C28 Niu Li's Plan

"It's actually quite straightforward. You big shots always seem to harbor a lot of doubts," Niu Li began, schooling Scarface Lee and Mr. Hu. Reveling in his secret satisfaction, he continued, "This whole situation is being manipulated by the R People from behind the scenes."

"Is it truly the R People? How did you come by this information?" Scarface Lee wasn't one to take rumors at face value. Niu Li would need to present some solid proof.

"Well, I owe a debt of gratitude to a certain gay man who took a fancy to me," Niu Li said with a chuckle, glancing at the somber-faced Mr. Hu. "Off-kilter as he may be, the man is ruthless. Mr. Hu, did you know it was Beardy who double-crossed you? And then he went on to set up Scarface Lee."

"That's impossible," Mr. Hu interjected with conviction.

"Impossible? I personally witnessed him plotting with the Three-union Association's Mr. Miyamoto on how to take you down. His next move was to eliminate Scarface Lee, paving the way for Mr. Miyamoto to become the face of the Three-union Association in H City," Niu Li retorted with a cold laugh, then sighed. "The truth is, everyone is driven by deep desires. No one is ever truly content. Mr. Hu, I suggest you reflect on the recent changes in that scoundrel's behavior."

Mr. Hu's face darkened further at this. He lay back on the sofa, eyes closed, his eyelids twitching slightly as if a realization had struck him.

Observing this, Scarface Lee let out a knowing laugh. "Kid, you're quite the enigma. But why drop by out of the blue to spill all these secrets? What's your angle?"

Scarface Lee was convinced there's no such thing as a free lunch. Niu Li's visit was clearly a warning, and if he had no ulterior motive, that would be truly odd.

With a knowing smile, Niu Li replied, "I'm just a patriotic young man at heart. I'm sharing this with you in the hopes that you'll wipe out the R Country mafia that's come to stir up trouble in Huaxia."

"Is that so?" Scarface Lee eyed Niu Li skeptically. Despite Niu Li's usual demeanor, there was an enigmatic presence about him.

"Alright, believe it or not, that's your call—I've clued you in on what's going down. There's nothing left for me here, so I'm heading out. Just remember to include me if something good comes up," Niu Li said, standing up with a smile.

"Hold on," Mr. Hu said, opening his eyes and giving Niu Li a complex look. "I appreciate what you've done this time, kid. I owe you one."

Niu Li blinked in surprise, then shrugged nonchalantly. "No big deal," he replied, and with that, he left the room, leaving Scarface Lee and the others lost in thought.

Once outside, Niu Li's smile widened. He never imagined he'd get to rub shoulders with such high rollers. It was a real thrill.

But his magical power was dwindling, and the Elf was growing weaker. He could only muster two more Wind Blades from his reserves. It was high time to make his exit. Long Hair and Chickenhead would get theirs eventually.

Niu Li made a beeline for the exit from the elevator to the lobby of Nighty Night. He paused to glance back at the place that looked mundane from the outside but was anything but on the inside. With a scoff, he hailed a cab and was on his way.

His parents weren't home when he got there. He remembered the beer his mom had brought home earlier—probably they were out for a family dinner and would return late.

The kitchen was bare, so Niu Li grabbed the takeout menu from the wall and dialed the number. It was his go-to move whenever he found himself alone at home. But this time, he splurged on a feast, indulging in treats he'd never been able to afford before.

Seizing the moment, Niu Li was determined to relish the finer things in life.

The delivery was swift. In about thirty minutes, a pretty waitress in uniform was at his door, bearing a large bag filled with boxed meals.

Niu Li recognized her; Lanzi had brought him meals before. He greeted her with a warm smile. "Hey, Lanzi, thanks for coming by."

Lanzi, the waitress, pouted and feigned annoyance, "Didn't you see I'm carrying so much? Hurry and help me with these things."

Niu Li then noticed that Lanzi's hands were indeed full of lunchboxes, and sweat had begun to bead on her forehead.

"Sure." Niu Li awkwardly accepted the lunchboxes and ushered Lanzi into the living room.

"Are you home alone? Where are your folks?" Lanzi let out a sigh of relief, then realized Niu Li was by himself, sparking her curiosity.

"They're at a dinner party. They might get back late tonight," Niu Li replied nonchalantly.

"Why did you order all this stuff for just yourself? And it's all so pricey? You're not planning to..." Lanzi's confusion turned into a teasing glance at Niu Li.

"Lanzi, what are you implying?" Niu Li blushed. Since the first time she delivered takeout to him, she'd taken to calling herself his big sister and often ribbed him.

"Oh, nothing. I was just thinking you've finally caught on," Lanzi teased Niu Li with a playful and curious look.

"Okay, Lanzi. You must be swamped. I've got the delivery now; here's the money. You should head back," Niu Li said, unable to get the upper hand with Lanzi. He stuffed the cash into her apron's large pocket and gently nudged her towards the door.

After locking up, the image of Loong Xiaomian floated into Niu Li's thoughts.

Having dinner with his first woman didn't seem like a bad idea at all.

While Niu Li was lost in his daydream, the Elf inside the ring was growing restless. Ignoring her weakened state, she loudly berated Niu Li. Snapping back to reality, Niu Li sensed the Elf's irritation, offered an embarrassed smile, and commanded the ring to enable the Elf's ingress and egress.

In an instant, the Elf materialized outside the ring. Before Niu Li could get a good look, she transformed into a little girl, about twelve or thirteen years old.

The grown Elf was undeniably more adorable and alluring, yet aside from her face, her body clearly lacked development.

The Elf paid no attention to Niu Li. With a graceful flutter of her wings, she zipped toward the lunchbox on the table.

The air was filled with the tantalizing scents of various dishes, luring the Elf to sniff eagerly. Her eyes sparkled as she opened a lunchbox to reveal her favorite treat inside: braised crabs!

Three golden, fried crabs topped with a sprinkle of green onions wafted an aroma so delicious it could make anyone's mouth water.

"Diaochan, you're supposed to eat vegetarian," Niu Li gently chided.

Undeterred, the Elf grabbed a crab and began to gnaw on it, scoffing, "Berserk Elves don't do vegetarian."

Niu Li was at a loss for words.

Yet, witnessing Diaochan's hearty appetite, Niu Li's own hunger was piqued. He reached for a crab himself.

Ultimately, the Elf devoured most of the dishes Niu Li had ordered. He managed to eat less than a fifth before feeling too stuffed to continue.

As the Elf kept feasting voraciously, Niu Li's astonishment was beyond words.

"Diaochan, are you still hungry?" he inquired timidly.

The Elf's demeanor shifted to one of grace as she delicately pulled out a napkin and dabbed at her lips. "I'm about eighty percent full," she declared.