<h4>Chapter 200: How Could A Beautiful Girl’s Mouth Be Anything But Sweet?</h4>


    Li Xiaofei sighed, paid the bill, and scooped the youngdy up in a princess carry as he left the bar. Once he was outside, he sent a message to the city leader, Tan Zhenwei.


    He quickly received a reply.


    <i>I''m a bit busy. Could you help take care of Little Ying for me?</i>


    The city leader''s response left Li Xiaofei even more speechless.


    <i>An unreliable bodyguard, and an even more unreliable father. No wonder she’s always so dissatisfied with her father. This kind of parenting definitely needed some work.</i>


    <i>It''s the middle of the night, and you''re entrusting your drunk daughter to someone else? You must really have faith in my moral standards. It also feels like you don’t consider me to be just another gang leader.</i>


    Li Xiaofei felt a bit helpless. After thinking it over, he decided to take Tan Qingying back to the slums with him.


    <i>No way I’m taking her to a hotel, right?</i>


    Shortly after they left, the man with thest name Ye emerged from the bar with a sinister smile on his face. He nced in the direction Li Xiaofei had gone, his expression was filled with jealousy.


    "Damn it, that little bastard got to pick up the pieces. What a lucky bastard." The man chuckled darkly, then spat on the ground. "City leader''s daughter or not, she''s just another slut waiting to be taken advantage of."


    When he looked through the steamy photos he had captured on his light core, the man grinned with satisfaction. Releasing these photos at a crucial moment when the Ye family was fully engaged in its campaign to crush City Leader Tan Zhenwei might not be fatal, but they could certainly cause some trouble for the city leader.


    If he was a bit smarter about it, perhaps he could use these photos to threaten the young heiress and maybe even get closer to her? Just thinking about Tan Qingying’s stunningly beautiful face made his heart race with desire. But at that moment, someone gently tapped him on the shoulder. The man turned around.


    He was met with the sight of a tall, thin man who was wearing a ck top hat and sporting a small mustache. The man was smiling eerily at him.


    "Who the hell are you?" the man cursed, startled.


    But in the next instant, his entire world spun violently. He saw his own body at the bar''s entrance, as the thin man casually took the light core from his hand and crushed it into g. He walked away without a second nce.


    <i>Why can I see myself?</i>


    As this thought crossed his mind, a sudden, overwhelming terror gripped him.


    <i>Because I lost my head...</i>


    ***


    Li Xiaofei knew he couldn’t bring the youngdy back to his home. Instead, he took her to the Cloudy Sky Gang headquarters, where he gently ced her on the small bed in his office that he sometimes used to nap.


    After tucking her in, Li Xiaofei sat nearby and began to practice his breathing techniques. Suddenly, he heard the youngdy softly sobbing in her sleep.


    "Don''t go... don''t go." She murmured, seemingly caught in a nightmare. Tears were streaming down her face as she reached out, grasping at the air.


    Li Xiaofei hesitated for a moment, but gently took hold of her small hand. Her hand was cold, but she clutched Li Xiaofei''s hand as if it were a lifeline. Gradually, she began to settle down as the fear on her face slowly faded away.


    "Mom, I miss you so much," she murmured softly.


    "No, I won''t go to university, I won''t marry that guy..." She started to struggle again.


    "I like him... I want to stay in Liuhe Base City."


    A sweet smile appeared on her face.


    "I want to eat at Chen’s Offal Shop..."


    "Hehe, you’re such a good actor."


    "Are we... friends now?"


    "Hey, do you like me? That childhood sweetheart of yours, your little junior sister—she’s not as pretty as me, and she’s not as understanding either. I’ve looked into her..."


    "Hey, idol, marry me."


    "I want to marry someone I love."


    Tan Qingying muttered these words in her sleep, slurring them together as she rambled on in her drunken state.


    Li Xiaofei froze in shock. He knew exactly who she was talking about. He never imagined that Tan Qingying would actually have feelings for him. He had thought all along that the reason she had enjoyed spending time with him was because he was the only one who didn’t care about her status, didn’t treat her like a high and mighty princess, and allowed her to have fun without any pretense. But he never expected this...


    When he looked at Tan Qingying, who was murmuring in her sleep, Li Xiaofei felt a warmth in his heart. He gently held the youngdy''s soft, delicate hand without a word. In that moment, he forgot about his cultivation.


    Tan Qingying turned in her sleep and pulled Li Xiaofei’s hand closer as she used it as a pillow. A faint smile appeared on her beautiful face as if she could sense the warmth from his hand.


    Li Xiaofei sat by the bedside, silently watching the girl in front of him. If there was anyone in this era who had truly captured his heart, it was undoubtedly this youngdy. She had not just disyed beauty and intelligence, but also a unique kind of consideration. Every time he was with her, Li Xiaofei found himself easily losing track of time and forgetting about his cultivation as he simply enjoyed herpany.


    But he had never considered pursuing her. It wasn’t because of the difference in their statuses, but because...


    He continued to quietly watch the sleeping beauty before him, lost in thought.


    The night passed in the blink of an eye. When the youngdy opened her eyes the next morning, she was momentarily bewildered as she took in her unfamiliar surroundings. A surge of caution hit her, and she quickly sat up in bed.


    The door opened as Li Xiaofei entered, carrying breakfast.


    "You''re awake?" He smiled and said, "The bathroom has everything you need to freshen up. Take your time and eat something afterward. Hangovers can be hard on the stomach."


    Tan Qingying''s wariness instantly vanished. She jumped out of bed,zily stretching and exposing a tantalizing glimpse of her slender, fair waist beneath her loose-fitting clothes.


    "Where is this?" she asked curiously. "Did you bring me to a hotel?"


    "We’re in the slums. My office," Li Xiaofei replied, urging her, "Hurry up and freshen up. People who’ve been drinking have bad breath."


    "How do you know? Did you sneak a taste?" Tan Qingying pouted her pink lips and teased, "Smell again—how could a beautiful girl’s mouth be anything but sweet?"


    Li Xiaofei nearly fled the room, flustered. Tan Qingyingughed, delighted by her sessful prank.


    <i>Coward.</i>


    Humming a little tune, she headed to the bathroom. A momentter, she poked her wet head out andined, "Why is there so little water? I can''t even take a proper shower."


    "This is the slums, you know. Water is scarce here. Being able to wash your hair is a luxury. We usually just do air baths," Li Xiaofei replied.


    The wet head disappeared back into the bathroom. A short whileter, Tan Qingying emerged with a towel draped over her shoulders, looking refreshed. She grinned and said, "Thanks forst night. Why didn’t you just take me home?"


    Li Xiaofei tried to act casual as he said, "I couldn’t resist your beauty, so I brought you back to steal a few more nces. If you really end up going to university, I won’t get to see you anymore."


    But suddenly, a loud, piercing rm suddenly red from outside. Li Xiaofei''s expression changed immediately.