"Yar, where else are we going?" Since the last time she spoke with Julian Bai, he hadn't called her again in days, and she wasn't the type to be overly impatient.
Every day she tended to her flowers, planted some grass, and walked her dog. Such a life was quite pleasant, but today early in the morning, Emily Gu had dragged her out for a stroll. This kind of life really didn't suit her.
As night fell like a dark veil over the sky, she couldn't help but ask; after all, it was getting late and two girls walking on the street were never truly safe. Besides, today Emily Gu seemed particularly strange.
Usually, there were bodyguards around her; today it seemed there were none in sight. So she voiced a reminder—better safe than sorry—even though she'd been in this society for two years now and still couldn't change that instinct.
"Grace, let's go have some fun!" Emily Gu pointed towards a brightly lit place and whispered in her ear.
Looking at the colorful golden letters shining brightly, Grace Gu squinted slightly and said softly, "That's not a good idea! We should head back."
Having lived in Port City for two years meant she wasn't completely clueless; this place had been mentioned by Julian Bai before and was clearly not somewhere good.
"No! I'm unhappy today; you have to accompany me." She placed her hands on her hips. With such an innocent little face making that expression, it looked somewhat ridiculous.
Grace Gu understood that Emily Gu was feeling down today. Although she wanted to indulge her friend's wishes, she felt repulsed by this kind of place.
Seeing her hesitation, Emily Gu said dejectedly: "Grace, I just got dumped."
Grace Gu paused for a moment. She wasn't very clear about who Emily Gu was exactly; however, everyone in Port City knew that she was genuinely from a wealthy family. Could it be true that she'd experienced heartbreak? And judging by how upset she looked right now...
Noticing the disbelief in her eyes made Emily Gu scoff: "Even people here don't believe I got dumped; you don't believe me either!"
That pitiful tone made Grace Gu feel somewhat helpless: "Just don't drink too much inside."
"I know! Underneath this pretty little face lies an old lady's heart—what a waste," she pouted before pulling Grace Gu toward the sparkling entrance.
Emily Gu seemed like a regular here; everyone inside treated her with utmost respect while the bodyguards at the door nodded deferentially. Though curious about everything happening around them, Grace Gu didn't ask any questions and simply followed behind as they entered.
It was vast inside—that was Grace Gu's first impression. The red lights and music created an atmosphere entirely different from outside. She couldn't help but wonder if brothels from another era looked something like this?
Women dressed provocatively slithered around like snakes seeking prey while laughter echoed through glasses raised high in celebration.
Emily Gu led them to a secluded spot where attentive servers promptly brought them drinks. She grabbed one glass and gulped it down eagerly.
One glass after another seemed to make her forget about promising not to drink too much earlier while beside her Grace Gu could only watch as tears streamed down Emily's face amidst all that drinking.
Those tears flowed freely as if they cost nothing at all. In nearly two years of knowing each other, she'd never seen such despair etched across Emily Gu's features before.
Unsure how to comfort her friend, all she could do was quietly stay by her side. The slightly spicy liquor slid down her throat slowly while bitterness lingered within her heart too.