The only bystander in the room, Hu Niu, was stunned.
The proprietress had taken the initiative, making it difficult for her to intervene. At first, she simply walked away to avoid it, pretending not to see anything. Later, she realised the situation had escalated to a point of intense passion. Feeling she could not even stay hidden in a corner, she poked her head to the doorway, took just one glance into the inner room to confirm, and then quickly turned around and walked out, opening the door to leave.
She did not actually leave. She guarded a corner on one side outside the main gate, head bowed, sighing from time to time, and fiddling with the tip of her index finger.
Besides her waiting in silence, Yu Qing in another guest room was also waiting in silence.
This wait truly lasted a very long time.
After the first half of the night passed and Mu Aotie still had not returned, Yu Qing gradually felt something was wrong. Worried that something might have happened to Mu Aotie, he hesitated repeatedly before finally going out and heading straight for Lian Yu’s room.
The result was obvious. Not only did he not see Lian Yu, but he did not even get the chance to knock on the door before Hu Niu stopped him.
Seeing Yu Qing, Hu Niu’s expression was very complex. She had heard with her own ears the two men say they would use a honey trap on her mistress. The events currently unfolding inside the room threw her thoughts into chaos. Standing in the doorway at this moment, she asked the visitor, “What are you doing here?”
Yu Qing found it a bit strange that this person was guarding the door late at night. Did Lian Yu really need a trusted follower to guard the door night after night like this? Could it be that she was treating this tiger demon as a watchdog?
He naturally had a reply. “My companion, Zhang Sui, the second in command of my Scorpion Gang, has gone missing and has not returned this late. I am worried and looking for him. I heard someone say they saw him come to the proprietress’s place, so I came specifically to check. By the way, Zhang Sui is here, right?”
Hu Niu bit her lip and nodded slightly, uttering a soft “Mm.”
Confirming he was here, Yu Qing felt slightly relieved. He glanced at the tightly closed door and asked with suspicion, “It is so late, are you still discussing business with the proprietress?”
As if she had lost the ability to speak, Hu Niu nodded and said “Mm” again.
It would have been better if she had not said “Mm”. The moment she did, something felt wrong. Yu Qing grew even more suspicious. He knew Mu Aotie too well. Old Nine was not like Fatty Nan. He would not talk nonsense for this long, nor would his stubborn nature keep him begging someone until now. He was the type of person who would easily turn around and leave the moment he was rejected.
What was the situation? He instantly realised that Mu Aotie might be in danger.
Staring closely at Hu Niu’s facial reactions, he probed, “Zhang Sui is not someone who can talk for this long. Has something happened?”
Hu Niu tried hard to appear calm. “The proprietress just returned from outside, and they have only been inside for a short while.”
Yu Qing was already suspicious. Moreover, since it concerned the safety of a fellow sect member, how could he be easily dismissed? Still, he remained polite. “Then please trouble yourself to announce me. Just say I am requesting an audience.”
Hu Niu said vaguely, “It is the same if you tell me. I will pass on your message later.”
Upon hearing this, Yu Qing confirmed without hesitation that something was definitely wrong. He said in a deep voice, “I have an urgent matter. It is better to speak with the proprietress in person.”
Hu Niu replied, “I said I will pass it on.”
With the conversation reaching this point, and seeing that the other party was still blocking the doorway without moving, Yu Qing suddenly became anxious. He immediately launched a surprise attack, reaching out directly to knock on the door.
Swish! Something like a steel whip shot out from behind Hu Niu, wrapping tightly around Yu Qing’s wrist with immense force, stopping his knocking action.
It was exactly Hu Niu’s tail. Hu Niu also pushed one hand against Yu Qing’s chest to hold him back, suppressing her voice as she said, “How dare you. What do you think you are doing?”
Yu Qing also grabbed her wrist. “I want to see the proprietress. If that is really not possible, calling Zhang Sui out to see me is also fine. I am seeing my own person. This request is not excessive, is it? Unless you have a guilty conscience.”
Hu Niu could see this person’s worry and knew he would not give up without an explanation. She scanned her surroundings with her eyes, feeling a bit hesitant.
She believed she knew Yu Qing’s background. The strength of the number one person at the Chaoyang Assembly was not for show, and she did not have the certainty of an absolute victory in suppressing him.
Ultimately, she did not dare to make a big scene, fearing it would attract a crowd of onlookers. She could only grit her teeth and say, “Rest assured, Zhang Sui is perfectly fine. Nothing is wrong. He will naturally return when it is time to go back. There is no need for you to meddle in other people’s business.”
No matter what, as long as Lian Yu did not make that kind of matter public herself, she had to protect Lian Yu’s reputation. Even though Lian Yu’s reputation as a “mistress” was already unsavoury, she could not let that reputation become a confirmed fact.
Yu Qing’s face gradually darkened. “Meddle in other people’s business? I absolutely must meddle in this business. Are you going to move or not?”
Since it concerned the life and death of a fellow sect member, his patience was limited.
Seeing him like this, Hu Niu knew she had to give an explanation. She immediately scolded in a low voice, “Gang Leader Zhu, are you stupid? Late at night, a single man and a single woman are in one room. What do you think they are doing?”
This hint was extremely obvious.
Yu Qing’s face instantly went blank, and the corner of his mouth twitched. He wanted to say it was impossible, but then he thought again that this half demon was unlikely to slander her own mistress to an outsider. Still, he found it hard to believe and asked cautiously, “The two of them are doing that? How is that possible?”
Hu Niu said, “You are asking me, but who should I ask? Did you not see that I was too embarrassed to stay inside?”
After speaking, she pushed Yu Qing away with a shove.
Yu Qing did not resist. He stumbled back two steps, but then leaned in again, whispering like a thief, “My person is missing, right inside this room, and his life or death is unknown. You cannot just say whatever you want and expect me to believe it. That is not reasonable. How can you prove that what you are saying is true?”
Hu Niu glared at him. “How do you want me to prove it?”
She spread her arms to guard the doorway, making it perfectly clear to the other party that going inside to see for himself was absolutely impossible.
Yu Qing gave a dry laugh, stroked his little moustache, and looked left and right. He then placed a palm against his ear and pointed at the door.
Hu Niu shook her head repeatedly to indicate no.
Yu Qing narrowed his two fingers, indicating it would only be for a very short while.
Hu Niu still shook her head in refusal.
Yu Qing’s face immediately darkened. “If you insist on fooling me like this, then I can only raise my voice and call other guests to come and judge this matter together.” Having said that, he opened his mouth to shout loudly.
“Shut up!” Hu Niu hastily stopped him, then whispered, “No knocking, no making noise, and only for a very short while.”
Yu Qing gently patted his chest. “I will never break my word.”
Only then did Hu Niu hesitantly step aside from the doorway. Her tail, slowly raised behind her back, proved that she was on constant alert.
Yu Qing immediately slipped to the door, turning sideways to press his ear against it. The soundproofing of the room was so good that even so, he had to listen with full concentration and careful attention before making out some clues.
No one knew what he heard, but in short, the corners of Yu Qing’s mouth began to twitch and split open, and his two trembling eyebrows almost flew away.
Seeing that he seemed to be getting addicted to listening, Hu Niu grabbed his arm, forcibly pulled him away, and blocked the doorway again, scolding, “Why do you not scram yet?”
The expression on Yu Qing’s face was hard to tell whether it was crying or laughing. He tried to ask, “Are you sure it is Zhang Sui inside?”
Hu Niu said hatefully, “Scram!”
Alright. Yu Qing nodded and bowed to her repeatedly, looking like someone who had done something guilty. He slunk away, looking back every three steps, scratching the back of his head from time to time, his face full of bewilderment.
He truly could not figure it out. Even if a single man and a single woman were alone in a room, he did not believe Mu Aotie could get into bed with Lian Yu so quickly.
Although he had always thought Mu Aotie was the reserved but passionate type, liking to act cold in front of women and show off his muscular body, he also felt that Mu Aotie was a coward in actual action. Mu Aotie’s character meant he would probably not do something like rushing to take off a woman’s clothes.
They had only known each other for a few days. It was unbelievable!
Yet he had indeed heard the noises from inside the room.
The image of Lian Yu’s stunner like figure inevitably floated into his mind. Had she actually been claimed by Old Nine? He could not help but shake his head and sigh endlessly. Previously, he had worried that Old Nine would be too restrained when executing the honey trap. Now he realised he had truly underestimated Old Nine. What restraint? The rice was already cooked.
After returning to his room, Yu Qing’s mood remained difficult to calm. He wanted to sit cross legged and cultivate, but he could not calm his mind. He paced back and forth continuously. It was too unexpected. He had not expected the situation to develop so quickly, and he had to consider whether it would produce any adverse consequences.
Walking and thinking repeatedly, the horizon unconsciously revealed the pale light of dawn.
At the foot of Kuilei City, however, it was still immersed in darkness. Nan Zhu walked back and forth with his hands behind his back at the entrance of the “Dang Zizai” shop.
After seeing a familiar figure appear not far away, he immediately went inside the shop to wait.
A moment later, Baili Xin, draped in a black cloak, arrived. Observing her surroundings, she also quickly entered the shop.
Nan Zhu quickly closed the door, and Baili Xin took out a letter for him.
As Nan Zhu opened the letter, he muttered complaints. “Those two fellows do not know what they are hiding in Kuilei City for. The goods are all sold out, and they do not even know to figure out a way to get some more.”
He seemed to have recently found the thing he was best at. Relying on his excellent eloquence, the weapons that Yu Qing and Mu Aotie had acquired were actually all sold out by him. For him, that was truly a massive profit. A day without anything to sell felt like a waste of time.
There was a letter within a letter. The outer letter was sent from Youjiao Port, while the inner one was sent from Haishi to Youjiao Port.
There was no other way. Yu Qing had not told Qing Ya the direct mailing address, not wanting Qing Ya to know it directly, so Qing Ya only knew the old mailing address.
After reading both letters, Nan Zhu snorted. “Have they provoked the Liang family of Haishi again? Those two fellows only do useless things. Baili, when you see them later, remember to urge them to restock and tell them to stop fussing over boring matters.”
Baili Xin gave an “Mm” in response.
Nan Zhu folded Qing Ya’s letter and handed it to her.
Just as Baili Xin took the letter and was about to go out, she suddenly turned sideways to dodge. She saw several human figures walking past outside, pointing at the top of Kuilei City and chattering as they walked.
“That straight and steep section up there, like a cliff, is said to be the most expensive inn in Kuilei City, the ‘Stone Heart Residence’.”
“That is right. In order to see what it was like inside, I went in and stayed for a day. Even the cheapest room costs a hundred thousand taels a day!”
“I have heard of it for a long time. It is indeed outrageously expensive!”
After the group of people discussing it walked past, the two of them also popped out of the shop. They looked up in unison, staring at the “Stone Heart Residence” above, looking very surprised.
Baili Xin asked, “The two of them have been staying there for a few days, right? Is it at least a hundred thousand taels a day?”
Nan Zhu stared blankly for a while, then suddenly scoffed. “I do not know about others, but as for those two, a hundred thousand taels a day, it is impossible for them to stay there for a few days. They are not the type of people who can enjoy that kind of luxury. They are probably somewhere near the edge of that inn.”
Baili Xin had only asked casually. Without delaying further, she left quickly, her figure disappearing into the darkness.
Thump, thump, thump!
A faint knocking sound came. Yu Qing, who had been pacing and pondering inside the room, woke up to his senses. He walked quickly to the east facing terrace and looked down. He saw three lanterns hanging outside Nan Zhu’s shop and immediately guessed that there was a reply from Haishi.
Under normal circumstances, he would have let Mu Aotie go to fetch the letter. Given the current situation, he did not know when Mu Aotie would return, so he had to go personally. He quickly left the inn…
Hu Niu, guarding the room door, suddenly turned her head and looked at the tightly closed door. Not knowing if it was an illusion, she seemed to hear the proprietress making a huge fuss. She immediately leaned closer to listen.
Lian Yu was indeed making a huge fuss, to the point that Mu Aotie felt completely baffled.
Just as the two of them were sleeping naked and embracing each other, Lian Yu suddenly woke up as if from a nightmare. She pushed and kicked Mu Aotie, screaming hysterically, “Get out, get out, get out.”
Mu Aotie, who had been kicked off the couch, was also a man of few words. After hesitating to speak, he silently picked up his clothes, went out of the bedroom to get dressed, and then opened the door to leave, meeting Hu Niu right outside the door.
Hu Niu looked at him with a complex expression. Seeing the faint lipstick mark of the proprietress still on his cheek, she ultimately only nodded slightly in greeting, and then stepped aside to make way.
Mu Aotie left in silence.
Neither of them said a word.
Hu Niu quickly went inside, closed the door, and hurried to Lian Yu’s bedroom.
Lian Yu, with dishevelled hair and naked, hugged a bundle of quilt. She curled up, hugging her knees, her fragrant shoulders trembling as she buried her head and wept.
Hu Niu watched silently, not knowing what to do…
Mu Aotie, standing at the door of the guest room, hesitated for a long time. He raised his hand several times but never dared to push the door open. Some things had happened too abruptly, and he had not controlled his desires well. He did not even know how he would explain returning so late when he saw Old Fifteen later.
Sooner or later, he still had to face it. Steeling himself, he opened the door and went in.
He soon discovered that Yu Qing was not in the guest room at all. He searched everywhere but could not find him, not knowing where he had gone. Looking out at the terrace, he realised that dawn was breaking. He had not expected that he had actually spent the entire night entangled with Lian Yu. Good times always passed so quickly.
He slumped into a chair, leaning forward and holding his head. His thoughts were somewhat chaotic. He wanted to properly organise his thoughts, but the image of Lian Yu kept popping into his mind.
At this time, Yu Qing also met Baili Xin at the agreed location. The two did not meet directly, each walking their own way.
At a corner in a blind spot of vision, one passed by and the other approached. The letter was handed to Yu Qing in that fleeting moment of crossing paths.
Of course, Baili Xin did not forget Nan Zhu’s instructions. She quickly added, “Old Seven has sold out of stock. We hope you can restock as soon as possible.”
Restock? Yu Qing replied in his heart. Old Nine has played too big a game. He has latched onto a rich woman. What the hell is there to restock?