The next day, word spread throughout CT Entertainment that the new CEO had brought a woman to the office. Not only that, but she was granted access to the CEO's office, a place off-limits to everyone except the executive assistant. She spent the whole day in there, not even taking a break for meals. It seemed like the CEO cherished this mysterious woman, going as far as having the executive assistant keep watch while he attended meetings.
CT Entertainment was an entertainment company, and its employees were a gossip-loving bunch. Just when the female employees were getting excited about having a young and handsome CEO, rumors started circulating that he was already taken. Early in the morning, the entire company was filled with a gloomy atmosphere, as if everyone had just gone through a heartbreak.
As the female employees at CT Entertainment yearned to turn invisible and sneak into the CEO's office to see what was really going on, the rumored heroine was seen struggling with Huanggang Exams. Two contrasting tutors took turns explaining the questions to her. She was so busy that she barely had time to grab a quick bite...
Han Xiaoye lived in this dazed state for two weeks. Finally, she scored 302 points on the test paper, surpassing the passing mark and being granted permission to return to school.
Unable to contain her excitement, Han Xiaoye had the driver take her straight to school. As soon as she entered the classroom, someone rushed toward her and held her tightly. The force was so strong that she almost couldn't breathe. "Xiaoye, you scared me to death!"
It was Su Rui.
Han Xiaoye's heart melted, and she flashed a genuine smile. She patted the person hugging her on the back and playfully teased, "So, Ruirui, were you planning to make your move first and suffocate me to death?"
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Su Rui let her go, her eyes slightly teary.
Han Xiaoye felt a twinge of sadness. She had disappeared without any reason, and Su Rui must have been worried. However, when she was taken away, she didn't have time to bring her phone, and she didn't dare to easily contact the outside world while she was with Fu Zhiyan. She couldn't figure out Fu Zhiyan's true intentions and was afraid of inadvertently causing trouble for Su Rui. So she never considered getting in touch with her. But now, seeing Su Rui's reddened eyes, she also felt a pang of sadness. After all these years, Su Rui was one of the few people who had been genuinely good to her. If possible, she didn't want Ruirui to worry.
"By the way," Su Rui sniffed, as if recalling something important. She leaned in close to Han Xiaoye's ear and whispered, "Xiaoye, Quan Ronglian has returned to China. I tracked him down, and he's scheduled to be at Kefferin Hotel tonight. I'm not sure what he's up to there, though."
"What? He's going to a hotel?!" Han Xiaoye couldn't contain her excitement. The earlier bad mood vanished in an instant, leaving only a glimmer in her eyes. She grabbed Su Rui's shoulder eagerly, filled with anticipation. "Ruirui, are you absolutely sure?"
"... Yeah, I'm sure."
Han Xiaoye let go of her, clenched her fist, and her eyes sparkled with determination. Suddenly, she turned around, revealing a set of eight teeth. "Ruirui."
"Huh?"
"I've made up my mind. Let's skip the class tonight!"
Han Xiaoye enunciated each word firmly.
Su Rui's jaw almost dropped in surprise, and after a brief hesitation, he tried to persuade her, "Xiaoye, it's your first day back to school. Skipping class isn't a good idea. I'm worried about Ms. Liu..."
Of course, Han Xiaoye knew skipping class wasn't a good idea, but Quan Ronglian was going to a hotel, a hotel! She had been tracking him for almost six months, and this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. With Quan Ronglian's skyrocketing popularity in the entertainment industry, even the slightest rumor could generate heated discussions. If she could capture photos of Quan Ronglian with a woman, she would definitely become famous overnight! Besides, those photos would fetch a good price, which she could use to pay for her grandfather's medical bills.
Su Rui didn't try to dissuade her any further. She took a deep breath and made up her mind. "Well then... I won't attend the evening self-study either. I'll accompany you."
"Ruirui..." Han Xiaoye's nose felt a bit tingly, and she suddenly had the urge to cry. Su Rui was different. Su Rui came from an academic family, with parents who were university professors. She was always a high-achieving student, obedient and well-behaved. If it weren't for her, skipping class would never have crossed Su Rui's mind.
She hugged the delicate and weak girl tightly, secretly deciding that after completing this job and earning enough money for her grandfather's medical expenses, she would stop taking any jobs until the college entrance exam.
...
Han Xiaoye spent the whole day in a daze during class, completely unaware of what the teacher was talking about. She used her phone under the desk to quickly search for the information she needed and came up with a feasible plan.
Soon, school ended in the afternoon.
Han Xiaoye and Su Rui quietly slipped out of school and turned into a narrow alley at the corner of the street. They walked through the long and narrow alley until they reached a chaotic cluster of single-story houses. Rui City was known for its bustling economy, and few people knew about this out-of-place area amidst the high-rise buildings. Han Xiaoye took out a key and opened the door to a roughly ten-square-meter room. The room was sparsely furnished with a wooden bed and a mismatched huge wardrobe.
Han Xiaoye opened the closet door and saw that it was filled with all kinds of clothes. After taking a closer look, he realized that these clothes were actually uniforms from various industries!
She took out a waitress uniform for herself and handed a janitor uniform to Su Rui. Then, she reached under the clothes and pulled out a wooden box. Inside the wooden box was a laptop, a camera, a miniature walkie-talkie, and a pen-shaped voice recorder.
Han Xiaoye couldn't wait to take out the camera and started fiddling with it.
Photography had originally been her pastime when she had free time. However, after being kicked out of the Han family, she had to rely on her uncle's place for shelter. Her uncle was weak-willed, and her aunt was greedy and liked taking advantage of others. Not only did her aunt withhold all the living expenses her grandfather gave her, but she also refused to pay her tuition. Through a fortuitous opportunity, she came into contact with the paparazzi industry and realized that she could make money by taking photos. Since then, she embarked on a career as a paparazzo, earning a living while secretly sending money to her grandfather. She was later discovered by Su Rui, and she had expected Su Rui to despise and look down on her. However, to her surprise, Su Rui hugged her and burst into tears. From that moment on, she gained a partner.
Su Rui appeared gentle and obedient, but she was a computer genius who hid her talents. With Su Rui's help, Han Xiaoye quickly made a name for herself in the industry, and more people sought her out to capture news. Six months ago, she took on a high-paying job to follow and document the private life of the rising superstar Quan Ronglian. They were offered a reward of five hundred thousand for any scandalous photos of Quan Ronglian. Five hundred thousand, in the past, when she was still a Miss from the Han family, she might not have even bothered, but now... Han Xiaoye's heart stirred. With five hundred thousand, she could move out of her uncle and aunt's place, buy her own house, and bring her grandfather to live with her. Everything was going fine, but no one expected her uncle and aunt to become greedy, borrow money at exorbitant interest rates, and lose thirty million in an underground casino, getting involved with Rui City's underworld. As a result, she also attracted the attention of Rui City's powerful and unpredictable underworld leader, Fu Zhiyan, also known as the Black Emperor.