Chapter 25 – Who Exactly Is Sanmen?

Jiang Ning was not very fond of talking to strangers. Although the elegant lady beside her was approachable and talkative, she didn’t feel inclined to make conversation herself, lest she be misunderstood as trying to curry favor.

Forty minutes passed, and Jiang Ning dozed off for half an hour.

“Miss Jiang, the time is up.”

Jiang Ning slowly opened her eyes, and through her drowsiness, saw Mrs. Qin standing in front of her, looking down at her with a gentle smile.

Jiang Ning murmured softly, which drew a doting smile from Mrs. Qin.

The two of them left the room together.

Mrs. Qin glanced at Jiang Ning’s outfit. Though her clothes were not from luxury brands, the girl’s combination was exceptionally eye-catching.

As they exited the beauty salon, Mrs. Qin asked, “Miss Jiang, what is your profession? Are you a designer? Or perhaps a model?”

Jiang Ning turned her face slightly, smiled faintly, and shook her head. “Neither. I’m just a small-time actress.”

After she spoke, Jiang Ning’s beautiful eyes lingered on Mrs. Qin’s face, already anticipating the look of disdain that would appear upon hearing her profession.

These people from the upper echelons of society, wealthy or powerful, mostly disliked actresses, referring to them with contempt.

Yet Mrs. Qin showed no trace of disdain; in fact, an appreciative look appeared on her face. “There are not many actresses with such grace and poise as you.”

“Mrs. Qin, you’re too kind.” Jiang Ning nodded politely in response.

“Miss Jiang, are you waiting for a car now?”

Jiang Ning nodded. “Yes, I’m heading to Emerald Court.”

As they spoke, a black Volkswagen Phaeton pulled up before them. Mrs. Qin, just about to get in, paused and turned back to Jiang Ning with a smile. “Oh, how forgetful of me—I haven’t given you the invitation. This time, it’s an electronic invitation. Miss Jiang, may I add you on WeChat?”

Jiang Ning took out her phone and scanned Mrs. Qin’s WeChat QR code.

Once they’d added each other as friends, Mrs. Qin waved goodbye and got into her car.

---

After arriving at the Emerald Court villa complex, Jiang Ning was about to enter with her pass when a security guard stopped her.

“Miss, who are you here to see? Emerald Court isn’t just open to anybody.”

The guard at the gate looked her up and down with an arrogant air, tapping his baton against his hand as he sized up her attire.

“Even with a pass, I can’t go in?” Jiang Ning wondered if this guard thought his authority was limitless.

“Miss, random people aren’t allowed in here. Where did you steal your pass from?”

Despite the young woman’s beauty, her clothes didn’t look like she belonged to someone who could afford a home inside.

Emerald Court was one of the most luxurious villa districts in the capital, home to political heavyweights and corporate executives. This woman clearly didn’t fit in.

Jiang Ning’s gaze chilled, and she smirked as she looked the guard up and down. “You’ll be seeing me come and go every day from now on. I hope you learn better than to look down on people. Try to have a broader perspective.”

The security guard hadn’t expected Jiang Ning to be so sharp-tongued. He stepped closer. “Miss, please leave now. Every day a few stray cats and dogs try to sneak in.”

Jiang Ning met the gaze of the guard, who was about her age, with icy composure. “You’re the most snobbish security guard I’ve ever met.”

“Heh, thanks for the compliment. Now please go.”

Jiang Ning glanced at the name on his chest—Shi Li—and gave a cold snort. The name suited him.

She took out her phone to make a call, but Shi Li interrupted her.

“Miss, if you want to make a call, do it elsewhere. In a moment, the residents will be coming and going. Don’t block the way.”

The guard’s impatience was clear, his tone filled with scorn and contempt. “I really don’t understand you women. You think a pretty face is all it takes to seduce a rich man.”

“Heh, your girlfriend broke up with you because you’re just that awful.” Jiang Ning couldn’t be bothered to look at him; her aura grew colder by the second.

“How do you know my girlfriend just broke up with me today?”

Jiang Ning glanced at him lazily. “Just a guess.”

“Shi Li! What’s going on here?” The villa manager from Emerald Court hurried over.

“Manager, this lady insists on barging in. I stopped her!” The guard jabbed his finger at Jiang Ning’s face as he shouted.

The property manager shot a glance at Jiang Ning, whose expression was indifferent, then quickly slapped the guard’s hand away. “Is that how you point fingers at a resident? Are you looking to lose your job?”

“Manager, she is—?” the guard stammered in confusion.

The manager glared at him, then turned to Jiang Ning with an apologetic smile. “Miss Jiang, Miss An Lan has already informed me. I’ll take you in right away. I’m terribly sorry you had to call me yourself. As for this guard, I’ll be letting him go.”

The guard instantly panicked, trembling as he stepped up to Jiang Ning. “Miss Jiang, I—”

Jiang Ning’s lips curled into a faint, languid smile. “No need. He’s just a little snobbish.”

The manager wiped a cold sweat from his forehead. As a friend of the heiress of the An family, the capital’s shipping magnates, this young woman’s status was surely extraordinary. That guard was a fool to have slighted her.

“Come on, let’s go inside,” Jiang Ning said, glancing at the manager, whose glare was now fixed on the guard.

The manager turned, his face beaming. “Miss Jiang, this way, please.”

Emerald Court was vast. They walked a full ten minutes before reaching a villa.

“Miss Jiang, the villa next door is Miss An Lan’s residence. This one was rented to you by Mr. Qin. Here are the keys.” With that, the manager left.

Jiang Ning entered the villa, taking in her surroundings. The whole house was decorated in an opulent gold, European style.

She sat on the sofa, speculating that the owner must be extravagant. The décor was ostentatious, the furniture all top-tier brands, yet there wasn’t a single trace that anyone had ever lived there.

She pulled out her phone and opened Weibo, only for the app to suddenly go blank.

“Has Weibo crashed?” She exited and re-entered the app.

#Bai Zehan, Gao Tiange#

#Gao Tiange and Bai Zehan’s Late Night Rendezvous#

#Best Actor and Actress, May-December Romance#

#Fu Jiaojiao’s Front Tooth#

#Fu Jiaojiao’s Front Tooth Is Fake#

Jiang Ning clicked on the top trending tag: #Gao Tiange and Bai Zehan’s Late Night Rendezvous#

Sanmen was exposing people again?

Sanmen’s second post on Weibo was a photo of Gao Tiange and Bai Zehan entering a hotel together, with the caption: [I just saw the photo Best Actor Bai posted of his bruised knee, and Best Actress Gao’s wrist. It looked like the same place—and who would have thought, it really was…]

The comments section was exploding.

“Ended the livestream and rushed straight to a hotel?”

“A woman in her forties is a real predator.”

“These two must be colluding to target Jiang Ning.”

“Jiang Ning is really pitiful!”

“Jiang Ning and Gao Tiange are from the same agency and have the same manager. You could tell from their interactions that Gao Tiange never liked Jiang Ning.”

Jiang Ning was reading with great interest when she suddenly received a private message on Weibo.

Her eyes widened in surprise—Sanmen had messaged her?

Sanmen: [Hello, Jiang Ning. I’m Sanmen, a friend of An Lan’s. If you need any help, just ask. I’ll do whatever I can.]

Jiang Ning could hardly believe her eyes. The Sanmen, notorious for his disdain for the entertainment industry and impossible to hire, was saying this to her?

Just what was the relationship between An Lan and Sanmen?

Sanmen: [If you want dirt on anyone, I’ve got almost everything—videos, audio, you name it.]

Jiang Ning smiled. Dirt on anyone?

Jiang Ning: [Do you have any dirt on me?]

There was a long silence from Sanmen.

Sanmen: [The only real dirt you have is having dated that scumbag Bai Zehan. Now, apart from being a bit violent and hot-tempered, there’s nothing else.]

Jiang Ning was speechless. She wasn’t violent with just anyone; it was only when faced with Bai Zehan—the murderer—that she couldn’t control her anger.

Sanmen: [I’ll send you a cloud drive link with dirt I have on people who might pose a threat to you. You might find it useful someday.]

Jiang Ning: [Thank you.]

Sanmen: [No need. You’re An Lan’s friend, so you’re my friend too.]

“Ding—” The phone rang.