Testifying

Qin Ran's approach was simple: throw money at the problem. Both white-hat and black-hat hackers were excellent with computers, and the internet always left traces. The money Qin Ran spent mobilized numerous cybersecurity experts, both domestically and internationally, to dig up clues from the past.

Moreover, those who were involved back then but had since fallen on hard times surely existed. With enough money, there were always people who would be willing to testify, even if it meant going to jail, as long as their families would be well taken care of. Although the money laundering scheme might have been known only to a few, key players such as the actors, directors, and crew members were likely aware of it. Qin Ran instructed Assistant Wu to find people from the film's cast and crew who had fallen into financial hardship, and it didn't take long for someone willing to come forward.

When Assistant Wu reported back to Qin Ran, she was preparing to return to Beijing, as the new school term was about to begin. Now entering her third year of college, Qin Ran would have fewer classes and more time to focus on work—and, of course, spend more time with Yu Shuman.

Despite this, Qin Ran was still as reluctant as ever to leave, clinging to Yu Shuman's waist and dramatically pretending to cry, showcasing her unwillingness to part. Yu Shuman could only helplessly pat Qin Ran's hands, which were wrapped around her waist, as her assistant didn't dare to pry them off.

Fortunately, Sister Li was present that day, and Yu Shuman gave her a pleading look for help.

Now, offending the boss wasn't something Sister Li enjoyed doing, but after being scolded by Yu Shuman earlier in the summer, while Qin Ran hadn't dared to utter a word in protest, Sister Li knew one thing: no matter what, offending the boss wasn't as dangerous as offending the "boss's wife."

With that in mind, Sister Li steeled herself and approached with a smile, her eyes squinting with feigned friendliness. "Boss, if you don't get on that plane soon, it's going to take off without you. After all, planes don't wait, and it's not like you can buy a private jet to wait on your schedule."

Qin Ran glared at Sister Li, wanting to retort, "Who says I can't buy a private jet?! Who?!" But she couldn't bring herself to say it in front of Yu Shuman, even though she did have the money for it. Of course, Sister Li didn't really believe Qin Ran had the money for such extravagances—after all, she was just a manager, not privy to Qin Ran's finances like Assistant Wu was.

Even Assistant Wu wasn't fully aware of how much money Qin Ran had, and whenever asked, she would always answer the same way: "Given how much Qin Ran spends and never runs out, no one knows just how large her inheritance really is."

Back to the present, Sister Li maintained her smile while prying Qin Ran's hands off Yu Shuman and handing her over to the security personnel. "Boss, have a safe trip. Don't worry, I'll take good care of Manman for you!"

"You evil woman!" Qin Ran's voice echoed as she was escorted away by her bodyguards, her protests fading into the distance.

By the time she sat down on the plane, her assistant cautiously asked, "Boss, you're not really mad at Sister Li, are you?" Normally, assistants wouldn't dare ask such questions, but Qin Ran was always so easygoing, especially when she was with Yu Shuman. It was like working for a sunflower that only followed one person. Qin Ran, except when handling serious business, had no airs about her, so the assistant felt comfortable speaking up.

Qin Ran waved her hand dismissively. "Not really, I was just thinking…"

"Thinking about what?" the assistant asked, curious.

"Maybe I really should buy a private jet. Sister Li had a point; without one, I'm stuck waiting for planes instead of having them wait for me. Plus, Manman's schedule is always so tight, and now we have to work around flight times…"

"Boss, but applying for domestic flight routes is really difficult," the assistant interjected, hoping to dissuade Qin Ran from such an impractical idea.

"True, true." The assistant sighed with relief, thinking the idea had been put to rest, only to hear Qin Ran add, "Then I'll buy one for international routes. Overseas, things are much more flexible—money can solve anything."

The assistant could only stare blankly. She would never understand the mindset of the wealthy.

Once back in Beijing, Qin Ran wasted no time. She immediately arranged a meeting with the person who was willing to testify against Sun Zhiyan. They met in a hotel suite, and when Qin Ran and Assistant Wu arrived, the witness was already sitting on the couch, fidgeting nervously.

The witness was a woman who appeared to be in her forties, though she looked far more haggard than her age would suggest. If Qin Ran hadn't seen the records showing that she had once been the lead actress in one of Sun Zhiyan's films, she wouldn't have guessed she had been in the industry at all.

It was even harder to believe that the woman was actually only 32 years old.

Judging by her current appearance, it was clear that life had not been kind to her. The film had been made 14 years ago when she was just 18 years old. In theory, she should have been on a path to stardom. But her career had been crushed before it even began.

Because of her beauty, she had caught the eye of the film's main investor's son. He was a notorious playboy in the industry at the time, but the young actress was too naive to understand how dangerous people could be. With the approval of her manager and the film crew, she began a relationship with the investor's son.

Soon after, the man made promises to marry her, sweet-talking her into a relationship. They became intimate, and when the film wrapped up, the actress discovered she was pregnant. The man told her she was too young to marry, and that she should have the baby first, then they would get married once she was older. She believed him and gave birth to the child, fully expecting they would eventually be wed.

The rest, as one might expect, didn't go according to plan.

To her credit, the witness didn't try to excuse her past. "I admit, I wanted to marry up and secure a better life for myself. I was greedy, but I was also pushed into a pit by the whole film crew. After the baby was born, that scumbag disappeared."

At that time, she was just 20 years old, and she hadn't had the heart to abandon the child. She raised the child alone, and now the kid was 12. But life had been harsh. Not only had the man abandoned her and their child, but he also suppressed her career, ensuring she had no chance to rise in the industry.

The actress, barely 18 at the time, hadn't known the extent of what was going on, but since she was dating the investor's son, she overheard plenty of insider conversations. They had seen her as nothing more than a plaything and never bothered to hide important details from her, believing she wouldn't be able to cause trouble.

Qin Ran listened patiently, but she wasn't here to play therapist or offer sympathy. She was here for evidence.

"Talk is cheap. If you want my money, you'll need to give me something concrete," Qin Ran said bluntly.

"I have something," the witness replied firmly.

"Oh?" Qin Ran raised an eyebrow. She was surprised that a woman who had once been so naive had something substantial to offer. The witness pulled out her phone, pressed play, and a slightly muffled recording began to play.

"This is a recording I accidentally made years ago and never deleted. I know it's not strong enough to hold up in court, but if you listen carefully, you'll recognize Sun Zhiyan's voice. The other man in the recording is the scumbag who abandoned me and our child. If you want to take down Sun Zhiyan, this recording should be enough."

Years of hardship had made this woman much smarter.

Qin Ran maintained a neutral expression, though she was impressed. She didn't need irrefutable proof in the court of public opinion; she just needed evidence that could confirm Sun Zhiyan's voice. Conveniently, Qin Ran had access to other audio samples of Sun Zhiyan's voice.

"How much do you want?" Qin Ran asked.

"How much can you offer?" The witness deflected the question back to Qin Ran. Qin Ran smirked, "I can offer as much as you need."

The witness didn't speak immediately, lowering her head as though deep in thought. After a long pause, she finally looked up and asked, "If I come forward and publicly accuse Sun Zhiyan and that scumbag, how much can you offer me?"

Qin Ran let out a cold chuckle. "Miss, let's be clear. I'm only interested in taking down Sun Zhiyan. If you want me to deal with that scumbag too, consider that the payment for my services. So, what's it going to be? Do you want the money, or do you want revenge?"

"I want both," the witness replied, with a hint of bitterness.

Qin Ran's gaze turned icy. "Greed won't do you any favors."

The witness let out a bitter laugh, mocking herself as much as her past. "Greed didn't get me anywhere before, but I think it's not a bad thing to show it to you. At least I'm being honest about who I am. If you help me take him down, I'll settle for less."

Qin Ran stared at the witness for a long moment before finally saying, "Deal."

Taking down the scumbag wasn't difficult for Qin Ran. It was just a side job. After that, Assistant Wu worked out the specific terms of payment with the witness. But Qin Ran didn't plan to have the woman come forward right away. Seeing the confusion on the witness's face, Qin Ran flashed a wicked grin.

"There's no need to rush. Cooking a good dish takes patience. Let's start with a little appetizer first."

The "appetizer" was served quickly. Not long after, a paparazzo known for breaking celebrity scandals posted a teaser, hinting that a big shot in the industry had a messy personal life. The gossip's credibility was high, so it quickly stirred up interest online.

Netizens were abuzz, speculating which A-list celebrity might have a chaotic love life. Many guessed that the term "big shot" was being used loosely, as it often is in clickbait stories.

But no one expected the big shot in question to be a producer, not an actor.

When the news broke, the internet was flooded with confused comments:

[Wait, who cares about a producer's personal life? If the tabloids are this desperate, they should consider quitting]

The comment sections were full of similar sentiments, but then the paparazzo released more details, revealing that this producer had been involved with several lesser-known celebrities, including some with considerable fame. The real bombshell came when it was revealed that one of these celebrities was a male actor.

Sun Zhiyan's private life, it turned out, was even messier than anyone had imagined. He was involved with both men and women.

Qin Ran: Get ready to cook.