The place was extremely noisy, yet Cao Yang slept soundly.
As the saying goes, the most dangerous place is often the safest. The Henan Gang was searching the entire city for him; they would never expect him to be sleeping right inside their own club.
If Xiao Ling hadn't woken him up, he could've slept even longer.
"Brother, wake up."
Cao Yang opened his eyes and saw that Xiao Ling had already changed out of her work uniform. She was now in a white T-shirt and gray jeans.
He looked around. The place was nearly empty, with only a few staff dragging away people who were drunk beyond saving.
"Done with your shift?" Cao Yang rubbed his eyes and yawned.
"Yes, let's go."
Outside the club, Xiao Ling proactively linked her arm with his.
"Brother, let's go to a hotel."
Xiao Ling was a perceptive girl. He had given her so many tips; she felt she should repay him somehow. Besides, Cao Yang was tall, handsome, and generous—she didn't mind at all.
"No hotel. Let's go to your place." Cao Yang didn't dare go to a hotel.
"Brother, my place… is inconvenient," Xiao Ling said, a bit embarrassed.
Cao Yang took out another thousand yuan and handed it to her.
"Brother, stop giving me money. I'm not selling myself. I just feel a connection with you. You giving money like this… it feels insulting." Xiao Ling pretended to be upset.
Cao Yang smiled. "I'm not insulting you. I just feel bad for you. It's not easy for a girl to make money away from home. I don't like seeing a girl I like struggle."
"Take it. I won't ask anything of you."
He stuffed the money into her bag.
Hearing his words, Xiao Ling felt sweet inside. "Okay then, come to my place."
As she walked, she kept checking the time, planning things in her mind.
She did have a boyfriend, and they lived together. But recently, her boyfriend had been out every day helping his big brother search for someone—he usually returned at dawn, sometimes even in the afternoon.
She calculated that bringing Cao Yang home, letting him have some fun for ten, maybe twenty minutes, then sending him off quickly should be fine.
Her place was close to the club. They arrived in under ten minutes.
Cao Yang glanced around. The room was simple and a little messy.
He noticed a few men's clothes on the rack and asked, "You have a boyfriend?"
"Yep," Xiao Ling admitted openly.
"Aren't you afraid?"
"Afraid of what?"
"My boyfriend! He's a gangster!"
"Oh? Which group?"
Hearing she had a gangster boyfriend, Cao Yang became interested. He suspected it was someone from the Henan Gang.
"Have you heard of the Henan Gang?"
Cao Yang nodded. "I've heard of them. Their boss is someone named Liu… something?"
He deliberately pretended to recall, trying to fish for information.
But he was disappointed—Xiao Ling knew very little. Aside from giving him the name "Liu Zhenhu," she knew nothing else, much less an address.
Still, Cao Yang didn't get discouraged. She didn't know, but her boyfriend surely knew much more. He would just wait here.
"Brother, I'm taking a shower. Want to join me?" Xiao Ling asked with a shy smile.
"You go ahead. I'll wait." Cao Yang shook his head. His arm and back were still wrapped in bandages; he preferred to avoid water.
Soon, the sound of running water came from the bathroom. Through the frosted glass, her silhouette could be seen.
She only rinsed briefly without even wetting her hair. Wrapped in a towel, she came out quickly.
"Brother, let's start. Make it quick, or my boyfriend will kill you if he comes back."
"Why would he kill me?"
Xiao Ling snorted. "You're sleeping with his girlfriend. How is that not a reason?"
As she spoke, she loosened her towel, standing bare before him.
Cao Yang was a lustful man, especially after experiencing Lei Yu and Li Yan—normally he wanted sex every day. But these days he truly hadn't thought about it. Even with Xiao Ling naked in front of him, his interest was weak.
He originally wanted to refuse. But refusing meant he should leave… and leaving would make her suspicious. Instead of sitting here awkwardly, he might as well go along. It was something to do, after all.
He wrapped an arm around her waist, and the two began.
Xiao Ling had planned well—ten minutes, finish, then send him off. But once they started, she realized she was terribly wrong. Completely wrong.
Suddenly, the door opened with the sound of a key turning—and angry shouting.
"You slut! What the hell are you doing?!"
Xiao Ling's boyfriend, Bo Zai, was back. He had heard her moaning from the hallway.
He barged in and saw the naked couple right in front of him.
"Motherf—!" Bo Zai roared, drawing the machete he always carried and swinging it toward Cao Yang's head.
Cao Yang cursed inwardly—of all times to return, he picked NOW, right when Cao Yang was mid-thrust, making him miserable.
Facing the blade, Cao Yang had no choice but to pull away from Xiao Ling. He tilted his head, dodging easily, then kicked Bo Zai into the wall.
Bang!
Bo Zai felt like his organs had shattered. He collapsed and struggled to move.
Cao Yang stepped forward and kicked him again. Bo Zai, trembling in pain, raised the knife in a weak threat.
But this time, he saw Cao Yang's face clearly—and became utterly terrified.
Not only had he seen Cao Yang's photos, he had seen him in person. Yesterday, his group had found Cao Yang, but their leader had a gun, so Cao Yang had elected to retreat.
Now, seeing Cao Yang in HIS home sleeping with HIS girlfriend was like seeing a ghost in broad daylight. He couldn't fathom how two unrelated people ended up crossing paths like this.
Cao Yang recognized him too—this guy had been in the group hunting him yesterday. Delivered right to his door.
He snatched the knife from Bo Zai and dragged him up by the hair.
"Don't kill me! Brother Cao Yang, please! I'm just a small-time thug! They forced me!"
Bo Zai begged loudly. If it were someone else, he might bluster and yell for them to kill him if they dared. But not in front of Cao Yang—because Cao Yang actually killed people. He had killed Tie Xiong and Liu Yilong; killing a small fry like him would be nothing.
Cao Yang was enraged—interrupted mid-act, physically uncomfortable, and facing someone who had hunted him.
He found a rope about as thick as a finger, tied Bo Zai up, and stuffed Xiao Ling's clothes in his mouth.
"Brother, please don't hurt him!" Xiao Ling pleaded. She hadn't expected things to go this far. Sleeping with another man was one thing, but beating her boyfriend and then continuing in front of him—this was beyond what she imagined.