episode 16
Are you really sure about this?
On the way back, He Xun finally acted like an executioner who suddenly had a change of heart before his execution, asking Ding Xiabing for her final wishes, "If you really want to expose this, you not only need to provide me with relevant evidence, but you also need to be prepared to bear the public opinion."
"I never force anyone."
He Xun pinched the bridge of his nose, his tone unusually serious, "If you're unwilling, I'll pretend I know nothing about this, and I'll delete all the photos I took, not a single one."
To put it bluntly, this is a fierce battle, and he has an obligation to explain the stakes and consequences to Ding Xiabing.
Just then, the white magnolias planted along the roadside were in bloom. The tender white petals drifted down with the gentle breeze and landed on Ding Xiabing's shoulder. They were pure and delicate, but they made Ding Xiabing's face look even paler.
"Um."
Ding Xiabing lowered her head, a bitter smile creeping onto her lips, which were chapped from long-term overdose of anesthetic drugs. "I've thought it through. Even without me, there will be other victims in the future. Consider it a way to accumulate some good karma for myself."
"Don't talk nonsense!" He Xun seemed to be quite averse to that word, and patted Ding Xiabing's shoulder with a slightly annoyed expression.
Ding Xiabing smiled, but her face showed unease: "He Xun, but I'm still worried that these photos you took might involve a crime?"
"Entrepreneurs are among the public figures."
He Xun crossed his arms, his narrowed eyes revealing a nonchalant sarcasm. "Since they are public figures, they have an obligation to bear the responsibility of public opinion. As a law-abiding citizen, I have an obligation to supervise public figures. How is that a violation of the law?"
"Besides—"
He paused subtly, then shrugged at Ding Xiabing with an innocent look, "Besides, I didn't break into his private residence to take illegal photos."
Ding Xiabing choked with sobs.
Indeed, that's true.
Ding Xiabing, who is also a public figure, certainly understands that this is the same principle as paparazzi exposing celebrities' scandals.
Whether such behavior constitutes a violation of the law depends on the filming method, location, and subsequent actions.
Filming in a public place with legal camera equipment, without making any coercive demands on the other party, and without trespassing on their private property or other private premises, is certainly not illegal.
As public figures, they have the obligation and responsibility to set a good and positive example for the public, and they should rightfully be subject to public scrutiny. The negative news about them that has surfaced involves behaviors that violate public order and good morals, and are generally not protected by legally defined privacy rights.
Of course, excessively infringing on privacy, distorting, maliciously fabricating, or defaming the image of public figures constitutes an infringement, while malicious means such as peeping, secretly filming, eavesdropping, and disseminating information are in accordance with the provisions of laws and regulations as infringements.
But adults know that the world is not simply black and white.
For example, notorious or famous paparazzi are precisely the hubs operating in this gray area, and some entertainment reporters will do so in order to make money.
Even some celebrities need this kind of negative publicity and will actively contact paparazzi to cooperate in order to gain attention.
There's a saying that goes, "Black and red are still red."
But it's a different story for entrepreneurs who have power, money, and influence.
They are like ancient trees with deep, intertwined roots, their foundations so thick that they are rarely moved by ordinary people.
To put it another way, it's not that they can't, but that they dare not.
Moreover, they usually manipulate or even kill insignificant people.
Yes, the world is just that unfair.
Ding Xiabing, living in the murky world of entertainment, couldn't possibly be unaware of this simple truth. Now that things had come to this point, Ding Xiabing was naturally fearless; he was simply genuinely worried about He Xun.
"You should know that although Mo Wenjin is a good-for-nothing, the Mo family's influence is not weak, especially his nephew Mo Shilin."
As she spoke, Ding Xiabing suddenly seemed to remember something, frowned, and pressed down on He Xun's shoulder, "Aren't you still working for him? Aren't you afraid..."
"Work is work, and I consider myself impeccable in my work," He Xun said calmly. "But we—I mean, him and I—have never been from the same world."
"Besides, I'm all alone." He put his hands in his pockets and smiled nonchalantly. "What's there to be afraid of?"
The reason why most people in the world dare not take a gamble at certain times is simply because they still have attachments, relatives, and people they care about. A small mistake can have far-reaching consequences, and they are unwilling to let their vulnerabilities be hurt. Therefore, they are timid and hesitant, preferring to be seen as a coward by others.
This is similar to the idea that a gang leader shouldn't have a very important lover.
But He Xun never had anything to worry about; it was as if he was born to do this.
Whether before or after transmigrating into the book.
*
At 10 p.m., with the moon high in the sky, the villa's dazzling lights automatically dimmed.
He Xun dragged his aching body and rubbed his stiff neck, which was stiff from the long hours of cleaning, back to his small room.
After entering the room, he didn't even turn on the lights, locked the door, and went to bed to sleep.
...After an unknown amount of time, just as he was about to drift into a deep sleep, suddenly a little person appeared, tapping his temples with a stick. As the little person tapped, they kept muttering in his ear, "There's still something to do, something to do, something to do..."
It was like the whispers of a demon.
He Xun suddenly opened his eyes, forced himself to get out of bed, and went to the bathroom to wash up.
After washing up, He Xun finally felt refreshed. He changed into a loose white T-shirt, sat down at the table, and spread out a thick stack of documents with a clatter.
His dark hair, soaked with water, lay limply on his forehead, and drops of water dripped onto the table. He casually pulled out a tissue to dry it, took a pen from the drawer, and his fair and handsome face was half-lit and half-shadowed by the dim light of the desk lamp, which inexplicably added a layer of mysterious soft light filter to him.
He originally wanted to book a hotel room to pack these things, which would be safer, but considering his bank account balance, he ultimately couldn't bring himself to do it.
The documents on the table detailed Mo Wenjin's personal information and his company, Hotai Medical Equipment.
In addition to various materials collected online, He Xun also secretly visited several medical device companies, including Hetai, which were competitors of Hetai, during his rest time, and collected information under the pretense of applying for jobs.
He Xun also took into account Mo Shilin, who was likely to become his biggest obstacle.
He wasn't some greenhorn in his early twenties; after all these years, he wouldn't fail to investigate the relationship and entanglements of interests between the uncle and nephew first.
Mo Wenjin is a mediocre talent, but Mo Shilin should not be underestimated.
He is neither an idle and unambitious rich kid nor a privileged second-generation official who enjoys the fruits of others' labor and whose intelligence is halved compared to his parents. Instead, he is a shrewd and resourceful internet mogul and businessman.
Or, capitalists.
It doesn't matter, I'm not on the same level as ordinary people anyway.
He couldn't possibly just send out the photos and videos provided by Ding Xiabing without thinking.
That's clearly courting death.
Mo Shilin is still alive. No matter how bad the relationship between the uncle and nephew is, it concerns the family's reputation. For the sake of his face, Mo Shilin will not stand idly by and let this matter become too ugly. Once the news comes out, it will probably be suppressed.
But there's always an "what if."
During his investigation over the past few days, He Xun discovered something quite interesting: the relationship between the uncle and nephew was actually just so-so.
Aside from providing some start-up capital to HeTai, Mo Shilin didn't even touch a tiny fraction of HeTai's shares.
Or to be more precise, Mo Shilin's connection with his entire family was not very close; they maintained only a very superficial relationship, subtly conveying a sense of "don't let anyone get close to me."
It makes sense. A person who has an internet dream and starts from scratch will inevitably face obstruction and manipulation from family members with conservative values in the early stages of starting a business.
He would be annoyed if he were Mo Shilin.
But despite Mo Shilin's annoyance, this was a joyous and wonderful thing for him.
The uncle and nephew had a estranged relationship, and Mo Wenjin had extremely low emotional intelligence. Relying on his status as a relative of an internet tycoon, he made many enemies among his peers. On one occasion, Mo Wenjin even publicly humiliated the chairman of another medical device company at a banquet by saying he was bald.
That director has held a grudge about the matter ever since.
—In Sun Tzu's Art of War, one of the Thirty-Six Stratagems is quite good: using someone else's knife to kill someone.
A look of determination flashed in He Xun's eyes.
He immediately and skillfully accessed a complex dark web site and purchased an email account with an out-of-town IP address.
In the public's mind, the dark web is often associated with words like mysterious, terrifying, illegal black market transactions.
Indeed, the dark web cannot be accessed through regular search engines; special tools, such as Tor, are required. Due to its anonymity, it is frequently used for illicit activities such as drug trafficking, hacking services, and information leaks, providing a covert platform for illegal transactions.
But what is less known is that the dark web can protect privacy and provide secure communication channels for journalists and other special activists.
Just as the world is not black and white and people are complex and multifaceted, the impact of the dark web on society is also complex and multifaceted.
He Xun quickly sent an email to all the companies that had some dealings with Mo Wenjin, based on the information he had collected.
Admittedly, it's no big deal for Karen Mok to have affairs with minor celebrities in private; they even do it themselves, and in a more elaborate way.
But the key point is that this also includes photos that He Xun took two days ago, squatting in the bushes for half the night, of Mo Wenjin and the president of a top-tier hospital entering and leaving a high-end club.
When it comes to business and money, those people won't turn a blind eye.
They wouldn't dare to face Mo Shilin alone, but what if a group of them teamed up? Then they could give him a shot.
With the photos and videos provided by Ding Xiabing, He Xun was almost certain to kill Mo Wenjin with one blow. Even if Mo Shilin wanted to help, he would have to consider public opinion, not to mention that Mo Shilin might not care about Mo Wenjin at all.
Based on his professional experience, He Xun had a feeling that the emails he sent out would make a splash the day after tomorrow—at the latest, the day after that.
The problem is that he now needs to minimize his own visibility.
Yes, he didn't want to personally send out the photos and videos provided by Ding Xiabing.
Although he wasn't afraid of Mo Shilin investigating him, exposing himself too early was definitely not a good thing, not to mention that Mo Shilin was a computer science major. As soon as he showed his face, he would be instantly killed, and his IP address would be easily traced.
Looks like I'll have to find a smarter paparazzi to work with...
He Xun was pondering with his pen in hand when he was suddenly interrupted by a series of rhythmic knocks on the door.
He snapped out of his reverie and glanced down at his phone screen—it was one o'clock in the morning.
It was that little brat Ji Ruoyang again, unable to control his vicious cannon fodder/tool nature, pouring glue on him.
That can't be right.
"Hold on."
He Xun responded in a low voice, then methodically packed up the things on the table before pretending to be sleepy and opening the door.
To everyone's surprise, it was Mo Shilin standing at the door.
The boss knocked on the employee's door in the middle of the night.
What kind of hooliganism is that?
He Xun thought to himself, then took a moment to look at the other person.
The man wore a well-tailored black suit, his hair was meticulously styled, his leather shoes were gleaming, and the ice-blue dial of his Rolex watch on his wrist subtly shone with a luxurious glow.
Everything was impeccable, except that the striped tie around his Adam's apple was a little loose, and he was carrying a leather bag with English letters engraved on it.
It seems he just came back from outside and came knocking on his door.
Seeing He Xun open the door, Mo Shilin's usually aloof phoenix eyes softened with a smile. "I heard from Aunt Mu that you did a big cleaning today."
It has to be said that temperament is a mysterious thing.
The same outfit would make someone else look like an insurance salesman or a greasy middle-aged man, but on Mo Shilin, it makes him look like a noble and dashing handsome CEO.
I don't know if it's because she's still young.
He Xun inwardly scoffed, but outwardly remained obsequious, a standard, smirking smile playing on his full lips. "Yes, Young Master Mo, what can I do for you?"
"You must be tired. I just got back from a business dinner."
The man's tall figure obscured his face. He shook the bag in his hand and said, "These are desserts someone gave me. I don't like sweets, so I'm giving them to you."
He Xun lowered his eyes.
It's a box of truffle chocolates.
And the other thing in the transparent box—he really didn't recognize it.
"The Sudanese Golden Cake"
Perhaps because He Xun's confused expression was too obvious, Mo Shilin chuckled softly and took out a small, golden piece, adding, "This is a new product launched by the Ciragan Palace Kempinski Hotel in Istanbul. It is made from figs, pears, and apricots marinated in Jamaican rum for two years, plus vanilla beans, caramel, and truffles imported from French Polynesia. The outer layer is made of 24-karat gold leaf."
Although he was talking about the cake, his eyes couldn't leave He Xun. He smiled and his tone seemed to be a little surprised: "They said that it takes 72 hours to make just this small piece."
"It sounds expensive."
He Xun didn't take the cake. Instead, he leaned against the door frame, his eyelids drooping, and looked at the man with a half-smile: "Give it to me? Isn't that a bit inappropriate? Everyone should get some, right?"
"Who was it that said money can make the devil turn the millstone?" Mo Shilin clicked his tongue, bowed slightly, lowered his eyebrows, and his expression was full of resentment. "A cake worth more than a thousand dollars couldn't even earn him a smile. Not only did he grumble and make things difficult for me, but he didn't even invite me in to sit down."
He Xun raised his eyebrows, and two playful tiger teeth finally peeked out, his expression lively: "My smile isn't worth that much."
"Who said that?" Mo Shilin stared at him, his usually clear voice now hoarse from the smoking and drinking. "I think it's worth it."
For a moment, their eyes met in the air, and neither of them spoke.
The atmosphere gradually became sticky, and Mo Shilin's eyes were darker than before, like deep lake water, densely revealing an ambiguous and unknown danger.
The close proximity amplifies the senses, and the faint smell of smoke mixed with woody perfume almost seeps into the pupils and heart.
...After a while, He Xun avoided the man's dangerous and deep gaze, and pointed to the valuable little gold nugget: "Hey, be careful, it'll behave if it falls to the ground. Here, take it."
"It was my fault. I didn't even invite Young Master Mo in at this hour. Come in." He said, stepping aside and gesturing for him to come in.
The first half of the sentence was fine, but the second half just sounded a bit sarcastic and unpleasant.
Mo Shilin indeed let out a soft chuckle through his nose.
"Then let's forget it. My main concern is—" He paused subtly before continuing, "I was worried it might be inconvenient for you."
He Xun smiled calmly and didn't respond.
"Then I won't bother you anymore." Mo Shilin handed the cake to him. "If you don't want to eat it now, just put it in the refrigerator on the second floor and get some rest."
After saying that, she turned to leave, but the next second, He Xun suddenly grabbed her arm.
The other person's long, slender, fair fingers pressed against the black fabric of his suit, leaving some marks.
Mo Shilin paused, raising an eyebrow at him.
"Thank you." He Xun's thick eyelashes trembled slightly, and his usually cunning or indifferent eyes showed a rare hint of sincerity.
Upon closer inspection, there was even a hint of... apology mixed in?
Before Mo Shilin could even savor the meaning behind it, He Xun turned his head and pushed him out the door.
The young male servant said as he pushed her, "I'm sleepy, you should go to sleep early too."
Once the door was completely closed, Mo Shilin's smile faded, and his gaze returned to indifference.
A playful smirk played on his lips as he lightly tapped the door a few times with his knuckles, whispering, "What mischief have you been up to behind my back?"
*
Only after confirming that Mo Shilin had really left did He Xun's tense nerves relax.
He first checked the box of truffles for listening devices or hidden cameras, as was his usual practice, and only after ruling out any danger did he feel relieved enough to leave the chocolates on the table.
She...really just came to deliver dessert to him?
He Xun sat back on the bed, now genuinely puzzled.
He knew he was decent-looking, but he didn't think his charm was enough to break the rules of the novel's world and make Mo Shilin, the original protagonist, fall deeply in love with him.
But the other person's acting skills were too superb; he really couldn't tell whether it was genuine affection or just a flirtation.
...He Xun rubbed his temples in frustration, and inadvertently glanced at the Sudanese gold cake on the table, which Mo Shilin had described in vain as glittering with gold leaf.
Driven by curiosity, he couldn't resist checking the price online.
The page quickly displayed a photo of the cake, with the price clearly marked as $1228.
!
He suddenly turned his head to look at the small piece lying quietly in the silver plate.
He Xun's lips twitched involuntarily.
Tsk.
Burnt.
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