The Side Character's Hidden Boss!

Xiao Rui studied the woman’s 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.

“Hmm, I doubt I can hide this from you. Eventually, some bastard will sell me out. I’ll save you the trouble. I used to be close to Lin An.”

“Can you be more specific?”

“Can you give me a cigarette?” Jiang Zhi sighed, her eyes filling with helplessness and heartache.

“What do you think we’re doing?” The officer shouted at her. Xiao Rui though calmly handed her a cigarette.

Jiang Zhi took a puff with trembling hands, “Lin 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 didn’t force him to do anything he didn’t want to.”

“We are trying to solve a case, we are not interested in your private life. Then how did Qian Yao fit into the picture?”

“Lin 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.”

“How did you end up with this job?”

“It was through a chat group. I already got the money or else I wouldn’t 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.”

“Could you have taken revenge on the two victims because they betrayed you? Your feelings are hurt?” Xiao Rui probed.

Jiang Zhi cackled. “Feelings? 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.”

“What were those two doing near the machine?”

“How would I know? A suicide pact? Aren’t you the police? Why are you asking me?”

“Did they look any different when you saw them this morning?” Mo Li suddenly cut in with a question.

“Different? I didn’t think so, what do you mean?”

Studying Jiang Zhi’s expression, Mo Li stopped pursuing this line of questioning. Instead, she picked up the script to ask, “Who arrange the positioning of the cast members in these scripts?”

“I don’t know, perhaps Zhu Wen did? Wasn’t she a tv show’s planning manager in the past? If not her, it would be Jin Xuan, Jin Chuan’s younger brother. There is something wrong with that kid’s brain. He is autistic so don’t pressure him too much.”

“You don’t seem to be saddened by the death of the 2 victims.” Mo Li commented.

“Why should I be sad? Could sadness bring them back to life? If you ask me, I’m envious of them. True peace comes after you’re dead. It’s the living ones who are suffering.”

Xiao Rui nodded and ended the interrogation with Jiang Zhi. Jiang Zhi left.

“She brought up someone new, Jin Chuan’s brother, Jin Xuan. He works in the crew too?” Xiao Rui asked Mo Li.

“I don’t know. I haven’t seen Jin Chuan get too close to anyone, he’s always ice-cold.” At that moment, Mo Li remembered something. “Actually An Wan might know something!” 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.

“Don’t worry, I believe An Wan has nothing to do with these people. I just need to remind her to be careful so that she isn’t taken advantage of.”

When Xiao Rui and Mo Li arrived at the tent, Zeng Jia and An Wan shared a look. “You’re here to question me if I have anything to do with Qian Yao and Lin An’s deaths, right?” Zeng Jia’s 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 wasn’t that brainless. Like most people, Zeng Jia had an alibi so he didn’t target her specifically.

“An Wan, I need to ask you something. Do you know that Jin Chuan’s younger brother is also a crew member of our program?” 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. “Don’t you know? The young man who has been filming us is Jin Chuan’s younger brother. He has autism so his emotions can be quite unstable at times. But he is an exceptionally talented cinematographer.”