Chapter 24

Chapter 24

From the room’s balcony, the broad lake surface looked bright like a mirror, dotted with countless golden reflections.

Unfortunately, at this moment, Pei Chuzhi had no mood to appreciate the scenery.

She lifelessly finished reading the script and confirmed that between her and Sister Wang, it was a black-eats-black story.

It turned out Sister Wang was not a simple homestay manager, but an important suspect in an antique shop theft ten years ago.

Moreover, during her escape she killed an innocent taxi driver, so she also carried a murder case.

Ten years later, the taxi driver’s daughter—Pei Chuzhi herself—came to Lake Center Homestay to personally kill her father’s enemy.

Xing Ye’s role, meanwhile, was an antique dealer. Knowing that many antiques here had problematic origins, he still risked coming to inspect them. To avoid suspicion, he found Pei Chuzhi to help disguise themselves as ordinary people vacationing as fiancés, and came to the homestay.

According to the script, Xing Ye’s character didn’t know the truth. All of this was carefully planned by Pei Chuzhi; she approached Xing Ye only to get the chance to meet Sister Wang.

After reading, Pei Chuzhi felt speechless. She turned to the small camera on the balcony railing and muttered, “Since she’s a suspect, why not just call the police? Why kill her? Do I not look like a law-abiding good citizen?”

The staff remotely controlling the camera watched her dazzling face on the screen and silently nodded the camera.

“…I’ll remember you.” Pei Chuzhi raised her eyebrow jokingly.

After the joke, gloom appeared in her eyes.

This mission was too difficult. As the murderer, she was isolated and had to deal with five others alone.

What troubled her more was that besides hiding her murderer identity, the script also required her to conceal the fake-couple relationship.

In other words, to win, she needed to accomplish both tasks.

The production team wouldn’t set this without reason.

Based on her understanding, hiding the fake relationship could reduce suspicion, and Xing Ye likely also had a secret. If exposed, his mission might fail.

Pei Chuzhi raised the corner of her eyes, suspecting fate was teasing her.

She and Xing Ye were a contract couple in reality, so even in the show they couldn’t truly be in love.

After sighing internally, she flipped to the timeline page.

It showed she would enter the kitchen at 5:10 and kill Sister Wang. It was now 4:40, leaving half an hour.

She thought about it—no need to rush. The NPC would cooperate anyway.

The priority was coordinating with Xing Ye so their fake relationship wouldn’t be exposed.

With her mind made up, she stuffed the envelope into her dress pocket and pushed open the balcony door.

Xing Ye had also finished reading and was sitting on the sofa, chin propped on one hand.

Pei Chuzhi silently recited “life is like a play, it all depends on acting,” leaned at the door, and shrugged regretfully: “Looks like we need to be careful not to be discovered.”

Xing Ye slowly folded his envelope. “Good thing we didn’t switch numbers. Otherwise watching Teacher Xie go from boyfriend to fake boyfriend—you’d be heartbroken.”

Pei Chuzhi’s smile stiffened.

Xing Ye, as if not satisfied, “considerately” added, “Or even if he’s a fake boyfriend, you’re confident you could fool everyone with him?”

“How could that be? I’ve never worked with Teacher Xie. In terms of chemistry, I’m definitely more suited with you.”

Unable to tell whether he was joking or serious, she redirected, “So, fake boyfriend, shall we exchange information?”

After she spoke, the director didn’t stop them.

Clearly, placing them in the same room was intentional, hoping they would share clues.

Xing Ye nodded. “I’m not the murderer.”

Pei Chuzhi lied calmly: “Me neither. I’m just a greedy girl who accompanied you to inspect goods and got innocently involved.”

“Just that?”

Xing Ye curved his lips in a casual smile, but his eyes clearly carried a probing intent.

Pei Chuzhi tried hard to keep her breathing steady. She walked to the bed closest to the sofa and sat down, then looked at him suspiciously: “Based on the current situation, your suspicion is actually quite high. Failing to agree on a price with Sister Wang, getting angry, or becoming greedy and killing her—it all sounds reasonable.”

Xing Ye glanced at her. “Then will you vote for me?”

Pei Chuzhi blinked. “You guess?”

“Voting me out won’t benefit you.”

Xing Ye leaned forward, staring into her eyes as he hoarsely instructed, “I do have motive, and my task requires me to hide my antique dealer identity. I believe others also have clues about me.”

Pei Chuzhi quietly clenched her fingers.

She had guessed right. The show assigned everyone side tasks: she must hide the fake couple relationship, while Xing Ye must hide his purpose.

Each person’s clues and tasks balanced each other.

If she rushed to push Xing Ye as scapegoat, he might reveal she was just a hired fake fiancée before being voted out.

Then, if the murderer wasn’t found, she—the only unclear identity—would become the target.

So at least early in the game, she had to stand with Xing Ye.

Like lovers linked by Cupid in Werewolf—if one died, the other couldn’t survive alone.

Sharpness appeared in Xing Ye’s expression. “Thought it through? If you’re not sure who the murderer is, you’d better keep me.”

Pei Chuzhi tilted her head and smiled knowingly. “Then let’s eliminate the others first.”

Later, when the first episode aired, netizens flooded the screen:

【I feel like I witnessed the birth of an evil alliance.】

【Others trembling: what did we do wrong? Are you two demons?】

【Pei Chuzhi wake up! Your task is to find the murderer, not cover for Ye-ge!】

【Others want to solve the case, murderer wants to escape, but you two want everyone dead.】

【Carrying the Coconut Juice banner, I’m confused—did I ship a chaotic evil CP?】

At this moment, the two in the homestay knew nothing of the future.

Just after reaching agreement, thunder suddenly sounded inside and outside the villa.

Pei Chuzhi froze, and she and Xing Ye went to the balcony.

The sky was cloudless. The artificial rain machine drenched the garden, and the thunder came from speakers.

Ding Yang, also peeking from his balcony, complained, “Do you have to try this hard? The sun’s blazing. How do I believe it’s stormy? Sorry, cut this in post.”

Pei Chuzhi gripped the railing.

The rain must signal the plot resuming.

Sure enough, a “bang” sounded in the garden.

She saw staff push over a tall flower rack.

From the kitchen, Sister Wang shouted noisily.

She ran into the rain, likely lamenting her ruined rack.

Xing Ye watched calmly and checked time. “4:50. Sister Wang is still alive.”

Pei Chuzhi nodded, troubled.

How could she slip away to kill Sister Wang?

A knock sounded.

They looked at each other. Xing Ye opened the door.

Xie Yiqian stood smiling. “I saw the flower rack fall. Since we’re free, how about helping her fix it?”

“!!!”

Pei Chuzhi suddenly felt full of gratitude.

He came, he came with his script!

As expected of her idol—even the script he received was so friendly to her.

Xing Ye seemed to think for a moment before replying softly, “Okay.”

He stepped forward, then suddenly turned back as if remembering something, lowering his eyes toward the “fiancée” inside the room. “Do you want to come along?”

Pei Chuzhi shook her head.

Aside from important lines related to the case, the actors’ scripts didn’t restrict every sentence, but she knew the writer intended her to refuse now.

So she gripped the doorknob and said softly, “I don’t know how to fix flower racks, and it’s raining so hard outside. I’m a little scared.”

Xie Yiqian’s character seemed to be a considerate elite man. He pointed to the room next door and invited, “My wife has a headache and is resting. If you’re scared, you can go find her.”

According to the draw, Xie Yiqian’s wife was Ji Yingshan.

Pei Chuzhi noted the clue, waved to the two men, then closed the door partially. Through the gap she saw them also call Ding Yang.

While going downstairs, Ding Yang complained, “Hurry up, otherwise if my girlfriend finishes showering and can’t find me, she’ll get mad.”

Pei Chuzhi’s mind worked quickly.

From her past NPC experience, this setup was clearly to ensure Ji Yingshan and Tong Yang lacked alibis.

She waited two or three minutes, then went to the balcony to look down.

The three men wore raincoats, pretending to fix the rack.

Soon Ding Yang and Xie Yiqian left, leaving Xing Ye alone.

She felt puzzled, then saw Ding Yang come out with tools, and later Xie Yiqian slowly dragged two wooden boards back.

Thus everyone had an opportunity to commit the crime.

Pei Chuzhi wrote down their alone times, then tiptoed downstairs.

As soon as she pushed open the kitchen door, Sister Wang turned happily. “You’re here.”

“…”

Pei Chuzhi had never seen someone greet death so cheerfully.

She looked around. Half-cut vegetables lay on the table, something simmered in the pot, and the door to the garden had a curtain blocking view.

Following the script, she took a prop knife and stood behind Sister Wang. “Sorry, sis.”

“It’s fine, go ahead.” Sister Wang calmly pointed to the blood pack. “Aim here.”

This would be reshot anyway.

Pei Chuzhi lifted a pot lid to shield herself and gently pushed the prop knife in.

Sister Wang struggled and fell.

Her head tilted, motionless.

Pei Chuzhi cleaned the scene and prepared to leave.

But as she exited, she heard footsteps from the garden.

Startled, she hid behind the curtain and peeked out.

A raincoat-clad man entered.

He brushed water from his shoulders and lowered the hood, revealing a sharply contoured lower face.

Even so, Pei Chuzhi recognized him at a glance.

It was Xing Ye.

A string of question marks filled her mind, but as Xing Ye got closer to the kitchen, confusion turned into huge shock.

The man’s footsteps sounded like a funeral bell in the living room.

Step after step, finally stopping outside the kitchen door.

Xing Ye raised his hand and knocked.

Naturally, no one responded inside.

He frowned, his eyes dark and unreadable.

After a few seconds of silence, he lowered his hand and took out his script for one last look.

【Your task: let the “fiancée” live to the end.】

Author’s note: Thanks to the little angels who threw overlord tickets or irrigated nutrient solution during 2019-12-03 21:17:27~2019-12-04 21:17:36~

Thanks to the little angel who threw a landmine: Man Sha Hua Other Shore Flower 1;

Thanks to the little angels who irrigated nutrient solution: XxxiGD 5 bottles; Jiabao ovo 1 bottle;

Thank you very much for everyone’s support, I will continue to work hard!