"Why are you here? It's such a coincidence that you enter the same store as me."
Wu Hui simply ordered two things and handed the menu to the waitress. The second time she held up these symbols-like words, she still felt it was hot. Facing Wu Hui's questioning, Mo Weiming was the one who was speechless.
"I would like to know how you have the leisure and elegance to come to a place like this? Besides, I came here first."
He was right, there was not much food left in front of Mo Weiming. A small piece of bone-in steak, dipped in a bit of black pepper sauce, lay on a white porcelain plate. There was a pool of pink blood in the center of the plate, and a rosemary soaked in it was fried to dryness. There was a faint trace of fried egg yolk remaining on the edge of the plate. The residue at the bottom of the goblet must be red wine. The last half of raw asparagus stuck on his fork rested near his mouth.
Oh Hye reached for the remaining garlic bread in his basket, unceremoniously.
"That's a coincidence. You said before that money should be spent on the edge of the knife. Did you mean table knives?"
"...Whatever you say. Isn't it the same for you?"
"No. Things here are not cheap, I know that. I don't have much money left, I just want a snack suddenly."
After a few minutes of chatting, the waiter served Wu Hui's meal. A cup of milk coffee with a suspiciously light color, and a snack with a dark color that is confusing. Mo Weiming looked at it for ten seconds and felt a phantom pain in his teeth.
It was already past dinner time, and the cafe was not too busy. They were sitting in a very remote corner, and the waiter didn't come here if he had nothing to do. Mo Weiming sighed slightly and said reluctantly:
"I lost my stuff yesterday, and I came here to look at it again today."
"Call the police?" Wu Hui blurted out, "What's the use of coming back here? Are you looking for a sword in the new era?"
Mo Weiming pinched his temples and whispered, "I really can't explain it to you." But Wuhui responded quickly. She began to realize that this guy was probably throwing something shady. I'm afraid my surgery will cost a lot.
"What are you here for?"
Mo Weiming just asked casually. He stuffed the last of the food into his mouth without looking at her. Wu Hui felt a little guilty. She didn't want him to know that she was looking for that "charlatan".
"That's just casual shopping. I heard that there are a lot of new stores here. I wonder if I can take advantage of the cheap price and buy some clothes or something. Let's talk about your business. Even if you can't call the police, I'm afraid you won't be able to go back to the same place again. It’s not of much use. It’s been a day, so maybe the things have changed hands long ago.”
Mo Weiming put the knife and fork aside, wiped his mouth, and considered how to explain.
"The things I threw were packed in a box. I was walking on the road at night and was suddenly snatched away by someone who rushed over. There were so many people in the area, and he quickly disappeared into the crowd. The robber probably thought that the box contained Things like gold bars and banknotes. But actually...the goods inside are very troublesome. Most people can't quickly find a buyer to take over."
"Is it the kind of contraband that is strictly controlled?"
"yes."
"It's incredible."
Although she responded, her tone was calm and her focus was on the snacks. Wu Hui always felt that this chestnut tart was not as delicious as last time. Is it because she had to pay for it in person? In other words, meeting Mo Weiming by chance affected my appetite a bit.
If it's firearms and ammunition, it's not completely prohibited. There are more or less law enforcement agencies and local forces, and the management of their subordinates is not necessarily so strict. But if it's medicine, it's a different story. There are a lot of underground black doctors these days, but being able to stock up on so many types at once still requires a very special approach. When colleagues get this kind of thing, they just gasp and try not to get angry.
As if talking to himself, Mo Weiming said resentfully:
"The worst thing that could happen is that the contents are dumped into the sewer by someone who doesn't know the goods. This is such a waste."
"Maybe they will sell it little by little?"
"It's possible, but it was taken over by outsiders and some things are no longer usable. The conditions for their preservation are very harsh. In fact... I really didn't have much hope. I know that during this period, there was an undercurrent in Qianhua Lane, and ordinary people It’s best not to wade into the muddy waters. I just want to take a closer look and observe if there are any places or people worth caring about. If I really want to retaliate or something, I can’t do it on my own. At least I can learn more about the current situation and be able to avoid it. A lot of trouble."
Wu Hui's dim sum fork stopped in mid-air.
"In this regard... maybe I can help you."
"Yeah?"
Mo Weiming didn't think she was joking. He knew very well that Wu Hui worked in a newspaper office and had better information than anyone else.
"To be honest, I went into this store because I've been there before. Just this Monday, Qiwen's friend invited us to go there - it's the newly opened store in the west of the city. His friend is from the Chamber of Commerce, and it is said that he is in Qianhua Several pieces of land were purchased when the lane was expanded. To be able to speak to the construction of Qianhua Lane at this juncture, I must be very familiar with the boss here."
"Chamber of Commerce? I also have friends from the Chamber of Commerce." Mo Weiming raised his profile, "The boss of Qianhua Lane can only be..."
"Boy, were you talking about throwing things just now?"
There were two people standing next to the booth, one on the left and one on the right blocking Mo Weiming and Wu Hui's way out. They turned their heads and looked blankly. The two of them were wearing dark suits and white gloves, with a bright red handkerchief sticking out of their breast pockets. When his eyes came into contact with the red mass, Mo Weiming froze slightly.
"Are you being followed?" He said to Wu Hui in a low voice. Even though he knew those two could hear it.
"...No? No."
Wuhui couldn't think of a reason why she was being followed. But looking at this posture, these two people have been listening for a long time.
"Please come with us, please. We brothers heard that one of you lost a suitcase. It just so happened that a brother from the club picked up such a suitcase last night. What's inside seems to be a real expert. You know how much money is worth. Our boss has always wanted to find the owner, return it in person, make friends, and expand our contacts. I’m asking you to come with me."
The two did not dare to resist and had to cooperate with their actions. It's going to be big trouble, and everyone knows it. Passing by a nearby booth, Mo Weiming glanced at two bottomed cups of coffee and knew that they had probably been listening from the beginning. They might even arrive earlier than Wu Hui. The one being followed could only be himself - it turned out that he had been targeted early on.
They were escorted into a car. Mo Weiming was convinced that the car was parked here when he came. At that time, he thought it was just an ordinary big boss having a casual meal. One person sat in the passenger seat and one person sat in the back seat to watch over them. Mo Weiming was squeezed in the middle, which was a bit awkward.
It's not that they are gentlemen to women, it's just that men should be subject to tighter control. They really overestimate themselves. If Mo Weiming was a strong man, he would have caught up with that thief yesterday and knocked him down, and he wouldn't have been reduced to this.
The driver started the engine and the fully loaded car moved forward on the newly paved road. Mo Weiming turned his head and glanced at Wu Hui. She was silently looking at the scenery outside the window without saying a word.
"Oh." She finally sighed.
"Sorry for bringing you into this."
"It's nothing. It's just my snack that I haven't finished yet."
"……good."
Seeing that Wu Hui didn't have any sense of danger about being put into a sack and sinking into the sea, but instead looked curiously at the scenery outside the window, Mo Weiming felt a little relieved. No matter what, she has always been so calm and composed, as if nothing in the world is more important than eating.
"Brothers," Wu Hui said tentatively, "where are you going?"
After a few seconds of silence, the man in the co-pilot replied: "Feiye Bay."
Wu Hui fell silent at the right moment. Feiye Bay is not a port, but the largest and most famous dance hall in Yaozhou. She had only heard about it, but had never even seen the sign, let alone gone there in person. But it also has an open secret: beneath the dance floor is a Western casino where the city's richest people and officials gather. In addition to the common Sic Bo, Pai Gow, and Fan Tan, there are also baccarat, roulette, and slot machines that foreigners like. Gamblers spend huge sums of money here, heading towards the fate of either getting rich overnight or going bankrupt. While there are never more than two answers, most people are very good at pushing themselves into either/or situations.
The car drove for less than half an hour and arrived at its destination. Feiye Bay is located at the corner of the largest intersection, and only the buildings on the ground occupy a block. The neon lights did not flash during the day, but Wu Hui could easily imagine what a glorious and majestic scene it would be at night. The building was very high, and she didn't know what was going on up there. If you look out the window here, you can easily see the vast sea not far away, the last boundary of Yaozhou City.
Although they were not escorted in and looked a little respectable, the burning gaze behind them still made them feel uncomfortable. Feiye Bay is open during the day, and it is no less lively than at night. However, the dance area is less open, and what takes up more space is a group of round tables covered with dark red tablecloths. Probably because it was Sunday, the place was packed. The singer with gorgeous attire and fashionable hairstyle sang in front of the microphone in a daze, bringing her emotional singing to every corner.
Under the interweaving of dreamy and misty colorful lights, the two people dressed simply became the new focus. Fortunately, they walked close to the wall and were quickly pushed into a side room.
As soon as the door closed, the private room immediately became quieter, only a low hum could be heard vaguely. The interior is also carpeted, just like the exterior, probably for sound absorption. Under the dim light, Wu Hui saw a woman sitting opposite the low table. She was wearing an off-shoulder cheongsam with a slanted front and the fabric was only wrapped around her neck, with a black fur hanging loosely on the outside. Probably not long after arriving, the woman felt hot, so she took off her fluffy shawl. The pearl necklace intertwined twice on the chest reflected the luxurious luster.
She took out a pack of cigarettes and held one in her hand. The remaining half of the package was tossed onto the table, touching the vase of roses. Wu Hui saw that there were roses and foreign characters printed on the carton, so it should be imported women's cigarettes.
"Smoke, you're welcome."
Her voice also had a lightness and sweetness to it, but it was not deliberately manipulated, it was just natural. Oh Hye couldn't identify her age. She looks very young, and the high slit in her dress reveals her fair thighs without any cover-up. But her sophisticated and graceful posture is really unlike what a showgirl and dancer of similar age to Wu Hui can display.
As soon as the cigarette was brought to her mouth, the woman suddenly froze and started laughing.
"Look at my memory. The fire is not here."
As she spoke, she placed the cigarette in her hand next to the ashtray, next to the vase. She leaned back, relaxed her arms on the back of the sofa, and waved her other hand casually, signaling for her men to get out. The noisy sound flowed in briefly, then stopped abruptly.
Now, there are only three people left in the room.
Mo Weiming repeatedly clenched his fists and said awkwardly:
"Master Jiu..."
Wu Hui was stunned on the spot.
