Chapter 12

 Could Wu Zhe kill someone?

Zhen Yi gazed out of the window in contemplation. She didn't want the police to disturb Wu Zhe, yet she hoped that the police would pay more attention to Wu Zhe and pay less attention to Song Yi.

Currently, Song Yi's situation was extremely dire, but she was still persevering. Public opinions about her were rampant, and more people in the agency were showing concern for Zhen Yi. Just half an hour after she sat in her office, there was a continuous stream of people asking about her progress.

"How's Song Yi doing? I really love the shows she acts in. Zhen Yi, you have to do your best!"

"Have you thought of a plan? Do you need my help?"

Zhen Yi responded one by one, "We haven't reached that stage yet, there’s no need to rush."

She knew that although some people were slightly unhappy with her behind her back, it wouldn't lead to conflicts. When it mattered, everyone would still come together.

Yang Zi also expressed worry, "Yi, the news says Song Yi is a suspect. The police have started questioning people around her. What's going on?"

Zhen Yi adopted a nonchalant attitude, "I don't know more than you do; I've also seen it in the news."

Not staying in touch was not a good idea. 

Zhen Yi called Song Yi's assistant and learned that she was filming in the city.

As she was exiting the office, she saw her colleagues gathered in a group to discuss matching games. Yang Zi joked that it lacked substance, while Xiao Jiang said it was fun not to think. People took sides, and when they saw Zhen Yi, someone asked, "Zhen, do you play games?"

"Of course." During high school, she was unbeatable in all games.

"Do you prefer difficult ones or simple ones?"

"Of course, I play with guys," Zhen Yi laughed. "The more thrilling, the better."

Yang Zi chimed in, "Did you hear that? She prefers the difficult ones."

Zhen Yi reached the door and looked back with a smile, "Hmm, I play with guys; if no guys are available, girls work too."

Everyone: "..."

Entering the elevator, her phone rang. It was from Yan Ge's office.

"Hello?"

"Are you busy now?" His voice was clear and melodious.

Causing Zhen Yi's heart to skip a beat inexplicably, she asked, "Preparing to work. Is there something?"

"Yes." He didn't continue after saying that.

Zhen Yi waited a few seconds and urged, "Go on!"

"Let's talk in person."

Curious, Zhen Yi wondered what he wanted to talk to her about.

"I'm heading to the 10th floor of the West Trade Mall now. Or, should we meet elsewhere?"

"Let's go to West Trade Mall; it's on my way."

Arriving at the West Trade Mall, Zhen Yi quickly found the Cartier store in Section B. Song Yi's crew was filming a scene where she and the male lead were buying a diamond ring and when they were accosted by the female supporting actress. The male star was relatively unknown, but Song Yi's fame was high, and there were quite a few fans gathered around.

Zhen Yi wasn't a fan of TV dramas, but she occasionally caught glimpses of Song Yi on television (she appeared in numerous dramas). Even with just a few glances, she could always see Song Yi's impressive acting skills—one look could convey a multitude of emotions, and a single movement had astonishing explosiveness.

She was the kind of leading lady who could carry an entire show on her shoulders.

At that moment, Song Yi stood in front of the white screen and camera, flawlessly performing multiple scenes without a single mistake. The onlookers were captivated, and the scene was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop, until the supporting actress made consecutive errors, interrupting the atmosphere.

In the final scene, the supporting actress was provoked to tears by Song Yi but didn't dare to speak out in front of the male lead directly. Her emotions weren't right, she couldn't cry, and there were consecutive NGs. Discussions arose around her, and she became even more anxious, unable to shed tears.

Song Yi Transitioned into the role swiftly and then reverted just as fast. After finishing her scenes, she taught the supporting actress how to cry, like friends would. She demonstrated, shedding tears in an instant, leaving the supporting actress stunned and gazing at Song Yi with an admiring look, as if looking up at the male lead.

After comforting the actress, Song Yi turned her head and saw Zhen Yi. Her expression changed immediately.

She told the director that she needed a break and walked in Zhen Yi's direction. Fans were struggling with bodyguards for autographs; she fulfilled each request.

Song Yi's assistant admired her greatly and whispered to Zhen Yi, "Our Song Yi is amazing at acting, right?"

"Yeah, she's quite good."

"More than just good! Directors who have worked with her say they've never seen an actress switch between being in and out of character so quickly. I've seen actress Liang Bing act, and she takes forever to get into character and even longer to get out, especially for a crying scene—it takes an hour for the director's team to persuade her."

"Is that so?" Zhen Yi smiled. She didn't pay much attention to the entertainment industry, but hearing such interesting anecdotes was entertaining.

As Song Yi approached, she took a sip of water from her assistant's hand, sat down on a lounge chair, leisurely finished half the bottle, and then looked up at Zhen Yi. "What are you here for? Have you come up with a plan? Unfortunately, I don't have time right now. Let's talk in a couple of hours..."

She looked like someone waiting for Zhen Yi to apologize to her, it was exactly the same look she had on her face during their last fight at the police station. 

"Sign the contract termination." Zhen Yi couldn't be bothered with small talk. She took a small stack of papers from a folder and tossed them to Song Yi. The assistant was shocked; someone dared to treat their big star this way?

Song Yi stared at her and exclaimed, "You! Zhen Yi, do you realize how much money you'll lose?"

"That depends on how much I value your money," Zhen Yi said confidently.

Song Yi's face turned red. She didn't want to confide in Zhen Yi about her secret, but she also didn't want to switch lawyers. After a while, she gritted her teeth and said something she herself didn't quite believe, "Attorney Zhen, I thought you were righteous." This time she wasn't joking or being insincere. "You always stand up for the underprivileged, you helped Tang Shang against Lin Zi Yi, and you helped me against the police. I thought you did it for justice."

"My brand of justice is purchasable. If you want it, bring money," Zhen Yi said without hesitation.

"...," Speechless, she felt like she was being extorted.

"So, you're here to...," Song Yi's voice trailed off, realizing something.

"To blackmail you into raising your retainer fee," Zhen Yi crossed her arms, quite ruthless. "If you don't cooperate with me, if you don't say this or that, I can turn into a timed bomb creating leaks at any moment. I'll have to come up with solutions without knowing anything. I'm not happy with this arrangement. And when I'm not happy, I like to burn money. If you don't want to be honest with me and follow my rules, fine, the agency fee doubles."

"You're blackmailing me!"

"Blackmailing is my profession!" Zhen Yi stared back at her. "Tit for tat, we're not each other's confidantes."

Song Yi was left speechless. After a moment of contemplation, she said, "Fine, double it. Just don't ask me questions I don't want to answer in the future."

"Deal." Zhen Yi leaned over to take the termination agreement back from her and pulled out another contract from the folder. She handed it to Song Yi. "I've removed the clause that says 'the client must be completely honest with the attorney.' If you're okay with it after reading, sign it. Goodbye." Just as she turned to leave, she turned back around. "One more question."

"What?"

Seeing Zhen Yi's hesitation, Song Yi walked with her towards the staircase.

Zhen Yi assessed her expression, "Is Wu Zhe the murderer?"

"Why would you suspect him?" Song Yi was surprised at first but then calmed down. "Attorney Zhen, can you focus on helping me with my lawsuit? Don't investigate or pursue the murderer, okay? They are just a pitiful person like me. Do you have to bring someone to justice and have them sentenced to death to feel satisfied?"

Zhen Yi said in a quiet, probing tone, "So, the person you saw, is it a woman?"

Song Yi paused and then tightened her expression. "I didn't say anything. Does it matter if it's a man or a woman?"

"Of course. It matters a lot." Zhen Yi explained, "Female criminals are more purposeful and calculated. If it's a woman, the range of suspects narrows significantly."

At that moment, the security door swung open, and Song Yi's manager came to find her. Upon seeing Zhen Yi, he asked directly, "Are you Attorney Zhen?"

"Yes."

"I've heard you're quite capable, but why are the police everywhere questioning people around Yi Yi? What are they investigating Yi Yi for after that scumbag's death? The media is making wild speculations, and with things going on like this, how is Yi Yi's image going to remain intact?"

"I'm currently discussing it with Miss Song," Zhen Yi responded.

"Make sure you do your job properly after accepting the money. If you ruin Yi Yi's reputation, your own reputation will plummet too. Who's going to dare hire you as their lawyer in the future?" His tone was gentle, with thorns in every sentence.

"Understood." Zhen Yi replied indifferently. She never bothered to engage with people like him.

The manager looked at Song Yi. "Yi Yi, XTV has invited you to appear on a show."

"I don't want to go," Song Yi's expression was blank. "Their questions are domineering and pushy. I don't like it."

"But the ratings are high."

"It depends on how much I care about those ratings." She mimicked Zhen Yi's way of speaking.

"XTV has been following the recent police visits to you. We need to smooth things over with them. Don't make things too difficult."

"I really don't want to." She turned her head away, looking desolate.

"Is there anything that goes as planned?" The manager tried to console.

"...Fine."

"You're obedient," the manager patted her shoulder with a smug smile. "Yi Yi, adjust your mindset. Don't they always say life is like being raped? If you can't resist, just enjoy it."

Song Yi's expression immediately turned extremely unpleasant.

Unexpectedly, Zhen Yi chuckled. The laugh was laced with mockery, and the manager noticed. "What are you laughing at?"

"Not at you, but at that statement."

"What? Do you have a problem with it?" He frowned, his arrogance evident.

Seeing his posture, Zhen Yi didn't want to back down either. "Well, this statement is quite magical. It can instantly turn the person saying it into someone vulgar, uncultured, filthy, and despicable. Pretty much a scumbag."

"You're using foul language!"

"Who exactly has a foul mouth? What's this about 'enjoying without resisting'? What kind of despicable and uncultured man would utter such words? Ha, truly arrogant and conceited," Zhen Yi sneered, "Is there an inherent pride in being a so-called 'man'? Are they so self-satisfied with their masculinity? Controlled by male hormones in their subconscious, surrendering to primal instincts, they think domination comes with strength. But not only that, they shamelessly claim to bestow enjoyment upon women like benevolent givers? They're on par with objects as effective as cucumbers, yet they never consider where they crawled out from!"

The manager was so startled that his eyes almost popped out.

 "Don't look at me like that, I said what you thought I meant. Which sentence is wrong, you refute it? Ah, friendly advice, don't argue with lawyers so easily, be careful it'll make you lose a layer of skin!"

The manager turned red, blushing like a pig's liver.

Song Yi looked at Zhen Yi with a complicated expression, the latter turned and started descending the stairs, but she looked back after a few steps.

"Oh, by the way, Mr. Manager, many men think that they bring pleasure to women as givers. But in reality, many women pretend to climax to protect the pitiful self-esteem of men. Remember to ask your wife when you get back. Tsk tsk, do men really have the ability to bring women pleasure?" She left without looking back, but just as she reached the next floor, she saw Yan Ge...

He had an indifferent expression, but she knew he had heard everything.

Zhen Yi, unfazed, approached him. "Did you enjoy my lecture?"

"Not interested." He turned and continued down.

Zhen Yi caught up. "I seemed to have belittled the capabilities of all men. Sorry, maybe not every man is inept."

"Not maybe, but inevitably." He said this plainly, without defiance or arrogance. It was purely a logical rigor from probability theory.

Zhen Yi knew that, but she deliberately misinterpreted it and laughed. "Inevitably? Do you want to prove it? Come on!" She spread her arms.

Yan Ge stopped, his lips pressed together. His long eyelashes drooped before lifting as he stared at her. "Zhen Yi, do you have no shame?"

"That's the exact phrase! Haha." She burst into laughter. "I haven't heard it in so long. it's so nostalgic."

"...," he remained silent and moved forward. Zhen Yi stopped joking. "Alright, let's get to the point. Why did you come to find me?"

"Professor Zhen's diagnosis has been confirmed."

"Diagnosis?" Zhen Yi was surprised. "Wasn't it just a routine checkup last time?"

"You've been busy for too long, haven't you noticed that your grandfather's memory is starting to decline?"

No wonder her grandfather, who never canceled appointments in his life, went to the hospital instead of meeting Yan Ge that day. Reflecting on the past few months, Zhen Yi's heart raced chaotically. She could hardly believe it. "You don't mean... elderly dementia, do you?"

"Early stage. He's receiving treatment. Don't worry too much."

Zhen Yi was filled with a mix of emotions. Suddenly, she remembered, "Wait a minute. When you said you were seeking advice from my grandfather, you were actually having him treated?"

"Yeah. It wasn't confirmed at the time, so I didn't tell you."

He respected the elderly and the sick, it seemed.

She stopped and gazed at his refined back. A warmth spread in her heart. "Thank you."

"Take care of the elderly from now on." That was his response.

After he finished speaking, he asked again, "Are you privately investigating the murder of Lin Zi Yi?"

"Yes."

"Let's do it together."

"Why?"

"The police suspect Wu Zhe. I want to confirm it."