"Brother Chu… um… I think I'll head back now?"
The night's events had settled. Everyone had successfully paired off, and they'd already booked their hotel rooms. An Qingning suddenly felt like a complete outsider.
'Am I the clown?'
'I really am!'
She felt a surge of resentment, but she could also understand Lin Chu. He was a man fresh off a breakup, self-indulgent and full of bitterness. Besides, she didn't really want to leave with him anyway. And even if she did, the opportunity was long gone.
"Sure, take care. I'm happy to call you a friend. We'll grab dinner sometime."
Lin Chu said with a breezy smile, looking completely unfazed.
'Tonight, I basically used her for free.'
'I made her post that update to her Moments and even burn bridges with Li Yaoyao.'
But Lin Chu didn't feel the slightest bit guilty. Back when he was with Li Yaoyao, An Qingning had freeloaded so many meals, drinks, late-night snacks, and bubble teas off him. When they went shopping, sometimes even at the supermarket, they'd combine their purchases at the register, and he would always be the one to pay.
'Now, she can just consider this a small price to pay.'
An Qingning found some small comfort in Lin Chu's words. She forced a smile and nodded.
"Okay."
"I'll be going then."
She stood, raised her glass for one last toast, and left, glancing back every few steps.
'Clown!'
'I really am a clown!'
'I'm so angry!'
'But I'm still hoping to play the long game and land a big fish. Lin Chu could still bring me some business. At least I didn't have to sleep with anyone tonight. I'll retreat for now.'
With that thought, she felt a little more at ease.
...
"Let's go grab a late-night snack."
After a bit more drinking, everyone was starting to get tired. The atmosphere wasn't as wild anymore, so Lin Chu casually made the suggestion.
It was an unwritten rule of the scene: "late-night snack" was code.
Agreeing to get a late-night snack meant you were willing to go home with someone.
"Let's go. Are you girls tired? Want to eat or go home? If you want to eat, we'll all go together. If you want to head home, I'll call you a car."
Zhang Peng said with a smile, looking at the beautiful colleagues he had invited.
"I'm a little hungry! Let's eat, Brother Chu!"
Bai Fangfei, already clinging tightly to Lin Chu's arm, was the first to agree.
She'd been pressured, both overtly and subtly, into drinking quite a bit and was starting to feel a buzz. That, combined with the intoxicating feeling of profligate spending and decadent living, Lin Chu's apparent high status in his circle, his large group of friends, and the subtle competition from the other girls, was causing her to fall for him, bit by bit.
"Alright."
Lin Chu smiled and pinched her cheek, then leaned in and kissed her. The two shared a passionate kiss, oblivious to everyone around them.
"What are we eating, President Zhang?"
"What about us having to work tomorrow?"
A girl asked with a smile.
The situation had become a little awkward.
There were four men and four women left. The main man, Brother Chu, was already taken. Brother Fu, the one decked out in streetwear, was also paired up.
That left Brother Fei and Zhang Peng, and four other girls.
That didn't divide up nicely.
'Who sleeps with whom tonight?'
And the two main guys, the leader and Brother Fu, had already been snatched up.
They had a strange feeling, as if they'd lost to their "sisters" in the competition for men.
Zhang Peng glanced around, instantly understanding what she meant. He looked toward Lin Chu. "Brother Chu, what should we eat? Brother Fei, what are you in the mood for? Young Master Lu, what's the plan?"
"This hotel is in an office building. There's a yakitori place on the third-floor rooftop. I've been a few times; it's pretty good."
"Let's go. It's on me."
Lu Ming said with a smile.
Lin Chu had been paying for everything all night, from the drinks to the hotel rooms. Lu Ming wasn't embarrassed by that—after all, whenever they'd gone out in the past, he had always been the one to pick up the tab, never letting Lin Chu pay. But the late-night snack was a small expense. He'd cover it as a gesture.
A man has to have some standards.
"I'm good with that."
"Then let's go."
Lin Chu also smiled.
The bar's host respectfully approached and handed him an elegant card. "Sir, I've stored your leftover bottles. Just message me on WeChat next time you come."
Nodding, Lin Chu draped his arm over Bai Fangfei's shoulder and stood up with a smile. "Let's go."
...
"First, if any of you want to leave, now's the time. There will be other chances, so there's no need to force it tonight."
"Second, don't hit on me. I'm sleeping alone tonight. If I sleep with any of you, how can we stay friends? Our friendship would be ruined. We're partners in getting rich together; let's not let things get weird."
"Third, that guy Brother Fei... since he's a friend of Brother Chu's and speaks so casually with him, he might be a hidden gem despite his plain looks. Ladies, it's your call, go for it if you're interested."
After they left the room, Zhang Peng sent three messages to the group chat he shared with his five beautiful colleagues.
He had already found his precise role in this whole setup.
Lin Chu was the host, the one paying the bills, the leader. That made him the coordinator, responsible for making sure everyone was properly taken care of.
"Brother Peng... you're... you're really something."
"Ooh, look at that self-control. Maybe I should give you a little reward tonight?"
"That Brother Fei guy seems interesting. I'm gonna make a move. A big shot in flip-flops? What kind of legendary tier is that?"
"President Peng, I'm sticking with you from now on."
In the group chat, this arrangement left the women feeling touched. They weren't clueless; they could tell that Zhang Peng was genuinely looking out for them.
He had high emotional intelligence and was very considerate.
"So what's the deal with this Brother Chu, anyway...?"
"Spending 300,000 in one night... that's just insane."
Someone else asked.
Zhang Peng replied, "Don't ask. If you can win him over, you'll find out. If you can't, there's no point in asking."
...
Since they had been drinking, Lu Ming didn't drive. He and Lin Chu shared a taxi—two men, two women. A perfect fit.
Only then did he start talking business.
"What have you been up to recently?"
'A guy who drops three hundred grand in one night... Even I've never been that extravagant. Clearly, Lin Chu struck it rich, and I'm not talking small-time money.'
'Peng City was just that kind of place, full of miracles.'
'When I first met Lin Chu two years ago, he was a complete nobody.'
Lin Chu just smiled, patting the leg of the woman beside him. "Got lucky and caught a good wave. I'm nothing compared to you. You should bring me in on any good projects you have."
'As a second-generation heir in Peng City, Lu Ming was undoubtedly way ahead of me in terms of both capital and connections.'
"Ha, don't say that. You're the one who should be bringing me in."
Lu Ming said with a humble smile.
"Let's get rich together, get rich together."
Lin Chu sensed that Lu Ming had something serious to discuss. "Let's meet for tea tomorrow and have a real talk."
"Sounds good."
"Why don't we head out to sea? I'll organize a yacht party, invite a few good friends. We can do some fishing, have a few drinks, eat some seafood..."
Lu Ming suggested immediately. It was his way of returning the favor—they could all talk business while enjoying the good food, beautiful scenery, and female company. It would be a great time.
If a business partnership came out of it, that would be the icing on the cake.
Even a full day on a yacht would only cost around 20,000 yuan—much cheaper than the fortune Lin Chu had spent on drinks.
"Okay."
An idea sparked in Lin Chu's mind, and he readily agreed.
Listening to their conversation, Bai Fangfei grew even more excited. 'A yacht trip?'
'Is this how the big shots live?'
"Babe, I want to go too."
"Can you take me with you...?"
she purred, acting cute.
Lin Chu, his arm around her shoulder, said calmly, "We'll see tomorrow. No rush."
She just said, "Oh," and didn't press the issue.
Lu Ming offered him a cigarette. Lin Chu took it and lit up, gazing out at the bustling city nightlife as he exhaled a long plume of smoke.
He was suddenly reminded of a classic line from an American TV show:
Chase women, you will lose money.
Chase money, you will never lack women.
'At this moment, I've finally woken up. I'm finally on the right path.'
...
...