radicalducati Chapter 7: Welcome, Suspects!
Chapter 7: Welcome, Suspects!
The following evening, the area outside Xinghe Video Studio No. 7 was much more lively than usual.
This was originally the recording studio for the show "Tonight We Talk".
In the past, when guests entered, the first thing they saw was a light-colored sofa, warm lighting, a round coffee table, and the phrase "Hear the true voice" on the wall.
Now it's all gone.
The shed door was half open, and the lights inside were dim.
A long table sat in the center, its surface scattered with documents, a voice recorder, a half-empty glass of red wine, and a broken trophy. To the right was a filing cabinet, its door ajar, revealing file folders and a few photos crammed inside. To the left, a small dressing room had been set up with temporary partitions, the mirror edged with LED strips, the light casting a somewhat cold glow.
On the innermost wall, there was a black and white photograph of a man.
A line of text was pasted below the photo.
He Yuan, producer at Xinghe Video.
The staff stood at the door looking inside.
"Is this really a variety show?"
"I heard it's an internal trial recording."
"Are Bai Lulu and Shen Teng both coming?"
"Isn't this supposed to be an interview? Why does it sound like a crime drama?"
Old Zhao, the head of the stage design team, walked past them with an unlit cigarette dangling from his lips.
"Stop watching the spectacle, the lights aren't finished being adjusted yet."
Inside the studio, Shen Yan stood in front of the monitor, holding a test recording flowchart in his hand.
The four camera positions have been set up.
Unit 1 provides a panoramic view of the long table.
Unit 2 is mainly with Bai Lulu.
Unit 3 is keeping an eye on Shen Teng.
Unit 4 is responsible for responding to the guests' reactions.
This wasn't an official recording, but Shen Yan didn't dare treat it as a regular test shoot.
Bai Lulu will come, Shen Teng will come, and Zhou Qiming and Lu Jingran will also be sitting in the control room watching.
More importantly, the three-minute sample footage edited from this test recording will determine whether Yang Mixue's team will continue to open the door.
"Director Shen."
Cameraman Lao Wu peeked out from behind camera number two.
"Are you sure the owner of the second machine is Bai Lulu?"
"Sure."
"Shen Teng, won't you give me more?"
"Just keep an eye on him, Unit 3."
Shen Yan glanced at the shed door.
"He knows how to find the camera, so there's no need to follow him too closely."
Old Wu chuckled.
"Fine, you decide."
The new host, Lin Jiahe, has already arrived.
She stood by the long table, clutching the identity card envelope in her hand, her face filled with unease.
She originally thought she was there to host a test recording.
Before entering the shed, Shen Yan told her:
"No need for a host."
Lin Jiahe was stunned for a long time.
"If I don't host, then what am I supposed to do?"
"To be a suspect."
She hasn't fully recovered yet.
She walked to Shen Yan's side and asked softly:
"Director Shen, do I really have to lie?"
"You can sprinkle it, or you can not sprinkle it."
"What if I say something wrong?"
"Even if you say something wrong, you can still use it."
Lin Jiahe looked at him blankly.
Shen Yan said:
"This show isn't afraid of making mistakes, it's afraid of no one pointing them out. It's okay if you're nervous, viewers will be nervous too when they see this format for the first time. The more you act like a newcomer, the more likely they are to follow you in."
Lin Jiahe understood half of it, but not all of it.
But she nodded nonetheless.
"Then I'll try my best."
"Don't try to be as natural as possible."
Shen Yan looked at the identity card in her hand.
"Just don't show your card to anyone beforehand."
Lin Jiahe immediately tucked the envelope into his bosom.
Just then, footsteps came from outside the shed.
Bai Lulu has arrived.
She was dressed simply today, in a white shirt and black trousers, with her hair tied up, looking more neat than her usual look on variety shows.
Chen Man followed behind her.
Bai Lulu paused for a moment as soon as she entered the shed.
She looked up at the black and white photograph, then at the long table and the fake blood on the floor.
"Planner Shen."
She turned her head.
"You really turned the interview studio into a crime scene?"
Shen Yan walked over.
"Didn't you want to sit opposite Yang Mi Xue?"
"Let's practice at the table first."
Bai Lulu smiled and her gaze fell on the identity card envelope on the table.
Her smile faded slightly.
She's not just here for fun.
Since agreeing to the audition last night, Chen Man has reviewed the video design that Shen Yan gave her several times over.
She knew that if this segment could be edited out, she would have a chance to break through the label of "only knowing how to laugh".
If she can't edit it out, then she's just wasting a night with a low-level planner.
Chen Man walked to Shen Yan's side and lowered her voice.
"The test recording materials will not be distributed externally; this agreement has already been signed."
"I know."
"Lulu isn't here to be your source of laughter."
"She is the key to today."
Chen Man glanced at him but didn't say anything more.
A few minutes later, Shen Teng arrived.
Before the person even entered the shed, their voice came through first.
"Oh dear, with this light on, I feel like I have to say my last words today!"
He was wearing a dark jacket and, as expected, was carrying a thermos.
The staff members were visibly excited when they saw him.
After entering the room, Shen Teng first glanced around the shed, and finally his gaze fell on the pool of fake blood.
"Director Shen."
"Brother Teng."
"If I withdraw now, will it still be considered a breach of contract?"
Bai Lulu chimed in from the side:
"Brother Teng, didn't you say yesterday that you were already here?"
"Yesterday I thought it was just one game."
Shen Teng pointed to the black and white photos on the wall.
"Judging from the situation today, it seems like I won't be able to leave without solving the case."
Shen Yan handed him the ID card.
"Don't worry, you don't need to solve the case today."
Shen Teng took the envelope.
"Then what should I do?"
"Make others panic."
Shen Teng nodded upon hearing this.
"I'm familiar with this."
The last two replacement guests have also arrived.
One of them, Zhou Chi, is an actor within the platform. He used to be a regular supporting actor in several short drama projects, and this time he was temporarily pulled in for a test recording.
The other was Tang Zhou, an assistant in the variety show department, who was usually responsible for running the process. Shen Yan invited him to join the table to provide a perspective from an ordinary person.
Once all five people had arrived, the lights in the studio gradually dimmed.
The staff who were originally standing around retreated behind the camera.
In the control room, Zhou Qiming sat in the middle, his expression still not very good.
Lu Jingran sat next to him, holding a notebook in his hand.
He looked at the five split screens on the monitor without saying a word.
Zhou Qiming asked:
Do you think you can run it?
Lu Jingran thought for a moment.
"have no idea."
This answer is honest.
"But at least the shed looks decent."
Zhou Qiming snorted.
"He better not just be a shack."
Inside the shed, Shen Yan put on a headset.
"All departments confirmed."
"Unit 1".
"normal."
"Unit 2."
"normal."
"Unit 3 is normal."
"Unit 4 is normal."
"recording."
"normal."
Shen Yan looked at the five people around the long table.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I won't explain too much once the recording begins. The broadcast will provide guidance; please act according to your assigned identities and the clues provided at the scene."
Lin Jiahe raised his hand.
What if I really don't know how to say it?
Shen Teng immediately replied:
"Then just watch me. I usually don't know either."
Bai Lulu smiled.
The tension lessened somewhat.
Shen Yan glanced at the script supervisor.
The clapperboard is raised.
"Internal test recording of 'Celebrity Detective'"
"The first case, 'The Vanished Producer'."
Snapped.
The clapperboard fell.
The main light in the shed went out.
A cold light fell on the long table.
The broadcast started.
"Welcome to 'Celebrity Detective', teachers."
"He Yuan, the host originally scheduled for today's interview, has disappeared."
"Bloodstains, a shattered trophy, a half-empty glass of red wine, and five suspects were found at the scene."
"Each of you has an identity."
"You all have secrets."
"Find out who is lying within the time limit."
Lin Jiahe couldn't help but shrug his shoulders.
Shen Teng, holding a thermos, said slowly:
"I told you today wasn't the right day to tell the truth."
Bai Lulu looked down at the envelope in her hand.
Her fingers paused for a second before she unpacked it.
Assistant Bai
[You are He Yuan's long-term exploited assistant. He Yuan promised to make you the host of the new program, but replaced you with Lin at the last minute the night before recording.]
Last night, you and He Yuan had an argument.
[Secret: You sneaked into the office after 9 PM and took an old contract. Don't reveal this unless absolutely necessary.]
After Bai Lulu finished reading, she looked up at Lin Jiahe.
Lin Jiahe had just finished looking at her ID card, and her expression became even more tense.
[Host Lin]
[You are the new show host, temporarily replacing Assistant Bai.]
He Yuan promised to give you more resources, but on the condition that you cooperate in concealing one thing.
[Secret: You were at He Yuan's office door at 9:35 last night.]
Shen Teng also finished looking at the card.
[Shen Laoyou]
You are He Yuan's longtime friend, and you owe him 300,000 yuan.
Last night you came to talk to He Yuan about repaying the money, but you overheard someone arguing with him in the office.
[Secret: You entered the office after 9 PM and touched a glass of red wine.]
He stared at the line "owes 300,000" and remained silent for two seconds.
"Director Shen."
Shen Yan pressed the earpiece behind the monitor.
"Brother Teng, what's wrong?"
"Can I apply to stop owing money so often in the future?"
He chuckled in the shed.
Bai Lulu chimed in:
"Brother Teng, this shows that your character is under a lot of pressure in life."
"I already have enough pressure in real life, thank you."
The atmosphere became lively.
The broadcast continued.
"The first statement begins."
"Please explain your relationship with He Yuan and your whereabouts between 8 pm and 10 pm last night."
Five people sat down at the long table.
Bai Lulu was the first to speak.
She flipped through the ID card and said with a smile:
"I'm Assistant Bai. I've been exploited by Producer He for many years. I had an argument with him last night."
Shen Teng immediately looked at her.
"Your opening was dangerous."
Bai Lulu shrugged.
"It was given to me by the production team. I didn't want to look like a murderer as soon as I walked in."
Lin Jiahe whispered:
"I...I'm host Lin. I was supposed to be hosting a new program today, so I contacted producer He."
Bai Lulu turned her head to look at her.
"Whose seat are we taking?"
Lin Jiahe paused for a moment.
Bai Lulu laughed.
"Don't be nervous, I'm just asking."
Shen Teng took a sip of water.
"Lulu, your 'just asking' is scarier than an interrogation."
When it was Shen Teng's turn, he put his ID card on the table.
"I, Shen Laoyou, have known Producer He for many years and owe him some money."
Bai Lulu immediately asked:
"How much is one point?"
Shen Teng said seriously:
"The 300,000 at the character level does not represent my personal financial situation."
Zhou Chi couldn't help but laugh.
The broadcast was not interrupted.
Zhou Chi cleared his throat.
"I'm screenwriter Zhou, in charge of the script for Producer He's new program. I've been revising the script in the archives since 8:30 last night and haven't seen Producer He."
Tang Zhou spoke last.
"I'm Tang, the production assistant. I was the first to notice that Producer He was missing this morning. The scene at the time... well, it was like this right now."
As he said this, his eyes unconsciously glanced at the fake blood on the ground.
Shen Teng immediately noticed.
"What did you mean by that pause just now?"
Tang Zhou panicked.
"It doesn't mean anything."
Bai Lulu also looked over.
"You said that's exactly how it was back then, but you seem to be changing your story just now."
Tang Zhou's face turned red instantly.
"This is my first time recording this, I'm a little nervous."
Shen Teng said to the camera:
"Friends, nervousness is a standard trait of criminal suspects."
Shen Yan said from behind the monitor:
"Keep this reaction in mind."
In the control room, Zhou Qiming moved forward a little.
Lu Jingran looked at the screen, his pen pausing on the notebook.
This start went better than he had expected.
The group didn't freeze.
As soon as the rules were laid out, they started arguing amongst themselves.
The announcement came on again.
"The first round of evidence collection begins."
"Open areas: producer's office, dressing room, filing cabinets."
"Time limit: 15 minutes."
Lighting switch.
The area around the long table darkened, and the three search areas lit up.
Bai Lulu went straight to the dressing room without hesitation.
Lin Jiahe followed behind her, but stopped after a couple of steps, as if she found it too suspicious to follow her.
Shen Teng strolled leisurely to the office, saying as he went:
"I'll go see if Producer Ho has left me a repayment plan."
Zhou Chi went to the filing cabinet.
Tang Zhou stood there, seemingly unsure of where to go.
Shen Yan said into the earpiece:
"Give the fourth machine to Tang Zhou; he's now the audience entrance."
"Received on the 4th."
Bai Lulu wasn't rummaging through the dressing room very quickly.
She first opened her makeup bag and saw several lipsticks inside.
One of them was a darker color, with a small white label on the bottom.
She picked it up and glanced back at the wine glass on the table.
There was indeed a faint lipstick mark around the rim of the cup.
"They're coming for me so quickly?"
She said it softly, her tone tinged with a smile.
Unit 2 immediately pushed closer.
Shen Yan stared at the monitor.
"Okay, follow along."
Lin Jiahe noticed the lipstick in her hand and whispered:
"Sister Lulu, is this yours?"
Bai Lulu turned to look at her.
The smile is still there.
How did you know it was mine?
Lin Jiahe was stunned.
"Doesn't it say 'white' on it?"
Bai Lulu looked down at the bottom of the lipstick.
"oh."
She held up her lipstick.
"How did you know the one on the cup was the same one?"
Lin Jiahe opened her mouth.
"I...I guessed."
Bai Lulu moved closer, her tone still light and cheerful.
"Jiahe, you guessed that way a bit too fast."
Lin Jiahe's eyes visibly flickered with confusion.
She simply followed the clue and said something, but she didn't expect Bai Lulu to immediately ask her a question.
Shen Teng happened to peek out from the office.
"What happened? The investigation started right away?"
Bai Lulu said with a smile:
"It's okay, Jiahe said this lipstick is mine."
Shen Teng glanced at it.
"Doesn't it say 'white'?"
Bai Lulu turned her head.
"Does Brother Teng think so too?"
Shen Teng paused for a moment.
He immediately realized that he had stepped in as well.
"I think the production team is very insidious."
Bai Lulu laughed out loud.
I agree with that.
In the control room, Zhou Qiming watched this segment, and his expression finally changed.
He whispered:
"This can be cut."
Lu Jingran nodded.
"She reacted faster than I expected."
In the office area, Shen Teng opened a drawer and pulled out an IOU.
[Shen Laoyou owes He Yuan 300,000 yuan, and they agreed that he would pay it off the night before the recording.]
After reading it, Shen Teng silently held the IOU up to the camera.
"I now seriously suspect that the production team is biased against me."
Tang Zhou, who was standing nearby, came over to take a look.
"Brother Teng, you're quite suspicious too."
Shen Teng turned his head.
"Child, you were the first to discover the crime scene; you're older than me."
Tang Zhou immediately took a half step back.
"I'm just a stagehand."
"In many stories, the production crew knows best what's happening on set."
As Shen Teng spoke, he pulled out a contract that had been torn in half from the bottom of the drawer.
A few words can be seen on the contract.
[New host tentatively selected: Lin Jiahe]
Shen Teng's eyes lit up.
"We've got a job."
He took the contract and walked back to the long table.
"Everyone, I've found something."
Bai Lulu and Lin Jiahe turned their heads at the same time.
Shen Teng placed the contract fragments on the table.
"It says here that Lin Jiahe is the proposed new host for the program."
Bai Lulu looked at Lin Jiahe.
"So you really did come to take my place."
Lin Jiahe panicked immediately.
"That's what it says on the ID card, but I didn't know you'd already been promised that."
Bai Lulu smiled.
I believe you.
Shen Teng sat down, holding a thermos.
"Your three words don't sound like a letter."
Bai Lulu did not refute.
Her gaze remained fixed on Lin Jiahe's face.
Lin Jiahe became even more nervous under her gaze.
At this moment, Zhou Chi walked back from the filing cabinet.
He was holding a call log in his hand.
"I've found a clue."
He placed the paper on the table.
【21: 27】
[He Yuan → Assistant Bai]
Call duration: 3 minute 12 seconds
There was a moment of silence around the table.
Shen Teng looked at Bai Lulu first.
"Lulu, you just said you haven't contacted He Yuan since nine o'clock?"
Bai Lulu looked at the call log.
She did say that.
That was the part on her ID card that she wasn't asked to mention.
Lin Jiahe immediately seized the opportunity.
"Lulu, are you hiding something?"
Bai Lulu did not answer immediately.
She held the call log in her hand and looked down at it for two seconds.
The camera zooms in.
The smile on her face froze for a moment.
In the control room, Zhou Qiming unconsciously held his breath.
Shen Yan's finger also stopped next to the monitor.
He gave no hints.
No prompts can be given at this time.
Bai Lulu had to accept it herself.
A few seconds later, Bai Lulu looked up at Lin Jiahe, then at Zhou Chi.
She suddenly smiled.
"OK."
"Since we've already come this far..."
She took a photo out of her pocket and gently placed it on the table.
She found the photo behind the mirror in the dressing room just now.
The image is somewhat blurry, but the timestamps are very clear.
【21: 35】
In the photo, Lin Jiahe is standing at the door of He Yuan's office, with one hand on the doorknob.
Bai Lulu raised her eyes, her voice soft.
"Jiahe, you just said you've been in the dressing room since nine o'clock."
"Is that you?"
Lin Jiahe's expression changed instantly.
Shen Teng slowly put down the thermos.
"Why."
He looked at the photos on the table, then at Bai Lulu.
"Now it's really starting."
The lights inside the shed shone on the long table.
The expressions on the five people's faces all changed.
Bai Lulu was still smiling.
But this time, no one thought it was just to warm up the crowd.
Behind the monitor, Shen Yan pressed his earpiece, speaking in a very low voice.
"Unit 2, advance."
"This shot."
"I will definitely stay."