Gao Ruqing needed to meet Cheng Jie at the hotel, but Huayan couldn't be bothered to waste her brain cells and instead took one of Gao Ruqing's bodyguards to go shopping. By the time Cheng Jie arrived at the hotel, he had no idea that Huayan was also present.

With a curious heart, Huayan strolled through Mandalay. Despite the dilapidated buildings and the marketplace filled with puddles of rainwater, the people, with their faces gleaming darkly and adorned with smiles, gave this place a unique charm reminiscent of 1950s or 1960s China.

Each young girl or woman had various patterns drawn on their cheeks with yellow powder, and the bodyguard explained that this yellow powder was a fine powder ground from a Burmese type of wood. Every husband was supposed to learn how to grind this fine powder for his wife and sisters to use throughout their lives. If a man persisted in doing this for his wife throughout his life, it would surely contribute to the happiness of Burmese women.

Huayan also saw many young nuns clad in saffron robes, wandering around the market with metal containers for alms. Throughout the day, they visited one household after another, receiving both raw and cooked food. It was said that such scenes unfolded daily in Myanmar, including the monks who also filled their stomachs in this manner each day.

Truly a holy Buddhist site, many Burmese led disciplined daily lives, yet they invested their hearts, and the meager amount of gold and silver they had, into the pagodas. In their hearts, they believed that as long as they devoted themselves to Buddha in this life, they would be protected by the gods, living healthy and peaceful lives. Huayan wondered if their next life would still be as fortunate as their current one.

"Do you believe in Buddha, Mr. Bodyguard?" Huayan asked casually as she and the bodyguard sat comfortably on a small, dusty stool at a watermelon stall, enjoying the refreshing sweetness of the fresh melon.

"I know about it, but I'm not as dedicated as the people here. After all, Buddha also said that attachment is something Buddhists should forget," replied the taciturn bodyguard.

Huayan hadn't expected the reserved bodyguard to be so insightful.

"I suppose you agree with the saying, 'Wine and meat pass through the intestines, but the Buddha remains in the heart'."

"Do you know the following two lines after those?" the calm bodyguard suddenly asked seriously.

Despite being a Chinese language learner, Huayan didn't know what the following two lines were. She didn't hide her ignorance and weakly replied, "I really don't know."

"In the biography of Ji Gong, Ji Gong's mantra goes: 'Wine and meat pass through the intestines, but the Buddha remains in the heart.' But people don't know the next two lines of the living Buddha Ji Gong: 'If people were to learn from me, they would be entering the demonic path.'"

"So that's it. It's quite similar to how people only remember Confucius's saying 'repay enmity with virtue' but ignore the following line 'how to repay kindness?'"

"Yes. In Chinese civilization, most of the time, glimpsing a part reveals little about the whole meaning."

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"If you weren't a bodyguard, you could have a promising career as a classical Chinese teacher," Huayan admired him sincerely, while also feeling once again, "Never judge a book by its cover, nor a sea by its volume."

Thinking again, Gao Ruqing was undeniably one of the top players, and Cheng Jie, despite his pseudonym, seemed to have brains beneath the surface. So why didn't he expose her when she deceived him that one time? Also, why didn't he cause trouble for Alice when their cooperation failed? The thoughts of these people truly were intricate, yet profound.

In reality, Cheng Jie had indeed been deceived by Huayan before. One could say he treated her as he did with her previous persona, with both disdain and disregard, ultimately allowing her to exploit his oversight.

Thinking about this, Huayan couldn't help but exhale a sigh of relief. If she had continued to underestimate Cheng Jie, she might have suffered greatly. Respecting one's opponent also meant respecting oneself.

Upon seeing Cheng Jie again, Huayan adjusted her mindset to the optimum. She treated Cheng Jie as just a man she had encountered briefly in the past. She behaved gracefully, effortlessly capturing Cheng Jie's attention. Cheng Jie, on the other hand, found it strange why Huayan was present there and seemed to have such a familiar relationship with Gao Ruqing, as if they were old friends.

Considering that Gao Ruqing, from a prominent family, had only limited business relations, contrary to what people might think, it made Cheng Jie wonder what made Huayan so capable.

Cheng Jie had concerns, observing Huayan closely. The refined demeanor of the ladylike Mei-er finally cracked when she noticed Cheng Jie's subtle movements. With a barely audible hum and a fiery glare hidden in her eyes, she cast a few glances at Huayan.

Seeing his own woman losing face in front of Gao Ruqing, Cheng Jie's expression darkened for half a second. He warned her with a glance and raised his glass to toast Gao Ruqing.

Gao Ruqing, who had just seen Mei-er behave like a bed companion without realizing her own status, dared to show attitude to someone Gao Ruqing favored. Ignoring Cheng Jie's face-saving measures, Gao Ruqing began emitting an icy aura. Considering how to teach her a lesson in the future, he also began to doubt Cheng Jie's abilities. After all, if he couldn't even control a bed companion, how could he achieve great things?

Finally, seeing Cheng Jie sensibly suppress his displeasure, throughout the whole process Huayan remained unperturbed by external factors. She quietly discussed the day's shopping experiences with her secretary, occasionally glancing at the drama unfolding. After a meal, Huayan not only enjoyed the food but also found great satisfaction in observing Mei-er's struggle between wanting to get angry and not wanting to provoke. Mei-er, who had trampled on Huayan's previous friendships, was now gleefully watching her fall from grace.

Huayan excused herself to the restroom, and shortly after, despite Cheng Jie's warning, Mei-er also left. Engaged in lively conversation with Cheng Jie, Gao Ruqing subtly hinted at the bodyguard's presence nearby.

Seeing the bodyguard also leaving, Cheng Jie carefully considered whose intentions were behind it. He hoped Mei-er wouldn't cause any trouble for him. It seemed he needed to prepare some severance pay. After all this time, having Mei-er follow him around, she was indeed a complete debauchee in bed, capable of adopting any shameful pose.

While Huayan was washing her hands at the sink, she suddenly saw Mei-er storming in, full of rage.

"You better take a good look at yourself, Huayan. Cheng Jie won't spare a glance for a forsaken woman like you. It's best for you to stay far away from him. Cheng Jie is the man I've set my eyes on, don't even think about seducing him. Do you hear me?"

"I only hear barking dogs, didn't expect it's you doing the talking." Huayan shook her wet hands casually. Unexpectedly, a few drops of water splashed onto Mei-er's face while she was rambling earlier.

"You shameless woman, how dare you splash water on my face..." Disheveled, Mei-er swung her hand toward Huayan once again.

Was that her only move? It was the same every time. Instead of backing down, Huayan took a step forward and gave her two crisp slaps. Her bold action was spurred on by seeing the bodyguard appear at the door just as Mei-er attempted to strike, swiftly grabbing Mei-er's hand.