Feng Jun didnât know who Zhou Xiaotong was, but one look at Yuan Huapengâs face told him not to mess with her.
Xiao Sai chuckled wryly and whispered, âI donât know either. I wonder why she came here today; sheâs in the private room.â
So there were private rooms here, completely separate from the main area. The music from outside couldnât be heard, and inside was a KTV.
Xiao Sai said a few more things, apologized, and hurriedly got up to leave.
Yuan Huapeng lifted his drink, took a sip of beer, and turned to glance at Feng Jun, âHow about we change locations and sing some songs?â
Feng Jun looked at him and chuckled, âWhatâs the matter, ran into an old flame? Or are you worried⦠itâll reach Li Tingâs ears?â
âSheâs just a kid, only twenty-five or twenty-six,â Yuan Huapeng said leisurely, âIndeed pretty, but perhaps not the type you like.â
âPretty?â Feng Jun was startled, then laughed, âGirls her age are probably most infatuated with the âuncleâ type like you, right?â
âGet lost, Iâm still young,â Yuan Huapeng replied, amused yet annoyed.
While they were speaking, a group of people, men and women, about a dozen or so, came down the stairs. Xiao Sai led the way, and behind him was a girl a little over 1.6 meters, encircled in the midst of everyone like the moon surrounded by stars.
A beauty, a true stunner, and with an overwhelming presence. Amongst the many handsome men and beautiful women, she wasnât the tallest even with seven or eight-centimeter high heels, still shorter than most of her companions.
The beauty had an excellent figure and stunning looks, a slightly large forehead, oddly without bangs, her hair pulled back into a bun, with a neck a bit longer too yet without a scarf or anything, making her neck appear even more slender.
These flaws, on anyone else, would be detractors, but on her, they endowed her with a noble and aloof aura.
Without anyone saying anything, Feng Jun was sure, this woman was probably Zhou Xiaotong.
In all fairness, with her appearance and presence, even famous beauties like Feng Jing or Sister Hong standing next to her would be overshadowed. The only one who could compare to her was another uniquely beautiful woman, Zhang Caixin.
The group stopped at the booth next to theirs and started to sit down. During this, Zhou Xiaotong glanced around, gave a slight start, and looked at Yuan Huapeng, âBrother Peng?â
âSister Xiaotong,â Yuan Huapeng stood up with a smile and reached out his hand, âLong time no see, youâve grown even more beautiful.â
Zhou Xiaotong extended her hand, lightly touching his for a moment, with a blatantly perfunctory attitude.
Then she glanced at Feng Jun and casually asked, âYour friend?â
âA relative from my hometown,â Yuan Huapeng answered smoothly, âfrom a small place, just showing him around.â
âHmm,â Zhou Xiaotong nodded indifferently and sat down.
The two groups ended up sitting next to each other, conversing among themselves, and below someone started singing âZebra.â
Earlier, the noise from Feng Junâs table was almost disruptive, but Zhou Xiaotongâs crowd didnât seem to care, starting with various foreign liquors and snacks being brought over, followed by noisy toasting and cheering.
Xiao Qian, the somewhat naïve girl, muttered softly, âDo they think this is a private room?â
Yuan Huapeng gave her a blank look and whispered coldly, âSay less.â
However, before the song âZebraâ could even finish, the noise from the next table grew louder, with clapping and cheering as if in a performance bar.
Many patrons started to look over, feeling that the group was spoiling the atmosphere, but they behaved as if they saw nothing.
A womanâs voice with a pure Beijing accent called out, âWaiter, bring two bottles of Corona.â
After one song ended, some of the audience began to leaveâwithout the right atmosphere, why stay?
But Zhou Xiaotong and her group seemed oblivious, their volume getting louder, and even as the next song, âBlue Lotus,â played, it couldnât muffle their voices.
Feng Jun leaned towards Yuan Huapengâs ear, whispering, âIs it okay for them to be so rowdy?â
âNo one can manage them,â Yuan Huapeng replied helplessly, âDonât you see even the boss isnât bothering? As long as Zhou Xiaotong is happy, thatâs all that matters.â
âNow I understand why you wanted to leave,â Feng Jun started to smile.
Yuan Huapeng, even when traveling to the lower administrative regions, carries considerable clout. And here he was, quietly wanting to enjoy a song and chat, yet beside him, such ruckus was happening, and he couldnât do anything about it. So, the only option was to leave out of sight.
Yuan Huapeng glanced at him, replying without amusement, âYou really have no idea.â
âAlright, letâs change places,â Feng Jun looked at the three models, âIs there a fee involved?â
âYou donât have to worry about it,â Yuan Huapeng waved off, âJust wait for me in the car.â
Feng Jun stood up and walked out, but he had barely taken two steps when a woman from the neighboring table called out, âHandsome, you didnât come over for a drink after Sister Xiaotong greeted you, did you?â
âA drink?â Feng Jun paused, then laughed, âSince youâve all noticed my charm, I might as well have a drink then.ân/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
Zhou Xiaotong sat at the center like a moon surrounded by stars, cold and proud.
She glanced at him, her chin tilted slightly upwards as she let out a single word, âSit.â
Feng Jun couldnât stand those with an overly high opinion of themselves. Seeing the woman who had been looking for Xiao Sai sitting next to Zhou Xiaotong, with an empty seat beside her, he walked over and sat down.
The wicker chairs here were similar to sofas, with both single and extended versions. The woman, seeing him sit next to her, turned her head with a smile, âIf you want to toast Sister Xiaotong, youâll have to get past me first.â
Feng Jun looked at her, thought for a moment, then picked up an empty wine glass from the table and grabbed a bottle of some unknown liquor, pouring two-thirds of it with a thunk, thunk, thunk. He raised the glass towards her with a smile, âDown it?â
The woman didnât speak, merely lifting the wine glass in front of her.
Her glass was filled less than a third, but that didnât prevent her from clinking her glass against Feng Junâs, and then with a playful smile, she raised her left hand, gesturing with her eyes: please, after you.
Feng Jun took a taste, his brows involuntarily raising slightly, then he tilted his head back and gulped down more than half of the glass in one go.
He put the glass down on the table and couldnât help but grimace: damn, this liquor has a really weird tasteâ¦
However, he believed that the liquor poured from the bottle should be alright⦠right?
A trace of surprise flitted across the womanâs eyes. Hesitating for a moment, she too raised her hand and downed the alcohol in her glass.
âGood job,â someone clapped and cheered, âSister Hui indeed has the guts of a man, letâs give her a round of applauseâ¦â
The group was having so much fun they didnât care about the many other patrons around them.
After the applause, the woman looked at Feng Jun, nodding with a smile, âNot bad⦠want to go again?â
Feng Jun pondered for a moment. The liquor had a high alcohol content, forty degrees, and its taste was quite bizarre. Most people wouldnât be able to handle another glass so soon after the first.
Just then, a man spoke up. He appeared to be about twenty-four or twenty-five, very handsome, with a good build and appearance, but regrettably he lacked a bit of masculine energy, fitting the type known as âpretty boy.â
He lifted the beer glass in front of him, his smile beaming, âBro, may I know how to address you?â
These days, when people in the capital called each other âbroâ and âsis,â it was actually a term of respect, similar to the people of Yongyang. A woman in her sixties or seventies could still call a twenty-something-year-old youth âbig brother.â
Seeing envy in the pretty boyâs eyes, and noting his branded attire, Feng Jun guessed he must be some young master, so he responded with a slight smile, âYouâre holding a beer, right?â
âIâm not used to drinking cocktails,â the young master put down his glass and picked up an entire bottle of beer, no longer asking for Feng Junâs name, âBro, if I finish this bottle, would that be okay with you?â
His bottle, in fact, contained only 330 milliliters, hardly more than a glassful.
Feng Jun hesitated for a moment, and before he could speak, Zhou Xiaotong interjected, âLetâs have some food first, to line the stomach.â
At her words, the young master immediately put down the beer bottle, but at the same time, he gave Feng Jun a resentful glance.
Had he been dragged into a love rivalry? Feng Jun looked at Zhou Xiaotong suspiciously.
The beauty sat there with perfect poise, her gaze resting lightly on the stage, not looking at him.
Seemingly sensing his gaze, Zhou Xiaotong turned her head slightly and nodded at him, then her attention returned to the singer on stage.
Sister Hui, sitting between them, stood up with a smile and spoke up, âIâll give up my seat, you two sit together and drink.â
Just at that moment, Yuan Huapeng approached, âMaster, arenât you leaving? Should we wait for you in the car?â
Zhou Xiaotong looked at him skeptically, a slight frown crossing her beautiful brows, âBrother Peng, isnât this your relative? And whatâs this about a master?â
âHeâs from my hometown,â Yuan Huapeng replied with a smile, âa master of traditional Chinese medicine and feng shui⦠very capable indeed.â
âOh? Is that so?â Zhou Xiaotong was pleasantly surprised, âI actually have some questions about feng shui to ask him⦠Brother Peng, you go ahead.â
Yuan Huapeng gave Feng Jun a deep look and then left.
Feng Jun clearly understood that look, so he poured himself another half-glass, raised it towards Zhou Xiaotong with a smile, âSister Xiaotong, I present this drink to you⦠Brother Peng is leaving.â
Zhou Xiaotong waved her hand dismissively, speaking nonchalantly, âLet him go. It works out for me as I have some feng shui issues to discuss, and we can find a quiet place to talk later.â
Another man, a bit older, spoke up, âSister Xiaotong, who is that Brother Peng who dares to act so haughty towards you?â
âThe youngest son of Yuan Zihao,â Zhou Xiaotong replied casually, her expression remaining cool, âbe polite when you see him.â
After a pause, she took another look at Feng Jun, âThis liquor is quite strong. Take it slowly, thereâs no rush.â
Feng Jun laughed it off as though it was nothing, âThis bit of alcohol is nothing. After honoring Sister Xiaotong, Iâll be on my way too.â
âIs that so? You handle your drink so well?â Zhou Xiaotong still didnât look at him but the corner of her mouth curled with a subtle sneer, âThen why donât you clear the way first? Weâd all like to see your drinking prowess.â
Feng Junâs face darkened. He truly didnât know what kind of feud existed between the Yuan family and the Zhou family that would cause this icy woman to needle him like this, âSister Xiaotong, Iâm not close to Yuan Huapeng. If you have any grievances, isnât it better to find him directly?â
(Updated to here, calling for the guaranteed monthly tickets for April.)