NABC Chapter 136 Liu Yan Falls into the Trap
Chapter 136 Liu Yan Falls into the Trap
At 2 p.m., the bar was open as usual. There weren't many customers, but they were all well-known figures with plenty of money.
There were also a few ordinary people mixed in, ordering inexpensive imported liquor in the booths. They couldn't bear to spend money on cocktails, so they could only stare at the pretty bartender dolls at the bar making flair cocktails.
After mixing drinks, the pretty girls would smile and serve them to the high-end guests. Some would even sit in a booth and strike up a conversation. They wouldn't get angry even if a guest subtly put their arm around their waist or groped them.
Ordinary people were green with envy, swallowing hard, but not a single one dared to step forward, either because they lacked confidence or because they were afraid of offending important figures.
In the inner office, Liu Yan was tying Yan Shuoli's tie, her hands still warm from the heat.
She had just come in to report on the business when Yan Shuo pulled her into his arms after she had only said a few words. The sudden intimacy startled and flustered her. She gasped softly as she half-pushed him. The room was already in disarray, and her heart was still pounding wildly in her chest.
Yan Shuo held her hand and said with a smile, "Your salary will triple from now on."
Liu Yan's face flushed red, and she abruptly pulled her hand back, glaring at him: "What do you take me for?" As she spoke, she picked up the coffee cup on the corner of the table, pretending to spill it, her tone full of anger, but her hand paused quietly.
Yan Shuo reached out to stop the glass, and then pulled her into his arms, holding her waist. "Did you get the wrong idea? I'm giving you money so you can buy some nice clothes and jewelry. From now on, you'll be my woman, and you won't need to go on any other missions. Just focus on managing this bar."
Liu Yan snorted, her arm pressed against his chest but she couldn't break free: "So, all those years I spent at the Paramount were for nothing?"
"It's not that you're working for nothing, it's just that this place suits you better." Yan Shuo pinched her cheek. "People who come here are all rich and powerful, from all over the world, and you know English, so it's much better than messing around at the Paramount."
Liu Yan straightened her wrinkled clothes and looked up directly at him: "Fine. So how are you going to arrange things for me? As a concubine? Or a mistress? You can't just take advantage of me and then abandon me. You don't seem like the kind of person who would be irresponsible."
Yan Shuo raised an eyebrow, took out a cigarette from his cigarette case, and asked, "How do you want me to arrange this?" Before he finished speaking, Liu Yan straddled his lap, wrapped one arm around his neck, grabbed the lighter with the other, lit it, and brought the cigarette to his lips.
"You've already bullied everyone, so naturally you get to call the shots." Liu Yan snuggled closer to him, her voice sweet and innocent. "I only have one request: don't let others laugh at me."
Yan Shuo lowered his head, took a drag of his cigarette, then leaned in to kiss her, his chin rubbing against her chest: "The Party and the State have rules against taking concubines."
"I don't care about the rules." Liu Yan pouted and pinched his arm. "You figure it out! Otherwise, I'll go tell Sister Yao Yao that you bullied me."
"You're asking for it!" Yan Shuo raised his hand and gently patted her bottom, his tone both helpless and indulgent. "She's pregnant, don't upset her. Be her mistress for now, and I'll give you a proper title after the baby is born."
"Okay," Liu Yan replied obediently.
"The courtyard next to the tavern is yours," Yan Shuo said directly. "I'll give you the deed later. There are three shops on the first floor, you can open a restaurant on the second floor, guest rooms on the third floor, and you can use the fourth floor as your bedroom. If you find climbing stairs tiring, I'll install an elevator for you. You can manage the shops yourself, and all the profits are yours. You're the bar manager now, it's beneath your dignity to live in something shabby."
Liu Yan's eyes lit up, and she hugged his neck and shook him: "Okay! Then you have to come and keep me company often. Let me tell you, there are plenty of rich young men pursuing me. Even if I can't be their wife, they'd be happy to have me as a concubine."
"Heh, who are you kidding?" Yan Shuo scoffed, exhaling a smoke ring. "You dare to try? Boss Dai will be the first to kill you. Do you think I don't know your suitors? They're all from small families, with only a little money in their hands, unable to even decide their own marriages. If you become a concubine and get beaten to death by the wife, they won't dare utter a sound."
"You're talking nonsense!" Liu Yan retorted, pulling his hair in a coquettish tone, the force as light as a tickle. "They are, after all, from prestigious families."
"Why don't you give it a try?" Yan Shuo teased her deliberately, reaching out to flick her nose.
"I'm not going!" Liu Yan immediately wilted, slumped onto his shoulder and muttered, "Their monthly allowance isn't even as much as the bonus you give the brothers once. Who wants to go with them?"
She knew perfectly well that those people, though they looked glamorous, were actually powerless and had no control over their own lives. None of them were as powerful as Yan Shuo, who was still so generous to her.
Yan Shuo smiled and patted her leg: "Go, bring over the photos of the women you rescued. Have you processed them all as I instructed?"
"It's all taken care of." Liu Yan stood up and straightened her skirt. "They were all in forced poses, and their facial expressions were complicated. It's very impactful. It can both tantalize those bad men and be even more heartbreaking for the victims' families."
"Have all the Chinese girls' faces been photoshopped?" Yan Shuo asked.
"They've had their bodies repaired, and they look very different from real people. It won't affect their future marriage prospects. The birthmarks and scars on their bodies have also disappeared. Now they've all been arranged to work in different places, away from their acquaintances in Shanghai. In a different city environment, they'll start a new life."
Liu Yan nodded, "At first they were puzzled, but our people explained that it was to deter human traffickers, and they were all very cooperative, taking hundreds of photos. Now they've all been arranged to work in workshops in other places."
She paused, then added, "We've taken down so many people in the human trafficking chain, and the trend of forcing women into prostitution and trafficking has subsided a lot recently. Those we haven't caught are probably all hiding, too scared to show their faces."
"Hmm." Yan Shuo nodded, his tone instantly turning cold. "Tell your men to keep a close eye on things. Kill them if you see them. Be careful of your own safety. If you can't handle it, come back and call for backup. Don't be reckless."
"I understand." Liu Yan turned and went out, and came back in a moment later carrying a stack of photos, which she bent down and spread on the desk.
Yan Shuo casually flipped through two sheets of paper, while Liu Yan reported from the side: "That guy Kentaro Ito doesn't have much money on him. I guess he usually relies on others to curry favor with him and doesn't need to spend any money himself. He only has a little over 30,000 yen and 6 large silver dollars in his account, plus the Cartier watch, Tiffany diamond cufflinks, Patek Philippe pocket watch, Rolex Oyster watch, platinum necklace, jade pendant, and diamond-encrusted gold dagger he was wearing. They were all secretly sold on the black market for a total of 82,000 yen, and have already been given to Sister Yao Yao."
"Where's Nanako?" Yan Shuo asked without looking up, his hands still flipping through photos.
"We arranged for someone to run him over. The car is hidden, and the person who did it has been taken care of. They're not going out for the time being, and they're being fed and cared for every day." Liu Yan spoke calmly, as if she were talking about something ordinary.
Yan Shuo stopped what he was doing, looked up at her, and said with approval in his eyes, "Well done."
He tapped the photos with his knuckles. "Have these photos sent in batches to the black market and the Japanese quarter to warn those who are blind to the danger."
"Understood." Liu Yan nodded, leaned against the table, and touched the photos. "Should I arrange it now?"
Yan Shuo reached out and pulled her back onto his lap, putting his arm around her waist. "What's the rush? Sit with me a little longer. It's noisy outside, but it's quiet here."
Liu Yan smiled, then wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her face against his shoulder.