naivete; simplicity; innocence
kidnapping; kidnaping; abduction; kidnapper; kidnaper; abductor
bitter smile; wry smile; forced smile; strained laugh
largish; biggish; a little bit larger
inquiry into; enquiry into; prying (into); investigation; search; exploration
guest; visitor; customer; client; shopper
to all appearances; no matter how you look at it
bodyguard; bouncer; bar (e.g. on a door); bolt; stick or pole used for self-defence
fiction; made-up story; fable; fabrication; myth
no, not like that (but like this)
to prick up one's ears and listen; to listen attentively
inhabitant; resident; citizen; population
thin rice porridge; watery cooked rice; rice gruel; congee
even if not; even without
firmly; absolutely; flatly; by far; far and away; by a long shot
seeing two people (i.e. romantically) at the same time; two-timing; bifurcation; fork; fence-sitting; playing it both ways
spit; skewer; proxy (computer server)
elegant; refined; polished; high-quality goods; first-class article
to use excessively; to use too much; to spend too much; to overwork someone
to walk with; to make someone tag along; to carry around (esp. a child); to carry about
to banter; to make fun of; to cool; to refrigerate; to window-shop; to look at without buying
inclination; slant; slope; bevel; list; dip
anxiety (about the future)
(in) his way; peculiar to him
to shake; to jolt; to shake (e.g. the political world); to disturb; to put off a batter (by varying one's type of pitch)
stern expression; severe expression; grim expression
good-naturedness; good-natured person; credulous person; easy mark
to be main; to be principal; to be important; to be conspicuous; to be prominent
to be in complete attendance
meeting; conference; session; assembly; council; convention
submission; return to allegiance
lowborn; humble; vulgar; coarse; shabby; greedy
(many) years; long-standing (esp. hatred, grudge); ancient
with no regard to one's appearances; with no concern of how one's act looks like
emission; emanation; letting out (feelings); venting; divergence (of light); divergence