Inside the room, Wang Yuyan sat expressionlessly on the bed, while Chu Shaofan, opposite her, had one hand bandaged and in a sling, holding a glass of red wine with the other.
"I told you before, you'd be in my bed tonight," Chu Shaofan swayed his wine glass, gazing greedily at Wang Yuyan and smiling. "Don't get your hopes up. That brat is the first person in so many years who dared to injure me. I won't let him live past tonight."
Wang Yuyan's voice filled with anger upon hearing this, "You'd better not touch him, or I won't let you off!"
"Hahaha!"
Chu Shaofan burst into laughter, as if he had heard a colossal joke. "You think your family can stand against my Chu family? My Chu family sneezes, and the entire capital city shivers. How much power does your family have? I haven't heard of any powerful families like yours in Dongyong City. Even if you are from a prominent family, if I toy with you, would your family dare to cause trouble for me?"
Wang Yuyan fell silent.
Although the Wang family was one of the largest families in Jiangbei, there was still a significant gap between them and the Chu family. If things escalated, it would only be the Wang family who suffered.
Seeing Wang Yuyan's silence, Chu Shaofan walked up to her, lifted her chin, and gazed at her beautiful face, saying lecherously, "Follow me, young master, and not only you, but your entire family will benefit. Otherwise, hmph... So, serve me well tonight. Take off your clothes and pants."
Facing Chu Shaofan's coercion, Wang Yuyan let out a cold snort and stubbornly broke free, turning her face away. "Dream on!"
Chu Shaofan's expression shifted. He downed the red wine and said coldly, "Don't push your luck. I said I'm claiming you tonight." With that, he moved to pounce on Wang Yuyan.
Wang Yuyan's face turned pale with fear. Just then, the room door was suddenly flung open. Chu Shaofan's gaze darted sharply towards the doorway. "Who?"
"It's me." Mo Tao walked into the room. Chu Shaofan frowned, his voice tinged with anger. "How can it be you? How did you get in?"
Mo Tao replied in a calm voice, "This hotel is mine. I can enter any room I want. Is that a problem?"
"You!" Chu Shaofan's face turned ashen. "Hmph, you're just a hotel manager now. Get out, or don't blame me for being rude."
Mo Tao chuckled, "I'm afraid Young Master Chu has forgotten one thing. This is a Qianjue Jewelry establishment. Do you dare to lay a hand on me here?"
Chu Shaofan calmed down for a moment, then said, "Speak. What do you want with me?"
Mo Tao pointed to Wang Yuyan on the bed. "Give her to me."
"Impossible," Chu Shaofan retorted without hesitation. "She's my woman, Mo Tao. Don't push it."
Mo Tao sneered, "Oh? Is that so? Should I ask her if you are her man? If not, shouldn't that be considered kidnapping by you, Young Master Chu?"
"What exactly do you want?" Chu Shaofan glared at Mo Tao.
"I told you, I want her. She's a friend of mine."
"Friend?" Chu Shaofan's lips curved into a mocking smile, clearly not believing him. "That's right, Chu Shaofan. This is Dongyong City, not your capital. No one will indulge you here. Tonight, I'm taking this woman. If you don't give her to me, hmph... Young Master Chu of the capital offends some local ruffians in Dongyong and is ambushed on his way back to the capital, meeting an unfortunate end..."
"You!" Chu Shaofan slammed the wine glass onto the floor, rage burning in his eyes. "Take this woman and get out. Mo Tao, I'm telling you, I'm determined to have this woman. While you can protect her in this hotel, I doubt she can live in a hotel forever."
Mo Tao smiled, "You don't need to worry about that, Young Master Chu." He then looked at Wang Yuyan. "Let's go."
Wang Yuyan blinked in surprise and quickly stood up from the bed. Just as she was about to speak, Mo Tao's gaze stopped her. "Let's go first." Wang Yuyan nodded and followed Mo Tao out of the room. Chu Shaofan watched their retreating figures, a cunning smile spreading across his face.
Outside the room, Wang Yuyan looked at Mo Tao with a hint of confusion and asked, "Manager Mo, may I ask..."
"I'm Qin Xuan's friend," Mo Tao interrupted her before she could finish. "He sent me."
"Qin Xuan?" Wang Yuyan was bewildered. She knew this Mo Tao; he had attended several jade auctions before, and she had seen him. Although Mo Tao was just a hotel manager, his surname was Mo, from the Mo family in the capital. She wasn't sure of his exact standing within the family, but it was rumored he was sent to Dongyong City from the capital due to some mistake. How could Qin Xuan possibly know him?
"Qin Xuan and you..."
"Don't ask too many questions. If you have any, go ask Qin Xuan," Mo Tao said, pointing towards Qin Xuan not far away. "Look, he's waiting for you there. I won't be joining you. Please give Qin Xuan a message for me: I'll be waiting for him on the rooftop." With that, he left in another direction.
Seeing Wang Yuyan, Qin Xuan quickly walked over with Ren Qixiang. "How are you?" "Yuyan, are you alright?"
Wang Yuyan looked at Qin Xuan thoughtfully and shook her head, asking with some confusion, "I'm fine. But how do you know this hotel manager, Mo Tao?"
Qin Xuan had anticipated this question. "He's the old classmate I told you about. We were university classmates."
"Really?" Wang Yuyan sounded doubtful.
"Really, truer than pearls." Wang Yuyan thought back; Qin Xuan had been able to get the hotel's top VIP room earlier, likely with Mo Tao's help. She nodded, half-believing him, "Alright. I don't think we should stay here any longer. Since Qixiang is here too, we'll return tonight and won't participate in the jade auction. I'm afraid Young Master Chu won't give up easily."
Ren Qixiang chimed in, "I've heard of Chu Shaofan's reputation. He's known for being arrogant and vengeful in the capital. I also think we should return to Jiangbei tonight. The jade auction that Grandpa assigned is not essential this time; there's always next year. We won't miss out by not participating."
Qin Xuan, however, shook his head. "No, we can't go back. We must participate in this jade auction." Qin Xuan's sole purpose for coming here was to find more stones containing spiritual energy. The spiritual energy contained in that small piece of stone last time had allowed Qin Xuan to cultivate several small heavenly cycles. Those raw stones were huge; if he could acquire one with spiritual energy, it would last him a considerable period of cultivation, and at least a few dragon scales on his back would grow. His own strength would increase significantly, giving him more confidence against Jin Shikai, Li Shengtian, and Chu Shaofan.