Wu Pengtian flicked his newly styled hair and tossed the gold-embossed card he had been keeping warm against his chest to the doorman. He raised his chin, looking at Fu Shengyan with contempt.
At the freshman welcome party during their first year, Wu Pengtian had fallen in love at first sight with the law department beauty who was playing the piano onstage. He thought that with his wealthy family background and persistent pursuit, he could easily win her heart. Who would have thought that she would reject him outright and openly say that the person she liked was Fu Shengyan, the campus heartthrob from her class?
Wu Pengtian was deeply frustrated and remembered Fu Shengyan from then on.
During the sports meet, he took a liking to a senior from the neighboring School of Economics and Management. That senior also told him that the person she liked was Fu Shengyan.
Wu Pengtian was furious. It was on the basketball court that he first saw the “culprit” who had repeatedly ruined his love life.
Wu Pengtian secretly sized up the man across from him in a basketball jersey.
Anyone who could be voted A University’s campus heartthrob was certainly handsome enough, but Wu Pengtian was a basketball athlete. Wouldn’t beating a bunch of bookworms be effortless?
Full of confidence, he thought this was the perfect opportunity to humiliate Fu Shengyan.
He easily stole the ball and gave Fu Shengyan, who was blocking him, a contemptuous smile. He was about to show off a behind-the-back dribble, but the moment he turned around, the ball was stolen.
Fu Shengyan dribbled forward, used a beautiful change of direction to get past the defender, and scored with a layup.
Cheers erupted from the sidelines.
The rest of the game practically became Fu Shengyan’s personal show. Even the girls from Wu Pengtian’s own school switched sides.
After the game ended, Fu Shengyan left the court directly, not even bothering to participate in the handshake afterward.
From that university basketball game onward, Wu Pengtian held a grudge against him. Every time they met, he would make a few sarcastic remarks.
Including right now.
Wu Pengtian critically swept his eyes over Fu Shengyan’s outfit, his voice filled with disdain. “Dressed like that, are you here for a job interview or a funeral? If you’re going to be this young master’s driver, you’ll have to wear a suit to work every day from now on. Remember that.”
The smile on Fu Shengyan’s face didn’t fade.
“Yes, Young Master.”
After confirming his identity, the doorman returned the membership card to Wu Pengtian and smiled brightly. “Mr. Wu, please come inside.”
“Keep up.”
Wu Pengtian walked past him and strode proudly into the club.
Passing through the revolving doors, Fu Shengyan successfully entered the club’s main hall.
Inwardly, he gave Wu Pengtian the middle finger.
Without even glancing at the man ahead of him, he turned in another direction and headed toward the private room number Fu Huaqing had given him.
At the center was a three-story-high atrium, with an extravagant crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Different private areas with various functions surrounded it.
Wu Pengtian, walking ahead, didn’t even look back. With an arm around his female companion, he climbed the steps and strode arrogantly across the carpet.
A female server dressed in a qipao stopped in front of Wu Pengtian with a tray of champagne and bowed slightly.
“Good evening, Mr. Wu.”
Her voice was exceptionally sweet, every syllable perfectly coated in honey.
“Please follow me. I’ll take you to your room.”
“Come on. This young master will show you what the world is really like.”
Wu Pengtian graciously stopped, picked up the glass of champagne, and said arrogantly, “Don’t embarrass me by touching and staring at everything. Aren’t you ashamed…”
“Y-Young Master Wu, that person doesn’t seem to be following us,” his female companion quietly reminded him.
“What?!”
Wu Pengtian’s face instantly flushed red.
The man had run off the moment they entered.
That poor bastard had actually dared to trick him!
Fu Shengyan went up to the third floor.
The moment he stepped out of the elevator, someone grabbed him.
Fu Shengyan: “?”
“You’re the new waiter, right? Manager Wang asked me to show you around. Come with me to the break room and change first.”
The man quickly looked him over and, without allowing any explanation, pulled him toward the right.
Fu Shengyan’s thoughts stirred.
He realized this was an opportunity.
Without explaining, he obediently followed the man toward the staff break room.
The moment he entered, the mixed scent of various perfumes hit him.
Several servers in matching uniforms were squeezed together on the sofa scrolling through their phones. When they saw someone enter, they hurriedly put their phones away.
“Supervisor Zhou.”
“Good evening, Supervisor.”
“You’re still hiding in here slacking off? Be careful I don’t dock your pay!”
Supervisor Zhou frowned.
Seeing this, the group pushed and shoved one another as they hurried out.
Supervisor Zhou opened a locker, pulled out a spare uniform from inside, and tossed it to Fu Shengyan.
“Wear this for now. Your uniform and name tag won’t arrive until tomorrow. Once you’ve changed, go to Room 316 and wait. The guests will be arriving soon.”
Fu Shengyan accepted the clothes, feeling a little regretful.
The private room he needed to go to was 328.
But it didn’t matter.
He could go there himself.
After changing into the staff uniform, Fu Shengyan waited until Supervisor Zhou wasn’t paying attention, quietly pushed open the door, and headed toward Room 328.
A server was already waiting outside Room 328.
Her eyes lit up when she saw Fu Shengyan.
“New here?”
Fu Shengyan’s expression was cold and composed, without the slightest hint of guilt.
“Supervisor Zhou told me to come over.”
“You’re really handsome. No wonder they dared to put you in front of important clients on your very first day.”
The girl teased him with a smile.
“My name is Yu Yingying. What’s your name, handsome?”
Fu Shengyan told her truthfully.
Yu Yingying led him into a small room inside the private suite and took wine glasses from the sterilizing cabinet to teach him how to arrange them.
“Set everything up first. The guests will be here soon.”
Fu Shengyan nodded.
Just as he was about to secretly place the recording device underneath the table, Li Zeyu entered with his group of disreputable friends.
Fu Shengyan could only give up.
He slipped the recording device into his pocket and lowered his head as he retreated toward the door to avoid being recognized.
“Open two bottles of Macallan. This young master has an important friend coming tonight.”
Li Zeyu waved at the two of them.
“Yes, Mr. Li.”
Yu Yingying skillfully selected two bottles from the liquor cabinet and signaled Fu Shengyan with her eyes to go to the door and welcome the other guests.
That was exactly what he wanted.
Before long, another group of guests arrived.
Fu Shengyan didn’t see his target, but his sharp eyes caught sight of someone familiar.
“Please come inside.”
He lowered his head slightly and made a guiding gesture.
The group paid no attention to a mere waiter. Laughing and joking, they walked past him into the room.
However, Fu Huaqing, who was at the back of the group, suddenly looked up sharply.
“A new waiter? I’ve never seen you before, but your voice sounds a little familiar…”
The moment he saw the man’s face, he looked like a chicken that had suddenly been grabbed by the throat.
Wait.
He had sent Fu Shengyan so many messages without getting a reply and thought his cousin wasn’t coming.
Who would have guessed that his cousin had secretly come here to work as a waiter?!
Fu Shengyan rarely attended salons and banquets, so these rich young masters weren’t familiar with him. They certainly wouldn’t pay attention to some insignificant waiter.
But this was his cousin.
Fu Huaqing recognized him immediately.
He leaned close to Fu Shengyan’s ear and lowered his voice.
“Cousin, why did you come to the club to work as a waiter?! Even if Sister-in-law doesn’t give you any spending money, there’s no need to… lower yourself like this.”
He knew it.
Young Master Fu had never been interested in these kinds of activities. Why would he suddenly ask where their gathering was being held and even tell him not to let Sister-in-law know?
But Fu Shengyan was still a member of the Fu family.
If the old master found out that he had come here to bow and scrape before a group of spoiled rich second-generation heirs, he would definitely break Fu Shengyan’s legs.
Seeing Fu Shengyan remain expressionless and completely unmoved, Fu Huaqing continued earnestly, “Cousin, if you’re having financial difficulties, you can tell your little cousin. These people may tip generously, but none of them are exactly decent. They play pretty wild. What if someone starts putting their hands on you…”
Fu Shengyan’s head was beginning to hurt from listening.
He gritted his teeth.
“Shut up. Go inside first, and don’t tell anyone you know me.”
Fu Huaqing walked away hesitantly.
After that little interruption, Fu Shengyan finally saw the target he had been waiting for today.
Gu Shaochen appeared in the lavishly decorated corridor with an unlit cigarette between the fingers of one hand and his other arm loosely around a woman’s waist.
He wore a black suit that day and had even specially styled himself.
Bai Qingying beside him was equally dressed up, wearing the most expensive outfit she owned.
“Why are you dressed so beautifully today, Ying’er? You’ve never put this much effort into dressing up when you go on dates with me.”
Gu Shaochen tilted his head and whispered beside her ear, his voice filled with undisguised jealousy.
Bai Qingying’s body paused almost imperceptibly.
She pushed lightly against the man’s chest and said coquettishly, “Stop it. If I dressed up carefully every time I saw you, you’d say I was treating you like an outsider. Didn’t you tell me someone important was coming today? If I didn’t make myself look presentable, wouldn’t I embarrass you?”
“My baby is so thoughtful.”
Gu Shaochen was delighted by her words and planted a hard kiss on Bai Qingying’s cheek.
“Unlike Song Lansheng. All she knows how to do is stay at home every day. Taking her out only makes people laugh at me.”
Bai Qingying lightly rolled her eyes, her tone reproachful.
“Younger Sister Song is a virtuous wife. She just gave birth to a healthy baby boy for you. She’s a great contributor to your Gu family.”
Gu Shaochen sneered and curled his lips contemptuously.
“She’s nothing but a poor, low-class woman who can’t be presented in polite society. That’s the only use she has. If she didn’t look like you, why would I ever have let her become pregnant with my child?”
“Ying’er is just too kind.”
He gently tapped Bai Qingying’s nose, his eyes filled with indulgence.
Neither of them paid any attention to him as they laughed and entered the private room.
Fu Shengyan’s expression became indescribable.
He adjusted the miniature camera attached to his chest and followed them back into the room.
“Young Master Fu, is that person not coming?”
Li Zeyu had waited and waited.
It had already been quite a while past the agreed time, but the person he had been eagerly expecting still hadn’t appeared.
He couldn’t help lowering his voice and asking Fu Huaqing beside him.
Fu Huaqing instinctively glanced toward the doorway and tugged at the corner of his mouth.
“Something came up. He probably can’t make it.”
Li Zeyu didn’t ask any further.
He sighed regretfully.
Fu Huaqing felt terribly stifled inside, and his mouth was itching to say something.
He complained inwardly.
His cousin had arrived ages ago and had already been standing outside the door for most of the day, yet not a single person in this entire room had recognized him.
His cousin and sister-in-law really did an excellent job keeping their private lives confidential.
Seeing that Gu Shaochen had arrived, Li Zeyu quickly called out, “Young Master Gu is here. Hurry and sit down. The liquor is already ready for you.”
Gu Shaochen raised an eyebrow, picked up the glass, and lightly inhaled its aroma.
“An eighteen-year Macallan. Dayu, you really went all out this time. I remember these two bottles have been stored at the club for a long time. You finally decided to take them out. Surely they weren’t specially opened just to treat us brothers, were they?”
“We’re brothers. Could someone else possibly be more important to me than you?”
Li Zeyu smiled and clinked glasses with him.
“Let’s have a drink first.”