Chapter 044: An Embroidery Needle

It was obvious that Old Dog wanted to assert his dominance in front of Li Ruotong. He didn’t take her seriously, so naturally, Li Ruotong wouldn’t treat this old hound as she had before. Sometimes, exerting pressure through sheer presence was more direct and effective than words.

“What do you mean by that?” Old Dog’s smile widened, but in others’ eyes it appeared chillingly cold. “Miss Li Ruotong, you should know that in the Backstreets, no one dares touch my people. The fact that this kid is still alive today is pure luck!”

“So what you’re saying is, if your men come to my place looking for trouble, should I just have someone kill them as well? Otherwise, how am I supposed to keep my business open?” Li Ruotong remained unruffled. She extended her fair, slender hand, picked up the wineglass before her, and sipped her red wine as if nothing had happened. She then looked at the chubby boy, her gaze calm, and said, “You must be Old Dog’s precious son? I heard you were one of the ringleaders that night, weren’t you? Do you have anything to say for yourself?”

The chubby boy’s face flushed beet red. To suddenly have such a stunning woman look at him with a gaze as cold as death, yet question him so nonchalantly, left him nearly breathless. He didn’t even know how to reply.

Old Dog’s brows drew together, the wrinkles on his walnut-like face twitching. He sneered, “Are you sure you want to do this? I’ve operated in the Backstreets for decades, and this is the first time someone’s dared threaten me on my own turf, let alone a woman. You think I’ll be scared of you?”

“You must be joking, Old Dog. I never meant to threaten anyone, just stating the facts. I respond to others as they treat me—perfectly reasonable,” Li Ruotong said, setting down her glass. She thought for a moment, then continued, “Of course, there’s no need to make a big fuss over some things. We’re all just trying to make a living here in the Backstreets. How could a woman like me take on a bunch of big men? If you can let this go, Old Dog, you’re always welcome at Dance With Wolves.”

Even with his thick skin, Old Dog felt a tinge of embarrassment. He knew perfectly well the nature of Dance With Wolves; most of the clientele were women, though a few men with special tastes frequented the place as well. But what business would an old man like him have there? To find some pretty boy and... indulge himself? Of course, he knew that even if Li Ruotong wanted to mock him, she wouldn’t do so in such a crude manner. If he really did come to spend money here, the mysterious boss behind Dance With Wolves could easily summon a group of stunning beauties for him to choose from.

But age had caught up with him; he barely managed to keep up at home, let alone nurture any extravagant appetites now.

“In that case, how about we cooperate? I’ll invest in Dance With Wolves under my own name and guarantee all security here. What do you think, Miss Li?” Old Dog narrowed his eyes thoughtfully, his gaze scrutinizing the inscrutable woman across from him, searching her face for any sign of emotion.

Li Ruotong’s expression faltered for a moment. She’d expected this old hound to try to take advantage, but hadn’t thought his appetite would be so big—he actually wanted a share of Dance With Wolves. That was something she could never tolerate.

Before she could respond, the mysterious woman beside her, who had been silent all this time, sat up straight and said coolly, “Old Dog, you’re really asking for the moon. Do you have any idea what you’re getting into by trying to meddle in Dance With Wolves? Aren’t you afraid you’ll choke on more than you can chew?”

The moment this woman spoke, Li Huan sensed a new tension in the room. Even Old Dog seemed unsettled. “Fei Lengcui, if I remember right, Master Liang is already behind bars for life. There’s no need for you to throw your weight around with me.”

Fei Lengcui, as Old Dog called her, darkened but merely smoothed her fringe with composure. Her lips curled into a beautifully elegant smile, yet beneath it lurked a hint of venom. “Old Dog, you’re so fond of your dogs. Would you like to know how your little emperor met his end?”

“What?” Old Dog’s face changed drastically. He shot to his feet—though, standing on the sofa at barely one and a half meters tall, he still wasn’t as tall as Li Huan beside him. With his grotesque features and oversized, fierce eyes, he looked like a petulant, ugly child. His gaze burned into Fei Lengcui, filled with violence.

“A simple embroidery needle, that’s all,” Fei Lengcui replied, unmoved. Her aura was formidable as she lifted her hand, forming a delicate orchid gesture, and flicked her finger at Old Dog’s wineglass. A flash of silver, cold and sharp under the lights, shot across and pierced straight through the glass without shattering it.

The short man behind Old Dog had sensed something was wrong, but he was a beat too slow. Only when he saw Old Dog unscathed did he relax slightly, stepping forward protectively.

Old Dog’s wrinkles trembled with rage, his small body shaking atop the sofa, eyes blazing red as if about to spew molten lava. Clearly, his fury at losing his beloved dog was beyond words.

No one had expected such a scene—not even Li Huan, who stared in astonishment. A single embroidery needle had punctured the wineglass clean through, yet left not even a crack around the silver needle’s entry. Such force, executed with perfect control, required not just strength of fingers and wrist, but an unparalleled mastery of power—what a terrifying skill this woman possessed.

Li Huan realized how narrow his own experience had been. He had always thought his family’s martial school was among the best, only to find the world far wider than he knew. This mysterious woman had hidden depths indeed.

Li Ruotong, too, seemed startled. Perhaps it was the first time she’d seen Fei Lengcui display anything beyond her usual confidence and authority. She stared in confusion at Fei Lengcui but said nothing.

Rage boiled in Old Dog’s chest, keeping his body trembling for a long time. Only after some time did he finally calm himself. He tasted blood at the back of his throat but forcefully suppressed it.

At last, he sat down from the sofa, regaining his former ferocity. He stared at the wineglass, his eyelids twitching before he finally spoke. “For Miss Fei’s sake, I’ll leave Dance With Wolves untouched. But as for Miss Li’s other project in the Backstreets, I think there’s room for cooperation. Name your terms, and we’ll discuss.”

Li Ruotong let out a quiet sigh of relief. This project was one she was about to launch, and although she’d smoothed the way upfront, Old Dog’s roots ran deep in the Backstreets, so she had to make some concessions. With Li Huan’s incident as an excuse, she was happy to use it as a bargaining chip; otherwise, her reputation would suffer if word got out.

“I’ll have a lawyer reach out to you for negotiations on that project, Old Dog. As for terms, you know what I want: let’s call the previous incident a misunderstanding and leave it at that,” Li Ruotong said, remembering Sun Feifei’s request.

Old Dog gave a strange laugh but didn’t reply to Li Ruotong. Instead, he looked at Li Huan and said, “Boy, get over here and kowtow to me three times. Work for me, and we’ll call it even—no one will bother you after that. Think it over; you have one minute.”

Li Huan almost laughed in disbelief. Kowtow to this old dog, and then join his crew? Did he look like an utter fool?

“So you’re Old Dog, huh? I really admire that thick skin of yours. I’ve never bowed to anyone in my life, and sure, you’re the big boss here, but someone like you? I can stab that little guy, and I can stab you too—try me if you don’t believe it!” Li Huan had truly lost his temper. He said this not to show off, but simply to strike back at the old dog.

“You’re looking for death!” The short man leapt up, only to be held back by Old Dog, who stared at Li Huan with a curious expression. “Today’s just bad luck for me. But I’ll admit, I respect your courage—even if that doesn’t mean I’ll let you live. Remember this: my dogs never bite men without backbone.”

With that, Old Dog stood, gathered his men, and started for the door. At the threshold, he turned to Li Ruotong and said, “Don’t worry. Until our deal is done, I’ll make sure he stays alive.”

Li Huan sneered. Some people thought that power gave them license to ignore morality and law. Old Dog was clearly such a scoundrel, and Li Huan had nothing but contempt for him—he couldn’t even be bothered to voice it.

“Li Huan, you were too reckless just now!” As soon as Old Dog left, Sun Feifei jumped up, worry written all over her face and her tone unsteady.

“Having backbone is good, but you have to pick your moment. That old dog is cunning, and his threats are never empty!” Li Ruotong also stood, her expression grave.

Fei Lengcui alone remained calm and composed. She rose from the sofa, walked over to Li Huan, studied him carefully, and finally said, “A true man should have such spirit. You did well.”

Li Huan was taken aback, and so were Li Ruotong and Sun Feifei. They couldn’t tell if Fei Lengcui was genuinely praising and encouraging him, or mocking his brash arrogance.

After a while, Li Ruotong seemed to think of something. She looked curiously at Fei Lengcui’s face and asked with some force, “How did you do that just now? That was amazing—I never knew you could do that!”

Fei Lengcui shook her head as if she didn’t want to discuss it. She reached up to touch the jade pendant at her throat, then addressed Li Ruotong and Sun Feifei. “I have something to discuss with him. I’ll take him outside for a bit and bring him back later.”