Outsmarting a scumbag

Chapter 2

"You...you too?" Maria's voice trembled.

Avril took out her phone and opened the photo album: "I met him at a fan meeting last month. He said he was the top brother in my live broadcast room."

She sneered, "Until I found out that he gave the same gift to five female anchors at the same time."

The two hid in a corner of the coffee shop, and more than a dozen windows popped up on Avril's laptop

- analysis charts of Jarry's social account, map marks of his consumption records, and even photos of the shopping receipts he found in the trash can.

"This scumbag has a set routine." Avril pulled up an Excel spreadsheet,

"He specifically targets working women aged 25-30. He first creates the illusion of fate by meeting them by chance, then gives them handmade gifts within two weeks, and starts making up excuses for business trips after about a month..."

Maria stared at the familiar pattern on the form, her stomach twisted.

Those sweet moments she thought were unique turned out to be assembly line products.

"The most disgusting thing is this." Avril opened the hidden folder, which contained private photos of different women taken without their knowledge. "I found it in his cloud backup."

Maril covered her mouth, and the curtains of her bedroom suddenly appeared in the corner of the photo.

Anger erupted like magma: "We call the police!"

"Insufficient evidence, more of a moral issue."

Avril closed the computer, eyes flashing dangerously, "But if we can get more..."

The two looked at each other, and Maria suddenly noticed that Avril was wearing a miniature headset on her left ear: "Are you live streaming?"

"Of course not, it's a receiver." Avril smiled slyly, "I bugged the locker room at the gym he frequents."

Maria's eyes widened, and Avril leaned close to her ear: "Do you want to know something more exciting? He is going to celebrate his anniversary with 'Xiao Si' tomorrow, we can..."

A familiar figure suddenly flashed by the window, and they both shrank their heads.

Jarry walked into the cafe with a woman on his arm and sat behind the green plants next to them.

"Baby, I brought you a gift from this trip to Hong Kong." Jarry's voice came through the green plants, "By the way, I have to go on a business trip next week..."

Maria and Avril rolled their eyes at the same time.

Avril suddenly took out a makeup mirror and adjusted the angle, and the mirror reflected Jarry secretly sending messages to another "girlfriend" under the table.

"Victim number three appears." Avril mouthed and quietly pressed the record button.

At this moment, Jarry suddenly turned his head and looked in their direction.

Maria's heartbeat stopped, and Avril suddenly turned her face and kissed her.

"Hmm?" Maria's eyes widened, her lips smelling sweet from Avril's strawberry-flavored lipstick.

Jarry glanced at the "couple" and turned back in boredom. Avril let go of her and licked her lips: "First kiss? Poor technique."

Maria blushed: "You!"

"Thank you for saving my life. Remember to treat me to a meal." Avril sent the recording file to her phone. "Will you cooperate? The kind that abuses scumbags."

Maria looked at Jarry who was talking behind the green plants, then looked at the ruffian red-haired girl in front of her and nodded slowly.

"But there's one condition," she took Avril's tissue and wiped off the lipstick marks, "next time, say hello before you pretend to kiss."

Avril laughed out loud, causing Jarry to look at her sideways again.

The two of them quickly lowered their heads and pretended to be intimate.

Maria smelled the faint citrus scent in her hair and suddenly realized that this was the first time she wanted to laugh since the incident.

"He's in!" Avril's voice came from the headset.

Maria pulled down her cap and followed Jarry into the "Midnight Rose" s*x toy store.

The glass window displayed all kinds of blushing props. She pushed the door open with gritted teeth, and the wind chimes made a crisp sound.

"Welcome...Huh? Ms. Maria?" The clerk looked at her in surprise.

Maria froze in her place - this was her college roommate's brother!

"I...I'm here to buy a wedding present for my bestie!" She lied, and out of the corner of her eye she saw Jarry disappear into the VIP area deep in the store.

My roommate's brother gave me an "I understand" look: "Lace pajamas sets are 20% off recently..."

"Let me see for myself!" Maria walked quickly to the inner room.

Avril laughed so hard that she hiccupped in the headphones: "Wedding gift? Isn't your best friend Suli? Her child is already two years old!"

"Shut up!" Maria gritted her teeth, suddenly bumping into a wall of flesh.

Jarry turned around with the box of fox tails in his hand, and their eyes met.

"Maria?" Jarry's expression froze. "Why are you..."

"Honey!" Avril suddenly jumped out from behind the shelf and hugged Maria's waist, "Why are you so slow in buying something~" She was wearing a belly-baring top and hot pants, and her makeup was so glamorous that she looked like a completely different person.

Jarry's eyes flickered back and forth between the two of them. Maria suddenly had an idea and shyly leaned into Avril's arms: "I'm embarrassed..."

Jarry looked like he had swallowed a frog. Avril took the opportunity to scan his shopping basket - a fox tail, handcuffs, a blindfold, and a bottle of suspicious pink liquid.

Jarry looked at Avril's eyes, his expression suddenly changed, and he quickly put the things back on the shelf, "You guys... have fun." He left in a hurry.

"He's panicking!" Maria lowered her voice. "What's that pink bottle?"

Avril sneered: "It's not a good thing. I've seen it on a legal program."

As they were about to leave, the roommate's brother approached them mysteriously and asked, "Ms. Maria, was introduced by a VIP client? You can get a 30% discount..."

"What VIP?" Maria was stunned.

"It's the gentleman just now. He comes here every month and says he's buying gifts for his 'female friends.'" My roommate's brother winked.

Avril suddenly covered Maria's mouth to stop her from screaming, and asked with a smile: "Brother, is there any surveillance video?"

Ten minutes later, the two rushed out of the store holding a USB drive full of evidence. Maria trembled all over: "This is a crime! We must..."

"Wait!" Avril suddenly pulled her into the alley.

Jarry was talking on the phone at the corner of the street, with a sinister expression: "...Someone is checking me. Yes, two women...Don't touch the warehouse yet..."

They held their breath and listened as Jarry got into a black car.

When the car window rolled down, Maria saw a cold metallic light flash from the waist of the scarred man in the driver's seat.