“Sister Mei, please help me.”
Su Wanqing’s sudden appearance made Mei Li take a step back in shock. When she saw clearly who it was, she clutched her chest and let out a breath of relief.
“Wanqing, you should just leave. This isn’t exactly a proper place. Why stay attached to it?”
“No, Sister Mei, you know my situation. I can’t lose this job. I really need money.”
How could Su Wanqing not understand that logic? It was just… when she thought of her younger sister lying in the hospital, she lowered her head again and pleaded.
“Sister Mei, I’ve made a lot of money for the club before. You know what I’m capable of. I’ll work even harder from now on—I promise I won’t make you regret keeping me.”
“Wanqing, it’s not that I don’t want to help you…” Mei Li sighed, then continued, “You could’ve offended anyone, but you just had to offend that young master. He’s already spoken. There’s nothing I can do.”
Su Wanqing knew exactly who “he” was. Ever since he appeared, she should’ve been prepared for this. Cold and ruthless—that had always been his way of doing things, just like three years ago.
Mei Li didn’t want to say more. She patted Su Wanqing on the shoulder and turned to walk back into the club.
The night wind was cold, but Su Wanqing’s heart was even colder.
So he was forcing her out of Luo City?
Then she would do the opposite—she refused to let him have his way!
Su Wanqing turned around and walked toward a place across from Meise.
“Brother Hu, you know how I was when I worked at Meise. How about I transfer over to your place now?”
Liang Dian Entertainment Club had always been Meise’s rival. Brother Hu had sent word more than once, hoping Su Wanqing would come work for him.
But Liang Dian was a mixed bag—far messier than Meise—so Su Wanqing had never agreed.
But now, she couldn’t care about that anymore.
Wan Hong’s daily medical bills meant she had to find a job immediately.
“Heh, Wanqing… you really are a beauty.”
While he spoke, Brother Hu’s rough, calloused hand had already reached toward Su Wanqing’s exposed arm.
His fingers were coarse, even scarred. As they brushed across her skin, they left a stinging sensation, making her instinctively shrink her neck.
“I’ll be honest with you—I just need money. Who does this line of work without needing money? So, what do you say? Give me a straight answer. If you agree, I can start working today.”
Suppressing the disgust rising in her chest, Su Wanqing leaned against the man’s chest. The smell of sweat, alcohol, and smoke mixed together, making her frown slightly.
“Haha, you can work here, sure… but first, you’ve got to make me feel good.”
His hand slid from her arm to her back.
The nausea grew stronger. Before it could rise to her throat, Su Wanqing pushed him away.
“Brother Hu, what kind of joke is that? How much is this bit of flesh of mine worth? Let me work the floor—I’ll earn you much more.”
The man seemed irritated by being pushed away. He frowned at her and suddenly stood up.
“Hmph, don’t push your luck. Everyone in the business knows why you left Meise. If they don’t dare keep you, neither will I. Get out.”
Su Wanqing’s face changed instantly.
Jian Ou… are you really trying to cut off every path for me?
Looking at the man’s departing figure, she wanted to say something more—but her phone suddenly rang in her bag, cutting off all her thoughts.
The ringtone was specially set. Only calls from there would sound this sharp and piercing.
“Doctor Zhuang, is it my sister—”
Su Wanqing’s anxious voice made the person on the other end speak faster.
“No, no, your sister is fine, it’s just—”
Hearing that Wan Hong was okay, Su Wanqing let out a breath of relief. But the moment she heard “it’s just,” her brows furrowed again.
“It’s about the medical fees, right? Don’t worry, Doctor Zhuang. I’ll come tomorrow.”
Calls from the hospital—if it wasn’t about Wan Hong’s condition, then it was definitely about payment.
Ever since her parents passed away, Su Wanqing had received too many calls like this. Every single one felt like a heavy stone crashing down onto her heart.
After hanging up, the man was already gone. There was no way to catch up anymore. Su Wanqing couldn’t help but feel a little defeated.
Walking out of Liang Dian, a black car parked by the roadside caught her attention.
That was Jian Ou’s car.
His presence here didn’t surprise her at all. Brother Hu rejecting her was probably his doing too.
“Jian Ou, you bastard!”
Su Wanqing clenched her teeth so hard they made a grinding sound. The more he wanted her to leave Luo City, the more she refused to let him get what he wanted.
If Liang Dian didn’t work, then smaller places were even more impossible.
Standing under the dim streetlight, Su Wanqing’s face was shadowed, filled with resentment.
If this path didn’t work, then she would take a step back.
But with every step back, the hatred in her heart toward Jian Ou only deepened.
Luo City lay along the river. The people here loved hotpot.
On nights when the breeze turned cool, a few friends would gather around a steaming hotpot, drink a few cups, and let the fatigue of the day melt away.
The most famous hotpot street in Luo City was right by the river. The night breeze carried moisture from the water, mixing with the rising steam from the boiling pots, creating a lively, bustling scene.
“Sir, miss, would you like some beer?”
The crisp, lively voice drew the attention of diners all around. Even those who hadn’t planned to drink would end up ordering a bottle just because of that bright, cheerful call.