Chapter 383: 381
Wan Yu brought Jian Xi to an exclusive women’s private club.
The dim lighting, the melodious music, and the air, fragrant with flowers and wine, created a special ambiance. Just walking in was inexplicably relaxing.
The public relations manager approached. "Would you two beautiful ladies like to order something fun?"
Jian Xi’s lips twitched as she glanced at Wan Yu.
Wan Yu, with a grand wave of her hand, pulled ten thousand yuan in cash from her purse.
"Find two handsome ones. Just drinking and smiling is fine. If they can cheer my sister up, there’s a fifty-thousand-yuan reward!"
Hearing such an outlandish request, the manager’s eyes almost crinkled into slits with amusement. "Of course, of course! I’ll arrange it right away."
"So this is how you all relax?" Jian Xi was somewhat speechless. "It’s certainly... simple and unpretentious."
Wan Yu had seen this kind of scene many times and was used to it, but Jian Xi hadn’t!
A line of handsome young men was brought in for selection.
Wan Yu casually picked two who looked sweet and docile. "These two."
The men who were regulars here had very shrewd eyes.
Although the brands of Jian Xi’s and Wan Yu’s clothes weren’t visible, one could instantly tell they were unique, high-end custom designs—the kind truly wealthy women wore. Coupled with their unique demeanor, so different from ordinary women, it was clear they were true tycoons. Most importantly, they were beautiful, elegant, composed, and graceful—truly exuding an aura of wealth and sophistication.
If one could just establish even a slight connection with them, the men thought, their future would be limitlessly prosperous!
Immediately, the two young men used every trick they knew to charm them. Their eyes shining, they cautiously approached to pour drinks. "Is something troubling you, Sister? Perhaps you could tell us. Here, you don’t have to worry about anything leaking out. Our job is to help you de-stress."
"That’s right, Sister," the other chimed in. "Don’t be unhappy. A woman’s prime is for blossoming, not for wasting on those scumbags."
That remark struck a chord with Jian Xi.
Exactly!
In this new life, she couldn’t fall back into the shackles of the past, agonizing over that dog Si Yuhuan. She had to be happy—happier than anyone. After rescuing her son, she and Si Yuhuan would go their separate ways, hopefully never to meet again.
With this realization, the terror and fear from being schemed against vanished.
She glanced at Wan Yu. "You really know how to enjoy yourself. You certainly found the right place."
The Little Naigous here certainly knew how to talk; it vaguely reminded her of her first meeting with Chu Xiao.
After one drink, her memories felt like an opened floodgate, rushing out uncontrollably.
The two Little Naigous were great conversationalists, able to chat about anything from astronomy to geography.
Jian Xi wasn’t really listening, but their cheerful smiles seemed to dispel some of the gloom in her heart. In that moment, she somewhat understood why men enjoyed places like this.
She offered a forced smile, clearly not seeing them as people to confide in.
The Little Naigous knew this perfectly well, but for the money, they kept trying to tell jokes.
"Alright, you two can leave now," Jian Xi finally said.
Speak of the devil—the door opened, and Chu Xiao strode in. He was dressed in cool, casual attire, looking like a superstar with his Japanese-inspired fashion. Sunglasses covered half of his handsome face, accentuating his powerful aura. After entering, he took off the glasses, tucked one arm of the sunglasses into his shirt collar with one hand, and raised his dark, arched eyebrows.
"What’s this? You two sneaking out for fun without inviting me?"
He shot Jian Xi and Wan Yu a reproachful look, as if the whole world owed him something.
Faced with his charm, demeanor, and looks, the two Little Naigous admitted defeat. Awkwardly nodding at Jian Xi, they practically fled the room.
"Seriously? You call those guys? What a waste of money, don’t you think? One call to me, and I’d have been here in a flash." He winked at Jian Xi.
Though the gesture might seem tacky or cringey on others, on him, it had a certain charm.
Good looks can indeed make anything seem better.
Wan Yu laughed so hard she doubled over. It takes someone as shameless as Chu Xiao to handle Jian Xi, she mused. He could win her over in minutes!
Jian Xi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She patted the sofa. "I just got back. I didn’t want to trouble you to come all this way."
He feigned outrage. "When Yaowang was in trouble, you knew to ask for my help, but now you’re being all polite with me?"
Jian Xi was countered into silence. "Alright, alright, it’s all my fault. What do you want to eat and drink today? My treat, okay?"
"In that case, I’ll really take you to the cleaners. Let me see... what two bottles of wine should I order?" He studied the wine list intently, looking like he fully intended to make Jian Xi feel the expense.
This provoked another burst of laughter from Jian Xi.
She knew their status in Beijing was significant enough that one meal wouldn’t bankrupt them; he was just teasing her to cheer her up. So, she let Chu Xiao continue his act.
The manager was beaming. "Please, take your time and enjoy, ladies and sir."
A table laden with enough wine to cover the spending of an entire floor! These three were truly gods of wealth.
Wan Yu tossed over several wads of red bills. "Here, this is for those two from earlier."
As long as it helped her best friend clear her head, money was no object.
"Excellent, excellent!" The manager was even more delighted by such generosity.
She carefully closed the door as she left.
THUD! She inadvertently bumped into a wall of flesh.
She lifted her head and saw the man before her, her eyes gradually widening.
This... this is...
"Director Si?"
The manager was instantly thrilled that such a prominent figure had come to her modest club. "What brings you here, Director Si? Please, come in! Someone at the bar, quickly fetch me a bottle of..."
Si Yuhuan frowned slightly. "Unnecessary."
The manager held her breath, tensing. "Director Si, do you have any instructions?"
"The woman inside... did she call for men just now?" He stared at the stacks of red bills in the manager’s hands.
The manager nodded vehemently, then immediately shook her head just as hard.
Si Yuhuan raised an eyebrow.
She lowered her head. "They called for two to chat, but nothing else happened." She told the truth.
The experienced manager sensed that Director Si’s question definitely had something to do with the woman inside. She was rarely wrong about these things.
"Don’t make a fuss about this. Keep what happened today to yourself, and make sure everyone else keeps their mouths shut. I don’t want to hear any rumors spreading."
"Understood, Director Si. You can rest assured."
「 」
Inside, Chu Xiao was singing to Jian Xi.
After finishing a deeply sentimental love song, he added, "My dear lady, if you’re unhappy with your life right now, perhaps you might consider me."
His words sent Wan Yu into peals of laughter, tears nearly streaming down her face.
"What’s wrong? I’m being quite sincere," Chu Xiao protested, feigning displeasure.
Jian Xi was just about to tease him.
The door swung open.
"She won’t consider it. You can give up that idea right now."
Si Yuhuan’s voice was as cold as the dead of winter, sending an involuntary shiver down their spines.
The pleasant atmosphere instantly froze with his arrival.
Jian Xi stared at him, her expression turning ugly.
"Shouldn’t you be dining with your Miss Xinxin? What brings you here?" Wan Yu challenged first.
Jian Xi’s lips curved into a sneer. "Of course, he must have been dumped and is in a bad mood. Director Si has his pride too, right?"