The car started towards downtown, and until they reached the city center, Hua Qingyi hadn't explained to Xiao Lin who those people were. "Are you sure you don't need me to go with you?"

"You'll only bring trouble if you come along; I'm not going to fight," Xiao Lin said as he closed the door, crossed a street nearby, and the dark world was right before his eyes.

It was still twilight, and on the narrow road, an old man was pushing a cart, sweeping the pavement. All year round, he never missed a day, whether in wind or rain. At exactly the right time, you'd see the old man's silhouette, like a clock going off at an exact minute, cleaning the little street until it's spotless, with no strange odors.

Xiao Lin brushed past the old man, pushed quickly forward. The tightly shut portals hadn't opened yet for business; the black door was heavy and firmly closed. Xiao Lin walked from start to finish, among a whole row of shops; only the last small shop with a single counter had illuminated a lamp early. At the door, a person was dozing off, and Xiao Lin stepped forward and rang the bell on the table.

"Don't bother ringing it; no one's here today." The person with their eyes closed collected the bell on the table, refusing outright without even looking.

"I'm not here for business; I'm here to find your boss," Xiao Lin said, tapping his finger on the tabletop.

"Which boss are you looking for?" Finally, there was some reaction; the person leaning on the table lifted their head to glance at Xiao Lin, appearing rather familiar. "Which one are you?"

"How many bosses do you have?" Hearing this man's question, it seemed there were more than one in the dark world.

"The boss is always one, are you looking for the former or the current one?" The person seated at the counter didn't ask for Xiao Lin's identity, knowing well what this place was since they came knocking on the door, glancing again at Xiao Lin, he felt quite familiar again.

"Either of them will do."

"Neither of them is here."

"You're playing with me?" Xiao Lin raised an eyebrow; he definitely needed to have words with Shou about having someone like this at the door, even business will escape.

"No one downstairs." The person at the counter saw Xiao Lin heading down himself, he quickly moved up to dissuade him. "Dear guest, I don't care who you are; this isn't a place you can just walk into. If you want to talk, please come back when it's dark."

"I'm not here for any deals; go call your current boss out. If you're busy, I'll go down myself." Seeing that the man wouldn't yield, Xiao Lin was a bit helpless, thinking he was still part of Shou's people underneath, so he couldn't use excessive force and dragged the man down together.

The courtyard that feels like spring all year round didn't seem to change with the weather outside. It looked the same as the last time he visited, maintaining fresh green leaves and beautiful flowers; only different was the scent of mugwort.

The red bead curtain hung before the door, still and unmoving in the breeze. Xiao Lin didn't lose his manners, stayed at the doorway, and pushed the dragged man inside. As the other was in trouble, Ye Liqing came out and squinted seeing Xiao Lin leave.

"Here to see Shou?" A pair of long legs extended under a high-slit white cheongsam. "Go upstairs!"

"Mm." Xiao Lin stood in place; it's been a while since he had seen Ye Liqing; she looked significantly fuller, with a rosy complexion.

"Come inside first and talk; he went out to handle some affairs." Ye Liqing pulled aside the bead curtain to let Xiao Lin in first, followed by a splash of flowing clear spring water.

"No arrays anymore?" Though there was no commotion outside, inside was noticeably cleaner.

"Shou doesn't like these things, and they're not needed now." Ye Liqing poured the clear spring water, which she had brought along, into a container and boiled it on the fire basin. "This is underground water; it hasn't been dug for long, very clear."

Finding a spot with underground water in the city is tough, even if there is, it's impossible to develop and excavate. "You're violating city planning regulations with this."

"I also hope some person to come find us, but nobody came here. Even if they did, they'd look for those outside and never get to me." True Qi in the water started bubbling up; placing a little tea into the teapot, she poured the boiled ninety-degree water, golden liquid slipping out from the pot along two white porcelain cups. "Please drink!"

Xiao Lin tapped his fingers a few times on the table after raising the cup and taking a sip; the color didn't seem rich, but there was a hint of bitterness in the mouth. "I've been a bit obsessed with this taste recently; hope you don't mind!"

Xiao Lin glanced at the other types of tea leaves beside him, and as for Ye Liqing's little teasing, he smiled indifferently. "Good tea is always bitter."

"Young Master Xiao, what's the purpose of your visit this time?" Ye Liqing asked directly.

"I wanted to trouble the underworld to find someone for me." Xiao Lin took a bunch of mugwort, crushed it, then placed it in an incense burner and lit it, releasing a refreshing fragrance. He then lit a cigarette, so even if a woman disliked the smell of smoke, she wouldn't notice it due to the fragrance.

"You're a very considerate man." Ye Liqing brewed a fresh pot of tea for Xiao Lin. "If I'm not mistaken, the person you're looking for is Hong Lian."

Not surprising! Xiao Lin nodded. The underworld relies on information, and if they didn't know even this, they wouldn't be worthy of their name. "This shouldn't be too difficult for you, right?"

"To be honest, it's much harder than Zhang Teng's case. After all, he's been underground for decades, and whether he's still alive is a question." Ye Liqing leaned back with discipline, using the wooden pillar supporting the glass porch as a tool for support.

"Whether he's dead or alive, I need to know his whereabouts." Xiao Lin's eyes fell on Ye Liqing's legs. Despite her age, she still appeared youthful, with an S-shaped curve, her slender legs crossing in front of him, and the brief skirt revealing the woman's mysterious allure. It must be said that such a woman poses a danger, a temptation that can drive a man impulsive.

Xiao Lin is a normal man, and it's impossible for him to have no impulse towards Ye Liqing. He's no saint, but he has absolute rationality. If a man loses his principles in the face of any seductive woman, then they can only be said to be creatures that think with their lower body. This statement may be a bit harsh, but it embodies Xiao Lin's current mindset.

"Though you're the guardian boss, the underworld has its own rules. The last chip was for the purpose of returning the guardian. So this time? What will you use as the stake?" Ye Liqing admired the man before her; there are few with such self-control. She supported her chin with one hand, while the fingers of the other, with red lacquered nails, touched her lips, as her slightly drooping eyelids gazed at Xiao Lin.

"This time, you name your terms. I generally dislike doing business; you state the terms, and I'll see if I accept them."

"If we find Hong Lian, I want the 'Rose Staff.'

"Afraid there's no way to continue the negotiation on this condition." Xiao Lin waved dismissively; the purpose of capturing Hong Lian was the staff. "Does the underworld want to meddle in this matter too? I want to know if this is your meaning or the guardian's?"

"How could my foolish child do something to betray you?" Ye Liqing said, always frowning at the mention of the guardian, not out of sadness but because it was quite a headache. "Have you never considered him a troublemaker?"

"Never." Troublemaker? The name is fitting. Among the five, the most likely to cause trouble is the guardian; he ranks second with no one daring to claim first. "Does Miss Ye Li also have an interest in the Mafia? The underworld's influence already rivals the 'Black Crow.'"

"I have no interest in the Mafia. I just think the Rose Staff looks beautiful. Women always desire beautiful things, right?"

"If you simply like a beautiful staff, I can naturally have an exact replica made for you?" Xiao Lin seized the opportunity to inquire.

"Are you speaking of Hong Lian?" Ye Liqing blinked at Xiao Lin. "I mentioned that whether he's alive is uncertain, and creating an exact replica would only be possible for an artisan like Hong Lian. I won't take risks for such uncertain upfront payments."

"If it's like this, I can only say I'm sorry." Xiao Lin unapologetically stood up, unwilling to make any decisions before seeing the guardian.

"Leaving so soon? The guardian will return soon." Ye Liqing also stood up. Xiao Lin is a stubborn man; she somewhat expected him to be more courteous to women, but on this point, Ye Liqing misjudged. "I've entrusted the underworld to the guardian; if he's willing to take your case, I naturally have no objections, but from a mother's perspective, any case poses danger, and I can't allow him to work for free, can I?"

"Miss Ye Li, let's not engage in pointless talk. Speak your true intentions; the 'Rose Staff' is just a pretext, isn't it?" Xiao Lin sat back down on the mat, legs crossed, back straight, hands on knees, resembling a gangster, causing Ye Liqing to laugh discreetly.

"It's truly a pity for someone like Young Master Xiao not to join the underworld; you uncover everything." Ye Liqing didn't sit down but walked behind the screen alone. Xiao Lin merely turned his head before quickly looking away.

The screen was almost transparent under the light, and the woman behind it was removing her clothes piece by piece, her graceful silhouette clear under the light. Xiao Lin took a deep breath, recently feeling unsatisfied? As Hua Qingyi said, he had just been satisfied, and now he's hungry again.

"Young Master Xiao, you are a true gentleman." Ye Liqing's voice came from behind the screen as she tied the last ribbon and returned to face Xiao Lin, her gauzy robe covering her skin, revealing only her slender neck. (To be continued. If you like this work, you're welcome to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)

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