Xiao Rui studied the womanâs information. Jiang Zhi, 40, was an actor when she was young but she never caught a big break. She just recently retreated behind the camera.
âHmm, I doubt I can hide this from you. Eventually, some bastard will sell me out. Iâll save you the trouble. I used to be close to Lin An.â
âCan you be more specific?â
âCan you give me a cigarette?â Jiang Zhi sighed, her eyes filling with helplessness and heartache.
âWhat do you think weâre doing?â The officer shouted at her. Xiao Rui though calmly handed her a cigarette.
Jiang Zhi took a puff with trembling hands, âLin An was my disciple. He was an orphan and lived on the streets. I picked him up when he was 13 and taught him everything. He was a quick learner. I only treated him as a man when I was 30. Before you get any ideas, the sex was consensual, I didnât force him to do anything he didnât want to.â
âWe are trying to solve a case, we are not interested in your private life. Then how did Qian Yao fit into the picture?â
âLin An became my lover, he was quite good in bed. With the things I taught him, he slowly made a name for himself as a director. He eventually got to know Qian Yao through casting.ân/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
âHow did you end up with this job?â
âIt was through a chat group. I already got the money or else I wouldnât have taken this job. Furthermore, it was Lin An who handled all the props. When the program team set up the equipment, he was also here to help.â
âCould you have taken revenge on the two victims because they betrayed you? Your feelings are hurt?â Xiao Rui probed.
Jiang Zhi cackled. âFeelings? Do you really think feelings feature in our line of work? If anything, the greater motive should be money. When I got the job, I was given 3 million, and that is the salary for a staff member. As the cast member, they would have been paid more. Who knows, someone might be jealous of them.â
âWhat were those two doing near the machine?â
âHow would I know? A suicide pact? Arenât you the police? Why are you asking me?â
âDid they look any different when you saw them this morning?â Mo Li suddenly cut in with a question.
âDifferent? I didnât think so, what do you mean?â
Studying Jiang Zhiâs expression, Mo Li stopped pursuing this line of questioning. Instead, she picked up the script to ask, âWho arrange the positioning of the cast members in these scripts?â
âI donât know, perhaps Zhu Wen did? Wasnât she a tv showâs planning manager in the past? If not her, it would be Jin Xuan, Jin Chuanâs younger brother. There is something wrong with that kidâs brain. He is autistic so donât pressure him too much.â
âYou donât seem to be saddened by the death of the 2 victims.â Mo Li commented.
âWhy should I be sad? Could sadness bring them back to life? If you ask me, Iâm envious of them. True peace comes after youâre dead. Itâs the living ones who are suffering.â
Xiao Rui nodded and ended the interrogation with Jiang Zhi. Jiang Zhi left.
âShe brought up someone new, Jin Chuanâs brother, Jin Xuan. He works in the crew too?â Xiao Rui asked Mo Li.
âI donât know. I havenât seen Jin Chuan get too close to anyone, heâs always ice-cold.â At that moment, Mo Li remembered something. âActually An Wan might know something!â Throughout the day, Mo Li did not see An Wan that often, however, the few times Mo Li had seen An Wan, she was doing something in secret. Now the connection was made in her mind.
Xiao Rui thought An Wan was innocent but then it seemed like she was involved in some ways. He sighed.?Looks like there is really no one you can trust in this circle.
âDonât worry, I believe An Wan has nothing to do with these people. I just need to remind her to be careful so that she isnât taken advantage of.â
When Xiao Rui and Mo Li arrived at the tent, Zeng Jia and An Wan shared a look. âYouâre here to question me if I have anything to do with Qian Yao and Lin Anâs deaths, right?â Zeng Jiaâs thought was simple. She had a direct conflict with Qian Yao and Lin An on the livestream so it was only natural that the police suspected her.
Xiao Rui wasnât that brainless. Like most people, Zeng Jia had an alibi so he didnât target her specifically.
âAn Wan, I need to ask you something. Do you know that Jin Chuanâs younger brother is also a crew member of our program?â Mo Li stared at the woman before her. She hoped that An Wan would think over her question carefully before she answered it.
Zeng Jia and An Wan shared another look. Zeng Jia answered for An Wan. âDonât you know? The young man who has been filming us is Jin Chuanâs younger brother. He has autism so his emotions can be quite unstable at times. But he is an exceptionally talented cinematographer.â