Chapter 200: How Could A Beautiful Girl’s Mouth Be Anything But Sweet?

Li Xiaofei sighed, paid the bill, and scooped the young lady up in a princess carry as he left the bar. Once he was outside, he sent a message to the city leader, Tan Zhenwei.

He quickly received a reply.

I'm a bit busy. Could you help take care of Little Ying for me?

The city leader's response left Li Xiaofei even more speechless.

An unreliable bodyguard, and an even more unreliable father. No wonder she’s always so dissatisfied with her father. This kind of parenting definitely needed some work.

It's the middle of the night, and you're entrusting your drunk daughter to someone else? You must really have faith in my moral standards. It also feels like you don’t consider me to be just another gang leader.

Li Xiaofei felt a bit helpless. After thinking it over, he decided to take Tan Qingying back to the slums with him.

No way I’m taking her to a hotel, right?

Shortly after they left, the man with the last name Ye emerged from the bar with a sinister smile on his face. He glanced in the direction Li Xiaofei had gone, his expression was filled with jealousy.

"Damn it, that little bastard got to pick up the pieces. What a lucky bastard." The man chuckled darkly, then spat on the ground. "City leader's daughter or not, she's just another slut waiting to be taken advantage of."

When he looked through the steamy photos he had captured on his light core, the man grinned with satisfaction. Releasing these photos at a crucial moment when the Ye family was fully engaged in its campaign to crush City Leader Tan Zhenwei might not be fatal, but they could certainly cause some trouble for the city leader.

If he was a bit smarter about it, perhaps he could use these photos to threaten the young heiress and maybe even get closer to her? Just thinking about Tan Qingying’s stunningly beautiful face made his heart race with desire. But at that moment, someone gently tapped him on the shoulder. The man turned around.

He was met with the sight of a tall, thin man who was wearing a black top hat and sporting a small mustache. The man was smiling eerily at him.

"Who the hell are you?" the man cursed, startled.

But in the next instant, his entire world spun violently. He saw his own body at the bar's entrance, as the thin man casually took the light core from his hand and crushed it into slag. He walked away without a second glance.

Why can I see myself?

As this thought crossed his mind, a sudden, overwhelming terror gripped him.

Because I lost my head...

***

Li Xiaofei knew he couldn’t bring the young lady back to his home. Instead, he took her to the Cloudy Sky Gang headquarters, where he gently placed her on the small bed in his office that he sometimes used to nap.

After tucking her in, Li Xiaofei sat nearby and began to practice his breathing techniques. Suddenly, he heard the young lady softly sobbing in her sleep.

"Don't go... don't go." She murmured, seemingly caught in a nightmare. Tears were streaming down her face as she reached out, grasping at the air.

Li Xiaofei hesitated for a moment, but gently took hold of her small hand. Her hand was cold, but she clutched Li Xiaofei's hand as if it were a lifeline. Gradually, she began to settle down as the fear on her face slowly faded away.

"Mom, I miss you so much," she murmured softly.

"No, I won't go to university, I won't marry that guy..." She started to struggle again.

"I like him... I want to stay in Liuhe Base City."

A sweet smile appeared on her face.

"I want to eat at Chen’s Offal Shop..."

"Hehe, you’re such a good actor."

"Are we... friends now?"

"Hey, do you like me? That childhood sweetheart of yours, your little junior sister—she’s not as pretty as me, and she’s not as understanding either. I’ve looked into her..."

"Hey, idol, marry me."

"I want to marry someone I love."

Tan Qingying muttered these words in her sleep, slurring them together as she rambled on in her drunken state.

Li Xiaofei froze in shock. He knew exactly who she was talking about. He never imagined that Tan Qingying would actually have feelings for him. He had thought all along that the reason she had enjoyed spending time with him was because he was the only one who didn’t care about her status, didn’t treat her like a high and mighty princess, and allowed her to have fun without any pretense. But he never expected this...

When he looked at Tan Qingying, who was murmuring in her sleep, Li Xiaofei felt a warmth in his heart. He gently held the young lady's soft, delicate hand without a word. In that moment, he forgot about his cultivation.

Tan Qingying turned in her sleep and pulled Li Xiaofei’s hand closer as she used it as a pillow. A faint smile appeared on her beautiful face as if she could sense the warmth from his hand.

Li Xiaofei sat by the bedside, silently watching the girl in front of him. If there was anyone in this era who had truly captured his heart, it was undoubtedly this young lady. She had not just displayed beauty and intelligence, but also a unique kind of consideration. Every time he was with her, Li Xiaofei found himself easily losing track of time and forgetting about his cultivation as he simply enjoyed her company.

But he had never considered pursuing her. It wasn’t because of the difference in their statuses, but because...

He continued to quietly watch the sleeping beauty before him, lost in thought.

The night passed in the blink of an eye. When the young lady opened her eyes the next morning, she was momentarily bewildered as she took in her unfamiliar surroundings. A surge of caution hit her, and she quickly sat up in bed.

The door opened as Li Xiaofei entered, carrying breakfast.

𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

"You're awake?" He smiled and said, "The bathroom has everything you need to freshen up. Take your time and eat something afterward. Hangovers can be hard on the stomach."

Tan Qingying's wariness instantly vanished. She jumped out of bed, lazily stretching and exposing a tantalizing glimpse of her slender, fair waist beneath her loose-fitting clothes.

"Where is this?" she asked curiously. "Did you bring me to a hotel?"

"We’re in the slums. My office," Li Xiaofei replied, urging her, "Hurry up and freshen up. People who’ve been drinking have bad breath."

"How do you know? Did you sneak a taste?" Tan Qingying pouted her pink lips and teased, "Smell again—how could a beautiful girl’s mouth be anything but sweet?"

Li Xiaofei nearly fled the room, flustered. Tan Qingying laughed, delighted by her successful prank.

Coward.

Humming a little tune, she headed to the bathroom. A moment later, she poked her wet head out and complained, "Why is there so little water? I can't even take a proper shower."

"This is the slums, you know. Water is scarce here. Being able to wash your hair is a luxury. We usually just do air baths," Li Xiaofei replied.

The wet head disappeared back into the bathroom. A short while later, Tan Qingying emerged with a towel draped over her shoulders, looking refreshed. She grinned and said, "Thanks for last night. Why didn’t you just take me home?"

Li Xiaofei tried to act casual as he said, "I couldn’t resist your beauty, so I brought you back to steal a few more glances. If you really end up going to university, I won’t get to see you anymore."

But suddenly, a loud, piercing alarm suddenly blared from outside. Li Xiaofei's expression changed immediately.