Xu Miyu stopped looking back and continued dancing with Li Qiaoqi.
After returning to the booth, Jingtian kept complaining: "She's not bad-looking and has a decent figure, but she's so dull-witted—can't understand anything, not even gestures. How boring!"
Seeing his irritated expression, Jiang Zhichun thoughtfully handed him a drink to calm him down.
Xue Rui glanced sideways at Ji Feng.
To his surprise, he saw Ji Feng curling his lips faintly into a smile.
On the dance floor, Li Qiaoqi guided Xu Miyu through gentle movements to the slower music while asking, "What the hell was that Japanese guy babbling to you just now?"
Swaying her hips lightly, Xu Miyu teased her: "I remember you took Japanese in college too."
Li Qiaoqi shot her a glare. "I returned all that to the teacher ages ago. Hey, don't tell me you're just like me—returned everything you learned to the teacher too? You couldn't understand him either but pretended to be all high and mighty while making fun of me, didn't you!"
Xu Miyu laughed and shook her head. "Of course I understood him. To put it bluntly, he was just trying to hit on me."
Somehow, on this wild night, even her speech had become bolder.
Li Qiaoqi immediately raised an eyebrow, asking fiercely and skeptically, "Why wasn't he trying to hit on me? Aren't I hotter?"
Xu Miyu burst into laughter, bending over with mirth. Tonight she had rediscovered such a wonderful person.
Li Qiaoqi started laughing too.
The two laughed while bumping shoulders playfully.
A server squeezed through the crowd to find Li Qiaoqi, saying a member guest wanted to speak with her.
Li Qiaoqi leaned close to Xu Miyu's ear and shouted over the music: "I need to attend to some guests. Enjoy yourself for now—order whatever drinks or food you want, it's all on me! If you need anything, just grab any server and tell them to find me. They'll all help you!"
Xu Miyu nodded, reassuring her to go ahead with her work. Li Qiaoqi followed the server and left.
Xu Miyu thought she'd dance until this song ended, then return to the booth to rest and have a drink.
Suddenly, someone tapped her shoulder from behind.
She turned around to see a face mixing roguishness with drunkenness, topped with pink hair.
Xu Miyu remembered Li Qiaoqi calling this person "Zhao Xinghua" earlier.
Then, as her gaze shifted, her eyelids twitched involuntarily.
Beyond Zhao Xinghua's pink head, she saw someone standing behind him who also seemed familiar.
Just then, the dance music ended, and the dance floor lights brightened completely.
She now saw clearly—the person standing behind Zhao Xinghua was indeed that scumbag Duan Aoxiang from the penthouse, who had constantly given her trouble and even led to her one-night stand with Ji Feng.
Her hands hanging at her sides unconsciously clenched into fists.
Zhao Xinghua breathed alcohol fumes in her face, thinking himself cool and roguish, while spouting his usual vulgar and unpleasant words: "What's going on, young lady? I invited you but you didn't honor me with your presence, yet you're dancing here all enthusiastically. Didn't you say you had company? Where's your company? Invisible? You don't look like a young girl anymore, why are you still lying? Besides, what's fun about dancing here all by yourself?"
Xu Miyu rolled her eyes at him, not wanting to engage. She tried to slip past them and leave before Duan Aoxiang recognized her.But as soon as she stepped aside, Zhao Xinghua immediately chased after her like a dog after a meat bun, blocking her path once more.
"You're quite good-looking, but why are you so rude? I'm asking you a question—answer me!"
A male voice sounded from behind him.
"Enough, Xiao Hua. Take President Duan to his seat first." The voice carried a tone of authority and warning.
Xu Miyu had never seen this man before. She glanced at him twice.
Zhao Xinghua turned around at the sound and grinned obsequiously at the man. Though his eyes were bleary with drink, it didn't hinder his ability to act like a complete lapdog: "Sure thing, cousin! I'll listen to you!"
He turned back to Xu Miyu. "What are you looking at? My cousin is President Duan's assistant—stop staring! If it weren't for my cousin's sake, I wouldn't let you off so easily!" Having said this, he finally moved aside, stepping away from her and turning to the people behind him. "President Duan, cousin, follow me. I'll take you to the VIP seats."
Xu Miyu breathed a silent sigh of relief and stood aside, waiting for the group to pass so she could return to her own booth.
She lowered her head and counted silently. Zhao Xinghua passed by. Duan Aoxiang's new assistant passed by. And now Duan Aoxiang himself was about to pass by.
She lifted her head, preparing to leave.
But as soon as she looked up, she realized Duan Aoxiang hadn't passed by after all. He was standing right in front of her, staring at her with a faint, mocking smile. Both his gaze and that slight smile were filled with palpable malice.
Duan Aoxiang studied Xu Miyu for a long moment before breaking into a wide grin.
He smiled like a scoundrel whose rotten intentions were about to spill out from his eyes and the corners of his mouth.
Zhao Xinghua stepped back excitedly and asked, "President Duan, do you know her?"
Duan Aoxiang ignored him. He rubbed his chin and said to Xu Miyu, "Isn't this Sister Xu, the one who cleans my room at the hotel?" His eyes roamed brazenly over Xu Miyu's body as he clicked his tongue. "I almost didn't recognize you. It's true what they say—clothes make the man. What, tired of working at the hotel and here to have some fun at the bar?"
His tone and manner were utterly frivolous. Upon hearing this, Zhao Xinghua immediately burst out: "Oh ho! So this lady isn't as simple as she seems! Then why were you acting all innocent with me? What, you think I'm not good enough to have fun with you? Well, I'm not having it today! If you don't agree to have some fun with me, I won't let you leave!"
As he spoke, Zhao Xinghua reached out to grab Xu Miyu's arm.
Xu Miyu dodged to the side, but Duan Aoxiang stepped forward and blocked her path.
She quickly shifted to the other side, trying to break through from the flank. But Duan Aoxiang called out, "A He!" and his new assistant immediately imitated him like a guard dog, firmly blocking her escape route from the side.
Xu Miyu shouted for a server, hoping someone would notify Li Qiaoqi. Unfortunately, at that moment, the music erupted with earth-shaking intensity, completely swallowing her cries for help.
With her path blocked by Duan Aoxiang and A He, and her voice drowned out by the deafening music, Xu Miyu watched as Zhao Xinghua closed in on her from the front. Her heart sank heavily with a thud.
She couldn't believe that in a society governed by law and civilization in the 21st century, in a developed city, a woman could still be subjected to such a degrading situation.She had thought modern civilized life would be bright and beautiful, but the sordid reality had given her a resounding slap in the face.
So when Zhao Xinghua charged toward her, she didn’t hesitate—she raised her hand and slapped him back just as resoundingly.
It was the first time in her life she had ever slapped someone. Her palm burned, and her whole body trembled slightly.
She heard Duan Aoxiang beside her let out a mocking "tsk" and say, "Interesting!"
Zhao Xinghua, stunned by the slap, covered his face. It took him several seconds to process what had just happened.
Then he erupted with rage, immediately raising his arm high to return the favor and give Xu Miyu a slap in kind.
With no way to avoid it, Xu Miyu decided not to dodge, not to beg. She steeled herself, waiting for the blow to land, determined to seize the chance to strike back.
But just as the wind from that hand brushed against her face, the hand was intercepted mid-air.
Xu Miyu flinched from the force of the approaching slap and instinctively shut her eyes.
But the slap never came.
She opened her eyes.
And the moment she did, she froze.
The person who had intercepted the slap was none other than Ji Feng.
He stood right beside her, one hand gripping Zhao Xinghua’s wrist, his face filled with icy disdain.
He flung Zhao Xinghua’s hand away, sending the man stumbling sideways a few steps before he lost his balance and fell face-first to the ground.
Ji Feng’s cold gaze first fixed on A He, then he smirked mockingly. "Do you know what happened to the last assistant of yours who crossed me, Duan? Not long ago, he got locked up for a whole list of offenses."
A He’s expression shifted, a flicker of fear already visible in his eyes.
Duan Aoxiang piped up with a cheeky grin, "Old Ji, what’s all this? No need to scare my assistant with that kind of talk."
Ji Feng ignored him. With his other hand, he reached over, took hold of Xu Miyu’s wrist, and pulled her behind him.
Xu Miyu’s heart skipped a beat.
Zhao Xinghua scrambled up from the ground, disheveled and shouting, "Who the hell are you? Looking to die—"
Before he could finish, A He stepped over, clamped a hand over his mouth, and shoved him aside.
"Can’t you see? Even Boss Duan can’t afford to mess with this guy lightly. Shut your mouth and stay quiet!"
Zhao Xinghua, intimidated by A He’s expression and words, widened his eyes and nodded vigorously, his mouth still covered.
On the other side, Duan Aoxiang watched Ji Feng shielding Xu Miyu and let out a series of exaggerated exclamations. "What’s going on with you two? No way, Old Ji! Don’t tell me that one night together sparked some feelings? You’ve got some bold tastes, Old Ji. Aren’t you afraid a woman with a man like her might dirty you up?"
Ji Feng threw a punch, cutting off Duan Aoxiang’s vulgar remarks.
Duan Aoxiang staggered sideways from the blow, his head tilting.
But he laughed, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth as he straightened up with a careless grin.
He saw that Ji Feng paid him no mind, instead turning to glance at Xu Miyu.
That woman, so different today, stood with a face ashen under the flickering lights, her slender frame looking fragile and on the verge of collapse, yet somehow still standing strong. With that delicate but resilient demeanor, she shook her head at Ji Feng, signaling that she was fine.How amusing. Ji Feng was concerned about her, and they could understand each other's meaning without even speaking. It was unexpectedly delightful.
Duan Aoxiang was watching the scene unfold when Ji Feng finally turned to face him directly.
But his gaze was filled with mockery and disdain: "Your assistant isn't dead because he's not worth killing. And you're still alive because I'm giving your father face. That favor only works once. If you scheme again, no one's influence will save you. You'd better watch yourself."
Ji Feng's cold warning cut through the deafening music with startling clarity and lethal intensity.
Duan Aoxiang threw his head back in laughter before Ji Feng even finished, wiping tears from his eyes: "Old Ji, are you trying to sound merciful? Haven't you already ruined me? All those businesses I painstakingly built in Thailand over the years - you wiped them out completely! Do you know what my father calls me now? He points at my nose and calls me worthless! After all my years of hard work trying to prove myself to the old man, you went straight for what mattered most. You really know how to destroy what people cherish most!"
He spoke through laughter as if addressing an old friend. But Xu Miyu, standing behind Ji Feng, felt chills running down her spine, goosebumps rising on her arms.
Ji Feng ignored Duan Aoxiang completely, pulling Xu Miyu toward the exit as if the man had vanished.
His strides were long while her dress was tight, making her stumble as he dragged her along.
When they reached the booth area, he stopped abruptly and turned around.
His eyes scanned her from head to toe like sharp blades.
Xu Miyu felt his gaze cutting through to her bones.
She expected him to sneer and ask why a woman would dress so provocatively and come to such a place at night.
She had prepared her retort: What's it to you? What's wrong with how I'm dressed? Why can men come here but not women?
But when Ji Feng spoke, she froze.
"Don't come to bars alone at night dressed so beautifully. Do you think there are only good people here, no scumbags? Even five-star hotels have creeps - you think this place is clean?"
His tone was harsh, yet Xu Miyu felt... strangely comforted.
He'd said she looked beautiful tonight, not criticized her outfit.
She had misjudged him.
She smiled and replied, "Okay, I'll be more careful next time."
Ji Feng's voice grew even sharper: "Stop smiling!"
He sounded almost irritated: "Why are you always smiling? Aren't you afraid of getting wrinkles? Do you know your smile gives men certain... ideas?"
Xu Miyu's smile vanished.
She retracted her earlier assessment. He deserved her initial judgment.
Was a woman's smile some original sin? Were these "certain ideas" not just products of men's dirty minds?
She gave Ji Feng a slight bow, preparing to take her leave.With a shift of her gaze, she noticed that in the booth behind Ji Feng were Xue Rui, Jiang Zhichun, and the Japanese man who had just approached her in the dance floor.
She looked at them, then back at Ji Feng, feeling a sudden mix of complex emotions.
She couldn’t help but think that the Japanese man had come with him. So had Jiang Zhichun.
She couldn’t help but think that he had brought a female companion—someone sweet and lovely, nestled close to him. Together, they made the most pleasing couple in the entire bar.
And then he had allowed his Japanese client, right in front of him, to go into the dance floor and try to hit on her.
For a moment, Xu Miyu couldn’t quite describe the feeling in her heart.
She softly said “Goodbye” to Ji Feng, wanting to leave this place quickly.
But Ji Feng stopped her again, preventing her from leaving.
Then he waved toward his booth, summoning Xue Rui.
“It’s getting late. Take her home,” he instructed Xue Rui succinctly.
Xue Rui wasn’t in a hurry to leave. He leaned in, picked up Ji Feng’s hand—the one he had just used to hit someone—and chattered on: “Boss, is your hand okay? Oh good, it’s not hurt. Why didn’t you let me follow you earlier? I could’ve done the hitting for you! Don’t forget, I’m also your part-time bodyguard. My hands are itching for action!”
Ji Feng shook off his hand disdainfully, letting him ramble on.
Seeing that Ji Feng was ignoring him, Xue Rui turned to chatter with Xu Miyu instead: “Mi Yu, you look absolutely stunning tonight! My first impression was just two words: breathtaking! It wasn’t until the second look that I realized—hey, this is the Mi Yu I know! So beautiful!”
Xu Miyu sniffed carefully; there was no obvious scent of alcohol on Xue Rui or in his breath. So why was he acting so hyper, as if he’d had too much to drink? She supposed it must be the atmosphere.
Ji Feng urged Xue Rui again: “Stop the chatter and take her home now.”
Xu Miyu protested, “I never said I wanted to leave.”
Just then, a faint, delicate fragrance wafted over.
It was Jiang Zhichun, gracefully approaching.
She stopped beside Ji Feng, linked her arm with his, and gave Xu Miyu a radiant smile.
Ji Feng’s attention was entirely on Xu Miyu’s earlier defiance, so he didn’t notice the change on his arm. He shot a cold, dissatisfied glance at Xu Miyu and asked, “Do you know what time it is? Aren’t you leaving? Don’t you have work tomorrow?”
Xu Miyu quickly glanced at their linked arms.
She straightened her neck and replied firmly, “I know what I’m doing. I won’t be late for work tomorrow.”
Ji Feng scoffed.
Then Jiang Zhichun spoke up in a clear, sweet voice: “Manager Xu, why don’t we all head back? Staying up late is bad for the skin, especially for us women—it ages us!”
Xu Miyu had no choice but to say, “Then I’ll go say goodbye to my friend and let her know I’m leaving.”
With that, she walked over to the bar to find Li Qiaoqi.
Ji Feng told Xue Rui to go back to the booth and inform Mr. Jingtian.
Xue Rui ran over and quickly returned, reporting to Ji Feng: “Mr. Jingtian said we should go ahead without him. He’s booked a room in the hotel upstairs from this bar. He’ll go up and rest when he’s done having fun, so we don’t need to worry about him.”
Ji Feng nodded.
Then he finally noticed that Jiang Zhichun was holding his arm. He immediately withdrew it uncomfortably. Seeing the flicker of hurt and disappointment in Jiang Zhichun’s expression, he changed the subject and asked her, “Do you need to use the restroom?”Jiang Zhichun immediately transformed her disappointment into a sweet smile, praising Ji Feng for his thoughtfulness and saying she wanted to go.
Ji Feng told her: "Then I'll wait for you outside. After you finish in the restroom, come directly to the car."
Jiang Zhichun froze for a moment, then pitifully asked: "Aren't you going to accompany me?"
Ji Feng frowned: "Do I need to accompany you to the restroom?"
Jiang Zhichun quickly shook her head: "No, no need! I'm just used to going with my girlfriends, so I asked without thinking. You go ahead and wait for me in the car!"
After speaking, she obediently turned to go to the restroom by herself. Once turned away, her expression became deeply wronged.
Watching Jiang Zhichun temporarily leave, Ji Feng narrowed his eyes at Xue Rui: "Did you leave out some of what Jinta said earlier?"
Xue Rui looked horrified, nodded, and gave Ji Feng a thumbs up: "The boss is the boss - you noticed immediately, no wonder you deliberately sent Miss Jiang away."
Ji Feng kicked him: "Stop the nonsense. What else did Jinta say?"
Xue Rui dodged while pleading surrender, then told Ji Feng: "Jinta also told me: Your President Ji is really interesting - the kind who says no but his actions say yes. When I went to hit on that woman earlier, your President Ji warned me she's divorced, acting all disdainful. But when he saw that woman being harassed by another man, your President Ji was the first to rush over. And he did it right in front of the date he brought. Your President Ji is really something - this kind of 'enjoying both' situation is something I could never manage."
Xue Rui perfectly imitated Jinta's tone and expression. Ji Feng watched with tightly furrowed brows.
Then he coldly told Xue Rui: "That man is completely unreasonable! Remember to switch clients immediately after finishing this business with Jinta."
Xue Rui responded with an "Oh."
Ji Feng immediately added another instruction: "After you drop off Xu Miyu later, just go home. You can come to the hotel later tomorrow."
Hearing he could be late, Xue Rui was practically overjoyed.
Not wanting to hear any more fawning nonsense, Ji Feng turned and left for the parking lot outside the bar.
Reaching the car, he pulled open the door but paused before getting in.
He closed the door and remained standing outside.
After waiting a while, Jiang Zhichun emerged.
She flew out of the bar entrance like a cheerful, lovely bird, coming to rest before Ji Feng.
Ji Feng waved to her, opened the car door, and helped her in.
Sitting in the car, she smiled sweetly at him, waiting for him to close the door and enter from the other side.
But after closing the door, Ji Feng knocked on the front window. When it rolled down, he instructed the driver: "Take Miss Jiang home."
The driver acknowledged the order.
So surprised she lost her smile, Jiang Zhichun quickly rolled down her window, pitifully gripping the window frame with both hands as she looked at Ji Feng: "Aren't you going to take me home yourself?"
Ji Feng told her: "I have other matters. My driver will take you back." After a pause, he added, "He's been with me for many years and is very reliable. You can feel safe."Jiang Zhichun lowered her eyes and said aggrievedly: 'Alright then.'"" Then she looked up at Ji Feng standing outside the car: "This time is fine - you go handle your business, having the driver take me back is okay. But next time you have to take me home yourself!"Her eyes were both pitiful and pleading, looking as pitiable as one could imagine.
Yet Ji Feng quickly furrowed his brow slightly.
He still couldn't quite stomach women acting coy with him.
He'd rather have a woman be stubborn with him than coquettish.
But seeing Jiang Zhichun trying so hard to accommodate him, he told himself that this was his own problem, not the girl's.
So he restrained his impatience and intended to say "I'll try next time."
Unexpectedly, the girl was more perceptive than he had imagined. As if sensing his discomfort, she quickly found her own way to gracefully step back.
"Just kidding! You can focus on your work. Well, I'll head home now? Goodbye."
Ji Feng nodded and responded with an "Mm."
Then he patted the front door, signaling the driver to start the car.
As the car drove away, Jiang Zhichun remained leaning against the window frame, waving goodbye to Ji Feng.
Ji Feng waved back, watching the receding car and person, and inexplicably felt a sense of relief.
In the bar, after Ji Feng left, Xue Rui went to the counter to find Xu Miyu.
He saw Xu Miyu talking with the fiery female owner of "Night Encounter."
He went over to greet her, calling her "Mi Yu," and asked, "Can we leave now?"
But Xu Miyu looked at him with sparkling eyes and countered, "Assistant Xue, would you like to join us in doing something mischievous?"
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