After finally managing to carry Xiao Li into the car and settling her into the front seat, I asked Xiao Lian to keep an eye on her. By then, Xiao Hong had woken up. Seeing me return, she moved aside to make space, gesturing for me to sit next to her.
She clung to my arm, resting her head on my shoulder. I told the driver to take them back first.
Xiao Hong refused to let go the entire ride. Her hands were ice-cold, and her whole body felt devoid of warmth—clearly, she hadn’t recovered from what had happened earlier.
Burmese men like that always carried knives, sometimes even guns. Drug dealers were desperate outlaws, so of course Xiao Hong was terrified. Even now, she was probably still in shock. Those guys could hurt someone, cross the border in minutes, and vanish without a trace. No wonder she was scared. I regretted sending her up there. I didn’t know how Xiao Li would’ve handled it—maybe she could’ve defused the situation.
After dropping them off, I told Xiao Lian to take care of the other two. She was the only one still sober. Xiao Li was still out of it, and Xiao Hong stared at me with teary, frightened eyes, clearly not wanting me to leave.
But I couldn’t stay. I still had to meet the She-Devil at the hotel. So I watched them go inside, waited until Xiao Lian locked the door, and then left.
I told the driver, "Take me to the hotel."
When I got back, the She-Devil and Qiangzi were waiting outside. Since it was my first night managing the girls, she was understandably a little uneasy.
I handed her the money and explained that Xiao Hong hadn’t earned anything—she’d been harassed and beaten. I didn’t mention the advice I’d given her. In this line of work, showing sympathy was a breach of protocol. The She-Devil didn’t say much, just pulled out a few hundred-yuan bills and handed them to me. "Do well. Don’t be afraid if something happens. If you really can’t handle it, I’ve got your back."
Then she left with Wen Siqiang. Qiangzi glanced back at me, his eyes filled with something complicated—something I couldn’t decipher.
I didn’t know what schemes the She-Devil was plotting, but Qiangzi wouldn’t have given me that look for no reason. What was he trying to tell me?
Even though this suburban club wasn’t big, its location was strategic, and the clientele was complicated—especially with drugs involved. The fact that she didn’t go herself, instead sending me while pretending to trust me, was suspicious to begin with. Let’s not forget—she was the one who wanted my father and me dead. Expecting her to suddenly turn into an angel was pure delusion.
So was Qiangzi warning me to be careful? Or was this all a trap, luring me in so she could bury me herself?
I needed to find a way to get something out of Qiangzi. Even if I couldn’t trust that he was truly afraid of me, at least on the surface, he didn’t dare oppose me. He had a weak spot—his fear of going to prison. Maybe I could scare a little information out of him.
Just then, my pager vibrated. An unfamiliar number—a landline, probably a payphone. I went downstairs to the front desk to return the call.
It was Xiao Hong.
"I’m scared," she said, her voice trembling. "I can’t sleep alone. Can I come stay with you? Where are you staying?"
I asked, "What about the other two?"
She replied, "We don’t share a room. They’re already asleep, and the door’s locked. I can’t get in."
The She-Devil had rented them a small two-bedroom place not far from me—just one block away. I gave her directions and went out to meet her.
As soon as I turned the corner, I saw Xiao Hong jogging toward me. The moment she spotted me, she threw herself into my arms. I held her for a moment, murmuring, "It’s okay, it’s okay," before gently pulling away and leading her back to the hotel by the hand.
The front desk clerk gave me a knowing look but didn’t say anything. I didn’t bother explaining, just headed straight upstairs.
Back then, hotel regulations were lax—nothing like the strict ID checks nowadays. Plus, I was a long-term guest, so bringing someone back wasn’t a big deal.
Once in the room, I tidied up the spare bed for Xiao Hong and told her to wash up while I settled into my own bed.
It was a standard twin room—two narrow single beds.
Xiao Hong obediently brushed her teeth in the bathroom, but when she came back, she didn’t go to her own bed. Instead, she slipped under my covers.
I whispered, "You’ve got your own bed. It’s too crowded for two—we won’t sleep well."
She didn’t answer, just pressed closer. I had no choice but to turn on my side and hold her, pulling the blanket over us. I gently stroked her back—her body was still trembling, cold as ice.
She couldn’t have been more than a year or two older than me, barely an adult. At home, she’d probably still be someone’s treasure. I had no idea how she’d ended up working for the She-Devil.
In a small voice, she said, "I’m not dirty. No man’s ever touched me."
I knew what she meant, but I pretended not to understand, just soothing her to sleep.
I was at that age—full of restless energy. Having a girl in my arms, how could I not feel anything? I wasn’t some saint. I was a normal guy. But I couldn’t do it. I’d only known Xiao Hong for a few hours. She clung to me because she had no one else to rely on. I knew she wouldn’t resist whatever I did, but I refused to take advantage of her vulnerability. If I ever wanted her, it’d be when we both truly wanted it—not like this.
She finally calmed down. Listening to her steady breathing, I slowly pulled my arm free, resting her head on the pillow before getting up and tucking her in. Then I moved to the other bed.
The hotel curtains were thin, doing nothing to block the sunlight. When the morning sun hit my face, I groggily sat up—then startled at the sight of someone else in the room. It took me a second to remember Xiao Hong was here.
She woke up too, rolling onto her stomach and propping her head up to look at me with a silly, dazed smile.
I asked, "What’s so funny?"
She said, "You. You’re an idiot."
I got up to use the bathroom, then came back and asked, "How am I an idiot?"
She buried her face in the pillow, too shy to look at me. "You just are. But I like you anyway."
Of course, I knew what she meant. Fine, call me an idiot. I was just holding onto my principles, not wanting to cross any lines. If she thought I was stupid now, so be it. But if I’d taken what I wanted, I wouldn’t be an idiot—I’d be a scumbag.
I sat on the bed and pulled her into a half-embrace. "I’m Li Hua," I said. "What’s your name?"
She looked up at me, her pretty eyes blinking. "Cui Chunhong. Xiao Hong’s just a nickname."
So I’d misjudged her—she’d been using her real name all along.
"Does your family know you’re working nightclubs?"
Her expression darkened immediately. I knew I shouldn’t have asked—probing into personal matters was rude.
After a pause, she said quietly, "It’s fine. My dad died. Mom remarried and had more kids. I became… extra. I lived with my grandparents for a while, but after they passed, I stayed with a classmate’s family." Her voice wavered. "Do you know what it’s like, depending on strangers? When even your own mother doesn’t want you, why should they feed and house you? I dropped out, rented a tiny room, washed dishes for cash—barely enough for rent. Then Zhou Yingying found me. She said hostessing paid big, even gave me a place to stay. I’ve only been doing this a few days. I still can’t accept it… and then last night happened."