Chapter 44: Wei Youfu's Guidance
"It's impossible. Who else can they find to be the lead role besides me? This production is really struggling financially. Do you think they have the money to hire other actors?" Acheng confidently said, "Next time, I must make Jiang Yi personally come and find me."
He seemed to be thinking of something happy, and a smile gradually appeared on the corners of his mouth.
The agent, understanding the situation, didn't say anything and drove Acheng away.
On the set, no one really cared about Acheng leaving. Everyone's attention was on Director Jiang and Han Fei.
Jiang Yi was the director, so whatever he said, goes.
Although Han Fei was just a supporting actor, his acting skills had deeply impressed everyone present.
Moreover, when there was a potential conflict between the crew members and the victims' relatives, Han Fei single-handedly prevented it, helping the crew overcome a difficult situation.
"Han Fei, I know you have valid points, and your persistence is not wrong, but sometimes it's okay to compromise without violating your principles."
"This is not a matter of principles or not," Han Fei shook his head, preparing to leave. "You will understand in due time."
Watching Han Fei leave, the crew members and Jiang Yi felt a sense of regret. The executive who had been scared by Han Fei even chased after him, trying to persuade him to stay.
Although Han Fei was not a star, it was evident from how the crew members treated him compared to Acheng that they respected Han Fei more.
"I now understand why his acting is so good, but he hasn't become famous yet," the actress who played Wei Youfu's wife said with a deep sigh as she looked at Han Fei. "A clear pond has no fish. His personality is too easy to offend others."
"At his age, possessing such acting skills, combined with his persistence and personality, once he seizes the opportunity to prove himself, he will soar to new heights. He is incomparable to Wu Cheng, who only became a fourth-tier star with the backing of a company," Jiang Yi said in front of the crew members after Han Fei left.
"Director, ahem, pay attention. Our drama still relies on Acheng's company," the cinematographer pretended not to have heard Jiang Yi's previous statement.
"Let's wrap it up for today. We'll temporarily stop the filming and use the time to discuss the script," Jiang Yi began to organize the messy shooting location.
"Director Jiang, should we give Acheng a call?"
"What for? I let him play the lead role out of consideration for the investors. If he voluntarily quits, that's perfect," Jiang Yi looked at the corridor where Han Fei had left. "Actually, I have someone else in mind, but it's a pity..."
...
Han Fei's head and face still had traces of blood, making him look somewhat dishevelled.
Leaving the set of Evil Flower, laughter could be heard from across the street.
Under the crowd's attention, a delicate-looking actor walked out from the set of Urban Secret Love, surrounded by people who seemed to have come specifically to watch the commotion.
"Zifeng, that's Han Fei. I heard that after he left our company, he started working as an extra."
"Why bother? Isn't it better to work behind the scenes?"
"He just joined the Evil Flower crew, and someone came to cause trouble. The entire production was affected. I've met this person before, and he's not a bad person, just inexplicably unlucky."
"For us, this is good news! Even the drama Evil Flower, which is in the same time slot, will have a hard time competing against us. Now this unlucky guy is going to cause trouble for them, and we're likely to secure the top spot in the same time slot."
Several people from the Urban Secret Love crew heard the commotion on the street and ran out to watch. Seeing Han Fei's current appearance, they felt a sense of satisfaction.
When one wall collapses, the others push, and when a drum brakes, everyone beats it. From this perspective, ghosts are cuter.
Han Fei had experienced many such things before. He had heard these mocking words so many times that he didn't feel anything anymore, and he even felt like laughing.
The streetlights in the old city area illuminated the street, with light and shadow intertwining. A group of people mocked and ridiculed under the lights, while Han Fei disappeared into the darkness at the street corner.
His phone in his pocket suddenly vibrated, and Han Fei stopped in the shadows of the old street, answering the call.
"Li Xue?"
"Han Fei, you may have made a significant breakthrough this time!"
"Has there been progress in the Puzzle of Human Bodies case?" Han Fei could sense the excitement in Li Xue's voice, indicating that they had made some discoveries.
"My mentor checked the original case files kept internally and found a person named Jiang Jiang. This person is not the killer in the Puzzle of Human Bodies case, but he had contact with all the victims! He appeared outside the puzzle shop, and the surveillance captured the scene where Wei Youfu gave him change. He also encountered a heavily drunk Gu Ye late at night and took away Gu Ye's empty bottle. He also had a collision with the female anchor Zhang Lingfan outside a department store and was scolded by her for a long time..."
"He was a homeless man who came from another city and lived in an unfinished building in the suburbs, making a living by collecting scrap and picking up garbage. This person has intellectual disabilities, often being bullied by other homeless people, and his collected garbage is often stolen."
"Jiang Jiang has a very good temper, and he is kind-hearted. He doesn't steal or rob. He even returns things that he shouldn't pick up to people in uniforms. However, he often confuses security guards and police officers and has been tricked by security guards into giving away the money he earned from picking up garbage." Li Xue spoke rapidly, disregarding whether Han Fei could fully understand her. "The trouble started around eleven years ago. There used to be a private welfare institute on Beijie Street in the old city area. The director of the institute had his wallet stolen while he was away on a business trip. Although there wasn't much money in it, all his identification documents were inside."
"And Jiang Jiang found the wallet?"
"Exactly. Jiang Jiang found the wallet in a trash can. Since he couldn't enter the train station, he waited by the trash can until the staff from the train station arrived. After the director retrieved his wallet, he felt that although Jiang Jiang was a little slow, he was honest and reliable. He also wanted to help Jiang Jiang, so he arranged for him to work cleaning in the welfare institute."
"Unfortunately, it didn't last long. Jiang Jiang was dismissed because of his uncleanliness and the unpleasant odour emanating from his body. The problem arose when, after Jiang Jiang left, a child in the welfare institute started claiming that he would encounter ghosts at night."
"Ghosts?" Han Fei took Li Xue's words seriously. "Can we find that child?"
"That child went missing, but we found another child who used to share a room with him. This child told us something horrifying. He and the missing child slept side by side in
the bedroom, where they could see each other's beds and the space underneath. The missing child always claimed that there was a ghost hiding under the other child's bed and that it only appeared during the late hours when everyone was asleep."
"What you're trying to say is that this ghost is Jiang Jiang?" After experiencing Perfect Life, Han Fei's thinking had caught up with that of an experienced detective with rich investigative experience. "But in such an obvious case, the police would have surely suspected Jiang Jiang from the beginning."
"The police did investigate Jiang Jiang first, but the investigation was difficult to proceed with."
"Why? Did he have an alibi?"
"Because he died." Li Xue sent another picture to Han Fei. "This Jiang Jiang is the first victim in the Refrigerator Corpse Case."
"He was the homeless man killed by the Meng brothers?" Han Fei asked.
"We have no evidence to suggest that the Meng brothers are the killers. However, you previously hinted to me that the Refrigerator Corpse Case was related to the Puzzle of Human Bodies case. So, we retrieved information about the Refrigerator Corpse Case, and we made an astonishing discovery." Li Xue sent Han Fei a third picture, a photo taken in an abandoned villa, showing a strange drawing beneath the tattered blanket of the homeless man Jiang Jiang.
Amongst the black trees, there was a black house, and around the house were drawings of headless children.
"At the time, the police believed that Jiang Jiang, who had intellectual disabilities, might be a mentally disturbed monster deep inside. He usually suppressed his emotions. But after hearing what you just said, I realized that these black trees, the black house, and the headless figures around it perfectly match the hints you gave me!" Li Xue's voice became lower. "A homeless man who had nothing to gain and no reason to scheme, the police thought his murder was in line with the random killing law of a serial killer. However, when I saw this drawing, I realized that the killer murdered Jiang Jiang to silence him. He may have witnessed the killer's actions and even something more terrifying!"
"I understand what you mean. You believe that Jiang Jiang approached Wei Youfu and the others not to harm them, but to save them!" At that moment, Han Fei realized how closely the Puzzle of Human Bodies case and the Refrigerator Corpse Case were connected.
"Do you know what's even more terrifying?"
"What?"
"The killer of the Puzzle of Human Bodies case likely intentionally used Jiang Jiang, who had intellectual disabilities, to save people. He enjoyed the pleasure of being betrayed, despised, and hated despite his goodwill. Perhaps in the killer's eyes, goodness looks just like Jiang Jiang: ugly appearance, emitting an unpleasant smell, and having low intelligence." Li Xue's voice became sober. "Jiang Jiang has never done anything wrong. He tried to warn the victims of the Puzzle of Human Bodies case, but he faced misunderstanding and aversion. Apart from Wei Youfu, no one wanted to get close to the dirty him."
"If someone abnormal suddenly approached me on the street, warning me that I might be killed, I'm afraid I wouldn't believe it either. The killer wasn't exploiting a weakness of human nature; he deliberately watched Jiang Jiang fail and enjoyed the show."
"Exactly. The killer arrogantly believed that everyone would consider Jiang Jiang a madman. However, one person did something unexpected—Wei Youfu!" Li Xue finally reached the crucial point. "You previously asked me to pay attention to the puzzle shop. I checked all the records, and among those who had contact with Jiang Jiang near the puzzle shop, Wei Youfu had the most interactions with him. Wei Youfu was willing to help Jiang Jiang, and Jiang Jiang wanted to save him by constantly giving him hints. In the end, Wei Youfu was likely swayed. Wei Youfu, who often worked overtime, acted strangely in the final few days before his death. He went alone to an ecological conservation forest in the outskirts of Xinhu on two separate occasions."
He seemed to be thinking of something happy, and a smile gradually appeared on the corners of his mouth.
The agent, understanding the situation, didn't say anything and drove Acheng away.
On the set, no one really cared about Acheng leaving. Everyone's attention was on Director Jiang and Han Fei.
Jiang Yi was the director, so whatever he said, goes.
Although Han Fei was just a supporting actor, his acting skills had deeply impressed everyone present.
Moreover, when there was a potential conflict between the crew members and the victims' relatives, Han Fei single-handedly prevented it, helping the crew overcome a difficult situation.
"Han Fei, I know you have valid points, and your persistence is not wrong, but sometimes it's okay to compromise without violating your principles."
"This is not a matter of principles or not," Han Fei shook his head, preparing to leave. "You will understand in due time."
Watching Han Fei leave, the crew members and Jiang Yi felt a sense of regret. The executive who had been scared by Han Fei even chased after him, trying to persuade him to stay.
Although Han Fei was not a star, it was evident from how the crew members treated him compared to Acheng that they respected Han Fei more.
"I now understand why his acting is so good, but he hasn't become famous yet," the actress who played Wei Youfu's wife said with a deep sigh as she looked at Han Fei. "A clear pond has no fish. His personality is too easy to offend others."
"At his age, possessing such acting skills, combined with his persistence and personality, once he seizes the opportunity to prove himself, he will soar to new heights. He is incomparable to Wu Cheng, who only became a fourth-tier star with the backing of a company," Jiang Yi said in front of the crew members after Han Fei left.
"Director, ahem, pay attention. Our drama still relies on Acheng's company," the cinematographer pretended not to have heard Jiang Yi's previous statement.
"Let's wrap it up for today. We'll temporarily stop the filming and use the time to discuss the script," Jiang Yi began to organize the messy shooting location.
"Director Jiang, should we give Acheng a call?"
"What for? I let him play the lead role out of consideration for the investors. If he voluntarily quits, that's perfect," Jiang Yi looked at the corridor where Han Fei had left. "Actually, I have someone else in mind, but it's a pity..."
...
Han Fei's head and face still had traces of blood, making him look somewhat dishevelled.
Leaving the set of Evil Flower, laughter could be heard from across the street.
Under the crowd's attention, a delicate-looking actor walked out from the set of Urban Secret Love, surrounded by people who seemed to have come specifically to watch the commotion.
"Zifeng, that's Han Fei. I heard that after he left our company, he started working as an extra."
"Why bother? Isn't it better to work behind the scenes?"
"He just joined the Evil Flower crew, and someone came to cause trouble. The entire production was affected. I've met this person before, and he's not a bad person, just inexplicably unlucky."
"For us, this is good news! Even the drama Evil Flower, which is in the same time slot, will have a hard time competing against us. Now this unlucky guy is going to cause trouble for them, and we're likely to secure the top spot in the same time slot."
Several people from the Urban Secret Love crew heard the commotion on the street and ran out to watch. Seeing Han Fei's current appearance, they felt a sense of satisfaction.
When one wall collapses, the others push, and when a drum brakes, everyone beats it. From this perspective, ghosts are cuter.
Han Fei had experienced many such things before. He had heard these mocking words so many times that he didn't feel anything anymore, and he even felt like laughing.
The streetlights in the old city area illuminated the street, with light and shadow intertwining. A group of people mocked and ridiculed under the lights, while Han Fei disappeared into the darkness at the street corner.
His phone in his pocket suddenly vibrated, and Han Fei stopped in the shadows of the old street, answering the call.
"Li Xue?"
"Han Fei, you may have made a significant breakthrough this time!"
"Has there been progress in the Puzzle of Human Bodies case?" Han Fei could sense the excitement in Li Xue's voice, indicating that they had made some discoveries.
"My mentor checked the original case files kept internally and found a person named Jiang Jiang. This person is not the killer in the Puzzle of Human Bodies case, but he had contact with all the victims! He appeared outside the puzzle shop, and the surveillance captured the scene where Wei Youfu gave him change. He also encountered a heavily drunk Gu Ye late at night and took away Gu Ye's empty bottle. He also had a collision with the female anchor Zhang Lingfan outside a department store and was scolded by her for a long time..."
"He was a homeless man who came from another city and lived in an unfinished building in the suburbs, making a living by collecting scrap and picking up garbage. This person has intellectual disabilities, often being bullied by other homeless people, and his collected garbage is often stolen."
"Jiang Jiang has a very good temper, and he is kind-hearted. He doesn't steal or rob. He even returns things that he shouldn't pick up to people in uniforms. However, he often confuses security guards and police officers and has been tricked by security guards into giving away the money he earned from picking up garbage." Li Xue spoke rapidly, disregarding whether Han Fei could fully understand her. "The trouble started around eleven years ago. There used to be a private welfare institute on Beijie Street in the old city area. The director of the institute had his wallet stolen while he was away on a business trip. Although there wasn't much money in it, all his identification documents were inside."
"And Jiang Jiang found the wallet?"
"Exactly. Jiang Jiang found the wallet in a trash can. Since he couldn't enter the train station, he waited by the trash can until the staff from the train station arrived. After the director retrieved his wallet, he felt that although Jiang Jiang was a little slow, he was honest and reliable. He also wanted to help Jiang Jiang, so he arranged for him to work cleaning in the welfare institute."
"Unfortunately, it didn't last long. Jiang Jiang was dismissed because of his uncleanliness and the unpleasant odour emanating from his body. The problem arose when, after Jiang Jiang left, a child in the welfare institute started claiming that he would encounter ghosts at night."
"Ghosts?" Han Fei took Li Xue's words seriously. "Can we find that child?"
"That child went missing, but we found another child who used to share a room with him. This child told us something horrifying. He and the missing child slept side by side in
the bedroom, where they could see each other's beds and the space underneath. The missing child always claimed that there was a ghost hiding under the other child's bed and that it only appeared during the late hours when everyone was asleep."
"What you're trying to say is that this ghost is Jiang Jiang?" After experiencing Perfect Life, Han Fei's thinking had caught up with that of an experienced detective with rich investigative experience. "But in such an obvious case, the police would have surely suspected Jiang Jiang from the beginning."
"The police did investigate Jiang Jiang first, but the investigation was difficult to proceed with."
"Why? Did he have an alibi?"
"Because he died." Li Xue sent another picture to Han Fei. "This Jiang Jiang is the first victim in the Refrigerator Corpse Case."
"He was the homeless man killed by the Meng brothers?" Han Fei asked.
"We have no evidence to suggest that the Meng brothers are the killers. However, you previously hinted to me that the Refrigerator Corpse Case was related to the Puzzle of Human Bodies case. So, we retrieved information about the Refrigerator Corpse Case, and we made an astonishing discovery." Li Xue sent Han Fei a third picture, a photo taken in an abandoned villa, showing a strange drawing beneath the tattered blanket of the homeless man Jiang Jiang.
Amongst the black trees, there was a black house, and around the house were drawings of headless children.
"At the time, the police believed that Jiang Jiang, who had intellectual disabilities, might be a mentally disturbed monster deep inside. He usually suppressed his emotions. But after hearing what you just said, I realized that these black trees, the black house, and the headless figures around it perfectly match the hints you gave me!" Li Xue's voice became lower. "A homeless man who had nothing to gain and no reason to scheme, the police thought his murder was in line with the random killing law of a serial killer. However, when I saw this drawing, I realized that the killer murdered Jiang Jiang to silence him. He may have witnessed the killer's actions and even something more terrifying!"
"I understand what you mean. You believe that Jiang Jiang approached Wei Youfu and the others not to harm them, but to save them!" At that moment, Han Fei realized how closely the Puzzle of Human Bodies case and the Refrigerator Corpse Case were connected.
"Do you know what's even more terrifying?"
"What?"
"The killer of the Puzzle of Human Bodies case likely intentionally used Jiang Jiang, who had intellectual disabilities, to save people. He enjoyed the pleasure of being betrayed, despised, and hated despite his goodwill. Perhaps in the killer's eyes, goodness looks just like Jiang Jiang: ugly appearance, emitting an unpleasant smell, and having low intelligence." Li Xue's voice became sober. "Jiang Jiang has never done anything wrong. He tried to warn the victims of the Puzzle of Human Bodies case, but he faced misunderstanding and aversion. Apart from Wei Youfu, no one wanted to get close to the dirty him."
"If someone abnormal suddenly approached me on the street, warning me that I might be killed, I'm afraid I wouldn't believe it either. The killer wasn't exploiting a weakness of human nature; he deliberately watched Jiang Jiang fail and enjoyed the show."
"Exactly. The killer arrogantly believed that everyone would consider Jiang Jiang a madman. However, one person did something unexpected—Wei Youfu!" Li Xue finally reached the crucial point. "You previously asked me to pay attention to the puzzle shop. I checked all the records, and among those who had contact with Jiang Jiang near the puzzle shop, Wei Youfu had the most interactions with him. Wei Youfu was willing to help Jiang Jiang, and Jiang Jiang wanted to save him by constantly giving him hints. In the end, Wei Youfu was likely swayed. Wei Youfu, who often worked overtime, acted strangely in the final few days before his death. He went alone to an ecological conservation forest in the outskirts of Xinhu on two separate occasions."
Comments
Post a Comment