Tòumíng went around to the back of Xuān Láng's pawn shop—the same back door he'd kicked down yesterday during his investigation. The broken lock mechanism was still visible, the door sitting slightly ajar.
He entered through the back, moving through the storage room where he'd first seen the blood splatter, then into the main shop area.
Everything seemed relatively in place. The merchandise was still on the shelves—jewelry, electronics, tools, all the pawned items that represented people's financial desperation. The register was closed. Xuān Láng's signature monocle still sat on the desk.
Tòumíng walked around, checking windows, making sure nothing looked disturbed or stolen. Then he closed all the curtains—front windows, side windows—blocking the view from outside so potential thieves couldn't case the place.
He headed back to the storage room and examined the broken back door. It hung crooked on its hinges from when he'd kicked it in, the lock mechanism completely destroyed.
He grabbed some tools from Xuān Láng's workbench—a hammer, some nails, a piece of scrap wood—and jury-rigged a temporary barrier. Not secure by any professional standard, but enough to keep the door from swinging open and advertising "please rob this place."
He dusted off his hands, satisfied with the quick work. "Easy."
Behind a Convenience Store - Several Blocks Away
Yu Lin stood in an alley behind a convenience store, his phone pressed to his ear, his earlier cute persona completely gone. His voice was back to his normal register, still higher than most men's, but professional, clipped.
"I've successfully made contact and established a timed meeting location," he reported. "8 PM tonight. Dinner date. He has no suspicion."
The Ice Queen's voice came through the phone, smooth and cold. "Good. Get him to my mansion by the end of today."
Yu Lin's expression shifted to uncertainty. "Your mansion in Bantian Residential District? That's... that's on the complete opposite side of the city. How am I supposed to—"
"That's not my problem." Her tone carried absolute dismissal. "I hired Black Hawk for their services. It is your job to provide said services. Figure it out."
The call ended abruptly.
Yu Lin stared at his phone, his cute persona cracking to reveal genuine irritation. "What is WITH these rich old ladies and bossing people around?!"
He pouted, a real pout this time, not the manufactured cuteness he used for targets.
"I'm too cute to be disrespected like that. She should be GRATEFUL she gets someone of my caliber working for her."
He climbed back onto his motorcycle, started the engine, and drove off, already formulating plans for how to lure Tòumíng across the city to Bantian Residential District by tonight.
Tòumíng's Villa - Living Room
Měi Nán was sprawled on the couch with three of his coworkers, fellow escorts who he'd invited over for what had turned into an impromptu gossip session.
There was Hua, a woman in her late twenties with short hair and a no-nonsense demeanor. Hong, a petite woman who stood maybe 5'1" and specialized in the "cute girlfriend" aesthetic. And Chen, a tall, elegant man in his early thirties who handled the luxury clientele.
They were comparing horror stories about terrible clients, the kind of conversation that only people in the sex work industry could fully appreciate.
"So get this," Hua started, her voice carrying exasperation. "I had this client referred to me by Měi. Guy finished the boyfriend package with him, right? So he contacts me because he wants to try the lover package next. Cool, whatever. But the MOMENT I show up, he gets offended."
"Why?" Hong asked, genuinely curious.
"Because I'm a woman! He got MAD that I assumed he was bisexual! Said just because he hired Měi doesn't mean he's into both! Like, buddy, you SPECIFICALLY requested the lover package which is marketed to both orientations! What did you think was going to happen?!"
Everyone groaned in sympathy.
Měi Nán jumped in next. "Oh, I've got one. So I get this anonymous booking, right? Guy doesn't want his face shown, doesn't want to be recorded, doesn't even want to give his real name. Fine. Happens all the time. Probably married or a public figure or whatever."
He leaned forward, his expression shifting to dramatic revelation.
"So we're in the hotel room, we start, everything's normal. But this guy insists on keeping this full-face mask on the ENTIRE TIME. Like, a legitimate masquerade mask that covers everything. And it's summer. The AC is broken. This dude starts getting REALLY hot. Like, dangerously hot. I'm genuinely worried he's going to get heatstroke."
"Oh god," Chen muttered, already anticipating the punchline.
"I tell him he needs to take the mask off before he passes out. He refuses. I literally have to STOP and threaten to call an ambulance before he finally agrees. And when he takes it off—"
Měi Nán paused for dramatic effect.
"—you WON'T believe it. It was THAT Baidu investor! The one who's always in the news talking about family values and traditional morality! The guy who publicly campaigned against sex work legalization!"
The room erupted in shocked laughter.
"NO!" Hua shrieked.
"YES! I had to finish the session while maintaining a straight face! And he paid me EXTRA to never mention it to anyone! Which I'm totally violating right now but whatever, fuck that hypocrite!"
Hong went next, her expression shifting to visible discomfort. "Okay, my turn. So you all know I'm short, right? 5'1". I lean into the cute aesthetic because that's what gets me bookings. But lately—and I mean LATELY, like the past three months—I've been getting SO MANY weirdos."
"Define weirdos," Chen said.
"Guys offering me EXTRA money—like, significant extra—to dress as a schoolgirl. Not like, college student. SCHOOLGIRL. With the uniform and the backpack and the pigtails. And they want me to call them 'teacher' or 'uncle' or—" She shuddered visibly. "It's SO creepy. I've started declining those bookings entirely because it just feels wrong."
Everyone made sounds of disgust.
"That's vile," Hua said flatly.
"I know! And they act like I'M the weird one for refusing! Like, no, buddy, YOU'RE the weird one for sexualizing children! I'm a grown woman!"
The conversation shifted after a moment of uncomfortable silence, Hua changing the subject. "Anyway. Speaking of houses—Měi, who exactly owns this place? This is easily an eight-million-yuan villa. Your sugar daddy?"
Hong perked up playfully. "Ooh, IS this the home of one of your sugar daddies? Because if so, he has EXCELLENT taste in real estate!"
Měi Nán chuckled and shook his head. "No, nothing like that. It belongs to a good friend."
"A 'good friend' who lets you live in an eight-million-yuan villa for free?" Chen raised an eyebrow. "That's a VERY good friend."
"It's complicated. But yeah, he's... he's a good person. Like, genuinely good. I've been living here for weeks now, and he's had at least ten opportunities to take advantage of me—I've literally offered multiple times—and he hasn't done it once."
The three escorts all made "awww" sounds in unison.
"Friend or boyfriend," Hua declared, "he's a keeper."
"Seriously," Hong agreed. "Most guys would have jumped at the chance. The fact that he respects your boundaries even when you're literally offering? That's rare. VERY rare."
Měi Nán's expression became softer, more genuine. "Yeah. He really is special. Completely oblivious and sometimes frustratingly stupid, but special."
"You like him," Chen observed with a knowing smile.
"I—" Měi Nán started to deny it, then stopped. "Maybe. I don't know. It's complicated."
"It's not complicated," Hua said.
"You like him. He likes you based on the fact that he lets you live here rent-free. Just... actually communicate that to him instead of playing this weird game where you both pretend to be something you're not."
"He thinks we're fake boyfriends as part of a business arrangement."
"Then TELL HIM you want it to be real!"
"It's not that simple!"
"It literally is!"
Měi Nán threw a couch pillow at her, which she dodged easily, and the conversation dissolved into laughter and teasing.