Listening to Lin Kuang and Liu Shiyu bicker every day gave Liu Shilin a headache. It was as if the two were fire and water, completely incompatible. They started arguing the moment they met, as if addicted and simply unable to stop.
Arriving at the Sichuan restaurant, the three found a corner table and began to order their food.
Throughout the meal, the Witch and Lin Kuang did little more than glare at each other. Clearly, the Witch was not happy. Or, more precisely, she hadn't known a single moment of happiness since meeting Lin Kuang. Liu Shilin played the role of peacemaker, constantly calming the Witch down to prevent her from erupting.
"Sis, can we please go to Little Dimple?" Liu Shiyu asked with a beaming smile after they finished eating.
"You want to go?" Liu Shilin couldn't help but smile back at her cousin's eager face.
"Of course! I can only go once a week. It's so hard on me," the Witch pouted. This was a rule her father had set for her: she was only allowed to go to a bar once a week.
"Alright then, we'll go to Little Dimple," Liu Shilin answered with a smile. She doted on her younger cousin and would grant her almost any request.
"Yay! I knew you were the best, sis!" the Witch exclaimed joyfully, planting a firm kiss on Liu Shilin's pretty cheek with her alluring red lips.
"Alright, alright. Let's get going, or I might change my mind," Liu Shilin said irritably, wiping her face.
"Hehe, let's go now! Right now! Driver, hit the road!" Liu Shiyu said cheerfully. When she turned to look at Lin Kuang, however, her tone immediately turned fierce.
Lin Kuang paid her no mind. He was starting to get a handle on the Witch's temper and was too lazy to argue with her. He stood up, led the way out of the restaurant, and the three of them got back into the car.
Following the address the Witch provided, Lin Kuang drove straight to the Little Dimple bar. As he drove, he glanced nonchalantly into the rearview mirror, the corner of his mouth curling into a barely perceptible sneer.
You've been following us since we were shopping. To follow for so long without making a move… you're certainly patient. Lin Kuang thought.
He had noticed their tail long ago but hadn't bothered to call them out. Besides, he didn't want to worry Liu Shilin and Liu Shiyu, so he kept it to himself.
When they arrived at Little Dimple, the bar was just starting to fill up, and soft music played in the background. The three of them found a table, ordered a few cocktails, and sat down to chat and drink.
To Lin Kuang, squandering one's youth in a place like this was the same as wasting one's life, so he rarely set foot in such establishments. But it was a different story for the Witch. The girl had a wild streak and adored the atmosphere. She went absolutely nuts every time the heavy metal music started.
Liu Shilin watched on quietly. A few years ago, she had also enjoyed places like this, but she rarely came after her father disappeared. The few times she had come were either to blow off steam from overwhelming stress or to accompany the Witch.
"It hasn't started yet? Why can't it just start earlier?" the Witch grumbled with a pout. Already in a bad mood, she was ready to let loose, and the delay was only making her more frustrated.
Gradually, the bar filled up, and the soft music gave way to explosive, pounding beats.
On the dance floor, a crowd of young men and women writhed wildly. Some seemed to enjoy the sensation, while others appeared to be venting their stress. Either way, everyone looked like they were having the time of their lives. The Witch was especially wild, and her frenzied dancing, combined with her sexy legs and stunning figure, naturally drew the eyes of many men. She paid them no mind, getting lost in her own world and even letting out a few excited shouts when the mood struck.
"That girl is getting crazier and crazier," Liu Shilin remarked with a wry smile, watching her cousin move on the dance floor.
"Don't you ever try to rein her in?" Lin Kuang asked after taking a sip of his so-called cocktail.
"She's usually well-behaved, just a little headstrong. Besides, she only comes to the bar once a week. It's fine," Liu Shilin explained with a smile.
Lin Kuang nodded at her words, but his gaze was fixed on three men on the dance floor. They were the same three who had been following them. Actually, there were four of them. The fourth was already walking toward their table—or more accurately, toward Liu Shilin.
"Hey, beautiful. Wanna have some fun?" a young man asked with a sleazy grin as he plopped down next to Liu Shilin.
"Sorry, not interested. Please leave," Liu Shilin said, her brow furrowed with undisguised disgust.
"Tsk, tsk. Such a cold little thing. Come on, have some fun with your big bro. Don't worry, I've got plenty of money. I'll make it worth your while," the man said, raising a hand as if to touch her.
Liu Shilin quickly scooted over to sit next to Lin Kuang. "Get lost, or I'll call security!"
"Go ahead, call them," the man smirked, getting up and moving toward her again, clearly intending to grab her. "Scream all you want. It won't do you any good."
At that moment, Lin Kuang rose from his seat. "You followed us all this way just to wait for this moment?" he asked with a smile. "Are your brains really that slow? Or do you actually think the four of you are enough to take me down?" As he spoke, he stared at the man as if he were an idiot.
The man's expression froze, a flash of disbelief in his eyes. How did he know? He must have spotted us long ago! As this thought crossed his mind, his gaze on Lin Kuang turned cold.
"Well, well. I didn't realize you were so capable. But you're right, the four of us are more than enough to handle you," the man said dismissively, clearly underestimating him.
Lin Kuang shrugged helplessly. "There are always so many ignorant people. The most detestable part is that ignorant people are always self-righteous, thinking they're hot stuff. That's true ignorance. Just like you."
The man stared blankly for a second before his eyes blazed with fury. The next moment, he threw a punch straight at Lin Kuang's head.
His movements were swift and his punch was fast; he looked like he'd had a bit of training.
But in the next instant, he froze. He frantically rubbed his eyes and looked again. Lin Kuang was no longer in front of him, but he could have sworn he was there just a second ago!
"Idiot. I'm over here."
Lin Kuang's calm voice came from behind him. It wasn't loud, but it sent a chill down the man's spine, scaring him witless.