Chapter 35: I'm Not That Desperate

With two more people behind her, the stalkers seemed to have gained some confidence.

As soon as they spoke, they were utterly shameless: "Little girl, we heard you made a few dozen bucks at the black market today. We brothers are just a bit short on cash lately and wanted to borrow some money from you. If you're smart, you'll lend it to us readily; maybe when we have money in the future, we'll pay you back."

"Pfft~"

Leng Hui let out a cold sneer. "This is the first time I've seen someone describe robbery in such a... refreshing and unconventional way. You're truly wasting your talent hanging around this industry."

"Thanks for the compliment, little girl. What do you think? Are you lending or not?" The stalker felt no shame, but rather pride, accepting her sarcasm as praise.

"Lend!" Leng Hui raised an eyebrow and smiled. "However, let's swap the roles of lender and borrower. I've been a bit short on cash lately and want to borrow some money from you big brothers to help with my circulation. I wonder if you gentlemen would be generous enough to help out?"

"Oh!"

A light gleamed in the stalker's eyes as his interest was piqued. "This is the first time I've seen someone describe counter-robbery in such a refreshing way. To avoid wasting your talent, I think you're even more suited for this path than we are."

In an attic about a dozen meters away.

"That little girl is no ordinary person. She can face a roadside robbery without changing her expression or her heart rate. She's composed enough; she has the air of a great general!"

Hiding behind the window, Jiang Jinghao nudged Xiao Ye. "She's much better than some of the greenhorns under our command."

The window glass isolated the outside world from their perception. Xiao Ye stood tall behind the window, looking like a sharp, unsheathed sword.

His thin lips beneath a high nose bridge curled into a slight arc as he asked, "One against three. How much of a chance of winning do you think she has?"

Jiang Jinghao shook his head. "Hard to say. You are the company you keep. Normally, people who hang around Jing Tao should be quite clever. If she didn't have confidence, she wouldn't be acting this relaxed and casual. But can a girl really take on three grown men alone and knock them all down?"

Xiao Ye pursed his lips. "If she can't knock all three down, there's another way: take advantage of their lack of guard and make a quick escape."

Jiang Jinghao thought about it for a moment; that was indeed an operation a clever person might perform.

"When you're drifting in the underworld, how can you avoid getting cut by a blade?" Leng Hui pulled a hair tie from her pocket, gathered her ponytail, and secured it.

Finished, she flashed a smirk at the men. "Have you ever heard a saying?"

The stalker asked following her lead, "What saying?"

"Villains die from talking too much!"

As soon as the words fell, her entire aura instantly turned murderous. Her body lunged forward like a small leopard.

In an instant, she was in front of the three men, throwing two simultaneous punches straight at their faces.

Before they could react, they felt a sharp pain in their noses as blood sprayed out. Their instinctive reaction was to clutch their noses and crouch down.

Taking advantage of this opening, Leng Hui threw another punch at the last man.

That man reacted relatively quickly, using his arms to block two of Leng Hui's attacks, but finally, Leng Hui struck downward with lightning speed.

Unable to defend in time, he took a flying kick to his lower body. While he was doubled over in pain, Leng Hui delivered an elbow strike directly to his spine, sending him face-down onto the ground.

If not for the fact that they were in a society governed by law, at least two of them would have lost their lives in that instant, becoming souls under her blade.

The two men in the attic watched the scene unfold in shock. It was too fast.

The fight ended in less than ten seconds.

The slap in the face came so quickly.

Just a moment ago, they had predicted she would take the chance to run, but instead, she went head-on and won beautifully.

Listening to the groans of the several grown men nearby, Jiang Jinghao's lips trembled slightly, momentarily speechless.

After a long while, he pointed at Leng Hui, who was "counter-robbing" the three men, and spoke with a slight stutter.

"Xiao Ye, you... what's this girl's background? Is she really Jing Tao's high school classmate?"

Why did he feel like she was a highly trained spy?

Xiao Ye frowned, a thought stirring in his heart, though his expression remained calm. "If you're suspicious, you can investigate her background. If she really is Jing Tao's classmate, her background should be easy to find."

Jiang Jinghao didn't think much more of it and nodded in agreement.

Leng Hui spat disdainfully at the three pathetic thugs. "You're truly an embarrassment to men. Your pockets are cleaner than your faces, yet you have the nerve to come out and rob me."

The three men wailed in their hearts. If they had money, would they be out here relying on robbery? Wouldn't it be much more satisfying to just lie flat at home?

"Grandmother, please let us go! This lowly one was blind to your greatness. I'll definitely keep my eyes peeled next time I go out."

Ouch, it hurt so much; he didn't know if he'd broken anything. If he was broken, what would he do for the rest of his life?

Leng Hui disdainfully tossed several crumpled bills she had searched from them onto the ground. "Since this is your first time committing a crime in my hands, I'll give you a chance to become decent people. If you do it again, even if the police station is far from here, I will drag you there myself."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you for your mercy, Grandmother! We will definitely change!"

It was unknown what the men were thinking, but at least they acted as if they were overcome with gratitude, nearly reaching the point of swearing on heaven with three fingers.

"Men's words are nothing but lies. Don't bother making promises to me; your promises aren't worth anything here. Just remember not to do it in my hands again!"

The main reason Leng Hui didn't send them to the police station was that she found it too much trouble.

This kind of small matter wouldn't keep them in for long; she might leave, and they'd be released shortly after.

After all, they hadn't even managed to rob a single cent; if they were locked up, the state would still have to provide them three meals a day.

***

Jiang Jinghao pointed at her departing, graceful figure. "She's just leaving?"

Xiao Ye withdrew his gaze and turned back to sit at his desk. "If she doesn't leave, what, are we waiting for those unlucky bastards to treat us to dinner?"

Jiang Jinghao let out a contemptuous chuckle. "They're so broke they're ringing, and they're going to treat us to dinner?"

As he spoke, he leaned toward the desk. "Hey, do you think it's weird? That girl counter-robbed them and even thought the money was too little. They say 'a thief never leaves empty-handed,' so why did she give the money back?"

"You're talking about a thief not leaving empty-handed. Is that girl a thief?" Xiao Ye dismissively pushed Jiang Jinghao away. "Go accompany your fiancée and stop hanging around here. You're annoying!"

When he had nothing to do, this man was a chatterbox, saying whatever came to mind without thinking before the words left his mouth.

For example, the topic just now was purely for the sake of chatting, with no substance at all.

Extremely annoying.

Jiang Jinghao took two steps back, pulled over a chair, and sat down heavily. "They said they're going to see a movie this afternoon. Do you have time to come with me?"

Without even looking up, Xiao Ye refused without hesitation, "No!"

"Hah, I say you have no sense of enjoyment. Mi Mi is bringing two friends. She asked me to bring you and Old Chen along, so we'll have three couples. Otherwise, once we return to the troops, where are you going to meet pretty girls?"

This time, Xiao Ye looked up and said expressionlessly, "No. I'm not that desperate!"

(End of Chapter)