Chapter 53: 100% Sugar
This translation is originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
As a bodyguard, Gu Qisong never stays too far away each day. He is currently in the hotel and immediately rushed to the first-floor staircase after receiving the call.
However, this means Gu Qisong won't be able to free up time to accompany Xi Mo to the hospital. Ruan Yesheng had to inform Yan Tinghuan again. Despite Yan Tinghuan usually appearing unreliable in front of others, Ruan Yesheng knows her capabilities and trusts her. This time, Yan Tinghuan agreed without hesitation and promised to come quickly.
Xi Mo is still deeply asleep in the room. After the recent series of incidents, Ruan Yesheng is even more reluctant to leave, so she stood in place and waited. After a while, she removes the door chain, and cautiously peeks out to observe. The hotel corridor twists and turns, appearing deserted at the moment. Only the elevator entrance is visible at the far end to the left, while the staircase entrance is at the end of another winding corridor, not visible from the current position.
However, Ruan Yesheng can confirm that the person definitely used the stairs to go down.
Even when that person came up, it's likely they used the stairs.
The person initially attracted attention by knocking on the door and then conveyed the message through the method of pasting and splicing with different fonts. It may seem like a simple process, but thinking deeper, any slight deviation could easily expose them.
The timing and rhythm of knocking must be well-controlled. After knocking, the person must immediately leave; otherwise, there's a high chance of being seen by the person opening the door. Yet, that person has the courage to come and knock on the door, indicating their great confidence in successfully escaping. Moreover, if the goal is to communicate information on paper, it's entirely feasible to print it in a single font without revealing one's identity. However, that person insisted on making a detour using different fonts, meticulously cutting them along the edges, and then pasting them onto an A4 paper.
All these details indicate that the person has enough patience, thorough preparation, great courage, and undoubtedly strong psychological resilience, as well as swift and efficient actions.
Someone with this personality, when engaging in an activity they don't want others to notice, would definitely not choose to use the elevator during its operation.
The hotel elevator's surveillance is wide-angle with extensive coverage. To avoid detection, the only option would be to keep their head down the entire time when riding the elevator, perhaps even wearing a hat or mask. Many staying in this hotel are actors and crew members from the film crew, and quite a few are celebrities. Although some celebrities may wear a mask outside to avoid harassment, in this hotel, everyone is open and transparent. If someone were to cover their face while riding the elevator in this situation, it would likely attract attention from others inside the elevator, increasing the chances of witnesses. In case witnesses provide details such as clothing, height, and body type, there's a possibility of exposure. For someone cautious, this is an unfavorable approach.
Therefore, when going up and down, the person should choose a relatively secluded staircase without surveillance. The hotel has many floors, climbing up and then running down consumes a tremendous amount of energy. Only those who regularly exercise could achieve this in a short period.
This means that the person's psychological and physical qualities might be extraordinary.
As Ruan Yesheng silently analyzed the situation, she felt a chill crawling up her spine.
Who could that person be?
Soon, Yan Tinghuan arrived. Seeing Ruan Yesheng's pale face, she sensed something was wrong and asked a few questions. Without delay, Ruan Yesheng immediately showed her the paper.
[I've come to find you.]
The fonts, arranged together with different colors, resembled a colorful yet distorted face.
Yan Tinghuan took a quick glance, and a frosty expression clouded her face.
Ruan Yesheng explained the details of the incident to her.
Yan Tinghuan commented, "The person was well-prepared, and at least today, they have been continuously tracking and monitoring. With both you and Xi Mo staying in this room simultaneously, it's challenging to determine the target. However, this room was originally assigned to you. It's just that you and Xi Mo switched, and others are unaware of this. The most likely target is you."
She leaned against the wall, frowning, and continued, "After all, you haven't completely shaken off your previous troubles. It's not ruled out that new troubles have come knocking again."
Ruan Yesheng bit her lip, "...I know."
"Yan Tinghuan tapped her fingers on her arm and said, 'Weren't you both previously threatened with a dead chicken thrown over the wall?'
“Yes, but this time is much more serious than before." Ruan Yesheng's serious expression carried an underlying worry, "Now, Xi Mo has taken my place, and she could be in danger at any moment.”
She glanced back at Xi Mo, still in a daze, and lowered her eyes, “She's still running a fever. You should take her to the hospital first, maybe get an IV. I can't come right now. Feng Tangtang is also in the hotel; you can take her with you for more support. If you notice any suspicious individuals following you, you know what to do.”
Yan Tinghuan's eyes flashed with a different light, and her entire demeanor seemed to change. She said grimly, “Don't worry, I'll handle it.”
After that, Yan Tinghuan carried Xi Mo downstairs, with Ruan Yesheng following closely. Soon, Feng Tangtang also received the message, and a few people gathered in the hotel lobby. Feng Tangtang was anxious, asking if it was serious, and Yan Tinghuan, annoyed by her chatter, told her to quickly bring the car over. Together with Ruan Yesheng, they helped Xi Mo into the back seat, covered her with a blanket, allowing her to continue sleeping.
The car left the hotel and headed to the hospital. Ruan Yesheng watched the vehicle depart, then walked to the stairwell entrance on the first floor. There, she found Gu Qisong concealed in a corner, eyes fixed on the exit, holding a phone in his hand. This corner was in a visual dead zone, making it challenging for anyone coming down the stairs to notice his presence.
“How is it?” Ruan Yesheng walked up to him and quietly asked.
Gu Qisong then turned around and said, "Xiao Mo, I haven't seen anyone coming down yet."
"How long did it take for you to come here after receiving the call?"
"A very short time." Gu Qisong finished speaking, informing Ruan Yesheng of the time he arrived.
Ruan Yesheng pondered for a moment. It was indeed very quick.
She asked, "Are you sure no one came down from upstairs?"
“No one. I've been watching the whole time, and I even recorded it on my phone." Gu Qisong handed his phone to Ruan Yesheng.
Ruan Yesheng reviewed the footage on Gu Qisong's phone, and there was a clear timestamp. During that period, the stairwell was indeed empty.
Did Gu Qisong arrive late, and the person had already come down early?
Could someone achieve that in such a short time?
Ruan Yesheng said, "Can you do me a favor?"
"Say it."
"I want you to climb to the floor where Ruan Yesheng's room is, then run down as fast as you can. I'll time you from here. Remember, your fastest speed."
"Okay."
Gu Qisong, efficient and resolute, immediately executed the task. With long strides, he ascended rapidly.
When he descended again, sweat covered his face from the exertion.
Having been a retired special forces soldier, Gu Qisong had undergone rigorous training in the military, so his speed and endurance were exceptional. Ruan Yesheng checked the time and realized that even with Gu Qisong's outstanding physical abilities, he couldn't come down in such a short time. How could that person have achieved it?
Ruan Yesheng suggested, "I'm thinking, what if that person didn't actually come down? He might have anticipated that I would likely call someone to block the stairwell. So, even though he took the stairs, he didn't exit through the stairwell on the first floor. Instead, he hid on a certain floor."
Gu Qisong's usually calm expression showed a slight change, and he said, "That's a possibility."
"Did you see anything suspicious while running up and down the stairs?"
This translation is originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
Gu Qisong pondered for a moment and answered seriously, "No, the stairwell was empty, no traces, and the fire exits were all closed."
Ruan Yesheng lowered her head, reconsidering her assumptions. Initially, she thought that after a threat, a person would quickly choose to escape to avoid exposure. However, there was another possibility: the person might not have left the hotel at all but rather hid on a certain floor. This way, there was no need to rush down the stairs in such a short time.
Ruan Yesheng said, "It's possible that this person is actually a guest in the hotel, possibly holding a room key card. They might have returned to a room on a specific floor, making it unknown where they are. Unlike corridors and elevators, not every place has surveillance. There are many blind spots. Since he was so well-prepared, I assume he wasn't captured on camera when he returned to his room. Once the coast is clear, he can blend in with other hotel guests, taking the elevator down as if nothing happened."
Gu Qisong looked at her, and Ruan Yesheng's expression became increasingly serious. She continued, "Many people staying in this hotel are part of the film crew. Considering the previous incident with the dead chicken, which happened within the film crew, is it possible that the person…is from our crew?"
Gu Qisong nodded and said, "It's possible. However, the crew is large, and we usually only interact with the main staff. There are many others we are not familiar with, making it difficult to investigate."
Indeed, the film crew has detailed responsibilities, with a large number of people and tasks keeping everyone busy. Sometimes, people may not even notice who walked past them. Even when preparing props on set, actors have their own tasks, and the prop preparers might go unnoticed. It could be Xiao Sun, Xiao Ma, or even Xiao Wang – who remembers?
This is the blind spot of the human eye.
Thinking about the numerous scenes they filmed before, where someone might have been submerged among the crew, silently observing them on set, Ruan Yesheng felt a shiver down her spine.
Although Gu Qisong was not adept at understanding emotions, he could sense that something was amiss with Ruan Yesheng. He said, "I will report this to Mr. Lu. Mr. Lu can access the most comprehensive list of crew members. In the future, I will cross-check names and faces one by one, paying extra attention."
After a pause, he added, "Protecting you is my job and responsibility, Xiao Mo. You can trust me."
Ruan Yesheng smiled gently, "Thank you. I have one more thing to ask for your help."
"What is it?"
"You mentioned protecting me is your job, and I want you to also undertake the task of protecting Ruan Yesheng, with double the salary."
Gu Qisong responded earnestly, "I understand. However, please consider 1.5 times the salary."
“Why?” After all this time, Ruan Yesheng knew that Gu Qisong was a bit different from others and couldn't help but ask.
Gu Qisong replied methodically, "My job has two parts to the fee: one is keeping the protected person within my line of sight, called 'watching,' taking up half the fee. The second is if an emergency occurs, and I take immediate action, called 'guarding,' also taking up half the fee."
"Since that's the case, why does Ruan Yesheng's part only require half the fee?" Ruan Yesheng asked.
Gu Qisong explained, "Because you, Xiao Mo, and Miss Ruan are always together, constantly in each other's company. While I watch over you, Miss Ruan naturally falls within my line of sight as well.".
Ruan Yesheng: "..."
"So, there's no need to charge Miss Ruan separately for the 'watching' fee; otherwise, it would be redundant," Gu Qisong stated.
Ruan Yesheng chuckled, "You do have a sense of professional fee ethics."
"Xiao Mo, you're praising me too much; it's just my duty."
Ruan Yesheng: "..."
In the evening, Yan Tinghuan called, mentioning that Xi Mo would stay in the hospital for observation for a day, but there were no major issues. When night fell, Ruan Yesheng arrived at the hospital, wearing sunglasses and a mask, fully armed until she entered the ward. She removed them once she closed the door behind her.
Feng Tangtang eagerly approached to help her with things, saying, "Sister Xi, no paparazzi following you, right?"
"None," Ruan Yesheng replied, looking at Xi Mo lying on the hospital bed, who turned her face to glance at her.
Feng Tangtang immediately felt relieved and added, "The nurse already checked the room earlier; she won't come again."
Ruan Yesheng walked over and sat down, gently asking, "Are you feeling better now?"
Xi Mo nodded, her gaze quietly fixed on her, "Much better."
Ruan Yesheng leaned forward, casually using the back of her hand to touch Xi Mo's forehead, then sat back and said, "The fever has indeed gone down."
Yan Tinghuan sat beside, cutting fruits. She leisurely took several bites herself before delicately slicing a small piece, then, holding a fork, extended it toward Xi Mo. She coaxed in a playful, drawn-out tone, "Ah—."
Xi Mo: "..."
Yan Tinghuan, seeing her unwillingness, felt aggrieved and said again, “Ruanruan, eat the fruit, come on, ah—”
Xi Mo still refused to open her mouth, leaning against the bedside with a low-pressure expression, looking at Yan Tinghuan as if she were looking at someone with intellectual disabilities.
“Give it to me.” Ruan Yesheng reached for the fruit knife in Yan Tinghuan's hand, selected the best-looking fruit from the tray, cut off a small piece, and handed it over with a fork, saying, “Ah—”
Xi Mo: "..."
However, she still opened her mouth, and Ruan Yesheng successfully fed the fruit to her.
When Feng Tangtang saw this scene, a strange feeling surged deep in her heart: "..."
It’s sweet.
100% sugar.
And Yan Tinghuan, who was regarded as mentally challenged: "..."
Heartbroken.
Pricked with holes.
