Seeing Chu Rong looking at her, Quan Jiu explained, "Since her purpose is already known, I'd rather take the initiative than wait to be slaughtered."
Chu Rong smiled and said, "I never realized before, you're quite the little wildcat."
"Who says so?" Quan Jiu huffed, deliberately blinking her big, watery eyes. "I'm clearly a well-behaved house cat, a Persian cat. Very obedient."
Recalling the wildness this little Persian cat had revealed last night after her emotional knot was untied, Chu Rong's throat tightened. His breathing deepened, and he indulgently pinched Quan Jiu's cheek. "Mmm, indeed very obedient."
Quan Jiu smiled contentedly, finished her meal in a few bites, and waved her hand grandly, unceremoniously. "I'm full, clear the table."
Chu Rong tidied up the dishes. "I'll make you spicy crayfish tonight, okay?"
Quan Jiu gulped, nodding like a pecking chicken. "And some iced seafood would be even better."
Chu Rong's heart stirred at her gluttonous cat-like demeanor. He leaned close to Quan Jiu's ear, his deep, magnetic voice filled with allure. "If I feed you enough, you'll have more energy for business tonight."
Quan Jiu's face instantly flushed crimson. Embarrassed, she poked Chu Rong's chest. "In broad daylight, you..."
Chu Rong's eyes were full of mischief. "What are you thinking? I mean, Su Lian is going to make a move tonight, and we'll likely have to confront people from the new district."
Quan Jiu's racing heart suddenly calmed. Her expression immediately turned serious. "What is she going to do? Does she still want to rob a bank?"
"No." A fierce glint flashed in Chu Rong's eyes. "She failed her last mission and must have been punished by the clan. This time, she wants to capture you to redeem herself. Your familial connection with your grandmother isn't difficult to trace."
Quan Jiu nodded in understanding, then, unseen by him, she held Chu Rong's hand and squeezed his palm, feeling deeply gratified. "I'm so glad you told me this and that we can face it together. I may not be able to help much, but... as your wife, I should always stand by your side."
The misunderstanding from five years ago, one unwilling to speak out under the guise of "worry," the other not asking further under the guise of "understanding," both wanting what was best for the other, but unknowingly pushing each other further apart.
Now, they both knew that being a couple wasn't about each holding an umbrella for the other, but about them jointly holding up one umbrella.
...
After Chu Rong left, there was still half an hour of lunch break. Quan Jiu noticed Xiao Dong had returned. Following the pattern of the past few days, Xiao Dong and Liu Zhi Xi should be resting in the temporary lounge set up by the crew.
From the first day of filming until now, that lounge had always been used exclusively by Liu Zhi Xi.
Quan Jiu, seizing an opportunity when no one was looking, quietly made her way to the small hill behind the lounge.
The hill wasn't high, and it was easy to climb. Quan Jiu took out the shoe covers she had prepared and climbed up the slope. She then quietly jumped onto the roof and crawled inch by inch towards the center.
Estimating she was in the right spot, Quan Jiu carefully lifted a roof tile and got a clear view of the scene inside the room.
"Miss, I compared several. This is the biggest firework. It's said to be powerful enough to kill a cow." Xiao Dong obsequiously presented the firework.
Liu Zhi Xi glanced at it and was quite satisfied. "Mmm, find an opportunity to set it off for her today. Doesn't she like watching fireworks? I'll give her a big one."
Xiao Dong forced a stiff smile, knowing her mistress wanted to rest. She put the firework away and left of her own accord, contemplating how to proceed in the afternoon.
Quan Jiu waited for Xiao Dong to leave, then waited a moment longer. Once Liu Zhi Xi put down her phone and began to feign sleep, she took out a telescopic pole from her bag. A fishing line was tied to one end, and a lit lighter was attached to the fishing line.
Lowering it slowly, the lighter suspended by the fishing line was gradually lowered into the lounge. Because there was no sound, it didn't disturb Liu Zhi Xi.
When the fishing line reached a sufficient length, Quan Jiu continued to extend the pole, controlling its direction, and brought the lighter bit by bit closer to the fuse of the firework.
The five-centimeter-long fuse ignited instantly, burning extremely fast. After just two or three seconds of sizzling, the firework was lit. Immediately, a huge explosion and a tragic scream resounded through the area.
Quan Jiu quickly retrieved her setup and restored the roof tile to its original position, then vanished like a phantom from the other side of the hill.
She had scouted the path in advance, avoiding cameras and leaving no trace along the way. She returned to her own resting area without alerting anyone.
...
Meanwhile, after Xiao Dong returned, Guo Wen received news from the plainclothes bodyguard immediately, knowing Xiao Dong had bought fireworks.
He vaguely suspected that Xiao Dong, acting on Liu Zhi Xi's orders, was up to some mischief again. He had even prepared to apprehend Xiao Dong on the spot if she made any move.
The reason he waited for Xiao Dong to make the first move was that such matters required irrefutable evidence, with both witnesses and physical evidence, to leave Xiao Dong and Liu Zhi Xi with no room for recourse.
He thought Xiao Dong would wait for the right opportunity to use the fireworks, or at least not use them too soon. He never expected that shortly after receiving the news, the sound of an explosion would erupt from the lounge area.
Guo Wen's first reaction was concern for Quan Jiu's safety. He regretted not stopping Xiao Dong sooner, and now could only pray that no one was harmed.
While making a call, he followed the sound to the scene. Many people had already gathered, and the staff were extinguishing the fire.
Guo Wen's heart sank. At that moment, his phone call connected.
"Hello, Director, what's wrong? I heard an explosion, what happened?" Quan Jiu asked anxiously.
Guo Wen was startled. "Where are you? Are you alright?"
Quan Jiu, upon hearing the sound, had followed the crowd to the scene but stayed at the periphery, not getting too close. She said, "I'm fine. It looks like there's a fire up ahead. The lounge is on fire."
Guo Wen breathed a sigh of relief. It was good that she was alright. He hung up the phone, moved to the front of the crowd, and asked, "What happened?"
As soon as he finished speaking, a startled scream was heard.
"Miss, Miss is inside, save her quickly." Xiao Dong frantically tried to run into the lounge but was held back by the staff, preventing her from rushing in.
Guo Wen's brow twitched. Could Liu Zhi Xi be inside?
As he was thinking, the firefighters carried out a person from inside, their clothes tattered and body covered in blood. It was none other than Liu Zhi Xi.
Xiao Dong stared blankly at the bloodied figure covered in soot, instantly becoming like a puppet whose strings had been cut, motionless.
"Quick, call an ambulance! Extensive burns and scalds, the person is unconscious!" shouted a firefighter.
"The ambulance is already on its way, it'll be here soon," someone replied.
Guo Wen looked at the bloody Liu Zhi Xi, pondered for a moment, then grabbed Xiao Dong and dragged her away from the scene.
Xiao Dong was still in shock. With her mistress in trouble, she had no hope of survival. She was consumed by fear and was dragged into an empty room by Guo Wen without any resistance.
"I know you bought the fireworks, and Liu Zhi Xi told you to buy them. You originally planned to harm Quan Jiu with the fireworks, but you ended up suffering the consequences, didn't you?" Guo Wen glared at Xiao Dong angrily.
Xiao Dong was startled and suddenly came back to her senses. She looked at Guo Wen in disbelief, trembling with fear and shaking her head repeatedly in denial.
Guo Wen produced the shopping list he had obtained from the plainclothes bodyguard. "If that's not enough, then the surveillance cameras along the way should be sufficient."