The Quagmire of Desire: From Gambling Addict and Village Flower to Movie Queen

Liu Yue grabbed Xiao Hui's sleeve and whispered, "I don't want to go."

Xiao Hui frowned: "We're still students, we don't drink."

"What's wrong with students? Students can have a drink too." Erhu reached out to pull Liu Yue.

At this moment, Sun Xiaoyan rushed out of the private room and stood in front of Erhu: "Erhu, these two are my cousin and his girlfriend."

Liu Meiling also ran over: "Yes, Brother Hu, they are still students, don't make things difficult for them."

Erhu grinned: "Oh, your younger brother and sister? Then you should definitely come in and have a seat."

"Brother Tiger," Li Yan said, walking out of the private room with a cigarette dangling from her lips, "I've seen those two students before; they are indeed Meiling's cousins. How about this, which private room are you in? I'll cover your entire bill tonight."

Erhu turned to look at Li Chun, who was leaning back on the sofa, holding a wine glass without saying a word.

Erhu chuckled: "Since Sister Yan has spoken, then forget it. I won't cause Sister Yan any trouble."

Xiao Hui quickly said, "Thank you, Sister Yan."

Li Yan waved her hand: "It's okay, you guys have fun."

Li Chun squinted at Xiao Hui, and after a long while said, "This kid is alright, neither humble nor arrogant, he should be promising."

Upon hearing this, Liu Meiling's heart stirred.

She remembered what Xiao Hui had done before—sending his own brother to jail, something not just anyone could do.

Liu Yue took Xiao Hui's hand and whispered, "Let's go back."

The two returned to the private room, where several classmates were waiting for them. One girl joked, "Hey, you've been out for so long, did you sneak off to kiss?"

Liu Yue's face turned as red as an apple: "Don't talk nonsense!"

Another boy chimed in, "Liu Yue, your face is so red, something's definitely wrong!"

Xiao Hui scratched his head: "Stop joking, I just ran into a few friends when I went to the bathroom."

"What kind of friend is he? He doesn't seem like a good person," a girl muttered under her breath.

Xiao Hui waved his hand: "It's okay, it's been resolved."

He picked up his glass and took a sip of his drink, thinking that this wasn't over yet. He recognized Erhu's eyes; they were the eyes of someone eyeing prey.

The music started playing again in the private room, and the students continued singing. Liu Yue leaned on Xiao Hui's shoulder and whispered, "That scared me to death."

"It's okay, I'm here."

Liu Yue hugged his arm tightly: "You're so kind."

Xiao Hui patted her head, but his mind was still on Erhu's look from earlier.

In the next private room, Li Chun stood up: "Alright, let's call it a day."

Erhu quickly came over: "Brother Chun, let me give you a ride."

Li Chun waved his hand: "No need, I can walk by myself."

Sun Xiaoyan and Liu Meiling also stood up, ready to go home. Li Yan patted them on the shoulder: "Come again tomorrow."

"Okay, Sister Yan," Liu Meiling replied with a smile.

Just as the group reached the door, a commotion erupted in the hallway. A boy's voice was particularly shrill: "I don't care, I'm seeing her today!"

"Shen Yan, don't go too far!" That was Xiao Hui's voice.

Sun Xiaoyan's expression changed: "It's Xiaohui!"

She and Liu Meiling quickly ran back, and Li Chun and Li Yan exchanged a glance and followed them.

The door to the private room was wide open, and there were seven or eight people standing inside.

The leader was a tall man with dyed blond hair, wearing a floral shirt and a fake gold chain around his neck. He was Shen Yan, the school bully.

Behind Shen Yan stood a red-haired man in his mid-twenties with tattoos on his neck.

This man is called Zhang Shen, Shen Yan's cousin, and he leads a group of thugs.

Xiao Hui's classmates huddled in a corner, and two boys tried to stand in front of them, but Shen Yan pushed them aside.

Liu Yue stood behind Xiao Hui, her face turning pale with fright.

"Shen Yan, what the hell do you want to do?" Xiao Hui stood in front of Liu Yue.

"What are you doing?" Shen Yan sneered. "I've been chasing Liu Yue for half a year, and she won't even give me a kind look. And now I hear she's hooking up with you, you pretty boy? What the hell makes you think you can?"

Xiao Hui said with a stern face, "What I have to do with her is none of your business."

"It's okay?" Shen Yan reached out to grab Xiao Hui's collar. "Today I'm making her my girlfriend, what the hell are you going to do about it?"

Xiao Hui slapped his hand away: "Get lost!"

"Oh ho, getting cocky now?" Shen Yan slapped him across the face.

With a slap, five finger marks appeared on Xiao Hui's face.

Shen Yan was about to continue when Zhang Shen pulled him back: "Hurry up and finish this, stop dawdling."

Shen Yan nodded and reached out to grab Liu Yue: "Come on, let's go outside and talk."

Liu Yue screamed and hid behind Xiao Hui.

Xiao Hui shoved Shen Yan aside, but Zhang Shen kicked him in the stomach from behind, sending him sprawling to the ground.

"Xiao Hui!" Liu Yue cried out and tried to rush over, but Shen Yan grabbed her wrist.

Shen Yan sneered, "Damn it, you think you're so high and mighty? I'll strip you naked right here and now, and see if you still dare to pretend to be so virtuous."

He reached out and tore at Liu Yue's collar, the buttons on her cuffs popping open to reveal half of her shoulder.

Liu Yue cried out in terror, "Let me go! Help!"

Xiao Hui got up from the ground, grabbed a beer bottle from the table, and was about to smash it.

Zhang Shen, a thug, rushed up and knocked him down with a few punches and kicks, then grabbed his hair and slammed his head against the ground.

"Kid, don't you know your own limitations? You dare to steal my cousin's woman?" Zhang Shen stepped on Xiao Hui's back. "Today, I'll teach you a lesson you won't forget."

Another thug walked over with a grin and grabbed Liu Yue's arm: "Little sister, don't be afraid. Come out with our Brother Yan for a few drinks, I guarantee you'll have a good time."

Liu Yue struggled and cried, tearing her skirt and exposing her thighs.

Sun Xiaoyan and Liu Meiling rushed to the door and, seeing this scene, Sun Xiaoyan yelled, "What are you doing!"

Shen Yan turned around and said, "Oh, there are two older sisters here? What, want to stand up for them?"

Liu Meiling said coldly, "I'm warning you, let them go right now."

Shen Yan laughed loudly: "Who do you think you are?"

Zhang Shen laughed, "Two women dare to meddle in other people's business? Get lost!" He raised his foot to kick Sun Xiaoyan.

Just then, Erhu grabbed Shen Yan by the collar from behind and threw him to the ground.

Before Shen Yan could react, Erhu kicked him in the face again, and blood gushed out of his nose on the spot.

"Damn it, where do you think you're going to run wild?" Erhu cursed.

Zhang Shen's expression changed: "Brother Tiger? What are you doing here?"

Erhu looked up at him and sneered, "Oh, Zhang Shen, you've gotten quite the brat, haven't you?"

Zhang Shen quickly released Xiao Hui, forcing a smile: "Brother Hu, I didn't know you were here. I'm just helping my cousin with some personal matters."

"Handle it?" Erhu stepped forward and slapped Zhang Shen across the face. "You're messing around on my friend's turf?"

Zhang Shen's head lolled to the side from the blow, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, but he dared not retaliate: "Brother Tiger, I was wrong, I really didn't know this was your territory."

Erhu kicked him to the ground again: "Who does your cousin think he is, daring to act so wildly here?"

Shen Yan got up from the ground, his face covered in blood, but he was still cursing, "Who are you? How dare you hit me?"

Erhu didn't say anything, but walked over and slapped Shen Yan twice, making him spin around.

"My name is Erhu, any objections?" Erhu said coldly.

Shen Yan's expression changed upon hearing this, but he was still unconvinced: "Brother Hu, this is between me and my classmate, it's none of your business."

"It's none of my business?" Erhu laughed. "That girl is my sister Yan's friend's cousin. Do you think it's my business or not?"

Sun Xiaoyan and Liu Meiling quickly ran over, helped Xiaohui up, and then helped Liu Yue straighten her clothes.

Li Chun, a cigarette dangling from his lips, walked over from behind, glanced at Xiao Hui whose face was covered in blood, and asked casually, "Kid, are you alright?"

Xiao Hui wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth: "It's nothing."

Li Chun nodded and asked Li Yan, "Xiao Hui, what do you want to do?"

Xiao Hui wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and looked up: "Brother Erhu, could you give me a knife?"

Everyone was stunned by these words.

Sun Xiaoyan's face turned pale: "Xiaohui, you..."

Liu Meiling panicked: "Xiaohui, don't do anything reckless!"

Li Chun laughed: "Kid, are you serious?"

Xiao Hui nodded: "Seriously."

Li Chun glanced at Erhu. Erhu hesitated for a moment, then pulled a switchblade from his waist and handed it to Xiaohui: "Kid, don't go too far."

Xiao Hui took the knife; the blade gleamed coldly under the light.

Zhang Shen's expression finally changed: "Brother Tiger, this..."

Xiao Hui walked over and kicked Zhang Shen in the arm. Zhang Shen cried out in pain; the hand that had just grabbed his hair and slammed him to the ground was still bleeding.

Xiao Hui squatted down: "You just said you wanted me to learn a lesson?"

Before Zhang Shen could retort, the knife in Xiao Hui's hand plunged directly into his arm.

"ah--"

Blood splattered out, staining Zhang Shen's sleeves red.

Xiao Hui pulled out the knife, casually wiped the blood from his face, and looked at Shen Yan.

Shen Yan was terrified: "You...you stay away! Are you crazy?"

Xiao Hui ignored him, walked up to him, and pressed the tip of the knife against his chest.

"Shen Yan, your pursuit of Liu Yue ends here."

Shen Yan swallowed hard: "Okay...okay, I won't touch her anymore."

"And another thing, if you dare to tell anyone about what happened today, I'll cripple you." Xiao Hui moved the knife to Shen Yan's leg.

Shen Yan nodded repeatedly: "I won't tell, I absolutely won't tell!"

Xiao Hui turned to look at Liu Yue: "Are you alright?"

Liu Yue shook her head, crying, "It's nothing."

Those students were so scared they didn't dare to breathe.

Li Chun laughed: "Good lad, you've got guts. From now on, follow me, and I'll protect you."

Li Yan breathed a sigh of relief and clapped her hands: "Alright, this is over. Let's go get some barbecue to calm our nerves."

Erhu had Zhang Shen and Shen Yan dragged away. Before leaving, he kicked Shen Yan, saying, "If I ever see you causing trouble again, I'll break your legs."

A group of people walked out, and the knife in Xiao Hui's hand was still dripping blood, but he looked normal, as if he had just stabbed someone.