Little Ya had just witnessed the entire process of Cifera stealing the Starry Light and had listened to Lin Zhiyuan's analysis, largely agreeing with his broad reasoning.
At that moment, Little Ya couldn't help but quip, "If Lin Zhiyuan entered that detective competition, he might actually win an award."
However, she and Lin Zhiyuan held differing opinions on whether Cifera would truly leave after the theft.
In her view, the theft itself wasn't Cifera's true objective. She clearly reveled in the spotlight of the show, constantly manipulating people's hearts and savoring the thrill of deception.
On this point, her perspective aligned with Nie Junfeng's.
Therefore, Little Ya didn't believe Cifera would simply disappear after stealing the Starry Light.
By putting herself in Cifera's shoes, Little Ya was certain she would inevitably return as "Aya."
After all, Cifera hadn't finished playing her game yet.
So, when "Aya" actually appeared on the live broadcast screen, Little Ya wasn't even remotely surprised.
Unlike the others who couldn't be sure whether "Aya" was real or fake, Little Ya was absolutely convinced that this was a virtual identity created by Cifera.
In this world, "Aya" simply didn't exist.
She was so certain for two reasons:
First, she had recently taken the time to call home for a serious "truth session" with her parents.
The couple swore to the heavens that she was their only child, and that there was absolutely no long-lost sister who looked so much like her. They even cursed themselves with eternal cat-stroking deprivation if they were lying—a particularly venomous oath Little Ya knew they wouldn't take lightly.
Second, and more importantly, she believed that Cifera had already discovered, through some means before the show began, that Little Ya was the Seventh Expert of the Mysterious Pursuit Team.
Furthermore, while researching the other contestants, Cifera had also discovered Little Ya's connection to Lu Yue.
When Cifera realized this afternoon that Little Ya had tricked her, revenge became her driving motive.
Silencing Little Ya's "account" was merely the "appetizer."
In reality, Cifera had prepared a far more elaborate "main course" for her.
Having predicted that Little Yue Yue would attend tonight's Starry Charity Auction as a model, Cifera deliberately disguised herself as an adult version of "Little Ya" who bore an uncanny resemblance to herself—"Aya."
She then staked out a spot along Little Yue Yue's predetermined route, waiting for him to discover her. This allowed her to both revel in the joy of teasing the foolish Little Yue Yue and seamlessly infiltrate the model lineup.
Her true motive was to prematurely introduce "Expert Little Ya" on the show.
By flaunting a face strikingly similar to her own, stealing the spotlight, and orchestrating various attention-grabbing stunts, she planned to finally "reveal" at the opportune moment that "Aya" was none other than Cifera herself.
This would inevitably ignite a firestorm of online discussion:
Sensational headlines would erupt across the web, such as—
"Shocking! Mysterious Pursuit Team Expert Looks Exactly Like Kitty Phantom Thief?! Coincidence? Or Moral Decay?!"
"Kitty Phantom Thief's Twisted 'Gift'? Pursuit Team's Little Ya Tearfully Accuses: 'My Face Has Been Stolen!'"
"Most Tragic Pursuit Team Expert Ever! Before Even Starting the Job, She's Already Taking the Fall! The Shocking Truth Behind It All!"
Once Little Ya officially joined the Production Team as an expert, she would inevitably be besieged by a storm of public opinion, endlessly compared, teased, and meme-ified!
"Hmph, childish!"
Little Ya pouted and stuck her tongue out at "Aya" on the screen.
"Such a mischievous and vindictive little kitty! Does she really think this petty prank will embarrass me? What storms hasn't this genius weathered?"
Despite her bravado, Little Ya couldn't help but wince at the thought of future Bullet Comments:
"Teacher Little Ya, can you make me an outfit? Please! Even 80% as good as Aya's... no, 50%... forget it, just 30% of her skill will do!" "Expert Little Ya, show us your runway walk! Seriously? You can't be serious! You look so much like Aya, you can't even walk the runway properly?"
Her cheeks puffed out slightly, betraying her unease.
Just then, Sister Jingjing, who had been silently guarding Little Ya like a mountain beside her, spoke in a deep, gentle voice:
"Miss Ya, I think I understand why you suddenly wanted this haircut."
"The fake 'Miss Aya' on the screen—well, your adult self—suits this hairstyle perfectly. It looks both sophisticated and refined.
"And that gown she's wearing..."
A flicker of undisguised admiration flashed in Sister Jingjing's eyes.
"I strongly recommend we find a way to acquire that gown. It's practically tailor-made for you. It would be the perfect choice for any important banquet you attend in the future.
"In fact... the Starry Light jewelry and this gown are a match made in heaven. Perhaps we should send someone to bid on it too. We might be able to pull some strings to make it happen."
Upon hearing Sister Jingjing's suggestion, Little Ya reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on (she was still wearing her cat-eared pajamas). She immediately retorted:
"Hmph! That gown isn't even that pretty! It's... just so-so! The color combination is so tacky! All that gaudy gold—it looks like something a nouveau riche would wear! I absolutely hate it! Besides..."
She lifted her chin, her expression haughty and defiant.
"If I wanted to, I could design and create a gown a hundred times—no, a thousand times—more beautiful! I'd never wear something that Kitty Phantom Thief has touched!"
Sister Jingjing: "..."
Sister Jingjing silently watched Little Ya puff out her chest, striking a "I'm so cool" pose, and mentally scoffed:
Never mind that you've never even held a needle before... But just now, during the fashion show, the sparkle in your eyes almost rivaled the Starry Light itself! Now you're saying you don't like it?
Miss Ya, you're perfect in every way—your IQ is off the charts—but when will you stop being so disingenuous and evasive?
Ah, even a genius is still a little girl who cares about saving face.
As Sister Jingjing was lost in thought, Little Ya suddenly piped up:
"Sister Jingjing, as soon as the plane lands, we're heading straight to Starry Headquarters."
Sister Jingjing's massive frame jolted slightly. "Miss Ya? Are you planning...? That's against protocol! You're not an official member of the Expert Team yet. Rushing to the scene, let alone trying to interfere, would severely damage your reputation!"
Though Sister Jingjing didn't explicitly say it, her meaning was clear: You haven't suffered a loss, have you? Are you planning to go to the scene for revenge, to expose the other party's deception?
Little Ya wiggled her fingers and grinned like a cat that had just stolen milk:
"Relax~ Who said anything about going after that mean kitty? I'm going to—help her~"
"???"
Sister Jingjing was utterly bewildered by Little Ya's erratic train of thought.
Little Ya turned her gaze to the screen, her voice light and breezy as she watched the owner of those long, slender legs stride into the Temporary Interrogation Room:
"Hehe, I'm not the only one who's convinced that 'Aya' is Cifera, you know~"
"Just keep watching. You'll see~"
"The real show is just getting started!"