Chapter Thirty-Four: Bewildered by Passion

Ye Dong took the phone from Officer Li and handed it to Zhengzheng. “Do as Officer Li says.” Zhengzheng had long since let down all her guard around Ye Dong, so she naturally agreed to his words.

“Hello?” On the other end of the line, Wan Tianze’s voice came through.

“Daddy? It’s Zhengzheng.”

“Hm? Whose phone are you using? Are you safe now?”

“I’m safe. I’m with Ye Dong and the others at the paper shop. This is Officer Li’s phone.”

“Officer Li is there too? Did he ask me to recall the bodyguards?”

“Mm, Dad, how did you know?”

“Your father has his ways. All right, I understand.”

Zhengzheng returned the phone to Officer Li. “Officer Li, how did you know my father’s private number?”

Officer Li smiled. “If I were you, I wouldn’t ask that question.”

Ye Dong seemed to have complete faith in Officer Li’s ability, inwardly sighing, “Wan Tianze and Officer Li are both masters when it comes to playing the game.”

Ding.

Zhou Zhixing’s phone rang.

“Yes. Understood. All right.” He slipped the phone into his pocket, gave Ye Dong and the others a bow, and said, “We’ll leave Miss in your care. We’ll take our leave now.”

Ye Dong saw them out, then returned and asked, “Officer Li, why did you send them back? Isn’t more people more strength?”

Officer Li patted his shoulder and gave a wry smile. “Those eight bodyguards, each of them carries a pistol, a folding knife, two expandable batons, and a stun stick. Tell me, as a police officer, am I supposed to arrest them or not?”

Ye Dong, hearing Officer Li’s explanation, could only offer a sheepish grin. “So you simply told them to leave?”

Officer Li nodded. “You’ll encounter more of these gray-area rules in the future. Come on, try my cooking. Let’s eat and chat.”

Ever since the 714 major case, those present had shared life-and-death moments together. Now, they would gather for meals, talking about ideals and life, their bond unusually close.

Ye Dong tugged at Officer Li’s sleeve and asked in a low voice, “Is Wang Huiyan coming?”

Who knew Officer Li would suddenly raise his voice. “You’re asking if Wang Huiyan is coming?”

“Yo!”

Xiaobao and Dachun immediately started jeering. Zhengzheng whispered to Nianxue, “Who’s this Wang Huiyan you’re talking about?”

Nianxue introduced, “A great beauty, a policewoman! Uh, a rather formidable policewoman!”

Zhengzheng nodded, half-understanding, and secretly observed Ye Dong’s reaction.

Ye Dong hadn’t expected Officer Li to tease him as well. Facing everyone’s strange looks, he could only smile. “Aren’t we all friends? Right, Officer Li?”

Officer Li grinned wickedly. “All right, all right, no need to explain. She should be here any moment.”

No sooner had he spoken than a long-legged beauty in a workout vest walked in carrying a fruit basket. “Sorry I’m late.”

One had to admit, Wang Huiyan’s figure was top-notch—willowy waist, proud curves... you know the rest.

“Wow!” Xiaobao and the others in the inner room gasped in unison.

Ye Dong’s eyes burned, his heart pounding wildly. “So... beauty really does matter this much! Oh! No, no, I mean Wang Huiyan, Wang Huiyan. Calm down! Calm down!”

He hurriedly pulled himself together, took the fruit basket from Wang Huiyan, and scolded lightly, “You didn’t have to bring a gift. We’re all friends here.”

Wang Huiyan grinned. “This is my first time visiting. I can’t come empty-handed, can I?”

Ye Dong only felt that every smile and gesture of hers stirred his heart, and before he knew it he was staring.

Wang Huiyan muttered inwardly, “What’s with him? Is my outfit too revealing?”

She cleared her throat. “So, is dinner ready?”

Ye Dong quickly smiled. “Everything’s ready. We were just waiting for the beauty to arrive!”

Wang Huiyan raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t expect you to be so good at making girls happy.”

Officer Li raised his glass to cut them off. “All right, all right, let’s warmly welcome Zhengzheng and Huiyan to our circle of friends. Cheers!”

Zhengzheng and Huiyan beamed with joy. After a few rounds of drinks, everyone was a bit tipsy and the conversation grew livelier.

Xiaobao ventured to ask Huiyan, “Officer Huiyan, do you have a boyfriend?”

Maybe it was the alcohol, but Huiyan’s plain face took on a rosy glow, her ample chest rising and falling with her breath, stirring all sorts of thoughts.

Xiao Wang laughed, “Let me tell you, Officer Huiyan’s standards are high. Don’t even think about it, you blockhead.”

Everyone laughed. Xiaobao scratched his nose and said, “I... I was just asking for Ye Dong.”

Huiyan blinked her big eyes and looked straight at Ye Dong. “Was it really you who wanted to know?”

Faced with the dazzling beauty before him, Ye Dong seemed to lose all his usual composure. He drained his beer and mustered the courage to answer, “Yes... it was me.”

Huiyan gave a mischievous smile, leaning in so close her face was almost at his lips, her voice sultry, “Oh? Needed some liquid courage, did you?”

“Wow!”

Everyone realized Huiyan was not only unbothered by Ye Dong’s forwardness, but seemed a little tempted herself, and immediately began to egg them on. Only Officer Li sat quietly sipping his drink.

Faced with Wang Huiyan, who resembled Yayi but with an added allure, Ye Dong found himself defenseless. He was just about to slip his arm around her slim waist when the gentle, innocent Yayi suddenly appeared in his mind, softly crying, “Ye Dong, she’s not me.”

It was as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over his head; his mind instantly cleared. “Damn, I almost lost control! I nearly forgot she just looks like Yayi! Huiyan is a skilled fighter—if I cross the line, she might really take me down!”

Ye Dong sobered, and naturally wouldn’t take advantage of the alcohol. He gently pushed Huiyan’s waist. “Huiyan, I’m sweaty. Don’t get too close.”

Huiyan was a bit surprised. “Didn’t expect Ye Dong to have such self-control. No wonder Master holds him in high regard.”

She smiled. “I don’t have a boyfriend. Are you all happy now?”

Dachun teased, “Happy! Very happy!”

The topic quickly shifted. Each person at the table had their own charm, and the conversation never lagged.

Zhengzheng noticed Ye Dong seemed a bit tipsy, eyes full of emotion, and asked softly, “Ye Dong, don’t drink too much.”

Ye Dong felt a gentle breeze in his heart, a pang of guilt welling up. “I’ve focused all my attention on Huiyan, hardly talking to Zhengzheng tonight. It’s rare for her, with her status, to mingle with us ordinary folks. I can’t neglect a true friend for the sake of romance.”

He replied quietly, “Sorry, I haven’t really talked with you tonight.”

Zhengzheng laughed softly. “It’s all right. You like Huiyan, don’t you?”

Ye Dong grinned. “That obvious?”

Zhengzheng replied, “The way you’re so cautious around her gives you away.”

Officer Li turned to Ye Dong. “I heard you got your hands on a treasure—let’s have a look!”

Ye Dong smiled proudly and handed the dagger at his side to Officer Li. “The ‘Qinggang’ dagger!”

Officer Li took it, examining it closely. “Cao Pi’s Qinggang!? The dragon relief on the sheath is exquisite!”

He carefully unsheathed the blade, which gleamed coldly. “Unbelievable—it’s been nearly two thousand years, and this blade is still razor-sharp!”

He handed the dagger to Huiyan. “You’re an expert with daggers—what do you think?”

Everyone understood Officer Li’s meaning: he was inviting Huiyan to show off her skills.

They couldn’t help but look forward to it. Was Huiyan really a master of all eighteen martial arts?

Huiyan took the Qinggang, weighed it in her hand, then picked three oranges from the nearby fruit basket. Her lips curled. “Forgive my humble display!”

As soon as the words left her mouth, two oranges were tossed in front of her. Ye Dong saw a flash of cold light, and the two oranges were instantly sliced in half, then quartered, thumping onto the table.

Before anyone could applaud, they saw Huiyan smirk, flick her left wrist, and toss the third orange behind her. Without so much as turning her head, she hurled the dagger backward—Qinggang shot straight into the orange, pinning it firmly to a wooden pillar.

Except for Officer Li, everyone was stunned for a moment, then broke into thunderous applause. “Amazing! Incredible!”

Ye Dong was deeply grateful he hadn’t done anything rash earlier—otherwise, he might have shared the orange’s fate.

Officer Li laughed. “Ye Dong, do you think Huiyan’s qualified to be your bodyguard?”