Chapter 5 (Two more)

Both of them laughed heartily for a while, and then Mu Hanxia stood up, walked to the pitch-black water's edge, and gazed at the brilliant lights on the opposite bank. That was the most prosperous part of Jiangcheng, with a skyline of tall buildings and skyscrapers that seemed to have no end.

Feeling a surge of emotion, she couldn't help but take a deep breath and shout, "I am—the King of the Universe—"

He Jing was practically rolling on the ground with laughter. Passersby on the river embankment simply took them for a pair of crazy young girls.

It had been ten whole years since the movie Titanic was released. Yet somehow, that line had rushed to the tip of Mu Hanxia's tongue.

Teasingly, He Jing said, "Sounds like someone's in the mood for love, huh? Are you also wishing for a Jack of your own?"

Mu Hanxia replied, "Of course, if there's a Jack in this world who would give up everything for me, dive into a bottomless whirlpool, I would definitely love him."

He Jing clicked her tongue twice but saw Hanxia standing by the interlaced lights of the water, turning her head with a ripple of a smile on her face, "But I'm not Rose; I wouldn't live alone. I'd jump down with him, cling together till the end, never to part."

—

It was late at night, and the two took the bus back to the supermarket underneath their home. He Jing caught another bus to go home. Mu Hanxia, slightly tipsy and exhilarated, was about to head home when she looked up and saw Yongzheng Supermarket across the street, almost fully renovated.

The white, brand-new building had "Yongzheng YourMart" in black, simple bold letters on the rooftop. Now, no matter how Mu Hanxia looked at Yongzheng, it just didn't appeal to her. She felt that although their architectural style appeared trendy, it lacked the joyous aura of Leya's dazzling red.

The night was deep and still, and she felt a sudden urge. Mu Hanxia decided to take a little detour.

She crossed the street and passed through an unkempt patch of grass, soon spotting a group of workers going about their business under the lights of the building not far ahead. Mu Hanxia pretended to be an unconcerned passerby—in fact, no one noticed her—as she walked past the side of the building, bypassing the workers, and made her way to the back of the structure.

There was a newly built parking lot, empty except for one car. Mu Hanxia recognized it was a Cayenne; it sure was kept nice and pretty, shining black, and spotless. It seemed like one of the big bosses from Yongzheng was still around.

There was a roller door open on the first floor, and judging from the position, it was very likely the goods warehouse. Just as Mu Hanxia thought about "accidentally" taking a look to see their key inventory stock, she heard footsteps coming from the staircase.

Mu Hanxia quickly ran to the side and hid under the wall.

A tall and thin man in a suit appeared.

Lin Mochen.

Mu Hanxia was slightly startled.

She saw him with hands in his pockets, walking casually to the car, pulled out his car keys, and with a "beep," unlocked the car.

Mu Hanxia hid behind the wall, watching his back. Just then, he suddenly stood upright, then turned his head and looked in her direction…

Mu Hanxia immediately retracted.

With her back against the wall, her heart pounded. The surroundings were dimly lit, grass lightly brushing against her feet. It was very quiet, no other sounds, and he didn't make a sound either. But he also didn't leave in his car.

Mu Hanxia deeply felt it was time to leave, and leaving was the best option. So, she turned around, tiptoed quietly, and followed the path beside the building to make her way out.

The path was dark and hard to see clearly; she seemed to have stepped on a large iron plate, and then mud. She couldn't worry about that now. Just as she felt relieved to be moving further away, suddenly from not far behind, she heard a low chuckle: "Tsk…"

Mu Hanxia panicked inside, her footing unstable, and not knowing what uneven pit she stepped into, she fell to the ground, face planting with a "cough cough…" and coughed several times, her face covered in dust.

Both her elbows and knees hurt terribly. As she tried to get up, her heel got stuck. Frowning, she heard steady footsteps approaching from behind. A pair of long, suited legs came into view in front of her.

Lin Mochen squatted down in front of her.

Mu Hanxia looked up at him, her face suddenly flushed red, and she remained silent. His features appeared handsome yet blurry in the night, his eyes, however, were deeply and brightly scrutinizing her.

"A mere sales clerk not only refuses to abandon the dark side for the light but also wants to play at being a corporate spy?"

Mu Hanxia's heart skipped a beat at his accusation, staring at him, "Who said I'm acting as a corporate spy? I just happened to be passing by."

Lin Mochen glanced back, "Passing by my warehouse at nine at night?"

Mu Hanxia found herself at a loss for words. Just then, her heel came loose, and she scrambled up from the ground, casually changing the subject, "Don't talk about such nonsensical things. Ha, do you really think that you can bring down Leya in three months?"

Lin Mochen stood up as well.

The path was very narrow, and the walls were high. As he stood, he towered over Mu Hanxia. She suddenly felt the urge to step back, to put some distance between them. But she didn't want to show any weakness, so she forced herself to stand still.

Unexpectedly, he looked down at her, his shadow enveloping her as he answered with a slight smile, "Of course. Would you like me to show you the entire plan?"

Mu Hanxia was startled. What?

But he had already begun to chuckle at himself, "Ha, do I look like a man who is full of hot blood and only thinks about repaying a debt?"

Mu Hanxia: "..."

This man! At this moment, she really wanted to pick up a brick and smack it against his face! How could someone be so venomous with their words!

"Heh heh..." She returned his cold laughter with her own, "I'm sorry, but our Leya isn't exactly a pushover either!"

She turned and walked away.

Lin Mochen stood still. The moonlight was soft, the night breeze gentle. Just as he was about to leave, his gaze caught sight of her retreating figure. A simple plaid shirt, a white tee underneath, denim jeans. From the back, her long black hair cascaded like a waterfall, her waist incredibly slender, her legs long and well-proportioned, unconsciously drawing a man's gaze. However, she was too plain, too insignificant compared to the women in his social circle. She seemed as tiny and ordinary as a speck of dust.

A hard, tiny speck of dust, one that would never have crossed paths with him.

—

As soon as Mu Hanxia got home, she heard the QQ notification—the Monkey was online.

Mu Hanxia asked, "How's it going? Any news?"

Instead of a direct answer, the Monkey said, "Class monitor, first tell me, why are you inquiring about this person?"

Mu Hanxia, "The company I'm currently at has some business dealings with him. Hurry up and spill it."

Monkey, "Oh... Anyway, class monitor, if you ever come across this guy, make sure to stay away from him. Better yet, take a detour, and tell your company to do the same!"

Mu Hanxia was stunned, "Why?"

Monkey, "Because he's rumored to be a very scary man! Ruthless, mercenary! They say a lot of people who have crossed him ended up bankrupt!"