He too disappeared there?!

"You're no different from them..."

Liu Ying seemed ready to say more, but she was swiftly interrupted by a snide remark from Ming Wa.

Ming Wa spoke with her head lowered, slowly munching on lotus seeds and avoiding eye contact. The comment was unexpected; though her animosity toward the escort agency was well-known, her silence throughout the exchange had led Yang Qing and the others to assume she would remain a quiet observer.

Yet here she was, taking the opportunity to deliver a cutting remark to the escort supervisor. Liu Ying, who had been poised to unleash more scathing criticisms of the Red Gale Fists, faltered, a conflicted expression flickering across her face.

She stared at Ming Wa, who remained focused on her lotus seeds, barely sparing her a glance.

With a helpless sigh, Liu Ying reached for the wine, as if hoping its warmth would soothe her embarrassment, guilt, and the storm of emotions stirred by Ming Wa's words.