Tang Yuwen didn’t keep everyone waiting long. Ten days later, news spread like wildfire through their circle that Mo Wei had been taken away by the police for investigation.
Chuanming Film’s big boss, Chen Aiming—Mo Wei’s wife—had filed a formal complaint accusing him of massive embezzlement during his tenure. Their divorce papers were delivered by lawyers at the same time.
“Mia, is your friend some kind of fairy? How did she pull this off?” Emma couldn’t wait to get the inside story as soon as she slid into the passenger seat.
The car headed toward the camping base. The evening glow filtered through the front windshield, lighting up Emma’s pretty face, her expression fully illuminated by the beam.
Dry autumn wind poured in from the car window. Miao Zhu brushed her wind-tousled long hair back, her rose-colored lips parting as she said, “Mo Wei handled so many projects at Chuanming Film, and you’re not the only one he harassed. Wen Jie had solid evidence, but those other two victims were celebrities with big followings. After weighing it, they chose not to go public and only communicated privately with Chen Aiming.”
Emma nodded in understanding. The person who stepped forward was brave, but protecting oneself from further harm was only human.
Miao Zhu continued, “Chuanming Film did an internal audit recently, so Chen Aiming already had dirt on Mo Wei. But after all their years as a couple, she couldn’t make up her mind. Once she saw the harassment evidence, though, she decided to report him and file for divorce.”
It wasn’t the crime Emma had imagined, but the end goal was the same—sending Mo Wei to prison. That was enough. “Mia, I’m so thrilled I don’t know what to say… How can I ever thank Wen Jie properly?”
Mo Wei’s betrayal had certainly chilled Chen Aiming’s heart, but it wasn’t the only reason she reported him. She was a successful businesswoman. When Tang Yuwen came to her, it was business, and she naturally added incentives Chen Aiming couldn’t refuse.
But there was no need to tell Emma that—it would only add needless stress.
“Didn’t you prepare a thank-you gift?” Miao Zhu pointed to the ingredients and cookware in the back seat. “Your seafood clay pot porridge is chef-level stuff.”
The campsite was in the near suburbs, ringed by a lake and backed by a whole pine forest. Tents of various sizes dotted the area, about a dozen in total. Beige canopies topped them, and from afar along the highway, the site looked like fluffy clouds scattered across lush green grass.
Li Zi’s cousin had built this campsite. Miao Zhu carried the prepped ingredients, while Emma lugged the clay pot. They’d just gotten out of the car when Li Zi came to greet them.
Back during their study abroad days, Li Zi would come play with Miao Zhu alongside Sheng Xingran, and Emma joined every few days, so everyone knew each other.
The site was vast. As they walked deeper, the sunset hadn’t fully set, the horizon still tinged pink and purple. Moon-viewing lanterns hung around, their orange-yellow warm glow creating a serene, elegant atmosphere.
Li Zi gave a quick rundown of the layout and pointed to the right front: “Xingran and Wen Jie are at the coffee bar over there. Let’s head that way first. Xingran’s sister is here today too.”
Emma raised her brows at Miao Zhu, who looked utterly clueless. Clearly, she hadn’t known Mu Shanyi would be coming.
Per their weekly agreement, she’d met Mu Shanyi at Tower Shadow Sunny River last week. In the throes of passion, she’d said all sorts of shameless things to please her, but even as she left, she hadn’t mentioned asking Tang Yuwen for help—or this camping trip.
—Now Mu Shanyi was here. Did she know about it?
“Your new friend is pretty cool, huh?” Tang Yuwen noticed the approaching figures. Her gaze locked on the short-cropped hair in the middle, and she turned to Sheng Xingran. “Kinda interesting.”
Sheng Xingran wasn’t listening. She sprang from her chair and waved at Miao Zhu. “Longlong!”
She hurried over to greet her.
“…Always thinking about Miao Zhu. She still has such a hold on my little sister?” Tang Yuwen nudged Mu Shanyi with her knee.
“No idea.” Mu Shanyi didn’t even lift her eyelids.
“Do you remember the first time Xingran went to my bar after turning legal? She barely drank and got smashed. Her drunken behavior was fine, though—she’d do two things.” Tang Yuwen chuckled. “Complain about you, or look for Miao Zhu.”
Sheng Xingran approached Miao Zhu with a bright smile, but her relaxed brows suddenly furrowed tight. “Watch out!”
Lu Zheng’s sharp command rang out at the same moment: “Stop! Grace!”
Grace hesitated but didn’t stop. It bounded excitedly toward Miao Zhu with a small branch picked up from the pine woods in its mouth, then skidded to a neat halt, nuzzling its fluffy head affectionately against the back of Miao Zhu’s knee.
The momentum carried through, right at the knee bend. In a flash, Miao Zhu grabbed Emma. Emma stumbled two steps, and the two barely kept their balance.
Grace had no idea it’d almost caused trouble. It dropped the branch at Miao Zhu’s feet and wagged its tail amiably.
Lu Zheng rushed up panting and leashed Grace.
“Why does my sister’s dog act like it knows you?” Sheng Xingran sighed in relief once she saw Miao Zhu hadn’t fallen.
Lu Zheng held Grace, who sat obediently, tongue lolling out in a brilliant doggy grin at Miao Zhu.
Miao Zhu seemed not yet recovered from the surprise. Emma, though, set down the clay pot, unzipped her backpack, and pulled out a pack of dog treats. “Did it smell dog scent on me? I have a dog too.”
Emma poured half the jerky into her palm and handed the rest to Miao Zhu. “Wanna feed it? It’s so handsome.”
