Xiaocui followed me back to the room, and I pulled out the phone Chen Kai had given me, handing it to her. I patiently taught her how to play Talking Tom Cat.
Perhaps because her intelligence wasn't quite up to par, she became completely absorbed in the game.
But the more engrossed she was, the more excited I grew.
If she didn't understand anything, then she'd be easy to fool.
Not that I intended to bully her, of course.
But even if I did, it would be perfectly justified.
After all, we'd already held the wedding ceremony—I'd take full responsibility.
I drew all the curtains, took a shower, and climbed onto the bed without a stitch of clothing.
Xiaocui's face flushed slightly, but after a bit of coaxing, she obediently nestled into my arms, poking at the Tom Cat on the phone, making the virtual feline yowl in protest.
My heart itched with desire, and I wanted to poke at something too.
Taking advantage of Xiaocui's deep focus on the game, I draped myself over her and quietly began removing her clothes.
But Xiaocui was surprisingly alert. The moment she noticed, she stopped tormenting the cat, tightly clutching her clothes and letting out a soft, kitten-like whimper: *"Don't…"
Yet, to my ears, her words sounded like the exact opposite.
After half an hour of sweet-talking and trickery, I finally succeeded in stripping her bare. Satisfied, I pressed myself against her.
This sensation was unlike anything I'd ever experienced before.
And inside me, it felt as if a primal beast was awakening, threatening to take control of my will and body.
But just as I was about to lose myself to animalistic desire, the bedroom door was suddenly pounded with loud, urgent knocks.
The noise jolted me back to cold clarity, my fiery passion instantly retreating.
Xiaocui quickly pulled the blanket over herself, putting distance between us.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Whoever was outside the door refused to let up, knocking even harder.
I hastily threw on some clothes and yanked the door open, ready to unleash a torrent of curses.
But when the door swung open, I found Tingting standing there, her big, innocent eyes wide with curiosity as she peeked into the room.
Perched on her shoulder was Huang Jiu, grinning mischievously.
I didn't even need to ask—this little troublemaker had definitely put Tingting up to knocking.
I took a deep breath and closed the bedroom door behind me.
Just before it shut completely, I stole a glance back.
Xiaocui looked like a startled fawn, pulling the blanket up to her neck as if she'd narrowly escaped disaster.
Once the door was closed, I grabbed Huang Jiu by the scruff and hissed through gritted teeth, "What the hell is your problem?"
Knowing he'd ruined my fun, Huang Jiu quickly explained, *"Your uncle just got back! I told him about that effeminate guy, and he said he'd introduce someone to handle it. We can even get a referral fee!"
If Huang Xian'er hadn't been sitting in the living room watching TV, I would've slammed him against the wall right then and there.
Suppressing my rage, I walked into the living room and realized—it wasn't even dark outside yet.
Apparently, with the curtains drawn, I'd lost all sense of time.
But the sun was already setting.
Anger stretches as far as the horizon.
If Huang Jiu hadn't sent Tingting to knock, I would've succeeded by now.
After all, some things in life don't require instruction—they come naturally.
Just then, my uncle called, saying the person he'd contacted was almost at the shop and that I should head over to meet them.
I had no idea what nonsense Huang Jiu had fed him, but if the fixer showed up and the actual troublemaker didn't, what good would it do?
After hanging up, I hesitated, reluctant to leave Xiaocui behind.
After some thought, I decided to take her with me to the shop—maybe we could even take a stroll along the way.
Tingting chased after me, asking, "Big brother! Why were you and Sister Xiaocui sleeping when it's not even nighttime yet?"
I had no idea how to answer that.
Luckily, Aunt Su Yimei overheard and quickly whisked the little girl away.
With such a big family, things were lively—but also prone to awkward moments.
When I returned to the bedroom, Xiaocui had already put her dress back on and was sitting on the edge of the bed, poking at the Tom Cat game.
Well, that plan was ruined.
But as the saying goes: *First time's unfamiliar, second time's smoother, third and fourth times—oh, the noises.*
Her innocent, fairy-like demeanor would eventually fall to my schemes.
After all, when a half-grown boy turns rotten, he can be *very* rotten.
I led Xiaocui out of the room.
Aunt Su Yimei asked worriedly, *"Yangyang, it's so late—are you still going out?"
"I'm taking Xiaocui for a walk,"* I replied with a smile, careful not to let any tension show. "Staying cooped up at home all day isn't good for her."
Huang Jiu also went to report to his wife.
Huang Xian'er shot him a glare full of resentment and spat out a single word: *"Go."*
Her expression mirrored mine from earlier.
Which convinced me that Huang Jiu had made up that story to my uncle just to avoid another night of exhaustion.
Now that the person was coming, if the effeminate guy didn't show up, I'd love to see how Huang Jiu planned to salvage this "referral."
After changing my shoes and grabbing some cash, I slung Huang Jiu over my shoulder and took Xiaocui's hand, heading out.
The streets at dusk were the liveliest, lined with vendors selling snacks and trinkets—a dazzling array of goods.
I held Xiaocui's hand tightly, afraid she might wander off.
We didn't stop to buy anything, just enjoyed the bustle, and before I knew it, we'd reached the street where the shop was located.
Compared to the crowded alleys full of street vendors, this stretch of established storefronts was much quieter.
Only a few diners lingered in the restaurants.
Just as we were steps away from the shop, a figure suddenly emerged from a narrow alley—a man draped in burlap from head to waist, moving hurriedly with a tense expression.
The moment he appeared, Xiaocui froze, her gaze sharpening like a little tiger sensing danger.
Her reaction put me on high alert, and my hand immediately went to the blood dagger at my waist.
The burlap-clad man moved swiftly, pausing slightly as he passed us.
But after just a breath, he continued on, turning into Old Man Song's shop.
Xiaocui relaxed, but her earlier vigilance left me uneasy.
Once inside our shop, I still felt unsettled, so I peeked outside—Old Man Song's shop was still lit.
I guided Xiaocui to the VIP room, set Huang Jiu down, and told her I'd be right back after checking on Old Man Song's place.
But as soon as I stepped out, I ran into Old Man Song himself at the door. He carried a bag on his back, his expression anxious.
The burlap-draped man stood in the shadows outside Old Man Song's shop, seemingly watching us.
Before I could speak, Old Man Song handed me a set of keys and said, *"Li Yang, something's come up at home—I need to leave for a few days. Can you keep an eye on my shop for me? The prices are marked on the boxes—just sell them if anyone's interested."*
Before I could even agree, he turned and left, the stranger following closely behind. Within moments, they'd vanished into the alley.
Staring at the keys in my hand, I was still processing what had just happened when a white Santana pulled up in front of the shop.
A middle-aged man in a sharp suit stepped out, his square-jawed face exuding authority.
The moment I saw him, my heart dropped.
The light in his lower dantian was *intense*—radiating overwhelming righteousness.
Men of such unshakable integrity were rare.
And terrifying.
Because they believed in absolute morality, showing no mercy to evil—regardless of personal ties.
Thinking of Xiaocui and Huang Jiu inside, I panicked, hurried back into the shop, and immediately started closing the door.