Contrary to expectation, the private room held nothing sordid; instead, seven or eight gorgeous young women were encircling a man. The lighting was so dim that one couldn't make out his features or age, but his tall, broad figure emanated an intangible, powerful aura. The women surrounded him, not with overt flirtation, but with exceptional reverence, attending to him as if he were an emperor.
Yan Xixi placed the drinks on the table without a word and turned to leave. Just then, a beam from the revolving lights swept over, illuminating her face. The man holding a wine glass glanced at her, then suddenly stood up. "You, stay!" Yan Xixi froze.
She suddenly remembered the man she had seen outside the restroom at Zhou Xiaoxuan's wedding reception earlier that day—and the mocking gaze he'd directed at her fake LV bag. Her face instantly flushed crimson.
The man's gaze swept over her, unabashed. Her petal-like face, her eyes, lips, teeth, and skin—all seemed to gleam as if emitting a crystalline light, just like that fleeting glimpse outside the restroom at noon.
The women beside him, worldly-wise as they were, naturally found nothing unusual in this. The one leading them giggled softly, draping an arm around his shoulder. "Boss, this one's a part-timer, just filling in. She's new and doesn't know the rules. She's just a server, not one of us..." She then turned to Yan Xixi and snapped softly, "Still not leaving?"
Feeling as if she'd been granted amnesty, Yan Xixi turned to go. She hadn't even reached the door when she was stopped. The man's voice, imposing yet devoid of anger, commanded, "She stays. The rest of you, get out!"
The group of women quietly withdrew. As she was about to leave, the one who had spoken earlier gave Yan Xixi a complicated look but said nothing, clearly deeply wary of the man.
The man suddenly switched the lights to their brightest setting. Yan Xixi's eyes, momentarily unable to withstand such intense brightness, narrowed slightly. Her chest tightened. She felt like a small animal that had stumbled into a trap.
Raven-black hair, a snow-white complexion, long eyelashes, and a faint, jasmine-like fragrance emanating from her. The man inhaled deeply, and the predatory glint in his eyes burned even fiercer.
"My name is Wan Donglin. This is my phone number. Take it. You can call me anytime."
Her hand clenched; something had been pressed into it.
He nonchalantly unlatched a nearby case, pulled out two thick wads of cash, and tossed them onto the table. "Is this enough?" he asked bluntly.
Sensing things were taking a dangerous turn, Yan Xixi practically bolted for freedom. BANG! The door slammed shut before she could reach it. The man stood before her, blocking her path, his voice laced with an incredible, overbearing force. "What's your name?"
"I... I'm not feeling well today. I'm sorry, I need to get off my shift..."
The man scoffed. "The women who come here, isn't it all for money? What's with the act?"
She remained silent.
He curiously appraised her youthful face, now flushed with anger, and his interest piqued even further. He'd frequented countless pleasure dens but had never encountered someone so exquisitely beautiful and captivating. Her eyes, in particular, held a faint, smoldering anger that made them so brilliantly dazzling one couldn't meet their gaze directly.
That was how he knew she wasn't a woman accustomed to such establishments; she hadn't yet learned to wield the captivating power of her gaze. Given time, she would undoubtedly make countless men fall head over heels for her.
Yan Xixi tried to rush away, but in the next instant, he grabbed her arm firmly. "I can give you more than you could ever imagine..."
He pulled her, making her stumble and fall onto the sofa. She immediately closed her eyes, appearing utterly submissive. However, Wan Donglin paused.
He picked up a piece of paper that had fallen from her. His pupils gradually dilated. After a long, hesitant pause, he finally said, "Get out!"
Yan Xixi calmly took the paper, nodded, and walked out unhurriedly. The moment she was through the door, she broke into a desperate sprint.
Behind her, Wan Donglin stared at the paper with a strange expression. It was a medical report, and printed clearly on it were the words: Infected with AIDS.