Zhou Zhuofei couldn't help but click her tongue. "You know this place so well? Seems like you come here often?"
"No, no, just occasionally with friends. I couldn’t afford to come here regularly—do you think I’m Zhan Zilang or something?" Luo Jing quickly waved his hands in defense. Then, after glancing around to confirm their colleagues hadn’t arrived yet, he leaned closer to Zhou Zhuofei and asked, "Do you know how much his car costs?"
"No idea, but I know for sure I can’t afford it."
"Well, it’s not entirely impossible," Luo Jing calculated roughly before saying matter-of-factly, "If you worked for ten years without spending a single penny, you might have a shot."
Zhou Zhuofei fell silent. She knew Zhan Zilang came from a wealthy family, but the reality was downright brutal.
In that case, Zhan Zilang was actually quite hardworking.
If she’d been born into a family like his, why would she even bother working? As long as she avoided bad habits, she’d never have to worry about food or shelter for the rest of her life.
"Is this really the gap between people…?"
"Don’t lose heart—you still have a chance," Luo Jing consoled her. "I just talked to him earlier, and he’s still single. Put in some effort, and maybe you could become a wealthy lady."
Since joining the company, Zhou Zhuofei’s workstation had always been next to Luo Jing’s, and he’d often looked out for her during her early days. Their relationship was pretty good.
So when he said something like that, she didn’t take offense. Instead, she teased, "How do you know he’s straight? Maybe you should ask—you might have a shot too."
Luo Jing let out a dry laugh. "Honestly, with that kind of wealth, I’d be down for it too."
"Great, then go for it. Just remember—if you strike it rich, don’t forget about me!"
Right then, Zhan Zilang returned from parking his car. Zhou Zhuofei pretended she was about to ask him the question, which nearly gave Luo Jing a heart attack.
"Hey, Zhan Zilang, I have a question for you—"
Cough, cough, cough! Luo Jing erupted into exaggerated coughing, grabbing Zhou Zhuofei’s arm and silently pleading with his eyes. Don’t you dare!
"Huh? What’s going on?" Zhan Zilang looked at the two of them, utterly baffled by their cryptic exchange. "What are you talking about? I don’t get it."
Luo Jing hurriedly smoothed things over. "Nothing, nothing! We’re just messing around."
Zhou Zhuofei snorted but didn’t actually plan to ask. Scaring him was enough—some things were better left alone.
Once the remaining three colleagues arrived, the group headed inside. Zhou Zhuofei thought the so-called "most upscale bar in town" wasn’t all that impressive—at least compared to the jaw-dropping scenes she’d seen in games.
Still, compared to the bars she’d visited with Du Yu before, New World’s design was clearly a cut above.
The moment the server spotted Zhan Zilang, he greeted him as "Young Master Zhan" and led them to the best VIP booth near the stage.
After Zhan Zilang gave a few instructions, the server went to prepare their order.
Seeing how smoothly everything went, Zhou Zhuofei remarked, "No wonder you’re so familiar with the Jiang Family’s affairs—you must be a regular here."
"Not really. My friends are the ones who like coming here. I just tag along."
"So the reserved drinks are for tagging along too?"
Zhan Zilang explained earnestly, "Actually, no. I just didn’t want to keep freeloading, so I got a membership card. Truthfully, it’s been a while since I last came. If you guys hadn’t mentioned it today, I’d have forgotten about the stored drinks."
The others immediately chimed in, "No worries, we’ll help you finish them today!"
"Yeah, right—keep dreaming!"
Zhan Zilang joked, "Deal. Nobody leaves until we finish everything."
The server soon brought over their drinks and fruit platters. Zhou Zhuofei had a low alcohol tolerance—just one beer would make her dizzy—so she never drank outside. Instead, she nibbled on snacks and fruit while enjoying the performances.
Just as she was getting absorbed in the show, Qiao Qi, the female colleague sitting beside her, leaned in and whispered, "Zhou Zhuofei, when are you planning to leave?"
Zhou Zhuofei turned to see her looking bored. Qiao Qi had joined Huanyu two years earlier and was naturally reserved, rarely speaking up in the office.
Right now, she wasn’t chatting with the others or entertaining herself like Zhou Zhuofei—just sitting there awkwardly.
Zhou Zhuofei checked the time. It was barely past eight. After a moment’s thought, she replied, "Probably around nine."
Qiao Qi immediately perked up. "Then I’ll leave at nine too."
Understanding her discomfort, Zhou Zhuofei said kindly, "Qiao-jie, if you have something to do, you can go first. It’s fine—there are so many people here. They won’t notice if one person leaves."
Qiao Qi was clearly tempted but hesitated. After an internal struggle, she chose not to stand out.
She gave Zhou Zhuofei a shy smile. "It’s alright. I’ll stay a bit longer with everyone."
"Sure, let’s stay a little more. Try the fruit—their watermelon is really sweet."
Later, Zhou Zhuofei suddenly needed to use the restroom. The moment she stood up, Qiao Qi asked, "Want me to come with you?"
"No need, I’ll be right back."
Following the signs, Zhou Zhuofei wound through the fashion-show-worthy hallway before finally finding the restroom.
On her way back, she wondered if she’d get lost—and sure enough, she took a wrong turn.
The bar’s design was disorienting, with mirrored panels and strategic lighting making every direction look identical. For a first-time visitor, it was easy to lose track.
As she retraced her steps, a conversation up ahead caught her attention.
A man’s voice spoke first—one so melodious it sounded like singing. "Sorry, Miss Jiang, but I have a performance soon. I can’t chat for long."
Zhou Zhuofei thought, With a voice like that, it’s a shame he’s not a voice actor.
"Why do you always leave the moment you see me?" A young woman’s voice followed, sharp and domineering.
"Not at all, Miss Jiang. I really am running out of time."
"Then quit this job. I’ll open a bar for you—you can sing as much as you want. How’s that?"
Whoa, a sugar mommy!
Imagining a fur-clad, jewel-dripping tycoon, Zhou Zhuofei slowed her steps, eager to hear more.
"Miss Jiang, please don’t make this difficult. I just want to do my job well."
"If it’s just a job, then that’s even more unfair!" The woman’s tone softened slightly, but her complaint remained. "Last time, you went out with Susu, but you turn me down every time. That’s not fair—I come here way more often!"
"That was for Miss Ruan’s birthday. If you invited me for yours, of course I’d go. But normally, I have training, so it’s really not convenient."
From the conversation, Zhou Zhuofei roughly pieced together the situation—this man and woman were likely a customer and a performer from the venue. Now, the customer wanted to establish a private connection, but the other party wasn’t having it.
Once she understood their dynamic, Zhou Zhuofei’s curiosity quickly shifted from wondering what was happening to wanting to see what the people involved actually looked like.
Just how handsome did a guy have to be for a wealthy woman to chase after him, even offering to open a bar for him?
The man was politely refusing, but the woman kept "raising the stakes."
"You don’t need to worry about any of that. I just enjoy spending money on you—it’s not like I’m forcing you to do anything. I love listening to you sing, and I want to hear more. Is that so wrong?"
As she moved closer, Zhou Zhuofei finally got a clear look at the two individuals in question.
Both were strikingly attractive. The woman was dressed exquisitely, radiating an air of wealth, and appeared even younger than Zhou Zhuofei. The man, on the other hand, wore all black—black clothes, black shoes—with wine-red short hair and an array of metallic accessories. His looks and style were indistinguishable from those of a currently trending idol.
When the two noticed Zhou Zhuofei, they fell silent in unison, as if hoping she would hurry past.
Zhou Zhuofei couldn’t help but grumble inwardly—if they didn’t want an audience, why have this conversation in such an exposed hallway?
She put on an indifferent expression, pretending not to care, and tried to walk past them quickly.
Just as she was about to pass by, her gaze accidentally met the red-haired man’s.
His aura was so overwhelmingly handsome that Zhou Zhuofei hadn’t taken a proper look at his face earlier.
Now that she was closer, she noticed he had a pair of peach-blossom eyes—bright, slightly downturned at the corners, giving him a tender, affectionate look even when his expression was neutral.
Zhou Zhuofei had never seen a real person who looked like this before and couldn’t help but steal a few extra glances.
The man was clearly used to such reactions. After taking in Zhou Zhuofei’s stunned expression, he glanced at her outfit and quickly deduced she wasn’t a regular customer but rather an ordinary, down-to-earth office worker.
Then, an idea seemed to strike him. He suddenly smiled at Jiang Meiluo and said, "Actually, Miss Jiang, since we’ve known each other for a while now, there’s something I should probably tell you."
"Hmm? What is it?"
"Well… I have a girlfriend."
