Bai Qishan talked himself into calm and led his wife back to their room. Only then did Bai Ziyuan remember why she had been forced to come out in the first place. She sprang off Gu Qianran, glaring in cute outrage. "Ranran, I remember now. It is all your fault for making my lips… that is why my mom noticed. Hmph."
Gu Qianran thought Bai Ziyuan looked so adorable like this that it made her want to tease her. Gu Qianran pinched Bai Ziyuan's chin. "The outcome is good anyway. How about we, well, reinforce what legal girlfriends ought to do."
Under that prowling gaze, Bai Ziyuan was startled and quickly covered Gu Qianran's mouth with her hand. "No. You do not want to."
Gu Qianran cast a regretful look at Bai Ziyuan's bright, tempting lips.
On the side, Bai Zilu was bragging to Ji Tang. "Ji Tang, Tangtang, I came out successfully. I really have to thank my silly little sister this time."
Watching Bai Zilu in high spirits, Ji Tang felt a small stab of pain in her chest. Ji Tang frowned slightly and lifted Bai Zilu up by the elbow. "Alright, I know. Go change clothes. We still have to attend Li Junyao's Hongmen Banquet tonight."
Baffled, Bai Zilu was shooed upstairs by Ji Tang. As Ji Tang looked at Bai Zilu's retreating back, the dull ache in her chest faded. Ji Tang gave a bitter smile and looked back down at her phone.
Even someone like Bai Zilu, timid and unserious as she often was, had found the courage to come out for the person she liked. Whatever strange feelings Ji Tang had, whatever they meant, maybe she could just give them up.
Being friends was good too. Was that not what she had originally planned.
Tsk. Why did that useless ache start up again.
Gu Qianran was busy flirting with her wife and did not notice Ji Tang's mood, but when Ji Tang spoke, Gu Qianran remembered what day it was.
What day. A fine day to make money. The corner of Gu Qianran's lips tipped up, showing a beautiful jawline. Bai Ziyuan stared, dazed again, and Gu Qianran seized the opening and stole a round of kisses.
Holding the teary eyed little one in her arms, Gu Qianran successfully unlocked a new skill: coaxing.
They fooled around a while longer. When it was nearly time, they hurried out toward the bar.
The dance floor was crowded and noisy. To make himself look less deliberate, Li Junyao had invited everyone in the circle, boys and girls, regardless of age. A whole mass of people squeezed into the bar to dance, the air thick with a suggestive mood.
When Gu Qianran pushed the door in, a heady wave of alcohol hit her and made her frown. They skirted the scantily dressed dancers and headed to the far side of the floor.
Li Junyao, the so called hundred person slayer Tan Linpeng, Ji Zhu, and three or four other men were drinking there. Seeing Gu Qianran and the others arrive, they exchanged knowing smiles. Li Junyao clapped his hands. The music stopped, and the dancers turned to look at him.
He felt like the moon among stars, and the ego that had been bruised by his secretary was suddenly soothed. He smiled slightly. "Thanks for coming, everyone. I booked out the place tonight. Put it all on my tab. Have fun."
Cheers rose below.
Li Junyao shot Ji Zhu a look, then raised the bottle in his hand. "Let us start with a drink."
The music came back on. People clinked and tipped back their drinks, some swigging straight from the bottle. A few, drunk or pretending to be, took one gulp and immediately started getting handsy and hitting on others.
Before long, Ji Zhu came over carrying several bottles of chilled wine. He snuck a glance at the tiny mark on the caps, then handed the marked bottles to Ji Tang and the others.
His eyes were full of sincerity. "Sis, have a drink. Take it as my apology. One drunken night wipes the slate clean." His words sounded earnest, but could not hide the malice flashing in his eyes. Wipe the slate clean. Ji Tang gave him a scornful look, took the bottle, and did not drink.
Ever the gentleman, Ji Zhu reached into her arms, took the bottle, and popped the cap. His every move looked courteous but held a hint of coercion. "Sis, try it. Old cellar red. The taste is spot on."
Li Junyao and those men opened their bottles too, tossing back half a bottle with an affected flourish and tugging at collars to hide their flushed necks. "Drink. You drink too, do not disrespect us."
Ji Tang's face darkened. They were all underage. What was the point of pressuring them like this. There was surely something in the alcohol.
The mood suddenly tightened like a drawn bow. A few men reeking of booze glared wide eyed at them. Anyone would feel a chill. Just then a bleached blond kid hustled up with his phone. "Brother Yao, what is the Wi Fi password."
At that, a group of tired dancers who had slumped into gaming also crowded near. In full view of Li Junyao, Gu Qianran lifted each of the four bottles in turn and took a generous swig, then lazily pointed at the wall behind Li Junyao. "Over there. See for yourself."
As the crowd swarmed around Li Junyao, Gu Qianran pulled Bai Ziyuan and, with Bai Zilu and Ji Tang, twisted and turned through the bar into a private lounge.
She handed room cards to Bai Zilu and Ji Tang, then led Bai Ziyuan into a room. Even though she had already had the staff swap the drinks, the wine was still rich, and after those mouthfuls she felt a bit dizzy.
Bai Ziyuan held her anxiously. "Ranran, are you okay. Do you want to lie down for a bit."
Gu Qianran nodded obediently. When Bai Ziyuan helped her down on the bed, Gu Qianran tugged her, and Bai Ziyuan toppled onto the mattress too.
They were so close that Bai Ziyuan could smell the wine on Gu Qianran's breath. Big bed and red wine, the mood thick in the air. Frightened, she struggled a little. "Ranran, do not. We are still underage."
Gu Qianran laughed and wrapped an arm around Bai Ziyuan's waist, resting her chin on Bai Ziyuan's hair. "What are you thinking. I only want to hold you."
Her voice was low and lazy. Then she brushed a kiss over Bai Ziyuan's lips, shallow, a touch and then gone.
Even so, Bai Ziyuan felt the wine rich warmth of Gu Qianran's breath spread through the room. She felt like she had strayed into a queen's domain, intoxicated by the heady perfume.
On the other side, seeing Ji Tang vanish in a blink, Ji Zhu got nervous and whispered to Li Junyao. "Brother Yao, should we go look for them."
Li Junyao shook his head and smirked. "No hurry. Gu Qianran is young and impulsive and has been drinking. I suddenly thought of a better idea. Tell me, what if the one drinking is with a woman. I heard your stuff is very strong."
Ji Zhu smiled in understanding. The men went off with a crooked grin, opened a room, and planned to play games while waiting to enjoy Gu Qianran's humiliation. Once they were inside, the waiters cheerfully rolled in case after case of Lafite, and swiped a heavy charge on Li Junyao's card.
Someone outside was still calling, "What is the password. Bring me a bottle of 82 Lafite."
"Got it. Coming. Opened bottles are not returnable." The waiter answered and hustled back with more Lafite.
Watching the monitors, the bar manager fought to hold down a grin. The boss really had a way. Not only did she keep those people from trapping her, she made the bar a pile of money.
If Gu Qianran had been awake, she would have been in the same mood. After all, it was the meme worthy scene from her previous life, and a pair of idiots had actually fallen for it. The so called heaven's favored male lead had fallen for it too, which made it even funnier.
While Gu Qianran was not looking, the workings of heaven had already shifted course. If she stopped to think, she would find this was no longer a world that bent to a single person's will.
But for now, Gu Qianran was not awake. She had fallen asleep holding her little one. On her phone lay Ji Tang's message: We got the dorm mistress off your backs. Remember my hardship fee. Settle up per person.
===
Author Note:
Don't worry, the supporting cast won't be sad, and the sweet moments are coming soon! Within two chapters!
High-energy warning: My sister has become an adult (hehe)
Want to see Bai Ziyuan, the grown-up, abstinent lawyer with a contrasting cuteness?
The petite lawyer is so adorable!
Gu Qianran: Say it again?