Simulated Crime, This Criminal Doesn’t Seem to Be Acting

In the dimly lit environment with the curtains drawn, Ye Sangsang's knife glimmered with a cold light as she moved it slightly.

She tilted her head, opposite the peephole, where the person on the other side might be gazing back through it. She smiled, her eyes curving slightly, brimming with a strong sense of mischief, as she waited for the person at the door to enter.

Unfortunately, the person outside seemed rather "shy" and was unwilling to come in.

She knew that the person had the means to unlock the door.

Hesitating to enter was truly disappointing!

After a while, a faint sound of a car starting came from the door, and the person had driven straight into the compound.

Ye Sangsang turned away from the door area and walked to the table, her gaze fixed on Qian Can in front of her, her eyes filled with visible scorn.

Qian Can's ears, which had not been pierced by Ye Sangsang, had caught the sounds of what had just happened. The supposed lifeline had left, and his emotions spiraled into intense agitation.

The person who had come, thinking he was not there, had left directly.

Watching Qian Can crumble and stop resisting, Ye Sangsang raised her hand and with a swift, downward motion, the knife flashed.

A chilling light.

A guttural, agonized cry was muffled, and Qian Can's calm expression turned into a grotesque mask of pain.

With the duct tape over his mouth, Ye Sangsang slashed it repeatedly across his lips.

After silently admiring her handiwork, she turned off the livestream and logged out of the dark web.

Before delivering the fatal strike, she leaned close to Qian Can's ear and whispered something.

The villain always dies after talking too much, but the feeling of saying it was simply exhilarating, so she indulged herself by sharing her speculation.

This way, she could also let him know that his death was not unjust.

Qian Can's blood gushed out, and under Ye Sangsang's gaze, he gradually lost his life.

Ye Sangsang placed the knife beside his ear and surveyed the pool of blood on the floor. She burned all the raincoats and boots in the fireplace he had labored to decorate, ensuring everything was reduced to ashes before she turned and left.

As a professional, she left footprints inside her rain boots and wore gloves as she departed.

Returning the same way, she removed her head cover, mask, gloves, and shoe covers, burning them in a secluded spot before returning home.

For Ye Sangsang, this was a process of gaining emotional awareness, taking control of life, experiencing a different life.

She returned to the Lin Family residence and stepped into the bathroom to take a cold shower.

Due to the numerous wounds sustained over the past two years, Lin Ying's body was extremely fragile, and even a short exposure to cold water would leave her uncomfortable or feverish.

This was something Ye Sangsang discovered after killing Qin He and getting caught in the rain, and she put this knowledge to use now.

Indeed, after less than two hours of washing, she began to feel a chill creep over her body, and a sense of lethargy set in.@@novelbin@@

She tidied up the bathroom, tucked herself into bed, and ignored Qian Can's messages throughout.

She not only needed an alibi but also needed to appear incapable of action.

Whether they believed her or not wasn't crucial; what mattered was that she had to create confusion.

In a daze, Ye Sangsang dropped her phone onto the floor and, feverish and dizzy, slipped into unconsciousness.

【Too strong, wahhhh, my Sister Sang is so dedicated!】

【Acting while adding twists so naturally!】

To be honest, Sister Sang really embodies whatever role she portrays. Even when she played a male character in the first instance/scenario, she didn't seem awkward at all!

NPCs in the instance world aren't static. Although the game system applies a belief buff to the player's character, if the player's behavior is too out of character, NPCs will show signs of confusion.

Many hosts who obtained early access have encountered this issue upon entering instances and had no choice but to restart.

Ye Sangsang's ability to immediately embody her role and ace the task is extremely rare for the audience.

As she burned with fever, her cheeks flushed red, Qiao Feng and Lin Yu returned home from their outing.

Qiao Feng had attended a meeting in the city, while Lin Yu had been working overtime, and they both returned in the afternoon.

Discovering that Ye Sangsang had a fever, and it was quite severe, they gave her some medicine.

Ye Sangsang lay weakly in bed, her face pale, her eyes vacant, and her spirit dulled.

The medicine didn't work much, and she needed to rest for a day or two.

Ye Sangsang glanced at the clock on the wall. If her estimate was correct, the police should be arriving soon.

Her prediction was accurate. About half an hour later, a knock sounded at the Lin Family's door.

Qiao Feng opened the door to find a male and female police officer inquiring if Ye Sangsang was home, as they needed to ask her some questions.

Qiao Feng's face showed confusion, nodding to allow them in.

Lin Yu, unaware of the recent events, even the fact that someone had died at school, looked bewildered.

"Why don't you just go into her room to ask? She's got a cold and a fever today," Qiao Feng suggested.

The two police officers hesitated but, considering everything that had happened, they had no choice but to push through and enter Ye Sangsang's room.

They opened the door and stepped into Ye Sangsang's room.

Perhaps knowing some details from Qian Can's phone, the female officer, Zhang Qian, looked at Qiao Feng. "Can we close the door to talk? Don't worry, we're both wearing cameras to record our entire interrogation."

"Of course," Qiao Feng agreed.

After half an hour on medicine, the fever began to subside, and Ye Sangsang's face regained its pale color.

Without makeup due to recent washing, her face still bore yellowish bruises, though not as severe as before.

She looked at the two with some confusion. “What’s going on?"

Her voice, already hoarse, revealed her weakness and resentment.

Zhang Qian and Yan Xiyu exchanged a glance. Ye Sangsang's condition indeed looked serious.

"I'm Zhang Qian, and this is Yan Xiyu. We're police officers. We've come to ask you about something," Zhang Qian told her.

Ye Sangsang's clear eyes met Zhang Qian's, a hint of confusion in them. "What is it?"

"A classmate of yours, Qian Can, has died. He was found dead in his studio at Heyuan Compound. According to information from his phone, you were the first person he contacted," Zhang Qian bluntly informed Ye Sangsang of Qian Can's death, her expression questioning.

Yan Xiyu, seemingly casually, observed her expression, trying to gauge whether she was lying.

Facing the questioning and observation of the two police officers, Ye Sangsang's face changed, her eyes shimmering with a spark, her lips twitching faintly upwards. But soon, her eyes filled with gloom, her face gradually turning ashen.

If Lin Ying were a pure victim, her first reaction to Qian Can's death would undoubtedly be joy. However, thinking about the photos and videos on Qian Can's phone—and knowing the police must have seen them—she would surely collapse.

Thoughts of her most vulnerable and shamed moments being exposed would make her fall apart.

Yan Xiyu looked at her expression and asked, "What's wrong?"

"…No… nothing…" Ye Sangsang forced a polite smile, though her expression was more pitiful than smiling.

Zhang Qian, recalling what they had seen on the other person's phone, frowned slightly, feeling sympathy. "Little sister, don't worry. We won't publicize those things. Just tell us about your relationship with Qian Can."

"…I have no relationship with him. I hate him. I loathe him…" As she spoke, Lin Ying's eyes reddened, and tears began to fall, her head lowered to hide her vulnerability from others.

Eagerly grabbing a tissue from the bedside to wipe her eyes, she kept her fragility concealed.

Zhang Qian's face showed compassion. As a cop who had long dealt with cases, how could she not understand what those videos meant for Ye Sangsang?

Today, the purpose of approaching Ye Sangsang was clear to them.

But since Ye Sangsang was a major suspect, they had to investigate thoroughly.

At that thought, she steeled her resolve and directly asked, “Did you go to the compound after receiving Qian Can’s message today?”

Ye Sangsang lifted her teary eyes, wide with disbelief, staring at Zhang Qian, as if she couldn't comprehend the question.

"I felt unwell this morning. After finishing my homework, I lay down. Vaguely, I remember getting a message but felt too miserable to focus and just fell asleep," she responded while appearing to think, occasionally showing a hint of guilt.

Yan Xiyu noticed the phone at the foot of the bed and picked it up.

"Is this your phone?" he asked.

Ye Sangsang nodded, looking puzzled. "Yes, how did it end up there?"

Thinking of the messages from Qian Can on the phone, her expression turned angrier.

Forcing down the hatred and disgust, she picked up and checked her phone before handing it to Yan Xiyu.

Yan Xiyu took the phone and scrolled through the unread messages.

With a casual swipe, he landed on the other person's WeChat steps, which showed only a dozen or so.

It seemed she had only glanced at the time before the morning messages arrived.

Zhang Qian glanced at it too, thinking that the other person was probably so feverish that she didn't have the energy to check her phone.

Both of them confirmed that Ye Sangsang was truly sick, as her weakened state couldn't be feigned.

Looking at the two of them, Ye Sangsang took a deep breath and prodded, "Actually, I vaguely saw some words, but I was too sick to get up. I felt awful, and I even entertained the thought of 'what's the point?' because it was just too painful…"

Her eyes welled up with tears instantly. She lowered her head, grabbing tissues in a flurry, her eyes filled with unspeakable anguish.

The two began to comfort Ye Sangsang.

But as Zhang Qian reached out, about to touch her head, Ye Sangsang instinctively dodged.

It was a reflex, ingrained from years of protecting herself when abused.

Half of it was an act, but the other half was her body acting on its own.

Realizing this, she quickly calmed down and gave Zhang Qian an apologetic look.

"Sorry…" Zhang Qian's eyes reddened, her voice choked with emotion.

Yan Xiyu’s sharp eyes caught the large bruises and jagged scars still visible under her sleeve. His eyes narrowed, and a spark of anger lit in his gaze.

What a scumbag!

After a few more perfunctory questions, the two finally took their leave.

Ye Sangsang watched them go.

As the door was about to close, she let out a sob of pain.

Stepping outside, Zhang Qian spotted Qiao Feng, who appeared gentle. Thinking of Ye Sangsang’s situation, she couldn’t help but say, “We need to pay more attention to the child. Apart from the privacy videos we found on Qian Can’s phone, her school life isn’t easy. If anything else happens, don’t hesitate to report it or consider transferring her to another school.”

At fifteen, she’s in the prime of her youth, yet the scars and the silent harm she endures are enough to overwhelm even an adult.

“We’ll keep an eye on her…” Qiao Feng forced a smile, her expression stiff.

Yan Xiyu pulled Zhang Qian aside, shaking his head with a sigh, signaling her to leave.

Zhang Qian understood his hint and felt even more heartbroken.

Lin Yu stood by, saying nothing throughout.

Zhang Qian and Yan Xiyu walked away.

[It seems like they wanted to help, but they couldn’t. The perpetrator is dead, so all they can do is make sure photos and videos don’t leak.]

[The policewoman wanted them to save Lin Ying. If even one person had pulled her back, she wouldn’t have gone to such extremes.]

[When Sangjie cried earlier, I wanted to cry too. Our Lin Ying has been through so much.]

Viewers in the live stream wiped tears from their eyes as they watched the scene unfold.

The thought of the harm done to a girl—real, physical harm—was enough to make them lose control of their emotions.

The parents’ indifference after the police intervention only deepened their pain.

The live stream’s camera shifted to follow the couple, who both entered Ye Sangsang’s room.

Ye Sangsang looked at them, her eyes still teary and confused.

Qiao Feng stared at her, her tone accusatory. “What did you tell the police? Did you mention what happened at school? And what privacy videos are you talking about?”

Lin Yu looked at Ye Sangsang, his eyes full of disappointment.

“What privacy videos? You don’t know about them? Do you need me to explain? Or are you… asking because you want to see them too?” Ye Sangsang wiped away her tears and stared directly at the two.

Her dark pupils reflected their faces, her gaze laced with scorn.

The two were unnerved by Ye Sangsang’s stare, taking a step back out of guilt.

But their shame quickly turned to anger. Qiao Feng stepped forward, raising her hand to slap Ye Sangsang.

Ye Sangsang raised her hand to catch the slap, gripping Qiao Feng’s wrist and flinging it away forcefully. “Get out! What right do you have to lecture me? Everything you have came from me! Get out!”

Her voice was hoarse, filled with intense fury and resentment.

Qiao Feng stepped back, stunned, her chest heaving as shock filled her eyes.

Lin Yu tried to speak, but Ye Sangsang’s cold gaze silenced him instantly.

He lowered his head, his eyes flickering as he stepped back, guilt written all over his face.

Ye Sangsang grabbed whatever decorative objects she could find and hurled them at the two, forcing them out of the room.

After venting, she leaned against the wall, her head throbbing with sharp pain. After a few minutes, she lay down to rest.

She had planned it all—these two had never suffered and ignored their daughter’s agony. It was truly infuriating.

Ye Sangsang skipped ahead in time.

After resting through Saturday night and Sunday, her body had recovered significantly.

On Monday, the atmosphere in the classroom was unusually tense, with many students looking fearful.

In such a short time, three people had died—all from the same class—making everyone feel uneasy.

As Ye Sangsang entered, she felt numerous eyes on her.

Groups of students whispered to each other, while those who weren’t talking lingered over their phones under their desks, sending messages.

The private school encouraged educational freedom. Phones weren’t strictly banned, and as long as they weren’t excessive, even dyed hair and makeup were permitted.

So when Ye Sangsang saw the phones, it wasn’t surprising, but she was curious about what they were discussing.

Was it about her?

Unfortunately, she was isolated, and asking would only earn her glares.

She carried her bag to her seat in the third row from the back.

Due to being bullied, Ye Sangsang habitually checked her chair and desk. She pretended to be startled whenever something like a spider or a frog appeared.

But this time, things seemed different…

She found a yellow talisman taped inside her desk and realized what they must have been whispering about.

[Wow, they’re really pulling out all the stops now, huh? Can’t beat Sangjie, so they’re resorting to occult methods.]

[If you follow occult logic, they probably think anyone who bullied Sangjie recently has been unlucky, so they turned to talismans to deal with her.]

[I wondered what they were babbling about. So that’s it.]

Ye Sangsang glanced at the talisman for a moment, then sat down as usual.

These people never stopped trying to trip her up.

Couldn’t they just accept that she was taking revenge? Instead, they’re resorting to all sorts of tricks.

The entire class watched Ye Sangsang closely as she touched the talisman without any reaction. Their disappointment was palpable.

Especially Zhong Tongxin, who had arranged for the talisman and rushed to the outskirts to the CiXin Taoist Temple to get it in the middle of the night.

She believed Ye Sangsang was a demon who had risen from the dead.

Otherwise, how could it be explained that they had felt no breath from her, buried her, and yet the next day she returned to school as if nothing had happened?

Unless she was a ghost, come back to avenge herself.

Those who harassed her afterward died one by one.

But to her surprise, the talisman didn’t work.

Ye Sangsang was perfectly fine.

Could it be that Ye Sangsang wasn’t a ghost?

Or that the talisman was fake?

Zhong Tongxin stared at Ye Sangsang, her eyes filled with determination.

Whether she was a human or a ghost come back for revenge, Zhong Tongxin would expose her true nature.

Ye Sangsang lowered her head, taking out a notebook and writing slowly, looking like an ordinary girl.

Her next target was Zhong Tongxin.

Seeing the circumstances of her demise, Ye Sangsang understood. Zhong Tongxin was the one who buried her alive!

But was Lin Ying conscious when it happened?

An intentional, conscious burial?

If she didn’t know the answer, she would find it, satisfying her curiosity.

After thinking it through, a glimmer of amusement flickered in Ye Sangsang’s eyes.

Perhaps out of fear, except for the isolation, Ye Sangsang’s day passed peacefully.

It wasn’t entirely quiet, though. The police came again, and almost everyone in the class who had been close to Qin He and Qian Can was interrogated.

They all inevitably brought up Ye Sangsang’s name when speaking, but whenever the police pressed for details, they became vague, unwilling to mention the bullying.

They dared not admit the bullying within their small clique, yet they suspected Ye Sangsang.

The police were no fools either, quickly sensing something amiss.

Qin He and Qian Can were both among those who had bullied Ye Sangsang.

This pointed the finger directly at Ye Sangsang, as a victim of bullying, she had the motive to kill.

And so, Ye Sangsang was also brought into the corridor.

The interrogators were still Zhang Qian and Yan Xiyu, who had switched tactics, expressing their willingness to help her and inquiring about who had bullied her.

Ye Sangsang shook her head to all questions, remaining silent and visibly distrustful.

From Lin Ying's perspective, it was understandable that she didn't trust the police, especially since all evidence had disappeared and there was no one to prove she had been bullied.

"I really have nothing to say, that’s it," she said woodenly, resigned.

As experienced police officers, Zhang Qian and the others sighed at the silent victim, especially given the lack of witnesses or evidence.

She thought for a moment and said, "We’ve decided to combine the cases of Qin He and Qian Can. There’s likely a serial killer at large in the city. Be careful when you go home, stay safe, and if anything happens, you can call me."

With that, she pulled out a business card and slipped it into Ye Sangsang’s hand.

Ye Sangsang clutched the card tightly, carefully placing it in her bag, and quickly muttered a soft "Thank you" before turning to leave.

Back in her classroom, someone immediately stood beside Ye Sangsang.

Zhong Tongxin looked down at Ye Sangsang imperiously and extended her hand. "Hand it over, I saw the female police officer give you something just now. You didn’t think the police could do anything to us, did you?"

Her expression was disdainful, as if looking at an insignificant piece of trash.

Tears welled up in Ye Sangsang’s eyes as she stretched out her hand and handed the business card to Zhong Tongxin.

Zhong Tongxin picked up the card with two fingers, examined it briefly, then tore it in half, then into four pieces, and finally into eight, before flinging the scraps in Ye Sangsang’s face.

Leaning close to Ye Sangsang’s ear, she whispered, "Did you really think that with Qian Can dead, your indecent photos and videos would disappear? How naive. Everyone in our clique has a copy."

She paused and continued, "I advise you to stay in line. No matter what you are, in Zhong Tongxin’s eyes, you’re just trash!"

Ye Sangsang’s head sank even lower.

Satisfied with her reaction, Zhong Tongxin smirked.

She reached out and patted Ye Sangsang’s cheek. "Be sensible. You lowborn scum will always be nothing more than our plaything."

[So angry, who does she think she is?]

[I hate people who act so high and mighty.]

[Go, Sangsang!]

Ye Sangsang remained silent, not used to talking tough, preferring to act first.

Zhong Tongxin finally left, clearly not satisfied with just this small punishment. What she truly wanted was for Ye Sangsang to completely submit.

So that afternoon, as school ended, Ye Sangsang was assigned to clean the toilets.

She silently did her work, and just as she was about to finish, Zhong Tongxin walked in.

She sauntered around, inspecting the bathroom. "Perfect, someone like you is meant to clean toilets. If you can’t find a job in the future, you can always come to my house and clean our toilets as a maid."

She wasn’t alone; two sycophants trailed behind her, one of whom had framed Ye Sangsang with a note insulting Liu Ran. That girl now wore a luxury bracelet.

Ye Sangsang said nothing, continuing to sweep the floor.

"Are you deaf? Our Sister Zhong is talking to you!" one of the girls pushed Ye Sangsang, acting brazenly.

Ye Sangsang looked up and answered naturally, "Alright!"

Zhong Tongxin narrowed her eyes, sensing something off about the Ye Sangsang in front of her.

"I don’t know how you crawled out of that grave, but I’m warning you, stay in line. Don’t even think about plotting anything, or I’ll make sure your whole family leaves this city." She said menacingly.

Ye Sangsang continued to remain silent, calmly cleaning.

Her presence gave Ye Sangsang the answer she needed—Zhong Tongxin was the one who had dug the grave.

It was truly impressive how everyone in this clique was a lawbreaker, a real "all-around villains" scenario.

After Zhong Tongxin had the toilets purposely dirtied again and verbally chastised Ye Sangsang, she left.

Ye Sangsang was a bit puzzled—what was Zhong Tongxin playing at? She had expected more torture.

But Ye Sangsang underestimated her. On her way home, Zhong Tongxin had sent a group of hooligans to follow her, clearly intending to teach her a lesson.

Or perhaps, feeling Ye Sangsang was somehow sinister, they might even try to have her killed.

As Ye Sangsang left the school, she immediately sensed their presence.

She didn’t act hastily, noticing another group of people lurking near the school gate.

With two students already dead, both from wealthy families in the city, their families would undoubtedly be putting pressure on the police.

It was normal for undercover officers to be stationed at the gate to catch the murderer, and Zhang Qian had even told Ye Sangsang to be careful.

Realizing there were two groups following her, Ye Sangsang acted nonchalantly, walking slowly as if lost in thought.

Since she had been cleaning up late, there were only a few students left on the road. By the time she slowly walked out, the street was almost empty.

There were two routes from the school to Ye Sangsang’s residential area: a longer, busy main road, and a shortcut through a small alley that led directly home.

At the fork in the road, she seemingly showed no caution and walked straight into the alley.

Or perhaps she was just walking with a certain nonchalance.

Halfway through, she suddenly seemed to come to her senses, feeling a shiver of panic, then gripped her schoolbag strap and hurried to leave the alley.

Just as her face showed fear, several hurried footsteps came from behind.

Ye Sangsang sensed danger and bolted forward, quickly surrounded by the hooligans.

What a pretty girl, though apparently she’s a cheap slut who’s been around. I don’t mind, just wonder how she tastes, the leader of the hooligans said, stroking his chin, then pulling out a knife, tapping it gently against Ye Sangsang’s cheek.

The others leered at Ye Sangsang, their hands reaching toward her shoulders.

Ye Sangsang widened her eyes, frozen in fear.

Seeing this, the hooligans burst into laughter, bold and unrestrained.

She trembled in fear, stuttering, "What… what do you want… Please, just let me go… I’ll give you all the money I have."

With that, Ye Sangsang pulled out four hundred yuan and placed it in the leader’s hand, her face pleading.

The hooligan glanced at the money, realizing he could make a double profit, he stuffed it into his own bag, then grinned lecherously at Ye Sangsang, "Did you really think I’d let you go?"

At the leader’s words, the other two hooligans grabbed Ye Sangsang’s arms from both sides, making it easier for the leader to take action.

Ye Sangsang began to back away, struggling violently, shouting for help.

Seeing the situation escalate, the leader raised his hand to slap Ye Sangsang.

At that moment, a loud command echoed, "Don’t move! Police!"

Hearing this, the leader froze, quickly turning to run.

The other hooligans did the same, sprinting toward the other end of the alley.

They were then blocked by circling police officers.

Seeing them turn back, Ye Sangsang quickly ran toward the undercover officers.

The officers swiftly pulled her behind them and went after the hooligans.

Soon, all the hooligans were caught.

Ye Sangsang huddled in Zhang Qian’s arms, who was half a head taller than her, her expression fearful and fragile.

"Waaah, I… I already gave them money, why wouldn’t they let me go…" Ye Sangsang pointed out their robbery.

This was the purpose of her voluntarily handing over the money, asking them to let her go.

Once they accepted the money, whether they let her go or not, the crime of robbery was established.

Indeed, after Ye Sangsang spoke up, Zhang Qian realized these hooligans were suspected of robbery.

Eventually, all the hooligans were taken to the local police station. As a minor, Ye Sangsang was protected, while the hooligans, all of legal age, confessed and were found guilty, with multiple witnesses and evidence. They were all sentenced.

Ye Sangsang was driven home by Zhang Qian. Seeing her frail and delicate figure, she asked, "Didn't I tell you at noon to be careful and stay safe?"

At these words, Ye Sangsang pouted, her face showing a hint of grievance. She said with reddened eyes, "…I'm sorry."

"Don't… What's wrong?" Zhang Qian thought that Ye Sangsang was a very strong person. Even after being treated so poorly, she could still interact normally with others. Unless she was really touched on her sore spot, she wouldn't react like she did yesterday… and today.

Thinking of this, Zhang Qian stared at Ye Sangsang, stopped the car, and looked at her sternly. "Tell me, did something else happen at school today? And where is the business card I gave you?"

Ye Sangsang lowered her head, her eyes brimming with tears.

After a while, she looked up at Zhang Qian with red eyes, her voice breaking as she said, "That video… they still have it… and the business card… it was torn…"

As soon as these words were out, Ye Sangsang seemed to lose all her spirit, completely immersed in pain.

Zhang Qian's lips parted slightly, and then she looked at Ye Sangsang with heartache.

Recalling yesterday's events, she did not reach out to touch Ye Sangsang.

Seeing the slim girl who barely filled half of the passenger seat, she swallowed hard.

"Do you know who 'they' are?" she asked.

Ye Sangsang shook her head quickly, her eyes filled with fear. "No… I can't say."

"Alright, then don't say. I'll investigate it myself," Zhang Qian decided not to press her further. She would uncover the truth herself and save the girl in front of her.

Ye Sangsang's eyelids drooped, and she was driven home by Zhang Qian.

Once at home, Ye Sangsang began her fourth plan.

To kill Zhong Tongxin.

The fourth mission was far more difficult than previous ones.

These wealthy individuals weren't fools. Su Yang was killed while at school, Qin He deliberately created a chance to be alone, and Qian Can actively offered himself up in a situation where he could be killed.

But now, the Zhong family would naturally be on high alert, assigning bodyguards to protect Zhong Tongxin twenty-four hours a day, and making sure she was never alone.

As for Zhou Qingyue, he always traveled by car, which were all equipped with bodyguards, making it extremely difficult to strike.

To achieve a perfect crime within the target time without being discovered was highly challenging.

According to Lin Ying's plan, it required timing, location, and perfect conditions.

Ye Sangsang was contemplating whether to wait for these favorable conditions or find another way to achieve her goal.

Waiting for the right timing and conditions would take time, at least two weeks, to allow Zhong Tongxin to lower her guard.

She wondered if she should speed up this process because two weeks brought too many uncertainties.

Especially since there were people outside Qian Can's studio, which she was sure wasn't in the case initially.

Since it was a live broadcast, any commotion would have been recorded and not overlooked.

Therefore, she knew she had to speed up the progress.

She continued to go to and from school as usual, greeting Zhang Qian and others who were watching over her, nodding politely to show her friendliness.

As for Zhong Tongxin, perhaps because the people she sent were caught, she had probably been warned by her family and hadn't made any moves on her these past few days.

Instead, she continued to throw insults, mockery, and threats her way.

On the fourth day, Ye Sangsang quietly waited for her opportunity, which happened to arrive.

Zhong Tongxin cupped her cheeks with both hands and chatted with her deskmate during class, as if no one else was around. "Nothing has happened recently. Zhou Qingyue invited me to go camping at the Autumn Deer Manor with him."

"The private hot spring manor of the Zhou family? The one next to the Longqing Lake villa area?" the girl exclaimed in surprise, her face showing envy, flattery, and a hint of disbelief.

Zhong Tongxin's eyes sparkled with joy, her cheeks slightly flushed as she nodded and whispered about the gentleness of Zhou Qingyue's invitation.

She liked Zhou Qingyue, the handsome and excellent heir of the Zhou family, who was even stronger than her own family. Such a chance to get close and interact intimately was something she wouldn't miss.

Her future goal was to marry someone of a higher status and become a virtuous wife and mother. Her family had set her sights on Zhou Qingyue and Qian Can. Unfortunately, Qian Can was too messed up and dead, leaving the outstanding Zhou Qingyue as the only target.

Ye Sangsang listened quietly, her pen continuing to scribble notes without a pause.

She thought it was just a routine outing for the other girl.

Until Zhong Tongxin's gaze landed on her.

In the next moment, Zhong Tongxin said in her ear, "Didn't you promise to be my maid? Why not start now! After all, your whole family serves us…"

"In two days, you will come with my housemaid to the Autumn Deer Manor!"

Ye Sangsang's hand paused, and the pen stopped writing.