Bai Wenxi hadn't even reacted when the busy tone "beep, beep, beep" came from the receiver. She looked at Jiang Beihuai in surprise, unable to figure out who could have made such a strange phone call.
Seeing his wife's complexion change, Jiang Beihuai quickly asked, "What's wrong? Who called you?"
Bai Wenxi shook her head, feeling a chill rising from the soles of her feet to the top of her head.
She repeated what the person on the phone had said. Jiang Beihuai made a prompt decision. "Let's go and check now. I'll go with you."
Having a hunch that something bad was about to happen, Bai Wenxi said worriedly, "Could this be a scam? Should we just call the police?"
Jiang Beihuai understood her panic and quickly hugged her in his arms. "It's up to you. But if we call the police and can't figure out that person's intention, won't it be a pity to tip off the enemy?"
Bai Wenxi pursed her lips and frowned deeply, thinking of all the strange conflicts that had happened in the family recently.
She made up her mind. "I'm going to see what that person left under the steps. Let's go and check now!"
It was nearly dusk. There were few people left in the art gallery. Manager Li was about to empty the gallery and close it.
Bai Wenxi was looking through the surveillance footage at the entrance. "Did any strange people loiter in front of the art gallery this afternoon?"
Manager Li thought carefully for a long time and then shook his head firmly. "Everyone came for the art exhibition. Who would stay in front of the door without going in?"
"And there were several familiar faces among those who came to the art gallery this afternoon. There were few strangers."
Jiang Beihuai observed the surrounding situation carefully and was more certain that the person who had made the phone call had come prepared.
These steps were right in the blind spot of the street surveillance cameras. The surveillance cameras at the entrance of the Starry Art Gallery couldn't cover this area either.
Even if they called the police, the police wouldn't be able to determine who had made the phone call in a short time.
Bai Wenxi leaned over to the steps. Just as she was about to reach out, Jiang Beihuai stopped her. "Let me get it. You and Manager Li stay away."
He found a very hidden small hole under the steps. If he hadn't been looking for it deliberately, it would have been hard to find. Seeing this, he had an idea. That person must be very familiar with the art gallery.
He rolled up his sleeves, reached his arm inside, and pulled out a thick package.
When they opened the cloth bag, they looked at each other in surprise.
Inside were a stack of photos and several videotapes. Bai Wenxi flipped through them. Just as she was about to pick up the photos, Jiang Beihuai quickly snatched them away.
"You can't look at these photos."
He quickly stuffed the stack of photos into his pocket and tied up the cloth bag as it was before.
"We'll watch the videotapes when we get home."
Bai Wenxi was quite curious. She didn't know why he suddenly looked so on guard. It wasn't until they got home and played the videotapes that she understood why Jiang Beihuai had been so sensitive.
The tapes showed private footage of Yao Chunmei with different men. The photos were even more shocking.
There was also a letter in the package. The content was clearly blackmail. The writer demanded that Bai Wenxi pay two million yuan as hush money. Otherwise, they would send these photos and videos to all of the Bai family's relatives and friends.
Everyone would then know that Bai Zhongxun had been cuckolded countless times by his wife.
Since this was related to her father's reputation, Bai Wenxi was extremely angry and trembling all over.
However, Jiang Beihuai immediately saw something fishy. "Don't you think there's something strange?"
Bai Wenxi said irritably, "Even a blind person can see something's wrong. I think Yao Chunmei is just a disaster. She was always causing trouble when my father was alive. And she still can't stay faithful at her age."
Jiang Beihuai shook his head. Knowing that Wenxi was in a bad mood because of the personal insult, he didn't argue with her. "Have you noticed that one person is missing among these men?"
Hearing his strange words, Bai Wenxi quickly asked, "What did you find? How do you know one person is missing?"
Jiang Beihuai raised his eyebrows proudly and boasted a little. "Of course. I'm so smart and my eyes are so sharp. But I also owe it to you."
Bai Wenxi was completely confused. "Owe it to me?"
Jiang Beihuai nodded and crossed his arms. He leaned back on the sofa in a more comfortable position. "It's the person I told you to be on guard against every day, Chen Liangke!"
Bai Wenxi's heart skipped a beat. She finally remembered this person. "Yes, he's almost always with Yao Chunmei. These two have been getting closer and closer openly. Why aren't there any photos of her and Chen Liangke?"
Jiang Beihuai took the opportunity to lecture her. "I told you before that this guy is not a good person, but you didn't believe me! I told you to keep your distance from him, but you even got angry with me."
Bai Wenxi knew that his little jealousy problem had flared up again. He mainly minded that she hadn't kept a distance from Chen Liangke before. Now he was using this incident to settle old scores.
Bai Wenxi held out her hands and made a stop gesture. "Stop! Thanks for finding the key point. Let's not talk about the past. Let's think about how to deal with this blackmail quickly."
She was so angry that her head was in a daze. Her chest was so stuffy that she could hardly breathe. "Let's call the police and make a big deal out of it. I'd like to see if it's really Chen Liangke causing trouble."
In fact, she was almost 90% sure that the person who had taken the videos and photos must be someone very close to Yao Chunmei.
Because many of her private photos were taken from angles that only someone close to her could capture. And the person knew very well about the men she associated with. No one who wasn't always around her and trusted by her could have done this.
This time, Jiang Beihuai took an unexpectedly conservative view. "I advise you not to. Think about why this person is asking you for such a huge amount of blackmail?"
Bai Wenxi blurted out without thinking. "Because I'm rich! I'm married to you. Everyone knows that the Jiang family is wealthy. And I also own an art gallery myself. Yao Chunmei has no money."
Jiang Beihuai clapped his hands. "That's right. This person knows that Yao Chunmei has no money and that you're rich. But would he not know that you and Yao Chunmei are like fire and water?"
The fog was gradually clearing. Bai Wenxi felt that the path in front of her was becoming clearer and clearer.
Jiang Beihuai analyzed it for her in detail. "Think about it. This person clearly knows that you and Yao Chunmei can't stand each other. But he still uses these things that can threaten Yao Chunmei to blackmail you. What's his intention?"
"He wants to make us both lose." Bai Wenxi answered quickly.
Jiang Beihuai was getting thirsty from talking. He took a sip of tea and continued. "No, that's not it. Because he knows that you're a person who values your reputation. You would never let your father's reputation be damaged. If these photos were spread around, it would be a disaster! You would definitely pay the money."
Jiang Beihuai hit the nail on the head. "I even suspect that he has blackmailed Yao Chunmei before and is trying to get money from both sides. This is a common trick used by these scoundrels. I can see through it at a glance."
Now Bai Wenxi was almost 100% sure that it was Chen Liangke. As long as she asked Manager Li if he had come to the Starry Art Gallery this afternoon, most of the matter would become clear.
But she didn't want to make a fuss about it immediately. Instead, an idea flashed through her mind. She thought about using this incident to completely bring down Yao Chunmei.