37: save4 Lu Lele's Acting Skills
Lu Lele understood very clearly that her next response would determine the success or failure of her plan.
Logically, she should feel nervous at a time like this. After all, the current Lu Lele was only a junior high student. Facing her homeroom teacher's questioning, it was impossible to remain one hundred percent calm and rational.
As a student, Lu Lele's reverence for teachers was etched into her DNA.
But at this moment, Lu Lele had no thoughts of retreat.
Only because she remembered Liu Lili.
Liu Lili, who was waiting for her in the basement right now.
Obedient, adorable, charming, as delicious as cake, as sweet as chocolate, Liu Lili.
For Liu Lili, Lu Lele was willing to give everything.
For Liu Lili, Lu Lele could destroy everything.
For Liu Lili, she could accomplish anything!
Lu Lele didn't show any sign of panic. Instead, she asked in a voice filled with confusion and surprise:
"Teacher, Lili didn't come to school?"
The homeroom teacher nodded and said:
"That's right. Lili's mother said Lili spent the weekend at your house and didn't go back home the entire weekend. Lele, do you know where she went?"
Lu Lele shook her head, deliberately acting flustered, as if shocked by the news, naturally showing a worried expression:
"I don't know, teacher. Lili did stay at my house for two days, but, but she went back last night?"
Acting too panicked would of course reveal flaws, but acting too calm would also arouse suspicion.
At this moment, Lu Lele had completely hypnotized herself, turning the false fact that 'Liu Lili went home by herself last night' into the 'reality' in her mind.
Every word Lu Lele said now was based on this 'reality.' To avoid revealing any flaws, Lu Lele had even temporarily deceived herself.
Only by deceiving yourself can you deceive others; truly becoming the object of the performance itself is the highest realm of acting.
The homeroom teacher frowned and continued asking:
"Went back last night? What time did Lili go back?"
"Last night we played... studied together until seven, no, eight o'clock. After that, Lili went back by herself?"
Lu Lele deliberately made herself appear very nervous, which also matched Lu Lele's actual state of mind at the moment.
It was impossible not to be nervous. Even if Lu Lele didn't want to be nervous, this junior high girl's body would secrete excessive stress hormones, making her tense.
But Lu Lele intentionally used her own words to guide this nervousness, making herself appear worried about Liu Lili. Because the teacher already knew very well that Lu Lele and Liu Lili had a good relationship:
"Teacher, Lili, Lili, could something have happened to her on the way back?"
"It's not clear yet, but it is indeed very possible..."
The homeroom teacher was clearly guided by Lu Lele's words, showing a thoughtful expression. She then asked:
"Lele, do you know how she went back?"
Lu Lele thought for a moment and replied:
"Pro... probably by bus..."
"Don't be nervous, don't worry, Lele. Carefully tell me what happened last night. Be clear."
Lu Lele nodded, then recounted the carefully prepared "sequence of events" to the teacher.
But she also deliberately didn't make everything perfectly clear. Some details were only confirmed after the teacher asked repeatedly.
This was also intentional on Lu Lele's part.
If her answers were very fluent, it would instead arouse suspicion. Stumbling due to nervousness, appearing to be seriously recalling, was the most normal.
After finishing, Lu Lele said with self blame:
"I'm sorry, teacher... I, I just felt lonely, so I invited Lili over for the weekend. You know my situation... But I really don't know where Lili went after leaving my house yesterday. I'm so worried about her, teacher, what should I do..."
As she spoke, Lu Lele's tears began to fall, plop plop.
Combined with her expression and tone, she perfectly replicated the image of a girl worried about her best friend.
Lu Lele's outstanding acting skills left the homeroom teacher with no other suspicions. Instead, she turned to comfort her:
"Don't worry, Lu Lele. I'll notify Lili's mother right away, then call the police immediately. I believe the police will find Lili very soon."
"Will Lili... will she be okay?"
"Let's hope so. But Lele, I need to call your older sister. The police might want to talk to her and you for a bit, okay?" the homeroom teacher said.
"Yes!"
Lu Lele nodded vigorously, a hopeful gleam appearing in her eyes.
As if she truly, earnestly hoped so.
...
...
Lu Lele hadn't expected her "lying low" plan to go so smoothly.
In fact, although Lu Lele's plan seemed lazy and full of holes, if you didn't know the specific situation, it was really hard to detect.
After all, who could believe that the always gentle and kind Lu Lele would kidnap her best friend Liu Lili, hide her in an unknown basement?
Most crucially, the friendship between Lu Lele and Liu Lili was the kind everyone in the class knew about. Teachers and parents knew too. Upon learning Liu Lili was missing, their first thought absolutely wouldn't be to suspect Lu Lele. They would definitely assume Liu Lili had encountered a bad person on her way home and been kidnapped.
Even if Lu Lele showed unease, it could be interpreted as 'worry for her good friend' and wouldn't attract more attention.
In other words, from an outsider's perspective, Lu Lele had no motive for the crime. Moreover, she appeared just a weak second year junior high girl, with no strength to harm a fly. What could she possibly do?
The homeroom teacher called the police, phoned Lu Lele's older sister, and informed her about the matter.
Lu Yanyan came to the school and, without another word, severely scolded Lu Lele. The main reason was that Lu Lele had let a classmate stay at her house without telling her and had caused such a mess. Then she asked Lu Lele and the homeroom teacher some questions about what happened yesterday, and waited with Lu Lele for the police to arrive.
When the police arrived, they routinely asked Lu Lele, Lu Yanyan, and the homeroom teacher a few questions.
Lu Lele acted very aggrieved and full of self blame, crying and sobbing, saying "it's all my fault" many times. As a result, the police also comforted Lu Lele, saying they would find Liu Lili very soon and telling her not to worry.
Of course, only Lu Lele herself knew that the only person who could find Liu Lili now was herself. She couldn't help but secretly rejoice in her heart.
Then, the police asked Lu Lele's sister if there were any surveillance cameras at home. After receiving a negative answer, they asked if they could investigate the house. Lu Yanyan flatly refused:
"Officer, do you think Liu Lili is hiding in our house? I will go home and check, but as far as I know, without a search warrant, you cannot enter our home to investigate."
The police had no choice but to say:
"Alright, Ms. Lu. If you discover anything, please inform us promptly."
It seems my sister inadvertently helped a great deal...
Lu Lele looked at her cheap older sister and silently gave her a thumbs up in her heart.