Chapter 87: Rumors

"See, you already don't remember the name. This actress is called Lan Die. The entertainment industry is so cruel. If you're not popular, no one remembers you at all!"

"Oh, now that you mention it, I have some impression. Before *Divine Strategy of the Tang Dynasty* aired, there was news that this actress was a mistress, right? I remember reading the original wife's essay. She said that in order to get the role, Lan Die seduced the director. The original wife wrote a very long essay accusing Lan Die of how she intervened in her marriage and caused her to have a miscarriage... At that time, the whole internet was attacking her for a while," Wu Shanqiu said.

Qi Fei couldn't help but look at Wu Shanqiu: "Why are you so bored!"

Wu Shanqiu smiled: "You don't understand the enthusiasm of a single girl gossiping..." Then she immediately asked Wang Defa: "So this news was actually exposed by Hong Mei?"

"Heh, can I say, rather than calling it an expose, it's better to call it a rumor? Of course, it was Hong Mei who spread the rumor, and I was just being used," Wang Defa was always distancing himself.

"Ah? Wasn't this confirmed? The director even came out to apologize..." Wu Shanqiu said in surprise.

"What can you do? People have to survive in this circle. Do you want to hold on and be blacklisted until you can't turn over? Besides, scumbags always have a chance to turn over. After all, the focus of this matter was attacking Lan Die for being a mistress. The director was just a tool man!"

"So, did Lan Die actually... with this director..."

"Of course not. That original wife and Hong Mei were best friends. She had long wanted to divorce. The one who cheated wasn't that director, it was the original wife. It's just that the woman didn't want to leave with nothing, so she came up with such a damaging trick. As for Lan Die, you know, Hong Mei coveted her role as 'Xian Yao'. At the audition, Hong Mei also went, but she just didn't beat Lan Die. That director and Lan Die had only met twice at parties, not even counting as ordinary friends. It was Hong Mei and her best friend getting what they needed, hitting it off, and pulling off this thief calling thief trick!"

"So it was a rumor from beginning to end?" Qi Fei said, turning to Wu Shanqiu: "You, a police officer, believe such rumors?"

Wu Shanqiu muttered: "I wasn't a police officer then, just a student... Now that you mention it, Lan Die must hate Hong Mei to death."

"There's no way around it. To mix in this circle, you have to accept these things," Wang Defa said.

"So you mean, the conflicts between you and Hong Mei later were also acted out for others to see, actually for hype?" Qi Fei asked.

"Of course not. I said Hong Mei is the type to cross the river and tear down the bridge. How should I put it? I don't have any opinion on her personally. I've seen too many people like this. To get ahead in this industry, you have to have some extraordinary skills, and this is nothing. Besides, the tricks she used on Lan Die, Lan Die might be the first victim, but definitely not the last," Wang Defa put on the posture of an old hand. "In other words, she didn't dare to offend me completely. Otherwise, if we tore our faces off, we'd die together, which wouldn't be good for her. Those so-called lawyer letters and police reports were just tricks to appease fans. Every time her popularity was about to slide, she would take the initiative to contact me, reveal some recent gatherings with male stars, and let me steal some photos. There's nothing easier to get on the hot search than the scandals of popular stars. Black red is also red, she knows this too well."

"Heh, interesting. Then this paparazzi trip to the villa, was it also agreed upon by you two?" Qi Fei asked.

"That's not it. Huang Daqiu is the patron she finally managed to rely on. She has always been very careful and low-key, afraid that this 'rooster' that lays golden eggs would run away. But I think she knows in her heart that Huang is just playing with her. If she really exposed her affair with Huang Daqiu, she wouldn't have a good end.

I received news that Hong Mei asked for leave from the crew. Everyone knows this. As long as she asks for leave, she must be accompanying Huang Daqiu. It's just that no one knows where they meet.

Huang Daqiu is usually high-profile, but if he doesn't want us to know, he can handle it very carefully. So Hong Mei and Huang Daqiu's scandal has been circulating for so long, and no one in our industry has really taken photos of them.

I don't know which of my fans is so capable, privately messaging me that Hong Mei and Huang Daqiu were going to meet at a place called Yun Shen Secret Realm, with detailed time and locations where I could steal photos. How could I miss such an exclusive? Besides, someone like Hong Mei would find an opportunity to step on me sooner or later, so I have to save some big news in my hands."

"Who sent you the private message?"

"Then I don't know. I can receive countless private messages like this every day. Some are smoke bombs released to ruin competitors, some are fan circle struggles to mess with the idols of the other side, and some are psychopaths. There are all kinds of people. People like us have seen a lot, so we know which are garbage and which are worth following. I knew this Yun Shen Secret Realm thing was 90% true as soon as I saw it. One, it fits Hong Mei's leave request very well. Another, this kind of club hidden in the deep mountains and forests is not something ordinary people can know. Being able to name the club shows that the source of the news is unusual," Wang Defa analyzed reasonably.

"It's a pity to use this talent of yours as a paparazzi."

"We have to have some professional spirit in whatever we do, right? To reach the top one or two in the country, we're not just blowing smoke. How should I put it? This Hong Mei died, after all, it's a human life. Although my words are not virtuous, for her, it can be considered getting what she asked for. No matter how her acting is, she has to leave a legend in this industry," Wang Defa said.

"Was there anything special that happened when you were there yesterday?" Qi Fei asked.

Wang Defa pursed his lips and said no.

"Your expression just now betrayed you. You still have things to hide from us, right? It's better to tell us. We are discussing a bloody murder case now, not entertainment gossip. These photos of yours can't protect you," Qi Fei reminded.

Wang Defa hesitated and said: "I saw Huang Daqiu slap Hong Mei. Damn, because they were hugging and kissing the second before, my shutter wasn't fast enough, I didn't capture it. It was just before he left. I don't know what the two of them said. Not long after, the two of them made up. Hong Mei respectfully sent Huang Daqiu away. After returning to the room, she seemed to be in a bad mood, throwing that big bouquet of roses on the bed for a long time, probably venting her emotions. Then I saw a flash behind her, just once. I felt it was my illusion, like I saw something..."

"Something?" Qi Fei's brow sank, feeling that something ghostly had happened. ===== CHAPTER 88 =====