The man was startled: “Destroy the evidence?”

Xie Yan swirled his wine glass and said, “Qiao Dahu suddenly going mad was no accident. If his body had been sent to the Military Police Division for examination, they would certainly have found the cause of his madness. But now, Qiao Dahu is not only dead—he’s been burned to charcoal. Finding the cause will be very difficult.”

“Then who wanted to harm Qiao Dahu, and is afraid of us discovering the cause of his death?”

A face flashed through Xie Yan’s mind—a face pale and cold, yet carrying a trace of innocence. Half in sunlight, half in shadow.

Shen Ruoxi, what secret are you hiding?

Shen Ruoxi had finished singing her songs for the evening. The newly arrived floor manager followed behind her, holding a box filled with gold tokens.

After the incident with Floor Manager Hu, the dance hall had quickly found a new floor manager. This one’s surname was Cai, and she was in her mid-forties. Though no longer in the first flush of youth, she still retained a certain charm.

Yun Jing had somehow gotten wind of this information, saying that when Floor Manager Cai was young she had been one of Shun Cheng’s most celebrated songstresses, and countless powerful men had thrown fortunes at her just to earn one smile.

But time had not been kind—when she discovered that her beauty had faded and her youth had fled, those men who had once knelt at her feet had long since turned to younger women with carefree laughter.

Floor Manager Cai was different from Floor Manager Hu. She was new and made an effort to be friendly with everyone, especially Shen Ruoxi, who now earned a whole chest of gold coins every time she performed.

She had heard that Shen Ruoxi had not only Master Xie backing her, but also Master Dai lending his support. Such a golden goose naturally needed to be carefully protected.

When Meimei returned from hiding out at Master Fan’s place, everything had changed.

The floor manager was now a woman she didn’t recognize, and all she did every day was hover around Shen Ruoxi.

Her private dressing room had also been taken away. It now belonged to Shen Ruoxi alone, while she was forced to share the dirty, cluttered communal dressing room with the other dancers.

“Where is my dressing room?” The moment Meimei returned, she was ready to explode with rage.

“Sister Meimei.” The other dancers crowded around her.

“It’s all because of that Shen Ruoxi. She’s at the height of her fame right now—every day, guests request her by name to sing.”

“She’s collecting gold tokens now, so many that one box isn’t even enough, and she needs two or three people walking behind her.”

“The floor manager said you weren’t here and the dressing room was going to waste, so she let Shen Ruoxi move in.”

As Meimei listened, a surge of rage shot up from the soles of her feet and instantly spread through every limb, the heat threatening to set her ablaze.

“Sister Meimei, the new Floor Manager Cai sides with Shen Ruoxi on everything. Going to find her will do no good.”

Meimei fumed, “I, Yu Meimei, have been the star of this Crimson Gate for so long. Can she really be replaced just like that by some newcomer? Shen Ruoxi, don’t get too carried away!”

“Sister Meimei, why not have Master Fan step in?”

“That’s right, Sister Meimei. Master Fan listens to you most of all, and he even says he wants to marry you. With Master Fan around, what do we have to fear from Shen Ruoxi?”

Hearing everyone bring up Master Fan, Meimei’s mind turned to that possibility.

But compared to Xie Yan and Dai Jing, Master Fan was clearly no match for them. Still, having him work behind the scenes was a viable option.

She couldn’t let Master Fan know about Shen Ruoxi’s connection to those two men, though. Otherwise, it would be she herself who ended up in trouble.

Just as Meimei had made up her mind, she looked up to see Shen Ruoxi walking toward her from the front.

She had just finished singing a song. Floor Manager Cai walked alongside her, fanning her as they went, while two attendants followed behind—each holding a box gleaming with gold tokens.

Even at the height of her own fame, Meimei had never collected this many gold tokens. Shen Ruoxi had accomplished it in barely a month.

“Oh, Meimei is back.” Floor Manager Cai smiled and stepped forward, asking with feigned concern, “Are you feeling better?”

Meimei replied coolly, “Much better.”

“If you’re not fully recovered, take a few more days to rest.”

Meimei thought to herself: if she stayed away any longer, the Crimson Gate would truly become Shen Ruoxi’s domain.

“Floor Manager, I’m feeling fine now. Please arrange some performances for me.”

Floor Manager Cai smiled and said, “Tonight’s schedule is full—several guests have specifically requested Ruoxi. How about tomorrow? Tomorrow evening, I’ll definitely arrange something for you.”

Meimei glanced at Shen Ruoxi, and Shen Ruoxi looked back at her. The former’s gaze was full of jealousy and hatred; the latter’s eyes were calm and still, barely rippling.

“Ruoxi, let’s go—time to get ready.” Floor Manager Cai paid no more attention to Meimei and led Shen Ruoxi into the dressing room that had once been Meimei’s.

“Floor Manager Cai.” Meimei suddenly called out, her voice sharp: “That is my dressing room.”

“How forgetful of me.” Floor Manager Cai smiled pleasantly. “That dressing room is Ruoxi’s now. She has more performances and uses it more often—she can’t be kept waiting. So from now on, Meimei, you’ll just have to share with the others. The manager did say that if conditions allow, he’ll set you up with your own separate dressing room. Just be patient and wait.”

Meimei certainly wasn’t going to believe the manager’s nonsense. Before she had become a star, the Crimson Gate had only one private dressing room—not for lack of money or space, but because the private dressing room symbolized the current top performer. There could only be one reigning star at a time.

Meimei watched as the floor manager and Shen Ruoxi disappeared into the dressing room, her eyes nearly shooting flames. But she was surrounded by people and had to force herself to hold back, unwilling to be a laughingstock.

Shen Ruoxi, just you wait.

Shen Ruoxi had risen to fame. In just a short span of time, she had become the Crimson Gate’s reigning star.

Every day she was surrounded by influential figures, and she had also gained some degree of choice in her performances—those she disliked or wished to avoid, she could have the floor manager find a way to turn away.

Dai Jing had been busy lately, but he still came every few days to play a game of chess with her. Each time, he brought expensive gifts, but Shen Ruoxi never accepted them—except for a few packets of tea.

“Miss Shen, have you ever thought about getting married?”

On the way home, Shen Ruoxi was still thinking about the question Dai Jing had asked her.

When he had posed that question, his gaze had been fixed intently on her face.

She knew that Dai Jing had once been married, but his wife had died of illness without leaving him any children.

He had not remarried since, though the Dai family elders constantly urged him to and even arranged meetings with eligible young women from prominent families.

Dai Jing had said he had no interest in any of those arranged matches.

He had looked into her eyes and asked her seriously, “Have you ever thought about getting married?”

Shen Ruoxi was not unaware of what Dai Jing meant, but she found it absurd. A family like the Dai’s—how could they ever let him marry a songstress? In this society, being a songstress was considered the most lowly of professions, even lower than those who scavenged for scraps.

Marriage? Shen Ruoxi had never harbored hopes for love or matrimony, and she had never considered getting married.

“Hey! Hey!”

A voice from behind startled Shen Ruoxi.

She turned around warily and saw Xie Yan leaning against the railing, smoking a cigarette.

The weather was cold, yet he wore only a light outer coat—whether from toughness or foolishness, she couldn’t say.

Xie Yan pointed behind her with his cigarette. “Your apartment is that way. You’ve gone past it.”

Only then did Shen Ruoxi realize she had been so lost in thought that she had walked right past her building.

“Thank you for the reminder.”

Shen Ruoxi offered polite thanks and turned to leave.

“Shouldn’t you invite this kind soul who reminded you upstairs for a cup of tea?”

Shen Ruoxi said, “Tea won’t be necessary.”

She had no intention of inviting the wolf into her home.

But her refusal didn’t mean a certain someone wouldn’t follow anyway.

After walking a few steps, Shen Ruoxi turned around with some irritation. “Mr. Xie, surely you’re not so idle that you follow lone women around in the dead of night?”

“I’m going home. What of it?”

“Right, I forgot—this building belongs to you.” Shen Ruoxi said. “Then please, go right ahead.”

“Where are you going?”

“You go back to your home, and I’ll find somewhere else to live.”

Xie Yan grabbed her wrist, somewhat annoyed. “You run every time you see me. Do you think I’ll eat you?”

“I’m simply tired and have no desire to spar with you, Mr. Xie.”

After singing all night, all she wanted was to quickly wash up and bury herself in her warm blankets.

“I have nowhere to go tonight. Take me in for one night,” Xie Yan said with a straight face. “I promise I won’t do anything.”

“Does Mr. Xie think I’m three years old? You have nowhere to go? What about all your women?”

“I don’t feel like going to them.” Xie Yan didn’t quite know why he was explaining himself. “I haven’t gone to them in a long time.”

“So you came to me instead? Looking for a fresh taste?”

“Shen Ruoxi, that’s not what I mean.” Xie Yan was somewhat exasperated. “I swear to you, I’m just looking for a place to sleep. You take the bed, I’ll sleep on the sofa. Is that alright?”

A cold gust of wind swept through. Shen Ruoxi, bundled in her coat, shivered. Xie Yan, in only his light jacket, sneezed.

Shen Ruoxi couldn’t help but think inwardly: what kind of fool sacrifices warmth for appearance in the dead of winter?

It was that sneeze of Xie Yan’s that unexpectedly softened her resolve, making her forget the lesson she’d learned last time. “Mr. Xie, remember what you just promised.”

Seeing her agree, Xie Yan instantly broke into a smile like a child’s. “Shen Ruoxi, did you feel sorry for me just because I sneezed?”

“Say one more word and you won’t be allowed through the door.”

Xie Yan obediently shut his mouth.

“Make yourself at home.” Shen Ruoxi opened the door, set down the key, took off her coat, and went into the bathroom.

Xie Yan hadn’t been over in a long time. Taking advantage of Shen Ruoxi’s absence, he idly wandered around the apartment.

When he noticed two potted cacti on the windowsill, he reached out in curiosity to touch one—and instantly felt a sharp sting in his finger.

“Don’t touch those.” Shen Ruoxi’s voice came from behind him. “Are you an idiot? Those are cacti. You don’t know what a cactus is?”

In her alarm, Shen Ruoxi grabbed and pulled him away.

Xie Yan hadn’t been prepared and nearly stumbled.

“Don’t you know cacti have spines?” Shen Ruoxi glared at him with exasperation. “First time I’ve seen someone reach out to touch a cactus.”

Xie Yan glanced at his stinging finger, one eyebrow raised: “The ones with spines are the ones that make you feel something.”