"Zong Yan, I’ve got an emergency here. Help me take the drinks up to Private Room 1."
Without stopping what she was doing, Xiao Qing gave the order and hurried toward the next bar counter.
Room 1? Wasn't that always the club's VIP suite? The manager had said it was reserved only for special clients. Usually, service for that room was handled by the veterans.
Xiao Qing certainly trusted her enough to send her there.
Zong Yan let out a soft sigh. Balancing the tray, she squeezed through the surging crowd and made her way toward the private rooms.
She knocked and entered, placing the bottles on the table. "Your drinks, guests. Please enjoy," she said politely.
Just as she turned to leave, a voice came from behind her. "Wait."
The voice was as familiar as a fly that refused to be swatted away. Zong Yan’s brow twitched. She turned back. "Is there anything else you require?"
"Come closer."
Many people were seated in the room, but the one who had called out was the man in the center seat. Zong Yan glanced at him; it was the guest in the white suit whom the manager had personally greeted.
He was not someone she could afford to offend.
She took a few steps forward and stood before the table. With the light at her back, the brilliant flashes and clamor behind her seemed to be partitioned off, creating two separate worlds starting from where she stood.
Zong Yan lowered her head, maintaining a respectful posture. "What are your orders, sir?"
The man didn't answer. Instead, his eyes scrutinized her through the slits of his mask like a pair of sensors.
"You..."
"You look a lot like someone I know."
Amidst the thunderous waves of music, Zong Yan barely managed to catch his words. Not knowing how to respond, she pulled out the polite smile she had been taught during training.
"She also has an ugly birthmark on her face, though her hairstyle and temperament are entirely different from yours."
"And she would never wear clothes like that."
The masked man grew more animated as he spoke. He stood up from the sofa, leaning his hands on the table to bring his upper body closer to Zong Yan. His breath nearly brushed against her face.
"Most importantly, she would never smile like you do."
Zong Yan replied, "Your friend must be very different from someone like me."
The man countered, "Who said she was my friend?"
*This man is so talkative,* Zong Yan thought. She had no idea what he was trying to achieve and had no desire to deal with someone so self-absorbed.
"I see," she replied coldly. "Sir, if there is nothing else, I will take my leave. You may press the bell on the table if you need anything."
With a polite nod, Zong Yan picked up her tray. As the light hit her from the side, the gold on her cheek shimmered, looking like the wings of a butterfly resting on cold jade. Her dark, lightless eyes flashed for a moment, and her cold expression was like a firework exploding in the night sky, instantly igniting the man's gaze.
"Hahaha!"
He suddenly burst into loud laughter, startling everyone around him.
"Young Master Si, what’s wrong?"
"Is something funny?"
"Old Si, what kind of fit are you throwing?"
He ignored them. Instead, he reached out abruptly and grabbed Zong Yan’s arm, his palm burning hot.
"I. Have. Caught. You."
As Zong Yan’s expression darkened, the man pulled off his mask and tossed it aside. His handsome, sharp features were twisted with a sense of malicious delight.
"Zong Yan."
It was Si Jiang.
Zong Yan instantly dropped her professional facade. Holding her tray, she shifted into a state of high alert. "It’s you."
The pest she couldn't shake off. To run into him even while working so far from the University Town—what kind of cursed fate was this?
"Let go of me."
She tried to wrench her arm away, but his grip held firm. Was this man insane? He clearly loathed her, so why was he gripping her so tightly now?
Si Jiang smiled and released his hand, his voice devoid of any real apology. "Sorry."
"Let me introduce her to everyone. This is my classmate, a top student. Very cold and aloof—you hardly ever see her outside of class. To run into her here today... it really is fate."
As he spoke, he nudged the others to move. "Quick, make some room for her."
Zong Yan watched his performance with cold indifference, remaining motionless. The others looked at each other in confusion until Si Jiang’s expression shifted from excitement to something more unpleasant.
"What? Is this the level of service your bar provides?"
Zong Yan set the tray on the table and stepped past several people. "Excuse me."
She walked over to Si Jiang and sat down heavily beside him. "As long as a guest's request is reasonable, we will certainly fulfill it."
"Good. Otherwise, I really would have wanted to have a word with your manager." Si Jiang picked up a glass, tracing the transparent rim with his finger, his tone laced with a hidden threat.
"There is no need to trouble the manager with such a small matter," Zong Yan replied smoothly.
Si Jiang arched an eyebrow. "I didn't know you were so silver-tongued."
In class, she was always like a stubborn, foul-smelling rock. No matter how hard you hit it, you’d only get a dull thud in return.
"You flatter me, sir."
Si Jiang’s interest grew. Just as he was about to continue his sarcasm, another man clapped a hand on his shoulder.
"Old Si, I thought this girl looked familiar. Isn't she the one from the basketball court a while back?"
Si Jiang gave a noncommittal "Mm."
Chen Bai rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Back then, Si Jiang had said he "wasn't close to someone like that," so why was he keeping her here now?
"What, are you interested in her?"
"Damn it!" Si Jiang jumped, violently knocking Chen Bai's hand away. "What kind of crazy talk is that? Don't be disgusting. How could I ever be interested in a dead-faced girl like her?"
He felt goosebumps rising. The more he thought about it, the more nauseated he became. He actually gagged.
Chen Bai said awkwardly, "It was just a joke. Why such a big reaction?"
Si Jiang took a large gulp of alcohol to suppress the sourness rising in his throat. "She’s that high school freak I told you about."
"Ah? It’s her? The one whose name is just like yours—"
Seeing the murderous glint in Si Jiang’s eyes, Chen Bai quickly swallowed the last few words and corrected himself. "The ugly girl who wrote you a love letter?"
This time, he received a frigid glare from Zong Yan.
"Didn't it say something like... she knew she was plain-looking, of lowly status, with a shameful family background, and an unlikable personality, but you were like a light shining into the depths of her heart? That she fell in love at first sight and only wanted to protect you in silence?"
"You remember it that clearly?" Si Jiang was speechless. Chen Bai had an uncanny memory for Si Jiang’s embarrassing history.
Zong Yan closed her eyes, telling herself to endure, just endure.
However, malicious laughter began to ripple around her, as if they had heard something incredibly hilarious.
"God, how did she have the nerve? Writing a love letter to Young Master Si looking like that."
"If I received a letter like that, I’d want to tear it up immediately."
"Tsk, how disgusting."
"Young Master Si really suffered an injustice."
Si Jiang made no move to defend her. On the contrary, he seemed quite satisfied with the situation. He held his glass out to Zong Yan. "Pour me a drink."
Zong Yan glanced at him, took a bottle from the table, pried out the cork, and poured the clear liquid into his glass.
"There are other people here, too. How can a server let the guests do it themselves?"
Zong Yan stood up. Holding the bottle, she circled the black sofa and filled everyone’s glass.
"Feed me this drink."
A man sitting at the edge crooked his finger at her, a lewd expression on his face.
Zong Yan remained unmoved. "I’m sorry, I don't provide that kind of service."
The others began to snicker. The man, feeling he had lost face, flew into a rage. "What are you acting pure for, you bitch? You work in a nightclub; everyone knows how filthy you lot are."
"What? Are you only willing to serve Young Master Si?"
"Li Jie, shut up," Chen Bai barked in a low voice.
The man snapped out of it instantly and looked nervously at Si Jiang.
Si Jiang swirled his drink, his face expressionless. "Actually, I find the service here lacking as well."
"What do you want?" Zong Yan asked directly.
"Since you refuse to serve Young Master Li, then you can drink his share for him."
***
By the time Zong Yan walked out of that private room, she could barely stand.
She had never drunk alcohol before, let alone that much.
It wasn't until her face turned deathly pale from the forced drinking that Si Jiang finally nodded slowly, indicating he was satisfied.
She forgot her tray and staggered to the door. Just as she opened it, someone was pushing their way in, and they collided.
Zong Yan nearly fell but was caught by the newcomer.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, thank you," Zong Yan whispered. She immediately pulled away and headed out.
Behind her, a white light flashed, unnoticed by anyone.
"Oh, my goodness! What happened to you?"
Back in the staff area, Xiao Qing saw her disheveled state and panicked. "You just went to deliver some drinks. What happened?"
Zong Yan sat on a stool, her breathing ragged. She pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to alleviate the discomfort. "Nothing. The guests made me drink a little."
Xiao Qing’s expression turned complicated, but she didn't say anything more. That was Room 1; the guests inside were not people she was in a position to criticize.
"They didn't... take advantage of you, did they?" She could only pat Zong Yan’s back to comfort her.
"Take advantage?" Zong Yan looked confused. "What do you mean?"
"Uh, like, did they do anything bad to you? Like groping or anything?"
"Oh. No. I just drank."
"How much did you drink?"
"Two bottles."
"...You said how many bottles?"
Zong Yan repeated, "Two bottles. Why?"
Xiao Qing looked at her in disbelief, unable to comprehend why Zong Yan was so calm. "That was vodka! Two bottles? Most people are drunk after a few glasses. Were they trying to kill you?"
Only then did Zong Yan realize why the entire room had gone silent toward the end. They had all been staring at her, dumbfounded.
At that moment, the physical toll finally hit her. Her chest felt like it was burning up, ready to burst.
"Ugh."
Pushing Xiao Qing aside, Zong Yan covered her mouth and bolted for the restroom.
She vomited violently, feeling as though her very blood was leaving her body along with the retching. Gradually, the sounds around her grew quieter and more distant. As her consciousness blurred, the world vanished into thin air.
"Hey! Zong Yan!"
"Zong Yan?"
***
When she opened her eyes again, Zong Yan was lying in a hospital bed.
The moment she regained consciousness, a groan nearly escaped her lips. From her head to her throat, to her stomach, and even her entire body—every inch of her was in agonizing discomfort.
"Xiao... Xiao Qing?" she asked weakly.
"It's me. Have some water first." Xiao Qing breathed a sigh of relief and held a cup of warm water to her lips.
Zong Yan tilted her head and took a few sips. "What happened to me?"
"What happened? You almost died!" Xiao Qing said, her voice rising with lingering anger. "After you fainted in the bathroom, I called 120. By the time we got you to the hospital, you were going into shock. Even if our club's vodka is diluted with mixers, you can't drink it like that! If the doctor hadn't performed an emergency gastric lavage, you might have checked out right then and there!"
Though she was exaggerating slightly, Xiao Qing had been truly terrified.
"How did you manage to offend that group of wealthy young masters?" Xiao Qing scratched her head in frustration. She really didn't understand. Zong Yan was just an ordinary college student with a quiet, non-confrontational personality. How could she have provoked those second-generation rich kids?
"I don't know."
Zong Yan closed her eyes and lay back on the bed, exhausted.
She truly did not know.
