Chapter 9: with translation of chapter title

The traffic police inspected the scene, quickly issued an accident liability determination, without doubt, the drunk-driving man bore full responsibility; looking at the man before them, reeking of alcohol, the traffic police wanted to take him back for a blood test.

The Criminal Law stipulates: when blood alcohol concentration is greater than or equal to 80–150 mg/100 mL, if there are aggravating circumstances a case must be filed; when it is greater than or equal to 150 mg/100 mL, a case is always filed.

The drunk man was contacting the insurance company; Su Ruoyun stood with her left hand clasped across her chest and her right hand naturally hanging at her side, boredly watching the traffic flow beneath the overpass; after a few sentences, the man hung up.

Before leaving, Su Ruoyun tilted her head, gazing at him teasingly, and kindly reminded him: "If a traffic accident is caused by drunk driving, under the dangerous driving offense one faces detention and a fine, with detention ranging from more than one month to less than six months…"

Upon hearing this, the drunk man's face instantly darkened.

As if unaware of his glare that seemed ready to tear her apart, Su Ruoyun smiled, turned and strode away, her long hair fluttering in the air, her light steps showing her good mood.

Huo Jingcheng withdrew his gaze from outside the car window, and in his mind replayed the scene just now like a movie.

Others said she was after money, and she promptly slapped the label of being wealthy and able to do as she pleased on them, causing bystanders to form a bad first impression; she then used her authority to intimidate the other party—under the feet of the imperial city, who would dare claim that Sijiucheng belongs to them…

The boss lady of the One River Tobacco Teahouse was rather interesting.

Huo Jingcheng leaned back against the leather chair, the corner of his mouth twitching ever so slightly.

By the time Su Ruoyun arrived at the teahouse, it was nearly ten in the morning.

Because she had informed the tea merchant in advance on the road, and the merchant expressed understanding, she first went to other teahouses to deliver the goods.

Just as Su Ruoyun arrived, the tea merchant drove his car into the courtyard, and one after another exquisitely packaged tea gift boxes were carried into the storage room, containing various famous domestic teas, such as Peaceful Monkey King, Phoenix Dancong, and Gold Swift Eyebrows tea, etc.

Both the One River Tobacco Teahouse and the tea merchant use a single delivery and a single settlement.

Su Ruoyun half-squatted on the ground, carefully matching the invoices in her hand with the tea gift boxes arranged in the rosewood cabinet, checking them one by one; after about half an hour, once the counting was done, she also transferred the payment.

After locking the storage room door, Su Ruoyun went to the side courtyard and tallied the teahouse's income and expenses for the past month.

She did not run this teahouse as a mere hobby; naturally she had to earnestly fulfill the duties of an owner.

When Xiao Hu entered with his boxed meal, Su Ruoyun was still at the tea table, one hand pressing the calculator, the other holding a pen, cross‑checking the ledger item by item, invoices and slips spread across the table.

Seeing her so focused on her calculations that nobody noticed his arrival, Xiao Hu called out loudly, "Boss Lady, I've put the boxed meal on the table."

Su Ruoyun didn't even lift her head, replying with a simple "Okay."

When people are earnestly and attentively absorbed in a task, they often forget to eat and feel hungry.

After finishing everything, it was already twelve thirty; Su Ruoyun glanced at the clock on the white wall, only then realizing she hadn't eaten lunch, feeling her stomach growl with hunger.

She tidied up the invoices and slips, sat on the sofa, and while eating called Ms. Ming.

Lunch was the set boxed meal ordered uniformly by the teahouse, the same as the other staff—two meat dishes and two vegetable dishes.

As soon as the call connected, Ms. Ming asked how her morning had gone.

Not wanting to worry her mother, Su Ruoyun briefly replied, "Nothing much, just went through insurance."

After she finished speaking, she changed the subject: "Did my brother come back home to eat dinner?"

"Yes, he'll be back," Ms. Ming said, "so how will you return tonight—should I send someone to pick you up at the teahouse?"

Su Ruoyun thought for a moment, "No need, I can just take the subway back myself."

"……."

The phone call lasted nearly half an hour; originally some customers had pre‑ordered tea, and Su Ruoyun had planned to deliver it today, but the sedan had been sent for repairs, leaving her without transport, so she had no choice but to cancel.

In the afternoon, she brewed herself a pot of Biluochun tea, dragged a lounge chair into the courtyard, basked in the sun, and slowly sipped the tea.

The roses in the courtyard clung to the fence, quietly exhaling fragrance that filled the air; Su Ruoyun contentedly swung her legs, occasionally lifting her teacup to take a sip.

A friend called.

"Hello?"

"Xiaozhuzi, are you coming to Butterfly tonight?"

The friend was referring to Butterfly Club, a famous money‑sink in Sijiucheng.

"Didn't we just have a round the night before last?"

Su Ruoyun narrowed her eyes, a handkerchief draped over her face; she really didn't want to go, the drink the night before had made her forget the entire night's memories, and she still bore a strange tooth mark on her hand.

Thinking of the tooth mark, she unfolded that piece of Suzhou embroidery silk handkerchief, raised her hand, and in the sunlight the trace had faded slightly, leaving two especially clear imprints of canine teeth on the faint blue veins.

"I'm heart‑broken; I won't get over it anytime soon, I just want to drown my sorrows in drink," the friend said in a lax tone.

"I've never heard that saying—drinking to forget sorrow only makes sorrow greater." After speaking, she pondered and asked, "Who exactly was the man who bit me that night?"

"You're so sure it was him who bit you, not that you got drunk and bit yourself."

Su Ruoyun fell silent for two seconds, "……I don't even have rabies, okay, and furthermore……

Furthermore, she had compared the tooth marks; the two bites simply could not match, meaning they were definitely not from the same person.

"And furthermore what……

"Nothing." Su Ruoyun changed the subject, "How is she?"

"She's just been whining, listless all day." The friend also worried; after years together, her boyfriend suddenly wanted to break up, which was hard to accept.

Su Ruoyun's tone was exasperated, "Is it really worth it over a man? Three‑legged toads are hard to find, but two‑legged men are everywhere."

There was a pause on the other end of the line, "……You've got the nerve to say that to her face tonight.

Su Ruoyun instantly changed her tone, "Never mind."

Women are made of water, and a heart‑broken woman even more so; she isn't the type to wail loudly, but lets tears fall drop by drop, until they break your heart.

"One word—are you coming or not?"

"Come!"

The friend on the other end, knowing her temperament, laughed heartily as expected, "All right, don't forget eight tonight."

Since she had no transportation, Su Ruoyun would take the subway home; to avoid the evening rush, she deliberately left work early.

Who would have thought that just as she lifted her bag and stepped out, a figure in a suit and leather shoes strolled into the teahouse.

A tall, slender figure stood before the black walnut wood cashier counter.

"Not here?"

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