All eyes followed her finger to Sister Qi.

Sister Qi jumped in fright and immediately waved her hands in denial. “How could it be me? I would never do something like that! Besides, the director and others already asked everyone, and I had no opportunity to even touch the necklace.”

“Oh.” Gu Xicao nodded thoughtfully before suddenly turning her gaze to Zhou Minzhu. “Then it must be you!”

Zhou Minzhu’s eyelids twitched as her breath hitched. For a moment, she tried to maintain her composure. “Are you joking? Just because you say so doesn’t make it true. Where’s your evidence? I never even had the chance to touch that necklace!”

“Are you sure?” Gu Xicao asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Absolutely,” Zhou Minzhu said confidently. “Ask anyone here. That necklace was only ever used by my sister and Ms. Lin. My character doesn’t require it, so I never even handled it, let alone took it.”

Lin Xingyue chimed in, “Exactly! Master, please be responsible with your words and don’t make baseless accusations.”

“I’m always responsible with my words.” Gu Xicao smiled playfully. Her fair face had a mischievous charm. “That’s why I’m so curious. Since Ms. Zhou Minzhu claims she never touched the necklace, why are her fingerprints on it?”

Fingerprints?!

Everyone froze in shock.

The manager reacted first and pointed at the necklace. “Are you saying Zhou Minzhu’s fingerprints are on that necklace?”

Gu Xicao nodded. “That’s precisely why I used the hairpin to handle it and didn’t let anyone else touch it. Jade, you see, easily retains fingerprints. But because it’s smooth, clear fingerprints are only left when it’s held firmly. Ms. Zhou Minzhu, would you care to compare your fingerprints?”

Zhou Minzhu’s breathing halted.

A chill ran down her spine. Instinctively, she hid her hands behind her back.

That single motion was enough for everyone to realize her guilt.

“Was it you?!”

The director’s face flushed with rage as he pointed at Zhou Minzhu. “How dare you cause trouble in my crew!”

“No, it wasn’t me! I… I…”

Zhou Minzhu, who had been so smug moments ago, now stammered in panic.

Beneath her malicious and petty exterior, she was just a sheltered 20-year-old girl fresh out of school. Thrust into the entertainment industry, she had never faced such a public confrontation.

“If it wasn’t you, why are you hiding your hands?” The director sneered angrily. “Minwen is your own sister! How could you do something like this? Do you even deserve to call yourself her sister?”

He now believed the earlier rumors—when Zhou Minwen mentioned her sister trying to harm her, it might have been entirely true.

“This isn’t something you could have done alone. Who helped you?”

Zhou Minwen had lost all emotion, staring coldly at her sister.

Zhou Minzhu bit her lip, hesitating.

Lin Xingyue’s expression hardened. She glared at Zhou Minzhu and made a throat-slitting motion.

Terrified, Zhou Minzhu’s face turned pale. She stumbled forward and knelt in front of Zhou Minwen with a thud.

“Sister, it was my fault! I was wrong! This was all my idea! I just wanted revenge! Please forgive me!”

She raised her hand and slapped herself twice, then looked up at Zhou Minwen with teary, pleading eyes.

From childhood, every time she made a mistake, she would act pitiful, and her sister would always forgive her. Zhou Minzhu had even mocked her sister’s soft-heartedness before.

Now, she desperately hoped that her sister’s weakness would save her once again.

But Zhou Minwen merely took a step back, her expression one of utter disdain.

Zhou Minzhu’s face twisted in humiliation and anger. “Fine, so what if it was me? I asked around. Even if you call the police, they won’t bother with this case!”

Lin Xingyue secretly sighed in relief.

Gu Xicao shook her head and said flatly, “Then whoever gave you that advice is trying to ruin you. Family members committing a crime together might receive lighter sentences. But there’s an exception—collaborative theft. If you don’t reveal who planned this, both you and Sister Qi are accomplices. You’d better discuss who’s the mastermind. After all, this necklace is worth over eight million yuan. You’re looking at a lifetime in prison.”

“What?!”

Zhou Minzhu and Sister Qi were both terrified.

The rest of the crew were equally shocked. In these times, most people joining film crews came from impoverished backgrounds and lacked much awareness of the law.

Who would have thought that stealing a necklace could result in a life sentence?

“No, you’re scaring me! I don’t believe it, I don’t believe it!”

Zhou Minzhu was utterly panicked. In her distress, she turned to Lin Xingyue and cried, “Sister Lin, you said it wouldn’t matter even if we were found out!”

Sister Qi was also in tears. “Miss Lin, I can’t go to jail. My son and daughter-in-law still depend on me!”

Lin Xingyue’s face turned green.

She cursed the two of them in her heart for being utterly useless. A mere scare, and they had already confessed everything.

The director looked at her. “Lin Xingyue, are you the one who instructed them to do this?”

Lin Xingyue put on an expression of grievance. “Director, I’ve been wronged. I have no enmity with Ah Wen. Why would I scheme against her?”

The manager sneered. “No enmity? Haven’t you always been jealous of Ah Wen for taking the lead role?”

Lin Xingyue pursed her lips. “That’s common in this industry. Am I supposed to target every colleague who gets a lead role in the films I’m in? Ah Wen, believe me, I’m innocent. It was your sister and Sister Qi who conspired to frame you.”

Zhou Minzhu, enraged and humiliated, stood up and pointed at Lin Xingyue. “Stop pretending! You’re the one who bribed Sister Qi! You paid her to falsify evidence!”

“Oh? Do you have any proof?”

A mocking smile briefly appeared on Lin Xingyue’s lips before she concealed it with an expression of helplessness. “You shouldn’t accuse people without evidence. If you have proof, show it!”

Zhou Minzhu looked at Sister Qi with urgency in her eyes, hoping that she could produce evidence.

But Sister Qi stammered, her lips trembling. “She… she only gave me cash.”

Zhou Minwen felt a tinge of disappointment.

Cash was the hardest to trace. Bank transfers or checks could easily pin someone down, but cash? Nearly impossible.

“Well, Ah Wen, what do you plan to do now?” The director turned to Zhou Minwen.

Zhou Minwen glanced at Zhou Minzhu and Sister Qi.

The two of them were looking at Zhou Minwen pleadingly, hoping she would let them off the hook.

“Call the police. Let the authorities handle it,” Zhou Minwen said decisively.

Thud! Zhou Minzhu’s legs gave out, and she fainted on the spot.

But this time, Zhou Minwen didn’t hold back. Within half an hour, a police car arrived to take both Zhou Minzhu and Sister Qi away.

Perhaps out of sympathy, the director granted Zhou Minwen two days off. As she was leaving, he warned her, “That Lin Xingyue is tricky. Be careful.”

“Thank you, Director.”

Zhou Minwen wasn’t a child; she didn’t bother questioning why the director didn’t fire Lin Xingyue.

After all, the director was just an employee working for the TV station and didn’t have the authority to fire anyone.

The paparazzi, who had received word of the incident, almost blocked the film set entirely. Not wanting to delay Gu Xicao’s work, Zhou Minwen had her manager escort him and Wang Laoshi away.

After watching the drama unfold all afternoon, Wang Laoshi was utterly astounded. “I never imagined the entertainment industry could be so complicated. Miss Zhou really has it tough.”

“Who doesn’t?” The manager took out a pack of cigarettes and asked, “You don’t mind if I smoke, right?”

“Go ahead,” Gu Xicao said, waving his hand, understanding her current mood.

The manager lit a cigarette and exhaled a long puff before saying to Gu Xicao, “Master Gu, we really owe you one this time. If you hadn’t come today, Ah Wen would’ve been unable to clear her name, no matter what. We’ll make sure to send you a big red envelope later.”

“That’s not necessary. I was just doing my part,” Gu Xicao replied. “You should focus on comforting Miss Zhou.”

“Don’t worry. Ah Wen isn’t that fragile,” the manager said. “But you need to be careful. Lin Xingyue has connections to certain… unsavory groups. She wasn’t caught this time, but she’ll surely hold a grudge. She might even retaliate against you.”

Wang Laoshi was startled. “What? She’s connected to those kinds of people? We’re doomed! What do we do now?”

He turned to look at Gu Xicao, who was leisurely chewing gum. Wang Laoshi was exasperated. “Master, we’re in big trouble, and you’re still chewing gum?”

“Quit being so pessimistic,” Gu Xicao said, tossing him a stick of gum. “Is she really that powerful?”

Catching the gum, Wang Laoshi said, “Those people are dangerous. If they want to harm someone, they’ll do it without hesitation. Don’t take this lightly.”

Gu Xicao shrugged. “Well, I’m not so easy to bully either.”

Wang Laoshi’s curiosity was piqued. “Master, do you have a plan to deal with them?”

Gu Xicao raised an eyebrow and pointed at himself. “Me?”

“Yeah, you. Isn’t this fortune-telling shop of ours standing strong because of you?” Wang Laoshi grinned obsequiously. “If you have a plan, please share it with me.”

Gu Xicao crossed his arms and thought for a moment before saying, “I do have a plan.”

“What is it?” Wang Laoshi asked eagerly.

Even the manager driving the car was intrigued. Though she appeared focused on the road, she was secretly listening intently.

Gu Xicao snapped his fingers and said solemnly, “If those people really come looking for trouble, we’ll—”

“Do what?” Wang Laoshi was on the edge of his seat.

“Reason with them,” Gu Xicao said seriously, nodding for emphasis.

The car swerved slightly, nearly hitting the curb before straightening out again.

Wang Laoshi fell silent, utterly speechless.

The manager also began quietly pondering which industry big shots she could contact for help. Normally, Master Gu was very reliable—why was he so nonchalant this time?

Clearing her throat, the manager said, “Mr. Wang, why don’t you give me your number? I’ll see if I can arrange for a couple of bodyguards to keep an eye on your place.”

“Great, thank you so much,” Wang Laoshi quickly responded, reciting the phone number for the fortune-telling shop.

Gu Xicao waved dismissively. “I’m serious; this is nothing major. I can handle it.”

“Sure, sure. Just keep chewing your gum,” Wang Laoshi waved his hand and said perfunctorily.