He strode forward coldly until, after turning several corners and lifting another curtain, he found himself where voices boiled over. The crowd was mostly made up of enthusiastic women, shouting excitedly "Beat him, beat him," along with a few short men in conical hats clinging to their wives, fear written all over their faces.
On the stage, two men were fighting. They were dressed similarly to Black Eagle, wearing masks and tokens at their waists. One was pinned beneath the other, who straddled his opponent’s belly and delivered several punches without restraint. Both fighters had a fierce determination, as if they were willing to risk their lives just to defeat the other.
Black Eagle stood still for a long moment; afterward, he seemed slightly dazed as he looked at the boisterous women with their loud voices.
He pursed his lips and suddenly felt a touch of loneliness.
"Ah, this is the place, Xisan Alley, number twelve!"
Dong Huiying checked the address, relieved that she hadn’t made a mistake. She first knocked on the door, then waited, but there was no response. She hesitated for a moment before trying to push it—eh? To her surprise, it opened.
Curiosity evident on her face, she stepped over the threshold into a small courtyard. Not far away, a middle-aged woman lay on a bench, clutching a jug of wine and snoring loudly in her sleep.
After a moment of thought, she decided to wake the woman up. "Auntie, wake up?" She nudged the woman’s shoulder, and the drunken deity sleepily opened her eyes, then vaguely gestured toward a door with a lifted arm, "Go on, go on, don’t disturb Old Lady’s sleep. Whatever it is, go over there." She then shooed her away with a wave of her hand, swatting as if at flies, showing an air of absolute annoyance.
Dong Huiying felt her nose twinge in embarrassment and followed the indication into a door, where the faint noise of a noisy crowd traveled from the end of the hall.
She followed the sound, turning several corners, noting that the passage was descending, with the tumultuous noise rising from underground.
The place was like a labyrinth with many forks in the road. Her big eyes shone brightly; rather than feeling scared in this unfamiliar environment, she was actually quite curious.
"Meow~~~~~" An orange tabby cat approached Dong Huiying with an elegant saunter. It held its little head high like a queen, even carrying a hint of disdain as it looked Dong Huiying up and down.
She looked at it, and it looked back at her, and both human and cat remained still.
The kitten covered its mouth with a paw and yawned. The orange tabby lay on its side, resting its head on its paws, not shy in the least but instead closing its eyes in the presence of a stranger.
Seemed like the cat had decided to take a nap?
Suddenly, she felt an itch to touch it. Seeing such small animals always uncontrollably reminded her of Liang Haoming.
Liang Haoming seemed to have a particular fondness for small creatures like kittens, bunnies, and birds. Despite always having a cold expression and seeming unapproachable, these little creatures loved to flock around him.
She couldn’t resist; she tiptoed up to the kitten for a stroke, but with a swoosh, she was scratched by a paw.
"Such a temper," she said with a pout, feeling a bit hurt. Looking at the long scratch on the back of her hand, she pursed her lips.
Well, the Cat master will always be the Cat master, irresistible and untouchable.
Reluctantly looking back, the kitten’s ears twitched slightly, but it kept its eyes closed, not sparing her a second glance. She sighed and then continued walking with her head down.