"Hoohoo! I can't take it anymore! Let's go back!" Jiang Hai, already feeling overwhelmed by the dance before it had even finished, said to Cheryl Lee, his eyes gleaming. Cheryl Lee rolled her eyes at him, clapped her hands, and gestured to the three girls. Smiling, they all came over and began packing their things. Naturally, Jiang Hai took advantage of their distraction—though it wasn't so much him forcing it as them allowing it deliberately.
After about ten minutes of playful banter, they finally finished packing. Jiang Hai's car couldn't accommodate all six of them. While he didn't mind one person riding on his back, the police certainly would.
After thinking for a moment, Jiang Hai decided to take a taxi with Cheryl Lee. After all, he needed someone who could speak Korean.
Azarina led them back to Jiang Hai's room at the Shilla Hotel. Meeting someone on the street and taking a taxi would have been too inconvenient. Cheryl Lee called for a cab to wait downstairs, while Azarina and the others left first. About five minutes later, Cheryl's phone rang, signaling the taxi's arrival.
As they prepared to head downstairs, Jiang Hai's eyes caught a woman slumped over a bar table in the distance. She looked drunk, swaying as several men passed her table.
"South Korea is a mess," Jiang Hai chuckled, not wanting to get involved.
But just then, a thug approached the woman, attempting to carry her away. She resisted, and her hair shifted, revealing her face. Jiang Hai froze. It was a familiar face—one he'd seen just minutes ago.
"Sun Yunzhu?" he muttered, stunned. Hadn't she left with Azarina? Why was she here, and why were her clothes different? Just then, Cheryl Lee noticed the woman too.
"Oh, it's Sun Yunzhu! Jiang Hai, hurry! Don't let him take her!" Her words reassured him—Cheryl Lee and Sun Yunzhu were friends, so there could be no mistake. Jiang Hai stepped forward, approaching the man trying to pull her away.
"Kid, what are you doing?" he said in English, his face fierce. The man froze, a flicker of fear crossing his eyes—whether from guilt, Jiang Hai's intimidating presence, or the sharpness of his voice, it was unclear. Muttering a string of Korean words Jiang Hai didn't understand, the man slowly backed away.
"Let's go!" Cheryl Lee said, approaching the woman, caressing her, and whispering softly. The woman, already 80% drunk, stopped struggling and collapsed into Cheryl's arms.
Jiang Hai had plenty of strength and experience with handling the physically fit Cheryl Lee. She could carry the woman herself, but Jiang Hai wouldn't let her carry him. After scaring off the thug, Jiang Hai picked up the woman in his arms and walked outside.
He held her like a princess, examining her closely. The more he looked, the more he sensed something was off. While she resembled Sun Yunzhu, she seemed older and less fit—and most noticeably, she had a small bump on her nose. Jiang Hai pushed the thought aside as the taxi arrived. To avoid misunderstandings, Cheryl Lee helped the woman into the back seat, while Jiang Hai, who paid for the ride, sat up front.
After telling the driver to head to the Shilla Hotel, Jiang Hai focused on Seoul's night view. It was around 11 p.m., and the streets were relatively empty, allowing them to reach the hotel quickly. After paying, Jiang Hai carried the intoxicated woman and Cheryl Lee into the hotel, taking the elevator up to his floor. Azarina was in the living room, watching TV.
Seeing him carrying a woman, she paused briefly, then shook her head casually. She didn't care how many women Jiang Hai brought around.
"Where are they?" Jiang Hai asked, still unsure if the woman in his arms was really Sun Yunzhu.
Azarina merely advised, "Be careful inside. You have work tomorrow."
"Work?" Jiang Hai echoed, puzzled.
"You said earlier that the team would contact the South Korean government. That's done. The beef will be shipped to China tonight. Compensation is $10 million. South Korea agreed readily, but they have another request—they'll tell you tomorrow."
Jiang Hai nodded, realizing he couldn't stay out too late. With that, he and Cheryl Lee carried Sun Yunzhu into his room.
"Ding-dang!" Three figures suddenly leapt from the distance—but Jiang Hai barely flinched, his eyes scanning the clothing of the three newcomers. They had deliberately showered and changed into skimpy pajamas—revealing, slightly seductive attire. His appetite was immediately piqued.
But something felt wrong. The Sun Yunzhu he had just seen was now standing before him—so charming, so familiar. Who, then, was the one in his arms?
"Who is this…" Jiang Hai muttered, confused. He had thought the night's excitement was over, but he had accidentally brought another woman back.
Cheryl Lee smiled awkwardly. "Uh, she drank too much at the bar and was about to be harassed by a little gangster. I thought it was Yunzhu. Hehe… seems I was mistaken."
"What should we do now?" Jiang Hai asked, flustered.
"Call the police!" Yin Suwan suggested immediately.
"No, we didn't call the police earlier. If we call them now, we won't be able to explain things properly… and if this gets exposed…" Li Xiubin and Sun Yunzhu quickly objected. Being public figures, they couldn't risk the scandal. Besides, they didn't trust themselves to control the situation.
"Then what should we do?" Jiang Hai asked, frustrated.
Cheryl Lee grinned. "It's simple. One sheep or two—it doesn't matter. I know how capable you are. Let's just add her in."
"Was this my initiative?" Jiang Hai muttered, equal parts amused and exasperated. Cheryl Lee clearly had her priorities a little off.
"She was about to be taken by hooligans at the bar. Better you handle it than let them. But we should check her first. Don't want you catching anything nasty!" Cheryl said with a smile.
Jiang Hai hesitated, but Cheryl Lee's confident expression, along with a wink to the others, convinced him. Yin Suwan and the others quickly moved forward, making it unlikely anyone would get an early night.