After reviewing the information, I went to a nearby internet cafe and booked a computer. I first opened Qian Qian Jing Ting and played some Jay Chou music, then opened the QQ interface, entered the QQ number and password Lao Gui had given me.
Upon going online, I immediately heard a few crisp notification sounds. I looked at Kai Rui's avatar, which depicted a blue-haired girl. I clicked on it.
"You're here."
"Thank you for the warmth love you sent me late at night."
"The matter we discussed that day, you weren't lying to me, were you? Are you really in Beijing? Can we meet?"
...
I had read Lao Gui's chat logs with these women. Lao Gui's saccharine words made it seem as though his corpulent, worthless body truly housed a romantic, untamed soul. I, however, could not do that. Lao Gui could send warmth and love late at night, while I was like a fishbone stuck in my throat, unable to swallow or spit out.
"We can meet."
Upon receiving my message, Kai Rui quickly typed out an address. It was the address of a Western restaurant, complete with red wine and steak, a romantic rendezvous.
The meeting was set for six in the evening. A lonely man and woman sharing a romantic dinner, then fireworks... I dared not think further. Lao Tie had spent two months showering her with sweet talk, not only discerning her preferences but also winning her heart. Had he spent two months painstakingly paving the way only for me to benefit? I certainly didn't think so. What was Lao Tie's identity? A schemer, and one of the top-tier ones at that. I was certain this meeting held a deeper meaning.
...
No matter what, I had to attend as promised. To better communicate with Kai Rui that evening, I reread Lao Gui's chat logs with her, ensuring I wouldn't slip up. Only then did I go to a nearby Xidan and buy a black suit that resembled a tailcoat. Leng Yan had worn this kind of attire when he tried to kill me, so I felt wearing something similar might be of some help.
...
I arrived at the rendezvous point, a high-end Western restaurant, ahead of time. I waited outside. As it approached six o'clock, a tall, slender girl appeared. She was truly tall; with her high heels, she was almost taller than me. Her permed, curly hair cascaded naturally to her collarbone. Her makeup was exquisite, with a slightly Western heaviness. She wore a form-fitting black long dress that accentuated her curvaceous figure. The fabric was intricately cut, revealing patches of snow-white skin like scattered stars, exuding sexiness and mystery.
Seeing such a beautiful woman, I swallowed hard, feeling a flicker of hesitation. Kai Rui, however, approached me with a smile, extending her slender, graceful hand generously. "You are Yi Ye Zhi Qiu, aren't you?"
Yi Ye Zhi Qiu was Lao Gui's online handle.
I nodded, forcing a smile. "Kai Rui?"
"Is there anyone else?"
I didn't know if she was being humorous or deliberately provocative. I felt there was something odd about this woman, though I couldn't pinpoint what. Seeing my daze, she affectionately linked her arm through mine and pulled me into the restaurant.
The moment she linked arms with me, goosebumps prickled my skin. This was not the reaction one would expect upon meeting a beautiful woman. At that instant, I understood my peculiar feeling.
If there was a predator-prey relationship between us, I was the prey, and she was the hunter disguised as prey.
The five-minute cooked sliced steak and the expensive red wine. As Kai Rui swirled her wine glass, my thoughts kept flashing back to that night on the rooftop, drinking red wine and eating steak.
I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts, which alerted Kai Rui. She asked with a sweet smile, "What's wrong, Tang Nan?"
"Nothing, you're so beautiful it makes me dizzy."
Kai Rui chuckled, supporting her chin with one hand and holding her wine glass with the other. Her face was flushed like a peach blossom. She asked, "Am I really that beautiful?"
I looked at her, but the images of Qin Sisi and Liu Chenxi flashed through my mind. Honestly, Kai Rui was prettier than both of them and more cunning. But this level of sophistication was at most that of a femme fatale; she wasn't a schemer. I could sense Kai Rui was executing some plan. Moreover, Kai Rui hadn't realized her chat partner had changed. This was a sign of Kai Rui's amateurism; she didn't pay attention to details.
Thinking this, I placed my hand on Kai Rui's, gazed at her, and played along. "Don't ask that. If you're not confident, I'll be sad."
Kai Rui laughed, her laughter shaking her body and drawing the attention of all the men around her.
The atmosphere in the Western restaurant was rich, the steak was delicious. Kai Rui acted her part diligently, and I cooperated earnestly, so we conversed happily, feeling as if we had known each other for a long time.
...
Like those who fall in love at first sight, we finished dinner, linked arms, and walked along the cool Beijing streets. The flickering lights and ubiquitous neon signs highlighted the city's vibrant nightlife.
"I live in this complex."
"Then I'll see you tomorrow."
"I'm alone. Why don't you come up for a bit?"
Kai Rui's eyes sparkled with allure. I pondered whether to follow her plan or refuse. I wanted to find Leng Yan as soon as possible and didn't want to play the gentleman and deal with Kai Rui for another two months.
"Wouldn't that be inappropriate?" I said, feigning reluctance.
"What's inappropriate about it?"
I followed Kai Rui to a residential complex. It wasn't old, and the landscaping was good. There was even a doorman at the entrance. We walked in together and went upstairs. As we entered, I smelled smoke. Kai Rui asked me to go in first, then used her key to lock the security door from the outside. To leave, I would have to snatch the key from Kai Rui.
I paid no mind to Kai Rui's minor maneuver and walked into the living room from the entryway. Three men were playing Dou Dizhu at the coffee table in the living room. One of them was smoking. Seeing me enter, all three stopped playing and glared at me menacingly.
"I didn't realize you played so wild, having three men at your place."
Kai Rui didn't respond to my remark. She walked past me, picked up a pack of cigarettes from the table, tapped it deftly, put one in her mouth, and then, carrying an ashtray and a lighter, walked to the window. She said to the men, "Brother Chang, it's him."
The three men appeared to be within the normal range. The tallest was under 1.8 meters. Apart from Brother Chang, who had a tattoo on his shoulder, the other two looked no different from office workers on the street.
Brother Chang stubbed out his cigarette on the coffee table and walked menacingly toward me, grabbing me by the collar. "So you're the bastard who lives off women and deceives them."
I didn't resist. I analyzed Brother Chang's words and, after some thought, asked seriously, "How long have you been setting this trap?"
"From finding you to getting to know you, about two or three months. You thought you were chatting with women, did you? Let me introduce them today." Brother Chang then pointed at the other two men and said, "This one in the yellow shirt is Zhang Xue, and this fatty is Kai Rui." Brother Chang then chuckled to himself, and the other two joined in with forced smiles. The woman calling herself Kai Rui, smoking by the window, looked disdainful.
"Lao Gui kept you for two months, and you're just a bunch of useless trash?"
With that, my hand shot to the back of Brother Chang's head, and I pulled, slamming my forehead directly into his nose. He yelped in pain and let go, bowing his head. I swung my fist and hit him hard on the back of his ear. He seemed stunned and stumbled back a few steps, swaying.
After this brief exchange, I felt the modified tailcoat restricted my movements. I took it off and threw it at the two men who were rushing towards me. They fumbled to block it. I then took the opportunity to unbutton my shirt.
They didn't know how to fight. I took them down in no time. At this point, Brother Chang had somewhat recovered and let out a roar. My position was good; as soon as he got into his stance, my foot found its way deep into his crotch.
"Ouch!"
Brother Chang clutched himself and doubled over on the ground, moaning.
...
The girl Kai Rui, still smoking by the window, couldn't quite believe what she was seeing. She dumped the cigarette butts from the ashtray onto the windowsill and said, "A bunch of grown men, and not one of them is any use." With that, she took out her cigarette, grabbed the ashtray, and hurled it at me. I dodged, then twisted her arm, and pressed her onto the sofa. I also snatched the cigarette from her mouth.
I pinned Kai Rui's back with my leg, extinguished the cigarette in my hand on the wall, and said, "Smoking is harmful to your health."
The two men got back on their feet and, seeing me restraining Kai Rui, moved to help. I smiled slightly. "That's enough. Using this old honey trap method, you won't catch the person you're looking for."
"You are the person we want to catch."
I pondered. No matter how I explained, they wouldn't believe me. So, I straightforwardly fabricated an identity. "I'm a police officer."
As I said this, Brother Chang was raising a chair. Hearing my supposed identity, he sheepishly put the chair down and sat on it obediently. "Officer, we're not setting a honey trap. We are righteous heroes."