It wasn’t until the game began that the others finally noticed Xiao Yao’s existence.
After all, there weren’t many weirdos who still wore sunglasses and a mask indoors, wrapping themselves up from head to toe.
The carefree young man was called Qi Yan.
He released the little white flower beside him and chuckled.
“Yo, who’s this mysterious guest? Won’t even show her face. Don’t tell me she’s so beautiful she could shake heaven and earth?”
Laughter immediately erupted throughout the private room.
Remembering those cool, detached eyes, Liang Xue’er somehow felt that someone with eyes like that couldn’t possibly be ugly.
Although she had no idea why Xiao Yao dressed this way, that wasn’t a reason for others to mock her.
She wanted to speak up for Xiao Yao, but she couldn’t afford to offend the Qi Family behind Qi Yan.
All she could do was send Xiao Yao a comforting look.
Qin Yuan didn’t particularly like Xiao Yao either.
However, Xiao Yao had come as her guest, and mocking her publicly was equivalent to embarrassing Qin Yuan herself.
Her expression darkened.
“Qi Yan, just worry about the one in your arms. With so many people here, if you don’t care about your reputation, everyone else still finds it disgusting.”
As soon as she spoke, the little white flower in Qi Yan’s arms trembled.
She bit her lower lip in humiliation.
Qi Yan’s expression also darkened.
However, after glancing at the person beside Qin Yuan, he endured it and remained silent.
The game continued.
Everyone drew cards in turn.
When it was Xiao Yao’s turn, she followed suit and picked one as well.
The Joker ended up in Mo Yao’s hands.
The red-haired youth leaned back against the sofa.
He had already drunk quite a lot, and the alcohol had left his youthful face slightly flushed.
Casually, he called out two numbers.
“Three and seven.”
Those who hadn’t been selected breathed a sigh of relief before turning their attention toward the unlucky participants.
Number Three belonged to the little white flower who had been sitting in Qi Yan’s arms.
She had recently graduated from the Film Academy and had only ever played supporting roles in low-budget productions. Her career had remained stagnant despite her efforts.
She had gone to great lengths to attach herself to Qi Yan.
Number Seven belonged to a notorious playboy known for dating countless female influencers.
Rumor had it that he possessed certain unsavory hobbies.
Ever since entering the room, his gaze had remained fixed on the little white flower.
Looking at the two of them, amusement suddenly flashed through Mo Yao’s dark eyes.
He curled his lips into a smile, his malice completely undisguised.
“Number Seven… go retrieve an intimate article of clothing from Number Three.”
The little white flower’s face instantly turned pale.
With pleading eyes, she looked toward the young man beside her.
However, perhaps because Qin Yuan’s earlier remarks had irritated him, Qi Yan sat there with a gloomy expression, drinking cup after cup.
He didn’t spare her a single glance.
The light in the girl’s eyes gradually faded.
She sat weakly in place, her body trembling slightly.
Meanwhile, everyone else watched with expressions of eager anticipation.
Madmen…
A bunch of madmen…
Her desperate gaze swept across every face in the room before suddenly settling on someone.
Ming Jing.
She had heard that he was famous within their circle for being gentle and kind, noble and upright.
Surely he wouldn’t allow something like this to happen.
However, when her eyes finally found him—
She discovered that the person she viewed as a savior wore a warm smile and maintained a gentle demeanor, yet from beginning to end, he had never even raised his eyes to look at the situation.
Perhaps sensing that the atmosphere had become too tense, the red-haired youth spoke up as if kindly offering an alternative.
“If you don’t want to do the punishment, you can choose to drink instead.”
He paused thoughtfully.
“Let’s say… three glasses each.”
After speaking, he thoughtfully poured six glasses of alcohol.
The little white flower’s eyes lit up briefly.
Just as she reached for a glass, however, she noticed the way everyone else was looking at her.
In an instant, her blood turned cold.
Those were the eyes of businessmen evaluating merchandise.
As though they were judging whether she still had any investment value.
She knew that if she chose to drink, she could preserve her pitiful sense of dignity.
But it would also mean she would never again be able to enter this circle.
Slowly, she lowered her hand.
A moment later—
Number Seven proudly waved a thin article of clothing in the air like a trophy.
The game continued.
Xiao Yao watched the entire process from the sidelines.
Her expression remained remarkably calm.
The system had been waiting for her to become frightened and burst into tears.
Unable to hold back any longer, it cleared its throat and reappeared.
“Well? Scared yet? If you beg me nicely, I might even help you.”
Curiously, Xiao Yao asked,
“Help me with what?”
The system’s voice carried obvious pride.
“Of course I’d make sure you don’t get selected. I’m a very intelligent system.”
“Oh.”
Xiao Yao sounded completely uninterested.
The system paused.
“…Heh. I knew it. Wait, what do you mean by ‘oh’?”
Patiently, Xiao Yao explained,
“It means I understand.”
“That’s it? Heh. Fine. Don’t come crying and begging me later.”
The system angrily disappeared again.
Over the next several rounds, the people selected were all influential figures in the room.
Naturally, those holding the Joker card only assigned mild and harmless punishments.
Fortunately, Xiao Yao wasn’t selected even once.
She returned to being an invisible observer hidden in the shadows, quietly watching the atmosphere in the room.
After the first round, the little white flower fell silent.
Although she still sat beside Qi Yan, she never leaned against him again.
The group of rich young heirs clearly treated the red-haired youth as their leader.
Whenever he drew an undesirable punishment, others willingly drank in his place.
A strict hierarchy existed here.
Those at the top possessed absolute authority over those below them.
And anyone who wished to enter this circle had to pay a price.
Xiao Yao didn’t particularly care.
She had only come for one reason:
To secretly photograph the Male Lead smoking.
However, an entire evening passed.
Smoke filled the room, yet the figure she watched remained seated calmly in the same spot.
His expression stayed gentle and composed.
There was no sign of him following the crowd.
“Number Six. Number Eight.”
The person holding the Joker announced the numbers.
Xiao Yao lowered her head and flipped over her card.
Oh?
She had won the lottery.
The system immediately reappeared, gloating wildly.
“Hahahahahaha! Serves you right!”
Ignoring the crazed system in her head, Xiao Yao raised her card.
“I’m Number Six.”
Several malicious gazes immediately converged upon her.
Even the little white flower slowly raised her head and looked over with bleak eyes.
“And who’s Number Eight?”
The Joker holder asked maliciously.
Clearly, he was eager to punish the ugly freak who didn’t even dare show her face.
A moment later, a clear and pleasant voice sounded.
“I’m Number Eight.”
Everyone turned toward the source of the voice.
The moment they saw who held the Number Eight card, the room became so quiet that a pin drop could have been heard.
“Brother Ming…”
The Joker holder instantly became flustered.
After exchanging awkward glances with the people around him, he stammered,
“Well… maybe we should—”
“It’s fine.”
Ming Jing interrupted gently.
“A bet is a bet.”
Since he had said so, everyone’s attention shifted toward Qin Yuan.
After all, everyone knew that Qin Yuan liked Ming Jing.
The possibility of a marriage alliance between the Qin and Ming Families had long been discussed.
Qin Yuan’s expression wasn’t particularly pleasant.
Still, she didn’t view Xiao Yao as a threat and therefore said nothing.
“Then… Number Eight should pour Number Six a glass of wine.”
If Xiao Yao drank, she would have to remove her mask.
And if she refused the punishment and chose to drink as a penalty instead, she would still have to remove her mask.
After hearing the punishment, Ming Jing didn’t immediately agree.
Instead, he looked toward Xiao Yao.
“Is that alright?”
After hesitating briefly, Xiao Yao nodded.
She truly didn’t want to remove her mask.
But that was only because she disliked unnecessary trouble.
From the way these people acted, however, it seemed they assumed she was hiding because she was ugly.
Seeing her agreement, Ming Jing lowered his gaze.
He picked up a bottle of low-alcohol fruit wine.
His long fingers wrapped around the bottle as he poured half a glass.
When he finished, he gently pushed the glass toward her.
Xiao Yao stared at the dreamy-colored liquid.
Tiny bubbles rose continuously through the wine, producing faint crackling sounds.
With one hand, she pulled down her mask.
With the other, she lifted the glass to her lips.
The room was dimly lit.
Xiao Yao sat in a corner.
No matter how hard the others strained their eyes, all they managed to glimpse was a small portion of pale skin.
But Ming Jing, sitting directly across from her, could see clearly.
Although only for a moment.
The upper half of the girl’s face remained hidden behind her sunglasses.
The exposed skin beneath seemed almost luminous in its fairness.
Her lips were thin and lightly tinted red.
His eyes paused slightly.
He watched as Xiao Yao tilted her head back and drained the half-glass in one gulp.
Then she quickly pulled her mask back into place.
Perhaps because she had drunk too quickly, he noticed her cough softly twice while replacing the mask.
A faint blush spread across her cool pale skin.
Afterward, she seemed to say something quietly to the girl beside her.
The other girl shifted inward to make room.
Xiao Yao thanked her softly, then quickly stood and walked out of the private room.