Chapter 759 - 212: Sakuragi Family Interlude
"Phew~"
A designated smoking area around the East Great Temple.
Tong Yingying had her red hair tied into a ponytail, with short wavy strands hanging down her temples, swaying in the wind.
She wore a black leather jacket, with slightly faded jeans fastened by a belt underneath.
The jacket was slightly open, revealing a gray lining that outlined curves with its wrinkles.
On the lining, the Mikimoto Pearl Necklace gifted by Yan Huan was so prominent that it added just the right amount of charm to the originally androgynous chic outfit.
At this moment, she carried a large black bag slung over like it contained a musical instrument, twisting a half-burnt cigarette between her fingers.
"Sister Tong!"
Tong Yingying was originally looking at her phone when she suddenly heard Yan Huan’s voice near her ear.
Hearing it, she blinked and turned her head to the side with a slight smile on her lips.
What met her eyes was a voluptuous black-haired woman with a mischievous smile and wearing sunglasses.
It was Nara, whose real name was Yoshida Minami, Sakuragi Hitomi’s personal bodyguard.
As soon as Tong Yingying saw Yoshida Minami, the faint smile on her lips dropped immediately, and she said coldly,
"If you imitate Yan Huan’s voice one more time, do you believe I won’t kick your head like a ball?"
"Hey, don’t be like that, Sister Tong~"
Though the tone still seemed jesting, when Nara spoke again, her voice had obediently returned to its original sound,
"Wow, what a beautiful necklace. You never used to wear stuff like this before; did Yan Huan give it to you?"
Nara’s eyes were immediately locked onto the eye-catching necklace and she curiously asked.
Unfortunately, Tong Yingying ignored her, and instead snorted with displeasure, asking back,
"What are you doing in Ying Country?"
"I came to help you hunt down that person."
"I don’t need your help; roll back to Linmen. You’re lucky I didn’t take your life before, and now you don’t go around me when you see me?"
Tong Yingying squinted her eyes, tossing the cigarette butt that was about to burn out into the ashtray.
As she withdrew her hand, Nara suddenly seized her wrist.
The moment her opponent’s hand touched her, Tong Yingying’s muscles instantly tightened, showing signs of an impending outburst.
Thankfully, Nara’s words came in time, momentarily halting Tong Yingying’s motion,
"Tong Yingying, do you really think that without my help in the shadows, your subordinates, who have been investigating for years without a lead, would suddenly catch his trail?"
Tong Yingying glanced at her side-eye, sneering coldly,
"So I should thank you, huh? Thank you for your dereliction of duty, for letting them put a bullet in White Mother’s head?"
"Don’t you dare pin that on me! What dereliction of duty?! That person had intelligence, support, equipment, and strength, wasn’t an ordinary person at all!!"
Nara grasped Tong Yingying’s wrist tighter, stared at her and angrily said,
"You know it yourself! Essentially, it wasn’t just me who couldn’t protect White Mother, the entire gang failed to protect her! And the people in the gang included you!!
"So blaming me, blaming yourself, is just refusing to see reality, and wallowing in self-pity!
"And get this straight, it’s been so many years, and you’re not the only one who can’t get over it!
"But at least I’m doing slightly better than you, not rotting in a tavern in the South District, trying to survive off a high school boy every day!
"Oh, and probably not for much longer either, because why would he like a woman older than himself who’s so wasted? Wouldn’t he rather be with one of the young misses at school?!"
Nara paused for a second, then added quickly,
"Like the young miss I assist!"
Tong Yingying originally heard it, her eyes narrowed, clearly struck a nerve within.
But hearing this, she couldn’t help but snicker,
"... Did you laugh at your own words? That peeping Tom?"
"What do you know about the allure of the white moonlight, you perennial old virgin!"
And as Nara panted, consciously losing her composure, she released Tong Yingying’s wrist, saying,
"Enough, with my help, it’ll be twice the result with half the effort. Catch the mastermind, all will be well. After that, we’re even, no longer owed... just like that!"
Hearing this, Tong Yingying couldn’t help but take a deep breath, composing her mood.
"Alright then, you’ve grown bold over the years, daring to talk to me like this... you better be of some use, otherwise..."
She then pulled another cigarette from the pack, displeased,
"Now, that guy used a diversionary tactic, targeting Yan Huan, you..."
"Shh~"
As she spoke, Nara suddenly shushed and pointed with her mouth behind Tong Yingying.
Seeing this, Tong Yingying blinked, turned her head, and saw Yan Huan approaching,
"Sister Tong!"
Hmm, this time it was the genuine voice.
Tong Yingying adjusted her expression, curling a bit of a smile, greeting him,
"You’re here?"
"Yeah..."
Yan Huan just got there, saw the cigarette in her hand and couldn’t help but tease,
"Sister Tong, I think you really can’t quit, huh? Can’t live a day without smoke or alcohol."
Hearing Yan Huan say this, Tong Yingying immediately guiltily slipped the unlit cigarette back into the pack.
About to speak, Nara reached over to sling an arm around Tong Yingying’s shoulder, smiling at Yan Huan,
"How could she not live a day without smoke and alcohol, she didn’t touch a drop of alcohol or tobacco before, it’s only after arriving at the South District she became like this..."
Actually, Yan Huan had seen the two standing together from afar, and didn’t find it strange.
After all, he had speculated from the mark on Nara’s neck that she and Tong Yingying had all kinds of connections before.