with real money to that pig Chen Wanxiang?"
"Is Miss Su still inside...?"
"Um."
"Waaah... What should I do? How did Miss Su end up inside? I watched a TV series and it's really uncomfortable inside. The pressure is immense, and the police are all so fierce."
"Don't worry too much, she'll be fine."
Jiang Chunrou led Xiao Ou into the ward, and Ruan Rourou was indeed asleep.
Seeing Ruan Rourou's pale face and her hands, which were bruised and swollen from the IV drip, it was impossible for her to go back to training.
The drug wasn't a traditional aphrodisiac. The doctor wrote a long string of obscure characters in her medical record. She searched online and learned that it was a chemical agent that was extremely harmful to the body and could take half a person's life.
This situation is the biggest crisis Jiang Chunrou has encountered in the years she has been following Su Yunruo, and it is also the first time that she has to make a complete decision on her own.
Faced with the complex situation and the immeasurable consequences, Jiang Chunrou realized why Su Yunruo had always done everything personally.
The pressure was too great, and it was impossible to figure out the final outcome, so I could only lead everyone to the next step after I had a very clear understanding of everything.
Jiang Chunrou kept Miss Su's instructions in mind: "Has anyone come to visit Ruan Rourou?"
Xiao Ou shook his head.
Have any suspicious individuals appeared nearby? For example, Han Shicheng?
Xiao Ou shook her head again, but immediately became excited, "Sister Jiang, the more I think about it, the stranger it seems. Why would he go to save Ruan Rourou, and it's as if he knew what was going to happen beforehand?"
"Yes, that's one of the things I'm investigating right now."
“And the way he looked that day…” Xiao Ou thought hard, “He seemed really nervous about Ruan Rou Rou. I’ve been by Ruan Rou Rou’s side every day since she debuted, especially during the time when Han Shi Cheng and Pei Xue announced their relationship. I’m sure Ruan Rou Rou didn’t know Han Shi Cheng.”
"so?"
"So why would he go to save Ruan Rourou?"
"..."
"And...did he really kill Chen Wanxiang to save Ruan Rourou?"
"..."
"How will Ruan Rourou face Han Shicheng after she finds out...?"
The practice problems were getting more and more difficult. The two stared at each other for a few seconds, but neither could get any information from the other's eyes. In the end, they silently lowered their heads and went about their own business.
...
Normally, Su Yunruo should have been released after 24 hours, but Jiang Chunrou did not receive any good news.
Left with no other option, she could only ask Yu Youqian to go directly to Miss Su's house to inquire.
The result was even more terrifying: the person who identified Ms. Su suddenly died in a car accident, and Ms. Su had to undergo further investigation by Jingfang.
Jiang Chunrou tried her best to control the online public opinion, but the situation escalated because Su Yunruo was not released for a long time. It even got to the point that Jiang Chunrou dared not really reveal the true relationship between Su Yunruo and Ruan Rourou, for fear that if she couldn't explain it, she would be accused by prejudiced netizens of running a company for sex transactions.
Jiang Chunrou could barely fall asleep and soon joined Xiao Ou's army of dark circles.
After working hard in the workplace for several years, she also began to have worries.
Miss Su, if you were in Miss Su's shoes, what would you do in this situation?
*
The interrogation room was dark, with only one bright light shining directly into Su Yunruo's eyes.
She had learned that there was some psychological basis to shining a light on the interrogation subject, as it could lower the prisoner's guard.
Su Yunruo cooperated fully with the police investigation, answering all questions about what she was doing at different times without hesitation. She even carefully reviewed her WeChat chat history and call records to prove that she had no opportunity to commit the crime at those times.
This is thanks to her investment in so many industries that she has to make a major decision every half hour on average.
Moreover, even when she was at home, she always had housekeepers and servants outside, so she was almost never alone.
This led to a strange problem: all the evidence pointed to Su Yunruo, but Su Yunruo had absolutely no opportunity to commit the crime.
Su Yunruo could clearly sense that the police were even more anxious than she was. They were rubbing their faces and pulling their hair across the table, pacing back and forth, the keychain hanging on their belt rattling incessantly.
"Did you know that the person who made the accusation died yesterday?"
She said, "I don't know. I've been forced to sit here for interrogation since yesterday. I haven't contacted anyone, and I haven't seen anyone else except you guys."
"What are your thoughts on the fact that all the evidence points to you?"
"I hope the police will catch the murderer as soon as possible and clear my name."
It's either a plot added to the book.
It was either news brought by Pei Xue, or it was news brought by Zhou Kantian and Han Yao.
She guessed that the two were related, because the former's mandatory setting was necessary for the latter to succeed.
Han Yao and Zhou Kantian probably knew that she wouldn't stay at the police station for long. Letting her in was probably to physically restrain her and prevent her from doing anything.
As for why she was trapped... perhaps it was to make it easier to deal with what she was protecting.
There's so much—all the investment funds, Youqian Entertainment, Ruan Rourou… But can all of this really break her? Behind her are her parents, her brother, and even the entire Su family.
Perhaps it's Pei Xue?
After all, she had met Pei Xue, and Pei Xue didn't seem like the type to lie. What if it aroused Zhou Kantian and Han Yao's suspicions?
Su Yunruo admitted that she was really trapped. She couldn't do anything or get anything out here, and could only wait to get out before she could take any action.
She leaned back instinctively, her back resting on the cold iron bar behind her.
Sitting here for so long is very uncomfortable. The bench is hard, the chair back is hard, and Su Yunruo prides herself on not being a pampered person, but after sitting like this for a very long time, she feels uncomfortable all over.
What's more, she hasn't closed her eyes in a long time.
Bathed in the glaring light, and unable to stop thinking about who was framing her, she couldn't fall asleep, even though she wanted to.
Her vision was enveloped in an orange glow, as light shone through her eyelids and fell onto her eyeballs.
...
It felt like she had returned to her house on the island in the middle of the lake.
That was a place she knew well; every arrangement was hers, and even the little dolls were still there, sitting obediently in the corner, wearing her specially made dresses.
"Miss, Mr. Han has arrived."
She watched Su Yunruo turn around by the window; yes, she watched.
She now stands like an observer, next to an exact replica of herself, watching the every move of that "Su Yunruo".
"Let him come over."
Su Yunruo gave these instructions, and the butler left the study. She then approached.
Seeing someone who looks exactly like you is different from looking in a mirror.
That was an even more shocking, yet unfamiliar feeling.
They even separate themselves from this person, psychologically feeling that she is not themselves.
After a few seconds of contemplation, the study door opened again, and she looked over even faster than the other Su Yunruo.
The butler stepped aside, and Han Shicheng walked in from behind him.
For a fleeting moment, just a fleeting moment, she was certain that this was Han Shicheng, the one who had escaped from the hospital.
No wonder even someone as oblivious to gossip as Cheng Xiran said, "He feels different." If you've seen Han Shicheng like this before, and then go back to the Han Shicheng you've always known, you'll immediately notice that "he's changed."
This Han Shicheng, just by standing there, exudes the air of a noble and arrogant young master. He has been pampered since childhood and has never suffered any hardship. However, he inherited his shrewdness and calculation from his parents. He is indeed the kind of grandson who has never worked. All he has is the arrogance of "guiding the world" with his mouth.
"Hello, Miss Su, I am Han Shicheng."
This opening acted as if they were meeting for the first time, and Su Yunruo, observing the subtle shifts in their status, guessed that Han Shicheng needed something from her.
"I think you already know about what happened twelve years ago."
Something that happened twelve years ago?
She still doesn't know what she should know about what happened twelve years ago.
Su Yunruo finally turned around: "I not only know about what happened twelve years ago, but I also know about what happened thirty years ago and forty years ago."
"..." Han Shicheng was silent for a moment, then said, "Is it meaningful to target the Han family for the sake of a strange mother and son? What favors have they done for you that you must repay?"
"Is there even a need to ask?"
“My mother was indeed wrong, and I apologize on her behalf. I hope you can be lenient.”
"This is not something that can be resolved with just an apology."
“I know that an apology won’t help. But as children, we can’t blame our parents. I just hope that Ms. Su can let my mother live out her old age in peace.”
"Sure, what will you offer in exchange?"
"The Han Group, and Han Yao's life."
The images were blurry and fragmented, like a hallucinatory dream. Later on, Su Yunruo could not see anything at all, and could only hear her own voice and Han Shicheng's voice.
...
"Miss Su? Miss Su?"
Su Yunruo was jolted awake by a push on her shoulder.
When she looked up, the glaring lights were no longer visible. The police helped her up. "The matter has been investigated and found to have nothing to do with you. You can leave now."
Su Yunruo had no idea how a dream could clear her name. Her mind was still immersed in the dream, and her thoughts were a jumbled mess.
It wasn't until I came out of the interrogation room that I saw Su's parents.
She immediately snapped out of her daze, realizing how much her parents must have worried about her during this time.
Guilt made her feel a little scared, and she lowered her head, not daring to look at the two of them.
Fortunately, the two elderly people didn't say anything and silently led her into the car.
Without asking for her opinion, they went straight back to the Su family's old residence.
Come to think of it, no one in the Su family had ever been taken to the police station and made a nationally known incident like him. At a time like this, he definitely needed to go home and await further instructions.
However, Su's father did not give Su Yunruo any moral education about this matter. Instead, he told her to go back to her room to rest as soon as they got home.
When Su Yunruo lay down on her soft bed, she finally felt completely relaxed.
The hard bench and the bright light seemed to have vanished from her like a dream.
But as soon as Su Yunruo closed her eyes, her brain cells seemed to come alive, constantly thinking about Ruan Rourou's condition, whether Jiang Chunrou was frightened, and whether Pei Xue was safe.
Knock knock knock
The knocking on the door extinguished all the active brain cells.
"Xiao Su, I asked the kitchen to make you some soup. I'll bring it in."
It's Su Ma.
Su Yunruo almost fell flat on her face when she jumped off the bed. She didn't even realize that her legs were weak and she collapsed on the bed, her body relaxing even faster than her mind.
She struggled to open the door for Su's mother.
Su Ma brought the soup in.
The rooms in the old-style house weren't as big as those on the island in the lake, but there was still enough space by the bed to put a desk.
Su Ma placed the soup on the desk, turned over the porcelain bowl, and scooped it out spoonful by spoonful from the pot to let it cool.
Knowing that a heart-to-heart talk was about to begin, Su Yunruo obediently sat cross-legged on the edge of the bed.
After serving the soup, Su's mother turned her head and frowned as she looked at Su Yunruo. She sighed, "She's been in there for almost two days, and she looks like she's lost twenty pounds."
Su Yunruo smiled and said, "It's not that exaggerated. I was fine inside, just answering questions from the police."
"Tell me the truth, did you really not give me the medicine?"
Su Yunruo felt slightly dissatisfied. "Mom, do you think I would do such a thing?"
"After you went in, your father also investigated the matter, and almost all the evidence pointed to you." He paused. "Besides, back in high school..."
The hesitant tone and the phrase "in high school" instantly touched upon the deepest secret hidden in Su Yunruo's heart, a secret she wouldn't allow anyone to uncover.
Her blood rushed to her head, and she interrupted Su's mother, "I'm not the little girl I was in high school anymore."
That was because of Lin Yuanzhou, but had nothing to do with Lin Yuanzhou. Yet, in Su Yunruo's subconscious, she believed that Lin Yuanzhou had to bear a past event that was more serious than his rejection of her.
The origin of Su's father's phrase "lacking in discretion".
Sensing Su Yunruo's emotional fluctuations, Su's mother interjected, "It's not that your father and I don't believe in you, it's just that we need to be more rational when it comes to important matters."
Su Yunruo took a deep breath and slightly turned her head to avoid her mother's gaze. "Why did the police release me?"
"The autopsy report showed that the person who reported you was terminally ill but had never been to the hospital. Lin Yuanzhou learned from his neighbor that the person had a good relationship with a mother and daughter who worked at the hair salon, and discovered that the mother and daughter had left S City a week ago. He drove to the hometown of the mother and daughter and judged from their living conditions that they had suddenly received a large sum of money."
"Why didn't the police notice it at first?"
“That person is unregistered and doesn’t go to the hospital for check-ups regularly. The police are investigating, but there are many procedures to go through, so it will be slow.”
"Where is the account from which the money was deposited?"
"We'll have to wait for news from the police."
"I think Lin Yuanzhou should be able to find out, right?"
Looking at Su Yunruo, Su's mother smiled helplessly, "Ruoruo, do you know that hacking into the financial system is a crime?"
"..."
Su's mother gently tapped Su Yunruo's head, "Rest well, your father and mother will handle anything."
"good."
—How could that be?
After Su's mother left the room, Su Yunruo sent messages to Pei Xue and Jiang Chunrou while drinking her soup.
The main reason for contacting Pei Xue was to confirm her safety; once she received a reply, there was no further discussion. The main reason for contacting Jiang Chunrou was to persuade her to put everything aside and focus on investigating Han Shicheng's mother.
[Ms. Su, how are you doing now?]
What's wrong with me?
I'm very worried about what might happen to you inside.
"Oh, it's nothing, it's just that the chair is too hard and uncomfortable to sit on, but otherwise it's fine."
I heard that the psychological pressure will be immense once you're in there, and with so much evidence pointing to you, you'll likely be subjected to constant questioning.
[It's okay, don't worry.] Su Yunruo thought for a moment, then continued typing: [Did nothing happen while I was away?]
【Um. 】
Next to Jiang Chunrou's note, it always showed "typing in progress".
[But I still can't do anything right. Han Shicheng hasn't been found, and we don't know why he's missing. There's also no news about the wealthy woman you asked me to check on when she stopped the ambulance.]
【These are all difficult tasks, it's normal that they can't be finished all at once. I'll handle these. First, could you help me investigate Han Shicheng's mother? Investigate everything that happened to her over the past forty years.】
【OK. 】
Su Yunruo finally relaxed. No matter what, she wanted to lie on her soft bed and rest.
Deep down, she secretly hoped to continue dreaming. The dream in the interrogation room was so real, and it opened up some new ideas for her.
Maybe if I sleep a little longer I can get more information.
However, things did not go as Su Yunruo had expected. She spent almost all of her sleep recovering her strength, and when she woke up, it was the next day.
The rumors circulating online about Su Yunruo were dispelled by the police's announcement, and Su's father's rare intervention led to the matter ending much faster than anyone expected.
After having breakfast, Su Yunruo received an email from Jiang Chunrou.
Han Shicheng's mother, Ms. Zhang Yan, whose original name was Zhang Cuihua, was born in a small town on the outskirts of S City. She did not attend high school and graduated from junior high school early to work in a factory.
It can be said that her first 20 years of life were no different from anyone else's.
However, at the age of 20, she joined a state-owned pharmaceutical company, which was the predecessor of Han's Group and was managed by Aunt Lin's father.
It's too far in the past to trace whether Zhang Yan and Han Yao had a connection at that time. However, according to Jiang Chunrou's investigation, Zhang Yan was involved in the pharmaceutical factory's reforms and privatization in the following years, including when Han Yao married Aunt Lin.
Then came the shameful things that men and women did.
Not long after Aunt Lin became pregnant with Lin Yuanzhou, Ms. Zhang Yan became pregnant out of wedlock with Han Shicheng and was admitted to the same hospital as Aunt Lin.
In those days, such things were always gossip that everyone enjoyed talking about. Perhaps influenced by some rumors, Zhang Yan was forced to transfer to another hospital in the countryside when she was about to give birth.
A few years later, Lin Yuanzhou and Han Shicheng had grown to be five or six years old. To be more precise, Lin's father passed away, Han Yao took control of the pharmaceutical factory, and Zhang Yan was brought back and settled near Lin Yuanzhou's home.
The information shows that Aunt Lin discovered Zhang Yan's existence during this period, but she was too busy fighting for the pharmaceutical factory's operating rights to deal with these matters.
The outcome that followed was something no one wanted to see.
Aunt Lin lost the battle and got divorced. Han Yao successfully renamed the pharmaceutical company Han's Pharmaceutical, and caught a wave of economic boom. Han's Pharmaceutical expanded its business and officially became the Han Group. Zhang Yan brought Han Shicheng and Han Yao to get married.
After her divorce, Aunt Lin found a decent job, but Han Yao was wary of her, so she lost her job and was boycotted by him in the industry. In the end, she could only run a small business.
Su Yunruo couldn't understand why Aunt Lin, who had studied abroad, wouldn't move to a place where Han Yao couldn't control her career.
If you put yourself in their shoes, you'll feel relieved.
She was fortunate to be born into the Su family and did not suffer in that era. However, in her later career, she met many people who had lived through that era and could understand that for them when they were young, traveling far away was something that required great courage, let alone Aunt Lin taking the young Lin Yuanzhou with her.
For more than a decade after that, the two sides had no further contact, until—twelve years ago, when Lin Yuanzhou mentioned the car accident.
Su Yunruo's finger slid forcefully without her noticing, and the screen suddenly jumped to the last page.
—A news report from an old newspaper.
Rolls-Royce owner refuses to give way to ambulance
She gasped for breath and felt a sharp pain in her chest.
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