He made this deduction for two reasons: first, the domestic economic environment is improving, and the country has recently been vigorously commending returning entrepreneurs; second, Zhang Dexing is getting old, and his words yesterday implied a desire to return to his roots.
He Chengxiao waited quietly for him to finish dealing with things before resting his chin on his shoulder, "What's your relationship with that senior... what is it? You even introduced him to Zhang Dexing..."
Bai Yi was stunned for a moment before realizing that he was answering his previous question, "So you..."
"I'm a little jealous."
That's it?
Bai Yi was suspicious, "What about the little assistant?"
"What little... Ning Weixin?" Mentioning him, He Chengxiao also had quite a headache, "The teacher insisted that I bring him along. I'll send him to the marketing department next week for some training. That kid has no tact at all."
Kid? Calling him so intimately?
Bai Yi felt a surge of irritation again, pretending not to care, "Oh, that's good. I can see you really needed a driver. You even had the kid drive you back."
As soon as He Chengxiao heard this, he became anxious, "I didn't mean it like that. It's just that the teacher keeps calling him a kid, so I followed suit. I don't need a driver either, I still have to be Baby's driver."
Bai Yi decided to resist his sugar-coated bullets, "Why didn't you answer the phone yesterday?"
He Chengxiao said matter-of-factly, "I was sending cat and dog emojis in a meeting and my phone ran out of battery. I forgot to charge it."
Familiar cat and dog emojis flashed in his mind.
Bai Yi: "..."
He Chengxiao was only smug for a moment before humming and hawing worriedly, "So did I make it in time?"
Bai Yi sighed inwardly and coaxed him, "Yeah, you made it."
-
"So you just let this matter go? I can't tell, you're putting on such a magnanimous act?"
Bai Yi picked off the half slice of pineapple wedged on the rim of the glass and put it in his mouth to chew, "What act?"
The sweet fragrance of pineapple burst in his mouth. He slowly wiped his fingers with a wet wipe, took a small sip of wine, and the black shirt was buttoned meticulously to the very top, only revealing a section of fair back neck when he lowered his head.
Seeing him looking aloof again, Qin Sheng said jealously, "Fine, you're noble. Your Old He doesn't care that you come to the bar?"
Whether He Chengxiao cared or not, Bai Yi hadn't told him anyway.
"He trusts me."
Unlike He Chengxiao, Zhuo Shen couldn't wait to tie Qin Sheng to his belt, calling eight hundred times a day to check up on him, making Qin Sheng extremely annoyed and especially headache about his own tiger.
"Maybe he just doesn't care at all."
"Bang—"
The gentle folk song came to an abrupt stop. The singer on the high stool was wearing a simple white t-shirt, and as usual, a half-face mask was covering their face, with fluffy rabbit ears poking out from between the soft black hair, adding a bit of mystery. It was the string on his fingertip that had snapped, and was transmitted through the microphone throughout the venue.
"Little handsome guy, can you do it or not!"
"Such strength in your hands, you must enjoy life a lot."
Amidst the teasing, the singer visibly became flustered and quickly mumbled a few apologies, picking up the guitar again.
The more shy he was, the less likely the tipsy crowd in the dance floor was to let him off.
"Boss, get the little brother a new one!"
"Too stingy, boss!"
"Shouldn't there be some punishment for a performance error?"
Suddenly, a figure stepped onto the stage against the light, the golden tips of their hair shimmering with metallic luster under the disco ball. This young man plucked all five strings, making a loud sound.
Then he raised his arm high and pointed to the sky, snapping his fingers.
A series of fluent scales rang out from his fingertips. He waved his hand to the band and pressed down, his foot tapping the beat. Precise variations and accented beats echoed the drums, and several instruments re-entered in turn, building to a climax and continuing into a magnificent new chapter.
Bai Yi felt that this figure looked familiar, so he looked at the stage a few more times.
Those who come here to play don't want to reveal their identities. The blond man was also wearing a mask, and simply took the guitar and replaced the lead singer, putting the previous young man on his lap.
He sang a rewritten English love song, which was initially passionate and lingering, but the chorus shifted into rock, instantly igniting the dance floor.
"That rabbit is a newly hired singer, still on probation." Qin Sheng glanced at the stage.
Bai Yi barely recalled an impression from his mind, "Wasn't it a redhead before?"
"The redhead took off his mask on stage, broke the rules, and ran off with the Qian Family's Second Master." Qin Sheng shrugged, "Qian Jin plays around a lot, and he's indeed generous. I wonder if this 'rabbit' broke the string because he has his eyes on some target."
Bai Yi withdrew his gaze without interest, "Either way, they're all sending you money."
"Don't slander me." Qin Sheng drew back his hand, "It has nothing to do with me."
This person used to like frequenting bars in his early years. After being with Zhuo Shen, he became much more honest. He opened a bar but didn't dare to register it under his own name, so he found a cousin to act as the front man. It wouldn't be difficult for Zhuo Shen's means to find out, but the tacit understanding between adults kept him from exposing it.
The rhythm of rock surged like a tide, pushing the atmosphere in the dance floor to a climax.
Qin Sheng took off his coat and swam into the crowd like a fish. His carefully maintained physique quickly attracted a lot of attention. Bai Yi watched as someone spilled a glass of wine on his chest.
"Ah, sorry..."
The young man who struck up a conversation took a tissue and pretended to wipe it for him, his fingers boldly and intimately touching his pectoral muscles. The water-stained shirt became transparent, and three buttons on his chest were unbuttoned. Qin Sheng lowered his head, bit the offered glass, and took the opportunity to rub the other person's waist in return.
…
"Handsome, can I buy you a drink?"
Bai Yi looked up. It was a young woman who clearly didn't frequent these kinds of places, and her smile was a little shy.
She nervously tucked her hanging hair behind her ear and explained softly, "I'm on a bet with my friends, could you please..."
Bai Yi looked behind her and sure enough saw several malicious gazes. He frowned slightly, but still raised his glass and tapped it against hers, "Sorry, I came with friends."
The girl was as if granted amnesty and thanked him repeatedly, completed her bet with her friends, and turned around to leave.
"You little bitch, you still say you didn't hook up with a man!"
A man suddenly rushed out from the side and smashed a bottle at the girl. Bai Yi quickly pulled her behind him, and the bottle hit him right in the forehead.
"Pretty boy, I'll kill you!"
"Ah!"
The girl screamed in fright. Bai Yi pushed her back a few steps, turned around to grab the remaining half of the bottle from the man's hand.
This half of the bottle was full of glass shards. It would be terrible if he got hit by it.
The man's eyes were red, obviously in a rage. After the bottle was snatched away, he caught a glimpse of the wine glasses on the bar with the corner of his eye, picked one up and started smashing it down.
Bai Yi took a few solid hits on the shoulder. The little girl who had been pushed away finally reacted, stumbled and hugged the man's waist. Bai Yi took the opportunity to clamp his arms behind his back, raised his leg and bent his knee to pin him against the bar, and calmly shouted, "Security, are you not coming to help!"
-
He Chengxiao had apparently just finished entertaining. His body was still stained with a mixed smell of alcohol. He grabbed Bai Yi's wrist and checked it up and down. Bai Yi's eyes had been scratched, and had just been treated with iodine, which was particularly obvious and impossible to hide.
The troublemaking man and the girl involved were taken away by the police. Bai Yi, as a participant in the mutual assault, was taken back together. Qin Sheng was at least half the person in charge of the bar, and not wanting to worry, came along.
"What happened?"
Bai Yi's eyelids twitched, secretly looking at Qin Sheng.
"That man was making trouble, and Bai Yi had to fight back."
He Chengxiao's face was gloomy. He nodded, his voice obviously suppressing anger, and turned to ask the troublemaking man, "How do you want to resolve this?"
Bai Yi was not very responsible for this matter, but he took action to help the girl. If it wasn't handled properly, the little girl would still suffer.
The troublemaking man walked out of the interrogation room with a bruised and swollen face, baring his teeth and pointing at himself, "Twenty thousand."
"Dream on!" Before he could answer, the little girl, who had just finished the interrogation, rushed up, "You're shameless!"
"I'm shameless?" The troublemaking man roared, "You're cheating, you have the nerve to say me?"
The makeup on the little girl's face had obvious traces of crying. Hearing his smear, her face became even more ugly, "Zhao Dongshi, are you ever going to stop? I said I didn't! I've really had enough of you!"
A sentence seemed to confirm the previous situation. Zhao Dongshi jumped up, "You would break up with me if it wasn't for him? Don't think I don't know, you hooked up in school a long time ago! I have plenty of evidence!"
The little girl's face turned blue and white with anger, "You're stalking me?"
"Otherwise?" Zhao Dongshi sneered, "If I didn't care about you, who would care if you lived or died? Spending money to support a pretty boy? What about my living expenses then? You're acting high and mighty just because you're a fuck toy. I spit on that!"
"What's all the noise!" He spoke rudely, and the duty officer shouted loudly, squeezed between the two, "This is the police station, still need to be educated?"
Zhao Dongshi was not afraid at all. He stretched out a middle finger and pointed at everyone present, shouting, "Why didn't you care when she took my money to support a pretty boy? Now you're all standing on the moral high ground?"
"Slap—"
Five fresh red finger marks suddenly appeared on his face.
"You fuck—"
"Slap!"
The little girl slapped him again with her backhand, "Are you honest now!"
Zhao Dongshi's eyes widened, "Cheap slut—"
"Slap!"
The police officer stepped in and separated the two, "Alright, alright, young lady, have mercy."
Zhao Dongshi shouted, "She hit me! She hit me! Lü Shanshan, you're done for! So what if you found a job! Dare to look down on me? You're so great, believe it or not, I'll go make trouble at your company!"
Lü Shanshan's voice trembled with anger, "You eat mine, wear mine, use mine, how can you have the nerve to say that's your money!"
"Then what else?" Zhao Dongshi stared at her with his eyes, "I've already fucked you, and you're still thinking about running away? You don't think this pretty boy is much nobler than me, do you?"
"Mr. Zhao, please respect yourself!" He Chengxiao stood in front of Bai Yi, pushed his fingers away, and frowned, "Please do not insult my partner."
"Your partner?" Zhao Dongshi raised his eyebrows, his gaze fell on the diamond ring in his hand, his face full of realization, and he mocked with a hook of his lips, "Lü Shanshan, you're just a third!"