Yu Daochen nodded and walked towards the front of the shop. The clothes and windbreaker were gifts from Qiangzi, and he had kept them without wearing them.
Upon arriving at the front of the shop, before Yu Daochen could speak, Long Yu spoke first, "Dressed up, you look quite handsome."
Yu Daochen looked embarrassed. Tying up his hair and wearing the windbreaker felt strange, though he couldn't pinpoint why.
"When I get back, I'll sell a few female fish to relieve your loneliness," Yu Daochen said to ease his own awkwardness.
The dragon fish in the tank made a look of speechless exasperation that shouldn't have been possible. "I'm a female fish."
Yu Daochen leaned closer to the fish tank to examine it carefully. From its voice, he genuinely couldn't tell if it was male or female.
As Yu Daochen was thinking, footsteps sounded, and a girl's voice asked, "Is this the place? Midnight Spirit Shop."
Yu Daochen turned to look. The speaker was Zhu Yanjuan, Xu Yaya's classmate.
Zhu Yanjuan walked in and saw Yu Daochen playing with the fish. She was stunned. Although she had seen Yu Daochen before, he was wearing shorts and flip-flops that time. Such an outfit would drag down even the most handsome face.
However, she hadn't expected Yu Daochen to look so handsome with just a little dressing up.
Seeing Zhu Yanjuan arrive, Yu Daochen winked at the dragon fish in the tank, signaling it to remain silent.
The dragon fish swam a few obedient laps in the tank. Yu Daochen looked at Zhu Yanjuan, "You're Yaya's classmate, right?"
With Yu Daochen speaking, Zhu Yanjuan finally came back to her senses and nodded, "That's right, I'm Xiao Ya's classmate, Zhu Yanjuan. We've met before. Xiao Ya asked me to pick you up."
Yu Daochen nodded. Xu Yaya had already messaged him, informing him that the hotel they were going to was not far from the Western restaurant. Xu Yaya had gone straight there after finishing her work. Since Zhu Yanjuan's home was not far from the shop, she decided to bring Yu Daochen along.
Yu Daochen locked the door and followed Zhu Yanjuan into an Audi. Zhu Yanjuan sat in the passenger seat, and Yu Daochen sat in the back.
As the car slowly started moving, the middle-aged man driving looked at Yu Daochen in the rearview mirror.
Zhu Yanjuan introduced Yu Daochen to the middle-aged man beside her, "Dad, this is Xiao Ya's brother, Yu Daochen."
Before Yu Daochen could speak, the middle-aged man spoke first, "Greetings, Gu Ye."
Zhu Changlong's primary businesses were in real estate and entertainment venues. Those in this line of work inevitably encountered troublemakers, and some problems could only be resolved by people from the underworld.
Although Zhu Changlong was not part of the underworld, he had met many people through his long involvement in the business. He also knew that there was one person in Jiangdu who could not be offended.
Yu Daochen grunted and looked at the middle-aged man in front. The one calling him Gu Ye was likely someone from the underworld.
Zhu Yanjuan looked at her father, Zhu Changlong, with disbelief. "Dad?"
She knew her father's temperament very well. He rarely addressed anyone as "Ye" regardless of who they were.
Zhu Changlong didn't say much, and Zhu Yanjuan didn't press further. Instead, she looked at Yu Daochen in the rearview mirror with confusion.
Zhu Changlong kept his eyes on the road ahead until they stopped at a high-end hotel in the bustling district of Jiangdu.
Yu Daochen and Zhu Yanjuan got out of the car. Zhu Changlong said to Zhu Yanjuan beside him, "Bring Xiao Ya over to our house next time."
Zhu Yanjuan nodded. Zhu Changlong then drove away with a meaningful look.
Yu Daochen gazed at the four large characters of Sihai Hotel. Despite having been in Jiangdu for so long, this was Yu Daochen's first time visiting such a place.
Zhu Yanjuan led Yu Daochen inside. As the elevator door opened, a woman walked out.
The woman was surprised to see Yu Daochen and said, "I didn't expect to meet Gu Ye here."
Yu Daochen frowned. What a coincidence today. He was meeting Bai Yunyan from the Yan Shu Sect just for dinner.
Seeing Bai Yunyan in a professional suit, Zhu Yanjuan's eyebrows furrowed slightly. She became even more confused, wondering why everyone they met addressed him as Gu Ye.
Yu Daochen gave a polite smile, "I didn't expect you to be here."
"This is also one of our affiliated industries," Bai Yunyan nodded.
Yu Daochen knew that Bai Yunyan was referring to one of the Yan Shu Sect's affiliated industries.
Bai Yunyan glanced at Zhu Yanjuan beside him and then looked at Yu Daochen, "Could Gu Ye speak with me privately?"
Yu Daochen said to Zhu Yanjuan beside him, "You go up first. I'll be up later."
Zhu Yanjuan nodded, "Room 486 on the second floor."
Yu Daochen nodded, and Zhu Yanjuan entered the elevator. She could feel an indescribable pressure emanating from the woman. Just a glance from her made one feel uneasy.
Bai Yunyan followed Yu Daochen to an office on the fourth floor.
As Yu Daochen entered the office, he instinctively reached for his lower back, then suddenly remembered he hadn't brought his Kang Long Jian with him.
Having the habit of carrying the Kang Long Jian with him for years, he felt a bit uneasy leaving it at home.
Inside the office, they sat facing each other. Bai Yunyan spoke first, "What would Gu Ye like to drink?"
Yu Daochen waved his hand and said sternly, "No need. Just tell me what you need."
Getting involved with the Yan Shu Sect would not end well. He wanted to distance himself and leave quickly.
Gratitude: Thank you to the little cuties [Yun Jian Qi Miao Shang Dian], [Hong Jiang Lai De Kan Ke], [Da Hei An Tian] for your gifts. Thank you very much.