Chapter 46: Everyone is here, the show begins...
The hot topics these days are all about Shang Que and Ji Jingchuan, and their current dramas and concerts have also received a lot of attention, but the variety show "Friendship Boat" has benefited the most.
On Friday, the moment the live broadcast room opened, the popularity in the upper right corner skyrocketed at a speed like a rocket, and in just a few minutes it exceeded the peak of each previous episode.
[Open the door, open the door, open the door! I've already watched all those brother-sister clips online at least ten times. Come on, let me find something new to eat!]
[I came here because of the reputation. The ladies are really good at editing. It’s the first time I found that family-themed videos are better than couple-themed videos. ]
If it weren't for those online video analyses, I wouldn't have noticed that Ji Jingchuan's peripheral vision was always focused on Shang Que. It turns out that variety shows really need to be watched together to understand them.
The speed at which the barrage of comments flashed by was overwhelming. Finally, at the urging of the audience, the live broadcast screen slowly unfolded.
The first thing that catches your eye is a magnificent building. Under the yellow filter, the granite exterior walls and the pyramid-shaped copper roof exude a classical feel from the last century.
In a moment, a dove of peace flew over the top, and the camera gradually moved downwards, finally stopping on a plaque with four large gilded characters "Mingde Mansion".
[Is this episode set in the Republic of China? No wonder I can faintly hear the sounds of rickshaw drivers and newspaper vendors.]
I was wondering why it was this color. I thought my phone was in eye protection mode, but I couldn't find how to turn it off.
[It was hilarious, me too. I even suspected my computer screen was burned in, not that it was just a filter set by the production team.]
"Quick, quick! Block off all the exits and don't let even a mosquito get out!"
The sound of hurried footsteps was heard, and several rows of armed soldiers in khaki uniforms blocked the door, sealing off the hotel inside and out.
A few lines of narration subtitles then appeared on the screen, introducing the background of the story.
On July 25th, Japanese military officer Saito Taro died of poisoning in the hotel room where the auction was being held. The battle maps he was carrying also disappeared. This incident, which posed a significant threat to the Empire's military plans, prompted Japanese soldiers to immediately blockade the Mingde Mansion. Local police also intervened in the investigation, initially targeting several individuals who had come into contact with Saito before his death.
The scene follows the island officer leading the team through the camera, rushing past
In the corridor, a pair of hands pushed open the door of the banquet hall, and the gorgeously decorated interior was revealed in the camera.
A copper hollow carved chandelier hangs from the ceiling, casting warm yellow light on the magnificent decorations, making the hall even more gorgeous and luxurious.
The sudden intrusion of the army and police startled the people who were gathering inside. The celebrities in elegant clothes all looked towards the door. After the camera swept across the noisy crowd, it was directly focused on a man wearing a black robe and a mandarin jacket, with an elegant and steady temperament.
Unlike the panicked people around him, he was still leisurely sipping his tea. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the woman next to him looking worried, and he patted the back of her hand soothingly.
The picture freezes for a moment, and the character introduction appears on the screen.
【President of Nanyang Chamber of Commerce, Lu Zhixu】
[President's Wife, Ning Sheng]
[President and Madam, I'm telling you that your program is full of illicit content!]
[Ahhh, Lu Zhixu is the god of Republican-era styling! His portrayal of Chairman Shen in that spy film remains unmatched.]
[Ning Sheng has an amazing temperament. She looks really beautiful in cheongsam.]
"Excuse me for disturbing President Lu and his wife," the uniformed police captain said respectfully. "We've received a report that Mr. Saito Taro has died of poisoning in his room. It's said he dined with President Lu and his wife before his death. Is that correct?"
"Yes," Lu Zhixu said with regret, "I had a great conversation with Mr. Saito, but I didn't expect something like this to happen."
"Commander Saito once said that President Lu was our friend," the island officer said, unfazed by his frank attitude. "But as someone who had contact with Commander Saito before his death, President Lu and his wife are kindly requested to remain here for the time being and cooperate with our investigation."
Lu Zhixu smiled and nodded: "Of course."
[This smile makes me feel like I'm lurking in the enemy camp, carrying a bad reputation!]
[Based on the rule that any character played by Lu Zhixu must be genuine, I strongly suspect that this Saito was poisoned by him.]
[Well, the dead can't be resurrected, so I'll punish him by making him eat two bags of spicy konjac noodles.]
Leaving a few detectives to question them, the sheriff led the rest of the people straight to the dining table by the window.
The setting sun shines in through the gold-carved hollow windows, turning the lace tablecloth on the table into a retro warm yellow. Beside the dining table, a girl in a white dress, with her curly hair pushed up and a mesh hat on her head, is supporting her chin with both hands and tilting her head to admire the scenery outside the window.
The sheriff walked over and knocked on the table: "Miss Shang."
The girl turned around at the sound, revealing her pretty face. She frowned slightly in confusion, but her expression remained calm. "What's the matter?"
[Shang Que, the eldest daughter of the Nanyang Ji family]
Next to the character introduction, there is a line of small notes: Just returned from studying abroad last week.
[Shang Que really suits this gorgeous style. I love this face!]
[Don't disturb my wife from enjoying the view! She's so beautiful, how could she possibly kill someone?]
[What kind of vegetarian meal is that? Just poison her to death. Even if Shang Que did it, just punish her by making her sing a song for everyone.]
Is this a punishment for her or for us?
[Hahahaha what's Saihan Taro? My name is Saito Taro.]
The sheriff's expression was serious as he asked, "Miss Shang, do you know that Mr. Saito Taro is dead?"
At this moment, a sneer suddenly came from the side: "You deserve to die."
The camera turned to see Ji Jingchuan, wearing a brown plaid wool suit and with his hair combed back, leaning against the bar with a glass of wine in his hand. He looked lazy, with his lips slightly curled, and an expression of gloating.
A subtitle appeared next to that handsome face: [The Second Young Master of the Nanyang Ji Family, Ji Jingchuan]
[Ahhh, I was saying that handsome people are always handsome no matter what era they live in!]
Ji Jingchuan is really good at playing this kind of unruly young master.
[A young lady and a young master, officially siblings, right?]
【The production team understands what we want to see.】
Immediately, a police officer approached with a gun and asked, "Did you do this?"
"I was thinking," Ji Jingchuan drank the remaining red wine in the glass, his tone quite regretful, "it's a pity that punch didn't kill him. Which good brother helped me to throw a few more punches?"
"you--"
The sheriff raised his hand to signal his men to step back and explained, "Mr. Saito died of poisoning. Our investigation revealed that the two of them had previously had conflicts with Mr. Saito, but they had reconciled long ago. Therefore, we hope that Miss Shang and Young Master Ji will actively cooperate in finding out the truth. This way, they can return home soon and avoid worrying Master Ji."
The implication was obvious: if the cause of death could not be determined, they would be detained here forever.
Ji Jingchuan, however, didn't seem threatened at all. He walked over to Shang Que and sat down, as if nothing had happened. "Will the old man worry about us? I guess he won't even notice that we haven't returned. He usually doesn't even know when I go out drinking all night."
Shang Que raised his eyelids: "Are you proud?"
"...Not really." Ji Jingchuan touched the bridge of his nose, ignored the police chief who asked him a question, and changed the subject: "Are you hungry? Do you want someone to bring some dishes? The braised pork and abalone here are delicious."
Seeing that he was completely ignored by him, the police chief turned to Shang Que and asked, "Ms. Shang, can you describe in detail the specific process of the conflict with Mr. Saito?"
"It's a bit greasy."
"What?" asked the sheriff.
"The braised pork is a bit greasy," Shang Que flipped through the menu, "Are there any other dishes?"
“…”
[Sheriff: Who asked you this? Does anyone take me seriously?]
[You're right, the braised pork is indeed a bit greasy. ]
[How can you be so tactful? Can't you wait until after dinner to ask? ]
[Hahahahaha, they are indeed siblings, both of them are full of evil intentions.]
At this moment, a police officer hurried over: "Sir, Miss Yizi is here."
The camera then shifts to Lin Jinyi in the back, wearing a shirt and long skirt, with her curly hair neatly tied up and held back by a black hat. A character introduction appears next to her.
【Imai Yoshiko, the female translator beside Saito】
The police chief was relieved: "Ms. Yoshiko, you were the first one to discover Mr. Saito's death, right?"
"Yes," Lin Jinyi described. "After lunch, Mr. Saito said he needed to rest for a while and asked me to call him before the second round of auctions began. But when I knocked on the door, no one answered. So I asked the bartender to go downstairs to get the key. When I opened the door, I found Mr. Saito was dead."
"Where's the bartender?"
"Here, I brought it here too."
The police officer gestured to a man not far away who was dressed as a waiter and was wearing a striped vest and trousers.
He bowed and smiled, "Hello, Sheriff. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. I will tell you everything I know."
[Mingde Mansion bartender, Jiang Yizhe]
[I seriously suspect this was Ji Jingchuan's role. Why did he assign our brother Xiao Jiang to be a waiter?]
[It's not impossible. Lin Jinyi was still bashing him on Weibo the day before yesterday, and today she's become Imai Yoshiko.]
[Hahahaha, but if that's the case, Lu Zhixu won't be able to become the president of the Chamber of Commerce. Ji Jingchuan can only arrange for him to be a rickshaw driver at best.]
[But even so, our Miss Yizi and the bartender Xiaojiang are both pretty and handsome! ]
【Everyone is here, the show begins! 】
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