The Novelist Forced to Become Famous

Chapter 64

Chen Jie sighed and took out her phone, opening a website: "This is the fan club forum. You can take a look at the private messages in the background."

Jian Jing took it and saw tens of thousands of new messages.

The content was shocking.

"Brother/Sister, go for it, I'll always support you!" ← This is the most normal.

"You're working so hard, someone will definitely notice. Go for it! We'll always stand by your side! Never leave or abandon you, live and die together!" ← This is slightly exaggerated.

"If someone has wronged you, you must tell us. I'll make that person go to hell! No one can hurt you. If gods block the way, kill the gods; if Buddha blocks the way, kill Buddha. Though death may come nine times, I have no regrets."

Jian Jing: Is this how you use Li Sao?

And this wasn't even the most shocking.

"You looked at me once, so why do you ignore me now? ...I know you're afraid people will find out, but it's okay, I'm not afraid. As long as I can be with you, even if I die tomorrow, I'll die willingly... You're ignoring me again, I can't live a day without you. If you don't talk to me again, I'll have no choice but to die."

With an attached photo of a slit wrist.

And another one: "Every morning when I wake up, I have to kiss you three hundred times, my dear YanYan... Completely broke up with my best friend, just because she said a bad word about you... Your new poster is so good looking, if we have children in the future, they'll definitely look just like you..."

With several attached revealing photos.

And also: "I saw you today... Saw you again... You smiled at me... Those who slander you, I will make them pay the price... I'll do anything for you... You only have me, I'm your most loyal guardian, one word from you, no hesitation."

The photo was a poster of a certain actress cut into pieces.

Jian Jing held her temple and slowly exhaled.

No wonder the manager didn't notice anything wrong earlier. They were probably already used to this kind of craziness, or perhaps, behind such enthusiasm, they had a hand in encouraging it.

This method wouldn't work.

She decisively gave up this idea and sorted out her thoughts. She analyzed with them: "The person is in the crew. The police can find him in half a day. Are you really not considering it?"

So far, her impression of the crew was messy and chaotic.

Not to mention the reporters and fans outside the studio, just within the crew itself, other than the sacred film set, people could come and go everywhere.

This would probably require Sherlock Holmes to find the suspect without alerting anyone.

"No." Chen Jie vetoed, "Making a big fuss to find someone is offending the whole crew. Plus if the news gets out, the producers, investors, Cai Tonger's company will all resent him."

"Teacher Jian doesn't know, getting a little hurt is very normal during filming. Dedicated actors still work after going to the hospital." She said it clearly, "Unless someone dies, the police won't be called."

Jian Jing looked at Jiang BaiYan. He nodded and said softly: "If it really doesn't work, I'll bear with it."

"Crime will escalate if you endure more." Jian Jing shook her head and flipped open her notebook, "So I need to know about the crew members."

Chen Jie briefly described: "There are several groups. The director group has the director, deputy directors, continuity person. You basically met them just now. The producer group has producers, unit producers, life producers, external producers, supervisors, coordinators, finance. The production team has the production manager, assistants. The photography team has cinematographers, lighting. The art team includes costumes, makeup and more."

Jian Jing stopped writing: "So how many people total?"

Chen Jie couldn't answer, but Jiang BaiYan knew: "This isn't a big crew, just over two hundred people."

Jian Jing: "..." Over two hundred is not many?

Jiang BaiYan seemed to hear her doubts and whispered: "Not many, the last spy drama I filmed had over five hundred people."

Her: "..."

Like finding a needle in the sea.

"Knock knock", someone knocked on the door outside, then pushed it open.

An ordinary looking middle-aged man came in and immediately asked: "Is your hand injury serious? Should we go to the hospital?"

"It's fine, just a small cut." Jiang BaiYan said nicely, "It'll heal in a couple days."

He nodded, then asked: "Should we adjust your scenes?"

Jiang BaiYan was about to shake his head when he saw Jian Jing make a sign at him. He changed his words: "No need for now. I'll let you know if the wound doesn't heal well."

"Let me know as early as possible." The other reminded, "There's a rain scene tomorrow."

Jiang BaiYan said: "Got it, thanks Liu-ge."

Chen Jie whispered: "This is Liu-ge the coordinator. He's responsible for scheduling the daily shoots."

Jian Jing nodded.

Jiang BaiYan turned to ask her: "Teacher Jian, just now you..."

Before he finished speaking, there was another knock at the door.

This time it was the props team leader. He came to apologize, speaking very humbly. He kept saying: "There must have been a problem during storage. I'm really sorry about this."

Beer bottle smashing, crashing through glass windows etc are common scenes in movies. They can't use real glass, usually specially made props from plastic, sugar, resin that look identical but won't hurt people.

But prop glass also has defects and doesn't store well. A small mistake could cause it to shatter on its own.

He thought it was because props didn't catch the defect and let a flawed piece be used. Before Jiang BaiYan could smash it on the ground, it broke apart in his hand.

"Accidents happen. No one wanted this." Jiang BaiYan instead comforted him.

The props master couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. After making sure there were no hard feelings, he got up to leave.

"Chen Jie." Jiang BaiYan collapsed and pleaded: "Tell them to stop coming. My mouth is tired from talking."

"That's what you get for being so popular." Chen Jie teased him, and indeed went out to tell the assistant to watch the door and not let anyone disturb his rest.

Jian Jing got straight to the point: "Too many people, my identity also isn't suitable to investigate one by one. I have an idea now - you can try getting a little closer with Cai Tonger."

Chen Jie frowned deeply: "Why?"

"Her goal is to warn him. If that's achieved, she may stop." Jian Jing explained, "If it's ineffective, there will be a next step."

Chen Jie said: "It's dangerous."

"Yes." Jian Jing nodded, "It's taking a risk."

Chen Jie still wanted to object, but Jiang BaiYan readily agreed: "Okay, I'll listen to teacher."

Jian Jing inadvertently revealed a smile and gently said: "I'm going back first. Let me know the schedule for the next few days when convenient."

Jiang BaiYan gave an "OK" sign.

Jian Jing left with the milk tea and chestnut cake, found Xu Scriptwriter chatting, and exchanged a few meaningless words. Then she returned to the Demonic crew.

After wrapping up, she treated Director Huang and Xu Scriptwriter to dinner.

Director Huang refused: "I should be treating you. There's a good sautéed fish restaurant nearby. Let's just eat there." He made the decision right away and booked a table.

Jian Jing didn't want to argue with them: "Then I'll shamelessly freeload."

The three ate at the restaurant and chatted about Demonic 2. Director Huang and Xu Scriptwriter both drank some alcohol. Jian Jing sent them back to the hotel and naturally stayed as well.

There were several big and small hotels around the studio that were booked up by the crews and didn't accept individual guests. Director Huang had status, and Jiang BaiYan and Cai Tonger were popular stars, so the two crews were staying at the best hotel.

This greatly facilitated Jian Jing's work.

She booked a room using the crew's name, and paid extra herself to stay in the best suite, right next to Cai Tonger and Jiang BaiYan's rooms.

Right now was when the crews got off work. Aside from those with night scenes, people visited each other, chatted, borrowed washing machines to do laundry, very lively.

Jian Jing was unfamiliar, but there were multiple crews staying at the hotel, not just one. Others seeing a stranger assumed she was from another crew and didn't pay much attention.

She wanted to investigate and randomly asked someone to borrow makeup remover, saying she forgot to bring hers.

The person asked if she was from a certain crew. She vaguely confirmed, and the other directly gave her half a pack of makeup wipes, without asking her to return them.

Summary: It's not easy for outsiders to live here, but the residents don't seem to be too vigilant.

On the top floor, I bumped into Cai Tonger.

We co-starred in The Haunted House Adventure, so we knew each other. But she passed by with sunglasses on, not even glancing at Jian Jing.

Jian Jing: "Tsk."

She tapped her card to enter the room. This room cost 800 yuan, discounted rate. Usually rooms like this where stars have stayed go for 1200 yuan, almost five-star hotel level.

Luckily the decor was decent, clean and well-appointed. The door lock was very advanced with double locks inside, more secure than a regular hotel.

Jian Jing checked inside and out. The bare red walls outside had no way to climb up. No wonder everyone was shocked to see the blood writing. The hotel itself was chaotic but room safety was not bad.

She flipped open her notebook, drawing a line down the middle. Left side for clues, right side for inferences.

Clue 1: Don't talk to her/You will regret it

Inference 1: A woman, possibly a crazy fan

Clue 2: Messages and notes left in room

Inference 2: Able to move around hotel without drawing attention

Clue 3: Props cup switched

Inference 3: Crew member

Clue 4: Message pointed to Cai Tonger

Inference 4: Really hates her?

Still too broad.

She took out the note again, turned on the desk lamp to full brightness, and spread it out to look closely.

The red pen was ordinary oil-based, nothing special detectable without professional equipment. Jian Jing leaned in to smell it, catching a faint scent she couldn't place, certainly not perfume.

Shifting angles, she noticed fine glittery specks on the corners.

Like eyeshadow glitter?

Jian Jing took out a magnifying glass from her bag. Though ordinary, it came in handy at key moments, just like now.

Under magnification, the specks were clear - tiny gold glitter particles.

"What a slip-up," Jian Jing smiled softly. "Now it'll be much easier to find you."

She messaged Jiang BaiYan, asking when he was getting styled, to let her know in advance because she wanted to observe.

Jiang BaiYan replied cautiously: "Not early, around 6pm."

Jian Jing: "......"

Better wash up and sleep.

Unfamiliar place made it hard to sleep. She dozed fitfully until hearing sounds next door, seems Jiang BaiYan came back, around 1am. She turned over, finally drowsy, sinking into dreams. Suddenly woken by shrieks and screams from outside like crashing thunder.

Checked time, already 6:30am.

She dragged herself up and looked out the window. Good lord, not even light out at 6am in November, but a sea of people crowding the hotel entrance, all here to see Jiang BaiYan.

He got in the car and waved at them.

The thrill of your idol waving at you short-circuited their sanity. Someone sparked it and they chorused his name.

Jian Jing: _(:з」∠)_

He's gone, sleep a bit more, so tired.