Chapter Nine: The Inevitable Surprise

“Since you’re here, have a few drinks with me…” Luo Qing gazed at me, her eyes clouded with intoxication.

Seeing her in such a state, I couldn’t bring myself to let her keep drinking. She seemed to have come alone tonight, and if she really passed out from drinking, things would become troublesome.

“If you’re in a bad mood, there are other ways to vent. You’ve already had too much. Why not tell me what’s troubling you?” I said.

Luo Qing seemed to pay no heed to my words. She poured the last of the liquor into her wine glass, filling it to the brim so that it spilled over, running down her pale arm and soaking her clothes of unknown brand.

Afraid she might impulsively down it all, I quickly reached out and snatched the glass from her.

“Give it to me.” Her voice was still thick with the haze of alcohol, but I knew, whether she had been drinking or not, her tone signaled she was about to get angry.

I sighed helplessly, looking at her eyes—angry, yet dazed from the alcohol. I knew defying her would only provoke her further.

“You just said you wanted me to drink with you. I’ll drink now,” I said, raising the glass and draining it in one gulp, leaving her no time to protest or argue.

Luo Qing watched as I finished the strong liquor, then suddenly burst into laughter. Her beautiful eyes curved like crescent moons, one hand covering her mouth, the other pointing at me, but she laughed without saying a word.

Her laughter, oddly enough, made me irritable, as if it were laced with mockery and disdain. I didn’t know why I felt this way—perhaps it was the sense of inferiority from the vast difference in our material conditions.

She laughed freely, inexplicably, and the persistent sound grated on my nerves. I even wondered why I had meddled in her affairs at all.

“Is it really that funny?” I asked, my tone betraying my annoyance.

She still retained some sense, and seemed to catch the hint of dissatisfaction in my voice, finally quieting her laughter.

“You’re really cute,” she declared suddenly.

“I’d rather you call me handsome, or cool. Don’t say I’m cute,” I replied, exasperated by her nonsensical logic. How am I cute? In what way?

She seemed unwilling to pursue the topic further, and instead raised her hand to point at Shi Yu, the beautiful and gentle woman at the front desk, speaking in a low voice, “That woman—is she your girlfriend?”

I glanced at Sister Shi Yu, who seemed to notice my gaze and looked over at my table.

“She’s my sister.”

“Oh, your sister is quite protective of you.” Luo Qing withdrew her hand, making some vague remarks, “Keep playing with fire like this, you’ll end up with nothing.”

“What?” I asked.

Luo Qing ignored me completely, her attention fixed on Sister Shi Yu, who was busily smiling at the front desk.

“Let’s talk about you. Why did you come here to drink alone?”

“I’m used to it.”

Seeing that Luo Qing had no desire to talk about herself, I didn’t press further. We sat in silence, each lost in our own thoughts.

Just as I was considering whether to stay, the bar’s door was suddenly shoved open by a group of men in black.

I saw someone outside the door gesturing in our direction, and then the bald man at the front said something and led four others toward Luo Qing and me.

A bad feeling welled up in my chest. Their eyes were fixed straight on us. I knew they had come for me or for Luo Qing, but I had nearly nothing, and had always kept a low profile. No one would go to such lengths to settle scores with me, so it had to be about her.

I glanced at Luo Qing across the table. She showed no emotion as she watched the five men approach, no sign of fear on her face. For a moment, I almost suspected she knew them.

“Are you Luo Qing?” the bald man asked, standing beside her.

Luo Qing nodded without any hesitation.

It was bad… I had a sense of what was about to happen. These men were definitely here for trouble. I noticed their left arms hung unnaturally, and from my experience, they must have weapons concealed there—clubs or knives.

I hurriedly stood up, interposing myself between Luo Qing and the men, and grinned, “Gentlemen, why don’t we sit down and talk?”

“Screw you, idiot!” The tall, thin man behind the bald one kicked me hard in the stomach. The sudden blow knocked me off balance, and I crashed into the table behind.

The bar fell silent—not just quiet, but utterly hushed. Even the music and mics had been cut. The entire place seemed eerily still.

Luo Qing seemed to sober up a bit, not even glancing at me. She stood and asked coldly, “Who are you people?”

The men in black smoothly pulled short iron rods, less than half a meter long, from their sleeves. The bald man pointed at Luo Qing and said, “Don’t hit her face or head—go for her arms and legs.”

Seeing their intent, I realized they meant to beat her with those iron rods. Ignoring the pain in my stomach and back, I lunged to grab Luo Qing. Whether it was the lingering effect of alcohol or my forceful tug, her body felt light and she collapsed onto the floor. Without thinking, I threw myself over her, shielding her with my body.

“Damn it, where did this idiot come from? Wreck him!” one of them shouted.

I pressed my elbows to the floor, protecting my head with my hands. As I heard An Ye’s voice, pain began to explode across my body—shoulders, legs, back, fingers, everywhere. Soon, I couldn’t even pinpoint where it hurt; I was numb, focused only on covering Luo Qing. I could feel her struggling fiercely, but I held her down tightly, knowing if she got up, she would suffer far worse. I wasn’t their target—they wouldn’t dare to kill me. Besides, she was a young beauty, and if she were left with scars on her arms or legs, the pain she’d endure would be far greater than mine.

For a moment, I thought I was about to die. My body was almost numb, save for occasional jolts of agony from my waist and fingers, reminding me it wasn’t over yet…

The ache throughout my body made me close my eyes. Faintly, I could hear An Ye’s attempts at persuasion and Sister Shi Yu’s desperate cries.

In the midst of the chaos, a sudden, sharp pain struck my head. My mind buzzed, and a warm stream trickled down my forehead. In that haze, I lost all consciousness…