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Ye Shi had already understood the course of events. As Cui Ming had anticipated, the Force Alliance and the Eternity Alliance convened a high-level secret meeting. Within four hours, someone claiming to be a messenger from the Fire Cult contacted the Force Alliance. Although the alliance agreed to engage in talks with the Fire Cult, Bufon had yet to decide on the negotiators to send. He wanted to go himself, but felt it was inconvenient since the other side was only sending a special envoy. He regretted not insisting on a direct conversation with the Pope at that moment. Unfortunately, the communication time was too short for him to think through everything quickly; he was not a politician.
Cui Ming listened without saying much and, after hearing everything, expressed his desire to take a nap and returned to his guest room. In the bathroom of his room, Mi Xiaonan had set up a darkroom, where she was developing photos. Cui Ming greeted her as he entered, noticing that all of Liu Meier's luggage photos taken by Mi Xiaonan were hanging up to dry—there were nearly a hundred of them.
Cui Ming questioned, "Are there really that many? Is it because she's beautiful?"
Mi Xiaonan replied, "About forty of them are mood diaries." Liu Meier was a public figure and currently a guest columnist for Dawn Daily's weekend special edition. She wrote approximately three hundred to five hundred words each week, focusing on philosophy and emotions.
Cui Ming asked, "Is it necessary to photograph every page of her mood diary?"
"Every detail matters," Mi Xiaonan smiled, pointing to the beginning of the diary. "Liu Meier's writing is quite good; her handwriting is average but very neat. Look at this part: 'The twilight canal is magnificent, and the gentle breeze delays the arrival of summer...' A few simple sentences not only describe her location but also convey her feelings. Especially with summer approaching, it gives a refreshing sensation."
"Interesting," Cui Ming said as he flipped through the diary, looking at each photo.
Mi Xiaonan nodded. "You find it interesting too? Liu Meier is not only beautiful but also exceptionally talented. She has considerable literary cultivation."
"Mi Xiaonan, an author's work cannot maintain a consistent level indefinitely. An author's creations change alongside their personal evolution. If they remain the same for decades, that's akin to factory-produced products. Your perspective lacks independent thought. While some pieces are excellent, others are quite poor." For instance, Gu Long Master had some classic works in Cui Ming's view but also some that were subpar. Of course, this didn't mean Gu Long Master lacked skill; perhaps just a few books didn't suit his taste.
"What do you find interesting then?" Mi Xiaonan inquired.
"Look at the locations: Twilight City's canal, Loyalty Mountain in Twilight City, and the commercial competition between them. These three places are not easily accessible at once, especially for someone like her—a famous beauty who wouldn't be out of breath running but would use transportation instead." Cui Ming continued, "Yet these three pieces were written in one go; lyrical essays don't work that way. To express three different moods in one breath with three distinct atmospheres contradicts theory. Additionally, her neat handwriting is intriguing; do you know what advantage neat handwriting offers bad people?"
"What advantage?"
"It makes it hard to identify their writing." Cui Ming pondered over the photos thoughtfully. "If I'm not mistaken, Liu Meier has an invisible team behind her working hard to elevate her status. Having a team is normal since she is a star. However, if ghostwriting were exposed, it would severely damage her reputation; her image as an intellectual woman would be ruined. So I believe it's not just her ordinary team." Mi Xiaonan, do you remember Liu Meier's rise in the music industry? She faced two significant competitors who, while not as beautiful as her, sang authentically well—especially one talented girl who composed her own music and lyrics."
Mi Xiaonan shook her head. "I haven't looked into Liu Meier's background."
"They are the stars of the three major entertainment companies in the Dawn Empire, and their goal is to achieve the title of Best Singer or Best Actress every five years." The infrequency of the awards made them seem more prestigious, unlike the numerous annual awards that flooded the industry, leading to an oversaturation of actors and singers. Cui Ming said, "My memory isn't as good as Ding Ze's, but I remember that both of them faced some unfortunate events during their year of winning. If I recall correctly, one fell while climbing a mountain, rolling down for over ten meters, resulting in disfigurement and fractures. It took over a year of cosmetic surgery to recover. The other was accused of murder; after a year of investigation and trial, they were ultimately found not guilty. If there is a hidden hand trying to sabotage competitors, do you think the Liu Family would do such a thing?"
"No, I heard that the Liu Family is quite opposed to Liu Meier entering the secular music scene. However, since she is an adopted daughter, they don't impose too many restrictions on her."
"Many people's fame is built on hype. If Liu Meier were only beautiful, even if she made a stunning appearance during the Hero City assessment, she would soon be forgotten unless she maintained a consistent presence. Men are like that; no matter how beautiful something is, if you are exposed to it for too long, you will want to change your taste. Liu Meier is different; she possesses intelligence as well. Intelligence reflects depth and enhances her charm. The discussions surrounding Liu Meier remain relevant not just because she is beautiful." Cui Ming pointed at a photo: "The team—Fire Cult team. If that's the case, then among Liu Meier's manager and personal costume designer and makeup artist, there must be someone from Fire Cult responsible for liaising with their invisible team. I suspect this person appears ordinary, but their contacts are certainly not."
There were many flaws; if one could look past her beauty without jealousy or admiration, they might uncover these flaws. The saying "Concern leads to chaos" holds some truth.
Cui Ming continued examining the photos—there were many outfits: coats, undergarments... Cui Ming felt that her actions were quite inappropriate. They had brought a lot of items; since the management team hadn't entered Ye Family's estate yet, they had prepared various things. Each outfit had labels from the costume designer indicating which was suitable for evening events and which for casual outings. What surprised Cui Ming was that even the undergarments had labels—two sets were marked, one for unexpected use and one as a backup.
What situation was this? Underwear for unexpected use?
Opening her mind to possibilities, Cui Ming thought about unexpected situations... it must be very private... unexpected... backup...
Suddenly inspired, Cui Ming instructed Mi Xiaonan to continue handling the photos while she stepped out. The tea party by the mountainside was halfway through; people were scattered in small groups—some went to play tennis, others went sightseeing, while some visited a small museum beside the ancestral hall. Li Qing and Wei Wei were taking a walk; Beiyue accompanied Ye Xin to the museum to learn about Ye Family's history. Only Yellen sat alone at the tea table, brewing tea and sipping it while gazing down the mountain with a somewhat worried expression. Sensing someone approaching, she turned around, stood up, invited Cui Ming to sit down, and poured tea for her.
Cui Ming accepted the tea with a nod of thanks and pondered for a moment before speaking: "Yellen, although our acquaintance isn't deep..."
"A gentleman's friendship is as light as water," Yellen replied. "I have great respect for you, Cui Ming—not out of politeness. Your wisdom and trust in friends are evident from your performance in assessments. Feel free to speak your mind." The last sentence was key; Cui Ming showed signs of wanting to say something more serious, prompting Yellen to offer support.
Cui Ming nodded again, took a sip of tea, placed her cup on the table, and asked, "Does the head of the family disagree with Liu Meier's relationship with Ye Wen?" Unexpected? The die was cast; Ye Wen had become involved with someone from Liu Family without wanting to take responsibility? That was absurd. So Ye Wen and Liu Meier maintained a friendship without crossing into romantic territory; they displayed ambiguous behavior as a way to gauge Ye Family's head's opinion.
Yellen slowly nodded: "The head of the family didn't expect it; Ye Wen didn't inform anyone beforehand when he brought Liu Meier into Ye Family. This has put Ye Family in an awkward position. The head is quite dissatisfied as well. Ye Wen and Liu Meier have been in frequent contact recently; some rumors have reached the head's ears. However, Ye Wen insists they are just ordinary friends. The head has subtly indicated that Ye Family currently has no plans to form alliances with any other families through marriage. As head of the family, Ye Wen sometimes must make certain sacrifices for Ye Family."
Cui Ming asked: "Yellen, what do you think?"
"Cui Ming," Yellen replied thoughtfully, "you speak between the lines."
"We should talk privately."
Yellen pondered for a long time and said, "I would only seek a lover as beautiful as Liu Meier, but I would not choose a wife as high-profile as her. However, sometimes a man knows that a choice is wrong or inappropriate, yet he feels powerless. But Ye Wen is not an ordinary person."
Cui Ming replied, "So, under normal circumstances, the family head would not agree. Ye Wen possesses considerable foresight, so under pressure, he would ultimately have to let go."
Yellen nodded, "Yes, I greatly admire this about him. Liu Meier is not suitable to be the wife of the Ye Family head; this is not only my view but also that of many elders in the clan."
"But Ye Wen taking over as the family head is no longer an issue. If he insists and stands firm, then..."
"Then we can only let nature take its course," Yellen said. "But I know that Ye Wen would not do that. For the sake of the Ye Family, there is nothing he cannot part with; he is a true hero."
"Yet heroes often struggle with matters of love," Cui Ming contemplated for a long time before speaking.
Yellen said, "Cui Ming, I am being honest; you can speak directly."
"Alright, I now suspect that Liu Meier wants to seduce Ye Wen," Cui Ming said. "Moreover, I believe Liu Meier might be affiliated with the Fire Cult; she must achieve her goal of marrying into the Ye Family."
The first statement was one thing, but the second left Yellen—who usually remained unflappable—stunned as he asked, "The Fire Cult? Liu Meier is one of them?"
"Liu Meier is a practitioner; singing, dancing, and socializing all require immense energy. It's like someone who excels in one field but appears foolish in another. She excels at everything, which raises my suspicions," Cui Ming explained. "However, I have been unable to obtain evidence that Liu Meier is a Fire Cultist. If you are willing to help me this time, there might be an opportunity. But there’s a condition: if I cannot prove it or if I am mistaken in my estimation, I hope you will forget what I just said about Liu Meier being a Fire Cultist."
Yellen thought for a long time before nodding. "Alright." (To be continued.)
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