If Gu Moqian is really at the Zhu Family, the security guards at the entrance likely won’t let us in easily.
Ji Wei pondered for a moment and nodded in agreement.
Through the car window, Ji Wei saw Chen Ke walk over and say something to the security guard. After learning Chen Ke’s intent, the security guard’s attitude suddenly changed, becoming adamantly firm.
After several failed attempts to negotiate, Chen Ke had no choice but to return.
"How did it go?" Chen Ke got back into the car, and Ji Wei couldn’t wait to ask.
Chen Ke’s expression was solemn: "As soon as I mentioned I was looking for Mr. Gu, the security guard immediately rejected my request, repeatedly emphasizing that Mr. Gu had already left and wasn’t at the Zhu Family."
The security guard’s attitude raised suspicion; it seemed necessary to enter the villa to investigate the situation. However, barging in was not an option.
Ji Wei furrowed her brows and thought for a while before suddenly lifting her head. "Assistant Chen, could I trouble you to drive to a nearby gas station?"
So late at night, what was the purpose of going to a gas station?
Chen Ke shot her a puzzled look but ultimately followed Ji Wei’s instructions.
The Zhu Family Villa’s security guards were in the middle of their shift change.
The guard being replaced yawned repeatedly, preparing to return to his quarters to sleep. But after only a few steps, he suddenly caught sight of a flicker of flames near the villa’s wall out of the corner of his eye.
The fire quickly spread along the wall, tongues of flames leaping skyward, nearly igniting the trees beside it.
"It’s on fire! Quick, put it out!"
The security guard’s drowsiness vanished instantly; he shouted and dashed back to the guard post.
Soon, several other guards ran out as well. Seeing the increasingly fierce blaze, their faces turned pale.
Without time to think, all the guards sprang into action, running towards the water sources inside the villa. As they ran, they shouted loudly, "Fire! Wake up and help! Someone—!"
At this point, not a single guard remained stationed at the villa entrance.
Ji Wei, who had been hiding in a concealed spot all along, seized the opportunity. Keeping her body low, she swiftly slipped past the guard post.
The villa’s servants, who had already gone to bed, were startled awake by the urgent shouts, and lights flickered on one by one throughout the rooms.
The servants hurriedly dressed, grabbed water buckets, fire extinguishers, and other tools, then rushed to the direction of the flames.
Taking advantage of the chaos and everyone’s lack of attention on her, Ji Wei quietly made her way to the European-style villa.
She glanced back at the distant wall, where the fire she had started with a bucket of gasoline raged even fiercer, then carefully avoided the servants’ line of sight and slipped in through the open side door.
Ji Wei had no idea which room Gu Moqian might be in, so she intended to search each one.
As she stood at the base of the stairs, preparing to go up, she suddenly heard the sound of two people talking, the voices growing closer and closer.
Her steps faltered, and her heart began to race wildly.
Ji Wei quickly scanned her surroundings, then darted into the narrow space beneath the stairs.
The cramped space forced Ji Wei to curl herself up tightly to avoid being detected, hiding within the shadows cast by the dim light.
Above her head, footsteps descended the stairs, accompanied by increasingly audible conversation between two people.
"Is it really okay that we locked Jianian and Gu Moqian together? Jianian accidentally drank the water that was meant for Gu Moqian. I’m worried that once Jianian wakes up tomorrow, she’ll blame us..." This was the voice of a middle-aged woman.
"If you want to achieve great things, you can’t afford to be sentimental! What we’re doing is all for Jianian’s benefit." The middle-aged man replied coldly.
"But Jianian has been affected by that kind of drug. What if something goes wrong..."
"Nothing will go wrong! If it weren’t for Nan Huiru revealing that Gu Moqian and that Miss Ji have already registered their marriage, we would still be in the dark! At this point, what is there to hesitate about? Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures!"