Case.

In the car, tension hung in the air like a heavy fog. Li Cheng sat, absorbed in his phone, his expression a mask of indifference. Beside him, Xiotan mirrored his silence, her gaze fixed out the window. The guard driving the car felt like he was chauffeuring ghosts, the atmosphere so thick with unspoken words that it was almost suffocating.

Trouble made its entrance when Li Cheng reached into his pocket, pulling out a sleek pack of cigarettes and a golden lighter. He placed a cigarette between his lips, the flame from the lighter flickering to life.

"What do you think you're doing?" Xiotan's voice cut through the silence, sharp and demanding.

"You're not blind, so don't ask me stupid questions," he retorted, flicking the lighter to ignite the cigarette. Before the flame could touch the tip, Xiotan blew it out with a swift breath, her eyes blazing with defiance.

"I didn't ask if I was blind or not," she shot back, her tone challenging. "But if you light that cigarette… hmm, if you dare light that cigarette, have you ever heard of a wife beating her husband on their wedding day? I'll beat you so badly the hospital will reject you. Just try me." Her words were daring, her eyes daring him to test her resolve.

The guard driving the car nearly choked on his own saliva, eyes widening in disbelief. Their boss had really married a daredevil.

"And who are you to tell me what to do?" Li Cheng asked, his voice dripping with arrogance as he struck the lighter again.

"Hmm, don't dare me," Xiotan warned, her tone icy. "I'm crazier than you think. Driver, you're my witness… if anything goes wrong, mm," she added, making sure the driver was aware of the unfolding drama.

"Give it to me. Gimme." With a swift motion, she snatched both the cigarette and lighter from his hand. Li Cheng's expression darkened, his gaze turning deadly. But Xiotan didn't flinch, her own gaze unyielding.

"Don't test my patience, you… girl," Li Cheng growled, his voice low and threatening. "I'm not as friendly as you think."

"Don't test my patience, you… boy," Xiotan echoed, her tone mocking as she threw his words back at him. Li Cheng could tell she wouldn't back down, and the last thing he wanted was to escalate this further. With a resigned sigh, he knew he had no choice but to yield to her. Staring at her, he shook his head, realizing he had invited chaos into his life. Never had he met someone who wouldn't bend to his will, who wasn't afraid of him. Someone he had no choice but to give in to. This was new territory for him.

Taking a deep breath, he pulled her close, his lips brushing against her ear as he whispered, "Don't think my being calm with you will last forever. I just don't want to argue with you right now. But if you pull this stunt again, you won't like what happens next."

"I don't care if you're calm or not," Xiotan whispered back, her breath warm against his ear. "Where I come from, they treated me like a slave, so whatever you throw at me won't be new. But if you think I'll accept you smoking and drinking, you're wrong. Never. Know what you should and shouldn't do, and we'll be fine."

Li Cheng's shoulders slumped slightly. Did she really have to have the last word? Wasn't she afraid of anything? She was truly something else—a force to be reckoned with, a puzzle he wasn't sure he could solve.