Chapter 801: Xiao He: I'm Getting on This Ship No Matter What!

"Just leave this to the police to handle on their own, why bother? Besides, even though I don't know much about Officer Cheng, I'm sure he wouldn't want you to put yourself in danger. Everything you're doing now is just wishful thinking on your part! Don't end up hindering the police's operation instead."

Liu Rulan crossed her arms, her words cold and brutally realistic.

It wasn't that she wasn't worried about the undercover police officer's struggles and hardships at sea. She simply felt this wasn't something ordinary citizens like them should get involved in.

Even though Tong Junhui had once been an informant, had long since shed his identity as a regular actor, had infiltrated criminal organizations to gather intelligence for the police, and had since partnered with Zhou Junhao to expose two blockbuster news stories that shook the nation—Liu Rulan still believed he shouldn't go help.

After all, talking about international waters, about sailing alone on a cruise ship—even if Liu Rulan had no idea what was about to happen, she'd watched plenty of Hong Kong films over the years, hadn't she?

It sounded incredibly dangerous.

Xiao He, on the other hand, rubbed his chin in thought for a moment, then suddenly broke into a grin. "Fine then. You want to help, and I want to help too! How could something this interesting be missing me?"

"Xiao He!" Liu Rulan warned in a low voice. "Let him be, but are you losing your mind too?"

She really was at her wit's end with the artists she'd managed.

They couldn't even be described as skilled and daring.

They were just a bunch of idiots asking for trouble one after another.

Oh right, if Xiao He insisted on going, then adding Shu Han, who was boarding the cruise for the variety show, she'd practically have all the artists she'd ever managed gathered on that ship!

The thought made Liu Rulan's vision go dark, the world losing all light.

Shu Han looked honest, but he was actually a "white outside, black inside" type—otherwise, he wouldn't have managed to thrive after heading to Hollywood.

As for Tong Junhui, there was no need to elaborate. He was the most "dangerous" artist she'd ever managed, and he'd nearly dragged her down into the abyss with him.

And Xiao He... hehe, Liu Rulan couldn't be bothered to comment anymore. Those who knew, knew.

If all three of them ended up on that cruise ship, what could she, as their agent, possibly say?

"It's okay, Sister Liu." Xiao He turned to Liu Rulan with a reassuring smile. "Since Brother Tong has been so open with us, sharing such an important plan, I should be frank too and tell you my thoughts."

Then he looked back at Tong Junhui and continued, "I want to get on that ship. It's purely my own desire—I don't need a reason. If you insist on digging for one, I can only say you can think of it as a little OCD I have."

"I had a hand in the Chen family's downfall back then, but at the time, all I wanted was a low-key life. I didn't want to get involved in anything more."

"But now I feel that staying low-key and passive forever isn't such a great thing either."

"On that ship this time, there's Brother Shu, there's Brother Tong, there's Officer Cheng, and so many others who don't know what's coming. I don't want to wait for something to happen and then have to react passively again."

He was always the one reacting after the fact, but since he already knew something important was going to happen, he absolutely wouldn't sit back and do nothing—even if this might originally have nothing to do with him.

Xiao He didn't have Tong Junhui's sense of mission to expose and eradicate every injustice, but he also couldn't just turn a blind eye.

Anyway, fighting fire with fire, fighting evil with evil—that had always been his forte!

When they got on that ship, who was the hunter and who was the prey was still up for debate!

Xiao He's stance was exceptionally firm, a resolve he'd never shown before. Even faced with a resisting Liu Rulan, he was completely immovable. "Besides, who says getting on the ship means danger? That would be a case that shakes the entire world! The authorities will handle it. We're just boarding to enjoy the excitement, maybe expand our network a bit. What danger is there in that? Sister Liu, you're overthinking things."

Seeing this, Liu Rulan let out a helpless, bitter laugh. She was silent for a long moment before finally giving in. "Fine. I really can't deal with you guys. Anyway, you always end up doing things your way."

Since she had already laid out the situation and the pros and cons from an agent's perspective, and the final decision was the artist's to make, she could only reluctantly accept it.

"Alright! Enough talk! Let's take a look at the situation now!"

Rubbing his hands together, Xiao He reached for his backpack to pull out his laptop.

A nearly tangible symbol of anger appeared on Liu Rulan's forehead. She grabbed Xiao He by the ear. "I'll handle reporting this to the police for you! Don't you dare go snooping around on the internet for anything you shouldn't see! Also! Your scenes for this afternoon are about to start shooting! Are you planning to go on strike right now?!"

"Ow, ow, ow—Sister Liu, I forgot! Sorry, I'm wrong!"

Xiao He was yanked up from the sofa, but luckily, he was quick on his feet. He sprang up and bolted toward the lounge door. "Ah, no wonder I felt like I forgot something. It turns out the production assistant just told me to get to the set for filming! Hahaha, I'm off then!"

Without waiting for Liu Rulan or Tong Junhui to say a word, Xiao He had already vanished through the doorway.

Liu Rulan and Tong Junhui: ...

Staring at the now-closed door, Liu Rulan held her forehead, looking thoroughly exasperated.

"That kid, always so unreliable."

Tong Junhui watched from the side, fell silent for a moment, then said with mixed emotions, "Sister Liu clearly trusts Xiao He a lot. That's why you let him get away with it, isn't it? If you really didn't agree with him getting on the ship, you'd never have relented."

But the way she had made a big fuss and then let it slide so easily told Tong Junhui that Liu Rulan had already tacitly accepted Xiao He's plan.

"Ha, maybe so."

Liu Rulan composed herself, returning to her dignified demeanor. She leisurely picked up her cold drink and took a few more sips before continuing, "He trusts me a lot, so naturally, I trust him a lot too."

"Is that so?"

Tong Junhui shrugged, wisely dropping the subject. Instead, he shifted gears and asked, "You're going to report this to the police?"

"Why wouldn't I? When my artist does something, I have to cover for him. You know me—I never leave any procedural loopholes for anyone to nitpick."

Liu Rulan let out a derisive laugh. "Don't worry. Because of what happened with you before, I've kept in touch with the police officer handling the relevant cases in Shanghai. I'll report this directly to the Shanghai police, not the Hong Kong authorities."

After all, the waters in Hong Kong... she didn't dare test their depth either.

So she'd register it in Shanghai first, and when everything was over, it would be easier to have them handle it through a cross-regional joint investigation. If anything really went wrong, Liu Rulan trusted the Shanghai police would have their backs.

Besides...

Liu Rulan smiled meaningfully.

Xiao He was now very close with Reporter Zhou, and Reporter Zhou's family...

Wasn't that a perfect case of having a big tree to lean on for shade?

With that thought, Liu Rulan couldn't help but shoot Tong Junhui a glare.

Xiao He had one very good habit: he handled matters with a specialist, and when there was a situation, he reported it. At least that way, she knew the situation and could prepare in advance.

But this one here? He always went ahead and did things on his own, then only came to her when he couldn't handle the fallout!

And what was she, some kind of deity? What could she possibly manage?!

If they were talking about causing trouble, Liu Rulan felt the one standing before her was the real champion. Compared to him, Xiao He was practically a well-behaved child.