Tie Wan arrived as agreed, and to Xiang Ri's disbelief, she had indeed chosen to wear a mid-length, light beige straight skirt, accompanied by a subtle touch of makeup. Naturally, Xiang Ri did not flatter himself into thinking he held such importance; he surmised that the young lady had simply feared her usual attire would be too eye-catching for a place like this, thus forcing her to make such a choice.
After arranging a secluded spot for the two and clearing the area of any nearby onlookers, the group of monkeys quietly withdrew, leaving the "big brother" and his "sister-in-law" with ample space for a more private conversation.
The moment they sat down, Tie Wan wasted no time in speaking, her voice sharp: "I want everything you know."
"I know quite a lot. You don't intend to pry into my private affairs as well, do you?" Xiang Ri asked, casually sipping from his cocktail.
"You bastard! You know exactly what I mean!" Tie Wan, disregarding any semblance of a ladylike image, cursed fiercely.
"You didn't specify clearly, how am I to know?" Xiang Ri feigned ignorance, grinning mischievously.
"You—" Tie Wan glared at him, about to leap up in frustration.
"Alright, alright, I'm not teasing you. If you want the information, sit still, don't lose your temper, and for goodness' sake, don't do anything foolish. If I forget any crucial details due to your tantrum, don't blame me," Xiang Ri quickly threw in a weighty bombshell, sensing her building rage.
"Speak!" Tie Wan's teeth clenched so tightly it seemed she might crush them.
"Wu Heyan," Xiang Ri said softly, his voice barely above a whisper.
"What does that mean?" Tie Wan furrowed her delicate brow in confusion.
"With your intellect, it shouldn't be too hard to understand, right?" Xiang Ri bestowed a thinly veiled compliment.
"Are you saying that this Wu Heyan person is involved with the robbers, or is he one of them?" Tie Wan's gaze remained unwavering, her eyes locked on his.
"Doesn't the reward you promised me deserve to be paid up?" Xiang Ri responded with a playful grin, sidestepping her question.
"Damn it! What time is it, and you're still joking around!" Tie Wan clenched her fists, ready to strike at any moment.
"Apologies, I'm serious. Unless you're planning to go back on your word?" Xiang Ri's face remained as unreadable as ever.
"Fine!" Tie Wan's expression turned a shade of cold iron. "I'll honor my promise, just make it quick. I don't have time for you to drag this out."
"Come over here then," Xiang Ri gestured to the seat beside him with a casual wave.
Tie Wan shot him a frosty glance but remained silent as she moved to sit next to him.
Xiang Ri placed his glass down and extended his hand toward the petite policewoman's hip, his face alight with an unmistakable look of intoxicated admiration.
"Hmm, not bad! Quite the firmness."
"Bastard! Shut your mouth!" Tie Wan's veins stood out on her forehead, enduring the uncomfortable sensation of his inappropriate touch while simultaneously suffering through his irritating words, which were taking a toll on her nerves.
"Is it any of your business what I'm called?" Xiang Ri muttered nonchalantly.
"You disgust me!" Without warning, Tie Wan slammed her hand down, stopping his intruding fingers halfway beneath her skirt. "What do you think you're doing? I warn you, if you dare go any further, I'll chop your fingers off!" She pulled her hand away, her eyes glinting with icy disdain.
Xiang Ri hesitated, torn between the temptation of indulging in the smooth, delicate skin he had just touched, and the very real consequences of pushing her too far. Her current serious demeanor made it clear that any further advances would be met with serious repercussions.
"I suggest you hurry up, I'm not exactly swimming in free time," Tie Wan's voice carried a note of subtle triumph, knowing her warning had taken effect and that, for once, Xiang Ri might actually fear her.
"Hey, what's with that look?" Xiang Ri snapped out of his reverie and caught the subtle sneer in her gaze, his irritation palpable.
"What expression I wear is none of your concern!" Tie Wan shot back, matching his tone with a sharp retort, just as he had dismissed her earlier.
Xiang Ri raised an eyebrow, his resolve hardening. The young woman's defiance had struck a nerve, and without hesitation, he slid his hand back under her skirt.
Tie Wan let out a sharp cry of alarm, instinctively throwing a punch toward his infuriating face.
Xiang Ri, anticipating the move, swiftly caught her wrist, pulling her off balance and into his embrace, pinning her firmly in place so she could no longer move.
"Damn it, let go of me!" Tie Wan struggled fiercely, but with her hands restrained, all her efforts were in vain.
"Give me a reason first," Xiang Ri tightened his grip, feeling the soft, astonishingly delicate contours of her body press against him.
"Bastard! I'll kill you!" Tie Wan, never before so intimately close to a man, almost lost her sanity, but her movement was thwarted by his hold.
"What?! Are you planning to murder your husband?" Xiang Ri laughed mockingly, his hand beneath her skirt becoming even bolder.
"No!" Tie Wan twisted her body in a desperate attempt to free herself, and, in her panic, sank her teeth hard into Xiang Ri's shoulder, barely an inch away.
"Ah!" Despite his tough exterior, the sharp pain shot through him, causing Xiang Ri to push her away instinctively. He stared at the slowly reddening mark on his shoulder, incredulous. "Have you gone mad?"
"Yes! I've lost my mind," Tie Wan's voice was chillingly calm as she freed herself from his grasp. With cold precision, she reached into her thigh holster, pulling out her police-issued gun and pointing it squarely at him. "Tell me what I want to know, or I'll shoot."
"Wait!" Xiang Ri exclaimed, caught off guard. He had not anticipated her to take such a drastic step. Where had she hidden the gun? He hadn't noticed any bulge on her person when he touched her earlier.
"I'll give you ten seconds. Ten... nine... eight..." Tie Wan showed no sign of hesitation.
"I'll speak!" The cold fury in her gaze left Xiang Ri no choice but to comply. He knew that the moment he hesitated, she would pull the trigger.
"Hmph!" Tie Wan didn't lower her gun, still aiming it directly at him. To avoid being seen by others in the bar, she shifted the gun to her waist, using her body to obscure it. Thankfully, the group of monkeys had already cleared the area, or she wouldn't have dared to draw the weapon in such a public space.
"The robbers are hiding at Wu Heyan's house."
"Wu Heyan? Who is that?"
"The older brother of the leader of the robbers."
"Be more specific!"
"Didn't I just say that?"
"Bastard! I need to know exactly who Wu Heyan is! Don't give me vague answers!" Tie Wan shook the gun menacingly.
"Hey, careful! You might accidentally fire it," Xiang Ri said, his face breaking into a nervous smile. "Alright, fine. Wu Heyan is the chairman of the Wu Group. He's quite well-known. Haven't you heard of him? Uh, could you please put the gun down? You're putting too much pressure on me." Sweat dripped from his forehead.
"Stop the nonsense! Tell me how you know all this."
"I don't think that needs explanation," Xiang Ri smirked. He had already carefully considered his answer. If this righteous, justice-driven woman knew the full truth, it would surely result in the confiscation of his Desert Eagles. More importantly, giving her the full details would expose him, and the notorious organization behind this heist would target him in retaliation. He would never live in peace again.
"Would you like some peanuts?" Tie Wan couldn't see through his intentions, and she gave the gun another threatening shake. Though she had never heard of Wu Heyan, she did know that the Wu Group was the third-largest financial conglomerate in the city, and it was deeply connected to many influential circles. She could not afford to make any mistakes here.
"You might as well shoot me," Xiang Ri closed his eyes, adopting an expression of resigned determination.
"Do you think I won't?" Tie Wan bit her lip, her finger hovering near the trigger.
"I know you would! But there's no way I can reveal my intelligence network to you. However, I can exchange it for another piece of information." Xiang Ri, ever the opportunist, threw out his prepared offer.
"What information?" Realizing she wouldn't get more from him about his sources, Tie Wan relented and ceased her questioning. Everyone guarded their sources of intelligence.
"They're not actually here to rob," Xiang Ri continued, "Their real goal seems to be diverting the police's attention. They're after something that could supposedly destroy the entire city."
"The entire city?" Tie Wan's eyes widened in shock, a flicker of fear crossing her face. "Could it be..." With her deep connections, she was privy to some knowledge that others were not. Someone had warned her to be particularly cautious these days, but she hadn't anticipated that her worst fears would come true.
"You know something?" Xiang Ri caught the shift in her expression and, curious, he asked, "What is it they're after?"
"That's none of your business!" Tie Wan snapped, her voice low but filled with urgency. "I don't know how you found out about this, but I'm warning you—keep it to yourself. If I hear you mention this to anyone, I'll make sure you're executed!" With that, she turned and swiftly exited the bar, leaving Xiang Ri to ponder her cryptic words.
"What could it be?" Xiang Ri stared after the retreating figure of the female officer, the headache returning with full force.