Bobo's Invitation

Night.

The rain continued to drizzle, as if it would never stop. The fine strands of rain hung like a thin veil over the city’s night sky, gradually blurring its outlines. In the distance, high-rises and neon lights shimmered indistinctly through the haze.

The streetlamps cast a dim, yellow glow. Refracted through the mist, their light formed hazy halos across the road. A boot came down in a puddle, sending water splashing upward, yet not a drop reached the wearer’s trouser leg.

He walked on in silence. His tall frame looked even more imposing and powerfully built beneath his heavy coat. When he spotted the bar up ahead, he passed by its entrance three times before finally stepping inside as if on a whim.

“Welcome.”

The moment he entered, a sweet, cloying voice reached his ears. The man’s gaze fell upon the slender yet alluring figure behind the bar.

“You’re the guest, aren’t you?” Fugui asked with a beaming smile, shaking the cocktail shaker in his hand.

Sitting across from Fugui was another figure. When he saw the man enter, Ye Shuang smiled as well and said, “Sit here.”

After taking his seat, the man removed his mask. It was Bobo. Glancing at Ye Shuang beside him, he said, “Good evening, Mr. Ye.”

“Good evening.”

After seeing Bobo, Ye Shuang did not rush to bring up Jin Sha. Instead, he looked at the glass in front of him and simply asked, “What would you like to drink?”

Bobo turned to Fugui and said, “Hello. Give me something strong—the strongest you have.”

“Sure thing. Coming right up.”

When the drink was placed on the table, Bobo picked up the glass with his broad palm. Though it was a standard-sized glass, it looked particularly tiny in his hand. Under Ye Shuang’s gaze, Bobo downed it in one gulp.

Even after finishing the high-proof liquor in a single shot, Bobo’s expression barely changed. He merely grunted before asking Fugui, “Another one, please.”

“Sure thing.”

After three consecutive drinks, Bobo let out a long breath, as though he had merely quenched his thirst.

“Aren’t you curious why I asked you to meet me?” Bobo asked slowly when he saw that Ye Shuang had remained silent.

“It’s probably about Jin Sha.”

After Ye Shuang said this, Bobo seemed to take it as confirmation. Yet a conflicted look appeared on his face, and Ye Shuang knew what he was hesitating over—or rather, what he was struggling with.

There was no doubt that Jin Sha had done Bobo a great favor. As for what had happened between them, Ye Shuang did not know. He had never entered Bobo’s Clock World, and aside from discovering that Bobo was a mercenary, his previous investigation had yielded no useful information.

But Jin Sha had brought Bobo into the Zhou family and given him a place where he could live.

For Bobo to arrange a private meeting with Ye Shuang now could even be considered an act of betrayal.

“If you don’t want to talk, then we can just have a drink tonight.” Ye Shuang understood what Bobo was worried about. After thinking for a moment, he smiled and said, “It’s all right. You don’t have to force yourself.”

“You’re very kind, Mr. Ye.” Bobo suddenly gave a quiet laugh, as though musing to himself. “No wonder Miss Alice likes you so much.”

Ye Shuang did not explain his relationship with Alice. Instead, he followed up on the subject. “Where is Alice? I remember you never leave her side. Is it really all right for you to meet me alone?”

“It’s fine. Miss Alice gave me some time off. She’s with Miss Xu right now, so she’s perfectly safe.”

Miss Xu.

Ye Shuang understood. He was referring to Aunt Xian. Ever since the two women had reconciled, it seemed only natural that they would spend time together.

And when Bobo said Alice was safe, he meant that, as Jin Sha’s daughter, she did not actually have any enemies—much less anyone lying in wait to harm her.

“Miss Alice has been in a very good mood lately. She often tells me about the two of you, and she isn’t upset about Miss Xu anymore.” Whenever he spoke of Alice, Bobo’s expression softened, carrying the satisfaction of an elder watching over a younger generation.

Perhaps talking about Alice had helped calm him down. Bobo looked at Ye Shuang and said, “Mr. Ye, please stop investigating Madam’s affairs.”

Ye Shuang gave Bobo a deep look. Of course, he knew Bobo was trying to persuade him.

“You know I can’t do that. Chen Qin was stabbed. Before that, there was Zhou Min—and even Yu You…” Ye Shuang made himself perfectly clear. Although he had never truly come into contact with Jin Sha, they were already enemies.

No one wanted a poisonous snake hiding in the shadows, ready to strike at any moment. Ye Shuang had made up his mind: he would do everything in his power to eliminate this threat and allow their peaceful lives to continue.

As if he had expected Ye Shuang to say that, Bobo fell silent for a moment. Perhaps he had thought of Alice. He swirled the ice in his glass and suddenly said in a low voice, “Madam is an extraordinary presence.”

“She’s an old woman with unimaginable influence.”

“An old woman?” Ye Shuang was surprised by the way Bobo referred to her. After all, Bobo himself looked quite old—well over forty would not have been a strange guess.

“Yes. She… I think she’s more than three hundred years old.”

Bobo’s words left Ye Shuang momentarily stunned.

“I once saw a photograph of Madam. It was an old photograph from more than two hundred years ago…”

Bobo continued solemnly, “She has many things in her possession—things you can’t possibly imagine.”

“The best outcome would be not to arouse her interest. She may toy with you for a while, then grow bored and move on to something else.” Bobo noticed Ye Shuang’s expression and added, “Though, judging from the situation now, that doesn’t seem to be an option anymore.”

After falling silent for a while and digesting everything he had heard, Ye Shuang rubbed his brow. In truth, their meeting that night had already brought many things into the open. Once he was certain that Bobo was willing to speak honestly with him, he asked the question he cared about most.

“The kidnapping of Yu You back then… Jin Sha ordered you to do it, didn’t she?”

At that, Bobo’s gaze lingered on Ye Shuang for a moment, as if surprised that Ye Shuang had managed to uncover the truth.

But in the next instant, he admitted it. Without offering any excuses, he simply said, “I’m sorry, Mr. Ye. I was indeed involved.”

Ye Shuang let out a long breath. He had known the answer for some time; the clues he had discovered in the Clock World had merely lacked confirmation.

Should he hate Bobo?

No. Should Yu You hate Bobo?

Ye Shuang had no answer to that.

Without a doubt, however, he needed to use Bobo to learn more about the most dangerous enemy he currently faced.