"You want to pursue Fang En?"
The female employee was around the same age as Fang En, and judging by her tone, she seemed to know her. When she heard Li Chonglou express his intention to pursue Fang En, a strange expression flickered across her face.
"Mhm, can you do me a favor? I want to give her a gift, but I asked the receptionist earlier and it seems she isn't working today?"
Hearing that he wanted to give a gift, the woman's surprised expression intensified. "You look quite handsome. Why do you want to pursue her?"
Li Chonglou was momentarily taken aback. He had thought they were friends, but judging by her words, something seemed off.
"Why can't I pursue her? Do you know something? Can you tell me?"
Li Chonglou looked at the woman with sincerity. The woman suddenly looked left and right, observing their surroundings. Seeing no one, she whispered, "Fang En is quite wild. You seem like an honest person, you won't be able to handle her."
"Why do you say that?"
"Well, I shouldn't gossip about others. Perhaps you should get to know her better first?"
The woman was clearly hesitant. Li Chonglou fell silent for a moment, then finally nodded and turned to leave.
The woman watched Li Chonglou's retreating back, wanting to speak but stopping herself. With a sigh, she said no more.
She thought the matter was settled. To her surprise, when she left the supermarket after work, she encountered Li Chonglou outside again.
This was, of course, Li Chonglou deliberately waiting for her.
"Let me treat you to a meal. I really don't know any of her other friends. I want you to tell me about her, I truly like her…"
Li Chonglou put on a sincere expression. Seeing this, the woman finally nodded and agreed.
Soon after, they arrived at a high-end restaurant.
"Um, isn't this place very expensive? Couldn't we just grab something to eat casually? There's no need to spend so much?"
Li Chonglou smiled and said, "It's fine, let's stay here. The fact that you agreed is a big help to me, I can't possibly mistreat you."
As the saying goes, "He who eats a man's food must lend him a hand," Li Chonglou naturally hoped the woman would reveal all the information she knew, so the atmosphere of the meal was very important.
Indeed, as the woman ate happily and contentedly, she disclosed everything she knew about Fang En, without omitting a single detail.
Li Chonglou then learned that there had been some conflict between them, which was why the woman had initially advised him against it. However, it wasn't an act of revenge. Rather, the woman knew Fang En, knew she frequented nightclubs, and that she also had a part-time job at a foot massage parlor.
"I know not all girls who work at foot massage parlors are bad, but from what I know, the one she works at isn't a legitimate establishment. Some male friends of mine have mentioned that you can pay for services from the girls there."
The woman was not malicious, and she wasn't deliberately slandering Fang En. However, she clearly didn't want Li Chonglou to rashly pursue such a girl.
After the meal, Li Chonglou also obtained the location of Fang En's foot massage parlor from the woman. After bidding her farewell, he headed there immediately.
The foot massage parlor wasn't far from the supermarket. Li Chonglou walked for just over ten minutes before finding the place.
"Fang En? Oh, you mean technician number 16? What is it, you're asking about her?"
The receptionist at the front desk winked at Li Chonglou with a knowing look. Li Chonglou smiled subtly and nodded, "Then please arrange it for me."
The girl operated her computer and smiled, "She happens to be on the day shift today, on the fourth floor. I'll take you up."
Li Chonglou's eyes lit up, and he quickly nodded.
After paying, he followed the girl up to the fourth floor and entered a private room.
"Please wait here for a moment. Number sixteen will be here shortly. By the way, would you like a fruit platter? And a drink?"
Li Chonglou casually ordered something and waited quietly in the warmly decorated foot bath room for her arrival.
He didn't have to wait long. After just two or three minutes, a woman knocked on the door.
"Hello, sir."
"Please come in."
As the woman pushed the door open, Li Chonglou was surprised to find that she wasn't dressed as flamboyantly as he had imagined. On the contrary, her attire and demeanor exuded an air of purity.
However, to avoid alarming her, Li Chonglou didn't ask immediately. He sat quietly, waiting for her to begin her work.
He had booked a foot massage service, having gone with Zhou Tong before, so he was familiar with the process. The woman's subsequent actions were also quite normal, with no untoward behavior.
As she massaged the muscles in his legs, Li Chonglou suddenly asked, "What's your name?"
"Ah?"
The woman was clearly startled but replied, "My name is Fang En. Boss, you can call me Xiao Fang."
The name matched, but her appearance and demeanor differed somewhat from what Hu Han and the supermarket colleague had described.
Therefore, Li Chonglou didn't press the issue immediately. Instead, he continued to subtly probe, and when she confirmed her age and that she also worked at the supermarket, Li Chonglou suddenly grabbed her hand.
This sudden action clearly startled Fang En. She instinctively replied with a hint of panic, "Boss, please don't... here..."
However, before she could finish, Li Chonglou interrupted her, "Was it you who called the police?"
Upon hearing the word "police," Fang En's panic intensified, and her whole body began to tremble.
"You, you are!"
Li Chonglou's expression turned serious. "I came specifically to find you this time. You should know why, right?"
Fang En shook her head. "I don't know, I don't know anything!"
As she spoke, tears began to stream down her face. Li Chonglou frowned deeply because he could clearly sense that Fang En's fear was not feigned!
This meant something was amiss.
If she had deliberately framed Hu Han, why would she react with such fear, and not just surprise?
In an instant, Li Chonglou thought of a possibility.
"Is someone forcing you to do this!"
Li Chonglou suddenly lowered his voice and questioned her. Fang En's expression instinctively froze for a moment before she continued to shake her head in denial.
But Li Chonglou had already understood. This woman was definitely a victim as well.
This made things much easier for Li Chonglou.
"Tell me, I'll help you resolve it."
Fang En struggled to pull her hand free but found she couldn't move it at all.