Chapter 223: Accompanying Guests (Part 2)

Chapter 223: Accompanying Guests (Part 2)

Alcohol tolerance is innate; no amount of practice can bridge the gap between those with high capacity and those without. Moreover, those who can hold their liquor rarely seek it out aggressively. Hou Weidong, for instance, was famous for his bottomless capacity, yet he abstained completely at home. Shen Hao, on the other hand, loved drinking but had a pitifully low tolerance. Alcohol sent him into a state of unrestrained, chaotic excitement.

After just a few drinks, Shen Hao’s shouting filled the room. He cornered Bu Gao, clinking glasses three times in rapid succession. “Where is Li Ying? Don’t hide her. Mr. Bu is a man of honor; you can’t keep a beauty locked away in a golden house.” He added with a grin, “Next time you come to Lingxi, I’ll find a beautiful TV hostess to keep you company.”

Bu Gao’s tolerance was decent, but he had no desire to offend Shen Hao, nor did he wish to associate with him closely. “Li Ying has returned to Lingxi on business,” he replied coolly.

“Stop talking nonsense.”

“She really has returned to Lingxi.”

Shen Hao was visibly displeased. “You didn’t even take to heart what I told you this afternoon. You’re not a loyal friend. True brothers share joys and sorrows alike.”

Bu Gao’s expression darkened.

Liu Mingming laughed, trying to smooth things over. “Brother, just have a few drinks. Why drag women into this? If you’re looking for fun, let Mr. Bu arrange two girls for you. Double or triple, whatever you like. Just don’t make a scene here.”

Just then, the outdoor performance began. Shen Hao, acting like a leech drawn to the sound of water, rushed toward the commotion. Grabbing a bottle and a wine glass, he dragged everyone outside.

The soundproofing in the club was excellent. While the upper floor was an upscale venue, the ground floor was a chaotic underworld. The subwoofers pounded as if trying to shatter hearts. White fog rolled across the floor like a demon emerging from Black Mountain, and spotlights flashed like lightning. The men and women writhing in the center of the dance floor looked like living monsters.

Shen Hao thrived in this environment. He stepped onto the dance floor, willingly transforming into one of the "monsters." Hou Weidong, Bu Gao, and Liu Mingming retreated to a raised platform, five steps above the main floor. From there, they had a clear view of both the dancers below and the performers on stage.

Bu Gao and Hou Weidong stood side by side at the iron railing. “Is this your first time here?” Bu Gao asked.

“I’m too busy to have time for this,” Hou Weidong replied.

Bu Gao smiled. “Being busy means you’re doing important things. Only these petty thugs have the time to party here every day.” He gestured downward, implicitly including Shen Hao in that category.

Leaning close to Hou Weidong’s ear, Bu Gao whispered, “The ‘princelings’ of the provincial capital have formed a tight clique. I had more contact with them a couple of years ago. They have wide connections and significant influence. Previously, they all rushed into politics, but now most are in business. Shen Hao is the famous ‘Young Master Shen.’ He’s crazy, but he lacks depth. I’m not familiar with Liu Mingming, but he specializes in land speculation in Lingxi. I indirectly acquired a plot from him. He’s quite shrewd and conducts business with integrity.”

Hou Weidong glanced at Liu Mingming, who was chatting with Xiaoman. The music was so loud that conversation was impossible beyond a few feet.

“I’m here on orders to accompany guests,” Hou Weidong said. “If Shen Hao gets into trouble playing like this, I won’t be able to explain it to Secretary Zhou.”

Bu Gao sighed bitterly. “That’s just his stubborn nature. He’s in the mood, so it’s hard to handle. These princelings usually bite each other, but they are united against outsiders to protect their collective interests.” Three years ago, Bu Gao had gone north to Lingxi, attempting to integrate into the provincial capital’s princeling circle. For a while, he had been close to them, but he always felt a barrier. His career had advanced rapidly since then, and he had gradually distanced himself from that group. He hadn’t expected to run into Shen Hao today and get stuck with this clingy nuisance.

Shen Hao danced to the music, gulping down foreign liquor directly from the bottle. He was used to playing in large groups in Lingxi, but with Liu Mingming refusing to join the dance floor, he was alone in his frenzy, which left him unsatisfied. He drank and looked around restlessly.

With alcohol clouding his mind, he scanned the people dancing around him and shouted loudly, without a care for propriety, “Damn, they’re all dinosaurs.” He repeated this several times, completely unaware that he had angered the crowd. Unnoticed, several young men with tattoos on their arms gathered around him, staring at him with hostile glances.

A tall young man quickly walked up to the platform and whispered to Xiaoman, “Sister Man, something’s wrong. Xiao Heipi and his crew are looking for trouble. They’re surrounding the guy with the bottle. He came with Mr. Bu, right?”

Upon hearing this, Bu Gao immediately instructed the young man, “Tell Xiao Heipi not to cause trouble. I’ll go bring Shen Hao up.”

As Bu Gao started to descend, a disturbance erupted on the dance floor. To be precise, Shen Hao was kicked out of the center of the floor from behind.

Shen Hao landed dazed. Fortunately, the dance floor was designed to prevent injuries during fights; the edges were rounded, and thick padding was installed. Shen Hao wasn’t hurt. By the time he rolled over and sat up, Bu Gao had arrived.

Bu Gao struck first. “Damn, how did you get involved with the Ergong Gang?”

The Ergong Gang was a notorious criminal organization in Lingxi Province. “Ergong” referred to “second-time offenders,” as the gang’s leaders had all served prison terms at least twice. The gang was involved in gambling, drugs, and other illicit activities, earning a terrible reputation in the provincial capital.

The princelings Shen Hao belonged to operated in high society and had no desire to deal with such desperate criminals. Therefore, Bu Gao used the name of the Ergong Gang to intimidate him immediately, even though the gang’s influence did not extend to Shazhou.

Shen Hao was about to explode in anger, but upon hearing the name “Ergong Gang,” his rage shifted to Bu Gao. “This is your turf. I got ambushed. How do we settle this?”

Bu Gao was secretly pleased to see Shen Hao beaten but said aloud, “Forget it. Let’s go up and drink. What kind of status does Brother Shen have? Don’t lower yourself to argue with these thugs.”

The young man who had accompanied Bu Gao down to the floor whispered to the aggressors. The young men did not continue the fight and gradually dispersed from the dance floor.

Shen Hao returned to the platform, cursing loudly. Liu Mingming, deliberately enjoying the spectacle, asked, “Young Master Shen, why did you end up falling off the stage?”

“Damn it, I’ll find someone to kill those bastards,” Shen Hao snarled.

At that moment, energetic music blared. The host announced with an enthusiastic voice that Miss Yingying from Lingxi would perform a hot dance for everyone.

Hou Weidong had seen Zhu Yingying dance several times on television, usually as a backup dancer for singers, following a pure and innocent style. This time, however, she appeared in a short, tight-fitting outfit. Her long legs, slender waist, and firm chest moved cleanly and sharply to the strong rhythm. Her professional quality immediately captivated the audience, who began dancing vigorously, following her lead.

Since joining the Yiyang County Party Committee Office, Hou Weidong had been exposed almost daily to serious, formal occasions. On their stage, stability was paramount. There were hardly any physical movements; everyone competed using their heads and mouths. The body seemed to be ignored, existing only to fit comfortably on sofas.

Seeing Zhu Yingying’s passionate and sexually suggestive dance, Hou Weidong felt his own body awaken. His gaze fixed on her remarkably flexible waist, and his body began to sway slightly in rhythm.

Shen Hao stared, dumbfounded, his mouth half-open. After a while, he suddenly smashed his wine bottle onto the floor below, shouting to the group on the platform, “I don’t want Li Ying anymore. This girl is mine. None of you are allowed to compete for her.”

“Bring more wine!” he yelled.

The bottle flew directly onto the stage below, crashing against several round light tubes with a loud bang. The crowd on the platform stirred briefly, but seeing no further incident, they resumed dancing to Zhu Yingying’s rhythm.

Hou Weidong, tasked with accompanying guests, saw Shen Hao’s behavior becoming uncontrollable and felt anxious. Hearing Shen Hao call for more wine, he suddenly had an idea. He walked over to Bu Gao, tapped him lightly, and turned toward the private room they had just left.

Bu Gao, being a smart man, followed silently. The two slipped into the private room.

“This won’t do. If something happens, I won’t be able to explain it to Secretary Zhou,” Hou Weidong said.

Bu Gao felt the same. “Zhu Yingying and Li Ying are here to celebrate Xiaoman’s birthday and support her. Shen Hao is going too far. If it weren’t for your face, I would have had someone teach him a lesson. His father has left Lingxi, yet he acts so arrogantly.”

Hou Weidong shook his head. “Even if Shen Enjie has left Lingxi, he is still the son of a provincial governor and a guest of Secretary Zhou. Making a big scene is never good. I’m not afraid of him, but it’s better to avoid unnecessary trouble.”

“Then let’s take turns getting him drunk until he passes out,” Bu Gao suggested.

“He’s the type who goes crazy when he drinks. Who knows what other tricks he might pull before he’s completely unconscious? I have a plan, but you must keep it secret.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll keep it secret.”

Hou Weidong whispered, “Put a sleeping pill in Shen Hao’s glass. He can’t distinguish flavors right now. The medicine will make him sleep and prevent him from causing trouble.”

Bu Gao looked at Hou Weidong with some surprise. “That’s a good idea. There’s a pharmacy outside. I’ll have someone buy it immediately.” Seeing Hou Weidong’s serious expression, he added, “Rest assured, I’ll arrange for a reliable person to handle it.”

When Hou Weidong and Bu Gao returned to the platform, Shen Hao was holding Xiaoman’s hand, shouting and demanding that she introduce him to Zhu Yingying. Drunk, he had no sense of touch, gripping Xiaoman’s wrist tightly, causing her to gasp in pain.

Seeing Bu Gao, Shen Hao said, “Brother, we agreed. Li Ying belongs to Liu Mingming, and I want Zhu Yingying.”

Liu Mingming said from the side, “You’re crazy. Don’t drag me into this.”

Shen Hao, emboldened by alcohol, retorted, “Liu Mingming, stop pretending to be a good guy.”

Liu Mingming gave Bu Gao and Hou Weidong a helpless smile. “He’s a madman when he drinks. Ignore him.”

Bu Gao smiled. “Let’s go to the private room first. I’ll invite Zhu Yingying and the others over.”

Xiaoman was still rubbing her wrist, which had turned slightly blue. Only now did she understand why Bu Gao had asked Li Ying to stay away. She made up her mind to take her female companions home immediately and avoid contact with the madman Shen Hao.

After much persuasion, Shen Hao finally returned to the private room.

At the door, Bu Gao told Xiaoman, “In ten minutes, invite Zhu Yingying and the others over. Everything is under control. I’ve made arrangements.” Seeing Xiaoman’s reluctance, he added, “Trust me. I handle things well. Absolutely nothing will happen. I have a plan.” Trusting Bu Gao, and hearing his repeated assurances, Xiaoman went to summon Zhu Yingying and the other women.

A young man entered with a tray of drinks. He served Bu Gao, Hou Weidong, and Liu Mingming in turn, and finally handed a glass to Shen Hao.

Bu Gao raised his glass. “Let us four brothers have one more drink. Let’s drink freely and play to our hearts’ content tonight.” Hou Weidong cooperated, raising his glass. “It’s an honor to meet Mr. Liu and Mr. Shen. From today on, we are friends. Please look after us in the future.”

After finishing the drink, Bu Gao said to the young man beside him, “Go urge Xiaoman. Tell her to hurry up.”

Seven or eight minutes later, Shen Hao began to feel sleepy. He slumped into a corner of the sofa, muttering, “Bu Gao, hurry up. I can’t wait.”

Hou Weidong and Bu Gao exchanged a glance, a hint of amusement in their eyes.

By the time Xiaoman brought Zhu Yingying and the other women over, Shen Hao was already snoring loudly on the sofa. Given how much he had drunk that night, this state was quite normal.

Zhu Yingying’s forehead was still damp with sweat. Her short skirt and youthful vitality made Hou Weidong’s breathing tighten. As she sat down, Hou Weidong sat in the corner, secretly observing the dazzlingly beautiful woman. He thought, “I was truly strong-willed that day, managing to escape under such circumstances.” Then he wondered, “That day was arranged by Bu Gao. Why would such a beautiful girl follow Bu Gao’s commands so obediently? Sigh, it really is a money-worshipping society now.”

“Being too beautiful brings trouble. You’re always targeted by people with ill intentions. No wonder the ancients lamented that beautiful women often have tragic fates,” Hou Weidong thought with some sentimentality.