"Miss Shi? Are you joking?"
Fang Qi was initially worried that Shi Xinxin wouldn't agree to participate, so her quick acceptance made him suspicious.
Shi Xinxin let out a barely perceptible sigh.
Since he had personally called, she couldn't exactly refuse.
"Director Fang, may I ask if, besides Yun Rou, all other members are the original cast from the first season?"
Shi Xinxin primarily wanted to gauge the other party's target range through Fang Qi. After all, Yin Xue was her friend, and her background was searchable online.
Yang Xika's inability to participate due to scheduling conflicts didn't arouse suspicion from netizens.
However, if Yin Xue were replaced, it would be easy to guess their intentions.
Despite making this decision, Shi Xinxin couldn't help but feel a sense of unease.
She feared that innocent people connected to her might also get implicated or affected.
"This... it's currently confirmed. As for whether there will be any changes, Miss Shi, as you know, things are unpredictable..."
Shi Xinxin could clearly hear the awkward chuckle in Fang Qi's voice.
"Alright, thank you for your trouble, Director Fang."
Shi Xinxin curved her lips. Fang Qi was just someone doing a job for money; this wasn't the first time he'd experienced such situations.
"No trouble at all, Miss Shi. Please proceed with your day."
Shi Xinxin acknowledged his words and hung up the phone. xxs1
She never expected that the director, who appeared so aloof in person and unapproachable on the show, would also yield to power.
She returned to the living room, only to find her phone ringing again.
She raised an eyebrow at the caller ID and answered, walking towards the balcony as she spoke.
"Xiao Xue?"
Shi Xinxin's voice trailed off with a smile. Although she and Yin Xue hadn't known each other for long, their souls were drawn to each other, a connection that transcended the physical.
She instinctively felt that they were kindred spirits.
"Xinxin, I'm doomed."
Yin Xue's voice came through, her face like a funeral mask as she scrolled through her recent messages.
"Hurry up and tell me, I'm all ears."
"As long as it's not a serious illness, it's not a big problem."
Shi Xinxin joked with her.
At least, she could ease Yin Xue's sadness before knowing the details, so Shi Xinxin wouldn't be at a loss for words later.
"It's a huge problem! I can't participate in the show anymore!"
"No more interacting and sharing sweet moments with you. I'm so heartbroken."
Yin Xue complained indignantly. Shi Xinxin could even imagine how comical the expression on the other end of the line must be.
"Is something going on at home?"
Shi Xinxin didn't pry further. She knew Yin Xue came from a prominent family, but she was unsure of her exact standing in the entertainment industry.
"Yes, I have to go back and inherit the family fortune. You absolutely must attend my ascension banquet! I'll send you a golden invitation!"
Yin Xue never expected her father to give her an ultimatum at such a critical juncture. This matter had been brewing for a long time, and his sudden lack of room for her to resist left Yin Xue unable to connect the dots.
She attributed it purely to bad luck.
Only Shi Xinxin could understand this kind of pain, Yin Xue thought.
"Okay." Shi Xinxin smiled, expecting Yin Xue to throw a tantrum.
But it turned out she was still just a child at heart.
"Oh, and that movie queen Yun Rou is joining the show. Be careful, I have a feeling her intentions aren't pure."
"But if she's good to you, it's not necessarily a bad thing. Remember not to distance yourself from them just because you're afraid I'll be jealous. And don't worry too much about participating in the show."
"Otherwise, you'll not only have no screen time but also be baselessly attacked by haters."
Yin Xue earnestly advised, like a mother explaining things to a child going to kindergarten for the first time.
Shi Xinxin truly wondered how she could be so daring.
Shi Xinxin instinctively felt that Yin Xue lacked a sense of security, or rather, based on her understanding, didn't girls between best friends need to provide each other with a sense of security?
At least, when she spoke with Yin Xue, there was a balance of tact and reassurance.
"Mm, I understand. Yun Rou returning to the country during my second variety show... there might be a connection."
As Shi Xinxin spoke, Yin Xue, who hadn't considered it, also felt something was amiss.
"Once I'm done with things here, I'll come back as a guest star or an investor for the show to see you."
Yin Xue promised, her tone becoming more serious.
"I know, go take care of your business. I need to prepare well too."
"There's a good show waiting for us."
Shi Xinxin smiled cryptically and bid Yin Xue farewell before hanging up.
Shi Xinxin calmly and indifferently went about her tasks.
After hanging up, Yin Xue's face lost all traces of its former youthful charm and serenity.
Looking at her still unlocked phone screen,
only deep worry remained on her face. On the coffee table in front of her lay a laptop.
The open files were filled with densely packed text, which kept Yin Xue's brow furrowed.
She switched to another system on her phone and saw several missed calls.
She returned them one by one.
"Have you found anything?"
Her cold voice rang out, devoid of any emotion.
"Twenty thousand. Continue tracking information via phone radar and send me the news immediately."
The other party seemed to agree readily, and Yin Xue nodded with satisfaction.
Another call.
"You lost them?"
Disbelief flickered in Yin Xue's eyes. She had hired top-tier professionals, not amateurs with rudimentary skills.
How could full-time detectives fail to track down a mere movie queen? Yin Xue simply didn't believe it.
Unless the situation was as Shi Xinxin suspected, and the people targeting Shi Xinxin were gradually heading this way.
How could Shi Xinxin possibly withstand the combined pressure of so many people alone?
"Do you think I'm short on money? If you don't accept the commission, return it to the account and add more. Show me what you're capable of."
Yin Xue's tone became somewhat fierce, a flicker of uncertain panic rising in her heart.
The people on the other end seemed flustered, still hesitant to accept Yin Xue's task.
"Is this what you call 'gold medal detectives'? Who told you I only asked you to investigate one person?"
Yin Xue thought that if they couldn't find information on the individual directly, perhaps they had taken protective measures. Could that person really afford to protect everyone around them?
Since the target couldn't be found directly, she would start with those around them.
As Yin Xue had suspected, fragmented information soon began to be sent to her phone system.
She scrolled through it bit by bit. There was indeed a lot of information, but almost none of it was useful. However...
Even a mosquito's leg is still meat. Yin Xue saved and backed up all the information.
She smirked coldly.
...
Meanwhile, Yun Rou's ten-year-old edited identity information had already been "inadvertently" leaked to those investigating her.
The logic was impeccable, and no flaws could be detected.
Just as she settled back in China, she suddenly remembered that she hadn't yet properly covered up the identities of those around her.
She immediately ordered them to clean up the mess.
Yin Xue was fortunate enough to act before her.