Chapter 43: With Me Here, Everything Will Be Alright
Ye Xiwen stood tall, her earlier panic replaced by a steady confidence. If Qian Baoqing thought he could rattle her, he was wrong. "Thank you all for your concern," she said, her voice clear enough to cut through the murmur of the crowd. "It was just a small incident—two men drank too much. The ambulance was a precaution. Mr. Qian's guesses? Pure fiction." She shot Wu a subtle nod—his earlier jab about Qian being a "novelist" had given her an opening. "Though I must agree with our security guard: Mr. Qian has quite the imagination. Maybe he *should* write novels. He'd likely be famous."
The crowd erupted in laughter. Even those who'd suspected the worst relaxed a little—Ye's calm, sharp tone didn't sound like someone hiding a scandal.
Qian's face flushed, his smile twisting into a scowl. "Drank too much? How convenient. Then why'd the police show up? Are they your personal friends, dropping by for tea?"
"Is that a problem?" Ye countered, raising an eyebrow. "Officer Fu and I *are* friends. She happened to be in the area. Or is that against the rules now? Last I checked, you're not Beitian's mayor—or police chief. Before you accuse others, remember your place. Don't overstep."
Qian stared her down for a long, tense moment, then threw back his head, laughing loudly. "Drunk men. Ambulances. Police. Sure. Let's call it 'fiction.' Though if you ever *do* want to write, I know a web novel platform—50 yuan per 1,000 words. Work hard, and you could make 10,000 yuan a month. Not bad for a 'failed club owner.'"
"I'll keep that in mind," Ye said, her voice icy.
Qian waved a hand, signaling his crew to leave. "We'll be back. Let's hope Infinity's still here when we return. Where's the fun in crushing a ghost?" He shot Wu a venomous look before storming off—*this nobody security guard* was proving more annoying than Ye herself.
The reporters lingered, cameras rolling. "Stay tuned, Beitian," one said, grinning into the lens. "We'll dig into Infinity's 'small incident.' Truth always comes out." Their tone reeked of sensationalism—they wanted a scandal, and they were determined to find one.
As the crowd dispersed, murmurs lingered. *Was it really just drunk men?* *Why'd Qian seem so sure?* *Better avoid Infinity for a while—just in case.*
Inside Infinity, Ye collapsed into a chair, her shoulders slumping. The fight had drained her. Outside, she'd been a fortress; inside, cracks showed.
Liao Zhiyuan and Wu followed, closing the doors to keep prying eyes out. The lobby felt eerily quiet without the usual music and laughter.
"We need a plan," Ye said, her voice tight. "Qian's planted doubt. Even if we prove it's a setup, the damage is done. People will hesitate to come back. And Yingjie Group's rent… if they hike it, we're ruined."
Fu had left to chase leads, but Ye knew time was against them.
Liao cleared his throat, shifting uncomfortably. "Boss Ye, the odds are stacked. To save Infinity, we need to act fast."
"Go on," Ye said, nodding.
"I think… we should settle out of court. Find those two men, pay them to drop it. Reputations take years to build—losing ours could kill us. Money can be earned back, but trust? Once it's gone…" He trailed off, knowing Ye hated parting with cash.
"Pay them?" Ye's jaw tightened. "They're scammers. Paid by Qian to frame us. Rewarding that? It's like feeding a wolf—they'll keep coming back."
Liao winced. "I know it's distasteful. But what's the alternative? Let rumors fester? By the time we prove innocence, Infinity might already be closed."
Ye turned to Wu, who'd been leaning against the bar, smoking silently. "Your thoughts?"
Wu exhaled a smoke ring, watching it curl toward the ceiling. "Settling's a nice idea. But it won't work."
Liao frowned. "Why not? Money talks."
"Because Qian's pulling the strings. Those two men? They'll demand more—100k, 200k. And once they get it? Qian'll just find new scammers. It's draining the pond to catch a fish—you lose the pond, and the fish swims away." Wu flicked his cigarette butt into an ashtray. "We need to cut the head off the snake, not feed it."
Ye nodded slowly. "He's right. Qian wants us weak, desperate. Paying them plays into his hands."
But doubt gnawed at her. *What if we can't prove it?* The club was her life's work—built from a empty storefront to Beitian's busiest KTV. The thought of losing it made her chest ache.
Wu noticed her trembling hands, the way her eyes glistened despite her efforts to stay strong. He'd never seen her like this—vulnerable, almost fragile. For a man who'd spent a year teasing her, it was a jarring sight.
He stepped closer, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. His touch was light, but steady—reassuring. "Ye," he said, using her first name for the first time, "I know it feels like the walls are closing in. But we've got leads: the cheap clothes, the unfinished wine, the timing with Qian. Fu's good at her job—she'll find proof. And if she doesn't? I will."
Ye met his gaze, surprised by the resolve in his voice. This wasn't the lazy security guard who napped on the job. This was someone who meant what he said.
"You'd do that?" she asked, voice soft.
Wu grinned, the familiar lazy smirk back. "Hey, Infinity's my couch, my paycheck. Can't let it burn down. Besides…" He leaned in, mock-whispering, "I kind of like watching you tell Qian off. Hate to see that stop."
A faint smile tugged at Ye's lips—her first real one all day. "You're insufferable."
"Maybe. But I'm right." He squeezed her shoulder once, then stepped back, returning to the bar. "We wait for Fu. In the meantime? We shut down for a day, deep clean, restock. Show people we're not scared. And when we reopen? We throw a party. Free drinks, loud music. Remind Beitian why they love this place."
Liao blinked. "A party? After all this?"
"Exactly. Fear thrives on silence. We fight it with noise. With life." Wu shrugged. "Works in the movies, right?"
Ye laughed—a real, warm sound. "You're a terrible planner. But… it's not a bad idea."
She stood, straightening her blazer, the fire back in her eyes. "Liao, handle the shutdown. Tell the staff we'll reopen tomorrow with a bang. Wu…"
"On it," Wu said, already pulling out his phone. "I'll round up the regulars. Promise free shots, they'll come crawling."
As Liao hurried off, Ye turned to Wu, a softness in her gaze. "Why? Why care so much? You've never acted like Infinity matters to you."
Wu paused, then shrugged. "Maybe I'm tired of seeing good things get crushed. Maybe… I like working here. Quiet, mostly. No one asks too many questions." He met her eyes, earnest. "And you? You don't deserve this. Not after building something real."
For a moment, neither spoke. The air felt lighter, the crisis still looming but no longer overwhelming.
Finally, Ye nodded. "Tomorrow. We fight back."
Wu grinned. "Atta girl."
As he walked away to make calls, Ye stood alone in the lobby, staring at the "Closed" sign Liao had hung. Doubt flickered—*what if we fail?* But then she remembered Wu's words: *With me here, everything will be alright.*
Maybe, just maybe, he was right.
Tomorrow would tell.