In the private room, Pei Yan lay sprawled on the sofa, clamoring for more alcohol, while Fu Huaizhou sat on the opposite side, scrolling through his phone.
The two were far apart.
Li Yueting gave an awkward smile. “Huaizhou, you’re here too.”
Fu Huaizhou pressed his lips together and replied indifferently, “She’s drunk.”
Li Yueting sensed something off about the atmosphere in the room and probed, “Have you… been here the whole time?”
Fu Huaizhou didn’t answer his question directly, merely glancing at Pei Yan as he said, “I couldn’t just kick her out.”
“Then why didn’t you notify me?” Li Yueting asked, feigning nonchalance.
Fu Huaizhou shot him a sidelong glance. “Didn’t they tell you?”
“They” naturally referred to Li Yueting’s so-called friends.
Li Yueting breathed a sigh of relief and took off his jacket, intending to cover Pei Yan’s exposed skin.
“Xiao Yan, let’s go home.”
Li Yueting’s clothes carried the scent of cigarettes. Pei Yan frowned in disgust, tugged the jacket off, and threw it on the floor.
Her vision blurred by intoxication, she nuzzled against the sofa armrest and locked eyes with Fu Huaizhou through the gap at Li Yueting’s waist.
Fu Huaizhou pursed his lips, inexplicably feeling a thrill from the exchanged glances.
Pei Yan giggled and pushed Li Yueting away. “Go away.”
“Xiao Yan?”
Staggering, Pei Yan plopped right into Fu Huaizhou’s lap.
Gu Jingyi and the group of friends who had followed them in stared wide-eyed.
What the hell was this? A full-blown showdown?
“Xiao Yan?” Li Yueting’s face darkened as he stepped forward to pull her away.
Pei Yan giggled again and stroked Fu Huaizhou’s cheek. “My male escort.”
Fu Huaizhou lowered his gaze to look at her. Li Yueting broke out in a cold sweat and hurriedly explained, “Uh, Huaizhou, she didn’t mean it.”
Gu Jingyi burst into unrestrained laughter. “Miss Pei, we don’t have male escorts here. I run a legitimate business, you know.”
In the private room, he was the only one daring enough to laugh.
After all, who would dare call Fu Huaizhou a male escort?
Only the bold, drunken Second Miss Pei.
Li Yueting tried to grab Pei Yan, but she clung on for dear life, refusing to let go.
Fearing Fu Huaizhou might lose his temper, Li Yueting decided to carry her away by force.
Fu Huaizhou subtly rose and loosely wrapped an arm around Pei Yan. “Miss Pei, stand properly.”
“I can’t stand properly.” Pei Yan clung to him, mumbling drowsily, “I’m sleepy.”
With that, she tilted her head and rested it against his neck, her slender, pale arms tightly encircling Fu Huaizhou’s neck right in front of Li Yueting.
Li Yueting’s face turned ashen, but he couldn’t vent his anger at Fu Huaizhou.
It was Pei Yan who had made the first move, even calling him a male escort, while Fu Huaizhou had remained the picture of gentlemanly composure.
Li Yueting grabbed one of her arms and said, “Xiao Yan, let go. I’ll take you home.”
Pei Yan leaned against Fu Huaizhou’s chest, motionless as if she had fallen asleep.
Li Yueting looked helplessly at Fu Huaizhou. “Huaizhou…”
Feigning helplessness, Fu Huaizhou said, “I’ll walk you both down.”
Gu Jingyi suppressed a laugh. “Take the VIP passage this way.”
That scoundrel Fu Huaizhou—getting what he wanted and still toying with people.
Since Pei Yan couldn’t walk, Fu Huaizhou had no choice but to scoop her up into his arms.
Li Yueting trailed behind, his mind troubled.
There was no need to mention Fu Huaizhou’s qualifications; even someone as proud as him couldn’t compare.
Was it possible for a man like that to take an interest in Pei Yan?
Fu Huaizhou had been single for years, with not a single flower lingering by his side, living a life as austere as a monk in a temple.
Li Yueting’s brow furrowed tightly. Perhaps he was overthinking things.
Pei Yan’s breakup had left him jumpy at the slightest sound.
When they reached the car, Pei Yan still clung tightly to Fu Huaizhou, refusing to let go.
Li Yueting tried to pry her off but was reflexively slapped across the face by her.
The sharp “smack” made Li Yueting grit his teeth, a faint anger simmering in his expression.
Fu Huaizhou stared at Li Yueting, who took several deep breaths to compose himself.
When Li Yueting moved to take Pei Yan from Fu Huaizhou’s arms, Fu Huaizhou impatiently said, “I’ll help her into the car.”
Li Yueting had no choice but to open the rear door of his car.
As Fu Huaizhou settled her inside, he leaned close to Pei Yan’s ear and whispered, “The big bad wolf is here.”
Instinctively, Pei Yan tightened her arms around Fu Huaizhou’s neck.
Having played this little trick, Fu Huaizhou allowed a faint smirk to curl his lips where no one could see.
Li Yueting had reached his limit and was about to lose his temper when Pei Yan’s phone rang.
Fu Huaizhou gently loosened Pei Yan’s grip and carefully leaned her against the seatback.
Li Yueting took Pei Yan’s bag, fished out her phone, and saw that it was Pei Ying calling.
Not daring to ignore the call, Li Yueting answered, and after learning her sister was drunk, Pei Ying immediately drove over.
As Fu Huaizhou turned to head back upstairs, Li Yueting stopped him and offered him a cigarette.
Leaning against the car, Li Yueting gazed up at the night sky but could only see towering skyscrapers.
“Huaizhou, what brought you here tonight?”
Fu Huaizhou gave a mocking smile—was Li Yueting still suspicious of him?
Admittedly, Li Yueting’s intuition wasn’t far off.
Exhaling a plume of smoke, Fu Huaizhou tilted his head slightly, his peripheral gaze falling on Pei Yan in the back seat, and said softly:
“Yi Xing’s recent acquisition hasn’t been going smoothly. I couldn’t sleep, so I came for a drink.”
Li Yueting chuckled. “I never thought even you, Fu Huaizhou, would be troubled by such things.”
Fu Huaizhou shot him a look that said, “Why wouldn’t I be?” Li Yueting added, “Since childhood, you’ve been the model child everyone admired. It’s us ordinary folks who suffered.”
The self-mockery in the latter remark was unmistakable.
Fu Huaizhou was well aware of Li Yueting’s family situation—his exceptionally capable half-brother overshadowed him, leaving Li Yueting to drown himself in cigarettes, alcohol, and women.
For people like them, with wealth and privilege, falling into decadence was all too easy.
“Huaizhou?” Li Yueting pressed without waiting for a reply, “We’re friends, aren’t we?”
Just then, Pei Ying arrived.
Spotting Fu Huaizhou, she raised an eyebrow in surprise before giving a slight nod in greeting.
Fu Huaizhou returned the nod.
Pei Ying completely ignored Li Yueting and instructed the driver, “Carry Second Young Miss into the car.”
The driver hurriedly acknowledged.
But a drunk person is dead weight, and Pei Yan was curled up in the cramped car interior.
The driver, a middle-aged man of modest height, hesitated to touch her, especially since Pei Yan was dressed provocatively.
“President Pei, I might need some assistance.”
Pei Ying signaled with her eyes. “Fetch the blanket from the car.”
The driver quickly went to retrieve the blanket.
With the blanket, it was easier to carry her, but Pei Yan, dazed and uncooperative, kicked off her slippers.
Just as Li Yueting stepped forward, Pei Ying’s cold voice cut in, “President Fu, could you lend a hand?”
Li Yueting froze mid-step.
Since she had asked, Fu Huaizhou was happy to oblige.
He patted the driver’s shoulder. “Let me.”
The driver promptly moved aside. Wrapping Pei Yan in the blanket, Fu Huaizhou lifted her out of the car, then picked up her slippers and followed.
A drunk person is indeed heavy, but Fu Huaizhou held her steadily.
After settling Pei Yan into the spacious back seat, Pei Ying thanked him.
Until the taillights of the black business vehicle disappeared, Li Yueting remained standing in place.
Fu Huaizhou slightly furrowed his brows—it seemed Pei Ying was already dissatisfied with Li Yueting.
Li Yueting forced a smile and said, “Huaizhou, you go ahead. I need some time alone.”
Fu Huaizhou turned and left.
When he returned to Moonlight, Gu Jingyi was still waiting for him in the private room.
Fu Huaizhou said, “Keep this room reserved for me from now on. No one else is allowed in.”
Gu Jingyi smirked teasingly, “What happened in there earlier?”
Fu Huaizhou shot him a faint glance. “None of your business.”
“Tsk, tsk, looking at you with two buttons popped off—did someone take advantage of you?” Gu Jingyi said suggestively. “My star male host?”
Fu Huaizhou raised his fist, and Gu Jingyi immediately shut up.
Fu Huaizhou asked, “Was it you who told Li Yueting that Pei Yan and I were in the VIP room?”
Gu Jingyi sighed helplessly. “What else could I do? His friends saw Pei Yan go in. I did give you a heads-up in advance.”
In a rather good mood, Fu Huaizhou said, “I’m leaving.”
Gu Jingyi asked, “Not staying to have some fun?”
Fu Huaizhou waved a hand and strode out of Moonlight.
But as soon as he got into his car, he couldn’t hold back a soft chuckle.
I wonder if Second Miss Pei will have amnesia when she wakes up tomorrow morning?