Chapter 36: A Reckoning by the Lake

Good evening, Young Miss. I have already sent the results of the matter you entrusted to me to your email.

You’ve worked hard. Having kept you busy until this hour, please go and rest now.

Thank you for your concern. I hope you will also rest early. Good night to you.

Mm, and sweet dreams to you too.

Hanging up the phone, she operated her laptop to open her email.

After a cursory glance at the text documents, which filled her with profound revulsion, she suppressed a wave of nausea and clicked on the attached video.

“A girl I like? Yes, there certainly is one.”

“Oh!?~ This is truly shocking and unexpected! And from the sound of it, you don’t seem to mind revealing a little information about them to our audience and your many fans, do you?”

“Haha, please don’t be so nervous. It is only thanks to everyone’s love that I am able to stand on the stage of my dreams, and through my hard work and sweat, I have returned this joy to all of you. So the ‘girl’ I just mentioned, is actually all of my fans who are watching me now. Ah, and of course, for those who aren’t girls, please understand my shy feelings, and I hope you won’t mind my little joke.”

“Ah, so that’s it! To receive such a straightforward confession from their beloved singer, I imagine all the fans in front of their screens must be absolutely thrilled.”

“I, for one, hope everyone isn’t too excited. After all, I deeply love every single fan who wholeheartedly supports me.”

“What a truly touching statement! However, even though everyone understands your feelings, I’m sure they’re still incredibly curious: what kind of girl do you truly like? If you don’t mind, would you be willing to discuss it a little more?”

“Wow~ you really are mischievous. Hmm… ‘what kind of girl I like’ might not be the most fitting way to put it. I can only say this: if, one day, I truly wish to experience what love feels like, then I hope that person possesses brilliant golden hair like the sun, eyes as blue as a clear sky, and an angelic, innocent smile. When they’re happy, they can even be like a storm, unceremoniously sweeping away everyone around them…”

*Click*—

‘Tch! They actually dared to pull a stunt like this on me…’

The girl’s face was clouded with gloom as she snapped her laptop shut.

If the oppressive aura emanating from her could take solid form, it would likely blast the entire room to the heavens in an instant.

After quietly sitting for a moment to compose herself, she reopened the laptop.

She worked on it for a bit, then picked up her phone and dialed a number.

“What’s wrong, Yueyue? Calling at this hour?”

“Quickly check your email first; I just sent you something.”

“Oh~ but I’m in the bath right now. Can I look at it later?”

“No! Ah, wait… it’s almost midnight. Why are you still bathing?”

She felt utterly perplexed.

“Because I didn’t sleep well last night, and then I got too carried away with you today. When I got home, I couldn’t help but take a nap first…”

“Heh heh, so you’re actually blaming me for this? And you’ve been pestering me for two whole days now; isn’t that enough?”

She was so exasperated she nearly laughed.

“Can’t I? It’s your fault for luring Qiuqiu to sneak a look.”

“Do you think it would have been better for him to awkwardly greet you, rather than performing a crosstalk routine with you in the club room?”

“…Hmm~ Fine, you have a point, alright?”

“So, how much longer do you plan to soak?”

“Should I say you called at just the right moment? I’m actually drying off right now.”

“Then I suggest you put on something warm first.”

“Ah… that already sounds like bad news.”

“Sigh, at least it’s not exactly bad news.”

“Alright, just wait for me a moment. Hmm, where are my headphones…”

Headphones? …Right.

Lan Xinyue quickly switched her phone to speaker mode, placed it on the stand, and then leaned back against the sofa to wait.

Approximately five minutes later, a loud shout, brimming with undisguised fury, suddenly erupted from the phone.

“How could this happen?! Those were Qiuqiu’s words, meant to praise me! Argh!!! This is truly, utterly awful! It was already disgusting enough! Now it makes me wish I could chop that filthy thing into a million pieces!!!”

*Thump!*—

*Snap! Snap! Snap! Clang!*

As her voice trailed off, a series of commotions suddenly erupted from the other end.

“Eh? Why did you all come in? …No, you must have misheard! …Really, I didn’t! Quickly put away what’s in your hands! What if they go off?! This is my living room, you know!! …Ah!~ Didn’t I just say! I wasn’t really going to chop anyone into pieces?! Get out! All of you, quickly get out~!!”

Lan Xinyue could only offer a wry, helpless smile at this.

“You were so loud, of course they heard you.”

“It’s not my fault, though. Who knew it would turn out like this… Ah~~~ What am I going to do now…”

“That’s precisely why I’m contacting you now. Consider it an apology for yesterday; I’ll take care of it.”

“Oh? Really?”

“What? Don’t tell me you want to handle it yourself?”

“Hmm, I actually was thinking that.”

“Sigh…”

Lan Xinyue couldn’t help but sigh, pressing a hand to her forehead.

“Come on. You only need to imagine what would happen if your family members, who just walked in, found out about this. You definitely wouldn’t insist on handling it yourself.”

“Ah… right. They’d certainly board a helicopter, fully armed, and during the ‘thump-thump-thump’ of its blades, they’d constantly chatter on the walkie-talkie to confirm the location. Then, even in the middle of a street, they’d directly hoist the person up, fly them out to the nearshore, past the open sea, and finally, on international waters, cut the rope… Hmm… the little sharks would have a feast then.”

“Hahahahaha, I feel much better all of a sudden. Thank you for that overly vivid recreation of the scene.”

“Hey~ it hasn’t become reality yet, it’s just a hypothetical scenario.”

“So, you can confidently leave it to me now, right?”

“Mm, I suppose I’ll have to trouble you then.”

“Then get some rest early. Don’t stay up playing around; you wouldn’t want your good friend lecturing you again tomorrow for having dark circles under your eyes, would you?”

“Ah~ how annoying, always poking at my sore spots. Wuwu~ Qiuqiu really is quite scary when he gets angry, just like an iron-faced Yama King (TL Note: A deity of the underworld in East Asian Buddhism, often depicted as a stern judge of the dead).”

“Heh heh, it’s good that you’re self-aware. Good night.”

“Mm-hm, good night.”

After hanging up the phone, Lan Xinyue first shook her head, a mix of exasperation and amusement on her face.

Then, her expression sobered, and she dialed another number.

“Good evening, Young Miss. Please give your orders.”

A deep, powerful voice quickly responded.

“Brother Heihu, I’ve told you before not to be so formal.”

“Young Miss, this is only proper. We are deeply honored by your respect, so please allow us to maintain the appropriate demeanor.”

Lan Xinyue offered a faint, wry smile.

“Alright, then I won’t press the matter. I’ll send the information over shortly, including instructions on how to handle it. I’m afraid it will be hard on you all, but please try to get it done tonight.”

“Please rest assured, we will give it our utmost. Are there any other instructions?”

“Of course, there’s one more thing: once it’s done, rest as soon as possible. Tomorrow, take everyone out for some proper relaxation.”

“Thank you for your concern. I will certainly see to it. Good night to you, then.”

“Mm, and sweet dreams to all of you.”

****

Under the shimmering moonlight, by the sparkling lake, the distinct thud of a heavy object suddenly echoed.

“Uwaaaah… Who are you people?! What do you want?!”

“First, kindly shut your foul mouth, little rookie, or I’ll break all your legs right now.”

The stern-faced man in black spoke, then settled onto a folding stool that another black-clad man had opened for him.

He stared at the youth on the ground, who was clad only in red polka-dot boxers and weeping uncontrollably.

Slowly, he produced a cigarette and a lighter, igniting a small spark in the dim moonlight.

His features were, in fact, quite handsome.

However, a grotesque scar, starting from the corner of his left eye, passing beneath his left ear, and extending downwards until it was hidden by the white shirt collar beneath his black suit, with its widest point measuring a full three centimeters, made him appear entirely monstrous in the eyes of others.

Perhaps it was precisely this that had intimidated the frantic youth, who now merely huddled, teeth chattering, quietly awaiting what would come next.

“Hmph…”

A moment later, he exhaled a long plume of smoke.

He then pulled out his phone, brought up a photo, and displayed it before the youth’s eyes.

“Do you recognize this young lady?”

On the screen was a girl with dazzling golden hair, azure eyes, and a smile as radiant as sunshine.

“…No, I don’t.”

The youth, whose bright golden hair was now caked with dust and whose pale face was smudged with grime, answered, his gaze darting nervously.

“Heh.”

He gave a cold, mirthless laugh, then put his phone away.

“Do you know what it means to ask something you already know?”

The youth dared not answer, merely swallowing hard.

“Hmph…”

He exhaled another stream of smoke, his gaze, as he looked down at the youth, filled with disdain and contempt.

“When I first saw Young Miss’s request, I actually felt a pang of reluctance. After all, how should I put it? For a little rookie like you, that Young Miss would even bother sending us to deal with you… I don’t know whether to say you’re blessed with extreme luck or cursed with absolute misfortune. Oh, look at my mouth, such words are terribly disrespectful to Young Miss. Perhaps I should say, your understanding of ‘not knowing the immensity of heaven and earth’ is probably worse than a newly enrolled elementary school student’s.”

Around them, a dozen or so sneering laughs, completely undisguised, erupted.

He waved a hand, signaling for the others to quiet down.

“But back at the hotel, I simply thought you deserved it. You certainly played quite the game, didn’t you? Not only were all four of them coerced female fans, but you also added role-playing and elaborate scenarios. It truly suited the disgusting facade you put on for television.”

“You… who are you people?! Is Young Miss referring to Nina?! D-did she send you?! Who, who exactly is she?! And, and what is her purpose?!”

The youth’s uncontrollable trembling also affected his voice.

“Don’t rush. And don’t use your foul mouth to call Miss Samino by her given name again. Furthermore, do not mention our Young Miss. You only need to listen to the two choices I’m about to present, and you will naturally understand.”

With a cold expression, he extended the lit cigarette toward the youth’s right eye, which was a slightly askew amber color.

“Huh? What are you doing? Ah!! Stop! Don’t!! Don’t bring it any closer!! Noooo!! M-mph!?!! M-mph!!!”

The youth instinctively tried to recoil, but two black-clad men behind him swiftly pinned him down, covering his mouth simultaneously.

The scorching red tip circled about five centimeters from his eye but did not draw any closer.

Instead, it merely flickered twice, guided by long, powerful fingers.

“Don’t be so nervous. I’m not interested in that nominal spherical object beneath your cheap colored contact lens. This is merely a small warning for your offense of daring to call Miss Samino by her given name. But don’t you ever forget, if there’s a next time, it won’t be this lenient. Now, listen closely.”

He withdrew his hand, inhaled deeply, consuming a good portion of the cigarette in one breath, and then exhaled a dense cloud of smoke.

“First choice: We let you go now. However, five minutes from now, everything you’ve done during your time in entertainment will become public knowledge. In simple terms, your reputation will be utterly ruined, and you’ll be reviled by everyone.”

“Second choice: Hand over all your family’s assets as compensation to the girls you’ve harmed. Then, your entire trashy family will leave this place for good, rolling as far away as possible.”

He took another forceful drag from his cigarette, then pulled out a snuffer box and placed the remaining half-smoked cigarette inside.

“Personally, I highly recommend you choose the second option. At the very least, you’ll get to keep your dog’s life.”

Saying this, he gestured with a raised hand, signaling for them to release the youth’s mouth.

“P-hah! No! Neither! So your goal is just money? I’ll give it! I have plenty of money myself, I can give it all to you! But—urgh?! M-mph! M-ghk!! …Ughh…”

“Little rookie, do you know why my brothers are all wearing gloves and shoe covers? It’s because, from the very beginning, we had no desire to touch a piece of trash as significant as you, not even once.”

He finished, his voice laced with disgust, and then shook his right foot.

“So, you owe me a pair of shoe covers too.”

“Boss, time is running out.”

The person beside him leaned in and whispered a reminder, then handed him a pair of black leather gloves.

“Indeed. Young Miss hasn’t used her privileges in so many years; we can’t afford any slip-ups on our watch.”

Saying this, he put away the snuffer box, took the gloves, and after putting them on, he crouched down.

He grabbed the youth by his hair and then took a piece of yellow adhesive tape that was handed to him again.

“Ah… hah… Please… I beg you…”

“Shhh~”

“M-mph! …M-mph!”

“It seems you’re unable to make a choice yourself. In that case, allow a kind soul like me to help you. Hmm, how about choosing both? See, that way you won’t be caught between two difficult options. Quite reasonable, wouldn’t you say?”

“M-mph!! M-mph!!!”

“Ah, shaking your head means you agree, then. So don’t blame me; if you must blame someone, blame yourself. While I can somewhat understand your thoughts, it’s normal to appreciate beauty, but you must also have self-awareness. Someone like you, who not only dared to offend the little princess of the Samino family but also angered our Young Miss, I wonder how many guts you have. Oh, it seems you agree with that too. Well then, sleep well.”

He spoke in a tone akin to coaxing a child, then neatly and cleanly knocked the youth unconscious.

Rising, he stretched his neck, twisting it side to side.

“Phew, Young Miss sometimes gives us tricky tasks. How did a brute like me end up with a delicate job like ‘killing the heart’ (TL Note: A Chinese idiom, ‘shā rén zhū xīn,’ meaning to mentally crush someone, to destroy their spirit or reputation, often more devastating than physical harm)? Xiao Hou, how much longer until the surveillance and security systems are back online?”

“Six more minutes.”

“That’s enough. Quickly clean up the traces and then go back to rest. Leave the rest to me. We’ll gather at the usual spot tomorrow. Young Miss has already made arrangements, so no one is allowed to be absent.”

“Of course not, Boss. Young Miss is as considerate as ever.”

*Slap!*

“Ow?!”

He was slapped on the back of his head.

“Boss?”

“You idiot, you used the wrong word. You should say ‘sympathetic’ or at least ‘caring.’ Don’t you think ‘considerate’ is too thick-skinned?”

“…I guess so.”

“That’s why I tell you to read more books. Alright, get to work.”

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