However, the investigation turned out to be more time-consuming than expected, and Jia Xiaoming, who had initially promised results within an hour, shamefully called to ask for more time that evening.
One day passed, then one night.
It wasn't until the morning of the third day that Laila finally saw Jia Xiaoming.
He wasn't in makeup today, his face was covered in stubble, and he looked so exhausted that he seemed like he could fall asleep standing at any moment.
"Laila, is your luck good or bad?" As soon as they met, he appraised Laila up and down with an amused expression.
"How should I put it?" Laila raised an eyebrow, curious to see what he was getting at.
Jia Xiaoming plopped down on the soft couch, sinking into the cushions before he let out a sigh of relief. "You guessed it right; those reporters were indeed instructed to write articles to smear your name. But it seems there's no malice, just an attempt to annoy you."
Laila had no doubts about this. The articles were trivial and wouldn't harm her in any significant way. Apart from being annoying, there was nothing noteworthy about them.
"Is this good luck or bad luck?"
"Definitely bad luck! Do you know who orchestrated those reporters?"
Laila was irritated by his teasing tone and had to suppress her annoyance to continue the conversation. "Who?"
"I haven't found out yet!"
Laila stared at the man who was boasting about not finding anything. She taunted, "Aren't you supposed to be talented? You couldn't even find out?"
Jia Xiaoming chuckled awkwardly. "That's why I said your luck is bad. If even I couldn't find them, who else can?"
Laila knew he was telling the truth. If he couldn't uncover the person responsible, it was unlikely that anyone else could.
"So, is there no way to proceed?"
"There is a way. It depends on your good luck," Jia Xiaoming said with a smug smile. "Luckily, you came to me. Others wouldn't be able to help you investigate further. Give me a bit more time, and I promise I can dig up the dirt on that person!"
Laila nodded thoughtfully. "Alright, I'm not in a hurry. As long as this person doesn't harbor deep animosity toward me for the time being, there shouldn't be any major issues. Do you think Keira's case is related to this person?"
Jia Xiaoming's face creased in thought. "I'm not sure. It seems like the person behind these attempts to annoy you doesn't intend to harm you too much. Keira's death, on the other hand, appears more gruesome and brutal. Both incidents involve actions against you, so there might be some connection. But it could also be a coincidence. Have you thought about who might have a grudge against you?"
It wasn't easy for him to distinguish the relationships between these events. Faaris had initially acted upon Faiza's wishes when targeting Laila, sending Keira to annoy Roy and subsequently Laila. However, Keira's betrayal had escalated matters. When she dared to threaten Faaris, he had taken the safest route to ensure her permanent silence—making her disappear from the world.
As for the "300 Million Director" comments, they were part of Faaris's continued efforts to hinder Laila, as instructed by Faiza. The intention was simple: to annoy her. Faaris knew very well that while these actions might be unsettling, they wouldn't cause any real harm. If he employed the same methods as Keira against Laila, it could result in chaos across the entire United States.
Regarding enemies, Laila couldn't think of anyone she had offended. She considered herself a relatively fair person, unlikely to hold grudges against others. If she had to name one person, it might be Faiza, who had shown signs of hatred. However, she had seen Faiza board a plane and leave the United States, and she hadn't received any news of his return.
Could someone who had already left the country still take pleasure in annoying her?
Well, that did seem like the behavior of someone with issues.
However, this raised questions about Keira's case. Laila found it hard to believe that Faiza would use her life as a joke just to get back at her. If he had sent Keira to sabotage Roy and then resorted to murder after the plan failed, it would have been truly incredible.
"Take your time with the investigation," Laila said, rubbing her temples. Then, she changed the subject, "What do you think is the most captivating program in the Spring Festival Gala?"
Jia Xiaoming was momentarily taken aback by the question but then thought of the news that Laila had been invited to participate in the gala. He laughed, "Well, I like cross-talk and skits. But if you're performing, it might be a bit challenging. How about singing a song on stage? As long as you showcase your Chinese skills, I'm sure you'll win a lot of goodwill."
He admired Laila's remarkable progress in speaking fluent Chinese within just over two years. When they first met, her Chinese had a distinctly foreign accent, but now it was hardly noticeable. She even understood idioms and stories quite well, which was impressive given the short amount of time she had spent learning.
How could he know that her affected accents were part of her act, and she had been gradually adjusting them to make her Chinese sound more authentic?
His suggestion was reasonable, and Laila nodded in agreement. As someone with Asian heritage, she knew that foreigners who could speak Chinese fluently were often well-received in the East. If all else failed, she could choose a popular song from the Spring Festival Gala in 2001 to perform.
Laila took out a blank piece of paper and began writing down a list of songs she remembered from past galas. She crossed out some songs that praised the homeland too explicitly, as she didn't want to emphasize her foreign identity too much. Then, she eliminated songs that were too lovey-dovey, considering that the audience in 2001 might have different preferences. Finally, she circled a few songs she liked, with Wang Fei's rendition of "Legend" standing out the most. This song by Wang Fei had an ethereal quality to it, which, when sung in Laila's voice, would add a unique charm. The song's difficulty level was also suitable for a newcomer like her.
After contemplating for a while, Laila drew a few heavy circles around "Legend."
This would be the one!
The lyrics were good, the music was beautiful, the difficulty level was manageable, and it had already gained popularity after Wang Fei's rendition. It seemed like a perfect choice.
With her decision made, Laila headed to Giacchino's studio.