Qin Yun waited outside for more than ten minutes before she finally appeared.
Dou Yiqing walked out of the building wearing a fitted top and hot pants. The shorts had deliberately been chosen slightly tight, pressing into the soft flesh of her thighs.
It did not look bad.
It looked s*xy.
The moment Dou Yiqing entered the car, the scent of her perfume filled the entire cabin. Qin Yun had smelled countless perfumes before, yet he could not identify the fragrance she wore.
It drew attention without being overpowering.
“Dou Yiqing, it’s my bar’s anniversary today. Don’t you think making the owner stand downstairs like an idiot for half an hour is a bit excessive? All the guests have arrived, yet I’m still here waiting for you.”
Qin Yun glanced at her legs before looking away and continuing to complain.
“And are those clothes appropriate for a teacher? You dressed fairly normally during the school anniversary. Why aren’t you wearing those glasses?”
“I came downstairs on time. Who told you to arrive early?”
Dou Yiqing rolled her eyes.
“Who says teachers can’t wear clothes like this? It isn’t as though I’m wearing them at school. Qin Yun, stop looking for faults.”
After speaking, Dou Yiqing raised her phone and sent Wen Ci a voice message.
“Baby, have you left yet? Did your family let you come out? Do you need me to provide a distraction?”
Qin Yun thought, *You aren’t even half that gentle when you speak to me.*
After she sent the message, Qin Yun casually asked, “Why is Wen Ci’s family still so strict with her? She’s already this old.”
“You know what her mother is like. Back at school, she was famously…”
Dou Yiqing paused without finishing.
“Besides, her father is a teacher too. She’s under double supervision.”
Qin Yun searched his memory and finally remembered.
Mother Wen had been known throughout the school as the Merciless Abbess. Whenever Qin Yun arrived late and saw her catching students at the school gate, he knew he was finished.
“Wait. Aren’t both your parents teachers too?”
Qin Yun spoke sarcastically.
“Forget being as obedient as Wen Ci. You aren’t even as well behaved as one of her fingers.”
“I’m fierce. So what?”
Dou Yiqing continued, “Besides, Wen Ci and I are different. She’s an only child. I have a younger brother.”
There was another reason Dou Yiqing did not mention.
Something had gone wrong when Mother Wen gave birth to Wen Ci. Apparently, the situation had been critical. Fortunately, Mother Wen survived, but she had been unable to have any more children afterwards.
Because of that, Mother Wen had devoted nearly all her attention to Wen Ci.
Wen Ci knew about it too, which was why she had always obeyed her mother.
Qin Yun immediately became sympathetic.
“Your younger brother is so unfortunate.”
Dou Yiqing punched his bare arm.
Qin Yun exaggeratedly cried out, then immediately used the opportunity to flex.
“Dou Yiqing, look. Haven’t my muscles become larger?”
“They’re average.”
After receiving Wen Ci’s reply, Dou Yiqing lowered her phone.
“Drive faster. Wen Ci has already arrived.”
…
Zhou Wu’s answer left Wen Ci momentarily stunned.
By the time she recovered, he had already pulled her away.
The central booth was completely full.
Wen Ci was wondering whether it would be awkward if they could not find seats when Zhou Wu led her around a corner and towards the only empty booth remaining at the edge of the bar.
Zhou Wu called over a server and ordered several low-alcohol drinks and a fruit platter.
Once he finished ordering, he suddenly felt rather pathetic.
He had made a special trip to collect her, sneaking around like a criminal.
After bringing her here, she had wanted to sit with someone else.
Yet he was still eagerly ordering drinks for her.
He lowered his gaze.
The person beside him sat obediently with both hands resting on her knees. The arms showing beneath her sleeves were straight and pale.
“Are you cold?”
After asking, Zhou Wu nearly laughed from irritation at himself.
Wen Ci shook her head.
She was secretly happy that she could sit with Zhou Wu.
Looking up, she asked, “Does Qin Yun own this place himself? It’s impressive.”
Under the dim lighting, Wen Ci’s eyes were bright and clear.
Beautiful eyes.
Terrible judgement.
Seeing her dispelled some of the irritation in Zhou Wu’s heart.
He lazily hummed.
“When it comes to having fun, he’s an expert.”
Qin Yun had spent several hundred thousand yuan on the design of the nightclub alone.
The final result had a post-apocalyptic wasteland theme.
Steep rock walls surrounded the venue. The DJ platform and booths appeared to have been built from piles of broken stone.
Combined with the expensive lighting, beams swept through the entire club, creating the surreal illusion of the end of the world.
Wen Ci was curiously examining the rock walls when everything suddenly went dark.
All the lights in the venue had gone out.
She froze and was about to ask whether there had been a power cut when a heavy beat exploded beside her ears.
Completely unprepared, she jolted violently.
A hand covered one of her ears.
She was pulled sideways, and her other ear pressed against Zhou Wu’s body.
Zhou Wu held her head against him.
There was laughter in his voice, and Wen Ci could even feel the vibration inside his chest.
“Did that frighten you? Is this your first time in a nightclub?”
Purple light illuminated the jagged DJ booth.
The exaggerated, piercing music erupted from every direction. In an instant, even the sofa and floor began vibrating.
Only then did Wen Ci realise that what had happened at Qin Yun’s home truly had been no more than a party.
Wen Ci replied with two sentences, but both were completely drowned out by the music.
She could only nod repeatedly while trapped in Zhou Wu’s arms, feeling as though the sound was shaking all her internal organs.
Dou Yiqing and Qin Yun entered just as the opening performance began.
The lighting flashed between darkness and brightness.
An employee led them towards Zhou Wu’s booth, where they saw him holding someone in his arms.
The person’s hair covered her face, and Zhou Wu’s arm shielded her so thoroughly that they could not see who she was.
“F*ck!”
Qin Yun asked in surprise, “You brought her?!”
The moment he finished speaking, he felt the person beside him turn to leave.
He reached out and caught her.
“Where are you going, Dou Yiqing?”
“To find Wen Ci!”
The music was too loud, and Qin Yun could not hear clearly.
“What?!”
Dou Yiqing leaned close to his ear and shouted, “I’M LOOKING FOR WEN CI!”
Dou Yiqing had possessed a loud voice since childhood.
Shortly after beginning work at Jiangcheng Middle School, the students had nicknamed her the Lioness of Hedong.
Even amid such exaggerated music, her voice stood out.
Wen Ci hurriedly raised her head and answered, “I’m here.”
She was so quiet that even Zhou Wu beside her could barely hear.
Qin Yun continued holding Dou Yiqing.
“Wait until the opening ends. How are you supposed to find her while it’s this loud?”
“I’m afraid she came alone and doesn’t dare enter. I’m going outside to check.”
“I’m here!” Wen Ci called.
“We didn’t see her at the entrance just now. Send her a message and ask.”
“I already did. She hasn’t replied.”
Wen Ci raised her arm and shouted at the greatest volume she could manage.
“I’M HERE!”
Without warning, the heavy beat stopped.
The lights brightened at the same moment.
The opening performance had ended, and Wen Ci’s voice echoed throughout the entire nightclub.
Everyone nearby—even the DJ onstage—turned to stare at her in surprise.
Wen Ci was still nestled in Zhou Wu’s arms. One of her hands had unconsciously wrapped behind his waist, her hair was dishevelled, and her other arm remained raised.
Only half her face was visible.
“…………”
She wanted to die.
…
The lights began changing again, and the music continued.
Qin Yun instructed the staff to lower the volume.
Everyone present tonight knew one another, and the main purpose was simply to have fun. There was no need to make the music so loud that no one could hear anyone else speak.
Dou Yiqing folded her arms and stared at the small head beside her that had not lifted since the opening ended.
She hesitated.
“You…”
“I was frightened, so Zhou Wu helped shield me. He’s such a good person.”
Wen Ci immediately asked, “Would you like some watermelon?”
Shielded her?
Like that?
By holding her?
Dou Yiqing still found it strange.
“No. Why are you sitting alone at this table with him?”
“He drove me here. The opening was about to start when we entered, so I—”
“You came together?”
Dou Yiqing looked confused.
“When did you two become this close?”
“Mm… yes. We became closer in Bincheng. Didn’t he look after me when I was ill?”
Wen Ci stumbled through her words, speaking complete nonsense.
“I couldn’t get a taxi from home earlier, so I asked him. Unexpectedly, he happened to be passing by, so he—he gave me a lift.”
“…He’s such a good person. What about pear? Do you want some?”
After being given the good-person label twice in succession, Zhou Wu held the dice cup with one hand.
Unable to resist, he turned his face away and laughed.
As the atmosphere grew livelier, many people approached their booth.
Those who were only casual acquaintances came to toast Zhou Wu.
Those who knew him well remained to play dice and chat.
Although their booth was not in the centre, it became the liveliest in the entire venue.
Zhou Wu sat in the middle, surrounded like the moon among stars.
“What are you laughing about?”
Qin Yun leaned closer and spoke quietly.
“F*ck, I thought you’d brought the woman who scratched your back. I didn’t expect it to be Wen Ci.”
Zhou Wu lifted the dice cup, then lightly placed it back on the table.
He gestured with his chin.
“I’m challenging you.”
“F*ck! Playing with you is so boring.”
After losing another round, Qin Yun finished his drink.
He stood and shouted towards the other side.
“Dou Yiqing, come and play with us.”
Dou Yiqing was still analysing the situation.
She felt that something was wrong somewhere.
Without raising her head, she replied, “No.”
“I knew it.”
Qin Yun deliberately provoked her.
“You lost so badly on the island last time that you’ve become a coward, haven’t you?”
Dou Yiqing always fell for this tactic.
She gave a cold hum, picked up her glass and walked over.
“If I don’t drink you under the table tonight, my surname isn’t Dou.”
“What?”
Qin Yun asked, “You want to take my surname? Dream on.”
Wen Ci released a breath of relief.
She placed the piece of pear in her hand into her mouth, leaned against the sofa and quietly watched them play.
In truth, Wen Ci could not fully understand the game.
Most of the time, she was watching Zhou Wu’s hands.
His palms were large, and his long, slender fingers rested against the black dice cup.
His knuckles were prominent and clearly defined.
Every movement—whether pressing the cup down or lifting it—carried a relaxed carelessness.
He seemed skilled at everything he did.
They had been playing for a long time, yet he had barely needed to drink.
He kept winning.
After Dou Yiqing moved away, an empty seat appeared beside Wen Ci.
Before long, a man holding a glass sat down.
He eagerly leaned forwards.
“Are you finished? Let me join.”
Inside a nightclub, people unconsciously reduced the amount of personal space they usually maintained.
When Wen Ci felt the man’s leg press against hers, she instinctively shifted closer to Zhou Wu.
Zhou Wu passed Wen Ci the low-alcohol fruit wine the server had just delivered.
Then he raised his eyes towards the man and said in a neutral tone, “Sit over there.”
The man froze before immediately understanding.
Everyone had seen the way those two had been holding each other earlier.
“Got it.”
He stood quickly, bent down and clinked his glass against Wen Ci’s before drinking everything at once.
Then he flatteringly addressed her.
“Sister-in-law.”
Wen Ci:
“…?”
Only after the man moved to the other side did Wen Ci blankly say, “I think that person misunderstood. He called me—”
“Called you what?”
Zhou Wu lazily pretended not to understand.
Wen Ci held her glass in both hands and stared at him.
She thought that Zhou Wu had not heard it anyway.
She lowered her head, drank a large mouthful and shook her head as she lied.
“…Nothing.”
Zhou Wu hummed and turned back towards the game. A faint smile remained on his face and refused to disappear.
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