Through conversation, he learned the woman's name was Alice. She claimed to be traveling to relax, but Li Haochen sensed something more, yet he didn't press the issue.
"Mr. Li, I'm not familiar with Binhai. Could you be my guide for the next few days?" Alice turned to face Li Haochen. Her deep V-neck evening gown offered glimpses of her alluring, fair skin and impressive cleavage. Coupled with her captivating voice, his lips seemed to move without his brain's control.
Just as he was about to agree, a small tattoo on the woman's collarbone caught Li Haochen's eye. Wasn't that the emblem of the gang searching for him? What a coincidence. Had he left any loose ends?
Li Haochen's heart sank into panic. His distraction didn't go unnoticed by Alice. Following his gaze, she realized he was staring at her chest. This made her feel a bit smug, but also somewhat disappointed.
"I thought you were a special man, but it turns out you're just like everyone else, vulgar. You were probably faking it earlier," Alice mused regretfully.
"Mr. Li, Mr. Li..."
Alice's voice jolted Li Haochen back to reality. He buried his fear deep inside and, adopting a calm demeanor, replied, "Ah, I'm sorry, I have to go out of town for a few days, so I can't. However, I can introduce you to some local guides."
"?"
Li Haochen's answer left Alice bewildered. This didn't make sense. He had seemed so lecherous earlier, why didn't he accept? Was this a typical Chinese tactic of playing hard to get?
"Yes, that must be it," Alice thought with some certainty. She then put on an expression of regret. "That's a real shame. I was hoping for a romantic foreign memory, hehe!"
"Romantic my foot, who wants to be romantic with you? Let's just go," Li Haochen cursed inwardly, wishing she would disappear immediately. She was a ticking time bomb.
As the plane began to taxi, Li Haochen closed his eyes and pretended to be dozing. He dared not sleep, fearing he might say something he shouldn't in his sleep. His mind was constantly replaying the entire process from discovering the gold to bringing it all into his space, terrified of any oversight.
The comfortable airplane seat made Li Haochen feel like he was sitting on pins and needles, but he dared not show any unusual behavior, forcing himself to endure the agony of over ten hours.
Except for a trip to the restroom and meal times, Li Haochen completely ignored Alice, even cutting off her attempts at small talk after only a few sentences, dampening her spirits.
Thus, after enduring trials and tribulations, Li Haochen finally arrived at Binhai Airport. As soon as the plane docked, he eagerly grabbed his backpack and fled his seat. Benefiting from first-class, he had priority disembarking rights. Combined with his eagerness to get home, as soon as the cabin door opened, Li Haochen bolted out like a runner.
It was already two in the morning. Despite being at the airport, taxis were scarce at this hour. After waiting for a while, a taxi finally arrived. Before he could even state his destination, a familiar scent wafted from beside him. He looked over, and sure enough, it was Alice.
"I couldn't find a taxi. You don't mind giving me a ride, do you?"
"Mind my ass, you're already in the car and asking if I mind?" Li Haochen's mouth twitched, his insides churning with curses. He reluctantly said, "Uh... okay, where are you going?"
"Binhai Hotel, thank you!"
"Damn it, why the Binhai Hotel?" Li Haochen's tension immediately escalated as he pondered how to get rid of her.
"Oh, why are you thinking of going there? It's not as good. The Binhai Resort across the street is excellent, a definite five-star, you should really go there..."
"Sir, how can you slander the Binhai Hotel? Beautiful lady, the Binhai Hotel is the best place here. You've made the right choice, enjoying a five-star environment and service, but at a common price. It's definitely worth your money."
At this moment, Li Haochen didn't know whether to praise or scold the taxi driver. It was incredibly annoying. Shouldn't a driver just stick to their job and not be so talkative?
There was no choice but to take her to the hotel first. However, Li Haochen remained silent throughout the journey, too lazy to engage, eager to send this jinx away and go back to his wife.
Li Haochen might have been silent, but others weren't. The driver, acting like a perv, kept trying to strike up conversations with Alice from the moment they started driving, clearly lusting after her beauty.
Fortunately, the airport wasn't too far from the hotel, otherwise, Li Haochen might have truly lost his mind.
After more than ten minutes, Li Haochen and Alice arrived at the Binhai Hotel. Even though it was almost three in the morning, there were still quite a few people eating at the late-night food stalls. It seemed the street food strategy was indeed a good one.
"We're here. Get out quickly, I need to go home."
Alice rolled her eyes. This guy had absolutely no manners.
"Thanks, 1888. That's my room number, you know what that means, hehe!"
With that, Alice left him with an endlessly seductive rear view. As soon as she left, Li Haochen immediately closed the car door and said, "To Dalong Village."
The driver looked at Li Haochen with contempt. Damn it, she practically gave him a hint, and he didn't make a move? Was he incapable? Yeah, probably.
The driver thought with some certainty, his gaze filled with even more disdain. However, he soon broke into a smile. He had noted down room 1888, and in a little while... hehe!
While the driver was lost in his fantasies, Alice had already completed her check-in. The moment she entered the room, her previously sweet and pitiable demeanor vanished, replaced by an icy coldness. The temperature in the room even seemed to drop several degrees.
She then produced a mobile phone as if by magic and dialed an unknown number. As soon as the call connected, a lazy voice came from the other end, "Are you there?"
"Yes, what's the mission?"
"Wait!"
"Tch, Death God, don't act so high and mighty in front of me. Be careful I don't actually turn you into a Death God."
"Heh heh, Crimson Skull, you can try. Your ranking and your body, I am... *click*"
"Hmph, Crimson Skull Alice. I'll see the day I don't eliminate you." Listening to the dial tone, Valrok's eyes grew sinister. He had been coveting her position in the gang for a long time.
Meanwhile, Li Haochen had also just returned to the villa. He quietly opened the door, careful not to wake Murong Yanran. To his surprise, she had fallen asleep on the sofa, clutching a large plush toy.
Li Haochen knew she must have been waiting for him. With a pang of heartache, he walked over and was about to carry her to her room when Murong Yanran suddenly opened her eyes, hugged him tightly, and laughed, "You're three and a half hours late. Tonight, your punishment is... *munch*"
Before Murong Yanran could finish speaking, Li Haochen's lips met hers. What happened next was predictable; they undoubtedly fought until dawn.