Part Three: The Pinnacle, Chapter Fifty-Two: Disillusionment
Cang Yu was right; the place she brought me to was indeed nice. Although most bars don't operate during the day, this place was an exception.
"This is a 24-hour bar, perfect for alcoholics," Cang Yu said with a smile, leading me into the deliberately dilapidated and unconventional place.
"There are very few people." I looked at the empty bar hall, the deliberately aged wooden bar counter, which had a medieval pirate style. A bartender with an indistinct face stood behind the bar counter, vigorously wiping a metal cup.
“Of course there are few.” Cang Yu smiled. “After all, there aren’t many true alcoholics in this world.”
Then she led me inside. We walked around the hall, and she pushed open a dilapidated wooden door—the painted green rust on it was very realistic, but once inside, I couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.
This is a small room. The pure wood style decoration makes the room look warm and cozy, and the two dark leather old-fashioned sofas and the thick carpet on the floor give people a sense of security when they step on them.
Upon closer inspection, I discovered that the fireplace next to it was the real thing, not just decoration.
"Can it start a fire?" I looked at the fireplace and couldn't help but become very interested.
“You’re still the same as before. Now I can confirm it.” Cang Yu said with a wry smile, “You’re still so interested in these new and exciting things. I remember the first time I took you to a casino, you seemed very interested in all the gambling techniques. Hmm, your expression back then was the same as it is now.”
Seeing that I was already taking the tongs from the charcoal grill in the corner, Cang Yucai helplessly stopped me: "Please, it's not winter now!"
"Okay." I sat back on the sofa, relaxing against the backrest. Actually, these old-fashioned leather sofas aren't very comfortable. They're a bit hard. But Cang Yu seemed to be enjoying it.
"What would you like to drink? What do you have here?" I laughed. "When old friends meet, we should always celebrate. Hmm, how about opening a bottle of Royal Salute?"
Cang Yu narrowed her eyes, deliberately looking at me with a complicated expression, and then said slowly in a low voice, "Oh...you really are exasperating...Chen Yang, when you are with a beautiful lady, don't you think that having a good bottle of red wine would create a better atmosphere?"
I paused for a moment, then looked at Cang Yu. My gaze gradually cooled, but Cang Yu seemed unconcerned by my reaction, lazily curling up on the sofa... deliberately striking a languid and alluring pose.
I don't know when it happened. Her hair had come loose, and her smooth, slightly curly hair hung down, half-covering her face. Behind her hair, her eyes shone like cold stars.
Cang Yu picked up an old-fashioned telephone from the coffee table next to the sofa. He spoke a few words into it, and soon the wine was brought in.
It was indeed a bottle of red wine. I've never been much of a connoisseur of red wine. However, judging from Cang Yu's satisfied expression, this bottle was clearly quite valuable.
Observe, smell, taste... Cang Yu methodically tasted the wine step by step, just like a quintessential wine enthusiast. She deliberately took each step slowly, and it must be admitted that her movements were very elegant and charming.
When it was just the two of us left in the room, she raised her little finger, holding a wine glass between just two fingers, and smiled at me: "Come on, Xiao Wu, let's drink to our reunion."
With a soft clinking of glasses, we took a sip. I only took a small sip, while Cang Yu drank it all in one gulp. Soon, the aroma of the alcohol rose, and combined with the warmth of the room, a blush began to spread across Cang Yu's cheeks.
"This place is nice," I said with a smile.
“Of course, I own this place.” Cang Yu’s straightforwardness surprised me slightly, even though I had already guessed it.
"Don't worry, nobody knows." Cang Yu winked at me. "Even Shen Shan doesn't know. I rarely come here. This place is managed by someone I trust very much."
"Oh, so this is one of your secret hideouts in Shanghai?" I glanced at her.
"You could say that," she readily agreed with a nod.
At this point, she suddenly stood up from the sofa, then slowly walked to my side, sat on the armrest of my sofa, leaned closer to me, held a wine glass in one hand, and casually placed the other hand on the back of my hand.
“Xiao Wu, tell me, isn’t this world a bit magical… Sometimes, I can’t help but think… Perhaps, there really is a big hand controlling our destiny.” Cang Yu seemed to be smiling with a complicated expression, and said quietly, “Do you remember the first time we met? I asked you to buy me a drink, but you said you weren’t rich and you were afraid you didn’t have enough money to buy me a drink.”
“Did I say that?” I smiled. “I only remember that back then, I was a poor boy, while you were an elegant and charming mature woman… and you definitely looked much richer than me.”
Cang Yu smiled, and then she suddenly moved closer to me, and I felt a fragrance enter my nose.
This is a woman's fragrance mixed with the smell of red wine, a scent that undoubtedly has a strong effect on stimulating male hormones.
"Elegant and charming... Hmm, thank you for the compliment." Cang Yu said softly, "It's just a pity that I'm already an old woman."
"If being in your thirties is considered old... then all those Hollywood actresses could just quit the business," I laughed.
"Hmm..." Cang Yu suddenly murmured, then brought her face close to mine, looking at me with a strange charm in her slightly hoarse voice: "Xiao Wu, I have a question for you."
"What?"
"Hmm..." She looked into my eyes, a trace of crimson wine still lingering at the corner of her mouth: "Just how many times do I have to touch the back of your hand before you understand my hint and then stand up to kiss me?"
From the moment she sat down next to me, her hand has been gently stroking the back of my hand.
I laughed.
Looking at Cangyu, I suddenly sighed, then put down my wine glass and stood up...
Of course, I didn't kiss her. Instead, I stood there and silently watched Cang Yu for a while.
My gaze was calm and clear, devoid of any lust. This gaze made Cang Yu feel somewhat uncomfortable, and she seemed to unconsciously change her sitting position.
"Cang Yu." I sighed, "I didn't believe it before. But now, I do."
"Believe in what?"
“You know what…” I shook my head and said, “Just now, in that private room in the business center, I heard Shen Shan say that in recent years, you’ve been a well-known socialite in Shanghai… At the time, I didn’t believe it because the Di Cangyu I remembered wasn’t that kind of woman. But now…”
I paused here, then looked at her with a calm gaze.
Cang Yu's hair was slightly disheveled, giving her a languid and charming appearance. But somehow, she had quietly unbuttoned the top button of her long dress, revealing her snow-white neck and a glimpse of her chest muscles.
Her body stiffened instantly.
We stood there in silence for a long time. Suddenly, Cang Yu collapsed weakly into the sofa, dropping her wine glass to the floor. The crimson liquid immediately soaked the carpet. She covered her face with her hands, rubbing it vigorously, then abruptly raised her head, her eyes flashing as she stared at me: "Chen Yang. What exactly do you want?"
"It's not about what I want." I looked at her. "It's you, what do you want?"
"What do I want...what do I want?" She suddenly grabbed her hair hard, her voice rising abruptly, "Hahaha! What do I want? What can I possibly want? I'm just a woman, what can I possibly do?!"
My gaze seemed to make Cang Yu uncomfortable. She couldn't help but look at me and laugh wildly, "You know this place belongs to me... so do you know what I use this place for? Ha! Let me tell you, this place is where I sleep with men!!"
She laughed, almost maniacally: "Who am I? I'm Huan Ge's woman, Huan Ge's pawn! I'm also a bargaining chip for Huan Ge! My mission is to help him build his network of connections in Shanghai! I'm a socialite, a dancer, a mistress, a toy, and a prostitute! That's who I am!!"
She chuckled, then suddenly raised her hand, extending a sharp finger to point at the sofa opposite me: "You know what? On this very sofa, I've had sex with at least a dozen men! Their names, their identities... Hey! Even that bastard Shen Shan! A month ago, I was still lying in his bed, and he swore he'd help Huan Ge's shipment land smoothly in Shanghai! But now? Just now, in that private room, he called me a whore!"
I remained silent, but Cang Yu suddenly stared at me: "Who do you think I am? For the past few years in Shanghai, I've been painstakingly cultivating Huan Ge's network of connections. I'm meant to deal with all sorts of men, to deceive them, to make them happy, and, when necessary, to sleep with them... A socialite, yes, I have always been a socialite! From the very first day we met, this has been my job!"
At this point, she suddenly stood up again, gracefully walked to my side, hooked her arm around my neck, and then said in a sweet, seductive voice, "How about it? Xiao Wu, do you want to taste me... I know many men like me, all want to taste me... You're a man too. Hmph, from the first time you met me, I noticed you were looking at my legs..." She looked at me provocatively and said softly, "How about it? Are my legs pretty? Do you like them? Then..." She lowered her voice, as if whispering in my ear, "Then you probably don't know what it feels like for a man when my legs move at that moment...!"
Her words were explicit and seductive, but I remained unmoved, even as Cangyu hooked her arms around my neck. I simply stared at her calmly, just staring, staring…
“I’m just curious.” I finally spoke, still looking at Cang Yu calmly. It was as if I didn’t care that she was pressed against me: “Cang Yu…you’re seducing me, aren’t you? But why?” I smiled: “I don’t think seducing me will do any good. What can you get from me? You don’t naively think that after I’m seduced and sleep with you, I’ll abandon my grudges with Ye Huan and then just pack up and go back to Canada from Shanghai, do you?”
Cang Yu seemed to freeze for a moment, but quickly recovered, leaned closer, and chuckled softly, "Oh? Is that so?"
"No, of course not." I pursed my lips. "The Cang Yu I know isn't that stupid. The Cang Yu I know is at least a very smart woman."
I sighed, gently pushed her away, and looked into her eyes: "Then, the only explanation is that you seduced me into bed, so you could kill me while I was completely infatuated?"
Cang Yu's expression finally changed, but I just smiled. I touched my nose and said, "Yes, that must be it. Only if I die can Ye Huan eliminate a major threat. You, me, and Ye Huan all know that the grudge between Ye Huan and me is irreconcilable. So, the most effective thing you can do for Ye Huan is to find a way to kill me."
Seeing Cang Yu's pale face, I made a face at her and couldn't help but laugh, "But I still have some doubts... Cang Yu. You know me, you understand me. You know I'm quite skilled. Although you're a very healthy woman, if you wanted to kill me, under normal circumstances, you wouldn't have a chance at all. Even if you had a gun, I could easily take you down." I nodded, thought for a moment, and said, "Well, this is your territory. Even if you have men here, how many people can there be? Eight at most? Ten? I don't even need to lift a finger; my black bodyguard could kill all your men... and he only needs one hand."
I kept looking at her: "Well, that's not right either. You just saw how skilled my bodyguard was. He took down Shen Shan's men in just a few seconds. And I can also tell you that right now, right outside this bar, there are definitely two cars parked on the side of the road, with my men inside. Well, I have a bad habit of liking to go out alone, and I've gotten into trouble a few times. Later, the people around me developed a habit that even when I don't go out with anyone, they'll follow me in their cars."
Looking at Cang Yu's face, a thought suddenly struck me: "Something's still not right. You must have thought of this too. How could I possibly run around with you with only one bodyguard... Even if you wanted to kill me, you know you can't do it by force. So you..." I leaned closer and whispered in her ear, "Your only chance is to seduce me and then strike when I'm completely infatuated, right?"
Cang Yu's body trembled slightly. She couldn't help but lift her eyelids and glance at me. Although she tried her best to hide it, a hint of panic still showed in her eyes.
I suddenly grabbed her wrist. Cang Yu was startled and seemed to try to struggle, but how could she possibly be a match for my strength? I easily grabbed both of her wrists with one hand and then twisted both of her hands behind her back.
"Alright, Cangyu, let me see if you have any tools on you." I smiled, then bent down slightly, and with one free hand, gently lifted her skirt, starting to grope Cangyu's legs upwards.
Cang Yu couldn't help but gasp, her face turning red as she struggled desperately. However, I managed to grab her hands, and she was no match for my strength. Although she tried to twist her legs together, I easily pried them apart.
When my fingers touched Cang Yu's calf, the smooth and soft texture made me smile. I even deliberately looked up at her and said, "By the way, you were right about one thing. When I first met you, I did peek at your legs. I really think you have a very beautiful pair of legs."
Cang Yu's expression was a mix of anxiety and anger; her face was flushed, and she almost fainted from rage. I deliberately moved slowly, my palm inch by inch tracing up her calf, past her knee, and then along the inside of her thigh.
"I never imagined... I would do something like this to you one day." I teased her deliberately, and Cang Yu trembled with anger. Suddenly, I ripped open her skirt with a hiss, and instantly, her two snow-white thighs were exposed to the air. My hand touched the inside of her left thigh. Suddenly, my eyes lit up: "Oh, look, I found something."
Two pieces of tape tightly adhered to a disposable syringe, only the thickness of a finger, which was stuck to the inside of Cang Yu's left thigh. The syringe contained a bluish liquid, and a plastic tube was attached to the needle tip.
With a gentle pinch and tug of two fingers, I ripped the syringe off, held it in my hand, and waved it in front of Cang Yu: "Oh. This really surprised me. I thought you would do something as old-fashioned as hiding a gun in your thigh. Looks like you're quite creative."
Cang Yu's face was already ashen, so she simply shut her mouth and stared at me coldly.
"Tu!" I shouted. Immediately, Tu, like a ghost, pushed open the door a crack and silently slid in from the outside.
I tossed the syringe to him: "Can you tell me what's in this?"
Tu pulled out the tube, sniffed it, then looked at me coldly and said, "I don't know the specifics. But I'm certain it's a concentrated snake venom. If you get stung by it, even just a tiny scratch, and a tiny bit is injected, you're dead within an hour, boss, unless you have a special antidote. Even if you get to the hospital within an hour, you're still dead. Because most hospitals don't have this kind of antidote."
"Thank you. You can go now... Remember to close the door." I smiled, then took the syringe and tossed it into the fireplace.
I didn't let go of Cangyu. I had to carefully search her body... I had to grit my teeth and check every place on a woman's body where she might be hiding something before I finally let go of her.
Cang Yu slumped onto the sofa, and after a long while, she finally looked up at me with piercing eyes: "Chen Yang, how do you plan to kill me?"
"How to kill?"
"Of course!" Cang Yu seemed to have already gone all out. Her face was still slightly flushed, but her eyes had turned cold. "Don't think I don't know who you are now! Hmph, the Fifth Master of Vancouver, the biggest smuggling boss on the West Coast. You got to this position by killing people. With your current status, you certainly won't spare my life."
"Sigh." I sighed and slowly sat down opposite her. I even took a blanket from the side and handed it to her: "Here, I'm sorry, I tore your dress."
Cang Yu took the blanket without saying a word, gritted her teeth, and covered her legs with it.
"Actually, why bother?" I smiled wryly and shook my head. "Meeting you today was a complete coincidence. I just wanted to chat with you... Putting aside Ye Huan's matter, aren't we old friends? Why do we have to make it a life-or-death situation?"
Cang Yu had calmed down. To my surprise, after listening to my words, she thought about it carefully, and when she looked up at me, the anger in her eyes had disappeared, replaced by a faint helplessness: "Chen Yang, it's impossible! You're too naive." She stared into my eyes: "Can we still put aside those grudges now? Is it possible for us to just chat like friends? Let me tell you, I'm Huan Ge's woman! I've been with him for over ten years. For him, I was even willing to sleep with other men! For him, I was willing to become a high-class prostitute! But now I understand, you're back, and the only thing you have to do is to defeat Huan Ge! You will trample him under your feet, and you will repay him for all the suffering he caused you back then... So..."
"So, you have absolutely no feelings left for me, and all you can do is kill me, right?" I said calmly.
“Because you’re not the same Xiao Wu you used to be! And he’s not your Huan-ge anymore!” Cang Yu said coldly.
Suddenly, anger surged within me, and a resentment that had been suppressed deep within me for many years burst forth uncontrollably!
"Why is that?! Don't you know why?!" I suddenly stood up, clenched my fists, my face contorted with rage, and walked step by step to Cang Yu: "Brother Huan! Brother Huan! Ha!! Of course he used to be my Brother Huan! My older brother!! I was willing to risk my life for him! Willing to give up everything for him. I didn't even flinch once!! But in the end! In the end, when Jin He pointed a gun at me here..." I gritted my teeth, jabbing my temple hard with my finger, and laughed bitterly: "At that time, do you think I should still call him 'Brother Huan'?!"
Cang Yu didn't speak. I felt my face burning, and the muscles around my eyes twitched incessantly. I hissed, "I once regarded him as my heaven! I regarded him as my elder brother, as my loving father! But what did I get in return?! I was hunted down like a dog! Forced to leave my home!! Cang Yu! Was it I, Chen Yang, who wronged Ye Huan, or was it Ye Huan who wronged me, Chen Yang?! If one day he abandons you without hesitation for his own gain, and even when Jin He's gun is pointed at your head, how would you feel?!"
“I know.” Cang Yu’s words lashed at my heart like a whip: “I understand what that feeling is like.” There was a strange sadness in her voice: “Xiao Wu…actually, I understand, I really understand. In your heart, it’s not just hatred for Huan Ge…but also feelings for him! The resentment in your heart now comes more from being betrayed and sold out emotionally. It’s precisely because the deeper your feelings for Huan Ge were before that you hate him more now.”
"Ha! You understand? You understand nothing!" I couldn't help but curse, "You understand, yet you still want to kill me! Jinhe understands, yet you still want to kill me!! You were all once my friends! You were my sister Cangyu, he was my brother Jin! But what happened? You all watched me be betrayed by Ye Huan, sacrificed by him! And yet you still turn your guns on me!! Ha! Friends! What are friends! What are old feelings! What are sentiments!! Do you understand? If you understood, would you still be holding a syringe and trying to kill me today!! Cangyu!!"
My chest heaved as I glared at her through gritted teeth: "Kill me...do you have a clear conscience?"
I sneered. Looking at Cang Yu, I stared intently into her eyes: "Cang Yu, tell me, do you have a clear conscience after treating me like this?"
Her expression was complex, as if she had gone through a fierce internal struggle, and finally...
“…Xiao Wu, just kill me.” Cang Yu lowered his eyelids and sighed.
"Kill you..." I suddenly felt an urge to smash everything. I coldly repeated those two words to myself: "Kill you...kill you...kill you..."
Kill! Is everything reduced to just the word "kill"?