Before filming began, Laine bought coffee for all the guests and the on-site crew.
She got Ying Chan her favorite hazelnut latte, and Ying Chan thought the girl was quite thoughtful. So when filming started, she gave her several shout-outs, earning her plenty of extra screen time.
Whether by coincidence or deliberate arrangement on the production team’s part, when the evidence-gathering segment split everyone into pairs, she ended up paired with Ying Chan as well.
Ying Chan didn’t mind—playing with anyone was fine by her. The live-stream comments, however, were buzzing:
“Chan is seriously something else—she has chemistry with literally everyone! Watching them walk together, I immediately think of a mature older sister and a sweet younger girl. I’m shipping them so hard!”
“Right, right! And their outfits match perfectly too! One in a qipao like a proper lady, the other dressed like a girl just back from studying abroad—isn’t this that ‘Han-Yang fusion’ style that’s all over the internet right now?”
“Their relationship is obviously great—Chan even helped Laine fix her hair. As everyone knows, anyone who can get along with Chan must be a good person!”
Comments like these started to irritate Ying Chan’s solo fans, who felt Laine was leeching off Ying Chan’s popularity and would inevitably try to market a fake sisterhood:
“Chan is beautiful and kind-hearted, and she treats every colleague well, okay? Please don’t read too much into things.”
“Come on, they’re just coworkers. Which newcomer on the show hasn’t received special care from Chan? Why make such a big deal out of it?”
“Exactly. Please learn to stand on your own. Not everyone can ride on Chan’s coattails. Haven’t you all forgotten what happened to Cheng Xu a couple days ago?”
These remarks also angered Laine’s fans: “Laine is at the peak of her career right now—she has projects and endorsements. Why would she need to leech off anyone?”
“Someone hasn’t been on set for almost half a year, and only has one unaired drama left. The new wave pushes out the old—better watch out you don’t get washed up on the shore!”
“Someone should focus on building up her portfolio instead of always relying on romantic gossip, and then assuming everyone else loves manufacturing CPs as much as she does.”
“I really can’t understand the brain-dead fans’ logic. Being all ambiguous with your own boss—isn’t that just textbook nepotism? And yet so many people ship it. It’s really a case of morals following looks. Speechless.”
With that, the two fanbases erupted into full-on war in the comments, but it also brought the show a huge boost in popularity. Concurrent viewers broke ten million, and the production team was grinning ear to ear.
On the show, Ying Chan had no idea what was happening online. She always did things seriously—even when filming a variety show, she threw herself fully into it, searching for clues with care.
But when she happened to glance over at Laine, she noticed the cameras were always following her.
Laine was muttering to herself while searching for evidence—she really did give off that cute, girl-next-door vibe. That kind of persona was indeed popular with audiences.
But looking at her from behind, Ying Chan felt a strange sense of familiarity, like she’d seen her somewhere before…
A flash of memory crossed her mind—that woman she’d seen from the staircase, looking up to the second floor, the one kissing Shang Lübai…
The thought had barely surfaced before she dismissed it herself—impossible.
Ying Chan pulled her focus back and continued searching.
The first round of evidence-gathering ended, and the next group of guests came in.
Ying Chan went to rest somewhere the cameras couldn’t reach. Laine made a point of coming up to her and said, “Chan-jie, thank you for taking such good care of me.”
Ying Chan smiled. “I should be thanking you for the coffee. It was delicious.”
Laine quickly said, “If you like it, I’ll buy you one every day from now on.”
Ying Chan laughed. “No need, no need.”
The makeup artist called Laine over for touch-ups, and Laine sweetly said goodbye to Ying Chan before leaving.
Ying Chan pulled out her phone to pass the time, and only then learned how the online sentiment had turned.
“…I also think she’s leeching off your popularity.”
A man’s pleasant voice suddenly sounded from beside her, and Ying Chan instinctively turned her head.
But she hadn’t expected Jin Si to be so close—her nose brushed against his, and both of them froze.
Jin Si quickly pulled back, and like a chameleon, his entire neck flushed red in an instant.
?!
The moment Ying Chan brushed against him, her heart gave a little thump too. But she hadn’t expected Jin Si to react so strongly, and suddenly she wasn’t embarrassed anymore.
This man talked nonsense all day with a mouth that had no filter, spouting flirtatious lines left and right—who knew he was all offense and no defense?
No wonder on the first day they met, when he saw her midriff exposed, he’d taken off his jacket and given it to her, calling himself a “proper lady.” It really fit.
Ying Chan felt an inexplicable urge to laugh. She demanded with full confidence, “Why were you standing so close to me?”
Jin Si couldn’t ignore the lingering sensation on the tip of his nose. His Adam’s apple bobbed several times in succession.
He said gruffly, “Do you really need to be that focused on your phone? I’ve been standing next to you for a while now—you didn’t even notice?”
Oh my, he’s cracking.
Ying Chan wanted to laugh even more. “No, seriously, why are you so flustered? It was just a nose brush—it’s not like we kissed… Don’t tell me you still have your first kiss?”
She was genuinely curious when she asked.
Jin Si paused, then lowered his head slightly to look at her, his voice low and muffled: “What, you’re not?”
Ying Chan said matter-of-factly, “I’m an actress. We have to kiss when filming romantic scenes.”
“…” Jin Si averted his gaze, his face hidden behind his mask, making it impossible to read his expression.
Seeing this, Ying Chan grew even more curious. “Wait, your first kiss is really still intact??”
No way??
He looked like that, and he was already 26 years old—he’d never even been in a relationship??
Jin Si licked his back teeth, the corners of his eyes lifting as he shot her a cocky look. “So what if it is? I have male virtue. You don’t.”
Ying Chan couldn’t help but burst out laughing. “Good for you, good for you! Male virtue is a man’s best dowry. You’ll definitely marry a good woman someday, hahahaha!”
Jin Si flushed with embarrassment and anger at her laughter, glaring at her fiercely. “Shut up!”
Ying Chan forced herself to hold it in. “Okay.”
Hahaha!
Jin Si put some distance between them, pulled his mask up higher, and let out a quiet breath. He scanned the area—no one around.
Only then did he say, “I was watching from behind the monitor earlier. She got more screen time than you. That doesn’t seem like the treatment a regular cast member should get.”
Ying Chan paused for a moment, then picked up her coffee and took a sip, saying nonchalantly, “Her campus drama has been pretty popular lately, so it’s understandable that the production team gives her more shots. Besides, the company’s intention is for me to help boost her profile.”
Jin Si pointed out, “But your fans aren’t too happy about it.”
Ying Chan thought for a moment, then said, “No matter the field or the circle, once the numbers get big enough, there will always be all kinds of voices. It’s impossible to satisfy everyone. Fans’ concerns can be taken into consideration, but I also need to stay true to myself and not be swept along.”
Jin Si thought… this girl sometimes seemed carefree and scatterbrained, but other times she was remarkably clear-headed about the world.
“Sister Chan!”
A production assistant came jogging over and spoke quietly beside her. “We need to record a segment of the case events. While the other guests are still gathering evidence, let’s go film it now.”
This was for the final reveal of the real culprit, to be replayed for the audience.
Ying Chan responded with practiced ease, “Alright.”
Then she followed the production assistant over.
This was a Republican-era script. She played the top courtesan at a cabaret, and the victim was the cabaret owner. The storyline was that the owner coveted her beauty and was always making advances on her. One day, the owner got drunk and tried to force himself on her, and she accidentally killed him.
The male NPC playing the owner was going over the script with the show’s director. The moment Ying Chan walked over, she caught the heavy scent of cologne on him.
Cologne was her least favorite scent. She wrinkled her nose slightly, but out of politeness, said nothing.