Erik was in a buoyant mood. He hummed a tune during the drive, his voice deep and sensual. It was an English song that had once been Janelle's phone ringtone, so she was very familiar with it. His rich baritone suited it perfectly, rivaling the original singer.
It was rush hour, and the traffic was heavy. Someone tried to cut into their lane, but Erik didn't yield an inch. The other driver started cursing. Erik pulled over, got out of the car, and strode towards the offending vehicle. Seeing Erik's imposing height and fierce demeanor, the man was instantly intimidated.
"I-I-I…"
"Who are you swearing at?" Erik demanded. "Cutting in line and you still have the nerve?" He showed no tolerance for people who flouted the rules.
"Sorry, my mistake," the lane-cutter immediately apologized, even though a woman he'd just met sat in his passenger seat. Faced with this man's aura, he backed down.
"Erik, let's go," Janelle called out. She was getting hungry. She wasn't a big eater, but she couldn't stand being hungry.
"You stay parked right there," Erik ordered the man. "Don't move until the car behind you moves. Otherwise, try me." With that, he turned and got back into his car.
Seeing her pale complexion, he knew she must be hungry again. The girl disliked taking her Chinese medicine, and her stomach hadn't fully recovered.
The lane-cutting driver, seeing them leave and dismissing Erik's warning, muttered, "Fuck, who does he think he is? Just a Cullinan, big fucking deal," trying to save face.
The woman in his passenger seat shook her head, then opened the door and got out.
"What's your problem?" the man snapped angrily.
"At first, I thought you seemed decent enough to have some fun with," the woman stated coolly. "But now I see you're truly pathetic. You're incredibly ignorant. That modified Rolls-Royce Cullinan could buy ten of this car." She walked onto the sidewalk and headed in the opposite direction.
The man slammed his fist onto the steering wheel, making it blare sharply. He tried to force his way in again, but the car behind surged forward, resulting in a collision.
"..."
The man's mood plummeted further.
Meanwhile, Erik and Janelle soon arrived at the private kitchen restaurant. Sara and Jiang Chao were already there, ordering food. Seeing them enter, Sara handed the menu to Erik.
"Erik, thank you so much for today. Order whatever you like; my treat." They had genuinely helped her a lot.
Erik took the menu and started ordering, selecting all of Janelle's favorite dishes. "Make it quick," he instructed the waiter after finishing.
The private kitchen had three head chefs, so the food arrived promptly. As soon as the dishes were on the table, Erik served Janelle a bowl of soup first.
"Drink some soup to warm your stomach."
"What's wrong? Stomach bothering you again?" Sara asked, concerned.
"It's fine. Eating something will help." Janelle drank a little soup and only picked at the food afterward.
"Junior Sister, your figure is already perfect. You need to eat properly from now on, understand?" Jiang Chao said. The project was secured; he could provide guidance remotely. He was leaving tomorrow.
"Yeah, I know. Senior Brother, I'm really grateful this time." He'd dropped everything to come when she called.
Jiang Chao waved it off. "Junior Sister, wouldn't you come if I called? Enough. Don't say these things between fellow disciples."
"Alright. If you ever need anything, just call me. I'll fly over." She felt lucky. During her toughest times, she'd met her master and these senior brothers.
"What? Is Senior Brother leaving?" Sara caught the implication. She'd hoped he could support her at the show; it seemed unlikely now.
"Yeah, there are some matters abroad I need to handle. If you miss me, call me. I'll come see you after I'm done," Jiang Chao teased.
Sara raised her glass. "Senior Brother, then I wish you a smooth journey." Sara had feelings for someone else; she wasn't interested in Jiang Chao romantically.
Jiang Chao raised his glass too. The person happiest about Jiang Chao's departure was Erik. The nuisance was finally leaving; his mood soared.
"Senior Brother, I'll toast you too," Erik said, raising his glass.
The moment Erik raised his glass, Jiang Chao felt a twinge of fear. Last time at Nightfall, he'd almost been drowned in liquor. "Alright, thanks," he replied, keeping his apprehension off his face. A man couldn't show weakness.
Fortunately, Erik didn't keep toasting him. After one drink, he ignored Jiang Chao and focused on serving Janelle food. Seeing this, Jiang Chao felt somewhat reassured. His junior sister was only twenty; she deserved someone to share her joys and sorrows with, rather than being alone and cold. If it couldn't be their junior brother (referring to a potential other disciple?), he hoped there would be someone. Shouldn't twenty be about living freely, experiencing a carefree romance?
After dinner, the four headed to Nightfall. Jiang Chao loved the nightclub scene. Leaving tomorrow, he wanted one last visit.
"Junior Sister," Jiang Chao said quietly to Janelle when they were seated, "I'm not saying Erik is bad, but his status is too sensitive. If you're with him, be careful, okay?"
"Yeah, I know." They weren't exactly together; it was more like they slept together when the need arose.
"No need to see me off at the airport tomorrow. You've been exhausted lately; rest at home." The project launch meant she had a lot ahead.
"I have time to see you off. I'll take you to the airport tomorrow," Janelle insisted firmly. She might seem aloof to everyone, but she valued these senior brothers. She wasn't truly heartless; she knew how much they cared for her.
"Alright," Jiang Chao conceded, knowing her stubbornness once she decided.
While Jiang Chao went to the restroom, Janelle noticed Sara's distress. The girl's eyes were red-rimmed.
"What's wrong?" Janelle, ever perceptive, followed Sara's gaze and spotted a man in a white shirt. A woman with big, wavy hair sat beside him, and the man was looking at her with intense heat in his eyes.
"..." That man must be the object of Sara's secret affection. Seeing someone you've long liked look at another woman that way made Sara feel like something had stabbed her heart. It hurt, terribly.
"Him?" Janelle asked softly. Sara couldn't speak, afraid she'd cry if she opened her mouth. Janelle didn't need an answer. She wrapped an arm around Sara's shoulders, letting her lean her head against her own.
Erik, hearing Janelle's question and seeing Sara's state, guessed most of it. "I'm going for a smoke," he said, tactfully giving them space. Sara looked like she might shatter.
Just then, the man in the white shirt also noticed Sara. He stood up and started walking towards them.