chapter 38 Captured Japanese sword

Ava Liu clearly had a rosy complexion, appearing refreshed and lively. Any adult could tell what she had been through. "Ahem," Allen Chen coughed. "Brother Joe, what's the matter?" "Nothing, nothing. I just remembered there's a great spicy hot pot place on Yongan Street. You must try it!" Joe Wang came back to his senses, hiding his astonishment. Allen Chen laughed, "Lead the way, please." "It's no trouble at all," Joe Wang replied with a smile. Just as they left in their car, a group of menacing figures with dragon and tiger tattoos stormed in. Among them was a muscular man missing a piece of his nose bridge. He glared at the receptionist maliciously and asked in a deep voice, "Did two guests from Hai City check in here? A man and a woman?" "Yes, yes they did," the receptionist stammered in fear. "Which room are they in?" he pressed. "They just left a few minutes ago," she quickly gestured, "They were in a silver business sedan, heading that way." "I truly don’t know where they went after that." "Boss Mike, should we go after them?" one of the henchmen whispered. Looking at the blazing sun outside, Mike replied, "It's too hot. Running around aimlessly in broad daylight will only make us sweat." "Miss, open the room they stayed in. We'll wait there." "But..." "Hmm?" Mike’s eyes flashed menacingly. The receptionist trembled, quickly offering a spare room key, "I apologize. Let me open it for you right away." "That's better," Mike laughed, turning to his underlings, "You two stay in the lounge. Notify me if they return." "Yes, Brother Mike," the twins nodded. Lin's Spicy Hot Pot. As Allen Chen walked through the glass door, he saw a woman with enduring charm. She was dressed in a kitchen apron and wore a chef's hat, standing in a semi-open kitchen. She leaned her face close to the fan to feel the breeze, and a stray strand of hair fluttered with the wind by her ear. Yet, even with this casual pose, droplets of sweat flowed down from her slightly chubby chin, tracing the graceful, pale curve of her neck, gliding over her full collarbone, and disappearing into her neckline. Allen Chen felt a warmth in his heart as he watched, and he couldn't help but compare this woman with Ava Liu, who was next to him. The lady boss was clearly more voluptuous! He wondered whose figure had better elasticity. "Ma'am, we'll have three regular servings of the spicy hot pot," Joe Wang, familiar with the place, chose a spot and sat down. "Brother Allen and Miss Liu, would you like lobster?" "Yes, please," Allen Chen nodded. The lady boss turned her head at this moment, her face lightly made-up, presenting a stunning beauty. It's the kind of beauty you can keep gazing at, emanating a mature charm. Different from Ava Liu, the lady boss isn’t like a ripe peach but more of a red apple. While her exterior might be slightly less tempting, she's surely delightful once you get to know her. Looking at them, the lady boss smiled and said, “Oh, it's you, Manager Wang. Are these your friends?” "Yes," Joe Wang replied, "Make sure the servings are generous." "Have I ever skimped before?" she teased. Her captivating eyes finally settled on Allen Chen. "You both don't seem local. May I know your names?" "My last name is Chen, and hers is Liu," Allen Chen replied. Serving the hot pot, the lady boss smiled, "Mr. Chen, Miss Liu. Are you here for those antiques?" "Huh?" Allen Chen looked puzzled, glancing at Joe Wang. Joe Wang clarified, "You’re mistaken. They’re here for other reasons." "Why would anyone come for those? They might not even be real treasures!" "I'm sorry! I've been constantly bothered by that so-called expert!" the lady boss quickly explained. "Lately, people have been pretending to come in for food, but they're actually eyeing my precious item with greed." "Is it really that valuable?" Joe Wang asked in surprise. He had helped the lady boss find this spicy hot pot shop two years ago. Over time, they had become good friends who could share honest conversations. The lady boss had an ancestor who served during the Republican era and left some items for their family. Joe Wang had learned about this last month and always thought she was joking. "Didn't that expert with the surname Sun come over last time and say it was a fake?" he asked. "What fake? It's all a deceptive trick. If it wasn't a real treasure, why would people come around trying to probe and find out about it these past few days?" the lady boss retorted. "That guy with the surname Sun thought I wouldn't realize what he was up to just because he stayed out of sight." "What treasure are you talking about?" Allen Chen asked curiously. The lady boss replied, "When my ancestor served during the war, he seized some Japanese samurai swords." "There are three in total. I initially wanted to sell them to pay for my father's medical treatment, but then I ran into that kind of guy. Mr. Chen, would you like to see them?" "Sure, I'd love to see them," Allen Chen said with a smile. With a graceful sway, the lady boss headed towards the kitchen. Shortly after, she returned carrying a box. Opening it revealed three almost identical-looking samurai swords. "Take a look." "Can I draw one out?" Allen Chen asked. The lady boss replied, "You're a friend of Manager Wang, which makes you my friend. Of course, you can." "Feel free to draw any of them." With a sharp "clang," Allen Chen drew out one of the swords. Despite some rust, the blade still gleamed coldly. It was clear that it could easily split an ordinary wooden table in one strike. "Nice sword!" A well-dressed man walked in from outside and exclaimed, "I didn't expect to come here for some spicy hot pot and stumble upon such a fine weapon. What a stroke of luck!" "Who owns this sword?" "I do," the lady boss answered. "I haven't met you before; what's your name?" "Paul Han," Paul Han replied with a gentle smile. "I'm a straightforward person. I don't beat around the bush. I've taken a liking to your sword. I'll give you five thousand for it. If you agree, it's a deal." "Five thousand?" A gleam flashed in the lady boss's eyes. This offer was double what previous interested parties had quoted. Paul Han nodded and said, "If you sell all three swords, including the box, to me, I'll give you eighteen thousand. If you agree, I'll transfer the money to you right now." "Okay..." The lady boss, delighted by the offer, was about to accept. A pleased smile formed at the corner of Paul Han's mouth. However, at that moment, Allen Chen sheathed the sword and said, "Twenty thousand!"