A minute later.
"She left MA. It's far from here. And then?" Chen Yao continued.
"It's a forty-minute drive. Forty minutes is more than enough time for a drunk girl to get into a lot of trouble." The card game was halfway through when it was abruptly ended.
Zhou Luchen picked up his phone from the table and contacted a friend.
The call was answered quickly; no one dared to delay a summons from Second Young Master Zhou.
The music on the other end was loud and energetic—a dead giveaway they were in a nightclub.
The rich second-generation kids who frequented nightclubs near MA likely knew the name Zhou Luchen.
However, Zhou Luchen himself would never be caught in a place like a nightclub. He wasn't into that sort of thing.
They always kept to their own circles, separated by class. A man of his standing, a true scion of a prominent family, rarely mingled with Shanghai's wealthy second generation. Still, he knew their fathers and had dealings with them.
"It's been ages, Second Young Master Zhou!"
He said coolly, "Stop drinking. Find someone."
「At the same time.」
A few rich second-generation kids who had just left MA Nightclub gathered by the roadside. One of them was on a call, toying with car keys.
"Second Young Master Zhou wants me to find a girl nearby."
"What girl?"
"Probably Zhou Luchen's girlfriend. Otherwise, why would he care about some random clubbing girl?"
"..."
"Zhou Luchen's girlfriend? Are you sure you haven't had too much to drink?"
"Let's search. We're closer. If we delay, the girl might get into trouble."
The group followed the route Chen Yao had given them, searching and chatting as they went. After comparing with the picture, they found Shen Jing squatting at a street corner, making a phone call. Her features were easy to recognize. She was holding her phone, thoroughly intoxicated.
On the video call, Chen Yao didn't speak. The drunken Shen Jing wasn't making a fuss. Her tone was as gentle as a kitten's as she merely asked, "Xing Fei, when will you get here?"
Chen Yao's tone was gentle. "We're on our way, we're on our way. Get in their car first. They know where to take you, understand?"
Shen Jing, inebriated, obediently got into the car after hearing the gentle words. After all, she was faced with several handsome young men. She didn't know where they'd come from, but they didn't look like bad people.
「Eventually.」
The girl was brought to the villa in Fengxian Bay. And they brought Luo Yuanping along too.
Luo Yuanping insisted he knew Shen Jing and, claiming to be her friend, wanted to stay with her. The young men had no choice but to bring him along as well, ensuring everyone arrived safely.
Lights blazed both inside and outside the private villa, where one luxury car after another was parked. But it was quiet. Eerily quiet.
Zhou Luchen stood tall and imposing, leaning against the doorframe.
In the courtyard, some were sitting and others standing. They were gathered around a pool, watching the newcomers enter through the gate. Apart from the soft footsteps, no one spoke.
When they saw the equally intoxicated Luo Yuanping, the general sentiment was clear. Oh, great. A buy-one-get-one-free deal.
...
Shen Jing, drifting in and out of consciousness, couldn't clearly recognize anyone. It seemed like a slender woman helped her along. The woman wore high heels and, worried Shen Jing might fall, carefully guided her, reminding her to walk slowly.
She looked down. There were water stains by the edge of the pool, likely from people having fun earlier.
A few steps later, she was led to Zhou Luchen.
Zhou Luchen took off his suit jacket and handed it to Shen Jing. "Put it on yourself."
She shyly lifted her eyes, her cheeks flushed red from the alcohol, and nodded gently. Then, one step, two steps, three steps—she lunged into Zhou Luchen's arms.
Under everyone's gaze, she was brazen, overly clingy.
Her weak arms wrapped around the man's firm waist. "Feifei, you're so tall! Give me a hug."
Zhou Luchen ruthlessly pushed her away. Beneath her thin shoulder straps, red finger marks from his rough push were visible.
It hurt, and she felt wronged. When she looked at Zhou Luchen, even the slight movement of her eyelids seemed to carry a blush as bewitching as peach blossoms.
It's his fault.
Zhou Luchen's expression remained impassive as he tossed the suit jacket to a friend.
Shen Jing asked, "Where am I? Why does this place feel so... austere?"
Where was she? This was Zhou Luchen's private estate.
Shen Jing swayed, but thankfully, the kind woman from before was there to support her.
"Miss, I'm thirsty," she mumbled.
Zhou Luchen sat back down on the sofa and gave a friend a meaningful look. The friend understood and went inside to get water for Shen Jing.
Meanwhile, Luo Yuanping was looking around, equally drunk. Luo Yuanping was clearly not in his right mind. He couldn't stand seeing Shen Jing hug another man or even look at other men. Fury welled up inside him.
"Don't you dare touch my Ajing!"
Luo Yuanping was extremely possessive. Heavily intoxicated, he had no idea who stood before him.
Zhou Luchen glanced over, his eyes as dark and deep as ink. In his entire life, few had dared to posture before him like this.
In fact, Zhou Luchen had countless ways to make Luo Yuanping disappear from this place. But Shen Jing wasn't his woman. He had no interest in fighting over her.
Even without saying a word, Zhou Luchen's naturally imposing aura overwhelmed Luo Yuanping.
Luo Yuanping felt intimidated and didn't dare to meet his gaze. Instead, he looked at Shen Jing. "I remember now! It was him who tricked you into going to that hotel, wasn't it? Did he do something to you?"
Only then did Shen Jing belatedly realize Luo Yuanping was also there.
Luo Yuanping continued, "Ajing, you can't hug him! He looks just like..."
"Like what?"
Zhou Luchen's voice was cool, his few words completely overpowering Luo Yuanping's.
Luo Yuanping choked on his words.
Zhou Luchen lit a cigarette. The thick smoke swirled around him, making his eyes seem even darker.
He said lightly, "Not a good person, is that it?"
The deep meaning hidden in Zhou Luchen's words was palpable. The rich second-generation kids and the other young men and women nearby seemed to sense that something was about to happen and instinctively backed away a little.
Luo Yuanping was so drunk he couldn't tell his left from his right, let alone understand what he was doing.
Chen Yao came out, realized the gravity of the situation, and immediately pushed Luo Yuanping away.
"Stop making a scene! Get out! Don't act like a drunken lout here."
Luo Yuanping was far from sober. His true ruffian nature, emboldened by alcohol, was now on full display.
"What do you mean? He's holding my fiancée!"
Chen Yao scoffed. "Your fiancée was the one who hugged him."
Luo Yuanping gritted his teeth. "She's mine! No one else touches her!"
Zhou Luchen's expression didn't change. He stood up, walked over, and directly swept Shen Jing into his arms, carrying her to the car in front of everyone. He completely ignored Luo Yuanping's words.
Shen Jing rested her head on Zhou Luchen's shoulder. The smoke from his cigarette wafted up, making her cough lightly. Only then did Zhou Luchen toss his cigarette away.
Chen Yao was stunned for a moment. He then fumbled around the bar, found the car keys, and followed them out.
Witnessing this, Luo Yuanping's face turned exceedingly ugly. "Ajing!"
Chen Yao turned back to block him. "What did she ask you for at the nightclub? Hand it over."
Luo Yuanping didn't budge. Chen Yao walked around him, picked up a nearby stick, and repeated, "Hand it over."
Luo Yuanping reflexively shielded his head. After a moment, he reluctantly took the household registration book from his pocket.
Chen Yao was just bluffing; he hadn't actually intended to hit him. Fighting was wrong, after all.
Chen Yao took the household registration book. "Damn you! You got her this drunk, and you still have the nerve to cause a scene here? Do you think this is some kind of charity shelter?"
Once the keys were delivered, the car started up and drove off.
They weren't far from the Night Mansion, but Zhou Luchen turned the car around and headed back towards the hotels in the city center.
Chen Yao and Wei Sulin stayed behind to handle the aftermath.
Wei Sulin watched the Lamborghini disappear into the distance and couldn't help but smirk. "Why didn't Brother Luchen take her home? The Night Mansion is only twenty minutes away."
Chen Yao got into his own car and stated the obvious, "Do you think that's possible? Would he bring a Jiaojiao he doesn't even like to stay at the Night Mansion?"
Wei Sulin was curious. "He doesn't like her?"
Chen Yao shrugged. "Doesn't look like it. Not that much, anyway."