You Mingxu knew what he was thinking. In fact, ever since Luo Yu had relented last night, her mind had been a turbulent sea of confusion. She said, "Yin Feng, from the moment Luo Yu started this deal with me, we've never been able to figure out his true intentions. Yet he keeps making demands. Since that's the case, and we're nominally a couple, I can use this relationship to take the initiative. We can't infiltrate their meeting tonight, right? No problem—I'll go. I'm the 'sister-in-law' to those underlings. Let's see who dares to stop me."
Yin Feng asked, "Whose sister-in-law are you?"
You Mingxu replied, "Let's focus on the matter at hand."
Only then did Yin Feng say, "Alright. I'll go with you."
You Mingxu asked, "How will you get in?"
Yin Feng said, "Don't worry about that. I'll prepare the clothes. You stick to the original plan. You'll be in the open, I'll be in the shadows. I'll contact you if necessary."
You Mingxu thought of his crew of shady characters and figured it wouldn't be too difficult, so she said, "Fine."
—
The sun sank low in the sky.
It was a small estate located in the suburbs, featuring two villas, a swimming pool, grapevines, and several acres of flower fields. Though it was the heart of winter, with most flowers withered, Xiangcheng was in the south, where trees remained green even in the cold season. Thus, the entire estate appeared lush, tranquil, and secluded.
This property was registered under Huang Long's name. While it was occasionally open to the public, it was mostly used by the group internally.
Today, the estate had been cleared out, awaiting the arrival of the bosses.
The parking shed at the entrance was filled with cars. Some underlings were drinking by the swimming pool, laughing, cursing, and joking around. Many had various beauties sitting beside them, creating a lively atmosphere. Quite a few of these men were set to join the upcoming business trip. They all knew the stakes were high—the journey was extremely dangerous but also immensely profitable. Tonight, the bosses were being generous, letting them indulge in all sorts of pleasures.
In the villa on the left, there were several game rooms where some underlings were playing cards and gambling, while others were openly fooling around with women in the rooms. The villa on the right, however, was much quieter. The bosses were inside.
Xing Jifu had already arrived.
The atmosphere tonight was relatively relaxed. The group had just finished dinner and were resting in a room, each with a woman by their side.
Xing Jifu never touched other women, but he didn't want to ruin the mood for his subordinates either, so he allowed women to accompany him, serving tea and pouring drinks, though he never gave them a second glance.
Huang Long and Guo Feirong had no such reservations when it came to women. They would frequently grope and tease them, treating them like little pets in their laps.
Luo Yu was usually cut from the same cloth as them, but today he merely kept an arm around a woman's waist and occasionally drank from the glass she offered, showing little intimacy. He was the best-looking among the men, and the girl clung to him like a boneless creature, yet he seemed disinterested. Sometimes, when the girl became too clingy, he would frown and push her away.
This change did not go unnoticed.
Huang Long sneered and said, "Lao Luo, have you turned vegetarian recently?"
Luo Yu just smiled and replied, "Not really in the mood."
Guo Feirong chimed in, "His woman just moved in with him. He probably can't be bothered with other goods now."
The girl in Luo Yu's arms pouted and gave him a playful shove.
Luo Yu couldn't even be bothered to keep up the act. He said coldly, "Get lost."
The girl, furious, stood up and stormed out. Luo Yu paid no mind and poured himself a drink. Huang Long remarked with a mocking tone, "So, that female cop has you wrapped around her finger, huh?"Luo Yu snorted and said, "I'm willing."
Xing Jifu actually laughed, saying, "I never would've guessed Luo Yu is such a devoted lover."
Everyone burst into laughter, and Luo Yu laughed along, saying, "It's not about devotion, it's just unavoidable. Ming Xu has a fierce temper. Now that she's with me, she checks everything when I get home—no lipstick marks or perfume scents allowed. Otherwise, I'm not allowed in bed."
His words made everyone laugh even harder, all mocking him for being henpecked. He didn't get angry at all, saying, "What's so bad about being afraid of your wife? You're not a fish, how can you know the fish's joy?"
After laughing at him, they didn't press further and found their own amusement—drinking, playing finger-guessing games, men and women mingling. In the quiet night, every face appeared both unrestrained and intoxicated.
Only Xing Jifu and Luo Yu remained, quietly watching from the side.
Xing Jifu patted the girl beside him, signaling her to leave. Seeing this, Luo Yu refilled his drink, and they clinked glasses.
Xing Jifu asked, "Have you really decided to settle down with her?"
Luo Yu took a gulp of wine and said, "Yeah, after this job is done, I'll keep her by my side for good."
Xing Jifu studied his expression and laughed, "Seems like you were just boasting before—she's not completely devoted to you, is she?"
A flicker of embarrassment crossed Luo Yu's face as he said, "You saw through me. A girl like her is too stubborn; sometimes I don't know what to do with her. I've never been this serious with any girl before, I..."
Xing Jifu was silent for a few seconds before saying, "Let me give you some advice: No matter what, no matter what difficulties you face... once you've made up your mind, don't let go."
Luo Yu was taken aback.
Xing Jifu continued, "Some women are like cats, with little resistance. You can hold them in your palm with a gentle squeeze. Women like that are easy to handle, good for passing time, but they won't hold your interest for long. Other women are like eagles, with sharp claws. If you're not careful, they'll scratch your face and fly away. As a man, you either have to fly higher than her, dominate her, so she can't escape; or... you have to firmly grasp her wings, keeping her grounded with you. Her freedom and your desire—only one can remain. Sometimes, a man has to make a choice."
Luo Yu was also stunned, a dark light swirling in his long, narrow eyes.
Finally, he said, "Boss, you've hit the nail on the head. Right now, I'm actually forcing her to stay with me. She's not completely devoted. I want to possess her, completely and utterly. I've never loved any other woman; no one can compare to her. I want to marry her."
Xing Jifu smiled and said, "May you get your wish."
As they were talking, someone knocked on the door. One of Huang Long's underlings entered, glanced at Luo Yu, and said, "Brother Long. Brother Luo Yu, your wife is here at the entrance. She insisted on coming in, and we didn't dare stop her."
Instantly, everyone fell silent, all eyes turning to Luo Yu.
Luo Yu was also startled.
Xing Jifu suddenly laughed heartily, patting Luo Yu on the shoulder, "Go welcome her. What are you afraid of? If she dares to come, you should dare to receive her."
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