episode 41
Sunday, Taekwondo gym.
A bright red national flag hangs on the cold white wall, with slogans such as "Patience and Self-Discipline" and "Indomitable Spirit" posted on both sides. The floor is covered with blue and red cushions.
It's the weekend, and there are quite a few people at the museum. Some are doing the splits, others are shooting targets, and the atmosphere is tense and intense.
Su Yaojia wore a neat, high ponytail and a white training uniform. When she kicked the sandbag, the black belt around her waist vibrated, like a long whip being lashed out fiercely.
Twenty minutes later, she tossed her slightly disheveled hair, casually pushed aside the sandbag, and strode towards the rest area next to her.
Someone was rummaging through a case of bottled water in the corner. When they looked up and saw her come in, they asked, "Yaojia, would you like some water?"
Su Yaojia plopped down on the black sofa and beckoned with her finger: "Give me a bottle, thank you."
The other person immediately tossed her a bottle from a distance, which she grabbed, quickly unscrewed the cap, and took a large gulp.
Not long after, the man left with the water. Su Yaojia rested for a while before picking up her phone.
Just then, someone came in to get water. Seeing how intently she was staring at her phone, they teased, "Yaojia, which big star have you photographed recently?"
Taekwondo is a hobby, but Su Yaojia's real job is as a fan site admin, and she travels all over the country from time to time.
It's not just about following celebrities; she also makes money by selling these celebrity photos, and her close friends and family all know about this side of her.
Although her parents were both police officers, they were very open-minded about their only daughter's upbringing and supported her in whatever she did. While no one said it outright, many people secretly envied them.
Su Yaojia replied with a smile, "I haven't been there recently; I'm resting at home."
"Next time, please take some pictures of my favorite celebrities too."
"no problem."
After the person left, she swiped her phone, replied to a few messages, and then opened her video app account. Sure enough, there was a small red dot in the information bar in the upper right corner.
The "Male Servant Gossip Agency" she followed replied to her.
Upon opening the information bar, a line of text quickly appeared: "Thank you for your attention. He Lianmeng did indeed cheat on me. I have solid evidence, which I will release at an appropriate time later."
Su Yaojia's expression suddenly changed.
"...Damn it!" She gripped her phone tightly, exclaiming incredulously, "How is this possible?!"
Since she became a fan site manager, the first celebrity she followed was He Lianmeng. How could someone as wonderful and beautiful as her be like what Huo Liang, that "phoenix man" (a man from a poor background who achieves success), said?
She even thought this male servant was a righteous and rational good person. He dared to spread rumors without any evidence. No man is any good!
Su Yaojia suppressed her anger and typed a few words: "Where are you, content creator? Can you come out and see me? I don't believe anything without evidence."
"If all else fails, I can come to you. Send me your address."
*
He Xun pretended not to notice He Lianmeng's fans' insistence on meeting him.
The things he updates on his account are very sensitive. What if the other party is not He Lianmeng's fan, but a capitalist entrapment?
If he really shows his face, he probably won't even know how he died.
The truth will be revealed sooner or later anyway, so we should focus on important matters now.
With that thought in mind, He Xun ruthlessly closed the account page and dialed Song Liuguang's number.
"Hey! Brother Xun, what a rare guest! What brings you here today?"
"Stop being so cheeky." He Xun stood by the window with one hand in his pocket. The walls outside were ablaze with bright red blossoms. He laughed and scolded, "Your brother Xun is treating you to dinner. Are you coming or not?"
"Come on, come on, why aren't you coming? Where are you going?"
*
Su Yaojia left the dojo, went home, took a shower, and watched an episode of a TV series, but by 7 p.m., that wretched male servant still hadn't replied to her.
Such a beautiful voice, such beautiful hands, yet such a terrible character!
Su Yaojia was furious, but there was nothing she could do.
We can't exactly dox everyone, can we?
Although she is an experienced fan site administrator and is not without this skill, she is unwilling to resort to such underhanded methods unless absolutely necessary.
Frustrated and seething, Su Yaojia channeled her anger into her appetite and invited two friends out for dinner.
The three of them strolled along the pedestrian street for a while before entering a shop at the end that was somewhat famous online for its boiled pork slices.
Su Yaojia chose a window seat with a view of the lively night scene.
As soon as she sat down, her friend winked at her, her eyes fixed on the right front as if drawn by a magnet. "Hey! Jiajia! There's a handsome guy! Look, look!"
"Wow, so handsome! I love this kind of youthful vibe!"
"He's so tall even when he's sitting, he must be at least 1.8 meters tall."
"Of course there are..."
Seeing the two of them staring at each other with infatuated looks, Su Yaojia didn't seem to care.
How handsome can he be?
She casually turned her head to look, but suddenly froze when she saw the other person's face.
The young man wore a grey Hong Kong-style light jacket with a black coconut tree printed on it, over a white T-shirt. He had jet-black hair, handsome features, long, slightly drooping eyelashes, and a simple ring on his well-defined hand. His sleeves were rolled up, revealing a small section of his forearm with taut veins. He was currently chatting with a friend while holding a wine glass, his almond-shaped eyes slightly upturned, and a faint smile playing on his thin lips, exuding a nonchalant handsomeness.
The kind of face that women would say is handsome and men would say is good-looking.
"...He really is a handsome guy."
Su Yaojia reluctantly looked away, but the next second, as if bewitched, she couldn't help but turn back and stare at the young man.
After watching for a while, a strange feeling welled up in her heart.
I feel like...this person looks familiar, like I've seen them somewhere before. Do all good-looking people share the same face? And, most importantly—
The dark-skinned man opposite him.
Su Yaojia's brows furrowed deeper and deeper.
Why does she look so much like her deskmate from junior high school?
——————————
"So, Huo Liang really did accuse the villain first?"
Song Liuguang clicked his tongue twice, quickly picked up a piece of meat from the pot and stuffed it into his mouth, sighing with a hint of spiciness, "I told you, my brother Xun has the best eye."
“It was expected.” He Xun scoffed lightly. “I wasn’t too surprised.”
"Yes, outsiders may not understand, but how could we not understand?"
When falsehood is taken for truth, even truth becomes falsehood; when nothingness is taken for existence, even existence becomes nothingness.
When a news story is released, uninformed onlookers are always very surprised by the subsequent twists and turns, but for people like them who have been in the entertainment industry for many years, this is just normal.
How can someone who isn't involved claim to have grasped the truth? Besides, even those involved sometimes can't see the truth clearly.
In reality, everyone in the world is only seeing a part of the whole picture.
"That Huo Liang is a real scumbag, what a waste of that face that everyone hates. He's a good actor, though. I've been in this industry for so many years, and I've never actually caught him doing anything scandalous," Song Liuguang sighed. "It would be abnormal for He Lianmeng not to be with other men, she actually had a nude video chat with someone! If I had Huo Liang's face, I would definitely be doing well, not causing trouble, with a happy family and a successful career. Why would I bother with all this?"
He Xun said calmly, "Human desires are endless. You'll never know what you're capable of until you've reached that position."
Weren't those fallen officials and cheating men initially filled with passion, hope, and love?
"Insightful."
Song Liuguang clinked glasses with He Xun.
The bottle of wine was quickly emptied.
Chatting with He Xun was interesting, but Song Liuguang was also well aware that He Xun's invitation to dinner this time wasn't just for gossip. Besides, he had indirectly profited quite a bit from Ding Xiabing's matter last time, and he couldn't be so ungrateful. So he took the initiative to ask, "Brother Xun, is there anything I can help you with? I took advantage of you last time, so please don't hesitate to ask if you need anything this time—"
Before he could finish speaking, a tall and beautiful figure loomed over him. "Song Liuguang! Is that you?"
When someone called him by his full name, Song Liuguang was startled. He thought it was the manager of one of the celebrities he had secretly photographed chasing after him. He almost dropped his bowl, but luckily He Xun reacted quickly and grabbed his bowl and plate in a flash, saving him from disaster.
The two looked at each other for a moment, then simultaneously glanced at the girl beside them.
The girl looked young, with chestnut hair styled in a Korean-style fluffy bun. She wore a black short dress, was slender and tall, with an oval face and delicate features. At first glance, she seemed no different from any other cheerful and playful young girl. But upon closer inspection, her narrow eyes revealed a sharp and shrewd intelligence, an unexpectedly capable and efficient quality.
Song Liuguang hesitated, "You are...?"
He Xun's right eyelid twitched inexplicably.
Tsk.
I have a bad feeling about this.
"You're Song Liuguang, right? Have you forgotten? We were classmates in junior high." Su Yaojia waved her hands wildly, trying to use magic to awaken Song Liuguang's memories.
Song Liuguang's eyebrows were furrowed into a deep frown, but he was still not defeated by the magic.
"Have you forgotten?" Su Yaojia clicked her tongue impatiently, reached out and grabbed Song Liuguang's big head, dribbling it like a ball. "We were deskmates back then. You often got zero on math tests, and I would hit you on the head with a small wooden stick."
"And you were already dark-skinned back then, so I gave you a nickname, 'Black Handsome'."
Song Hei Liuguang, the commander-in-chief: "..." There's no need to bring up such past events!
He Xun, who was standing next to him, glanced at him and said quietly, "General, you're a real man who doesn't show his true colors."
His expression didn't change much, but his slightly trembling tone clearly revealed a hint of schadenfreude and the excitement of watching from the sidelines!
Song Liuguang was about to go crazy.
What kind of people are these?! And Xun-ge, you're a liberal arts student, just shut up!! Do you dare let me see your science transcript?!
"Do you remember now?" Su Yaojia asked, her face filled with anticipation.
"...You..." Song Liuguang frowned and stared at her for a long time. Suddenly, as if he had been electrocuted, he stood up abruptly and pointed at her tremblingly, "You, you, you are Su Yaojia?!"
"It's me—"
"You're the Su Yaojia who's been practicing Taekwondo since she was little, and who threatens me every day before class to buy her snacks, drinks, and sanitary napkins from the convenience store, and beats me up if I don't agree?"
Su Yaojia: "......"
He Xun: "......" Wait, everything was normal up to this point, what's with buying sanitary napkins?!
"Ahem, it's me." Su Yaojia's cheeks flushed slightly, and she was unusually a little embarrassed.
Suddenly, Song Liuguang felt an unprecedented sense of vigilance. He clutched his chest tightly with both hands, his voice almost cracking: "What are you doing here?!"
Su Yaojia looked at her like she was crazy, her hands propped on the edge of the table: "I just thought the handsome guy next to you looked familiar, so I came over to check on you."
Song Liuguang: "...There's no need to be so honest."
However, since they were classmates after all, Song Liuguang couldn't be too disrespectful. Besides, they had only played around as children and he had never taken it seriously. Getting angry was out of the question. For an orphan like him who hadn't even graduated from junior high school, the friendship with his classmates was still very precious. He casually pulled out a chair and gestured for Su Yaojia to sit down: "Alright, you're already here, sit down."
Su Yaojia politely replied, "Thank you."
To everyone's surprise, Song Liuguang clicked his tongue twice and said, "I'm still more used to the way you punch and kick me."
"...roll."
"That's more like it."
"......"
He Xun found the bickering couple amusing and thought to himself that they were two elementary school kids.
His smile caused Su Yaojia, one of the elementary school kids, to look at him again, her gaze filled with intense heat and a hint of—amusement?
He Xun felt a sudden tightness in his chest. He poured Su Yaojia a drink, stared at her face for a while, and said, "Sorry, I don't think I've seen you before."
Song Liuguang chimed in from the side: "If you want to chat him up, just say so. Our Xun-ge is so handsome, there's no shame in it."
"...Shut up." Su Yaojia, unable to bear it any longer, grabbed a stack of napkins and stuffed them into Hei Dashuai's mouth. Then she turned and stared intently at He Xun, ignoring the drink, and said lightly, "Really? I recently followed a blogger, and the lower half of your face looks like his..."
The ominous premonition grew stronger.
He Xun stiffened, then suddenly stood up, looking like a zombie awakened from a coffin: "Um! I suddenly remembered that I left my keys at home. Let's talk next time."
"Stop!" Su Yaojia grabbed him by the back of the collar and sneered, "Let me compare first."
— Five minutes later.
"Produce the evidence of Sister Meng's infidelity."
"...I'm really not that kind of male servant."
"Take it out!!"
Su Yaojia's shout resounded through the sky, and the entire restaurant suddenly fell silent.
Everyone stared in astonishment at the table.
He Xun, who was a bit shy, almost fainted.
Song Liuguang was terrified and didn't even dare to pick up any meat. He leaned close to He Xun and whispered, "She...she's just a bit violent, but she's actually a nice person. Why don't you let her take a look, Brother Xun?"
He Xun glanced at him and slowly said, "A little more violent?"
Song Liuguang nervously swallowed: "Mm."
He Xun closed his eyes briefly: "...Alright then."
What else could he do?! This is the first time he's been exposed so embarrassingly! He's truly a force to be reckoned with!
After looking through every single inappropriate kissing photo of He Lianmeng and the male model, Su Yaojia remained silent for a long time.
The little girl had lost her previous aura of a warrior; she looked as if the sky had fallen.
He Xun sighed: "I told you not to see it, and now look what happened, are you upset?"
Unexpectedly, Su Yaojia returned the phone to him with a look of disgust on her face: "This guy isn't as good-looking as that Huo guy. Sister Meng's taste has really deteriorated. She can eat anything."
"......"
So that's how sad it is.
Taking the opportunity, Song Liuguang stuffed a piece of meat into his mouth, then turned to say, "Su Yaojia, you've seen the photos, so stop causing trouble here. Let's talk about serious matters."
"What important matter? Is it related to that guy surnamed Huo?" Su Yaojia keenly sensed something and pressed for an answer.
He Xun didn't hide anything: "Yes."
Su Yaojia immediately said, "Count me in."
"No." He Xun's face turned cold. "It's too dangerous. Don't get involved."
Su Yaojia scoffed, "Who do you think you are? You think a girl like me would hold you back?"
"It has nothing to do with this."
"Then why won't you let me participate? What gives you the right to deprive others of the right to know the truth?"
He Xun looked at her, his eyes dark, his tone calm to the point of being cruel: "I did this all by myself from the very beginning."
Therefore, unrelated personnel do not need to get involved or wade into this mess; they should simply wait patiently for the truth to come out.
"What an arrogant statement." Su Yaojia saw through his true nature and hit the nail on the head. "Don't you think your words are full of superior attitude? Do you think you are a god who has to do everything and bear everything by yourself? You really shouldn't underestimate others. To tell you the truth, my parents are both police officers. My mother's rank is even one level higher than my father's."
"By the way, did you see that news video about a girl who was stabbed six times by a thug after intervening in someone's crime?"
Upon hearing this, He Xun's expression finally softened slightly, and he raised an eyebrow, asking, "What?"
Su Yaojia met his gaze and calmly said, word by word, "That girl is me."
"What?! It's you! Holy crap!"
Holding his wine glass, Song Liuguang stared in disbelief. In just one meal, his worldview had been shattered three times: once when he ran into his violent female classmate from junior high, once when He Xun actually opened a social media account and kept it a secret from him, and now.
"That video was too gory for me to watch. I only caught a blurry glimpse of a figure. I thought the woman looked familiar, but I never expected it to be you!"
Su Yaojia, however, didn't seem to care and ripped open the collar of the girl's clothes. Her once fair and smooth collarbone and chest were now covered with grotesque, bright red scars that were enough to make one's heart pound.
Those were stabbed repeatedly by the thugs.
Song Liuguang gasped, immediately filled with respect, and even wanted to kowtow to Su Yaojia.
That's too girly!
He Xun stared at the scars on her body, but his mind was filled with images of his colleagues from his past life.
Those colleagues who said they would fight alongside him, but in the end, they all left him.
Those colleagues who claimed to fight for justice but ended up getting mired in the mud.
But how long can she hold on?
He looked at her with equal eyes, at her, who, like him, was not afraid of physical harm.
After a moment of silence, He Xun's dark pupils flickered, his gaze sweeping between the two men, and he said with a smile, "Then—"
"I would like to ask you two to act in a play with me."
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