Chapter 65: Gone

Qiao Jiu raised her glass and toasted Mr. Zhu several more times. This time, Mr. Zhu couldn’t keep up. After draining the last glass, he quickly waved his hand. “You really can hold your liquor, young lady. I’m done. If I drink any more, I’ll start getting rowdy. No more for me.”

Liang Xiucheng seized the moment and lifted his own glass. “Mr. Zhu, now you’re just joking. Everyone here knows your character. Come, let me toast you.”

Mr. Zhu smacked his lips, looking resigned. “You rascal, you’re doing this on purpose.”

Though he protested, he still picked up his glass.

Qiao Jiu took a breath. Liang Xiucheng had already been pushed to his limit by the female hostess and was visibly uncomfortable.

After considering for a moment, Qiao Jiu also stood up, excusing herself to the bathroom, and quickly left the private room.

The corridor was empty. Qiao Jiu headed for the restroom, calling out softly at the door.

There was no response from inside, but not far away, Liang Xiucheng’s voice came, “Qiao Jiu.”

She turned to look. He was leaning against the wall at the entrance to the fire escape. “I’m over here.”

She hurried over. “Did you take the medicine?”

Liang Xiucheng nodded, though the effect clearly hadn’t kicked in yet—he still looked uncomfortable.

Then, for the first time, Qiao Jiu heard him curse. “That woman can really damn drink.”

Qiao Jiu laughed, supporting his arm and patting his back. “The way you say that, it almost sounds like you’re talking about me.”

Liang Xiucheng, hearing this, smiled as well. He turned to look at her, his gaze deepened, perhaps by the alcohol.

She soothed him for a while before looking up. “Why are you staring at me like that? Were you really cursing me just now?”

“How could I?” he replied.

He straightened up and turned to face her, placing his hand on her shoulder. “I just…”

He hadn’t finished the sentence when, not far off, the door to the private room opened and the female hostess came looking for him.

Though Liang Xiucheng had drunk a lot, his reflexes were still sharp. He quickly pulled Qiao Jiu into his arms, lowering his head to her ear and whispering, “Don’t move, someone’s coming.”

Qiao Jiu stiffened instinctively, ready to push him away. But hearing his words, she hesitated, eventually letting her hand rest lightly on his chest.

The hostess took a few steps toward them before seeing Liang Xiucheng and Qiao Jiu together. She stopped in her tracks.

Qiao Jiu was quick-witted; she figured it out almost immediately. “That hostess came looking for you?”

Liang Xiucheng replied softly, “You figured that out too?”

It wasn’t hard to guess. If it had been someone else from the private room, there’d be no reason for Liang Xiucheng to use her as a shield.

The hostess’s intentions had been clear all night—she wanted something more than dinner. By dragging Qiao Jiu out here, Liang Xiucheng was making it clear to the hostess to give up on her plans.

They stayed like that for a while, and Qiao Jiu grew a bit uncomfortable. “Is she still there?”

Liang Xiucheng slowly released her. “She just went back.”

Qiao Jiu took two steps back, tucking her hair behind her ear. “She’s quite good-looking, with a graceful figure, and she’s practically throwing herself at you. You’re really not tempted?”

Liang Xiucheng leaned against the wall again. “They disgust me.”

Qiao Jiu paused, and the first thing that came to mind was Lu Fengzhou’s voice: “But I find them filthy.”

She had always assumed that men, under the influence of alcohol or drugs, would lose all restraint. But it turned out that some people still had their limits, even then.

She smiled. “Is that so?”

She said no more, simply leaning against the wall beside him. “That old fellow can really drink, too.”

Suddenly, Liang Xiucheng remembered something. “He touched your hand.”

It took Qiao Jiu a moment to realize what he meant. “You have sharp eyes.”

Liang Xiucheng didn’t smile. His expression grew more serious. “In the future, if we have to attend events together, I’ll check the other party’s reputation first. That won’t happen again.”

Qiao Jiu looked away, her tone indifferent. “No need. Just a lowly assistant, it’s not that big a deal.”

They lingered there a while longer, waiting for enough time to pass before returning to the private room together.

The fire escape was at the end of the corridor, and by the window there was a small lounge area with a few large potted plants and a set of single chairs and tables, set up for those who’d had too much to drink to take a breather.

Qiao Jiu and Liang Xiucheng returned to the private room, and the corridor fell silent once more.

About seven or eight minutes later, a waiter passed by. Lu Fengzhou emerged unhurriedly from behind the greenery in the lounge, raising his hand to call the waiter over.

The waiter hurried over. “Mr. Lu.”

Lu Fengzhou gestured toward a private room. “Who’s in there tonight?”

The waiter glanced in that direction. “That should be private room number 38—Mr. Liang and Mr. Zhu from Hengyi. It’s a small group tonight. Would you like to go over?”

People like them, who frequented the business world, often ran into acquaintances at clubs like this. It was common to move between rooms to offer toasts. Some attentive waiters would even notify clients when familiar partners were present, without being asked.

Lu Fengzhou nodded. “All right, I know.”

The waiter left, and Lu Fengzhou turned back toward his own private room.

His room was a bit of a walk from Qiao Jiu’s. When he reached his own door, he paused again, glancing back in that direction.

Meanwhile, Qiao Jiu and Liang Xiucheng had taken their seats again, the hostess across from them barely able to hide her embarrassment.

This time, she didn’t offer any more toasts, nor did she focus her conversation on Liang Xiucheng. Instead, she chatted incessantly with Liang Xiujin about the company’s cooperation.

She wasn’t without sense, after all.

Mr. Zhu slumped in his chair, breathing heavily, clearly having had too much.

Qiao Jiu also breathed a sigh of relief. If the old fox had been more shrewd and taken some hangover medicine beforehand, she might not have succeeded tonight.

She leaned back, her gaze falling on the hostess opposite.

She had no memory of this woman and couldn’t imagine when they might have met.

After talking with Liang Xiujin for a while, the hostess’s gaze suddenly met Qiao Jiu’s.

She paused, then smiled at Qiao Jiu.

Qiao Jiu nodded in response.

After a while, Mr. Zhu seemed uncomfortable and got up, saying he needed the restroom.

He staggered as he walked, looking dazed. The hostess hurriedly got up to help him.

Mr. Zhu, still holding onto his dignity, brushed her hand aside. “No, no, I’m fine. You all carry on.”

He wobbled out of the private room on his own, even humming a tuneless song.

The rest sat around making small talk, but like Liang Xiucheng earlier, Mr. Zhu never came back.

After nearly twenty minutes with no sign of him, the hostess grew restless and excused herself.

Everyone remained silent as she hurried out.

At the table, there was still Mr. Zhu’s assistant, who wasn’t much of a drinker. His main job was to laugh along and occasionally steer the conversation back on track.

The hostess returned quickly, but her expression was off. As soon as she entered, she announced, “Something’s wrong—Mr. Zhu is missing.”