Chapter 7: Pure Things
Tong Xiaoman’s breath caught. Had she seen a ghost? In that fleeting moment, she truly wished to see the man from last night again. Was she bewitched?
She pressed her lips lightly and said calmly, “I haven’t been tangled up with anyone. Last night, it was that assassin who broke in—I drove him off.”
“Really?” Zhao Yi looked at her with a mixture of doubt and curiosity.
Tong Xiaoman immediately glared at him. “The blood smell you caught was his, not mine. Can’t your mind hold something pure for once?”
Zhao Yi brushed a strand of hair behind his ear, then smiled mysteriously and teasingly. “Alright, I believe you, cousin. Don’t be mad. Tonight, I have a special gift for you, consider it an apology.”
Her interest piqued instantly. “A mysterious gift?”
He refused to reveal more. “You’ll find out after midnight. For now, hurry and wash up. My parents flew back from abroad just to celebrate with you. If you don’t get back soon, they’ll be worried.”
——
A murder had occurred at the hotel—the victim was Cheng Shuimiao, the local gang leader of the Dragon Shadow Syndicate. News of the incident sent shockwaves through both the underworld and the authorities.
The Dragon Shadow Syndicate immediately dispatched allies from all directions to hunt down the killer, issuing a reward of ten million in cash, vowing to capture the murderer and honor Cheng Shuimiao’s memory.
The hotel was sealed off as the crime scene last night. Only those with proper credentials could enter or leave.
Zhao Yi was a renowned business magnate, so naturally he could move freely around the hotel. Thanks to him, although Tong Xiaoman was staying in the same hotel as the deceased, after giving her statement, she was allowed to leave directly.
Meanwhile, on another floor, inside a room—
A faint scent of blood drifted through the half-open window, almost imperceptible.
The door clicked open, and several burly men carried in a large crate.
One said, “Director Zhao’s gift sure carries weight.”
Another responded immediately, “This is a present for Miss Cousin. Be careful, don’t damage it.”
“Miss Cousin sure has guts. A murder happened here last night, yet she’s not scared at all and refuses to move out.”
“You don’t know—she’s always been bold since childhood. After a few years apart, she’s even more formidable now.”
“I haven’t been with the Zhao family long, but I’ve heard this is her coming-of-age birthday. It’ll be quite the celebration.”
“Who else could it be? She’s the only girl in the Zhao family’s generation.”
“Adored by all, truly enviable.”
“But I heard her parents died when she was very young.”
“How did they die?”
“Rumor has it, it was connected to terrorists…”
“Shh, don’t mention that in front of Miss Cousin. It’s taboo.”
“I know, it’s forbidden.”
“…”
Amid the envious and grudging whispers, they carefully set the crate down inside the inner room.
“Hey, do you smell something odd?”
“What smell? I don’t smell anything.”
One man walked to the window and opened it wider. “Maybe the ventilation isn’t good enough. Letting the air circulate should clear it.”
“Leave the crate here. You two stay outside and keep watch. The rest go back and help with the banquet preparations.”
“Alright, we’ll stay here and keep an eye on things.”
As footsteps receded, the inner room’s door was closed.
Once silence returned, a tall figure slipped out from the shadows. His eyes, dark and lustrous like polished gemstones, gleamed with a captivating light.