I was criticized on a dating reality show, but I retaliated and became an internet sensation.

Su Yanhuan sat in a wheelchair, wearing a brown trench coat, a detective hat on her head, and pretending to hold an unlit pipe in her hand.

She looked up at Shu Zi, paused for two seconds, and then sighed sincerely:

"...Holy crap, that's incredible."

[Holy crap, that's amazing—I said that, Huanhuan was just speaking up for me.]

[Aaaaaaah! My sister's killing me! My sister's so beautiful! Sister, kiss me! Hehehe!]

[That figure, I'm smitten! Damn it! Gu Yan got such a good deal!]

[Waaaaaah, why can't I ever get to eat this Zizi?]

Jiang Yunyou stood next to her, wearing a gray long gown from the Republican era, with a vest over it, round-framed glasses perched on his nose, and a prop notebook in his hand.

He pushed up his glasses, glanced at Shu Zi, then quickly looked away, his face visibly flushing red.

Han Jingxue walked out from behind the curtain on the other side, wearing an elegant lotus-colored cheongsam with a beige cardigan over it.

Her hair was braided into a loose plait that hung down her chest, and she held a celadon teacup in her hand. Her gentle demeanor made her seem like someone who had stepped out of a painting.

Shen Yihuai followed her out, wearing a dark brown leather jacket, with a prop camera hanging around his neck. His hat brim was pulled low, but his gaze remained fixed on Han Jingxue, with a barely perceptible smile on his lips.

[Is Shen Yihuai here to investigate a case or to keep an eye on someone, judging by his gaze?]

[Sister Han looks absolutely stunning in this outfit! She's the epitome of a gentle, elegant shopkeeper from the Republican era. The costume designer deserves top marks! Give her a bonus!]

[Jiang Yunyou, why are you blushing!]

My little Youbao is still just a tiny kid, please excuse the poor appearance (smiling apologetically)

[Shu Zi's appearance is so stunning, even I blushed through the screen, let alone Jiang Yunyou!]

Yu Shize was dressed in a black Zhongshan suit with a Chamber of Commerce badge pinned to his chest. His expression was composed and his gaze was steady, making him look quite like a secretary.

Fang Yutong changed into a champagne-colored short-sleeved cheongsam with a fringed shawl, carrying a small handbag. Her makeup was exquisite, and she stood in the corner, observing everyone.

Finally, Gu Yan slowly walked out from the end of the corridor.

He was wearing a dark gray three-piece suit, his jacket casually open, and one button undone at the collar of his shirt, revealing a glimpse of his collarbone.

He held a silver pocket watch in his hand, the cover opening and closing with a crisp click.

He walked to the center of the living room, his gaze sweeping over everyone, landing directly on Shu Zi on the stairs. He paused for two seconds, then a slow smile curved his lips.

[Gu Yan's entrance! Suit, pocket watch, unbuttoned collar—this is a Republican-era version of a domineering CEO!]

The way he looked at Shu Zi—he wasn't acting at all!

Huanhuan was stunned by Zizi's appearance, I was stunned, everyone in the room was stunned, only Gu Yan was smiling, because he knew this was his home.

Director Liu stood in the corner, watching everyone arrive, nodded in satisfaction, then picked up the megaphone and adopted a deep, mysterious voice:

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Shanghai in 1937. Tonight, the Paramount Ballroom is ablaze with song and dance, its lights shining brightly. But behind this glitz and glamour, a murder is quietly unfolding."

"Zhao Baoshan, the manager of Paramount, was found dead in his office at 3 p.m. today. The cause of death was poisoning, and the forensic doctor initially estimated that the poisoning occurred within half an hour."

"And the murderer is among all of you here."

His gaze swept over the crowd:

"Now, the story officially begins. Please take your seats, everyone. The police will be here shortly."

Su Yanhuan was the first to get into character. She patted the armrest of her wheelchair, cleared her throat, lowered her voice, and said in a deliberately profound tone:

"Although I am seriously injured, my determination to uphold the law remains unchanged. Men, cordon off the scene and no one is allowed to enter or leave."

Jiang Yunyou muttered under his breath, "You can't even stand up, how are you going to seal off the scene?"

Without turning her head, Su Yanhuan retorted confidently, "This detective has brains, not legs."

Shu Zi stood on the stairs, met Gu Yan's gaze, raised her eyebrows slightly, and gently waved her fan twice.

She walked slowly down the stairs, her high heels clicking crisply and rhythmically on the wooden steps.

She walked to the center of the living room, gently closed the sandalwood folding fan in her hand, and slowly swept her gaze across everyone's faces before finally landing on Su Yanhuan, where she smiled slightly.

She spoke slowly, her voice rising slightly at the end:

"Detective, you've come at the right time. Manager Zhao had a cup of tea in my room before his accident."

As soon as she finished speaking, everyone's eyes were on her.

Su Yanhuan immediately sat up straight, put the pipe in her mouth, and squinted her eyes:

"Oh? Miss Nian Tang, were you the last person Manager Zhao saw before he died?"

Shu Zi chuckled softly, calmly opening her fan to cover half her face, revealing only her eyes:

"I can't say whether he was the last person, but he did come to me and said he was in a bad mood and wanted to hear me sing a song."

She paused, then slowly waved her fan:

"I sang 'Shanghai Nights,' he drank a cup of tea, sat for about fifteen minutes, and then left. He seemed perfectly normal when he left."

Jiang Yunyou pushed up his glasses, scribbled a few notes in his notebook, then looked up, his gaze sharp as he stared at Shu Zi:

"Ms. Nian Tang, around what time did Manager Zhao come to see you?"

Shu Zi tilted her head, pretending to recall something:

"It was around 2 p.m. After he left, I went back to my room to rest. It wasn't until I heard the terrible news that I realized something had happened."

Fang Yutong stood in the corner, remaining silent until she suddenly spoke:

"Miss Nian Tang has a very good memory. Manager Zhao's daily whereabouts are always unpredictable, yet you can remember the time so clearly."

Shu Zi turned to look at her, her fan gently covering her lips, her smile undiminished:

"Miss Accountant, you may not know this, but in our line of work, we welcome and see off guests. If we don't keep track of the times, we might offend a distinguished guest without even realizing it."

"This is a skill for making a living; it has nothing to do with good or bad memory."

Fang Yutong didn't say anything more, but her gaze remained fixed on Shu Zi.

[Shu Zi's gesture of covering her face with her fan was so charming, no wonder she's a top courtesan, hehehe~]

The undercurrents between the two women are starting to take shape.