Du Shiru was dancing with Li Zhenting, but her eyes kept drifting involuntarily toward Li Juechen. Li Zhenting naturally noticed. His eyes narrowed slightly, and a barely perceptible dark glint flashed across them. In the blink of an eye, however, he had come up with a brilliant idea.
He slowly leaned toward Du Shiru’s ear and said softly, “Stop looking. Even if my Third Brother didn’t already have such a stunning confidante, with your ordinary looks and temperament, you still wouldn’t catch his eye.”
Du Shiru’s heart jolted. She stared at Li Zhenting in disbelief, her lips trembling as she asked, “Are you sure that translator is your Third Brother’s woman?”
A mysterious smile appeared on Li Zhenting’s face as he nodded leisurely. “Mm-hmm!”
Du Shiru bit her lower lip tightly and pressed on. “Did Third Brother tell you that himself? As far as I remember, the two of you aren’t close enough to sit around discussing women and personal matters.”
Li Zhenting burst out laughing as though he had just heard something amusing.
“Do you really need to ask? Sheng Enrong took a liking to her too, but after my Sixth Brother said just two words to him, he didn’t even dare look at her directly anymore. In all of Beiping, can you find a second person capable of making Sheng Enrong behave that obediently besides my Third Brother?
“And don’t forget my Sixth Brother. He may look like he’s always surrounded by women, but he’s actually the most heartless of all. That translator may be beautiful, but if she weren’t my Third Brother’s woman, Li Yuanzhou would never have stepped forward to help her out of trouble!
“Miss Du, a person should know her own limitations. You don’t stand a chance.”
Du Shiru glared furiously at Tang Lichu’s seat, grinding her teeth.
“I’m not giving up. I’ve liked Third Brother for so many years. Am I really no match for some pretty vase? What makes her so special? She’s nothing but a beautiful face. Once Third Brother gets tired of her, what else will she have to keep him by her side?”
Li Zhenting followed her line of thought. “That’s true.”
A spark suddenly returned to Du Shiru’s previously dim eyes. She looked at Li Zhenting expectantly and asked eagerly, “Will you help me?”
The corners of Li Zhenting’s lips lifted slightly, his handsome face filled with smugness.
“Why should I help you? Whoever ends up with my Third Brother, I’ll respectfully call her ‘Third Sister-in-law.’ What does your business have to do with me?”
Du Shiru understood perfectly well that Li Zhenting would never offer his help out of pure kindness. She raised her head and stared directly at the man before her, asking without backing down, “What exactly do you want?”
He cast her a sidelong glance, then leaned forward until his lips were close to her ear and whispered, “What do you think? Think carefully. What exactly do you have that could possibly interest me?”
When the song ended, the two returned to their seats one after another. Du Shiru kept replaying Li Zhenting’s words in her mind.
What did she possess that was worth coveting?
From the way he had spoken, it certainly wasn’t her. And it couldn’t be money either.
If it wasn’t either of those things, then there was only one possibility left—her father.
At that thought, Du Shiru’s heart sank, and an ominous feeling washed over her.
It seems Fourth Master Li has quite some ambition!
Sophia and Susan, the two foreign women, were both completely drunk. Feng An called over some men waiting nearby to carry them outside.
Tang Lichu, who had been sitting quietly all this time, also slowly rose to her feet. A dance hall really wasn’t the sort of place that suited her. She had been there for less than an hour, yet she already felt dizzy and light-headed.
Once outside the dance hall, Tang Lichu let out a long breath.
Feng An helped Sophia and Susan into the car before turning around with a smile and saying to Tang Lichu, “Miss Tang, Third Master’s car is up ahead. You can go inside and wait for him.”
“Wait?”
Tang Lichu froze in confusion.
“Did Third Master tell you to have me wait here for him?”
Feng An gave her a look that clearly said, What do you think? Then he opened the car door.
With no other choice, Tang Lichu bent down and got inside. After spending the entire day accompanying Sophia, she was already utterly exhausted. It wasn’t long before she leaned against the seat and fell into a deep sleep.
Cheng Ma, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, turned around and looked worriedly at the sleeping Tang Lichu.
“Lieutenant Feng, perhaps we should go back first? The young lady could easily catch a chill sleeping like this.”
Feng An was anxious too.
Before leaving the Paramount, Third Master had merely glanced at him, but the meaning behind that look had been crystal clear: Wait here.
How could he dare leave without permission?
But if Tang Lichu continued sleeping like this and ended up getting sick because of it, he would probably be held responsible as well.
Just as Feng An was caught between two impossible choices, Li Juechen walked out of the dance hall.
Feng An’s heart immediately lifted with relief.
But then he saw Fourth Master, Fifth Master, Sixth Master, and Miss Du following behind Third Master in succession.
After receiving Du Shiru’s pleading glance, Li Zhenting smiled and stopped Li Juechen as he was about to leave.
“Third Brother, you and Sixth Brother have been staying at the military camp all this time. It’s rare for you to come out and relax. Why leave so early?”
Li Juechen gave him a cold look.
“It was Sixth Brother who wanted to come out for a drink. There are still plenty of things at the military camp that need to be arranged, and we have drills first thing tomorrow morning. I’m leaving. Put the bill on my tab.”
Li Yuzhang looked toward Li Yuanzhou and joined in to persuade them.
“Exactly because you’re busy, you need to relax once in a while. Sister Shiru is Commander Du’s daughter and has just returned from studying abroad. As her brothers, shouldn’t we throw her a banquet to celebrate her return?”
Li Yuanzhou raised an eyebrow in surprise.
“Fourth Brother, Fifth Brother, aren’t you two being a little too enthusiastic tonight? Sister Shiru has the two of you as her good brothers. Where would Sixth Brother and I even fit in? We’re leaving. You two carry on.”
With that, the two of them walked toward Li Juechen’s car together.
Du Shiru watched their departing figures, her eyes narrowing slightly as a cold glint flashed through them. Without paying any attention to Li Zhenting or Li Yuzhang, she turned around without hesitation and went back into the dance hall.
Li Yuzhang followed closely behind her. Lowering his voice, he leaned toward Li Zhenting’s ear and asked quietly, “Fourth Brother, do you think Du Shiru will help us?”
Li Zhenting snorted coldly and gave a disdainful smile. Patting him on the shoulder, he said meaningfully, “Never underestimate a woman’s desire for revenge. She’s different from Huang Xuejian. That spoiled young lady wears every emotion on her sleeve. She’s straightforward and acts without much thought.
“But Du Shiru? Her heart is black. Just wait and see.”
Li Yuzhang shrugged.
“I don’t care whether she’s black-hearted or not. But if we can gain Commander Du’s support, things will become much easier for us. At the very least, we’ll gradually be able to get involved in military affairs.”
With that, the two exchanged knowing smiles and walked back into the dance hall together.