Chapter 27: Clubbing at Night

After a short wait, a young man entered the room, impeccably dressed in a suit and tie, his hair neatly combed, and a pair of gold-rimmed glasses perched on his nose. In his hand, he carried a single rose, striding directly toward Liu Xiao.

At the sight of him, Liu Xiao’s eyes sparkled. She was a little excited, though she did her best to maintain a composed expression.

“Hello, beautiful lady. Would you like to have a cup of coffee with me?” The man addressed Liu Xiao with a gentlemanly air.

“All right.” Liu Xiao lifted her chin slightly as she replied.

The man sat down, and Jiang Qianyue’s gaze appraised him. Having seen his photograph before, and with the secret code they’d agreed upon, Liu Xiao was certain this was the man she was meant to meet today.

“Yueyue, let me introduce you. This is Gao Fu,” Liu Xiao said.

Jiang Qianyue nodded politely. Gao Fu’s eyes lit up for a moment as he looked at her, a flicker of admiration passing through them.

“Xiaoxiao, aren’t you going to introduce these two?” Gao Fu asked with a smile.

“This is Jiang Qianyue, my roommate and best friend. And this…” Liu Xiao glanced at Jiang Zheng, momentarily at a loss for how to introduce him.

After a brief pause, she continued, “He’s a friend of Yueyue’s. His name is Jiang Zheng.”

“Hello,” Gao Fu greeted them warmly.

Jiang Zheng looked dazed, showing little reaction.

Liu Xiao frowned slightly at this, but said nothing. Gao Fu glanced at Jiang Zheng, a hint of disdain in his eyes.

Soon, the group sipped their coffee and chatted. Gao Fu spoke of his experiences working abroad, and Liu Xiao listened with stars in her eyes, while Jiang Qianyue remained silent throughout. As for Jiang Zheng, he was absent-minded, lost in his own thoughts.

Time passed as they talked, and before long, their coffee was finished.

Gao Fu then suggested, “Xiaoxiao, you’ve always said you’ve never been to a nightclub. How about I take you out tonight?”

At this, a spark of longing flashed in Liu Xiao’s eyes, but she hesitated. She had indeed chatted with Gao Fu for quite some time, but this was their first meeting. Was it really appropriate to go to a nightclub on a first date?

“It’s all right if you don’t want to. It’s just that I have to return to my company tomorrow. If I don’t take you tonight, it might be a long time before I get another chance,” Gao Fu said with a touch of regret.

His tone softened Liu Xiao’s resolve. Hurriedly, she replied, “Then take me tonight.”

“Xiaoxiao, let’s just go back to school. The nightclub… maybe next time,” Jiang Qianyue suddenly interjected.

Gao Fu considered for a moment and said, “How about this, Jiang—why don’t you come with us? We’ll go early and leave early, and you can accompany Xiaoxiao back to school afterwards.”

Hearing this, Liu Xiao’s last bit of hesitation disappeared. She was already enamored with the man before her. Though she had been cautious as a woman meeting someone for the first time, Gao Fu’s suggestion that Jiang Qianyue accompany her swept away all remaining doubts.

“Yes, Yueyue, join us. You’ve never been to a nightclub either—this is the perfect chance to experience something new. We can all go back together afterwards,” Liu Xiao persuaded her.

“I think we should go another time,” Jiang Qianyue replied. She had no interest in nightclubs, nor did she want to go with a strange man.

“But I really want to go,” Liu Xiao insisted.

Jiang Qianyue fixed her gaze on Liu Xiao and sighed inwardly. She understood that Liu Xiao’s mind was set.

With a faint frown, she quickly considered her options.

“All right, we can go—but you know my current situation. Let Jiang Zheng come with us,” Jiang Qianyue said.

At her words, Liu Xiao looked at Gao Fu, uncertain.

Gao Fu smiled, “No problem. Brother Jiang can join us. My treat.”

Jiang Zheng seemed oblivious, his attention elsewhere.

“Jiang Zheng! Jiang Zheng!” Jiang Qianyue called him twice.

Jiang Zheng returned to himself, looking at her blankly. “What is it?”

Jiang Qianyue spoke gently, “Would you come with us to the nightclub, Jiang Zheng?”

He nodded, “Sure.” Anywhere was fine by him; his mind was too scattered to care, so he simply agreed.

Gao Fu then called for a car—just right for all four of them.

On the way, Gao Fu remarked, “Before we go, let’s get something to eat. It’s best not to drink on an empty stomach. You girls should remember this—always eat before drinking.”

Liu Xiao nodded obediently, while Jiang Qianyue only smiled.

They arrived at a restaurant that looked rather worn.

Gao Fu laughed, “After two years abroad, I’ve missed our country’s food the most. Every time I was in this city on business, I always came here. The food is excellent, and the taste has never changed. People change easily, but this place has stayed the same through the years.”

His tone was full of nostalgia.

Then, with an apologetic smile, he added, “Sorry, I got a little sentimental.”

Liu Xiao gazed at him with shining eyes, while Jiang Qianyue glanced around the restaurant.

Afterwards, Gao Fu ushered them to their seats and deftly ordered dishes, clearly familiar with the place.

Soon, the dishes arrived, and Gao Fu invited everyone to eat.

Liu Xiao tasted a bite and exclaimed, “It’s really delicious. Yueyue, you have to try it.”

Jiang Qianyue smiled and nodded, trying a bite herself. “It’s not bad.”

Gao Fu beamed, “As long as you like it. I was worried you might not be used to it.”

“Not at all—we’re used to this kind of food,” Liu Xiao replied.

Jiang Qianyue said nothing.

Gao Fu was quite talkative; over coffee he had spoken of his work and experiences abroad, and now he recounted his struggles and efforts. His stories rose and fell with emotion, and after a while, Liu Xiao was utterly enthralled, captivated by the life he described.

When they had finished eating, Gao Fu checked the time and said it was about right, then led the group toward the nightclub.

As the name suggests, nightclubs only open at night—go too early and nothing is happening yet.

“Actually, it’s not peak time yet, but since you’re all students and have to return to school later, we don’t need to stay late. We’ll just have some fun and leave early,” Gao Fu said with a smile.

Liu Xiao nodded in agreement. By now, all her wariness was gone.

Even if someone were to tell Liu Xiao at that moment that Gao Fu was a fraud, she would not have believed it.