Inside the room, Wang Yuyan sat on the bed with a blank expression, 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 earlier, you'd be in my bed tonight," Chu Shaofan swayed the wine glass, leering at Wang Yuyan with a greedy smile. "Don't get your hopes up. That brat is the first person in so many years to dare injure me. I won't let him live past tonight."
Wang Yuyan's eyes flashed 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 hearing the most ludicrous joke. "Do you think your family can contend with my Chu family? My Chu family sneezes, and the whole of the capital city trembles. How much power does your family have? I haven't heard of any influential families called 'Xing Wang' in Dong Yong City. Even if you're from a prominent family, if I toy with you, will your family dare to trouble 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. He couldn't help but grin lecherously. "Follow me, young master, and not only you but your entire family will benefit greatly. Otherwise, *hmph*... So, tonight, serve this young master well, and take off your clothes and pants."
Faced with Chu Shaofan's coercion, Wang Yuyan let out a cold snort and stubbornly pulled away, turning her face aside. "You're dreaming!"
Chu Shaofan's expression darkened. He downed the red wine in one gulp and said coldly, "Don't be ungrateful. I told you, I'm taking you tonight." With that, he lunged to push Wang Yuyan down.
Wang Yuyan's face turned pale with fear. Just then, the room door was suddenly flung open. Chu Shaofan's sharp gaze fixed on the doorway. "Who?"
"It's me." Mo Tao walked into the room. Chu Shaofan frowned, his voice tinged with annoyance. "Why is it you? How did you get in?"
Mo Tao spoke in a calm voice, "This hotel is mine. I can enter any room I please, can't I?"
"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 coldly. "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 upon hearing this, 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 your luck."
Mo Tao sneered. "Oh? Is that so? Shall I ask her if you are her man? If not, doesn't that make you, Great Young Master Chu, guilty of kidnapping?"
"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 curled, clearly disbelieving. "That's right, Chu Shaofan. This is Dong Yong City, not your capital. No one will indulge you. I'm taking this woman tonight. If you don't hand her over, *hmph*... Great Young Master Chu offends some local ruffians in Dong Yong and is ambushed on his way back to the capital, meeting an unfortunate end..."
"You!" Chu Shaofan slammed the wine glass to the ground and roared, "Take this woman and get out! Mo Tao, I'm telling you, I've decided on this woman. You can protect her in this hotel, but I don't see her staying in this hotel for the rest of her life."
Mo Tao smiled. "That's not something you need to worry about, Great Young Master Chu." He then looked at Wang Yuyan. "Let's go."
Wang Yuyan blinked in surprise and quickly got off the bed. Just as she was about to speak, Mo Tao cut her off with a look. "Let's go first."
Wang Yuyan nodded and followed Mo Tao out of the room. Chu Shaofan watched Mo Tao and Wang Yuyan's receding figures, a cunning smile playing on his lips.
Outside the room, Wang Yuyan looked at Mo Tao with a hint of confusion. "Manager Mo, may I ask..."
"I am Qin Xuan's friend," Mo Tao interrupted before she could finish. "He sent me."
"Qin Xuan?" Wang Yuyan was baffled. She knew Mo Tao; he had attended several gem auctions, and she had seen him before. Although Mo Tao was just a hotel manager, his surname was Mo. The Mo family from the capital. She didn't know his exact standing within the Mo family, but it was rumored that Mo Tao had been sent from the capital to Dong Yong City due to some mistake. So how could Qin Xuan know him?
"Qin Xuan and you..."
"Don't ask too many questions. You can ask Qin Xuan directly if you have any," Mo Tao pointed to Qin Xuan not far away. "There, he's waiting for you. I won't be joining you. Please give Qin Xuan a message for me: I'm waiting for him on the rooftop." With that, Mo Tao departed in another direction.
Upon seeing Wang Yuyan, Qin Xuan hurried over with Ren Qixiang. "How are you?" "Yuyan, are you alright?"
Wang Yuyan looked at Qin Xuan thoughtfully and shook her head. "I'm fine. I'm just curious, how do you know this hotel manager, Mo Tao?"
Qin Xuan had anticipated her question. "This is the old classmate I told you about. We were college classmates."
"Really?" Wang Yuyan said skeptically.
"Really, truer than pearls." Wang Yuyan thought for a moment. Qin Xuan had been able to get the hotel's top VIP room earlier, likely with Mo Tao's help. She nodded, half-believing. "Alright, I don't think we can stay here. Since Qixiang is here too, we'll head back tonight and won't participate in the gem auction. I'm afraid Chu Shaofan won't give up."
Ren Qixiang chimed in, "I've heard of Chu Shaofan's reputation. He's known for being arrogant and vindictive in the capital. I also think we should return to Jiangbei tonight. The gem auction that grandfather assigned us to can be skipped this time. It happens every year, and we don't need to attend this particular one."
Qin Xuan, however, shook his head. "No, we can't go back. We must participate in this gem auction." Qin Xuan's purpose for this trip was to find more stones containing spiritual energy. Even a small piece of stone containing spiritual energy had allowed him to cultivate several small cycles. Those raw stones were much larger. If he could acquire one with spiritual energy, he could cultivate for a considerable period, and at least a few of the dragon scales on his back would grow. This would significantly improve his strength, giving him more confidence against people like Jin Shikai, Li Shengtian, and Chu Shaofan.