Xia Yunjie climbed the stairs to the second floor, walked through the corridor, and reached the innermost office. The door was open, and inside, Shao Lihong stood by the window, presenting a graceful silhouette. Her round, shapely hips and legs, glowing with a porcelain-like smoothness under the light, were stunningly captivating, enough to stir the heart with just a glance.
But such a beautiful woman was attracted to women. Standing at the doorway, Xia Yunjie knocked lightly and silently lamented this fact with a shake of his head.
Hearing the knock, Shao Lihong turned around. Upon seeing Xia Yunjie, she recalled how this young man had wrapped his arm around her slender waist earlier on Jianming Road and seen her "private photos." Her face flushed slightly for no reason.
"You're here. Please, have a seat," she said, quickly composing herself and nodding at Xia Yunjie with a calm expression.
As she spoke, she walked over, gently closed the door, and took out a thick envelope from a drawer in her desk.
The office had a set of genuine leather sofas. Xia Yunjie sat down as instructed. Shao Lihong, holding the envelope, then sat across from him on the sofa, her fair, elegant legs neatly crossed.
"Boss, what can I do for you?" Xia Yunjie asked after she had taken her seat.
"If you don't mind, just call me Sister Hong," Shao Lihong said, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Alright, Sister Hong it is," Xia Yunjie replied with a smile, feeling that calling such a graceful and beautiful woman "boss" was somewhat awkward.
"Ah-Jie, thank you for helping me out earlier. This is for you," Shao Lihong said, placing the thick envelope on the coffee table and pushing it toward Xia Yunjie.
Xia Yunjie gave her a curious glance, then opened the envelope to find a thick stack of hundred-yuan bills inside, totaling tens of thousands. His expression changed slightly as he pushed the envelope back and stood up. "Sister Hong, if there's nothing else, I'll head downstairs."
Shao Lihong hadn't expected this fresh graduate to refuse such a large sum of money without hesitation and prepare to leave immediately. She was momentarily stunned, her eyes flashing with a touch of admiration and warmth. She quickly stood up and said, "Ah-Jie, I don't like owing favors. But since you won't accept this as a token of my gratitude, let's just say I owe you one."
Seeing that Shao Lihong dropped the subject of money, Xia Yunjie sat back down, scratched his head in embarrassment, and said, "It's only right to step in when you see injustice, especially since you're my boss."
"Well then, consider it a favor I owe you. By the way, you just graduated from vocational school this year, right?" Shao Lihong said, her gaze softening as she noticed Xia Yunjie's bashful demeanor, so different from other men.
"Yes," Xia Yunjie replied.
"So, how do you know Brother Qiang and his men?" Shao Lihong finally asked the question that had been lingering in her mind. As she did, she couldn't help but recall the moment Xia Yunjie pretended to be her boyfriend, his arm around her waist, and a strange feeling arose within her.
"Well," Xia Yunjie chuckled, "I came to Jiangzhou after graduation but couldn't find a job, so I worked at a construction site for a while. Brother Qiang was a small subcontractor I met there, and the others were my coworkers. Earlier on Jianming Road, I happened to run into them. Seeing you being harassed by that guy, Lu Hong, I knew people like him are bullies who don't back down easily. So, I improvised with Brother Qiang and the others to put on a show. You didn't really think I was a gang leader, did you?" Xia Yunjie explained with a grin, having prepared this story on the way over.
In truth, Xia Yunjie had indeed improvised upon seeing Brother Qiang and his men. However, their identities were far from subcontractors or coworkers.
Shao Lihong had never doubted Xia Yunjie's identity. Hearing this, she praised, "You're young but quick-witted. Alright, if you ever need anything, just come to me."
As she spoke, her gaze reflected a trace of admiration and warmth.
"Got it, I'll head downstairs now," Xia Yunjie said with a smile, standing up.
"Go ahead. By the way, please don't mention what happened earlier to anyone else," Shao Lihong said as she stood.
"Don't worry, Sister Hong, I understand," Xia Yunjie nodded and replied before leaving her office.
As soon as he descended the stairs, Xia Yunjie was pulled aside into a corner by Cheng Ping, who had been waiting for him. The other staff, curious, peeked at them from a distance. Zhang Xiaojun, seeing Cheng Ping's closeness with Xia Yunjie, looked visibly jealous and annoyed.
"Ah-Jie, what did the boss want with you?" Cheng Ping eagerly asked in a low voice.
"Nothing much, just told me to work hard," Xia Yunjie replied.
"The boss called you up just to tell you that? Who are you fooling! Do you know she's never called a male employee to her office alone before? And you only started yesterday!" Cheng Ping rolled her eyes.
Realizing the significance of being called to Shao Lihong's office, Xia Yunjie understood the others' surprise. He quickly played dumb, "Really? That's odd."
"Odd? Spill it!" Cheng Ping demanded, stepping closer, her chest almost pressing against Xia Yunjie.
Startled, Xia Yunjie instinctively leaned back and said, "That's really all there was! What else could it be? You don't think the boss called me up to... I don't know, seduce me, do you?"
"Seduce you? Dream on! Even if all the women in the world disappeared, the boss wouldn't pick you!" Cheng Ping laughed.
"Why does that sound so insulting?" Xia Yunjie said, feigning frustration.
"Stop whining and go change!" Cheng Ping laughed, poking him playfully in the head before letting him go.
With the night fully embracing Jiangzhou City, the bustling noise began to fill the BLUENIGHT Bar. Xia Yunjie resumed his previous night's role, helping clean tables.
At around 2:30 a.m., the bar closed for the night. Xia Yunjie and Cheng Ping, along with the other staff, left the bar while chatting and laughing.
Over two nights, Xia Yunjie had gotten to know most of the bar's staff. His humble and diligent demeanor earned him good rapport. While people like Wu Yuqi initially looked down on him, they still found him likable in everyday interactions. Of course, Zhang Xiaojun was the exception.
As they exited the bar and were about to part ways, a silver Toyota Vios pulled up to the roadside. The window rolled down, revealing Zhang Xiaojun's handsome face, tinged with pride and a bit of ostentation.
The car was a recent purchase of his.
"Ah-Ping, hop in. I'll give you a ride," Zhang Xiaojun said with a suave smile.
Wu Yuqi and the other girls looked enviously at Cheng Ping. Unexpectedly, Cheng Ping raised her chin slightly and affectionately clung to Xia Yunjie's arm, saying, "Thanks, Brother Jun, but I already have a ride!"
The sudden sensation of two soft mounds pressing against his arm sent Xia Yunjie's heart racing. Feeling a little flustered, he whispered, "Ah-Ping, please, my ride is... two-wheeled."
"A car? Wow, Ah-Jie, you have a car? Could it be that you're secretly a rich young master?" Wu Yuqi and the others, unaware of what Cheng Ping meant, looked at Xia Yunjie in surprise, their imaginations running wild.
Xia Yunjie, now the center of their excitement, looked awkward. Cheng Ping, laughing mischievously, explained, "A rich young master? You think he's Chow Yun-fat from All for the Winner? Why would a rich heir work a job like this?"
Laughing, she gave Xia Yunjie a playful shove and teased, "Go get your ride, Mr. Summer Rich Boy!"
"Tsk!" Wu Yuqi and the others, realizing Cheng Ping was joking, rolled their eyes in mock disdain. Zhang Xiaojun's expression, however, grew dark with irritation.
Having worked at the bar for years, Zhang Xiaojun had his fair share of admirers. This was the first time he faced such a blunt rejection, especially from someone clinging to a mere bike-riding waiter.
But Zhang Xiaojun wasn't about to back down. Just as he fumed, Xia Yunjie returned with a dejected look and said, "My bike's been stolen."
"What a pity! Was it new or old? Should we call the police?" Zhang Xiaojun said, feigning concern. His tone, however, carried unmistakable glee and mockery.