Little Pink Starfish

Wang Lingchao was completely panicking.

This had never been part of his plan—especially not when he tried to push the blade forward a little more, only to find it stuck fast, as if rooted to the spot.

He exerted more force, his face turning red from the effort, but the person in front of him remained entirely unaffected. He could clearly see that the other party was looking at him calmly, as though he wasn’t even worth acknowledging.

This attitude infuriated him.

“This kid has some skill,” remarked one of the men from the Six Doors Bureau (Liu Shan Men), eyes lighting up as they watched Hua Rongyue’s fingers remain utterly still.

They knew Wang Lingchao’s capabilities—he was one of the top young talents in the Six Doors Bureau. If someone blocked his blade, that was believable. But to stop it completely with just two fingers? That was something none of them had expected.

“What a formidable young person… what a pity,” sighed Uncle Jin. He had also been impressed, but his expression soon turned regretful. He knew Hua Rongyue came to the Six Doors Bureau with a complicated background, one that would inevitably cause trouble for her and hinder her future there.

Had her background been different, he might already have offered to take her as a student. Such a rare talent—what a shame that fate had other plans.

The boats nearby hadn’t drifted far. It seemed the women and their clients along the Qinhuai River were bolder than usual. From not far off, the faint singing of a woman could still be heard, drifting on the wind and adding an eerie charm to the boat.

The indistinct tune, the dim candlelight, and the half-hidden figure of “Yi Linglong” behind the curtain all contributed to a particular ambiance. A dancer nearby continued her performance despite the other girls having fled, alone on the stage, dancing in solitude.

Wang Lingchao, watching Hua Rongyue’s calm demeanor, grew increasingly agitated.

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. It should have been the other person who got led by the nose, not him. How had the tables turned?

He should have completely overpowered the other’s aura. But now, everyone’s attention was on Hua Rongyue. He could hardly breathe—he felt like the very air around him had frozen solid.

People often act irrationally when angry. Wang Lingchao exhaled sharply, then sneered coldly, “What refined tastes you have. With so many women here tonight, I wonder—did anyone catch your eye?”

His tone changed, growing deeper. “But I wonder… in seeking pleasure tonight, have you forgotten an old lover?”

---

The moment Wang Lingchao spoke, everyone went still.

“What… what is he doing?” asked the older woman who had been speaking with Uncle Jin earlier, wide-eyed.

Uncle Jin, however, seemed to understand. He chuckled and said, “The young man lost his cool. He was beaten, so now he wants to save face.”

“He tried to take control, but now that he’s failing, of course he’s panicking,” said an elderly man nearby, kind-faced.

“But… bringing that up at a time like this isn’t good,” Uncle Jin said with a shake of his head.

The sudden statement startled not just the onlookers—but likely Hua Rongyue herself. If she didn’t react properly, the whole operation could fall apart.

At this moment, Hua Rongyue was still “Yi Linglong.” Any uncharacteristic behavior could raise suspicion. Countless eyes were watching from the shadows of the Qinhuai River.

The Six Doors Bureau members were all murmuring. This hadn’t been part of the plan. Wang Lingchao was only supposed to announce Yi Linglong’s presence on the river—not say something so ambiguous and provocative.

But gradually, they all realized the situation had shifted, and panic started to spread.

Those accompanying Hua Rongyue were all somewhat aware of the “setting” behind Yi Linglong’s character—that she liked men. Wang Lingchao knew this too, and had always harbored some malice because of it.

Now, he deliberately brought it up. “To think that Yi Linglong, behind her lover’s back, came out here seeking pleasure. What will people say if this gets out?”

His eyes were filled with malice and a concealed satisfaction.

No matter how famous she was now as Yi Linglong—so what? He thought: What a fool.

Wang Lingchao was intoxicated with a sense of revenge. He stared hard at Hua Rongyue, the thrill in his chest like biting into ice on a summer day.

But then—he blinked. For a moment, he thought he was seeing red, like firelight reflected off her face.

“Likes men… likes men…” Wang Lingchao almost wanted to shout it aloud, but had to settle for insinuation. He felt triumphant, thinking his words would derail the other’s thoughts and shatter the pressure she had maintained.

Then, once the momentum broke, he could take control again.

But unfortunately… he missed.

—Because Hua Rongyue smiled at him.

That smile carried a quiet strength, making her lips look especially red. It made Wang Lingchao involuntarily shiver.

Hua Rongyue looked at him silently. And beside her, Uncle Jin suddenly let out a surprised “Huh?”

He stared at the expression on her face—and the killing intent suddenly radiating from her. Even someone as seasoned as him felt a hint of danger, as though a knife was scraping across his skin.

The entire boat seemed to fill with that killing intent. The noise from the Six Doors Bureau members drew attention, but when this aura spread, no one could focus on anything else. Some even collapsed from sheer pressure.

Hua Rongyue looked at Wang Lingchao. His sudden accusation had caught her off guard. It seemed that part of Yi Linglong’s persona tried to break through, but failed.

Still, his words had stirred some memories, plunging Hua Rongyue into a kind of hallucination. The flower boat before her seemed to merge with a different, opulent place from the past.

…Before meeting Wu Wangyan, Yi Linglong had lived a rather “wild” life. Her current reputation as a flirt was nothing compared to those days. Back then, she spent nights with different beauties, countless lovers.

She didn’t even have the physical capacity to match that lifestyle—but she played the role well, until she met Wu Wangyan.

At first, he looked down on her. And Yi Linglong, proud and aloof as one of Tianyi Tower’s top agents, made no effort to pursue him. She continued playing the role of the carefree libertine.

Later, they “got together.” And later still… that part of her past became a constant thorn in her side. Wu Wangyan would bring it up during every argument.

Once, out of spite, Yi Linglong left him and went alone to a brothel. What had she been thinking then?

Hua Rongyue couldn’t say—she couldn’t feel it.

But in the present moment, her killing intent spilled out uncontrollably. She ignored Wang Lingchao, who was nearly collapsing from her aura, and quietly poured herself a cup of wine.

Yi Linglong had a legendary tolerance—able to drink day and night without falling.

Hua Rongyue didn’t drink fast, but no ordinary man could drink the way she did. Cup after cup, she drank with a kind of ease. On this boat, she seemed the freest spirit of all.

But with every cup, there was no sign of indulgence—only a sorrow and pain that no one could quite name. People dared not disturb her, not even Wang Lingchao, now frozen in stunned silence by the killing intent.

His mind went blank.

Why? How could she be so calm? So composed?

And why—after she began drinking—did silence fall over the entire boat? Shouldn’t she be ashamed after what he said? Shouldn’t others be mocking her?

But why was it that all he felt from her was sorrow?

He wanted to mock her, but no longer had the chance.

Wang Lingchao had thought his words would make everyone look down on Yi Linglong.

But strangely, he shut his mouth. Because he began to suspect—it was he who would be mocked.

Uncle Jin slowly relaxed his frown. He exhaled, thinking things weren’t as bad as they’d seemed—in fact, they were getting interesting.

Hua Rongyue had seized everyone’s attention completely. When she raised her head, no one dared move. When she drank, all eyes remained fixed on her.

Her presence was overwhelming.

Even the dancer who had kept performing now stood silently in the corner, watching.

“That reaction… truly frighteningly quick,” Uncle Jin said after a pause. “And… damn good acting too.”