This storefront, this atmosphere, this surrounding environment—this is a nightclub!
Having lived two respectable lives, Zhou Zhou had never set foot in such places. At most, he would go to a legally operated bar for a drink or two.
I'll still be with my friends.
Zhou Zhou was having second thoughts, but before she could react, Li Qingjie's call came right on time.
"Hey bro, are you here yet? Want me to come pick you up?"
"We've arrived."
After hanging up the phone, Zhou Zhou braced himself and went inside, inwardly wondering if Li Qingjie was a bit too reckless.
He's supposed to be the daughter-in-law of the Fu family, how dare they call him to a place like this?
Guided by the waiter, Zhou Zhou found the private room, but the scene that greeted him when he opened the door was not quite what he had expected.
There was no revelry or debauchery, just a few men sitting on a sofa around a glass round table playing dice, surrounded by the smoke of cigarettes.
Li Qingjie looked up and saw him cry out in pain. He quickly got up and led him to the seat next to him. The person on the other side of the seat quickly made way for him.
Zhou Zhou was pulled down to sit by Li Qingjie, seemingly confused, and looked at the group of people in front of him with a bewildered expression.
Li Qingjie was clearly prepared for this. He began by introducing the group of people, but only briefly. After going around the group, he focused on introducing another person next to Zhou Zhou.
"This is Mr. Liu from Yuedong Media. He was the one who suggested this get-together."
"?" Zhou Zhou frowned upon hearing this, and looked at Li Qingjie, asking, "Didn't you say..."
"It's prepared for you, that's absolutely right." Li Qingjie finished speaking before the other person could finish, and added, "It was suggested by General Manager Liu, and I prepared it, brother, it's definitely not wrong."
The full name of Xiao Liu is Liu Zong. Zhou Zhou and he only exchanged a glance when they came in, and their first impression was that they did not like each other.
Liu Zong's gaze held a flattery that Zhou Zhou disliked, and a fleeting other emotion flashed in his eyes, which Zhou Zhou failed to catch.
"Madam Fu." Liu Zong opened a bottle of wine, poured half a glass for Zhou Zhou, and filled a glass for himself.
"Don't call me that." Zhou Zhou frowned, not reaching out to take the glass of wine.
Instead of being angry, Liu Zong laughed awkwardly, placed the half-cup on the table, picked up his own cup with both hands, and drank it all in one gulp.
Holding up his empty glass to Zhou Zhou, he said, "President Zhou!"
Everyone around them held up their glasses, but neither of them seemed inclined to drink. Zhou Zhou would be a fool if he still couldn't see through it.
They were all waiting for me to drink this glass of wine.
He shouldn't drink casually at social gatherings; he should at least be aware of the implications.
"Mr. Liu," Zhou Zhou said, holding his glass but not drinking, looking at him with a half-smile, "what's the story behind all this?"
Zhou Zhou's tone was unique and distinctive, making it clear at a glance that it wasn't something easily mastered.
Liu Zong knew this all too well, and thought to himself that this was a case of feigning ignorance while actually being clear-headed, telling him that he couldn't be fooled by a cup of wine, so he spoke frankly.
"I was blind and confused before, and I upset President Zhou." Liu Zong apologized sheepishly. "I was drunk that night and offended you. Actually, I've wanted to apologize to President Zhou for a while, but unfortunately, President Fu..."
Upon hearing Fu Hengzhi's name, Zhou Zhou roughly understood what he meant.
He's here to apologize to Fu Hengzhi.
Zhou Zhou squinted and racked his brains to recall the incident, and finally remembered something.
When the original owner was filming a new drama, she went out for dinner with the crew one night. It was her first drama. Yue Dong Media was the investor in the drama. Liu Zong was known in the industry for being indiscriminate in his relationships with both men and women. He was originally the female lead's sugar daddy who brought his own investment to the production. However, he took a liking to the original owner, who had just entered the industry, at this dinner.
When he tried to touch her, the original owner slapped him across the face. No one knows where the original owner got the strength, but that slap knocked out his front tooth.
Liu Zong made a harsh statement, saying that he would never be able to work in the industry again, but then he fell silent.
According to the other party's account, they were probably targeted by Fu Hengzhi.
[Author's Note: The countdown to Xiao Fu and Xiao Zhou's romance has begun.]
Please forgive me for only writing two thousand words a day; this is already the last hurdle on the edge of not updating anymore ORZ
Chapter 51
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"I'm so sorry, Mr. Zhou. I had too much to drink at the time. I only thought of inviting you out because I heard Young Master Li mention you during the day." Liu Zong's tone was full of sincerity, and his words were overflowing with respect for Zhou Zhou. "It was my fault. I'll punish myself with three drinks in advance!"
After saying this, Liu Zong picked up his wine cup and drank three rounds in a row, drawing cheers from those around him.
“Brother, I know this guy. He’s prone to acting like a jerk when he’s drunk. He wanted to apologize to you the next day, but President Fu kept sending people to harass Yuedong Media, so the matter was delayed.” Li Qingjie quickly smoothed things over, trying to thaw the ice between the two.
After all, Liu Zong had privately complained to him about the poor performance of the company after being targeted by the Fu family.
They can hold on, but who in the industry wants to be constantly watched by the Fu family?
Zhou Zhou remained expressionless. After the other party had drunk three cups, he slightly raised the wine glass on the table and said with a light smile, "I understand about this matter. Since it was caused by me and Mr. Liu didn't mean it that way, I will have a proper discussion with Mr. Fu when I get back."
Zhou Zhou's words ignited the atmosphere, and Liu Zong's expression suddenly brightened. His face flushed from the alcohol, making him appear exceptionally excited.
"Mr. Zhou is so generous! Just let me know if you need anything in the future!" After saying that, Liu Zong raised his glass high and drank it all in one gulp.
Zhou Zhou smiled and agreed. It wasn't that he was a saint who would forgive and forget, but there was really no need to dwell on this matter. Fu Hengzhi's insistence on Yue Dong Media would always waste the Fu family's energy. Once the matter was over, he wasn't easily offended. It was best to resolve the matter if it could be resolved.
Fu Hengzhi is already under a lot of pressure, so there's no need for him to worry about this.
Various "CEO X" and "Young Master X" figures tried to get Zhou Zhou's attention, and Zhou Zhou responded with a smile. He drank quite a bit of wine, but his head started to spin, so he put down his glass.
The others, however, became increasingly passionate. Liu Zong waved his hand and made a phone call. Soon after, several men and women entered.
Zhou Zhou leaned back on the sofa, squinting at the people.
The women wore tight-fitting mini skirts, while the men wore close-fitting leather shorts.
Goodness, these are professional hostesses from the club.
Zhou Zhou instantly sobered up halfway, waved his hand to stop the female hostess who was approaching from sitting down, and turned to Liu Zong, saying, "I have a family, this is not appropriate."
Music played on the screen to enhance the atmosphere, and Zhou Zhou spoke louder than usual, making sure all the wealthy young men in the room could hear him.
Having probably drunk quite a bit, Liu Zong was flushed with excitement and egged him on, saying, "President Zhou, what cat doesn't steal fish? Besides, it's just a few drinks, nothing too serious. You can have fun without worry, and we'll keep it a secret for you!"
Zhou Zhou had always received such advice from his cronies, and although he didn't care much about these kinds of pastimes, his words still made people uncomfortable.
Under the influence of alcohol, Zhou Zhou vaguely thought, "What does it mean that no cat can resist stealing fish?"
Without realizing it, she blurted out her inner thoughts, "Would Fu Hengzhi do that?"
“President Fu would disdain coming to a place like this.” Li Qingjie had heard his family praise Fu Hengzhi countless times since he was a child. Just kidding, he was a typical child from a family with strict gender roles. “The Fu family has strict upbringing. President Fu has always been a maverick in the industry. A place like this?”
Li Qingjie waved his hand and laughed, "He wouldn't be interested."
Several people, their faces flushed and necks thick with drink, were probably drunk; the words that were on the tip of their tongues somehow slipped out.
"He looks down on you on the surface, but who knows what he's like behind the scenes, hahaha." The man had barely finished speaking when his good friend next to him secretly stepped on his foot.
The pain brought him back to his senses, and he realized what he had said. He quickly tried to make amends, "President Zhou is using the younger brothers to check on President Fu's position, hahaha."
Seeing Zhou Zhou's gradually indifferent expression, several people present were almost sweating profusely. Then someone continued to cover up the previous person's words, "Everyone says that the Fu family couple is exceptionally loving - President Zhou, you can rest assured, President Fu would never come to a place like this!"
President Zhou thought to himself that it made sense. Someone as self-disciplined as Fu Hengzhi wouldn't come to a place like this. Besides... President Zhou glanced at the various men and women accompanying the drinks, and a slight smile appeared on his lips. To be honest, none of the people present were as good-looking as the original owner's face.
They pale in comparison.
Fu Heng's taste is definitely not that good, and besides, didn't the other party say that he likes him?
Mr. Zhou was completely drunk, his mind filled with incoherent thoughts that he couldn't even make sense of himself.
Liu Zong secretly observed Zhou Zhou's every move. He noticed that Zhou Zhou had just glanced at the person next to him and then gave a wink to the male escort next to him. The man understood and moved closer to Zhou Zhou.
"President Zhou~ I'm Xiao Ji~" Xiao Ji looked young, and his voice wasn't as strong as a boy his age should have; instead, it was sticky and affectionate.
Mr. Zhou hummed in agreement, watching as Xiao Ji sat sideways in the empty seat between him and Liu Zong, picked up her wine and offered it to him, then took a small sip.
After taking a sip, Xiao Ji leaned towards Zhou Zhou, her body as limp as if she had no bones. A fragrant scent wafted over her, unlike the deep, rich base notes of men's perfume, but instead carrying a light, floral and fruity fragrance. Zhou Zhou subtly moved aside; she seemed like a girl, and he wasn't used to dealing with this kind of person.
"President Zhou~" Xiao Ji could tell that the arrogant rich kids present were all paying close attention to President Zhou's mood, and President Liu was even trying to curry favor with him.
If you could get close to a big shot like that, you'd be happy for a while.
"Mr. Zhou, why don't you play a game with me?" Xiao Ji started using her usual tactics.
Zhou Zhou was still wondering what game it was when suddenly a hand pressed against her thigh.
"!" Zhou Zhou's scalp tingled instantly, and the hairs on his body stood on end. He reflexively pushed the other person away.
"Ah!" Xiao Ji exclaimed in surprise, as the force of the other party caused him to land on his bottom on the smooth floor.
The sudden turn of events abruptly extinguished the lively atmosphere, leaving Liu Zong with the most unpleasant expression. He glared at Xiao Ji and shouted, "What's wrong with you! How are you entertaining President Zhou!"
He then put on a smile and said, "Mr. Zhou, let's not have him, let's find someone else."
"No need." President Zhou knew what it meant to be incompatible with those who had different values; he had never been able to adapt to this group's social circle from the start.
His gaze swept over the group of men and women in front of him, and he felt increasingly uncomfortable about the places they had just touched. His eyes revealed his annoyance. He knew the main reason they had invited him here, and there was no need for him to stay here for even a second longer. He figured Fu Hengzhi had never been to a place like this before, so he shouldn't have come either.
"I'm leaving, you guys have fun." Zhou Zhou got up to leave, but his body swayed a few times after he stood up, and he almost lost his balance after taking a few steps forward.
"President Zhou." Liu Zong himself had also drunk quite a bit, but determined to make up for the goodwill he had lost in the previous round, he got up and went over to help the other party. "I'll take you home and call you a car."
The two walked out together. Zhou Zhou waved his hand and said it wasn't necessary, but the other party insisted. When they reached the door, Liu Zong felt the other party pause.
"Let's go, Mr. Zhou. I'll have the driver take you back." Liu Zong swayed as he pulled the other man down the steps outside the banquet hall.
The other person remained motionless. Liu Zong stared at him blankly, and when he saw the other person slightly startled, he followed the other person's gaze.
"..." How could there be such a coincidence in this world? The president of the Fu family was looking at Zhou Zhou at the bottom of the steps.
He was also holding a woman with a beautiful back view in his arms.
Chapter Fifty-Two I've figured it out
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Seeing this scene before him, Zhou Zhou's alcohol-induced mind suddenly cleared up, as if someone had poured a bucket of cold water over his head.
It's completely over.
Just now inside, they were saying that President Fu was a person of integrity, and Liu Zong was a little flustered. This is the fastest slap in the face in history.
"President Zhou, this..." Seeing Zhou Zhou standing there in a daze, Liu Zong didn't know what to say.