Dramatic changes in the movies and TV shows

Chapter 1293 The Show Continues

Shen Man hung up the phone. Seeing that Lin Hao hadn't noticed her, she took the opportunity to twist the throttle sharply, and the motorcycle shot off like a wild horse, leaving only a wisp of smoke and a receding figure.

"Heh~, if you don't leave now, are you going to stay and wait to be slept with?"

However, Lin Hao simply watched Shen Man escape without showing the slightest anger on his face, calmly withdrawing his gaze.

Because he was certain that Shen Man would come back.

Her initial frantic run was entirely driven by adrenaline. The cool night wind filled her lungs, but it couldn't cool the burning heat on her cheeks.

A sense of humiliation and defeat, along with a hint of panic that she herself was unwilling to admit, intertwined, urging her to step on the gas and get away from here as soon as possible.

Only after the motorcycle had sped through several blocks and she was sure there were no pursuers behind her did Shen Man's wildly beating heart calm down a little, and she involuntarily slowed down.

Once I calmed down, my mind finally broke free from the instinct to "escape," and my brain finally started working again.

Then Shen Man felt something was wrong, as if something was strange, like an invisible thorn stuck in her heart, but she couldn't quite grasp the key point.

"Could everything that happened today really just be my bad luck, a series of coincidences piled up?"

"Wait!" An idea flashed through her chaotic mind like lightning!

"Screech—!" A sharp, piercing screech of brakes abruptly shattered the tranquility of the night!
Shen Man, who had already ridden for several miles, suddenly slammed on the brakes and came to a stop in the middle of the road.

Tonight, starting with the inability to contact Jane, it's been like a derailed train, hurtling headlong in an unpredictable direction.

She finally grasped the source of that amiss, an overlooked detail that exploded in her mind like a thunderclap—language!

Based on her previous detailed investigation and the bits and pieces of information she heard from her best friend Li Muzi, Lin Hao had limited education and could not even speak English fluently, let alone the obscure and difficult local language of this Southeast Asian island nation.

But just now, when she and Hpakant were whispering about the details of their plan in the local language, he stood not far away, looking completely bewildered and unable to understand. Later, when surrounded by Hpakant and his group, he continued to show signs of language barrier.

But just now! When he was talking to that police chief, he spoke fluent, authentic dialect, even with a slight local accent!

"!!!" He understood; he was acting against me!

She was so nervous at the time that she completely overlooked this fatal detail, and now, thinking back on it, it's absolutely terrifying!
He had always been able to understand, so he had overheard all of her conversations with Hpakant in the local language about how to teach him a "hard" lesson.
So from the very beginning, it was exposed to his ears without any concealment!

He wasn't the prey falling into the trap; he was standing on the edge of it, smiling and watching these clowns, thinking himself the performer, while he was the audience, no, the director!
Fragmented images flashed rapidly through her mind: his absurd reaction to the robbery, and his ruthless and efficient fighting skills.

At this moment, all of Shen Man's confidence and pride as the strategist were utterly crushed.

She thought she had everything under control, but little did she know that from the moment she appeared as "Chen Mai," all her cards were transparent to him.

"no!"

"We can't just let it go!"

"There are some things I need to ask him face-to-face!"

"Especially, we need to know what he did to Mu Zi?"

Lin Hao's blatant participation in this "wife-finding game" with her, does it mean... Mu Zi... has already met with misfortune?

And he was enjoying the cool cruelty of toying with the deceased's best friend? Shen Man couldn't help but let her mind wander.

Anger, fear, shame, and extreme worry about Li Muzi's whereabouts—these emotions intertwined and clashed violently.

I can't leave. If I leave now, everything will be over. Hpakant and the others are still in the police station. In the end, I'm the one who's dragged them down.

Most importantly, Mu Zi's disappearance is definitely related to Lin Hao, and he may be the only one who knows it!
Go back! She must go back and find out the truth! Even if it means facing even deeper humiliation, she must confront it.

Once the thought arose, it carried a resolute determination, like burning one's boats. She turned the car around and twisted the accelerator again.

The roar of a motorcycle engine grew louder as it approached again.

Meanwhile, Lin Hao, who was waiting in place, was calculating the time in his mind, but he knew very well that Shen Man was stubborn and would not give in easily.

"This woman... could she really be gone forever?"

In fact, his fluent local dialect in front of the bureau chief was a deliberate slip-up, designed to force the proud female director to face reality and come back to "confront" him.

It wasn't that Lin Hao didn't want to continue playing with her, but rather that much of the information was actually unreliable, and Shen Man would eventually realize it.

Rather than doing that, it's better to move on to the next stage sooner.

Just as Lin Hao thought Shen Man had chosen to escape and was preparing to go back to the hotel to continue playing "Dou Dizhu" with Jane, a buzzing sound came from ahead.

“Buzz buzz—!”

The familiar roar of a motorcycle engine rang out again, growing louder as it approached.

Seeing Shen Man return, Lin Hao smiled. This is more fun!
However, as the motorcycle drew closer, Lin Hao noticed that Shen Man not only showed no intention of slowing down, but instead twisted the throttle harder and harder, causing the speed to skyrocket!
That steel beast charged straight at him with a resolute momentum, its headlights like two sharp swords!
Is this woman trying to take me down with her?

Shen Man was driving very fast, her car heading straight for Lin Hao! This wasn't an attempt to hit him, but rather an outburst of frustration on the verge of collapse, a deliberate show of defiance towards Lin Hao.

Faced with such a dangerous scene, Lin Hao showed no fear. Instead of dodging, he took two steps forward to meet the oncoming motorcycle!

"Holy crap! Is this bastard really not afraid of death?!" Seeing Lin Hao's reaction, Shen Man's lips twitched wildly.

She did this purely to scare him at the last minute and salvage some of the face she had lost.

The thought of herself performing like a ridiculous clown in front of others filled her with shame and indignation.

But just as the motorcycle was about to crash into him, this guy didn't dodge or flinch, but instead went straight for her? Was he so sure she wouldn't dare to hit him?

For a fleeting moment, Shen Man really wanted to steel herself and crash into it to end it all!
"Damn it! Get out of the way!"

Lin Hao remained calm and unmoved, looking at Shen Man with an all-knowing gaze that was so serene it was unsettling.

"Squeak—!"

In the end, reason prevailed over impulse. At the last second before the motorcycle was about to hit Lin Hao, Shen Man slammed on the brakes while simultaneously jerking the steering wheel with all her might!
"Whoosh-!"

The motorcycle narrowly missed Lin Hao. Lin Hao was unharmed, but Shen Man herself suffered a tragic fate.

Due to excessive speed, sudden braking, and sharp steering, the motorcycle instantly lost its balance!
"Clang-!"

But the immense inertia caused the car to go out of control instantly, and she was thrown violently out, landing on the road several meters away.

"Uh……"

With a groan of pain, a piercing pain shot through his left calf, accompanied by a burning sensation as if his skin was being rubbed and torn.

His once-stylish leather jacket and pants were worn out in many places, turning him into a "beggar's outfit."

Shen Man looked down and saw that her pants were torn and blood was seeping out quickly from the tear. Her knee was slightly scraped, but fortunately, the fall was not too serious.

"Are you alright?" Lin Hao slowly walked over, his tone revealing little sincerity.

"Do I look like I'm okay?!" Shen Man shouted through her pain.

All the grievances, anger, and pain erupted at this moment. "And what?! Why didn't you dodge just now?! Ouch...it hurts like hell! Hurry up and help me up!"

Since her identity had most likely already been exposed, she couldn't be bothered to pretend to be a calm and aloof female lawyer anymore, so she simply gave up and went all out.

"You knew all along! Didn't you?!" she screamed hoarsely, her voice trembling with pain and agitation as she questioned him.

Lin Hao squatted down, a pesky smile on his face, and said:
"You're only figuring it out now? It's a little slower than I expected, but thankfully you're not completely stupid."

He admitted it, and he actually admitted it so casually!
What about Mu Zi? What did he do to Mu Zi? Could she already be...?

Thinking of the possible consequences, Shen Man trembled with anger, wishing she could pounce on him and bite him to death, but the excruciating pain in her legs made it difficult for her to even stand up.

Ignoring her own injuries, she grabbed Lin Hao's arm and said, "I came back because I have something to ask you..."

Lin Hao glanced at her hands, which were covered in blood and ash, but didn't pull away. He simply stated calmly, "You want to know?"

"Nonsense!" Shen Man said irritably.

However, Lin Hao didn't answer Shen Man. Instead, he scooped her up from the ground in a standard princess carry. "Let's go. You're injured. Let's go to my place first, and I'll bandage your wound." He carried Shen Man and turned to walk towards the hotel.

As for why he wasn't taken to the hospital, the reason is self-evident.

"No need! I can handle this little injury myself!" Seeing Lin Hao avoid her question, Shen Man immediately changed tactics and said coquettishly:

"I'm asking you a question...!"

"I know what you want to ask!" Lin Hao interrupted her, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"Let's wait until tomorrow. Once you've fulfilled your bet, I'll be completely open and honest with you first thing tomorrow morning."

He paused, looked down at the disheveled yet still stubborn woman in his arms, and a meaningful smile curved his lips:

"But for now, let's go to my place first~."

Shen Man was speechless. How could she not understand this bastard's subtext? He wanted him to confess honestly?

Sure, let's sleep with him first and then talk about it after the bet is settled.

"That scumbag," Shen Man gritted her teeth, making a final struggle, "What if I don't go?"

"Whether you go or not is up to you."

Lin Hao shrugged indifferently, but his arm around her remained as firm as a rock. His tone was relaxed yet threatening as he spoke:
“If you go, I’ll tell you everything I know tomorrow morning. If you don’t go, I’ll book the earliest flight back home right away.”

He lowered his head, brought his voice close to Shen Man's ear, and said with a hint of cold mockery:
"Anyway, she's your best friend, not mine."

"Choose whichever you like," Lin Hao said confidently.

"You... you bastard!!" Hearing these cold and ruthless words, Shen Man was completely enraged by his attitude and blurted out:
"Mu Zi is my best friend, but she's also your wife!"

Lin Hao paused slightly, looked down at her, a glint of something unfathomable flashing in his eyes, and softly uttered a few words:

"What if...she isn't?"

"What?!" Shen Man looked up abruptly, meeting his unfathomable eyes. Her heart felt as if it were being gripped tightly by an invisible hand. "What... what do you mean by that?"

Looking at her shocked expression, Lin Hao seemed to enjoy this feeling of being in control, and calmly repeated:
"That's literally what it means."

······
Inside the hotel room, Jane's face was filled with guilt and resolve.

As she frantically stuffed the clothes into her suitcase, she muttered to herself:

"I'm so sorry, Manman...!"

"It's not that your sisters don't want to help you, it's just that that guy is such a beast! If this continues, it's hard to say whether we'll even find Li Muzi, but I, Jane, will definitely die here first!"

That's right, she's planning to run away.

All told, she had only been impersonating Li Muzi for two days, but who knows how she spent those two days?

I'm practically eating birth control pills every day, and now my legs feel weak when I walk!

And... well, never mind, it's a long story.

Let whoever wants to pretend can pretend, she can't keep it up any longer!
She even began to suspect that Li Muzi's disappearance was not, as Shen Man had guessed, due to some misfortune.

Who could stand having such a "gifted" and unfathomable husband? Going out for a walk to clear your head is perfectly reasonable!
"Click——"

Just then, the clear sound of a door opening suddenly came from the outside room.

Oh no! That guy's back!
Jane's face changed color in fright. If she had known he would be back so soon, she would have just run away instead of packing her bags!

"How to do?"

"What if he comes in later and wants it again...?"

"Or... should we just jump out the window?"

Just as Jane was biting her lip, glancing at the window, hesitating whether to take the risk, the faint sounds of conversation coming from outside drifted in.

"We're at the hotel now, can you finally tell us?"

"Huh?" Jane was taken aback. The content of the conversation wasn't important; what mattered was the woman's voice. She immediately recognized it as Shen Man's!

"Manman? Why is she here tonight?"

According to the original script, Shen Man should not appear until tomorrow, right?

Indeed, after a fierce internal struggle, Shen Man finally gave in in order to find her best friend Li Muzi and was carried back to the hotel by Lin Hao.

At this moment, Lin Hao said calmly:

"Don't rush, Attorney Chen, let's not talk about business first. Let me introduce my wife to you."

“His wife?” Jane murmured to herself, then realized that she was talking about me, who was in the bedroom right now.
Jane was startled again and instinctively wanted to run to the window.

But then he thought again and stopped. Since Shen Man was here, that guy probably wouldn't do anything reckless, right?
Moreover, Shen Man's early appearance clearly sped up the script's progress. If I were to run away now, it would be too disloyal of me!

Fine, for my best friend's sake, I'll just grit my teeth and play Li Muzi a little longer!

Just then, the bedroom door was pushed open, and Lin Hao walked in.

Jane quickly composed herself, her face instantly breaking into a sweet and gentle smile, her voice as soft and sweet as sugar water:
"Husband, you are back~"

"Tsk tsk," Lin Hao looked at the conspicuous suitcase in the bedroom, his large hand naturally stroking Jane's delicate face, then slowly sliding down.

Then Lin Hao said with a half-smile, "If I had come back any later, would my wife have 'run away from home' again?"

His tone carried a mocking yet oppressive undertone: "How long are you planning to be gone this time? Half a month? A month?"

"Or... does it mean it will never appear again?"

"No way!" Jane's expression turned extremely unnatural, and her body stiffened slightly as she felt the warmth of his palm.

"No~, I just heard the door open, it sounds like we have guests. Wait...wait until they're gone, okay? Please...!"

She was screaming internally: Shen Man is right outside! I don't want to lose face in front of my best friend!
"This guest?" Lin Yu smiled slightly, his tone calm yet unquestionable. "She's not leaving tonight."

"What do you mean?" Jane asked, looking completely bewildered.

"It means exactly what it says!" Lin Hao's smile deepened, and he said with a hint of amusement, "Same as always, tonight we'll play... Dou Dizhu (a card game) together."

“Huh?” Jane was completely stunned.

Wait, do these two usually play this elaborate game? But Dou Dizhu is supposed to be played by three people!

But Shen Man had never mentioned this to her!

In the living room, Lin Hao introduced with a smile, "Attorney Chen, let me introduce you. This is my wife, Li Muzi."

"Mu Zi, this is Attorney Chen Mai. Don't let her young age fool you, Attorney Chen is the most famous lawyer in the area, and she has connections everywhere on the island!"

Lin Hao deliberately introduced the two, speaking with a wickedly mocking tone.

Shen Man's lips twitched involuntarily, and she cursed inwardly:

That bastard clearly knew my background all along, yet he kept calling me "Lawyer Chen," he was obviously trying to disgust me on purpose!

She didn't understand what Lin Hao was trying to do, so she could only bite the bullet, extend her hand, and awkwardly cooperate:
"Hello Mrs. Lin, I am... Mr. Lin's lawyer."

It was clearly a scheme orchestrated by her and Jane, but now she had to put on a show in front of Lin Hao, who knew her inside and out. This feeling was incredibly unpleasant!

But when she needed someone's help, she could only swallow her pride and continue this absurd drama.

Even a sliver of hope lingered in her heart: perhaps... he still didn't know that Jane and I were in cahoots?

“Attorney Chen Mai?” Jane’s acting was much more natural and smooth, after all, she didn’t know that Shen Man had completely given herself away.