That night, in the private room at Yunque.
Gu Chengyu, Shen Que, Qin Yu, and Zhou Yu'an were all present, but Lin Shu had yet to show up.
Qin Yu scoffed, “Big stars really do have big airs.”
Mellow music flowed through the room as the atmosphere began to warm up.
Shen Que was clearly in high spirits, enjoying the company of a beautiful woman kissing and attending to him while holding his wine glass. His voice rose with a hint of bragging: “Guys, you won’t believe who I ran into at the company today.”
Qin Yu lazily swirled his wine glass. “What? Found another beauty?”
“Beauty?”
Shen Que sneered and shook his head, his eyes filled with a superiority they couldn’t understand. “Those common beauties don’t count! The one I saw today — now that’s a real knockout.”
He deliberately paused, building suspense, then said slowly with admiration, “That girl is insanely pure — exactly the type I like.”
“Her face is as clean as a freshly peeled egg, eyes like a little deer, all innocent and clueless. Her figure’s great too — a dancer, slender waist, long legs, perky chest, and a perfect curve.”
“Tch, seriously!”
“Like a little white flower, just looking at her makes you want to pamper her first, then love her properly.” His last words carried a teasing tone as he closed his eyes, imagining the girl while leaning back, sighing in pleasure.
Laughter broke out among the group, mostly skeptical and teasing.
Only Gu Chengyu didn’t even bother to lift his eyelids. His handsome face showed no expression, just a hint of boredom.
Pure and stunning? Hah, no one’s girl was prettier than his.
His mind flashed to his own little girl’s clean, pure face — that was the real kind of pure and alluring beauty that could steal his soul.
Shen Que’s naïve attitude — tsk tsk.
He should show him a photo of his girl later; it’d blow his mind.
Seeing Gu Chengyu’s lack of interest, Qin Yu changed tactics and laughed to egg Shen Que on, “Is she really that pretty? Talk is cheap, Shen Er.”
“Why hide her? Bring her out so we can all have a look. Sharing is better than enjoying alone, right?”
“Isn’t that so?”
The woman nuzzling against Qin Yu’s abs chuckled softly along.
But Shen Que’s smile stiffened for a moment, a flicker of discomfort flashing in his eyes.
He pushed away the woman clinging to him again, downed a gulp of wine to cover his unease.
When he looked up, his carefree, devil-may-care expression had returned, but his tone grew vague and evasive. “Cough, what’s the rush?”
“She’s a newbie, just signed on, super shy — so shy she ran off when she saw me today.”
“Once I get her under my wing, teach her some rules, then, well, then we’ll talk, we’ll talk!”
Qin Yu, half-lidded and lounging lazily, suddenly opened his eyes like he’d discovered a new world, surprising Shen Que with a sharp “Hmm, something’s off, Shen Er!”
“That’s not like you. Usually, when you have your eye on someone, even if we jump the gun and make a move first, you never mind.”
“Why are you guarding her so tightly this time?”
He smiled with a hint of mischief. “Looks like that little white flower really has your heart, huh? Afraid we’ll scare off your precious little treasure?”
Shen Que was caught off guard, his face flushing slightly. He shot back with a half-laugh, half-scold, “Get lost! You never shut up when you’re drunk!”
After a while, the atmosphere in the room heated up completely.
The top-of-the-line sound system blasted deafening electronic beats.
Shen Que and Qin Yu had a sudden idea and sent messages inviting more of their wild friends, who gradually arrived one after another.
Crystal chandeliers illuminated this realm of ultimate luxury and indulgence.
By the pool table, a few rich young masters lounged casually, cigarettes dangling from their lips as they took shots, their scantily clad female companions nestled close.
In several shadowy corners, light and shadow mingled ambiguously, voices hushed and heavy with suppressed desire, stirring the imagination.
The massive circular sofa could hold dozens of people. In the center, the air was thick with an intoxicating mix of perfume and an undeniable, simmering lust.
Shen Que was nestled right in the middle of the sofa, arms draped around two stunningly hot girls.
His shirt buttons were undone further, and his large hand roamed over one of the girls, making her giggle coquettishly as she wriggled like a snake into his embrace.
The other girl held a glass of wine, batting her eyelashes seductively as she tried to feed him a drink.
Meanwhile, things were even livelier on Qin Yu’s side.
In his arms sat Xia Wei, a rising starlet known for her innocent image.
Don’t be fooled by her current status as a fresh face; she had faced countless setbacks until her agent pointed her in the right direction, paving the way to her current standing.
In the entertainment industry, where beauty is everywhere, positions that take others ten years to climb to can be reached overnight—if you’re willing to pay the price.
Besides, tagging along with these top-tier rich kids was hardly a loss for them.
In fact, all four of these guys had stellar reputations in the circle.
No strange fetishes, handsome, generous with money and resources—it was like dating a charming playboy boyfriend, and in any case, they were winning.
Compared to those bloated, disgusting investors, most insiders and outsiders eager for shortcuts were more than happy to latch onto them.
At this moment, Xia Wei leaned against Qin Yu’s chest, her fair, jade-like arm wrapped around his neck as she glanced toward Zhou Wen, who was snuggled up on Qin Yu’s other side.
The two actresses appeared to be chatting intimately, but their eyes kept flicking toward the entrance of the private room.
“Xia Wei, do you think Lin Shu will really come tonight?”
Zhou Wen sipped her wine quietly, her voice low and tinged with a hint of excitement, as if watching a show.
Xia Wei curled a mocking smile at the corner of her lips.
Leaning into Qin Yu’s embrace, her voice was sweet and innocent, tinged with a playful naivety: “Who knows? Lin Shu’s always been proud. It’d be hard for her to come out in public and admit she was wrong, begging for peace.”
She paused, then chuckled softly. “But hey, when Young Master Gu has spoken, who dares not show up? Don’t you think so, Young Master Qin?”
She tilted her head and planted a kiss on Qin Yu’s chin, her lips glossy with pink lip gloss.
Qin Yu savored the feeling of a beauty in his arms, his large hand giving Xia Wei’s slender waist a playful squeeze as he flashed a suggestive grin. “Who cares if she comes or not? I’ve got you all here to keep me company, isn’t that enough?”
“As for Chengyu…”
He glanced over at Gu Chengyu, who was standing far away, his tone tinged with a hint of schadenfreude. “He’s just here tonight to collect on a bet.”
“If Lin Shu doesn’t show up, where’s his face? That juicy prize in Nanwan, Shen Que’s been itching to get his hands on it!”
Their conversation, though low-key amidst the noisy crowd, didn’t go unnoticed by a few nearby men and women who pricked up their ears, exchanging knowing smirks and even more amused glances.
Everyone was waiting to see how Lin Shu, once the most cherished ‘golden cage bird,’ would fall from grace.
Gu Chengyu had long since had enough. He moved from the center of the room to the far right side of the circular sofa, putting distance between himself and that den of debauchery.
He lounged with an air of lazy detachment, yet there was a cold hardness in his demeanor that warned strangers to stay away. A cigar was pinched between his fingers, the smoke curling upwards, blurring his sharply defined, aggressive features, while a faint trace of irritation lingered in his eyes.
If it weren’t for that damned bet, he would have left long ago.
Gu Chengyu watched Shen Que, shamelessly surrounded by women, and Qin Yu, exchanging flirtatious glances with the two actresses in his arms. His gaze drifted to the floor, littered with belts, crumpled ladies’ clothes, and even a high heel dropped by someone unknown…
Disgust and disdain were laid bare in his eyes.
He used to be the one enjoying himself, yet now the scene was nothing but an eyesore.
At times like this, every extra second felt nauseating.
He’d rather be home listening to her soft voice, telling him what scripts she’d read today, what new things she’d learned.
He glanced at his wristwatch, impatience deepening the furrow between his brows.
Lin Shu actually dared to be late?
Did she really think she was still the precious person Gu Chengyu once held in the palm of his hand?
