After dinner, Lu Liang called Tan Tao and found out that the hotel offered car rental services.
He chose a Bentley Moshang at eight thousand a day, renting for two days including insurance, deposit, and service fee, for a total of twenty-six thousand.
"Liangzi, you make me feel like a stranger," Liu Mingxuan said from the passenger seat, feeling an intense sense of unreality.
Staying in an eighteen-thousand hotel just like that, renting an eight-thousand car just like that, and only after the meal did he find out it cost over five thousand.
That directly ate up almost half a month of his salary. How much money would one have to make to spend so extravagantly?
"Stranger? In a bit, I'll help you find back the joy of our past adventures."
Lu Liang smiled, pressed the accelerator, and felt the V8 engine's vigorous power.
The strong sense of acceleration made him realize that luxury cars weren't just for showing off, the experience was also this good.
"Remember our first time going for a foot wash during our sophomore year? Seems it was also just the two of us," Liu Mingxuan recalled.
The two eighteen or nineteen-year-old boys were full of pride all night but ended up wandering outside the foot massage parlor for more than two hours.
In the end, it was the massage parlor's customer manager who, seeing their predicament, took the initiative to ask if they wanted a foot wash or a sauna.
"Think about how innocent I was back then, and yet you still led me astray."
"Come off it, who was it that first said they wanted to add more time?"
"You dare say you didn't add on?"
"I just wanted to ask about her younger brother's school performance."
"I wanted to inquire if her mother's illness had improved and if she needed help."
The two of them exchanged a knowing smile, almost feeling a sense of being in the wrong space, back to that carefree time of their youth.
Suddenly, his phone rang, and Lu Liang answered the call, "The two of us will be there soon."
"Who is it?" Liu Mingxuan asked curiously.
"Don't ask, you'll know when we get there."
Lu Liang drove across the Wusong River and arrived at the Wanli Palace club on Qufu Road.
A building covered with screens, flashing with flowing and dazzling lights, came into view.
The streets were filled with luxury sports cars, with fashionably dressed young men and women everywhere.
It was as if the dazzling and exotic ten miles of yesteryear still existed, and even more so.
Liu Mingxuan was astonished, "Boss Lu, are you planning to spend a fortune tonight?"
He had heard about the famous Wanli Palace, one of the top five nightclubs in Modu.
A regular booth would cost 1888 yuan, and with the company of drinking companions and beverages, it would easily start at ten thousand.
"Tonight, let's not talk about money, just fun. As long as we enjoy ourselves, consider it a celebration for a buddy getting back to single life."
At the entrance, Lu Liang saw a woman in a purple figure-hugging dress with horse-oil silk stockings, fish-mouthed high heels with a black front and red sole, her slender figure and curves exuding a mature and sensual charm.
He waved and called out, "Qian, over here."
Zhang Qian was a former client of Lu Liang's, who at under thirty had bought a three-bedroom apartment worth 3.2 million inside Modu's third ring road in cash.
She wasn't someone kept by a rich man to afford the apartment; instead, she made her money working as a marketing manager at Wanli Palace.
A very hardworking beauty, she advertised all day in her social circles, never fearing harassment. As long as someone inquired, she would share everything she knew without pestering people without a reason.
Lu Liang had a very good impression of her, so when he thought about going out with Liu Mingxuan for some fun, the first thing that came to mind was to support her event.
"Liang, long time no see. You can just call me Qianqian, calling me 'sister' really doesn't suit me," Zhang Qian said, her smile widening at the sight of the blue Mushang.
She was also very good at talking. Before, when Lu Liang was the agent and she was the buyer, calling him "brother" was a sign of respect. Now that he was her customer, it would be impolite for her to keep up the charade.
Hurriedly, she called over the valet at the entrance to park Lu Liang's car, then greeted the two men with a radiant smile, ushering them into the club warmly.
Entering the nightclub, they walked through a narrow corridor filled with dazzling, flowing lights, the thumping bass growing clearer with each step.
"Liang, if you want a lively atmosphere, stay in the main hall. If you prefer something quieter, we can go to the second floor," Zhang Qian suggested, rising on her tiptoes, her tempting red lips almost grazing Lu Liang's earlobe.
"Let's book a private room on the second floor then, and if we want to join in the fun later, we can always come back down," Lu Liang said as the pulsating beats continually assaulted his eardrums. The warm breeze carried a subtle fragrance into his ears, stirring his heart that had settled from working out.
"Okay, follow me, please watch your step..." Zhang Qian took Lu Liang's hand, deliberately placing it on her waist.
With a smile, Lu Liang didn't act reserved and let his hand slowly slide down, finally resting on her firm buttocks.
"Liang, how do you like this private room?" Zhang Qian shot him a coquettish glance as she led them to a smaller room on the second floor.
It could accommodate seven or eight people, and although it was the smallest room, the minimum spend for a night was six thousand five hundred.
"This is too small, there isn't even a bathroom in the room. Get a bigger one, you don't need to save money on my behalf."
Hearing Lu Liang's words, Zhang Qian's smile blossomed like flowers, raising her eyebrows playfully: "What do you need the bathroom for?"
"Of course, to wash hands," Lu Liang burst into laughter, picking out a medium-sized private room that could accommodate fifteen people.
The soundproofing of the private room was excellent; once the door was closed, there was no need to whisper.
"Liang, Xuan, how about calling over a few girls to join us?" Zhang Qian clung to Lu Liang, hugging his arm without letting go.
"Would the girls know how to have as much fun as you?" Lu Liang asked with a smile, while Liu Mingxuan also showed a teasing grin.
Both were no strangers to the entertainment scene; playing it straight in public was one thing, but doing the same in the nightlife was simply prudish.
When you're out to play, you've got to let loose to have a good time.
"The girls wouldn't be as fun as me, but they're younger,"
Zhang Qian said, giggling till she shook, her bosom heaving as she took a tablet from the waiter and handed it to Lu Liang: "Liang, take a look and see what you'd like to order, shall I go call them over?"
"Go ahead," Lu Liang said, giving her backside a playful pat and eliciting another eye roll from her.
He handed the menu to Liu Mingxuan, concerned he might be too shy, and added, "Order whatever you want, there's a minimum spend of twelve thousand for the room, and they won't refund it even if we don't order up to that."
"You've even rented a big Bentley to come out and have fun, do you think I would be polite with you?"
Though Liu Mingxuan said this, he was quite measured with his orders, only getting a few rounds of beer and some snacks.
Prices at Wanli Palace were staggeringly high, a round of beer costing a thousand yuan, and snacks a few hundred per plate.
Outside, these items might not total more than three hundred yuan.
"Here, you order," Liu Mingxuan said after casually ordering over five thousand worth of items, finding it hard to spend money that wasn't his.
As Lu Liang flipped through the menu, he suddenly mumbled to himself, "I don't think I've ever ordered this before. Should I try it?"
"What is it?" Liu Mingxuan craned his neck and upon seeing the item's name and price, couldn't help but bitterly smile, "As long as you're happy."
The moment Lu Liang submitted the order, a dry-ice gun outside suddenly sprayed jets of mist, and the concierge's sparklers went off with a few pops, bursting into a dazzling display of colors in the air, while the entire nightclub's lights began to flicker furiously.
Despite the excellent soundproofing, they could hear the DJ downstairs roaring, "Much gratitude to our VIP guests in Room 207 for their support of Wanli Palace... Please wait a moment, our lovely and beautiful Miss Heitao will personally come to express our thanks."
"Thank you once again... The whole club screams~~~"
An eight-thousand-eight-hundred-yuan bottle of Black Spade A instantly made Room 207 the center of attention in the entire place.
Seeing this, Liu Mingxuan's excitement surged, "With such a perfect showboating opportunity, aren't you going to show your face?"
"Go ahead, the opportunity is yours," Lu Liang said with a laugh, just wanting to bask in the thrill of owning the scene.
"Acting shy at your age?" Liu Mingxuan scoffed as he confidently walked out the door, waving his hand to bask in the cheers of the crowd.
He stood on an elevated platform, moving his hips to the beat of the exuberant music, the spotlight flashing in time with his dance moves.