Bad woman, am I pretending to be bad?

“A very friendly name. Well then, Ms. Watson, you should be clear about my requirements for the applicant.”

Softening his tone, the middle-aged man naturally noticed the girl's pause before speaking. Was there something she couldn't say, or did her name involve something broader?

Without delving into that, all Singh needs is an assistant, and her identity is not important in the short term.

Moreover, ever since he heard the name Watson, he felt an unspoken understanding, as if they had been partners for a long time.

"Outstanding appearance and basic judgment ability; this is the information registered on the page."

As she recounted the job postings from the newspaper, Charlotte removed her felt hat, then pulled out a stool, sat down properly with her legs together, and leaned slightly to one side.

"If we take it literally, Mr. Singh is probably referring to places where only women are allowed to enter, or perhaps the victims of the commission cases are mostly women who meet the criteria, am I right?"

Without waiting for the former to speak, the interview assessed the individual's work ability and comprehensive qualities. As a detective, the most needed qualities are logic and observation, the ability to peel away appearances and distinguish between primary and secondary points, and she happened to possess this talent.

Therefore, instead of letting the examiner ask questions, it's better to take the initiative and showcase your excellence beforehand, making the examiner take notice and look at you in a new light.

Clearly, her overt strategy had yielded remarkable results.

The two fingers holding the pipe froze in place. Singh pursed his lips, feeling a little thirsty, but soon the old detective chuckled and started to speak again.

“Ms. Watson, if this interview were just between you and me, I would definitely make the decision immediately. However, there are quite a few people who want this weekly salary, so I will have to trouble you to do some more persuasion to make them completely convinced.”

Cleverly using the phrase "visitor," the middle-aged man took a piece of paper from his drawer and handed it to the young girl, indicating that she should take a look.

Looking down, one sees numerous names densely packed within the black-bordered text box. They vary in length and are written in a crooked and messy manner, yet each one reveals an eagerness to seek employment.

“Of course, that’s no problem.” Charlotte readily agreed to Singh’s request, but a moment after her voice faded, she raised her eyes and looked directly at him without flinching. “However, the one who decides whether or not to approve is always you, isn’t it?”

She tilted her head slightly, letting her hair fall down her forehead, revealing a bit of a girl's blankness. Before the old detective could react, she sat up, coughed twice, and looked at the man in front of her again.

"Mr. Singh, have you been waiting here since early morning?"

"No, living alone is quite free. Haha, many times I sleep until I naturally wake up."

His admiration for her deepened, and following her lead, Singh chatted casually about everyday things, as if they were old friends who had known each other for a long time.

"In other words, you didn't follow your usual pattern of sleeping in late today. My memory is terrible; I've almost forgotten where you used to live. Could you please tell me again?"

"It's alright, I'm actually looking forward to your visit. Of course, the Marais district isn't close to here, so you'll need to make sure you drive there at least half an hour early so I can greet you in advance."

Like a diagonal drama, they responded to each other, gathering information and constructing ideas through verbal exchanges.

"So that's where it is. I wonder what the traffic was like this morning. It must have been very congested."

"That's right. With the Flower Exhibition approaching, both visiting nobles and residents of Tingen are going to take a stroll around Piazza Turin. They waited for about ten minutes just on the way."

Tingen is divided into five districts: the Central District, the Ginkgo District, the Marai District, the Port District, and the Bell Lane District. Ignoring the others for now, the Marai District, as a residential area for middle-class citizens, is not very close to Baker Street. Coupled with traffic congestion, counting back from 8 a.m. when one enters the city, there is not much free time left for the residents.

But as Charlotte looked closer, she noticed the lingering sweat on the man's forehead, indicating that Mr. Singh must have engaged in some exercise before her arrival.

If this action occurred in the middle of the two areas, the subsequent gentle drive would have been enough to erase any traces of the excessive movement, which also proves that the location should be near the office.

After filtering out possibilities and considering the limitations of both movement and distance, the number of available locations naturally decreases considerably.

I glanced sideways and then took in the layout of the entire office. The arrangement of furniture and one's attire often reflect a person's habits and temperament. The neat arrangement and the connection between the work and leisure areas perfectly illustrate the old detective's pragmatic, disciplined, and meticulous lifestyle.

The key points unfolded in her mind one by one, the unsolved mysteries like blooming flowers, and her thoughts, like skillful hands, peeled back the petals layer by layer, tracing back to the source. As a puppet, her exceptionally clear mind excelled here, and in an instant, she completed the information processing and learned the missing component.

The smoky, charred smell lingered as I sniffed the air. My eyelashes fluttered slightly, and the calluses embedded in my knuckles came into view. My thoughts drifted back to the club sign I had glimpsed on my way here, now vividly clear in my mind.

If your deductive reasoning and hypothesis testing are correct, then—

“Mr. Singh, you have a habit of going to the shooting club to practice shooting every Sunday morning, right?”

Before the second hand of the pocket watch had even completed a full rotation, Charlotte straightened her clothes and sat down calmly in front of the man.

Without missing a single detail, the girl's voice was calm and soft, yet resonant, plunging the table into immediate silence, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

After a moment of silence, the old detective raised the corners of his mouth, clapping his hands together with all his might.

“Ms. Watson, you have really surprised me. Please come with me.”

He took back the list, crumpled it up, and threw it aside. Singh stood up first and gestured for the girl to follow him into the inner cubicle.

With few reservations, Charlotte had only heard rumors that this great detective from Tingen was upright and had little bad reputation. The conversation they had just had allowed Charlotte to get to know him better.

This is at least the case with a calm, astute, and pragmatic ordinary person, based on their superficial observations.

Crossing the stone-paved steps, the inner passageway is not wide. The walls on both sides are inlaid with kerosene lamps enclosed by metal grids, and the light shines down, making the shadows look slightly longer.

Without wasting a single second, the girl noticed, through her observations, that every so often, the wall was decorated with a gear-shaped badge. Even without looking at them, simply walking among them gave her an indescribable sense of weight and peace of mind.

Is this merely decoration, or some kind of church symbol?

Knowing that it was inappropriate for Charlotte to ask too many questions in her current position, she simply watched silently without saying a word.

"arrive."

At the same moment, the old detective's reminder interrupted the girl's thoughts, causing her to follow his gaze.

The room was brightly lit with open doors and windows, and inside sat a carved sandalwood table. Beside it, besides empty chairs, were two girls with strikingly different styles, each possessing their own unique charm: one shy and demure, the other fiery and assertive.

"Now all the people who passed the interview are here."

Upon hearing this, Charlotte immediately understood that the previous interview was merely a preliminary screening, and further selection would likely be needed to secure this well-paid job.

She couldn't help but raise her eyelashes, a hint of resentment in her eyes. Let her off the hook. If she weren't forced by circumstances, why would she willingly toil away, experiencing the exhaustion of work again in this role-playing game?

Of course, no matter how much emotion one has, it won't show on one's face. The girl who played Watson just silently clenched her five fingers and frowned, revealing a hint of sorrow, but it was instantly covered by a strong sense of confidence.

Noticing the change in the former's expression, Singh's brows softened unexpectedly.

Previously, he always felt that this girl was too mature for her age, but now he sees her as a diligent, self-reliant, and well-behaved girl.

"I will stay at the office for a while in the afternoon."

Their theatrical conversation had already established a certain understanding between them, and this coded message, which only they understood, could only convey two signals: there was no need to worry, you were different from them.

With such assurance, Charlotte was able to relax and focus her attention on carefully observing the two girls who had been selected earlier while listening to their conversation.

Similarly, one can be carefree and relaxed at home, but outside one should still flatten one's palms, press them against one's chest, exhale a long breath as if relieved of a heavy burden, reveal a blush of joy, and a hint of disbelief.

This performance was flawless. The old detective then led Charlotte to the center of the two of them and, as promised, began to speak.

“Winnie Shana, Josephine Watson, Sufby Bertrand, first of all, it is an honor to have found you two so well-suited to the requirements in Tingen. To be honest, I didn’t have high hopes, but this surprise has given me a problem. I really don’t know which one to choose.”

As the words entered her ears, the girl first looked at the brown-haired girl in the famous painting Winnie, and with just one glance, her unadorned, simple and pure beauty piqued her interest.

Her long, dark brown hair cascaded down to her waist, occasionally tangled and slightly disheveled. Her emerald eyes harmonized with her delicate lips and nose, and her petite, slender figure made her appear soft and easily startled, just like a timid nightingale.

Her appearance was not bad, but her old dress concealed her delicate features, and the patches sewn everywhere wore down her exquisite appearance, making her look muddy and disheveled.

Perhaps Charlotte's gaze was too direct, for the little nightingale noticed and realized that she was looking at her tattered clothes.

Looking at that exquisite and neat polyester outfit, she couldn't help but shrink back, and even her thin figure seemed to curl up.

She subconsciously reached out to cover the mended hem of her clothes, to protect the exposed patch, but those small hands, even if they covered the outward dishevelment, could not hide the embarrassment in her heart.

Unwilling to put any more pressure on her, Charlotte turned to look at those beautiful eyes.

But Winnie hesitated slightly, forcing a smile at the girl, a smile that concealed a deep sense of inferiority and timidity.

"Um, hello..."

"Hello, Watson, Josephine Watson, I'm here for an interview as well."

With a slight upturn of her lips, she extended her knuckles to the girl, intending to make a perfunctory handshake gesture.

She doesn't have any prejudice against the poor or the rich. As a player, she has always admired Xinyue and only felt that the person in front of her was a rare and malleable character with potential for growth.

Taken aback by this frank and generous attitude, the girl slightly parted her lips and stared blankly for a moment before realizing what was happening and reaching out her hand to the man.

As their fingertips just touched palm, the girl instinctively wanted to pull away, but Charlotte didn't allow her to escape further, extending her hand to let their fingers intertwine.

Only when their palms gradually touched and a blush rose on their faces did Winnie finally raise her protest in a barely audible voice.

“Miss Watson, um, Mr. Singh is still explaining the assessment content, we shouldn’t be doing this…”

As the former said, even if the noise between them was very small, in such an environment, anyone could hear the slight rustling. Singer was not averse to it. Detective work is not a formal profession, so there are not so many rules. On the other hand, the red-haired girl next to him frowned and showed her disdain without any attempt to hide it.

"No wonder he comes from that poor, remote place in Zhongxiang District; he doesn't even know some basic manners."

She spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world, like a pampered aristocratic girl who was used to giving orders.

To be honest, Miss Sophie was indeed a beautiful woman with a bright face, outstanding figure, and fiery red hair. However, such a vibrant warm color was exactly what Charlotte liked, making her uninterested in this peacock from the very beginning, especially its arrogant and aloof demeanor.

Looking at the girl beside her, the little bird was clutching the hem of her skirt with both hands, her eyes slightly red, clearly having been hurt by the mockery just now.

Tsk.

Given how things are developing, should I comfort her? But what does that have to do with her anyway?

Charlotte quickly dismissed the idea. If she really had to waste her breath, she would rather deflate the former's arrogance. After all, if she didn't speak up soon, the red-haired girl might turn her attention to her.

and so--

“Miss Sophie, I must remind you that everyone who comes to the firm for a job starts from the same point and has the same opportunities. The level of wealth or poverty of one’s background does not determine the level of ability, but one’s attitude towards others will determine the success or failure of things.”

"you!"

Just from that one sentence, Sophie couldn't contain her anger and bit her lower lip tightly. In contrast, Winnie looked at the girl with gratitude, as if she took the words as a sign of her support.

"Miss Watson, thank you..."

Without making a sound to disturb them, Singh waited until the three of them stopped talking before lowering his voice and speaking in a deep voice, bringing the focus of the conversation back to the exam questions.

"Alright, just as Ms. Watson said, everyone here has the same opportunity. I can't make any more demands regarding appearance, but your ability will truly determine whether you stay or leave and how much your salary increases."

"Therefore, I will provide an environment to test you. The one who meets the standard will get this short-term job. If you can exceed the standard, there will be additional rewards. Of course, if none of the three of you can meet the standard, then I can only leave it to the choice of luck, like rolling dice or drawing lots. So I hope you will take your own destiny into your own hands."

It wasn't exactly polite; the old detective's words were quite blunt, even harsh. But for Charlotte, who had suffered so much from job interviews, an interviewer who didn't talk about ideals or the future, but only about salary expectations, was the most sincere type.

With that in mind, she also became interested in the test questions that Singh had set.

"It sounds like this goal is quite difficult?"

“Indeed.” The old detective affirmed, but after considering the abilities the girl had just demonstrated, he paused and then added, “If it were you, perhaps it wouldn’t be so difficult? In any case, this test involves many aspects, and both eloquence and quick thinking are indispensable.”

Without further ado, Singh bent down and took out three gold-rimmed envelopes from the drawer of the counter.

He didn't distribute them immediately; after confirming several times, he handed them out to the girls one by one.

“A few days ago, a former benefactor entrusted me with the task of investigating the recent disappearances of thirteen young girls and finding the mastermind behind it all. Therefore, I need you to participate in this Winter Tea Party, playing the roles of noble ladies, and to learn more or less about the last victim so far, the viscount’s only daughter, from the mouths of these young ladies.”

"Of course, if you can then establish a firm foothold, maintain this false identity, and become honored guests in the aristocratic circle, it will be of even greater help to me."

Listening attentively to the old detective's words, and then caressing the surface of the envelope, Charlotte could sense the superior quality of its material through the feedback from her fingertips.

Without much hesitation, she peeled back the dark red sealing wax, took out the letter, and began to read the elaborately worded sentences.

—To all women who uphold elegance and remain steadfastly independent

My sisters:

As the maple leaves turn red and the cold wind sweeps across the land, before we know it, the vast expanse of white snow has already draped Tingen in a magnificent silver coat, yet the cabbage blossoms will not wither.

Flipping through the newspaper, one is struck by the staggering numbers: the frequent disappearances of young girls, the unknown whereabouts of victims, and even Miss Kishia, who has fallen victim to a heinous crime and is now gone.

I cannot suppress the panic in my heart, just as I do not know how to comfort you.

As past friends fade into mere statistics in the news, few can truly alleviate my anxieties. Yet, this sorrow cannot obscure our exceptional nature. We are born noble; the blue blood flowing in our veins predestines us for greatness.

Those country bumpkins cursed us with vulgar language; those ignorant fools who couldn't even write proper sentences said we were just useless vases, only good-looking.

But we know better than anyone that the wealth we display outwardly is always just our most inconspicuous glory.

Gifted talent, profound knowledge, and far-sighted vision.

They make us stand out, they make us graceful and elegant. In this chaotic world where everyone is panicking, we should show courage and inner strength, both to ourselves and to others.

It's Tuesday afternoon again, and the Winter Tea Party will be held as scheduled in the Sunrise Courtyard. Let us greet each other with flowers and reunite once more.

Chapter Four: Not Today

Clearly, this is not just a letter, but an invitation.

All three letters contained the same content, with elegant and fluent handwriting. If you looked closely, you could even smell a hint of incense. If it weren't for the arrogant and superior feeling that permeated the lines, they would have been quite pleasing to the eye.

Charlotte closed the envelope, held the paper between her fingers and shook it, then asked Mr. Singh a question that was neither affirmative nor negative.

“Mr. Singh, I think you should explain a little more, as this seems to be quite different from the requirements you listed in the job posting.”

When she first glimpsed the job posting, she mostly thought that the agency needed a pretty face to attract clients. After getting to know the old detective, her opinion changed a little, but it was still not enough to shake her initial impression.

Of course, this doesn't mean that girls dislike variety; challenges add twists and turns to the plot and ignite their interest.