"I'm back!" Xiang Ri, having thoroughly enjoyed himself, returned home just in time to see two beautiful women lounging on the sofa, engrossed in their television show.
"Did she give you any trouble?" Chu Chu asked, concern lacing her voice as she hurried over to his side.
Shi Qing's eyes also flickered toward him. Though she said nothing, her gaze spoke volumes, its meaning unmistakable.
"No!" Xiang Ri quickly answered, aware that the 'she' in question referred to the female officer. Troubling him? Was that even possible? It was a miracle he hadn't been the one causing trouble for her.
"Haven't you eaten yet? I'll heat something up in the kitchen. Dinner will be ready soon," Chu Chu said, flicking her ponytail before darting into the kitchen.
"You haven't eaten either?" Xiang Ri asked, watching her retreating figure as he casually sat in her place on the sofa. Shi Qing was now seated barely ten centimeters away from him. The subtle fragrance of her body filled his nostrils, making him inhale deeply while trying, unsuccessfully, to suppress the natural urge stirring within him.
"No, Teacher," Shi Qing replied, her body slightly stiffened. In truth, this wasn't the first time she had been so close to her teacher, but the situation was different now. She would be living here permanently from now on, and the thought of seeing him every day made her hands instinctively twist together.
"Have you moved everything in?"
"Yes."
"Is your room all set up?"
"Yes."
"Are you comfortable?" Xiang Ri asked, almost absentmindedly.
"Teacher, I just moved in," Shi Qing replied, slightly exasperated.
"Heh..." Xiang Ri scratched his head awkwardly. "By the way, Xiao Qing, which room are you staying in?"
"Chu Chu said it's the one you used to live in."
"What?!" Xiang Ri immediately sprang to his feet, rushing toward one of the bedrooms. Underneath that bed were three dangerous weapons he needed to relocate quickly.
"Teacher, wait!" Shi Qing was confused by his sudden urgency, but she had to stop him. She hadn't had time to tidy up since her move, and her room was now filled with personal items—most of which would be quite embarrassing for anyone to see.
Ignoring his disciple's warning, Xiang Ri flung the door open and entered. The moment he stepped into the room, his heart began to race uncontrollably. On the bed he once slept in lay an array of women's lingerie, in every imaginable shape and size.
Opaque, semi-transparent, and even completely transparent—silk, lace, embroidered, not a single piece was the same. But what made Xiang Ri's heart beat faster was a tiny garment with only two strings and a small black patch in between—a thong, the stuff of legends.
Xiang Ri, thrilled, paid no attention to his disciple, who had quietly followed him in, her face flushed, her mouth agape in shock. He held the tiny garment in his hands, testing the tension of the strings, marveling at its design.
"Teacher..." Shi Qing said shyly, her voice tinged with urgency.
"Huh?" Xiang Ri snapped back to reality, only then realizing he had company. In a blur of speed, he shoved the item into his jacket, trying to play it cool as though nothing unusual had occurred.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, nothing!" Shi Qing had witnessed everything, but she didn't know how to address it. The fact that her teacher had behaved in such a shameful manner was beyond her comprehension, yet she couldn't bring herself to point it out directly.
"Since that's the case, I'll be leaving now," Xiang Ri said, a bit awkward, as he had no intention of taking his gun out in front of his disciple. He would wait until she wasn't around, sneak back, and retrieve it. After all, today's discovery had exceeded all expectations. This particular item was his favorite—nothing could top it, not even the Desert Eagle.
"Wait, wait a moment!" As Xiang Ri was about to leave, Shi Qing hurriedly called out. After all, the very thing he had taken was her most prized possession. She rarely wore it, never willing to part with it after a single use, and such a unique style might be impossible to find again. What if Chu Chu saw it? She couldn't let that happen.
"Is there something wrong?" Xiang Ri turned back, feigning confusion.
"Please, please, can you return the item you took?" Shi Qing's voice was barely a whisper, so soft that only she could hear.
Xiang Ri's face flushed red for the first time. He had thought his swift movements, combined with his expert skills, would prevent him from being caught, but it seemed his disciple had indeed noticed. However, would he admit it?
"Item? What item? A teacher would never take something from their disciple."
"Teacher!" Shi Qing, determined not to let her precious possession slip away, steeled herself. "The one you just hid—it's my favorite. Please, I beg you, give it back to me!"
"Is this what you're referring to?" Xiang Ri realized he could no longer avoid the inevitable. He pulled the item out and slapped his forehead in frustration. "How strange! How did this end up on me? I didn't do anything, so how did it come to be in my possession? I don't understand! Xiao Qing, is this yours? Keep it safe from now on, don't let it end up on me again—people might get the wrong idea."
Before he could finish, Shi Qing snatched it away, hiding it behind her back. Her eyes were wary, her expression guarded as she glared at him.
Xiang Ri, resigned, shrugged his shoulders. In his mind, he was already planning to swipe it again the next time he took his gun. With a final glance at her, he moved toward the door, preparing to leave.
"Teacher!" Shi Qing called out suddenly.
Xiang Ri reflexively turned around. "I swear, there's nothing left on me! If you don't believe me, you can search me."
"You're utterly shameless!" Shi Qing gritted her teeth, shoving him out of the bedroom.
---
Nighttime. The Drowned Bar.
Under the relentless pressure of money, the bar had regained its former popularity.
Monkey, along with Fatty and a few lackeys, sat leisurely at the bar, sipping drinks, yet his eyes were constantly scanning every woman who passed by. At the sight of an attractive woman, he would whistle loudly, make crude remarks, or even get physical—after all, the clientele here rarely consisted of respectable women. With everyone flush with cash these days, a little display of cleavage would bring a horde of beauties flocking.
"Brother Monkey, how was that starlet you hooked up with?" Fatty, caressing a girl who was clearly still a teenager, though well-developed for her age, asked with a lecherous grin.
"Starlet? She's just a third-rate actress, but she's been in a comedy recently, and rumors say she might get famous. Heh... I wasn't the first to taste her, but let me tell you, the flavor was perfect! These actresses—they act all innocent on screen, but in bed, they're like sluts. My back's been sore for days after that, but she's still lying in bed, unable to get up!" Monkey replied with a smug look.
"When can I get a piece of that action?" Fatty asked, his face full of longing. The other thugs around them joined in with lewd laughter.
"As long as you have the money, you could bring ten of them in!" Monkey said loudly. Over the past few days, he had thoroughly enjoyed the experience of being a 'sugar daddy,' throwing money around and having beautiful women practically throw themselves at him.
"What about that bookworm?" Monkey suddenly asked, scanning the bar.
"Forget about him, Brother Monkey. The bookworm is probably off with some schoolgirl in a corner again," Fatty replied with a sly grin, and the men around them exchanged knowing looks.
"Poor guy! Went to university for nothing. A twenty-five-year-old man still a virgin? No wonder he can't let go of his first taste of the 'good stuff.' It's only natural he's reluctant to let it slip away," one of the lackeys commented.
The others laughed, the sound crude and full of lascivious amusement.
"Brother Monkey, the bookworm's been beaten up!" A small-time thug suddenly rushed over with urgency.
"Who dared lay a hand on my people!" Monkey froze for a moment before bellowing angrily. With a roar, he led his lackeys to where the messenger had come from.
In a dim corner of the bar, a frail man lay motionless on the floor, groaning occasionally, confirming that he was still alive.
A young man, reasonably attractive by most standards, sat on a sofa, swirling a cocktail in his hand. With his left arm around a seductive girl, her heavy makeup accentuating her sultry appearance, his eyes glinted coldly as he watched the man lying on the floor, barely alive.
Behind him, in the shadows, two towering figures stood like silent sentinels, their eyes unmoving.
"Trying to steal my woman? This is your death wish!" The young man took a final gulp from his glass, sneering dismissively.
"Who's this? Who dares to touch my people?" Monkey arrived just in time, his lackeys quickly lifting the fallen man from the ground, without waiting for their boss to speak.
"It's me. What about it?" The young man remained relaxed on the sofa, his face a mask of indifference.
"Who are you?" Monkey stopped a few of his lackeys from advancing, his voice frosty.
"I told you, you trash wouldn't know. But since I'm in a good mood today, I'll tell you. My name is Wu Qianyun. Don't know me? Doesn't matter, I'm sure you'll remember it soon enough," the young man said arrogantly, a smirk spreading across his face.
"Damn! You're pretty cocky. Want to see if you can leave here alive?" One of the thugs couldn't hold back, speaking through gritted teeth.
"Try me," Wu Qianyun said, standing up leisurely. He drew a silver pistol from his coat and aimed it at the thug, his demeanor one of utter superiority.
The thug, upon seeing the weapon, froze in terror. He recognized the gun immediately—he'd seen its power firsthand before. But back then, it had been in the hands of their own people. Now, it was in the hands of their enemy, and each of them began to sweat involuntarily, as a sense of deathly threat took root in their hearts.
"Misunderstanding! It's a misunderstanding!" Monkey quickly intervened, his voice placating as he shot a subtle signal to Fatty. Fatty nodded and quietly slipped away from the crowd.
"Now that you know it's a misunderstanding, it's too late." Wu Qianyun's cold eyes never left Fatty's retreating form. He didn't care—those who'd never seen the world were easy to deal with. Besides, he had his 'bodyguards'—sent by his uncle—to back him up.