After a long while, Toho Hiroshi slowly spoke, his voice somewhat hoarse: "I understand. Thank you, Miss Mei, this information is very valuable."
For the first time, he picked up his wine glass and drained the dark red liquid within. The rich wine, with a hint of astringency, slid down his throat.
"No need to be polite, after all, the remuneration you paid was quite generous."
Mei Mei smiled and refilled their glasses. She put down the wine bottle, leaned forward slightly, and her beautiful eyes, which seemed to see through people's hearts, rested on Toho Hiroshi with a hint of playfulness and inquiry.
"Business is done, so... shall we talk about something personal?"
Her tone became languid, with a subtle hint of seduction, "Dongfang, I've always been curious, what kind of woman do you truly see me as?"
She gently swirled her wine glass, her gaze shifting: "A mercenary information broker? A somewhat reliable partner? Or just an ordinary woman who occasionally makes you feel a little bit attracted?"
The question came somewhat suddenly, yet it felt perfectly in line with Mei Mei's style.
In his opinion, she was always good at securing more potential benefits and enjoyment for herself beyond a simple transaction.
Toho Hiroshi looked up at her.
Mei Mei was undoubtedly a very charming woman: mature, beautiful, powerful, intelligent, and self-aware.
She was like a Datura flower blooming on the edge of danger, clearly thorny, yet still attracting countless moths to their demise.
He pondered for a moment, not avoiding her gaze, and said candidly: "You are someone who lives very clearly and is very self-possessed. You know what you want and have the ability to get it. Working with you is easy because the rules are clear."
"As for attraction..."
Toho Hiroshi paused slightly, seemingly weighing his words, finally offering a faint, somewhat helpless smile: "For a man already at the center of a 'Shura Field,' who only seeks a moment of peace, any additional 'attraction' feels more like a sweet burden."
His answer both affirmed Mei Mei's charm and clearly drew a line, with the self-awareness and playful teasing of a married man.
Upon hearing this, Mei Mei first froze, then let out a low, pleasant laugh, leaning back against the sofa as if she had heard something amusing.
"This is... getting more and more interesting."
She smiled, but a fleeting, hard-to-catch glint—perhaps disappointment, perhaps even deeper interest—flashed in her eyes. "It seems even our Esteemed Dongfang, powerful enough to rewrite reality, has moments when he's at a loss."
She raised her wine glass, gesturing to Toho Hiroshi: "Cheers."
Toho Hiroshi also raised his glass and gently clinked it with hers.
They did not delve deeper into this topic, instead chatting about recent trivialities and anecdotes in the Jujutsu World, and the atmosphere became much more relaxed.
After sitting for a while longer, Toho Hiroshi got up to leave.
As he reached the suite door and grasped the doorknob, Mei Mei's smiling voice came from behind him: "Dongfang, are you really not staying a bit longer?"
Toho Hiroshi's hand on the doorknob paused.
Mei Mei's voice held a softness different from her usual tone, gently caressing the air like a feather.
She had not risen, still sitting on the sofa, her silhouette outlined against the city's neon lights, forming an elegant yet lonely curve.
"The night is still long."
She added softly, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the crystal glass, "We rarely seem to have a chance to chat quietly like this."
Toho Hiroshi turned around to look at her.
Mei Mei was also looking at him, her beautiful eyes, always full of calculation and composure, now clearly reflecting his image, along with an undisguised complex emotion mixed with admiration and desire.
He remained silent.
Reason told him he should leave immediately; Shoko, Tsumiki, and perhaps Man at home might still be waiting for him, and You and Yao also needed their father.
The image of Gojo Satoru's inevitably punchable grin, if he knew about this, flashed through his mind.
But his steps felt heavy.
Mei Mei was indeed different to him.
She wasn't a companion he needed to protect, nor a junior who fully trusted him.
She was a fellow traveler, standing at a similar height, capable of understanding some of his choices, and even providing him with crucial clues in the darkness.
Over the years, their collaboration had long transcended simple transactions, fostering a tacit understanding and a subtle attraction that he himself could not entirely deny.
Seeing his hesitation, Mei Mei's lips curved into a faint smile, with a hint of self-mockery: "It seems that getting our world-saving hero to pause for a moment is harder than gathering forbidden intelligence."
This sentence was like a fine needle, gently piercing a certain barrier in Toho Hiroshi's heart.
He released the doorknob and slowly walked back into the living room, but did not sit down. He merely stood by the sofa, looking down at her, his gaze deep.
"Mei Mei."
He spoke, his voice a few shades deeper than usual, "You are well aware of my situation."
"Of course, I am aware."
Mei Mei looked up at him, her smile unchanged, even with a hint of provocation, "Two... to be precise, three wives, two lovely children, an enviable yet troublesome family. But, Toho Hiroshi,"
She slowly stood up and walked closer to him. The distance between them instantly became ambiguous. Her faint perfume, mixed with the scent of red wine, lingered at his nostrils. "Emotion and desire are never a single-choice question of either/or."
"I have never yearned for any status, nor do I intend to destroy your family. It's just..."
She extended her hand, her fingertips gently brushing the folds of his shirt, a slow and suggestive movement, "As 'old friends' who have known each other for so many years, I occasionally want to be willful once and leave behind a memory that belongs only to us. Is that not allowed?"
Her touch carried a cool temperature, yet it seemed to ignite the blood beneath his skin.
Toho Hiroshi could feel his heartbeat skip a beat.
He did indeed have a good impression of Mei Mei, admiring her strength, wisdom, and independence. Now, with her shedding all pretense and directly expressing her desire, the allure was astonishing.
He could almost hear his reason straining.
Just as he was caught in an internal struggle, almost enchanted by the rich fragrance and the close proximity of her face, a slight but urgent knocking suddenly sounded, breaking the intimate atmosphere in the room.
Thump thump thump—
Mei Mei's movements instantly froze, a flicker of annoyance at being interrupted and a hint of unnoticeable panic flashing in her eyes.
She quickly reined in her outward emotions, stepping back half a pace, resuming her usual elegant and composed demeanor, though her slightly furrowed brows indicated her displeasure.
"Who is it?"
She called out, her tone carrying a trace of impatience at the interruption.
A young and slightly anxious male voice came from outside the door: "Sister, it's me."
It was Mei Mei's younger brother, Uro?
Why would he suddenly be here?
And the situation didn't sound right.
Toho Hiroshi's rationality instantly returned. He glanced at Mei Mei, the bewilderment in his eyes replaced by clarity.
He proactively walked over and opened the door.
Standing outside the door was Uro, dressed in a black uniform, with a clearly anxious expression on his face.
He saw Toho Hiroshi opening the door, visibly He paused for a moment (was stunned for a moment), then his gaze eagerly darted towards Mei Mei inside the room.
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