Chapter 39: Tang Shaojie

Cao Yang exhaled a sigh of relief only after leading Lei Yu out of the main gate of Lushan International. The ordeal had been close, but they had emerged unscathed.

"Cao Yang, thank you," Lei Yu said, tears streaming down her face. She truly hadn't expected Cao Yang to come for her. She had held prejudices against him in the past, believing that anyone who associated with her younger brother couldn't be up to any good.

"It’s no big deal, what are you crying for?" Cao Yang helped her pull her suitcase. She had been abducted on her way to the train station, and her luggage had been seized along with her.

As they waited for a car, a gleaming black Mercedes-Benz pulled up slowly. This vehicle was different from ordinary ones; it was much longer, exuding an air of luxury, and bore dual license plates from Guangdong and Hong Kong.

The driver tapped the horn lightly, and Lei Yu pulled Cao Yang back two steps. The car drove into the parking lot and came to a stop in an exclusive VIP space.

The door opened, and the first things to catch Cao Yang’s eye were a pair of black leather shoes, followed by black dress trousers and a crisp white shirt. A man in his thirties with a refined, scholarly appearance stepped out. He draped his black suit jacket over his wrist, carrying himself with an air of effortless sophistication.

Watching him, Cao Yang saw several underlings rush over to greet him. He guessed this must be the Tang Shaojie the driver had mentioned—the head of the Yihe Society’s Dongguan branch, rumored to be a strong candidate for the next leader of the organization. The woman who had spoken to him earlier, Hu Qing, was likely his wife. Judging solely by their appearance, they were a perfect match.

Cao Yang didn't look away until the man vanished through the main entrance. He thought to himself that if he were to make a name for himself in the underworld, he should aim for the level of Tang Shaojie.

...

The two got into a car, and Cao Yang took Lei Yu to a hotel. The Yihe Society was unlikely to trouble them further, but there was still the matter of Fatty Qi. They had taken six hundred thousand from him; would he simply let it go? It was doubtful.

It would be difficult for Fatty Qi to find Cao Yang, but since he was a friend of Lei Yu’s boss, it would be trivial for him to track her down. Lei Yu dared not return to her original residence, lest she be kidnapped again.

Cao Yang booked a separate room for her, right next door to Li Yan. He didn't want the two women to cross paths; they were bound to bicker, and things might even turn physical.

"You should rest here. I'm right next door. If you need anything, call me."

Cao Yang turned to leave, intending to return to Li Yan and finish what they had started. The thought of Li Yan’s naked body sent a wave of heat through his lower abdomen.

"Cao Yang, I'm scared. Can you stay with me?" Lei Yu whispered. She had truly been shaken by today's events. "Lei Dian will be here first thing in the morning. Can you stay until he arrives?"

They had spoken to Lei Dian on the phone earlier to let him know they were safe. Upon hearing about his sister's trouble, Lei Dian had rushed to return, as she was his only sister. After learning they were safe, he had breathed a sigh of relief and told them he was already at Shuangliu Airport and would arrive in Bao'an by early morning.

Cao Yang checked the time; it was already five in the morning. Lei Dian should have boarded his flight by now and would arrive in a few hours.

"Alright," Cao Yang agreed. An awkward silence settled between them. They sat on the edge of the bed for a long time without a word.

Unable to bear the atmosphere, Lei Yu began to make conversation. She asked about Cao Yang's relationship with Li Yan. Upon learning they weren't blood-related, she realized why Li Yan disliked her—that vixen must be in love with Cao Yang and was afraid she would try to take him away.

As she thought this, she studied Cao Yang closely. At four years her junior, he was undeniably handsome—tall, powerful, and young. Most importantly, his explosive combat ability gave those around him a profound sense of security. She asked about his childhood, effectively digging into his past.

When the conversation died down, the awkwardness returned.

"I feel sticky. I'm going to take a shower," Lei Yu said, breaking the silence as she rose to head to the bathroom.

Listening to the sound of the shower and looking at her silhouette through the frosted glass door, Cao Yang’s imagination began to run wild.

"Cao Yang, could you bring me my dress?" Lei Yu called out. "It's in my suitcase—a red nightdress."

Cao Yang opened her suitcase and pulled out a red silk camisole nightdress. The material was high-quality and silky to the touch.

"Here."

"Why are you looking? Hurry up and leave," Lei Yu gently chided.

Cao Yang stepped out of the bathroom, feeling agitated. He felt that Lei Yu was doing this on purpose, and he had the urge to storm in and have his way with her. But he hesitated, worried he might be misreading the situation. She was Lei Dian’s sister; if she told her brother that Cao Yang had forced himself on her once he arrived, it would be incredibly awkward.

"Sister Yu, go ahead and shower. I'm heading back," Cao Yang said, suppressing his desire. He would go back to Li Yan; at least she would be willing.

"Don't go!" Lei Yu ran out wearing the seductive red nightdress and grabbed him. "You promised to wait until Lei Dian gets here!"

"But I'm uncomfortable!"

"Uncomfortable where? Let me see, are you hurt?"

Cao Yang gestured downward, and Lei Yu’s face turned bright red instantly.

"You bad thing!" she scolded lightly, lying back on the bed and pulling up the quilt. "I'm going to sleep for a bit. Wake me up when Lei Dian gets here." She covered herself, but only up to her waist, leaving her upper body exposed.

Ten minutes later, seeing that she was still, Cao Yang assumed she had fallen asleep. He slipped off the bed, intending to return to Li Yan. But the moment he moved, Lei Yu grabbed him, opening her eyes to look at him.

"You're not asleep yet?"

Lei Yu shook her head, her large eyes fixed on him. "You're not allowed to leave."

"I'm tired, too. If I stay, I'm sleeping with you."

Lei Yu didn't speak.

Cao Yang stripped off his clothes, pulled the quilt over them, and lay down beside her. Lei Yu closed her eyes, her hand still gripping him tightly, terrified he would run off.

Seeing things had reached this point, Cao Yang wondered if he would be a coward not to make a move. Lei Dian would arrive soon, and Lei Yu would likely return to their hometown with him; they might never see each other again.

Thinking of this, he didn't want to leave with regrets, and his courage grew.

"Cao Yang, what are you doing? Stop it, let me go!"

"Mmph..."