Chapter 41

Qin Yun waited for about ten minutes at the door before the person arrived.

Dou Yiqing walked out of the building, wearing a tight-fitting outfit with hot pants. The pants were deliberately tight, squeezing out a bit of thigh fat, but not unattractive—sensual.

As Dou Yiqing got into the car, the scent of perfume immediately filled the car. Qin Yun had smelled many different perfumes but couldn’t recognize which one Dou Yiqing was wearing. It was eye-catching but not overpowering.

“Dou Yiqing, it’s the store’s anniversary today. Is it really necessary to leave the boss waiting downstairs for half an hour? The customers are already here, and I’m still waiting for you,” Qin Yun glanced at her legs and quickly looked away, unable to resist complaining, “And what about your clothes? Is this what a teacher should wear? You dressed just fine during the school anniversary. Why aren’t you wearing those glasses now?”

“I came downstairs on time. If you arrived early, whose fault is that?” Dou Yiqing rolled her eyes. “Who said teachers can’t wear these clothes? I didn’t wear them at school. Qin Yun, stop nitpicking.”

After saying this, Dou Yiqing took out her phone and sent a voice message to Wen Ci: “Baby, are you out yet? Did your family let you go? Do you need me to cover for you?”

Qin Yun thought to himself, you weren’t this sweet when talking to me.

After sending the voice message, Qin Yun casually asked, “Why is Wen Ci’s family so strict with her? She’s already this old.”

“You know her mom. She was famous for being strict when she was at school…” Dou Yiqing paused and didn’t finish the sentence. “And her dad’s also a teacher. It’s double the control.”

Qin Yun recalled and remembered that Wen Ci’s mom was known as “the extinction teacher” in the community. Every time someone was late, if she saw her at the school gate, Qin Yun knew they were in trouble.

“Wait, aren’t your parents also teachers?” Qin Yun said sarcastically, “Not like Wen Ci, but you’re not even as obedient as her little finger.”

Dou Yiqing retorted, “I’m just fierce, so what? Plus, I’m not like Wen Ci. She’s an only child, but I have a younger brother.”

There was something else Dou Yiqing didn’t mention: when Wen Ci’s mom gave birth to her, there were complications, and the situation was pretty dangerous. Fortunately, Wen Ci was saved, but they couldn’t have more children after that. So, Wen Ci’s mom put all her focus on her.

Wen Ci, knowing this, had always been very obedient to her mom.

Qin Yun immediately sympathized, “Your brother must be so pitiful.”

Dou Yiqing hit his bare arm with her fist. Qin Yun exaggeratedly said “Ouch,” and took the opportunity to flex his arm, “Dou Yiqing, look, are my muscles bigger again?”

“About the same.” Dou Yiqing put down her phone after receiving a reply from Wen Ci. “Drive faster, Wen Ci’s here.”

Wen Ci was momentarily stunned by Zhou Wu’s words. When she came to her senses, she had already been pulled by Zhou Wu.

The middle section of the table was full, and Wen Ci was thinking about how it might be awkward if there was no seat, but Zhou Wu led her to the last available seat in the corner of the bar.

Zhou Wu called someone over, ordered a few drinks with low alcohol content and a fruit platter. After placing the order, he felt a bit embarrassed. He had gone out of his way to pick her up, like a thief, but now he had to sit with someone else.

He even awkwardly ordered her drinks.

Looking down, the person next to him had both hands neatly placed on her knees, and her bare arms, exposed from her sleeves, were smooth and white.

“Is it cold?” Zhou Wu asked, almost laughing at himself.

Wen Ci shook her head. She was a bit happy to sit with Zhou Wu. She looked up and asked, “Is this Qin Yun’s own place? It’s amazing.”

In the dim light, Wen Ci’s eyes were bright.

Her eyes were beautiful, but her taste was poor.

The irritation in Zhou Wu’s heart eased a little as he lazily answered, “When it comes to this kind of thing, he’s an expert.”

Qin Yun’s nightclub alone cost several hundred thousand just for the design fees. The final result was a post-apocalyptic theme, with steep stone walls on all sides. The DJ booth and VIP seats were made of jagged rocks, and with expensive lighting, beams of light crisscrossed the entire place, creating a sense of a world-ending illusion.

Wen Ci was curiously studying the stone walls when suddenly the lights went out. She froze for a moment, about to ask if there was a power outage when a heavy drumbeat suddenly blared from all directions. She wasn’t prepared for it and jumped in shock.

Her ear was covered by a hand, and she was pulled over, her other ear pressed against Zhou Wu’s chest.

Zhou Wu hugged her head, his voice smiling. She could feel the vibrations of his chest: “Were you scared? First time in a nightclub?”

The DJ booth shaped like crushed stones lit up with purple lights, and the loud, shrill sound erupted from every direction. In an instant, even the sofa and the floor were vibrating.

Wen Ci realized that the party at Qin Yun’s house could barely be called a real party.

Wen Ci tried to respond to a couple of things, but they were drowned out by the music. She could only nod vigorously in Zhou Wu’s arms, feeling as if her internal organs were shaking from the vibrations.

Dou Yiqing and Qin Yun entered just as the show started.

The lights flickered on and off, and they were led to the booth where Zhou Wu was. When they saw Zhou Wu with someone in his arms, the person’s face was hidden behind their hair and shielded by Zhou Wu’s arm, making it impossible to see their face.

Qin Yun exclaimed, “What the hell, you brought someone?!”

Just as he finished speaking, he noticed the person next to him turning to leave. Qin Yun reached out to grab her, “Where are you going, Dou Yiqing?”

Dou Yiqing said, “Look for Wen Ci!”

The music was too loud, and Qin Yun didn’t catch it. “What?!”

Dou Yiqing leaned closer to his ear and shouted, “Look for Wen Ci!!!”

Dou Yiqing had always had a loud voice. When she first started at Jiangzhong, the students even gave her the nickname “The Lion’s Roar from the East River.” Even with such exaggerated music, her voice stood out.

Wen Ci quickly raised her head and responded, “I’m here.”

Her volume was so high that even Zhou Wu, who was right next to her, could barely hear her.

Qin Yun grabbed onto her, not letting go. “Let’s wait until the opening ends before looking. How can we find her with all this noise?”

Dou Yiqing said, “I’m afraid she came alone and is too scared to enter. I’ll go out and have a look.”

Wen Ci shouted, “I’m here!”

Qin Yun said, “I didn’t see her at the door just now. You should send a message and ask.”

Dou Yiqing replied, “I just sent one, but she didn’t reply.”

Wen Ci raised her arm and shouted at the top of her lungs, “I’m here!!!”

The heavy drumbeat unexpectedly stopped, and the lights turned on, signaling the end of the opening. Wen Ci’s voice echoed through the bar.

Everyone around, including the DJ on stage, looked at her in surprise.

Nestled in Zhou Wu’s arms, with her hands unconsciously wrapped around his waist, hair disheveled, she raised one arm high, only revealing half of her face. Wen Ci thought, “I just want to die.”

The lights changed, and the music continued. Qin Yun gave instructions to lower the volume. Tonight, they were with familiar people, and it was meant to be fun, but the loud noise made it hard to hear anyone talking

Dou Yiqing crossed her arms and stared at the small head that hadn’t been lifted since the opening ended. She hesitated to speak, “You…”

“I was scared, and Zhou Wu blocked me for a moment. He’s really nice,” Wen Ci asked, “Do you want some watermelon?”

Blocked? Like that? Hugging to block?

Dou Yiqing still found it strange. “I don’t want any. How come you’re sitting alone at this table with him?”

“He brought me here, and when we came in, it was almost starting, so I—”

“You came together?” Dou Yiqing asked in confusion. “You two are so familiar?”

“Yeah… we got to know each other better in Bincheng. He took care of me when I was sick. Just now, I couldn’t get a ride home, so I asked him, and he just happened to be passing by and offered to take me.” Wen Ci stumbled over her words, “He’s really nice. What about the pear? Do you want some?”

After receiving two “good person” cards, Zhou Wu, who was sitting next to her, held the dice cup in one hand and couldn’t help but smile.

The mood in the venue picked up, and many people came over to their table. People with a normal relationship came to toast Zhou Wu, while those who were closer stayed to play dice and chat. Their table, although not in the center, became the liveliest. Zhou Wu sat in the middle, surrounded by people.

“You’re laughing?” Qin Yun leaned in and whispered, “Damn, I thought you brought the girl who scratched your back. Didn’t expect it to be Wen Ci.”

Zhou Wu opened the dice cup, gently tapped it on the table, and raised his chin, “I’m teasing you.”

“Damn! Playing with you is no fun.” After losing another round, Qin Yun finished his drink and stood up, shouting to the people across, “Dou Yiqing, come over and play with us.”

Dou Yiqing was still thinking, feeling something was off. Without raising her head, she said, “I’m not playing.”

“Guess what, you lost so badly on the island last time, are you scared now?” Qin Yun teased.

Dou Yiqing couldn’t resist and coldly snorted, picking up her drink and walking over. “If I don’t make you drunk tonight, I’m not Dou.”

Qin Yun, “What? You want to share my last name? Dream on.”

Wen Ci breathed a sigh of relief, put the pear in her mouth, leaned back on the sofa, and quietly watched them play.

Wen Ci actually didn’t quite understand the game. Most of the time, she was watching Zhou Wu’s hands.

Zhou Wu’s hands were large, his long fingers rested on the black dice cup, the joints prominent. Every time he lifted or tapped the cup, it exuded a casual air. He seemed good at everything, and despite playing for so long and hardly drinking any, he kept winning.

After Dou Yiqing left, there was an empty seat next to Wen Ci. Not long after, a man came over with a drink and sat down, stretching his neck in excitement. “Are you done playing? Add me in.”

In nightclubs, people’s social space often shrinks without them realizing it. Feeling the other person’s leg brush against hers, Wen Ci instinctively shifted slightly toward Zhou Wu.

Zhou Wu handed her the low-alcohol fruit wine that the waiter had just brought over, glanced at the man, and said in a tone that was neither cold nor warm, “Sit over there.”

The man was stunned but quickly understood. Given the previous scene, everyone had seen them hugging.

He quickly said, “Alright,” and got up. He bent down, clinked his glass with Wen Ci’s, drank it all in one go, and flatteringly called her, “Sister-in-law.”

Wen Ci, “…?”

Once the man went to sit on the other side, Wen Ci stared blankly and said, “That person seems to have misunderstood, he called me—”

“What?” Zhou Wu lazily played dumb.

Wen Ci held the wine glass with both hands, looked at him, thinking to herself that Zhou Wu hadn’t heard.

She took a big sip of wine, shook her head, and lied, “…Nothing.”

Zhou Wu replied with a hum, turned around, and continued, his face still carrying a light, unshakeable smile.