Night falls, lights blossom.
River State Airport.
A red Lamborghini is parked outside the airport.
The man leaning casually against the car is tall and imposing. His well-fitted casual suit accentuates his extraordinary bearing, while his oversized sunglasses hide most of his face.
Extravagant car and attractive man, an undeniable eye-catcher.
The attractive White Palmer overlooks the coming and going crowd, focusing his attention only on the VIP exit.
Finally, a few familiar figures emerge from the VIP exit. The man leading the way stands tall, his bespoke suit and dress shoes highlighting his noble status, and his natural aura impossible to ignore. Following him are assistants and secretaries – an entourage of handsome men and beautiful women, although they seem merely ancillary in his presence.
The man emerging from the VIP exit is none other than Gem Atkinson. After settling all matters in France, he didn't go to South Africa, but returned to River State instead.
"Gem, Gem, over here, over here." White waved his hand to signal.
There's no need for White's attention-seeking antics. As soon as Gem stepped out, he saw him. The red car was an eyesore, very few of them existed in River State. This flashy red sports car was a birthday gift from White's brother.
Gem greeted the assistants and secretaries following him, gave few instructions to an assistant nearby, and then headed towards White.
White, fawning, opened the car door and gestured like a gentleman, "Norton Jarvis, Josh Levs and I have arranged a welcome feast for you at Enchanting."
Settled in the back seat, Gem massaged his forehead to alleviate the fatigue of travel and asked, "Why not Skyway Club?"
Skyway Club is owned by the Palmer Clan and is the most high-end club in River State. Gem, Norton Jarvis and their group would usually choose Skyway Club for their gatherings. Opportunities to gather at places like Enchanting are rare.
White driving, took a cautious glance in the rear-view mirror, "Skyway is about to be overrun by Enchanting."
"Oh?"
"Gem, you won't believe it, but during your time away from River State, Enchanting brought in a golden phoenix. With her charm, Enchanting's business has leapt forward and has now topped the industry rankings. Our clubs along with others have become mere backdrops, and our business has faltered. Nowadays, anyone with a smudge of status and position would go to Enchanting, so we felt it might be out of line to welcome you at Skyway."
Gem knew White was always jolly and tended to exaggerate, so he casually asked, "Phoenix? Is it a person? Or some gimmicky, eye-catching novelty?"
"Um, it is...a person." Again, he looked cautiously at Gem through the rear-view mirror, and White added, "A woman who gives excellent performances on the stage at Enchanting."
A single woman managed to cause such a stir in the entertainment scene of River State?
"In a brief period, her energetic songs and dances have stirred up such enthusiasm at Enchanting that it's not only the club that's gone crazy over her, but also the entire city of River State, where she is now hailed as the 'Queen of the Night' in entertainment circles."
"Queen of the Night?" Gem chuckled, "It must be Yigol Foster trying to promote her. If I'm not mistaken, she must be another one of Yigol's pets."
Pet?!
With a sudden screech, White was startled and slammed on the brakes. Gem, caught off guard, lurched forward, saved by the seat belt.
"White."
"Oops, sorry, sorry." White restarted the car and continued, "Whether she's Yigol's pet or not, I don't know, but a few days ago, a few troublemakers brashly tried to take off her mask onstage…"
"Mask?"
"She always wears a mask on stage. Because of the mask, her true appearance remains unknown, making her all the more mysterious."
"Mysterious? Huh, that's so Yigol's style."
"Well, maybe it is his style. But those foolhardy guys who tried to remove her mask were thrown out by Yigol's bodyguards and are now banned from Enchanting. Moreover, it's rumored that Yigol had one of their fingers chopped off."
"He's that protective? Hm, it shows that the phoenix must be Yigol's new favorite."
New favorite?!
Cough cough...
"Maybe... she's just... just Yigol being protective." In between words, White nervously swallowed his saliva.
"Yigol is notorious for changing women faster than he changes clothes. He finally found a woman who can make waves in River State. Why would he let her go? How can he let her be corrupted by others before he grows tired of her?"
Plaything?!
It's you who said it, not me. White coughed twice, "Whether she's a plaything or not, you'll know when you get there."
"Alright, I need some relaxation after the long trip."
The long trip was indeed exhausting, so White didn't bother him anymore. The ride was silent until they arrived at Enchanting.
Norton Jarvis and Josh Levs arranged a feast for Gem's return on the second floor of Enchanting, full of his favorite dishes.
If the first floor of Enchanting is an open space, then the second floor is packed with private enclosed rooms. There even are exclusive VIP rooms, one of which has a floor-to-ceiling window facing directly to the stage on the first floor.
White, in the spirit of making things lively, led Gem to the spot nearest to the floor-to-ceiling window, giving him an unobstructed view of the first floor.
While they were dining, the four men discussed recent business affairs of the major families and the international political situation. Without noticing, White spun the conversation towards the Phoenix and talked about some of her legends.
Gem finally put down his wine glass and looked at White, he coldly asked, "White, you've been talking about this golden Phoenix all night, do you have an ulterior motive? Do you want me to lure her to Skyway Club to become a star attraction, or do you want me to put in a good word for you in front of Yigol, hoping that Yigol will let her go, so you can make the golden Phoenix your pet?"
White nearly choked on his tea at Gem's words. Norton Jarvis and Josh Levs both twitched and turned away in disapproval.
White had a coughing fit, raised his hand and swore, "No, absolutely not. I have absolutely no desires or expectations towards the Phoenix, and certainly no ulterior motives."
Gem remained silent, only giving him a icy look.
"Ah, she's here, she's here. Gem, look quickly."
Fortunately, the Phoenix's arrival broke White's siege.
The first floor, due to the Phoenix's arrival, bubbled into a frenzy.
The patrons all swarmed in front of the stage, instantly crowding it.
Gem looked absent-mindedly where White pointed, and in just one glance, deep waves seemed to form in his dark eyes.
On the magnificent stage, Forsythia Brown, as always, donned a leather suit and the Phoenix mask. As a dynamic tune started playing, she swayed her hips and raised her arms in an inviting gesture.
Who is she inviting?
In the moment when everyone was guessing, a tall man appeared on stage.
His lofty stature, golden body proportions, and his handsome face being perpetually soaked in debauchery were all breathtakingly charming.
It's him, River State's Top Gigolo!
There's going to be a new show tonight.
The spectators were ecstatic, and screams and whistles were endless.
The sound insulation of the second floor rooms was excellent. No matter how boisterous the first floor was, the noise wouldn't reach the second floor. But the expressions and actions of the crowd spectating on the first floor were enough to imagine how fiery the atmosphere on the first floor must be!