Chapter 60
"Teacher Xia, how's the coffee?"
“Very ordinary.”
"Yes, I also think it's not as fragrant as mine. I'd like to invite Teacher Xia to my home to taste it sometime."
Teacher Zhang smiled and leaned back into the soft sofa, twirling a sugar cube in his left hand. Sugar flakes fell and landed on his uniform trousers, as white as salt, but he didn't care. His gaze was fixed on the hot soup on the fire, boiling around Chi Xia.
Any naive girl would feel embarrassed and helpless at being stared at so blatantly by a man.
But Chi Xia seemed completely oblivious. She let the other person finish their arrogant and rude probing before leisurely taking off her large-framed glasses. When she looked up, the other person's eyes lit up and blurted out, "Teacher Xia looks better without glasses."
Chi Xia leaned back slightly, disappearing into the dim, ambiguous light of the private booth. She casually crossed her legs, one hand resting on the armrest of the sofa. When she opened her mouth to speak, Teacher Zhang saw her white teeth. "Teacher Zhang, you can tell me what you need my help with now."
Whether it was a misperception or not, as soon as Chi Xia spoke, Teacher Zhang felt the air around him drop by 5 degrees. He leaned forward in surprise, and as he put a sugar cube into his coffee, he looked at her up close. It was still the same face opposite him, calm and indifferent. Without her glasses, she could even be described as stunning, but she was not as approachable as when she wore glasses. In fact, this scene was completely contrary to the word "approachable".
Teacher Zhang subconsciously licked the sugar residue off his thumb and forefinger, then looked up at the person hidden in the shadows, whose expression was not clearly visible. He vaguely saw the other person's disdainful gaze. He slowly sat back down, looking straight ahead, but it didn't seem like he was looking at the person directly.
For the first time, someone had made him so hesitant. Teacher Zhang took a breath and smiled. "Xia, don't rush. We have the whole evening. This shop not only has coffee but also serves food. I've already asked the kitchen to prepare their signature dishes. Before that, why don't we get to know each other better?"
"Please, Teacher Zhang." His tone was slow and deliberate, almost like he was in his comfort zone, with a hint of mockery in his eyes, a calm acceptance that saw through the other person's ill intentions.
Teacher Zhang gave an awkward laugh, stirring the sugar cubes in his coffee with a spoon. The spoon clinked against the porcelain cup in the liquid. His voice was muffled. "I've been at the Magic Fishing Academy for quite a few years, earning a first-level teacher's salary, and I've made some achievements in teaching. The problem now is, I'm getting old and still don't have a family. Xia, you..."
Chi Xia's cold laugh was like the scraping of some kind of instrument, possessing both the coldness and heaviness of metal. Teacher Zhang sat up straight and leaned forward, trying to see Chi Xia clearly. "Xia, is it just my imagination? Are you laughing?"
"I'm happy, so naturally I'll smile."
She's happy, what?
Upon hearing this, Teacher Zhang felt a chill run down his spine. He sat back down and rubbed his hands together. "I've always had a question that I'm very curious about."
"explain."
"Xia, how did you manage to get those kids in Class 3 to listen to you? Before you came, they almost blew the roof off, but after you arrived, they were actually able to calm down and concentrate on their lessons. Do you have some secret formula that you can share with us?"
Chi Xia took a deep breath, as if her patience had run out, "Teacher Zhang, I really don't like your roundabout way of speaking."
Has the other party really seen through our scheme?
Teacher Zhang picked up her coffee, took a sip, but couldn't taste anything. She quickly put the cup back, saying, "I... I actually wanted to..."
"Hmm?" Chi Xia leaned forward, emerging from the shadows. Under the warm light, her eyes were chillingly cold, sharp as blades, ready to draw blood as soon as they were drawn, and to draw blood would be to seal the throat.
Teacher Zhang was so startled that she almost knocked over her coffee cup. She hurriedly got up and said, "I...I'm going to the restroom."
Teacher Zhang hurried into the bathroom, his heart pounding so hard it felt like it was going to jump out of his throat. He quickly turned on the tap and splashed cold water on his face.
How could that be the kind of oppressive feeling a teacher should have? Being in the same room with her was suffocating.
He raised his wristband, glanced around, and decided to hide in the bathroom. Xin Ran had been waiting inside for a long time. He stepped on the toilet to avoid Teacher Zhang's inspection.
Hearing Teacher Zhang making a phone call outside, "Hello, it's me, Zhang Peng. I've tried, it's Teacher Chi Xia..."
"how?"
“She… has no problems, she’s just… a normal teacher.”
"waste!"
"Beep beep beep..."
The other party hung up the call immediately. Teacher Zhang's face turned pale. A knife about seven centimeters long had cut the skin on his neck, and warm blood was flowing from the small but not insignificant wound.
Xin Ran came out from behind him and cut off the communication on his wristband. "I never expected you to be like this, Teacher Zhang."
Teacher Zhang, or rather Zhang Peng, stared wide-eyed at Xin Ran, "You? You guys?"
“Yes, Chi Xia and I are in cahoots.” Xin Ran took out a black pill from his pocket and stuffed it into Zhang Peng’s trembling, slightly open mouth. Before Zhang Peng could spit it out, Xin Ran gave him a precise tap on the back of the neck. Zhang Peng coughed and swallowed the pill.
"What did you feed me?!"
Xin Ran folded the fruit knife and put it back in her pocket. "Good stuff."
When did you arrive?
Xin Ran grabbed him by the back of his collar and dragged him out of the bathroom. Once outside in the bustling lobby, she put her arm around his shoulder and asked, "You came with me. Surprised?"
The dim and ambiguous atmosphere of this coffee shop creates a sense of unbridled behavior, even in a place where alcohol might not impair judgment. It's not at all abrupt that Xin Ran is embracing Zhang Peng like this.
Zhang Peng tried to struggle, but Xin Ran grabbed the artery in his neck. It seemed that the gushing blood had to pass through Xin Ran's fingers before it could flow back into his body. He had no choice but to give in.
Where are you taking me?
As Zhang Peng stepped out of the coffee shop, he looked at the twilight and the sparsely populated streets and panicked completely. He stopped and tried to untie Xin Ran's hand that was holding his artery, but Xin Ran grabbed the index fingers of both of his hands at the same time.
"Let go! It's going to break! Ah!"
"I have many ways to make someone behave, but you'd better not try."
Xin Ran smiled easily, grabbed Zhang Peng by two fingers, and naturally pulled him across the street. Zhang Peng grimaced and staggered as he followed.
When Zhang Peng tipped off others, he had already guessed Chi Xia's identity with a high degree of accuracy. He originally planned to call people over quickly so that he could hold Chi Xia off for a while. Who would have thought that Chi Xia would bring accomplices? He had fallen into a trap.
Xin Ran led the person across the street to a luxury car, grabbed the person with one hand, and raised the other hand to knock on the car window.
The car window rolled down, revealing Chi Xia's face. She glanced at the two of them, unlocked the door, and Xin Ran opened the back seat, stuffing Zhang Peng inside like an object.
"What are you doing? You can't do this!" Zhang Peng shouted at the two men, holding his two nearly broken index fingers. He was covered in sweat, both from pain and extreme anxiety.
Xin Ran pressed him into the seat, closed the car door, and Chi Xia immediately locked it, while also raising the partition in the middle to make it transparent and visible.
Zhang Peng's eyes swept over Chi Xia, and he suddenly realized a crucial point. Terrified, he immediately jumped up and began punching and kicking the car window, the seat, and the partition, yelling, "Let me out! Let me out now!"
Xin Ran opened the passenger door, saw the packed items on the seat, picked them up and sat down, placing them on her lap. "I'm starving."
Chi Xia turned to look at Zhang Peng, "Teacher Zhang, what's the location of your home?"
Zhang Peng frantically searched for a while, ignoring the excruciating pain in his fingers. All he wanted was to get away and escape their sight, but the car was too sturdy and reliable; once locked, it was like an impenetrable fortress. "Let me go," he said, "I know nothing and I won't say anything."
Chi Xia looked at him coldly, "Teacher Zhang, don't make me say it a third time, location."
Zhang Peng saw his death in Chi Xia's eyes, eyes that could pierce through steel. He retreated, pressing himself tightly against his seat, making a final struggle, "What do you want?"
Chi Xia took a deep breath, just as she was about to get out of the car and use some unconventional methods to get someone to talk, when Zhang Peng immediately shouted, "No. 125 Shangning Street."
Chi Xia set the location, started the self-driving car, watched the car drive onto the road, and then turned around to eat pizza with Xin Ran.
Xin Ran handed over a plate of beef brisket rice, saying, "The coffee was awful, but the food was alright, thanks to Teacher Zhang."
This was the meal Zhang Peng ordered. Chi Xia asked the restaurant to pack it up before she left; it was a meal for two.
Zhang Peng watched in despair as the two people in front of him devoured their food; he had been far too careless.
Upon arrival, Chi Xia and Xin Ran had eaten and rested enough. Chi Xia drove the car into the detached villa and parked it in Zhang Peng's parking space.
Zhang Peng was about to speak when…
He opened his mouth, but no sound came out of his throat. He was so anxious that he pounded on the partition.
Xin Ran turned around and smiled, "Teacher Zhang, in case you shout and disturb the neighbors' sleep, I gave you a mute medicine. The effect will wear off in an hour, so just bear with it."
The two got out of the car. Chi Xia grabbed Zhang Peng by the collar, and Xin Ran opened Zhang Peng's door in a few quick movements. Chi Xia then casually tossed Zhang Peng inside.
Once inside, the two divided the tasks. Chi Xia found a rope, tied Zhang Peng up, and placed him on the sofa, while Xin Ran ransacked the entire three-story villa.
The table was soon piled high with all sorts of nice things, as well as things that a teacher would never need.
Ignoring the expensive watches and diamond cufflinks, Chi Xia opened a black wooden box containing ten thumb bombs and a ten-shot portable pistol.
Zhang Peng watched helplessly as his secret was gradually revealed on the table, his heart sinking to the bottom.
Chi Xia glanced at him. "Teacher Zhang, no rush. We have all night. Think about where to start."
Zhang Peng couldn't speak at this moment, tears welling up in his eyes. He watched as Chi Xia opened another folder containing many photos. Thinking of something, Chi Xia counted them.
There are exactly 43 photos.
Chi Xia found the twilight one and stuffed it into her pocket.
Then she got up and went to the kitchen, took out three glasses, poured three glasses of wine, and spilled one glass on the floor. "Twilight, tonight I'll send someone down to keep you company."
Zhang Peng's eyes widened, and in his frantic movements, he fell to the ground. From the other side of the stairs, Xin Ran came down with a Rubik's Cube. "That's all for now. Should I leave?"
Chi Xia nodded, and Xin Ran smiled, "Perfect, I'll go check out his warehouse; he must have a lot of good stuff hidden there."
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