Li Ye had already run to the door and was observing the situation outside on the large screen. Ning Wei, having put on a bathrobe, quickly followed him.
The regular customer, disheveled and with bloodstains on his chest, was fleeing the room in a panic, pursued by two expressionless bodyguards.
Judging by the man's expression, something must have happened inside the room.
However, the two bodyguards looked as if nothing had occurred.
One of the bodyguards swiftly led the man away from the fourth floor, while the other remained stationed outside room 4045.
Ning Wei observed closely; when the man ran out, the precious ring he wore was no longer on his hand.
Li Ye had also noticed this, which was why he hadn't followed.
His bead could sense other objects. If the man had left with the ring, the bead would have reacted.
As long as the ring remained in the hotel, there was no need to worry.
Immediately after, someone in a blue uniform appeared at the door of 4045 and engaged in a lengthy conversation with the bodyguard.
Though their voices were low, Li Ye heard them clearly.
He relayed to Ning Wei, "That person played with Shanshan to death."
Ning Wei was slightly surprised but then recalled the female ghost in the mirror; her appearance didn't suggest a peaceful death.
Unfortunately, the constant presence of the bodyguard at the door prevented them from entering.
After watching for a long time, the bodyguard received a phone call and cast a casual glance towards room 4044.
The call ended, and the bodyguard immediately walked over.
Seeing him approach, Li Ye and Ning Wei stealthily moved to their room door. They deliberately messed up their clothes, with Ning Wei going as far as to tear a corner of her dress, creating a slit that reached her thigh.
Li Ye was displeased by Ning Wei's exposed leg. The knock on the door had already arrived.
He pulled Ning Wei towards the door, muttering complaints as if their good time had been interrupted.
Ning Wei, having just emerged from under the covers, had a severely wrinkled dress, making it obvious she had just gotten out of bed.
Upon opening the door, Li Ye looked at the bodyguard with feigned annoyance, protectively holding Ning Wei and with one hand cupping her dress to conceal her alluringly revealed leg.
"What is it?" Li Ye asked, appearing exceptionally angry.
The bodyguard, without looking anywhere else, addressed Li Ye, "Earlier, at Pink Crystal, my young master treated you to drinks. You ordered several bottles of imported liquor. My young master specifically asked me to inquire how many days you plan to stay here, as he would like to cover your room charges."
Li Ye replied impatiently, "We're leaving after tonight. Please thank your young master for me."
The bodyguard visibly relaxed. "You're welcome. I won't disturb your… activities any further."
Li Ye didn't waste any more words and promptly closed the door.
The bodyguard stared at the closed door, his eyebrows twitching slightly before a knowing smile spread across his face.
Li Ye and Ning Wei, having deliberately made noise as if they were moving around, had actually never left the vicinity of their door.
From the surveillance footage, they could clearly see the bodyguard's smile.
The bodyguard soon departed, and the door of room 4045 was closed. No one remained outside.
"It seems that bodyguard is up to something," Ning Wei said, completely disbelieving he was merely there to settle their room bill.
"The room next door is empty. This is an opportunity."
Ning Wei looked up at him. "You're going to look for the ring in the room next door?"
Li Ye nodded.
Without delay, they began their plan, their cooperation seamless.
Ning Wei took full responsibility for opening the door, while Li Ye provided cover beside her.
Once the door was open, Li Ye quickly slipped inside and told Ning Wei, "You go back to your room. Don't stay here."
"What if someone comes?" Someone needed to be the lookout.
"Trust me, I can handle it. You being here makes you more exposed. Go back to your room first. If anything happens, you can stall them."
Since Li Ye genuinely wanted her to wait, Ning Wei didn't refuse.
When working, the last thing one needed was a teammate who slowed things down.
After Li Ye entered the room and closed the door again, Ning Wei quietly returned to 4044, shut the door, and sat on the sofa, patiently awaiting news.
However, within two minutes of sitting down, the two bodyguards reappeared.
Ning Wei's heart tightened as she watched them enter the room.
The size and facilities of these two rooms should be identical. Therefore, Ning Wei knew better than anyone whether there were any hiding places inside.
She could only place her hope on Li Ye's precious bead, praying its power would help him navigate this perilous situation.
Ning Wei stayed glued to the screen. After the two bodyguards entered, Li Ye never appeared.
It wasn't until two hours later that the two bodyguards emerged from the room, looking satisfied. One was adjusting his tie, the other his belt.
These subtle actions invited all sorts of speculation.
As they descended the stairs, Li Ye also emerged from the room.
The moment he appeared, Ning Wei opened the door and pulled him in, appearing extremely anxious.
"Where were you hiding? You scared me to death!"
"When I heard them, I climbed into the ventilation shaft in the ceiling. I intended to crawl over through the ducts, but I heard some sounds and got curious, so I stayed to watch for a while longer."
Ning Wei looked displeased. She had been worried sick while Li Ye was essentially sightseeing next door.
"What was there to see? There was a dead body right next door!"
Li Ye shook his head slightly upon hearing this and then quietly recounted what he had witnessed to Ning Wei.
It turned out the two bodyguards had a peculiar fetish. After the "big boss" had played Shanshan to death, they discussed how to dispose of the body.
Naturally, they wouldn't handle such matters personally. Instead, they entrusted the task to their two bodyguards.
This wasn't the first time something like this had happened, so the bodyguards were quite accustomed to it.
The reason the "big boss" had exclaimed in surprise was that Shanshan had been too fragile. After giving her a couple more pills and making her perform some dance moves, she had gasped her last breath and died.
"So Shanshan's tragic state after death was because she was violated both before and after she died?" Ning Wei mused, connecting it to the expression on the faces of the two bodyguards she had seen earlier, which indeed seemed as if they had just finished their task.
Li Ye nodded. "And the reason the bodyguards came to ask us how many days we were staying was also intentional."
Ning Wei ventured a bold guess, "They wouldn't plan to move the body to our room, would they?"
Li Ye nodded and then explained the plan that the two bodyguards had discussed to Ning Wei.
First, when Shanshan went to work at Pink Crystal today, the first guest she received was Li Ye. Therefore, they decided to frame Li Ye for the incident.