I took a taxi to Junyue Hotel—a full-service business hotel offering not only Chinese and Western cuisine, but also leisure options like mahjong, sauna, and foot baths. The guest rooms occupied floors 8 through 12, meant for overnight stays.
Striding through the lavishly decorated lobby, I took the elevator up to the 8th floor. Though many guests were in the elevator, most got off at the 2nd or 3rd floors to dine. When I stepped out on the 8th floor, it was notably quieter than the floors below. Occasionally, I saw hotel staff pushing cleaning carts into rooms.
Zheng Zhantao hadn't just told me on the phone that David had arranged for Linda to meet him at this hotel—he had even revealed the exact room number: 802.
I followed the room numbers until I found Room 802 just around the corner from the staircase. Hanging on the door handle was a **Do Not Disturb** sign, a common indicator that the guest inside didn't want interruptions.
Perhaps because David had ulterior motives, he chose this corner room—tucked away and private, making it easier for me to eavesdrop without being discovered by other guests or hotel staff.
I pressed my ear gently to the door, straining to hear what was happening inside. I was terrified—terrified of hearing the sounds of *that kind* of thing. If Linda were defiled by that pig-like David, I wasn't sure I could stop myself from kicking the door down and killing him.
Luckily, I didn't hear any inappropriate sounds—just conversation. David's sleazy voice came first:
"Heh heh, Ms. Zhang, think it over. Are you going to spend the night with me, or stand by while I expel Andrew from Second High?"
I thought Linda would scold him coldly for being disgusting. But instead, she replied in a flirtatious tone:
"Oh David, must you keep threatening to expel Andrew like that?"
David, clearly excited by her voice, stammered with anticipation:
"So… does that mean you're agreeing to spend the night with me?"
Linda giggled:
"Director David, how exactly do you want me to accompany you?"
My fists clenched instinctively. I knew Linda was cunning and often hard to read, but hearing her flirt like this still made my blood boil with jealousy.
David chuckled obscenely:
"Haha, of course I mean… that kind of man-woman thing. You're so seductive, Ms. Zhang. Come, let me tell you exactly what we'll do tonight."
From his tone, it sounded like he was about to make a move. I raised my fist, ready to pound the door down.
But just then, Linda seemed to sidestep him. She laughed and said,
"Wait, Director David. Are you saying that if I sleep with you tonight, you'll stop making things difficult for Andrew? You won't use the incident with your son as a reason to expel him?"
David was overjoyed, sounding like a toad about to feast on swan meat:
"Yes, yes, exactly!"
Was Linda really about to sacrifice herself for me, letting that disgusting man violate her?
I was furious and anxious. Linda was usually so sharp—how could she be so dumb in a situation like this? I was about to kick the door in when suddenly I heard Linda's voice shift. No longer flirtatious, it was now cold and full of ridicule:
"In that case, Director David… you're finished."
Even I was stunned. Inside the room, David was even more confused.
"Finished? What do you mean?"
Linda's voice brimmed with triumph:
"Take a look at what this is."
David asked, puzzled,
"Your phone?"
Linda laughed,
"That's right. But did you know smartphones have a recording function? I've been recording everything you said—every filthy threat and indecent proposal. What do you think the principal or the school board will say when they find out the director is such a degenerate? Think they'll keep you on staff? Think you'll still have a career in education when this goes public?"
David finally understood. Enraged, he roared,
"You set me up?!"
Outside the door, all my previous anger toward Linda vanished in a puff of smoke. I even felt a little proud. That woman's as cunning as a fox. Sure, she's beautiful and seductive—but she's also razor sharp. No wonder people can't get the better of her.
Just as I was breathing a sigh of relief, a hand tapped me on the shoulder.
"Sir, what are you doing here?"
Startled, I turned around. A strong waft of Chanel perfume hit my nose. Behind me stood a stunning woman in a teal embroidered qipao, her voice low and suspicious.
She looked about thirty, with an alluring hourglass figure that the qipao showcased perfectly. Her height was nearly 1.7 meters. But what stood out most were her eyes—long, narrow phoenix eyes with slightly arched brows that gave her a dangerously charming expression.
"Uh… I…"
I had no idea if she worked for the hotel, so I stammered, unsure how to explain why I was eavesdropping outside the room.
But what surprised me was her reaction. She stared at me with wide eyes, clearly shocked. I wondered, *Do I look that strange? I'm not a movie star, but I'm not ugly either. Why does she look so surprised?*
I scrambled to explain:
"I'm actually here looking for my sister. Her boss brought her here with bad intentions. I was worried, so I was listening outside…"
The qipao woman quickly composed herself. She gave me a meaningful look, then gestured ahead:
"May I speak with you over there for a moment?"
At that moment, a sharply dressed male hotel manager walked toward us. When he saw her, he immediately bowed respectfully:
"Miss Ting!"
She nodded coldly and ignored him. I immediately realized she must hold a high position at Junyue Hotel—someone important enough that even department managers deferred to her.
She led me aside and looked at me seriously.
"May I ask your name?"
I scratched my head.
"Andrew."
"And your age?"
"Seventeen. I'll be eighteen next month. Uh… miss, why are you asking all this?"
She gave a bewitching smile.
"Could you unbutton your shirt and let me see your left shoulder?"
I stared at her, dumbfounded.
"What are you trying to do?"
With a playful smile, she lifted my chin lightly and said in a teasing voice:
"Don't be nervous. Just one look. If you refuse, I'll call hotel security and report you as a suspicious trespasser. They'll strip-search you and hand you over to the police. Your choice—show me, or face the consequences."
"Damn it, what kind of crazy woman is this?"
Annoyed, I swatted her hand away. If I weren't worried about Linda inside, I'd have already cursed her out and bolted. But I couldn't leave—not when Linda might still be in danger.
I glared at the woman.
"Just one look?"
"Of course."
Reluctantly, I unbuttoned my shirt. When she saw my toned chest from recent workouts, she actually blushed. But her eyes soon locked onto a thumb-sized birthmark on my left shoulder. She studied it closely, then suddenly became very serious and nodded.
"That's all. You're fine."
She turned and walked away.
Watching her back, I couldn't help but feel confused. *Does she know me? Why was she so shocked to see my face—and so determined to check my left shoulder?*
But I couldn't remember ever meeting her. I grew up poor in the countryside—how could I know someone this rich and beautiful?
"Damn it. Must've run into some crazy woman."
At that moment, I realized Linda still hadn't come out of the room. My heart skipped a beat. *Could something have gone wrong inside?*