Good, he's not here. I can sneakily eat— Yue Zitong felt a sense of delight, tiptoeing out of her room like a thief, cautiously descending the stairs.
She completely forgot that in her own home, she had every right to eat when hungry without furtive behavior. Yet, with a touch of nervousness, she glanced at the guest room door and slowly approached the sofa.
A pair of chopsticks rested on the basin. Yue, of course, wouldn't stoop to using Li Nanfang's used ones. She grabbed a drumstick directly and sat down to eat.
The broth was still lukewarm—perfect for consumption. This guy wasn't exaggerating; the stewed chicken was exceptionally delicious. Starving as she was, everything tasted delightful, especially Li Nanfang's meticulously prepared free-range chicken. Yue took a bite and nearly swallowed her tongue.
"Who's out there?!"
The guest room door suddenly opened, and Li Nanfang bolted out, shouting loudly.
"Ah!" Yue Zitong, caught off guard, yelped in fright. Her hand trembled, dropping half a chicken into the basin, sending broth flying across her face.
With a click, the living room light flickered on.
Li Nanfang brandished a baseball bat, feigning an aggressive stance, his face contorted in mock surprise. However, the mischievous glint in his eyes betrayed him: I knew you couldn't resist sneaking down to eat while I was asleep.
Yue Zitong had never felt so humiliated in her life.
Tonight, she was dressed in a silk off-shoulder nightgown, the hem barely covering her thighs, revealing her fair legs. To make eating easier, she had tugged her neckline lower, exposing a generous portion of her chest. Now, the broth had splattered across her décolletage.
"Uh, I thought it was some clueless thief, but it's you—Auntie. Take your time, enjoy your meal. I'm heading back to bed."
Li Nanfang stared blankly at Yue Zitong for a full minute before forcing a dry swallow and a nervous chuckle. He turned to retreat to the guest room, but halfway there, he suddenly lunged forward, slammed the door shut, and hurled the chicken at it with a whoosh.
Yue Zitong's scream of shame and fury pierced the night: "Scum, I'll kill you!"
Feeling thoroughly tricked, Yue Zitong forgot her indecent attire and her aching foot. She grabbed a fruit knife from the coffee table and screamed as she charged toward the guest room.
Blinded by shame and rage, Yue Zitong lost all reason. Her strength was formidable as she kicked open the newly locked door and lunged inside with wild determination.
Li Nanfang had clearly anticipated the ferocity of this woman's wrath. Upon entering the room, he wasted no time and sprang onto the windowsill like a weasel. Just as he was about to leap out, the fruit knife whistled through the air, aiming for his back.
"Damn it, you're trying to kill your husband—Ah!"
Amidst Li Nanfang's curses, a yelp of pain escaped him as he tumbled out the window.
His scream was like a bucket of ice water doused over Yue Zitong's head, shocking her into clarity. The fire of shame and anger was instantly extinguished: Oh no, did I really stab him?
Forgetting she had been tricked, she rushed to the window, peered out, and called out anxiously: "Li Nanfang, are you alright?"
Li Nanfang lay face down on the grass outside the windowsill, motionless. By the silvery moonlight, Yue Zitong could clearly see the fruit knife embedded in his back.
Yue froze, her wide eyes filled with incredulous terror.
As a trained agent, she was well aware that in a state of rage, one's strength could be extraordinary. It was plausible that the knife had penetrated his body. However, she couldn't fathom the extent of her own strength— the knife was nearly hilt-deep in Li Nanfang's back, only the handle protruding from his blue shirt.
"I... I killed him?"
Leaning against the windowsill, Yue Zitong swayed, her knees buckling as she collapsed to the ground, her gaze vacant as she stared at the roof, muttering incessantly: "I... I actually killed him. He was just joking around. I didn't want to kill him; I never intended to. I only wanted to teach him a lesson."
Reality, however, lay starkly before her. The knife, buried to the hilt, must have pierced Li Nanfang's heart. Even if rushed to surgery immediately, there was no saving him.
"Right, right, we must get him to the hospital immediately!"
At the thought of the operating table, Yue Zitong snapped back to her senses. She stood up, forgetting to use the door, and stepped onto the windowsill, ready to leap down and carry Li Nanfang to the hospital at top speed. But her silk nightgown caught on something, halting her jump mid-action. A tear sounded as the nightgown ripped, and Yue Zitong fell heavily to the ground, also face down. Fortunately, the lawn outside the window cushioned her fall, sparing her from a mouthful of dirt.
Ignoring the fall and the now torn nightgown—which exposed most of her fair skin and even her black lace thong—Yue scrambled to her knees, spat out the grass from her mouth, and lifted Li Nanfang into her arms.
Under the moonlight, Li Nanfang's eyes were tightly shut. When Yue stood him up, his left arm dangled lifelessly, swaying against her leg as she hurried toward the car.
"Don't... don't die, Li Nanfang. You must hold on! I'm taking you to the hospital right away. Hold on, you have to hold on!" Yue's voice trembled with fear, on the verge of tears as she opened the car door to place him inside. But then she heard him quietly ask, "Are you planning to take me to the hospital dressed like that?"
"Ah?" Yue Zitong, nearly in tears, froze again. Glancing down, she realized Li Nanfang's eyes were open, his face smirking triumphantly.
Yue Zitong's voice wavered as she whispered, "You... you're not hurt?"
"Hehe, why would I be hurt?" Li Nanfang chuckled, his left hand flipping the fruit knife away into the distance. "That's dangerous. Once Yue gets mad and wields it, who knows who might get hurt."
"You... you're not hurt?" Yue asked again, dazed.
"The knife only pierced my shirt. You didn't notice my left hand was hidden inside, just holding the shirt up to make it look like it was stabbed into my body. Actually, nothing happened."
After delivering this with supreme satisfaction, Li Nanfang seized the moment to escape Yue's embrace, clapped his hands, and declared, "It's getting late. You must be full by now. Time to wash up and sleep."
"Uh-huh, wash up and sleep... wash up and sleep..." Yue Zitong repeated the words vacantly, a sinister smile creeping onto her face. Sensing danger, Li Nanfang bolted toward the villa's entrance.
A fist-sized pebble, hurled with remarkable precision, grazed Li Nanfang's scalp and struck the iron gate with a deafening clang. The pebble, a decorative element from the flower bed beside the car, made an excellent projectile. Had Li Nanfang not dodged swiftly, a direct hit could have left him severely injured or even brain-damaged.
Having been tricked twice by him, Yue Zitong now harbored genuine murderous intent. Never attempt to reason with a woman who's lost her temper, especially one with a certain level of combat skill. The best course of action, as Mr. Li demonstrated, is to leap over the waist-high iron gate like a cornered dog, ignoring her shouts of "Stop! I promise I won't kill you!" and vanish into the roadside shrubbery.
"Fine, never show your face to me again!"
Had Yue Zitong not been barefoot and her silk nightgown not already torn, she would have chased after him relentlessly, even to the ends of the earth, to tear that scoundrel to shreds and vent her rage.
Leaning against the iron gate, her eyes blazing with fury, Yue stared at the shrubbery across the road for a moment before coldly snorting and limping back into the living room.
The earlier commotion had aggravated her ankle injury, making it clear she wouldn't be able to work tomorrow. Fortunately, Yue Zitong's absence from work drew no criticism—she merely needed to make a phone call to Min Rou each morning.
Back in her bedroom, Yue didn't bother with a shower. Instead, she changed into her crisp, sporty athletic outfit and retrieved an arm exerciser from beneath her wardrobe. After testing its weight, she carried it downstairs and sat on the sofa.
Since she wouldn't be working tomorrow, she resolved to unleash her fury on that scoundrel tonight. She wouldn't rest until she'd beaten him so badly that even his parents wouldn't recognize him.
"Dammit, the fool's only just returned. To think I'm stuck with such a shrewish woman. If I survive past thirty, I've already lucked out. No way, tomorrow I'm definitely packing my bags and leaving. No matter how alluring she is, my life is more important."
Hidden in the darkness of the opposite hill's shrubbery, Li Nanfang observed Yue Zitong through the open villa door. With a disdainful smirk, he heard a man's soft laughter behind him: "Hehe, this brother's got it right. No matter how enchanting a beauty, nothing's more precious than one's own life."
Unprepared, Li Nanfang visibly shuddered. As he turned, he felt a hard object press against the back of his head. The voice came again: "Friend, don't move, or I'll blow your brains out."
"Who are you?" Like someone oblivious to the gun at his skull, Li Nanfang abruptly turned around and found two shadowy figures.
The moon was bright that night, but the two men stood with their backs to it, so Li Nanfang couldn't see their faces. However, they could clearly see his startled expression.
Clearly inexperienced, if he were the target, he'd never dare move when Jack pressed the pistol to his skull—Frank smirked faintly, raising his right hand to reveal a gleaming Browning pistol in the moonlight: "Friend, recognize this?"
As he finished speaking, the gun was pointed at Li Nanfang's nose.
"This is a handgun!"
Li Nanfang finally realized the gravity of the situation. His body trembled violently as he slowly raised his hands, his teeth chattering: "Don't... don't kill me."
"Comply and you won't be killed. Besides, no one's paying us to kill you," Frank and Jesse exchanged glances, lowering the gun with a smile as they gestured for Li Nanfang to move southward.
"Where are you taking me?" Li Nanfang trembled, dragged along by Jesse, who impatiently demanded, "Hurry up, we're not killing you, just asking a few questions!"
Upon hearing this, Li Nanfang sighed inwardly.
If he hadn't turned around just now, these two might not have killed him. But since they'd stated their intent to question him, it was clear they had to eliminate him as a loose end.
Li Nanfang didn't wish to kill; wouldn't it be better for everyone to live in peace? Why not target other prey for profit? Why risk their lives for a mere $200,000?
"I hope you'll answer every question I ask truthfully, without any tricks, because this concerns your life and death," Frank said with a gentle smile as he pinned Li Nanfang against the tree.
Li Nanfang nodded vigorously: "Yes, yes, I'll tell you everything I know!"
"What is your relationship with the target, Yue Zitong from Kaihuang Group?" Jesse asked his first question. "We didn't see you around a few days ago."
"I've only been working at Kaihuang Group for a few days," Li Nanfang replied, avoiding eye contact and speaking softly. "She's my boss; I'm her dedicated driver."
"Is that all?" Frank's previously gentle smile turned lewd. "We just saw Yue Zitong, dressed in a torn nightgown, climb out of the window to carry you in. Her legs are so fair, her behind so plump—must be quite a delight to touch, isn't it?"
You're a dead man, friend.
With those words, you've already sealed your fate—Li Nanfang let out a shy chuckle, lowering his head and murmuring, "Well, besides driving for her, I also maintain... that kind of relationship with her."
"Are you lovers?" Jesse interjected. "I knew it. On the surface, she seems proper, but deep down, she's just as wanton. Such a pity."
"Are you planning to kill her?" Li Nanfang looked up, feigning surprise.
Frank responded leisurely, "We're not the ones killing her; someone's paying us to do it."
Li Nanfang suddenly asked quickly, "How many of you are there in total?"
"Just the two of us," Frank blurted out before realizing Li Nanfang was probing them. His expression hardened as he sneered, "Friend, I admire your daring at a time like this—uh!" Before he could finish, a sharp pain erupted beneath his left ribcage. His heart pounded violently as he slowly lowered his gaze.
A black military dagger, held by Li Nanfang, had been thrust diagonally into his left rib, more than halfway through, piercing his heart. Blood gushed from the blade's grooves, splattering onto the grass below.
This was the last thing Frank saw before his death, and he vaguely heard Jesse's abrupt cry, "Who are you—"
The once meek and fearful Li Nanfang now wore a terrifyingly calm expression. Without any fluctuation, he had swiftly stabbed Frank and then plunged the dagger into Jesse's heart.
Releasing the kneeling Jesse, Li Nanfang withdrew the dagger, waved it in front of Jesse's eyes, and softly inquired, "You seem to have spent a few years in the underworld. You must have heard of Black Phantom."
"Black... Black Phantom, you're Black Phantom?!" Jesse's pupils dilated rapidly, and his eyes suddenly blazed with intensity as he screamed with all his remaining strength.
Though he shouted, his voice was no louder than the buzzing mosquitoes beside him.
"Meeting your end at the hands of Black Phantom is an honor indeed," Li Nanfang remarked indifferently, removing the black balaclava from Jesse's clothes to wipe the dagger clean before tossing it onto his face.
Lying on the grass, Jesse felt no resentment toward Black Phantom for killing him. He well knew that if he sought to assassinate Yue Zitong, even if he offered all his wealth and pleaded on his knees, Black Phantom would not lift a finger. Not everyone was worthy of being slain by Black Phantom.
Legend had it that Black Phantom was no mortal being but a wandering spirit on the path to the afterlife, a solitary specter hovering for a millennium in search of his lost love. He refused to cross the Bridge of Forgetfulness and enter the netherworld, reincarnating instead. On nights of the full moon, he would manifest as a human to vent his rage through murder.
All legends were exaggerated, yet those who had heard of Black Phantom's infamy stubbornly believed he hailed from the underworld. How else could there exist such a terrifying individual in this world?
Every novice killer longed to meet Black Phantom and express their awe—much like pure-hearted maidens hoped to find their prince charming gazing tenderly through their window in the dead of night.
Jesse had once harbored such thoughts, but only as fantasies. He never dreamed he would encounter Black Phantom. Yet, on this night of the full moon, Black Phantom appeared before him.
As Jesse sank into the icy darkness of death, he harbored no resentment toward Black Phantom, only a deep sense of regret: It turns out the target, worth a mere $200,000 bounty, was protected by Black Phantom himself. Who could possibly kill her?
No matter how deserving these assassins were of death, Li Nanfang's mood after killing was invariably bleak. Yet his blood boiled, and the demon within him awoke.
Go on, continue to kill, set fires, and rape that woman who constantly tries to manipulate you!
Li Nanfang slowly closed his eyes, hearing the demon's furious roar: Rape her first, then kill her, drink her blood, tear her fair and tender body into pieces, and swallow them down!
"No, no!" Li Nanfang's eyes snapped open, bloodshot and filled with terrifying malevolence. It seemed as though two bloodthirsty demons might leap from them at any moment. He struck his chest twice with his hand and rasped, "I can't kill her, I can't—I can't! She's my master's sister-in-law, she's my aunt! I can't!"
Nonsense, there's no blood relation between you two!
The demon relentlessly tempted Li Nanfang: Go on, if you kill her, tear her apart, I guarantee you'll feel incredibly powerful and satisfied!
"I won't go..." Li Nanfang clutched his throat, sweat beading on his forehead, his eyes blazing with a sinister light, his face twisted in horror. In a hoarse whisper, he muttered, "I can't do it..." Yet his feet began to move forward against his will.
Go kill her, go do it now!
The demon roared even louder, crashing against the confines of its prison: You waste, what's a mere woman to you? Once you become overwhelmingly powerful, any woman you desire will be yours! Go!
Bang!
Li Nanfang struck his left temple with his fist.
The force of the blow sent him flying backward, his skull cracking against the tree trunk, leaving him collapsed on the ground, motionless.
No one knew how much time passed before he slowly opened his eyes again. Under the moonlight, his gaze gradually cleared, like the brightest stars in the sky.
The demon, which he had imprisoned within himself, had reluctantly settled with his unconsciousness, suppressed by his humanity to the deepest depths of his soul. Yet, faintly, its roar could still be heard: Why won't you do what's within your reach, causing both of us such agony?
"Because I am human," Li Nanfang whispered lowly. He leaned against the tree, propping himself up with his hands, and took several deep breaths.
After a few deep breaths, the demon's whispers ceased, but his body felt utterly drained, as if he could lie on the grass until dawn. Yet sleep was not an option now; there were two corpses beside him, and if someone wandered by at night, the situation could escalate.
Even sleep would have to wait until he returned home. Li Nanfang glanced at the villa below the hill. The living room light was still on, indicating Yue Zitong was still there, waiting to unleash her fury on him.
Recalling her sexy yet frightened expression from earlier, Li Nanfang's mood lightened considerably.
Often, he didn't want to kill, but sometimes he had no choice. His focus now turned to how to appease Yue Zitong.
He began to reflect: Perhaps he had gone too far tonight. Even though he had anticipated she might sneak down to eat, there was no need to mock her. Didn't he know that beautiful women took pride in their dignity?
But if Li Nanfang didn't act this way, how else could he lure out those two assassins? If given another chance, he would do the same. Not only would he eliminate the hidden threat, but he would also bask in the genuine care Yue Zitong had shown him.
Of course, there was also the intense hatred she harbored for him—this was the primary source of his headache.
"Having to kill for her is still hard to accept," Li Nanfang muttered, wiping the sweat from his forehead. He stood up, dusted off the dirt from his pants, and with a resigned expression as if facing certain death, he marched toward the villa.
As for the two corpses under the tree, he left them be. He had deliberately left them there. His aim was for the police to discover them and deduce who had killed them from the nature of their wounds. This message would spread, warning those after the $200,000 bounty: If you wish to kill Yue Zitong, consider whether you can take down the Black Phantom by her side.
The notorious Black Phantom stooping to protect a mere $200,000 target was a humiliation the assassin world could not bear. Fortunately, Mr. Li paid no heed to such trivial matters. In his heart, he muttered, "Bring on the storm," and strode resolutely into the villa.
Chapter 50: Refrain from Provoking Me
Drip.
A car passing by the villa sounded its horn to shoo away a housewife walking her poodle, jolting Yue Zitong awake from her slumber.
Her eyelashes fluttered like black butterflies, and the fresh morning sunlight filtered through, prompting her to instinctively close her eyes once more. She stretched lazily with a hand over her mouth, exuding an air of languid charm.
Last night's sleep had been exceptionally sweet. She hadn't even heard her usual 6:30 AM alarm. Judging by the bright sunshine, it must be around eight o'clock now.
Ah, since work was already late, she might as well sleep in a bit more. After all, no one would dare chide the boss for being late—Yue Zitong sighed contentedly, tugging at the blanket and rolling over.
A clang sounded as she tumbled onto the floor, her instinctive cry dispelling all remnants of sleepiness.
Her eyes snapped open, and Yue Zitong realized she wasn't in bed but on the living room sofa. No wonder she had fallen off while turning over.
Why was she sleeping on the living room sofa? And whose military-green blanket was this?
Yue Zitong sat up in confusion. After a moment, memories flooded back: She had been tricked by Li Nanfang and vowed to pulverize him. She had changed into her clothes, grabbed an arm exerciser, and sat on the sofa waiting for his return.
But she had dozed off, only to wake up here.
The military-green blanket must have been placed over her by that guy after noticing she was asleep, to prevent her from catching a cold—Hmph, do you think your little act of kindness can absolve you of last night's unforgivable mistakes?
With that thought, Yue Zitong leaped to her feet, grabbed the arm exerciser from the table, and marched toward the kitchen.
The kitchen door was shut, but upon careful listening, one could hear the sounds of cooking within.
With a loud crash, Yue Zitong kicked the kitchen door open.
Li Nanfang was indeed inside, still wearing that paper hat and a floral apron, dressed as ridiculously as a chef, lifting the pot lid to check the lean meat porridge.
"Li Nanfang, surrender your life!" Yue Zitong shouted, brandishing the arm exerciser as she charged in.
Without turning his head, Li Nanfang waved his hand and said, "Don't start a fight in the kitchen. Wait until I've finished cooking. Once you've eaten and drunk your fill, you'll have the energy, won't you? Let's go to the courtyard outside. You can wreak havoc there without damaging anything."
The raised arm exerciser could no longer be brought down.
It seemed the despicable fellow wasn't wrong. Beating someone up was physically demanding, and exercising on an empty stomach wasn't advisable. Moreover, the gas stove was still emitting blue flames, and there was food in the wok. If things got messy, there might be a fire.
"Hurry up then, don't keep your aunt waiting too long!"
Yue Zitong stood there for a moment, coldly snorted, stamped her foot, and swiftly walked out.
In the morning, one must first attend to personal hygiene. A shower would be best to ensure a refreshed mood. After all, even beating someone requires a good state of mind, doesn't it?
Yue Zitong hummed a tune, ascending the stairs with the grace of a fawn. Suddenly, she felt she might have fallen for the young man's delaying tactic.
As the saying goes, one cannot bite the hand that feeds. After enjoying the breakfast Li Nanfang had prepared, how could Yue Zitong bear to beat him to the ground?
Realizing she had been outmaneuvered, Yue Zitong glanced back at the kitchen. She wanted to return but couldn't bring herself to do so. After muttering a curse, she strode into her bedroom.
After meticulously freshening up, Yue Zitong gracefully descended the stairs with her left hand on the railing. Li Nanfang had already prepared breakfast and was about to call her to eat.
A plate of chili-garlic shredded tripe, cold-mixed celery, and a dish of boiled soybeans—simple fare, yet the aroma of the lean meat porridge caught Yue Zitong's attention.
"Madam Yue, please," Li Nanfang said, once again dutifully pulling out her chair.
Yue Zitong pursed her lips and sat down. "Li Nanfang, do you think your sycophantic ways will make me forgive your shameless act last night?"
Li Nanfang feigned deep remorse. "Auntie, I admit my guilt and accept my punishment. I never expected to escape your retribution."
"Then do eat heartily. It'll help you withstand the beating later," Yue Zitong remarked coolly, placing the arm exerciser she was carrying onto the adjacent chair with a thud. Li Nanfang shuddered and quickly lowered his head to eat.
There was no denying the excellence of this young man's culinary skills. Take the boiled soybeans, for instance—I've never tasted such delicious ones before. I wonder how he managed to prepare them.
Noticing Yue Zitong's particular interest in the soybeans, Li Nanfang promptly explained, "Auntie, don't underestimate these beans. They were simmered with four pig's trotters, absorbing all their essence. That's why they're so exceptionally flavorful."
"Humph, as if I've never eaten them before," Yue Zitong scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Why aren't there any pig's trotters left? Did you eat them all?"
"I started stewing the trotters at four in the morning and was famished, so I ate those that had given up their essence," Li Nanfang replied, feigning a look of exaggerated satisfaction. Yue Zitong suspected the trotters were likely delicious, but this fellow had eaten them all alone, pretending to be disgusted to deceive her.
However, with her noble status, Yue Zitong couldn't simply grab his collar and scold him for not leaving a trotter for her to taste. She would settle the score for his selfish eating later, along with last night's incident.
Breakfast concluded on a warm note, and for the first time, Li Nanfang stood up and said, "Auntie, please take a seat outside for a moment. I'll wash the dishes."
"Wait," Yue Zitong said with a contemptuous glance. "Do you think by volunteering to wash dishes, you can appease my wrath from last night?"
"What do you mean?" Li Nanfang inquired.
"I said, I won't take advantage of you. If you insist on washing dishes, you must do so willingly and without complaint," Yue Zitong declared, taking out a coin and flipping it with a snap of her thumb. "I want it to land face up!"
To spare Yue Zitong's dignity after her diligent yet unsuccessful coin-tossing practice at the company, Li Nanfang discreetly refrained from sitting on the sofa like a lord. He couldn't risk the furious young lady actually hurling a plate at his head. It was better to stroll in the courtyard and breathe in the fresh morning air, which would benefit his health.
In the distance, the wail of police sirens could be faintly heard. Standing by the door, one could spot the villa's security personnel rushing toward the hillside.
Finally, someone had discovered the two unfortunate assassins' bodies and called the police.
Fortunately, the villa community was unlike ordinary residential areas. Even if two dogs were seen frolicking in the bushes, it wouldn't draw much attention. After all, the residents were affluent and of high caliber. Knowing something might have happened, they merely cast indifferent glances before resuming their activities.
"Hands on your head, squat down!"
As Li Nanfang stared at the commotion, Yue Zitong's eerie voice rang out from behind the doorway.
Immediately, he complied, hands on his head and squatting down. This was a posture he had often assumed before the age of fifteen, a motion he hadn't performed in seven years. Yet, it still came as naturally as ever.
No wonder the elders say that once truly learned, a skill is never forgotten.
Yue Zitong hadn't anticipated such a compliant attitude from him and was slightly taken aback. She circled him cautiously, then used the arm exerciser to lift his chin, her动作轻佻, resembling a ruffian bullying a virtuous lady: "No resistance?"
"No resistance."
"Any complaints?"
"Wholeheartedly convinced."
"Fine, if that's what you say. Be a man and don't cry out later."
Yue Zitong sneered menacingly, switched the stick to his back, and declared, "Prepare yourself. On the count of three, I'll start beating. One, two, three!"
As Li Nanfang braced for the strike, Yue Zitong instead kicked his behind, sending him crashing to the ground.
Li Nanfang looked back to see her striding toward the door and couldn't help but ask, "Is that it?"
"Would you rather I truly beat you to feel satisfied?" Yue Zitong retorted, her face contorted with disdain as she muttered, "Scum."
Damn it, if it weren't for my mentor's wife, I'd be crazy to play the scum!
As Li Nanfang climbed to his feet and inwardly cursed, the police sirens rapidly approached the villa.
"What's going on?" Yue Zitong, about to enter the house, noticed several villa security personnel gathered on the distant hillside.
"No idea. I just spotted people over there. Maybe a couple of runaway wretches got caught?" Li Nanfang said with feigned excitement. "Shall we check it out?"
"Stop causing trouble!" Yue Zitong reprimanded.
The phone on the living room table rang. It was Min Rou calling—Yue Zitong was already over an hour late for work.
Citing a stomachache as an excuse, Yue Zitong brushed off Min Rou's concerns. She then instructed her to inform Vice President Qi and the others that unless it was urgent, they were not to disturb her further. She wished to rest today.
Of course, with such fine weather, Yue Zitong had no intention of staying cooped up at home. Instead, she planned to take a certain uncultured lout for a day trip to the southern mountains—a reward for his attentive service.
Besides, the lout was still wearing the blood-stained clothes from yesterday. Only someone as magnanimous as Yue Zitong would tolerate eating a breakfast prepared by someone dressed in such attire.
The more Yue Zitong thought about it, the more she felt she had been overly polite to Li Nanfang. She resolved not to continue this approach, lest it make him difficult to manage in the future.
After changing into a crisp, well-tailored outfit and shouldering a satchel, Yue Zitong emerged from the living room. Li Nanfang had already disappeared from the courtyard. Several police officers stood by the villa's iron gate, one of whom was the Director of the Qingshan City Bureau.
Thankfully, the young man was astute enough to hide upon recognizing an acquaintance, sparing Yue Zitong potential embarrassment.
Glancing at the closed guestroom door, Yue Zitong nodded in satisfaction, set down her satchel, and quickly exited the villa.
"Director Zhang, so you also reside in this villa community?" Yue Zitong greeted warmly as Director Zhang, about to press the doorbell, turned to her with a genial smile.
"Yes, indeed. Director Zhang, what significant event prompts your personal visit?" Yue Zitong responded with a faint smile and used the remote to open the iron gate.