"Sir, you brought a Bodyguard and started a brawl in my shop. Once word gets out, how is Sakura House supposed to stay open?"
Liu Li frowned at Jiang Cheng, the cigarette between her fingers flaring and dimming in the dim light.
The ash grew long, yet she never tapped it off.
It was a habit she'd picked up in Tyrande when she was young.
Keeping the other side guessing when she might suddenly strike.
Her black qipao outlined a bulky figure; the jade bangle clinked sharply whenever she swung her arm.
Liu Li bit out the words "started a brawl" with deliberate weight.
Jiang Cheng had noticed the bangle the moment he stepped in.
Top-grade jade—something with that color and clarity cost at least a few hundred grand.
Jiang Cheng merely shrugged. "Those two idiots had it coming. If I weren't in a good mood today, I'd have gouged their eyes out."
Inside the restroom, Qiu Yihe, smoothing her clothes, froze at his words.
Her expression faltered.
Only today did she realize how many sides Jiang Cheng had.
Usually he struck her as handsome, easy-going, tasteful, and considerate.
But moments ago, pinning her down, he'd shown a dark, domineering, and utterly unreasonable brutality.
Now, talking to Liu Li, he sounded reckless and insufferably arrogant.
Qiu Yihe couldn't help shielding the heart she'd already lost.
Normally she acted carefree in front of Jiang Cheng, pretending indifference.
But her heart wasn't as calm as she let on.
Qiu Yihe: Favorability +3!
When the system reminded him the score had jumped to 88, Jiang Cheng felt even better.
He'd figured it out.
When a Girl says "no," she usually means "yes."
Just go for it.
Of course, that was only his personal experience.
Dear perverts watching—don't try this at home.
Liu Li hesitated, stung by his arrogance.
She hadn't stayed in this business without connections.
But these dealings were secret and couldn't stand scrutiny.
Jiang Cheng wasn't an ordinary customer; making a scene would only hurt herself.
Besides, the restroom was a sensitive spot for them.
If Jiang Cheng were just a diner, both sides could back off and forget it.
But if he belonged to some special group, things could turn ugly.
Liu Li glanced toward the restroom.
"Sir," she said, stubbing the cigarette out in her palm without flinching.
"In Tyrande, trespassers get a finger chopped off." She laced her Mandarin with a thick Thai accent.
Her tongue curled against her teeth in a sticky threat.
It was both warning and test.
After all, the stall they'd occupied was special.
Though the two patrollers had said
Jiang Cheng and a woman were fooling around inside,
years of hiding had taught her caution.
Better to kill the wrong person than let a target slip.
As she finished, Liu Li noticed Wang Sheng casually step half a pace forward.
That half-step sealed off the best attack routes for her three men.
Jiang Cheng's right arm hung naturally, but the crease in his suit revealed a holster.
Worse, when she scanned the room she saw his six Bodyguards standing in a six-pointed-star formation.
Each could cover two directions at once.
She'd only seen that level of professionalism with warlord Bodyguards up in northern Myanmar.
Jiang Cheng merely raised an eyebrow.
"Tyrande??? This is China..."
His Adam's apple rolled in a sexy arc, his deep voice carrying unquestionable authority and maddening elegance.
He added disdainfully, "Trying to scare me with your local rules?? Huh?? What nerve. You knocked on my door—ask around Chengdu who I am. Forget fingers; I can make sure you never see tomorrow."
Saying it, Jiang Cheng felt his chuunibyou about to kick in.
Still, Liu Li's expression visibly relaxed.
He clearly scorned her Thai identity.
There wasn't a trace of suspicion on his face.
Respectable people rarely risked such dangerous work.
Everyone knew Anti-drug Police Officers had no names.
And Jiang Cheng happened to despise her.
Whether in China or Tyrande, Liu Li was just an ant he could crush at will.
Trouble was, eliminating one Liu Li solved nothing.
The real goal was to pry open the interest group behind her.
While Liu Li weighed her options,
Qiu Yihe walked awkwardly to the sinks.
Liu Li's temples throbbed.
Unsure what to decide, she strode up to Qiu Yihe,
then cupped water and began rinsing her mouth.
Before she could spit it out, a uniformed middle-aged woman stepped from the ladies' room.
At the sight, Qiu Yihe's eyes turned uneasy.
Liu Li was the key target Qiu Yihe needed to approach.
After spitting the water, Qiu Yihe forced an awkward greeting. "Manager Liu."
Liu Li didn't answer, first glancing at the men's-room door,
then taking out lipstick and slowly applying it in the mirror,
her gaze fixed on Qiu Yihe.
In the mirror, a poppy tattoo flickered on her neck, visible only under certain light.
Whether by intent or accident, she tapped the mirror and looked at the badge on Qiu Yihe's chest: "Lin Wan."
"You're new here?"
Qiu Yihe caught the subtle move but showed no reaction,
even managing an apologetic smile.
"Yes, Manager Liu."
Before Qiu Yihe finished, Liu Li whipped her head around, eyes sharp.
"What were you doing in the men's room?"
This was Qiu Yihe's first direct contact with Liu Li.
Under that viperish stare
Qiu Yihe felt her nerves fray.
Had Jiang Cheng not tagged along, she feared she'd already be exposed.
She glanced self-consciously toward Jiang Cheng,
her face flushing crimson.
"I... I..." Her earlobes burned; she twisted the hem of her uniform,
crumpling the fabric into suggestive creases.
Embarrassed as she was, she knew her priority was to convince Liu Li they'd simply been fooling around in the stall,
not stealing intelligence.
With that in mind, she pretended her legs had turned to jelly,
grasping the counter and deliberately revealing the marks Jiang Cheng had left when he pinned her inside the stall.