Webs in the Drawing Room – Chapter 148
Mei Mei's cheek brushed against Ren's ever so slightly as she muttered under her breath, her voice laced with sarcasm.
"So what's your master plan, huh? Are you going to flirt with that lady, make her fall for you, and then force her into a binding vow? Just like how you did with me?"
There was a bite in her tone—but beneath the mockery was something else, something almost… heated.
Ren only smiled. Slowly, like it was nothing, he leaned in closer—so close his breath skimmed over the skin of Mei Mei's neck.
Then he brushed his cheek along her neck, soft and deliberate.
A shiver ran straight down Mei Mei's spine.
'Damn him.'
Ren whispered in a low, teasing voice,
"Hmm, no. Too much work. That lady's name is Ogami, by the way… she's not worth it. I wouldn't spend a whole day on her like I did on you back then."
Mei Mei blinked, her face growing hot.
Her lips parted in stunned silence. It was shameless, arrogant… And yet, in some warped way, it was a compliment.
The brat had actually said she was worth spending his entire day on—worth the seduction, worth the lies, the smiles, and the schemes.
Ogami? Not even close.
And Mei Mei understood the game.
Twisted flattery was still flattery…
And Ren knew exactly the kind of compliments that would worm under her skin.
She turned her head slightly, hiding her face behind her hair.
'Damn you, Ren… You're getting under my skin, you manipulative little bastard…'
Ren, on the other hand, kept smiling like a fox.
He thought,
'Huh. Didn't know she got jealous so easily. Must think she has ownership rights over me or something. That, or she just sees me as a high-value investment she doesn't want anyone else touching… typical Mei Mei mindset, really.'
His eyes narrowed ever so slightly as he thought ahead.
'But enough about Mei Mei… The two of them—Ogami and Jiro—walked into the den like lost sheep. It'd be criminal not to take advantage of it… Ogami might even work as a spy inside the jujutsu higher-ups. Jiro… cannon fodder maybe, but if he's obedient, a henchman's a henchman.'
Then Mei Mei grumbled, just loud enough for him to hear.
"Don't try shit, okay? I swear I'll hit you if you actually try to kiss me."
Ren smirked, his expression as amused as it was calm.
"Ah, I won't. You're older than me; I respect that~."
His tone was almost singsong.
Then he leaned back just a little and said,
"You take care of Ogami. She should be the weaker one. I'll deal with the old man. And yeah—I'll force them into binding vows, but don't worry—I won't flirt with them the way I flirt with you~."
He winked.
It wasn't subtle.
Then, with one smooth motion, he pulled away from the counter and walked toward the kitchen doorway, adjusting his shirt cuff like he had all the time in the world.
Mei Mei stood there for a moment, her expression blank… then flushed again.
Her hand instinctively went to her neck, like she could wipe away the tingle still left behind.
'Ugh… why is he like this?! Why does he act like this?! He's just a womanizer who smells too good and walks around like he owns the goddamn mansion…'
She bit the inside of her cheek and looked at the doorway where he'd just left.
Then her thoughts caught up with her emotions.
'Wait… how did he know her name? How did he know they weren't jujutsu higher-ups?'
Mei Mei frowned, confused, impressed, and irritated all at once.
'Even I don't know what the higher-ups actually look like. Did he figure it out from how they talked? From their energy? No… it's like he just pieced it together. Just like that. Freaking Sherlock Holmes brain… picking up on things I didn't even notice. It's like his mind just moves differently.'
She exhaled slowly, composing herself.
'Ugh… He's not just annoying. He's terrifying when he's serious…'
She followed him out of the kitchen, her long strides echoing lightly across the floor.
In the living room, Ren walked in first, his face calm, his posture relaxed.
He gave a polite nod toward Ogami and Jiro, who had returned to sitting side by side, both looking vaguely impatient.
Unseen by them, shadows began slipping through the cracks of the windows.
Dozens of Mei Mei's crows, silent as smoke, slipped into the mansion.
They perched along curtain rods. They rested on chandeliers.
Some flew into hidden corners and rafters, while others nested along the upper railings, quiet as death.
The air was starting to shift.