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

Su Yanhuan patted the armrest of her wheelchair at the opportune moment, drawing everyone's attention back to her:

"Alright, now that Miss Nian Tang has provided a clue, let's go to Manager Zhao's office and take a look at the scene."

She turned to look at Jiang Yunyou, "Secretary Jiang, you're coming with me."

Jiang Yunyou was taken aback: "When did I become your secretary?"

Su Yanhuan leaned back in her wheelchair and said in a serious tone:

"From now on, this detective is physically disabled and needs a clerk to accompany him to record the case details. You wear glasses and look like a scholar, so you're the one."

She paused, then added, "Don't worry, you won't be treated badly if you follow me, Inspector."

Jiang Yunyou: "..."

He paused for two seconds, looked down at the notebook in his hand, then looked up at Su Yanhuan, and finally sighed:

"Alright, Detective, it's up to you."

Su Yanhuan nodded in satisfaction, then pushed her wheelchair towards the corridor.

[Su Yanhuan: Follow me, Detective, and you'll be well taken care of. Jiang Yunyou: Is it too late for me to regret this?]

[These two clowns are going to investigate a case. I have a feeling they'll tear Manager Zhao's office down. I hope they don't get too angry and come back to life later.]

The living room was quiet for a moment.

Shu Zi walked unhurriedly to the rosewood armchair next to her and sat down. The slit of her cheongsam slid open slightly with her movement.

She turned to the side, crossed her legs, and rested her fan on her knees, her posture elegant and composed.

She picked up the teacup beside her, took a sip, and subtly scanned everyone present through the rim of the cup.

Her gaze lingered on Fang Yutong for a moment, then she put down her teacup and spoke casually:

"To be honest, Manager Zhao hasn't been in a good mood these past few days."

"A few days ago, I heard him arguing with the accountant backstage. It seemed that the accounts didn't match up, and the amount was quite large."

"Manager Zhao was so angry that he smashed a cup, and the accountant came out with a livid face."

Fang Yutong was fiddling with her handbag when she heard this and paused for a moment.

She raised her head, her tone indifferent:

"Miss Nian Tang has a sharp ear, but there were some discrepancies in the accounts. They have already been balanced, so there's no need for you to worry about it."

After she finished speaking, she added, her tone slightly sarcastic:

"Miss Nian Tang, just take care of your voice. Worrying too much about accounting matters will make you age faster."

Shu Zi chuckled softly, reopening her fan to cover half her face.

"It's good that the nuclear test was completed. I was just mentioning it casually, so please don't be nervous, Miss Accountant."

"Besides, whether you worry or not is up to you. Some people worry their whole lives, but in the end, they're just doing all the work for someone else."

Yu Shize stood in the corner, his gaze sweeping around the living room before finally settling on the open ledger on the coffee table.

He looked at it for a few seconds, then looked away and spoke in a calm tone:

"Two days before Manager Zhao's accident, he had a talk with me."

"He said the Chamber of Commerce was recently investigating the accounts of the Paramount Ballroom, suspecting that someone was profiting from it. He told me to keep a close eye on the accounts and report any unusual activity to him immediately."

Fang Yutong raised her head, her gaze slightly darkening: "What does Secretary Yu mean by that?"

Her hand unconsciously tightened its grip on the metal clasp of her handbag, but quickly loosened it again.

"Manager Zhao asked you to keep an eye on me? Did he tell you who helped him cover up his shady accounts?"

Yu Shize didn't look at her, his tone remaining calm:

"It doesn't mean anything, it's just stating the facts. Manager Zhao is dead. Whether this matter can be investigated now depends on what the new manager thinks."

Fang Yutong sneered:

"A new manager? Secretary Yu's got some inside information. Manager Zhao's body's barely cold, and you're already eyeing the next one?"

Yu Shize didn't reply, he just glanced at her and looked away.

Han Jingxue stood by the window for a while, then slowly spoke:

"Manager Zhao recently came to my shop to get some medicine, saying that he had excessive liver fire and couldn't sleep well at night. I prescribed him a calming formula, so there shouldn't be any problems."

She paused for a moment, then added, "However, the last time he came to get his medicine, he casually mentioned that someone wanted him dead."

Shen Yihuai leaned against the doorframe, looking up at Han Jingxue: "Did he say who it was?"

Han Jingxue shook her head:

"No, he only said that one sentence and then didn't mention it again. I thought he was just talking nonsense while drunk and didn't take it to heart."

She paused, then added:

"But once when he was drunk, he told me that the person he was most afraid of in his life was not the police, but that investor surnamed Gu."

All eyes seemed to drift towards Gu Yan.

Gu Yan leaned against a pillar, the chain of his pocket watch twirling between his fingers, a faint smile playing on his lips, without saying a word.

[The look in Fang Yutong's eyes... I felt like she was about to flip the table any second now.]

[Yu Shize is such a cunning character. He appears calm on the surface, but every word he says is actually aimed at others.]

[Han Jingxue's words are packed with information! Manager Zhao's biggest fear is investors surnamed Gu, which is exactly the role Gu Yan plays!]

What did Gu Yan's smile mean? Did he already know that Manager Zhao would get into trouble?

Everyone looked at Gu Yan, but he didn't say a word, and this silence only made people more suspicious.

[Gu Yan: You guys talk, I'll just watch and not say anything]

Yu Shize suddenly took a step forward, his gaze falling on Shu Zi:

"Ms. Nian Tang, besides you, who else knows that Manager Zhao wanted to have tea with you?"

Shu Zi put down her teacup, looked up at him, and reopened her fan, covering half of her face:

"Secretary Yu's question is interesting. He came to find me, so he naturally came in through the main entrance. With so many eyes in and out of the Paramount, quite a few people must have seen him."

"What, Secretary Yu, do you think I'm lying?"

Yu Shize said in a normal tone: "I just feel that it's inevitable that Manager Zhao would ask a few more questions since he was the last person Manager Zhao saw before he died."

Shu Zi scoffed:

"Secretary Yu is right, but I'd like to ask, where was Secretary Yu when Manager Zhao had his accident?"

Yu Shize remained expressionless: "I checked last month's transaction records in the accounting office, and the accountant can testify to that."

He turned to look at Fang Yutong.

Fang Yutong looked up and nodded upon hearing this.

"Yes, Secretary Yu did stay in the accounting office all afternoon, and only came out after hearing that Manager Zhao had an accident."

Shu Zi's gaze fell on Fang Yutong's face, she smiled, and then turned her head away, looking elsewhere.

Su Yanhuan pushed her wheelchair back from the other end of the corridor, with Jiang Yunyou following behind her, holding a palm-sized blue and white porcelain teacup.

Su Yanhuan stopped in the center of the living room:

"The on-site inspection is complete. There was a teacup on Manager Zhao's desk with tea stains on it. I've already had it taken for testing."

She paused, her gaze falling on Shu Zi:

"According to Manager Zhao's deputy, this teacup is the one that Manager Zhao always uses and never lets go of. And this afternoon, the only person who entered his office was Miss Nian Tang."

All eyes turned to Shu Zi once again.