Taoist priest goes to America

The apartment faces south, and the morning sun doesn't shine on it immediately.

The morning mist had not yet dissipated, and the exterior walls of the apartment were quite damp. A layer of night dew condensed on the glass of the floor-to-ceiling windows, and the dawn light had not yet fully penetrated the clouds, casting an ambiguous grayish-blue hue.

Ang Lee hovered in mid-air, his right hand extending a dark red fleshy fiber that precisely wrapped around the railing of the fifth-floor balcony of the apartment.

With a flick of his wrist, he swung silently through the morning breeze like a giant spider, landing steadily on his balcony without making a sound.

The cool breeze blowing into his collar made Li An shrink his neck. He opened the French windows and stepped into the living room, casually tossing his suit jacket onto the sofa armrest, rubbing his head, which ached from staying up all night and overusing his mental energy.

Ang Lee was also carrying a bulging black bag in his left hand, filled with stacks of heavy cash tied with rubber bands.

He had just put the bag down and hadn't even had a chance to stretch his muscles properly when two crisp knocks sounded at the door.

"Li? Are you awake?"

The voice came through the door, carrying just the right amount of allure; it was Fineria, his landlady.

"I made breakfast, would you like to come and have some? Freshly baked waffles and fried bacon, and hot coffee."

Li An stopped stretching, glanced down at the money bag in his hand, and without hesitation, flicked his left hand. The black bag traced an arc and landed precisely inside the bedroom, silently on the carpet.

Then Ang Lee took a deep breath, straightened his collar, and went to open the door.

Fineria stood outside the door wearing a loose, cream-colored knit sweater with the neckline open, revealing her delicate collarbones and deep cleavage. Her light brown hair was casually pulled back, with a few stray strands falling beside her face, making her azure eyes appear exceptionally clear.

She carried a wooden tray with two plates of beautifully presented food: golden, crispy waffles and fragrant, rolled-up bacon, along with a small dish of maple syrup and two steaming cups of coffee—a typical American breakfast.

"Good morning, Mr. Li." Fineria smiled, her eyes curving into two soft crescent moons. "Eat it while it's hot, I can't finish this much by myself."

Looking at the overly enthusiastic breakfast, Ang Lee stepped aside to let people through the doorway and said in a calm tone, "Thank you, you've gone to so much trouble. Since you went out of your way to bring it over... then I won't stand on ceremony."

Fineria's eyes lit up. She strode into the room, placed the tray on the dining table, and naturally pulled out two chairs. She then sat down in one of them, looked up at him, and waited for him to sit down.

Li Andang sat down opposite her. The bitter aroma of coffee and the sweetness of maple syrup mingled together, filling the cool morning air.

Ang Lee picked up his fork, cut off a small piece of waffle, the edges slightly charred and crispy. He put the waffle piece, coated in thick maple syrup, into his mouth, and the sweetness instantly exploded on his tongue—at the same time, the system's voice rang out in his mind without warning.

[Abnormal substance detected: Composition analysis in progress...]

[Identified as GHB, commonly known as "G-water," it is frequently seen in cases of psychedelic sexual assault; excessive doses can cause coma.]

[Flunitrazepam, a benzodiazepine sedative, brand name "FM2", was also detected, possessing muscle relaxant and anterograde amnesia effects.]

The compound formula exhibits significant aphrodisiac and hallucinogenic properties, classifying it as an aphrodisiac/addictive drug.

[Passive skill activated: Drug resistance, weakening the effects of harmful substances, continuously metabolizing...]

Ang Lee's fork stopped in mid-air, his chewing motion ceased, and then he slowly swallowed the food. He raised his eyes, his gaze calmly fixed on the person opposite him.

Fineria was biting the handle of a silver spoon, her soft lips around the rim, her eyes blinking as she gazed at him. Her azure eyes were filled with undisguised anticipation, her eyelashes trembling slightly.

A faint pink blush rose to her cheeks as she leaned against the table, her full breasts resting on the surface. Her posture was languid and alluring, and the smile on her lips was both innocent and seductive, as if she were waiting for her prey to fall into a carefully designed trap.

Ang Lee's fist slowly clenched under the table. He lowered his eyes, his gaze falling on the woman's bare forearm across from him. Her skin was fair, without any needle marks, at least on the surface it looked perfectly clean. But who knew how wild this woman was in private? He'd seen far too many messes.

If it weren't for the unavoidable "bonus gifts," such as several stubborn and troublesome star diseases, he wouldn't have had to suppress his impulses and refrain from punishing her time and time again.

Ang Lee loosened his fist, picked up the fork again, and with an expression of complete oblivion, forced a polite smile:

"It tastes great, Fineria, you're a really good cook."

"Really?" The landlady laughed happily, twirling the spoon between her fingers. "I'm glad you like it! I was worried the waffles might be a little overcooked."

The rest of the meal was spent in an eerie atmosphere. Fineria ate slowly and deliberately, while Ang Lee ate quickly, his cheeks bulging, swallowing the laced "sweet traps" whole.

As soon as the last piece of bacon disappeared, Ang Lee stood up almost immediately, quickly gathered up the used plates, cutlery, and knives, stacked them together, and carried them to the kitchen sink.

"It's only right that I wash the dishes since you cooked them," Li An said, turning around.

"Oh, don't be shy, you're a guest." Fineria's voice followed him up from behind. She squeezed to his side in her slippers, her slender wrist dipping directly into the water. Her fingers brushed against Li An's hand intentionally or unintentionally as she snatched a plate.

"Let's shower together, hurry up."

In the cramped kitchen, the two sat shoulder to shoulder. The water gurgled, and the dish sponge swished circles of white foam on the plates.

Fineria's movements while washing the dishes were very exaggerated, and her body would lean forward from time to time. Her soft curves brushed against Ang Lee's arm through the thin knitted sweater.

Occasionally, she would bend down to reach the plate deep in the sink, and her outer thigh would "inadvertently" press against Ang Lee's leg. The warm and soft touch came through her pants, like a small flame.

"By the way, what does Mr. Li do for a living?" She turned her head, her chin almost resting on his shoulder, her breath carrying the lingering aroma of coffee.

Li An stepped half a step to the side, his hands moving swiftly as he swished the plate, the water splashing and making a gurgling sound.

"I haven't found a suitable one yet, so for now... it's temporarily vacant." He subtly created a slight distance between himself and the job market, speaking a few decibels faster than usual. "You know the job market is pretty competitive these days."

"I don't have a job..." Fineria drawled, then suddenly leaned closer, her voice lowered, carrying a mysterious excitement, "So, wouldn't you like to have a US green card? And a job that pays over ten thousand a month?"

Ang Lee's hand stopped in the flow of water, and the plate slipped from his grasp.

He turned his head, looking at Fineria with a scrutinizing gaze: "Can you give it to me?"

Fineria smiled, a smile full of pride, like a cat with its chin held high.

She lightly shook the water droplets off her hands, brushed aside the stray hairs from her face, and said casually, "My father is... from the Lofi Brown family."

The tap was running, its rushing water breaking the silence of the kitchen. Ang Lee suddenly spoke up: "So...do you have dealings with the Carter family?"

Fineria blinked, seemingly surprised by his question, but quickly raised her chin, her tone matter-of-fact: "Of course! My father saw Mr. Ishers at their manor party last month—you know, the one with the pointed chin?"

When she mentioned "Ischius," she was completely unaware that Ang Lee's expression had subtly changed across from her.

Ang Lee turned off the tap, and the sound of running water stopped abruptly. He placed the last wet plate on the drainer and slowly dried his fingers with a paper towel.

He turned around and faced Fineria with a beaming smile.

"Phinelia, about the job I want... let's talk in my room."

The landlady paused for a moment, then bit her lip, her eyes brimming with curiosity and anticipation.

"No, about work... let's talk in my room, it's quite big." She blinked her right eye and took Li An's right hand.