Chen Xiao smiled and gently patted the back of her hand: "It's okay, just translate what they said to me. I'll make sure you're alright."
The girl was startled, and looking at Chen Xiao's relaxed expression, she couldn't help but feel a little suspicious. This young man did seem quite extraordinary, but he was, after all, Chinese… and the Jiaji Society was the number one organization here…
But then he noticed that one of the bamboo chopsticks in front of Chen Xiao was missing. He remembered that the person who had hit him earlier had had his palm pierced by a bamboo chopstick, and he was shocked again.
The middle-aged man outside nodded and bowed repeatedly, apologizing a few times. Only then did Ito Kyo speak, and the girl next to him quietly translated what he said to Chen Xiao.
Ito Kyo looked at the middle-aged man and said coldly, "The Jiaji Association is quite powerful now. I was drinking with my friends here, and your men even kicked the door down."
The middle-aged man was sweating profusely, bowing his head repeatedly, his tone already pleading.
Ito Kyo's expression was cold: "I won't bully you, lest outsiders say that I, from the Chen family, am unreasonable. It's a misunderstanding, but I'm entertaining distinguished guests here, and you've made me lose face and disturbed my guests. You have to give me an explanation."
The man wiped his sweat, looked up, and hesitated as he looked at Ito Kyo. But when he saw Ito Kyo's cold eyes, he couldn't help but shudder.
Finally, he gritted his teeth, turned around, and shouted at the people behind him, "Which bastard kicked down Young Master Ito's door just now!"
One of them quickly came out, trembling with fear.
The middle-aged man's eyes were filled with ruthlessness: "Break his legs!"
Before he could finish speaking, two of his men rushed out, grabbed wooden sticks from the side, and smashed him down hard!
With a snap, the guy who had kicked the door broke his leg, twisting it at an odd angle. He screamed in agony and immediately passed out. Naturally, someone quickly dragged him away.
The middle-aged man then turned around, his expression becoming even more submissive: "Young Master Ito, are you satisfied now?" Ito Kyo didn't even blink, his expression remaining cold as he said indifferently, "When subordinates make mistakes, does the leader also have the fault of failing to discipline them properly?"
The middle-aged man almost burst into tears. After hesitating for a moment, he suddenly stood up, turned around, snatched a short knife from his subordinate behind him, and drew it out.
Chen Xiao initially thought that Ito Kyo had pushed him too far and that the yakuza boss was about to fight to the death, but he never expected the guy to be holding a knife. He suddenly knelt down beside the table in the room, placed his left hand on the surface, the blade between his fingers, and respectfully said to Ito Kyo, "Young Master Ito! Please forgive my mistake!"
Click!
With a downward press of the blade, he severed his little finger cleanly at the base!
The ten fingers are connected to the heart, and to have one of his fingers cut off like this... The middle-aged man's face contorted in pain, blood gushing from the severed finger, but he quickly pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wrapped it around his hand. He knelt down again, kowtowing twice more, his voice still full of respect and fear: "Young Master Ito, Young Master Ito, please forgive my mistake!"
Ito Kyo sighed softly, not even glancing at the severed finger on the table, and said lazily, "Fine, it's not enough to punish your mistake, but considering your sincerity, I'll forgive you. Take your people and leave quickly, and don't come here again. Is this kind of elegant place even fit for you?"
The middle-aged man was like a lapdog begging for mercy in front of Ito Kyo. Although he was in excruciating pain, he still tried his best to force a smile: "Yes! Yes! Young Master Ito is right! Such an elegant place is not for people of our lowly status to enter!"
After speaking, he didn't forget to bow in greeting before standing up and slinking out the door, his rear end sticking out. He then led his men away in a panic.
Chen Xiao looked at Ito Kyo with a strange smile. Ito Kyo composed himself and turned to look at Chen Xiao. The coldness on his face disappeared and was replaced by a warm smile, even with a hint of apologetic: "I'm sorry to have made you laugh, Mr. Chen Xiao."
Chen Xiao shook his head: "I didn't expect Ito-kun to be so imposing here."
"I wouldn't dare!" Ito Kyo was extremely polite to Chen Xiao.
The girl next to her was stunned. In her mind, those yakuza bosses were already figures who could control everything, but in front of this young master Ito, she was as scared as a stray dog.
But this young master Ito seemed to be smiling obsequiously at the young Chinese man beside him…
"Let's go." Chen Xiao stood up, looked at the severed finger and pool of blood left on the table, and said, "I have no appetite to continue drinking in this situation."
Ito Kyo naturally had no objection to Chen Xiao's suggestion. However, Chen Xiao had only taken two steps when he suddenly saw the pitiful look in the girl's eyes beside him. He finally sighed, unable to bear ignoring her, and pondered for a moment: "How could you be doing this kind of work in a place like this?"
The girl's eyes were filled with tears as she stammered, "I...I...I'm studying in Japan. I'm working here during my vacation to earn tuition...The pay here is very high, I..."
Chen Xiao frowned, looking somewhat displeased.
The girl looked at Chen Xiao with a hint of disdain. Summoning courage from who-knows-where, she bit her lip and said loudly, "I know you look down on me! But what can I do! My family was well-off before, which is why they sent me here to study. But our business suddenly failed, my father went bankrupt, and I don't want to slink back home like this. I have to earn money myself to continue my studies! I...I...even though I'm doing this kind of service work here, the pay is high! Even though it's service work, at least I don't have to do those lowly things! I'm a girl, and I haven't graduated yet. What else can I do to earn money besides this? I have to pay tuition and rent! I can't really go out and do prostitution!"
Hearing the girl's cries, Chen Xiao's expression softened. He instinctively reached into his pocket, only to realize immediately that he didn't have a single penny on him.
Ito Kyo, who was standing next to her, smiled, waved to the girl, and gave her a phone number: "Call this number tomorrow, and someone will arrange a decent job for you."
Chen Xiao sighed inwardly and glanced at Ito Kyo—this could be considered owing him a favor, right?
After leaving the tavern and getting into the car, Chen Xiao remained silent the entire way. Ito Kyo noticed that Chen Xiao wasn't in the mood to talk, so he also kept quiet. He took Chen Xiao back to the Sekiryu Palace and personally led him up the mountain to a quaint courtyard: "This is the villa. It was cleaned during the day. If you need anything at night, just give the word, and someone will be there to serve you."
After seeing Chen Xiao into the courtyard, Ito Kyo stood at the gate for a while, seemingly lost in thought, before finally turning and leaving.
He bypassed the villa, but went straight down the mountain and returned to the path he had taken during the day. Following the path, he passed through the cherry blossom grove and arrived at the pavilion.
Inside the pavilion, several lampposts flickered. The woman named Tang Xin was also there, but instead of kneeling on the reed mat, she was gazing into the distance from the platform. Only her long, cloud-like hair remained as a silhouette against the sky for Ito Kyo to see.
"You're back?"
After a while, Tang Xin gently opened...
"Yes!" Ito Kyo replied solemnly and sternly.
"What do you think of this person?" Tang Xin still didn't turn around.
After thinking carefully for a moment, Ito Kyo cautiously spoke.
"Lord Daizong! This person... I flattered him all day, yet he didn't become arrogant because of others' praise or humble attitude. At night, surrounded by beautiful women, he showed no frivolity whatsoever. Such a person is naturally top-notch. However..."
"Just what?" Tang Xin turned around and looked at Ito Kyo with some curiosity.
Ito Kyo dared not meet Tang Xin's gaze, and respectfully lowered his head: "However... he has a somewhat inappropriate sense of justice. In my opinion, it is a bit too much like a woman's compassion."
“A sense of justice… out of step with the times… and… womanly compassion?” A smile suddenly appeared on Tang Xin’s lips.
Chapter 187 [Chrysanthemum Leaf Tattoo]
This villa was built on the southern edge of the hillside.