Xi Luo came and went in a hurry, leaving in less than twenty minutes.
Li Qiao stood at the living room window watching her departing figure as her thoughts gradually cleared, like clouds dispersing.
Although the Xiao brothers were at odds with one another, their stance was remarkably united when facing outsiders.
Ye Jing was well-acquainted with Xiao Yeyan, so if she had dealt with cannabinoids in the black market, it was highly likely that she would have informed Xiao Yeyan about her source.
Or perhaps, she was purchasing them on behalf of Xiao Yeyan.
These speculations weren’t groundless. Li Qiao narrowed her eyes, grabbed the cell phone from the windowsill, and without hesitation, composed a provocative message.
Meanwhile, on the outskirts of Charlman City, at George’s Courtyard.
As night fell, the ancient courtyard castle was enveloped by a thin veil of light from the ground lanterns.
In the brightly lit living room, Yin Mo stood behind Xiao Yeyan’s sofa, her gaze unwavering.
He Chen sat with one leg crossed over the other, cigarette in hand, puffing out clouds of smoke, "From what you’re saying, the Xiao family lost a servant?"
Xiao Yeyan pressed his lips together seriously, his gaze intensely fixed on He Chen, "Mm, a servant from the stables."
"With over a hundred servants at Charlman Manor, what does losing one or two matter? Is such a trivial matter really worth calling the police?" He Chen remarked dismissively, his attitude casual yet contemptuous, "As long as the master is fine, that’s what matters."
Xiao Yeyan frowned slightly in displeasure, "It’s not as simple as that..."
He Chen raised his wrist, eyebrows lifted indifferently, "Say whatever you want, I couldn’t care less."
Seeing this, Xiao Yeyan laughed, not out of anger but amusement. He propped his elbow on his knee and took a cigarette case from the table, teasing with an insinuation, "I thought you might ask a few more questions."
"A stable boy is worth my extra questions? How self-important," He Chen retorted.
Yin Mo stared at He Chen unemotionally, finding it hard to believe that this eccentric individual could have earned Xiao Yeyan’s trust.
Perhaps it was He Chen’s indifferent attitude that made Xiao Yeyan lower his guard somewhat, raising his trust in him, "Has there been any movement from Shang Shaoyan lately?"
"I heard he went to Myst Town," He Chen replied, his feet swaying, his demeanor exceptionally laid-back and defiant.
Xiao Yeyan lit a cigarette, wearing a smirk, "Why didn’t you go?"
He Chen glanced at him, his gaze shifting meaningfully to rest on Yin Mo above Xiao Yeyan’s head, "Why bother going when it’s more fun to have Captain Yin accompany me on a shopping spree?"
As a man himself, Xiao Yeyan clearly understood He Chen’s intent.
He glanced back at Yin Mo, his eyes flashing with shrewdness, "It seems I’ve really underestimated Captain Yin’s attraction."
With a tense expression, Yin Mo felt a sinking feeling in her heart, "Second Young Master, I..."
Xiao Yeyan furrowed his brows slightly, signaling with his eyes for her to keep quiet, then turned his gaze back to He Chen, "Since that is the case, why not have her accompany you on a tour around Charlman City these next few days? How about that?"
He Chen, holding the cigarette, gave a nod of acknowledgement, "Although you look androgynous, you certainly handle things like a man."
Xiao Yeyan pursed his lips in displeasure. If it weren’t for the fact that He Chen was still useful, he definitely wouldn’t have had much to do with such a frivolous and licentious person.
After a while, Xiao Yeyan extinguished his cigarette and prepared to leave. He casually picked up his jacket and draped it over his arm. Just as he took two steps, the unflappable He Chen spoke up in a deep voice, "Stop right there."
Xiao Yeyan paused, glancing sideways at him, "What now? Want me to stay and join you shopping?"
He Chen leaned back against the sofa, eyes fixed on the spot where Xiao Yeyan had been sitting, his lips curving into a sinister smile, "You dropped something."
Xiao Yeyan turned around, feigning confusion. He looked at the eavesdropping device buried in the crevice of the sofa and cast a glance at Yin Mo so subtle it was barely perceptible.
With stiff movements, Yin Mo circled around the sofa and pinched the tiny eavesdropping device. Crushing it with force, it shattered completely in an instant.
She turned to the side, her tone flat, "Mr. He must find this amusing. This is my belonging."
Xiao Yeyan curled his lips contentedly, flicked the creases on his trousers with his finger, and said in a grandiose manner, "Captain Yin, Mr. He has a keen eye; these little tricks should be put away in the future."
Yin Mo clenched her fingers tightly, the puppet-like appearance of someone resigned to her fate, "Understood, Second Young Master."
Xiao Yeyan gave her a deep look and then strode away into the night, leaving George’s Courtyard.
At that moment, He Chen patted the sofa beside him, "Come here."
Yin Mo stood frozen in place, unmoving.
The atmosphere between the two, one sitting and the other standing, gradually solidified.
He Chen, who usually had little patience for women, propped his head on the backrest, looking down with a slightly raised brow and said, "Baby, hanging up on my call just means you’ll have to come to me yourself. If you continue to oppose me, guess what will happen?"
Yin Mo’s breathing tightened, her eyes full of resistance.
Despite having experienced despair too many times and her heart having become as still as the Dead Sea, unrippled by calm waters...
He Chen always managed to effortlessly stir all her emotions.
Yin Mo closed her eyes, her voice growing more ethereal, "What exactly do you want?"
"Come here," He Chen repeated, his eyes and brow carrying a roguish smirk, as if he deliberately took pleasure in teasing her.
Yin Mo tossed the broken listening device onto the ground and walked over to him like a marionette, her voice clipped and measured, "Mr. He, your orders?"
"Ordering is an overstatement," He Chen brushed the back of his hand against her face and then said something utterly face-slapping, "Go pour me a glass of wine."
Yin Mo dodged his touch and waved his hand away with visible disgust in her eyes, filled with sarcasm, "Isn’t that an order?"
He Chen looked at the red mark on the back of his hand, his expression turning cold, "Baby, do you remember how I punished you last time you disobeyed?"
Yin Mo clenched her teeth and briskly got up to head for the bar.
She hated how powerless she felt when facing He Chen.
Tonight, before she entered George’s Courtyard, the bodyguards had taken away the weapons she carried.
If she truly came into conflict with He Chen, she wouldn’t stand a chance.
Yin Mo carelessly grabbed a bottle of foreign liquor from the shelf, but before she could twist off the cap, a warm presence suddenly pressed against her from behind.
The air around her became imbued with He Chen’s refreshing, clandestine fragrance.
Her whole body tensed, about to sidestep, but two arms were already propping up against the bar in perfect placement.
Now, He Chen was at an intermediate distance from her, neither far nor near, but enough to set the heart racing.
Yin Mo held the bottle, wondering how likely it was that smashing it over his head would succeed.
"Switch to whiskey." He Chen didn’t move closer but instead blew air behind Yin Mo’s ear, teasing mischievously, "Whiskey bottles are thicker, increasing your chances of killing me if you hit me with one."
Yin Mo’s hand trembled, and she lowered her eyelids to hide the anxiety in her eyes.
She truly... was no match for He Chen.
This sense of powerlessness was even greater than when she faced the Xiao family brothers.
At least in front of Ye Hui, she could try to gain his trust by leveraging her understanding of him.
But He Chen, with his rakish and libertine ways, always wore a frivolous smile that made it impossible to gauge his true intentions.
Yin Mo closed her eyes and took a deep breath; unable to change the circumstances, she could only submit resignedly.