Xu Si took out a check, her voice clear and calm. "Actually, I quite admire your persistence—pretending to be stupid and ugly, using my photos to extort me, all without even knowing who I am."
The man's eyes lit up at the sight of the check. He finally dropped the act, licking his back teeth and biting an unlit cigarette. "You look familiar... Let me see, let me see... I remember now! You're Miss Xu, right?"
Xu Si looked at him expressionlessly, her smile fading, her eyes calm yet shadowed. "Enough with the act. I don't have time to waste with you. Destroy those photos right here, and we can negotiate the price."
"Wait a second, that's reasonable," the man smoothed out his crumpled collar, a sly, roguish grin on his face. "How did Miss Xu know it was me? I should learn from this, hide better next time. Tell me how, and I'll give you the photos. How about that?"
"Sure," Xu Si sized him up, a faint smile on her lips. Suppressing the urge to curse, she said,
