Chapter 354

Chapter 354 Li Shengru!

Zhou Xianwei was standing by the sea, watching the waves rise and fall under the starlight, his gaze calm.

　　Su Rui stood beside him and asked, “Want a smoke?”

　　Seeing the cigarette pack and lighter in his hand, Zhou Xianwei was slightly surprised and said with a wry smile, “I remember you never smoked. Looks like time really does change a person.”

　　Su Rui said irritably, “Bullshit, I got these for you.”

　　”I don’t smoke either.”

　　”Having one every now and then when you’re feeling down is no big deal.”

　　With that, Su Rui pulled out a cigarette, bit it between his lips, lit it, took a drag, and then passed it to Zhou Xianwei.

　　The latter didn’t mind at all that the filter had a little of Su Rui’s saliva on it, and took it, drawing a long, deep breath.

　　That gesture of lighting a cigarette first and then passing it over seemed to happen often among young brothers, but as they gradually grew older, the bond of sharing a single cigarette would slowly fade, which couldn’t help but make one feel a little wistful.

　　A full ten seconds passed before Zhou Xianwei finally opened his mouth and exhaled the smoke toward the sky.

　　Along with that stream of smoke, it seemed as though all the old melancholy and the pent-up frustration in his heart were expelled as well.

　　”And you said you don’t smoke — you look like a complete veteran to me.” Su Rui kept clicking the lighter, the flame leaping up again and again.

　　”I learned when I got my heart broken.” Zhou Xianwei exhaled a puff of smoke, the tip of the cigarette flickering on and off. “Did you have that Chang Jun taken care of?”

　　”Are you going to say it was well done, brilliantly done?” Su Rui said with a mocking smile.

　　”It’s not a bad thing for Wang Qi, but this matter has nothing to do with me anymore.” Zhou Xianwei also smiled bitterly. “Knowing your personality, you must have found a way to squeeze every last bit of use out of this, right?”

　　”Am I really as scheming as you make me sound?” Su Rui let out a laugh. He had, in fact, quite coincidentally “made use” of the situation that very evening, and it would surely give the Nangong family a not-so-small jolt. Watching that arrogant and incompetent Nangong Shun run around in a panic for a while was absolutely something Su Rui was happy to see.

　　”Seriously though, bro, what are you planning to do about Danielle Sharp?” Zhou Xianwei said. “Are you just going to keep her here to recover from her injuries indefinitely?”

　　Danielle Sharp was the person in the Palace of Hades second only to Hades himself, with a mysterious background and origins. Forcibly keeping such a troublesome woman by his side was no different from holding a hot potato. Aside from being able to admire her beauty from time to time, it was genuinely hard to think of any other benefit — it would already be a blessing if this woman didn’t turn Su Rui’s backyard completely upside down.

　　”That really is a headache.” Su Rui said. “But I gave her the Hundred-Day Gut-Wrenching Pill, which should keep her in check for a while. Using this woman as a hostage, Hades shouldn’t dare to act recklessly either.”

　　Zhou Xianwei smiled helplessly. “The Hundred-Day Gut-Wrenching Pill? You mean that isatis root powder? What if she figures it out and flies the coop?”

　　”She won’t figure it out.” Su Rui thought of Danielle Sharp’s supremely curvaceous figure and said with a cold smile, “She’s someone who values her life greatly. And even if she realizes what she took was a fake, the real thing is in my hands — she won’t leave without getting it.”

　　As he spoke, Su Rui swept his hand across his waist and gave a tug, and a purple flexible sword appeared in his hand.

　　”Those restless figures in the underground world will at least have some reservations because Danielle is here, which will also take some pressure off Bikang to a certain extent.” Su Rui wound the flexible sword around his fingers. Its flexibility was truly remarkable — the blade shifted and swayed unpredictably, making it a truly deadly weapon.

　　”But are you planning to keep the synthesis method for Triazolam suppressed forever, never letting it go?” Zhou Xianwei was clearly troubled by Su Rui’s decision. “Are you going to protect Lin Aoxue for the rest of your life? Of course, I won’t deny she’s beautiful — more beautiful than any woman I’ve ever seen — but how much trouble and how many assassination attempts will you have to endure for the rest of your life because of this?”

　　Su Rui’s gaze was unwavering. “But I already made a promise, and there’s no going back. If those people from the dark world want to come, then let them come. I was able to build a Temple of Apollo in the West — why would I be afraid of them here on Chinese soil?”

　　The dominance in those words was simply beyond description. Zhou Xianwei stood to the side watching Su Rui, and it felt as though he was transported back to the days when the two of them had fought side by side, carving a bloody path through the dark world of the West.

　　The two of them stood silently by the sea for a while before heading back into the hotel. Just as Su Rui was passing through the corridor, Qin Yueran was standing not far away beside a table, smiling and greeting guests.

　　”General Manager Xu, you’ve brought guests today and I wasn’t there to welcome you properly. If there’s anything at all that falls short of your expectations, please do let me know.” Qin Yueran was still dressed in a qipao, her incomparably beautiful legs drawing every eye in the room.

　　General Manager Xu laughed and said, “General Manager Qin, I’ve brought a few friends from out of town. Let me introduce them to you today.”

　　With that, he began the introductions.

　　”I wonder if General Manager Qin has heard of the Xinyi Society from the south?” General Manager Xu said with a cheerful smile. “The gentleman sitting beside me is Mr. Li Shengru, the president of the Xinyi Society. I have some business in the south that has benefited greatly from President Li’s care. Since he rarely comes to Ninghai, I must do my duty as a host.”

　　People from the underworld generally maintain a public identity when out and about, and would never directly introduce themselves as the boss of some gang — that would be considered very bad form. Yet this man called Li Shengru had no such reservations whatsoever. Upon hearing General Manager Xu’s introduction, not only did he show no sign of minding, he gave a slight nod and a smile, appearing remarkably refined.

　　Li Shengru was actually in his mid-forties, but thanks to exceptional upkeep, he looked no older than thirty-five. His skin was smooth, his hair clearly meticulously groomed, he wore gold-rimmed glasses, his lips were red and his teeth white, and his fingers were slender. His entire presence exuded a sense of great refinement and elegance. He looked nothing like a gang boss — he was more like a university professor who could effortlessly win the hearts of thousands of young women.

　　Qin Yueran didn’t know a great deal about the underworld, but she had vaguely heard of the Xinyi Society’s reputation. It was said that the organization had existed in Nanyang Province for over a hundred years, with extraordinarily deep roots and even some connections overseas. But Qin Yueran had never expected the president of the Xinyi Society to be so refined. There was absolutely nothing about him that suggested the air of a gang boss.

　　”I have long heard of the great name of Junlan’s Queen, Miss Qin Yueran. Seeing you in person today, you truly live up to your reputation.” Li Shengru looked at Qin Yueran with an expression full of admiration, but his gaze did not linger on her exquisite legs, which gave him quite the air of a true gentleman.

　　”Likewise. I didn’t expect President Li to be so young.” Qin Yueran said with a smile. “The next time you come to Ninghai, you must give me the chance to get ahead of General Manager Xu and play host myself.”

　　General Manager Xu glanced at Qin Yueran, then at Li Shengru’s expression, and couldn’t help but smile. “General Manager Qin, President Li rarely comes to Ninghai. How about we all raise a glass to him together? You know, on an ordinary day I couldn’t even beg for an opportunity like this.”

　　Qin Yueran wasn’t particularly keen on the idea, but out of consideration for the guests, she had no choice but to agree.

　　She raised her glass toward Li Shengru in a gesture, took the smallest of sips, and he likewise only drank a mouthful, his smile never leaving his face.

　　After General Manager Xu drained his entire glass of red wine, he noticed that Qin Yueran had barely let the wine touch her lips, and seemed somewhat dissatisfied. He smiled and said, “General Manager Qin, you’ve barely drunk anything at all. At that rate, it’ll take you a month to finish one glass.”

　　Hearing this, Qin Yueran naturally felt a little annoyed. “General Manager Xu, my respect for President Li isn’t something I wear on my lips, and it certainly isn’t measured in wine.”

　　”Well…” Faced with Qin Yueran’s sharp tongue, General Manager Xu clearly had little to say in response.

　　Li Shengru gave a refined smile and said, “Old Xu, stop making things difficult for Miss Yueran. Can her tolerance really be compared to yours, when you practically live inside a wine barrel?”

　　General Manager Xu scratched his thinning hair and said, “President Li is right. I’ve had a couple too many tonight and spoke out of turn.”

　　Qin Yueran hadn’t expected Li Shengru to come to her rescue, and so her impression of this man was fairly positive. But just as she was about to say something, the corner of her eye caught a glimpse of a figure.

　　That figure slowly passed through the corridor, and Qin Yueran’s breath nearly stopped. She stared straight ahead, her body seeming to stiffen.

　　”Miss Yueran, are you alright?” Li Shengru had clearly noticed that something was off with Qin Yueran, and asked with a hint of concern.

　　”Oh, it’s nothing.” At that moment, Qin Yueran snapped out of her daze and smiled a little sheepishly. “President Li, General Manager Xu, I have other guests to attend to, so I’ll excuse myself for now. If there’s anything at all that falls short at Junlan Kaibin Hotel, please do let me know.”

　　”Of course, General Manager Qin, go ahead and get busy.” Li Shengru smiled and gestured for her to go.

　　Qin Yueran gave a nod and hurried off in the direction Su Rui had gone, her steps so urgent that there was not a trace of the composed demeanor of Junlan’s Queen to be seen.

　　Li Shengru swirled the red wine in his glass and said with a faint smile, “Interesting.”

　　General Manager Xu glanced at Qin Yueran’s stunning legs and said in a low voice, “President Li, this Junlan Queen Qin Yueran is also one of Ninghai’s finest flowers. Calling her an exceptional beauty would be no exaggeration. President Li, if you’d like to…”

　　In General Manager Xu’s view, no man could remain unmoved by Qin Yueran, and no man could resist the temptation of those legs.

　　But to his surprise, Li Shengru simply smiled faintly and said with a meaningful tone, “Old Xu, after all these years, don’t you know by now that some flowers cannot be picked? Not only will they prick your hand — they might even cost you your life.”

　　General Manager Xu looked surprised. “President Li, are you saying this Qin Yueran has powerful backing? I always thought she was just a socialite.”

　　”A socialite?” Hearing that description, Li Shengru couldn’t help but laugh. “Have you ever seen her socializing with anyone?”

　　General Manager Xu thought about it for a moment and shook his head. “Now that you mention it, I really haven’t.”

　　Li Shengru took a gentle sip of red wine and said, “The so-called socialite you speak of is the fourth daughter of the Qin family in the capital. Not long ago, she rejected Ouyang Xinghai, the heir of the Ouyang family, at her own engagement banquet. Someone even mobilized twelve armed helicopters and a special forces unit to crash the wedding for her, leaving a whole room full of generals from the Qin family with nothing to say. If you dare to have any designs on her, you’ll likely be found dead in a ditch by morning.”

　　Hearing this, General Manager Xu broke out in a cold sweat all over.