The electronic music pounded hard in the chest. The red and blue laser lights swept across, reflecting on the sparkling cocktails. The Velvet Bar, a place where only the upper class could enter, was especially bustling tonight.
In the VIP corner, Jenden, Liam, and Marcus were sitting cross-legged, in front of them were a few young ladies from Shanghai. Shiny silk dresses, bright red lips, and smug voices.
Min Qian (drawing out her voice, trying to be charming): "Mr. Jenden, I heard you're interested in that new girl… Aurora, right?"
Liam curled his lips: "Her? Scholarship, no family background, only her face is passable."
Marcus sneered: "You guys keep saying that, but I think Jenden's eyes are different."
Jenden was about to open his mouth when the dim light in front of the main door suddenly cast a shadow.
Aurora.
She walked in, her tight black bodycon dress hugging her curves, slightly slit on the side to reveal her long legs. Her hair was loose, each strand shining under the light. Her eyes were cold, sharp, and untouchable.
Behind her, four tall figures strode Blacke, Knox, Zane, Easton. It was as if space automatically opened up for them.
The whispers spread like waves:
Xiao-Yu (gasping): "What…? Aurora… is with… F4?"
Li Xia pulled Jenden's hand: "Jenden, did you hear? This is F4, they've never brought anyone here before!"
F3 was silent for a moment. Jenden looked down at Aurora, seeing her face clearly under the bar lights for the first time, each line was delicate yet strong, her eyes seemed to have something deeper than beauty.
Liam frowned, Marcus couldn't believe it.
Marcus (whispering): "It must be a coincidence…"
Aurora walked past them, not stopping. The music was loud, but she could clearly hear every word of the discussion. Just for a moment, the corners of her lips curled up, half smiling, half disdainful.
Arriving at the highest VIP area, Aurora sat down on the black leather sofa, crossing her legs.
Aurora (straightforward, no beating around the bush):
"Where's my file?"
Blacke chuckled, his eyes sweeping over her:
"Aren't you coming to drink with us?"
Knox leaned back:
"In our trunk. But the rule is… to get it, you have to play a few games of pool."
Zane: "And when the clock strikes 11:30, I'll leave. Not early, not late."
Easton slowly:
"Playing with us… will you win or lose?"
Aurora looked at each person, her eyes flashing with challenge.
Aurora: "Just have the file. As for winning or losing… you'll see for yourself."
She nodded, her hand resting lightly on the martini that had just been served. A moment of silence fell, only the bass resounded, and the four guys of F4 were thinking together, this girl didn't come in to have fun. She came in to get what she wanted.
The music in the bar was pounding, the red and blue neon lights flashed continuously, reflecting on Aurora's smooth white skin, making her look like she had stepped out of an oil painting. The whole F4 stood around the pool table, their eyes sparkling mischievously, ready to start the game.
Knox twirled the pool cue in his hand, revealing a provocative smile.
"Want to bet with us?"
Easton leaned his cue on the floor, tilted his head, his voice deep but no less provocative:
"Let's play, it will be fun."
Aurora glanced at the four of them, her eyes cold like a winter lake.
"No."
Zane raised his eyebrows, his lips curling up in a challenge:
"Let's play this once. If we lose, you can order us around. And if you lose…" he paused, taking a sip of his wine "…then you have to pole dance. Okay?"
Blacke stepped closer, his eyes sharp but also a little curious:
"Let's play this once. Is this your first time holding a pool cue?"
Aurora tilted her head slightly, her red lips curling into a sarcastic curve.
"Yes, it is your first time. But whether you win or lose doesn't matter to me. I accept your bet."
Knox chuckled softly, lowering his voice and asking:
"Do you know how to pole dance?"
Aurora did not answer. She just picked up the billiard cue, gently twirling it between her slender fingers, her eyes fixed on the marbles on the table, as if calculating the path for each one.
Her appearance at the billiard table immediately attracted attention. F3 and the Shanghai ladies, who were sitting at the bar discussing gossip, turned their heads at the same time. Jenden raised his eyebrows, slowly walking closer, his eyes not leaving Aurora's tight black dress, biting his lips as if he wanted to crush that look into his memory.
A murmuring began to rise from the ladies:
"She… really went with F4?"
"No way… Aurora would play billiards with them?"
"Look… she's even wearing a black bodycon dress, it looks like she's trying to provoke."
Aurora heard every word clearly even though the music was still blaring around her. But she only smiled softly, an indifferent, unfathomable smile.
Blacke placed the white marble in place, his eyes sweeping over Aurora:
"Ladies first?"
She didn't answer, just walked over, leaning over the table. Her silky black hair fell over her shoulders, a light fragrance wafting out, causing Knox and Easton to momentarily freeze. The whole bar seemed to slow down for a second as Aurora swung her club, the white marble flew with just enough force, hitting the target marble and rolling neatly into the hole.
Zane whistled softly:
"Oh… not bad for a first time."
Jenden stood with his arms crossed in the distance, his eyes deep, half surprised, half unwilling. He hated the way Aurora confidently stepped into the world of F4 without showing any fear or embarrassment.
The game continued, each of Aurora's shots were not perfect, but it was her calmness and calculation that made F4 start to... really interested. The atmosphere at the billiard table was both tense and seemed to contain a challenge between the two sides.
The electronic music resounded in the bar, the red and blue neon lights shone on Aurora's face, making her silver-gray eyes sharp but still full of charm.
She held the billiard cue, walked to the table. Her eyes never left the four men of F4. Blacke, Knox, Zane and Easton, each one of them had a confident look, as if they were sure of the result.
Aurora did not rush to hit. She stood still for a moment, observing and analyzing each of their touches.
Blacke played fast, liked power, did not reveal any openings but did not calculate deeply either.
Knox had a clear strategy, his eyes always scanned the entire table, measuring every angle.
Zane was skillful, his shots were light but precise, as if he wanted to test his opponent's psychology.
Easton was careless, but in fact, he hid a mischievousness in every shot.
Aurora's mind flashed with the thought, "It's okay to lose for the first time. Pole dancing? I've been dancing every night."
Images of the Luneva Palace flooded back, the lavish evenings, the golden light of the chandeliers shining on the marble floor. The eldest sister Rina, in a red evening gown, smiled lightly and pulled her into the secret practice room, where the silver-plated pole stood tall.
"A woman of royalty must know how to seduce with more than just words." Rina once said.
But the memory also brought with it a sharp pain, the image of Rina falling because of a betrayed love, her eyes closed forever.
Aurora clenched her fists. She focused on the next shot, but still felt the eyes glued to her. Jenden, Liam, and Marcus stood not far away, chatting with the Shanghai ladies while secretly observing.
"She really is… different." Marcus said softly, but his eyes did not leave the curves of Aurora's body as she bent down to aim the ball.
"Look at the way she hits… it's her first time, but it's like she's been practicing for years." Liam sneered, but swallowed his saliva.
Jenden was silent, his eyes deep and unpredictable, remembering every movement, every detail of her body.
Aurora continued to play, each shot decisive but somewhat inexperienced in calculating distance. She knew she could not win against those who were too skilled at this game, but not once did she let confusion show on her face.
When the last ball rolled into F4's hole, Zane raised his head, smiling meaningfully:
"Looks like we won... Princess."
Aurora put the cue down on the table, straightened her back, her lips slightly curled:
"Rules are rules."
The whole bar seemed to boil, the lights swirled on her long black hair, preparing for the betting that everyone was waiting for...
The deep bass beat against her chest, the purple-blue lights swept through every corner of the bar like a hazy wave. Aurora sat alone at a table against the wall, her legs crossed, her slender hands gently swirling a glass of clear water. No ice, no lemon, no fancy cocktail, just water.
Knox raised his eyebrows, leaning back in his chair:
"Water? Here?"
Blacke glanced over, the corners of his lips curled slightly:
"There are people who don't need alcohol to get drunk."
Aurora heard but didn't react, just raised her glass and took a small sip. Her green eyes silently scanned the crowd as if she was picking out something.
The music suddenly changed its tempo, slowing down, the bass was long and warm. Aurora put her glass down on the table, stood up, and walked onto the floor. No one called her, no one invited her, but everyone's eyes automatically followed her every step.
Zane bowed slightly towards Easton:
"What is she trying to do?"
Easton watched Aurora grab the silver pillar, and replied softly:
"To make this whole room forget how to breathe."
Aurora placed her hand on the pillar, her fingers gently running along the cold surface. A simple gesture but filled with calculation. Her silky black hair slid down her shoulders, the light reflecting on her blue eyes making them shine like jade.
The low music played, Aurora began to move. Not in a hurry. Not ostentatious. Just slow, smooth movements like water. She wrapped her legs around the pole, leaned over, and rotated gently. Her body created such perfect curves that people didn't know where to look first.
At the VIP table near the floor, a few young men couldn't help but say:
"To be this beautiful... I think I'm hallucinating."
"No, I...I'm more awake than ever."
The group of Shanghai ladies on the other side couldn't hide their discomfort. One of them lowered her voice and sarcastically said:
"Anyone can climb a silver pole."
But that statement couldn't drown out the whistling and clapping that was spreading throughout the bar.
Aurora changed her position, holding on higher, bending her body so that her hair touched the floor, then slid down, her legs naturally hanging down, landing as smooth as falling silk. The crowd was almost silent for a few seconds, as if it needed time to process the image that had just entered their eyes.
F3 sat not far away, Jenden said softly:
"Look closely. She's not just dancing."
Marcus nodded:
"Yeah. She's… controlling the atmosphere here."
Aurora turned around one last time, let go of the pole, stood up straight, tilted her head slightly to look at the crowd. Her eyes were neither smiling nor cold, just enough for everyone to understand that she knew what she had just done to them.
The sound of clapping and calling names rang out. Aurora turned back to the table, raised her glass of water, and took a sip as if she had just come back from a jog, not just made the whole restaurant go silent.
Blacke leaned her hands on the table, looking at her:
"Aurora… right?"
She nodded slightly.
Blacke tilted her head:
"You really don't drink?"
"No. Alcohol blurs the mind. I like to be sober to see everything."
Knox chuckled softly:
"And what do you think you just saw?"
Aurora put down her glass, her voice even:
"People who dare not take their eyes off me… even for a second."
The answer caused a moment of silence at the F4 table. Then Blacke leaned over, his eyes deep:
"We should talk… more."
Aurora did not answer immediately. She just turned the glass of water in her hand, her eyes still as blue as glass reflecting the light, and the corners of her lips lifted very slightly, as if the game had just begun.