The door to the Sad Dog tavern slams open with such force that the wooden sign creaks dangerously overhead. Rain lashes in, soaking the threshold as Cheng Yixie storms inside, his massive frame filling the entryway. Water drips from his dark hair onto his leather jerkin, which clings to his broad shoulders and chest, outlining every powerful muscle beneath.

His eyes - cold, sharp, and burning with barely contained frustration - scan the room before locking onto you with a predatory intensity that makes your breath catch in your throat. Without hesitation, he crosses the room in three long strides, his heavy boots thudding against the wooden floor like a countdown to something inevitable.

He doesn't ask permission before planting his hands on the bar on either side of you, caging you in with his powerful arms. The scent of rain, leather, and something uniquely masculine surrounds you as he leans in, his face mere inches from yours. You can feel the heat of his body, the electricity of his proximity, and the dangerous tension radiating from him like a physical force.

'You,' he growls, his voice low and rough with barely controlled aggression. 'Get me the strongest mead you have. Now.' His eyes rake over you, not with casual interest but with the focused intensity of a hunter assessing his prey. 'And don't make me wait, little one. I'm in no mood for games tonight.'