"I... I'll pass," Zheng Shuai said, blushing and shaking his head. He leaned towards Lin Qiang and whispered, "I still don't dare, forget it..."
"Hmm." Lin Qiang knew his friend's nature—he had the desire but lacked the courage. Whoever married him would have an incredibly peaceful life.
He then waved his hand at the madam and said, "Alright, that's fine for now. If we need anything, we'll call you."
"Alright then." The madam stepped forward and handed out a few business cards to the four of them, smiling politely. "This place is newly opened, offering high-quality service at an affordable price. 500 yuan worth of service for just 200 yuan. Call me next time and you'll get a discount."
After the group nodded in acknowledgment, the madam led the girls out. It was clear that many of the girls looked back at Zheng Shuai with reluctance, thinking it would be better to accompany him than some pot-bellied men. Unfortunately, Zheng Shuai couldn't muster the courage to take the step.
"Alright! Let's sing and drink!" Xiao Xiao took the lead in lifting the mood, holding two large bottles of beer and filling five glasses.
Lele, who had just arrived, also took a glass and nestled beside Lin Qiang to drink.
"You don't drink," Lin Qiang pressed her back into her seat, only clinking glasses with the others.
Lele showed a puzzled expression.
Usually, customers would force her to drink, so where did this concern for her come from? Was it genuine compassion or just a façade?
After downing the first glass, Zheng Shuai moved closer to Lin Xiaozhao to chat, avoiding interfering with Lin Qiang. Meanwhile, Xiao Xiao began her karaoke performance, belting out an English song so loudly that it drowned out any other conversation.
Lin Qiang called Lele over to whisper in her ear.
Lele smiled coyly and leaned in, maintaining some distance in case the older man tried anything inappropriate.
Lin Qiang whispered, "Is your real name Ling Lele?"
Lele's body stiffened, and she instinctively retreated, pressing against the sofa, staring at Lin Qiang in shock.
In this line of work, no one used their real names; they usually just took a part of their real name for their stage name.
"How do you... know me?" Lele covered her mouth in surprise.
Lin Qiang also leaned back on the sofa, staring at the ceiling. This matter was just as troublesome for him. He should have pretended not to notice, but his conscience couldn't rest easy.
Ling Lele was the daughter of Xia Xin, the deputy director of the Human Resources Department at the Jijing Office. Lin Qiang had made a point to remember her name and appearance when opening her account. Despite her heavy makeup and skimpy outfit, Lin Qiang still recognized her.
Xia Xin and her husband were busy with work and thought they could leave their daughter in the strict care of a boarding school. Little did they know, their daughter was working a part-time job at night.
What should he do?
Directly tell Xia Xin? Inform her that he knew her daughter's secret?
And then what? Xia Xin would live in constant fear, thinking Lin Qiang had spread the news. If more people found out one day, she would undoubtedly blame it on Lin Qiang.
This was someone else's family matter. As an outsider, it wasn't his place to intervene.
From this perspective, Lin Qiang should pretend he didn't see anything.
However, he knew the fate of hostesses and the methods of madams. She might be just earning some pocket money, but what if she got drunk or drugged or taken away by clients? It wouldn't just be smiling and pouring drinks anymore.
Once she agreed to spend the night with a client, she would be handsomely paid. For a minor, the temptation would be too great, leading to a slippery slope. It could be somewhat understandable if she came from a poor family, but Ling Lele's parents had decent reputations and were well-off. Their underage daughter, working here for some extra cash, was something Lin Qiang couldn't ignore.
"I handle student records at your school and saw your information." Lin Qiang turned to her, his expression serious. "Go back to your dormitory. Don't come here again, or I'll report you to the principal."
Lele was stunned for a few seconds, then burst into laughter.
"Hehe..." She gave Lin Qiang a playful look. "Report me to the principal? He's the dirtiest one."
"I have your parents' contact information," Lin Qiang said sternly.
"Go ahead, tell them. At most, I'll get scolded," Lele responded with a fearless demeanor, leaning against Lin Qiang and blowing softly into his ear. "You're Lin Qiang, right? As a school employee, you're here at a karaoke bar near the school, mingling with students. Let's see who gets into more trouble."
Lin Qiang laughed, "I've been threatened by many people before, but this is the first time a teenage girl has done it. Are you not afraid of fighting an old fox like me?"
"What's the big deal? Everyone comes here for fun." Lele smiled and poured a drink for Lin Qiang, raising her glass. "Let's have a good time. After tonight, we don't know each other."
"Sigh..." Lin Qiang knew she was a tough one, a typical modern girl. He didn't take the drink and instead took out 300 yuan, placing it on the table. "Here's a tip. Go back to your dorm tonight."
"Oh, thank you, boss!" Lele took the money and put it in her small bag. "The dorm is boring. I'd rather drink here."
She then picked up the glass again and said, "If you don't drink with me, I'll drink alone."
Lin Qiang could only shake his head. Fine, the roles were reversed, and he was now the one being served.
"The drink is mine, not yours to drink at will." Lin Qiang pressed down her hand holding the glass. "Besides, aren't you underage?"
Lele pouted, trying to grab the glass, but couldn't win against him. She made a face at Lin Qiang. "It's a new era; over 16 is fine!"
"Okay, I'll ask you questions, and for every answer, I'll drink a glass with you."
"Why should I?" Lele's eyes twinkled. "You have to drink two glasses!"
"As you wish." Lin Qiang threw out the first question. "To attend this school, your family must be well-off. Why do you work here?"
"Whether my family has money or not has nothing to do with me. I like it." Lele said and finished her drink.
Lin Qiang downed two glasses, wiped his mouth, and realized that girls at this age were indeed like this.
"Would you go out with a client overnight?" Lin Qiang asked bluntly.
Lele looked him up and down, "You... I wouldn't. But that guy over there, maybe."
"..."
After that, Lin Qiang asked a series of questions and roughly understood Lele's thoughts and how deep she was in. From her answers, it seemed she only poured drinks for tips and hadn't spent the night with any clients yet, which somewhat reassured Lin Qiang.
"I need to use the restroom. Do whatever you want." After getting the information he needed, Lin Qiang stood up and walked out.
"Oh, can't handle it after just a bit of drinking?" Lele, her face flushed, sprawled on the sofa, twisting her legs together restlessly.
Lin Qiang ignored her, walked out, and found the madam, who was chatting with a server in the lobby. He took out the business card he had been given and read the name "Fang Qing" on it. Not caring if it was real, he approached her.