Chapter 38: Half Awake, Half Asleep

"What's going on?" Yao Yao's mind was still groggy, as if she hadn't fully woken up from a strange, half-asleep dream.

"Yao Yao!" At that moment, Bai Ling suddenly opened the elevator door.

"What is it, Bai Ling?"

"Are you okay?"

"I… I'm fine." What was going on? She had only dozed off for a bit, yet it felt like she had missed a lot.

"You won't believe it! While you were sleeping in the elevator, a couple of guys from another department tried to take advantage of you. I was about to stop them when that super handsome guy showed up and scared them off. He told me to leave the rest to him. Did he tell you about it? You should really thank him—who knows what could've happened otherwise."

If Bai Ling hadn't mentioned it, Yao Yao might never have known such a thing occurred. No wonder when she said she wouldn't sleep in the elevator anymore, Yu Ao Tian simply left. Was he trying to warn her about the dangers of public places? But...

But did he really have to do it in that way? If he hadn't gone that far, she might have truly felt grateful. But now…

"Yao Yao, tell me, what's going on between you and that handsome guy?"

"I—I actually don't know him very well. I just know he's from the PR department."

"Ah, that makes sense. No wonder he's so attractive. Still, you better stay away from him. Rumor has it…" Bai Ling looked around conspiratorially and whispered, "A lot of the guys in PR are being kept by rich women. That guy dresses like a model in head-to-toe designer gear. He's probably one of them."

That… seemed pretty unlikely. After all, Yu Ao Tian was one of Japan's top underworld figures—how could someone like him be kept by a rich woman? But wait, if he's a crime lord… why is he working in PR? Why hadn't she thought of that before?

"Yao Yao, I'm heading back to work."

"Okay, see you." After that scare and Bai Ling's reminder, Yao Yao felt like a whole new person. That afternoon, she worked with renewed energy.

Near the end of her shift, a woman stepped into the elevator. As their eyes met—

"Luo Yao Yao? What are you doing here?"

"Xia Ru?" What a small world—even here she could run into an old high school classmate. But instead of being excited, Yao Yao's eyes flickered with unease. "Heh… what about you? What brings you here?"

"Oh, I have a friend who works at Bo Sen. I'm here to visit her. By the way…" Xia Ru looked her up and down. "You're working here? As an elevator girl?"

"Yeah."

"You're kidding, right? After Feng Chen Yi dumped you, you've fallen this far? Doing such low-end work?"

Of course, nothing good could come from running into Xia Ru. Back when she studied in Japan, there were lots of Chinese international students, mostly from rich families—Xia Ru included.

Most of those rich kids didn't want to associate with poor students like her—except for Gong Xiao Man. It was only after she started dating Feng Chen Yi that those people grudgingly acknowledged her. But once they broke up, they all cut her off. Xia Ru was a textbook example.

"Heh." Yao Yao forced a polite smile and quickly changed the subject. "Which floor are you going to?"

"42nd."

The 42nd floor? That was the Security Department, wasn't it? Yao Yao didn't give it much thought and pressed the button.

"Oh right, Yao Yao. My birthday party is this Saturday. A lot of our old classmates will be there. You should come too."

"No, thanks. I've got plans."

Nothing good ever comes from these gatherings anyway.

"Oh? Really not coming? Gong Xiao Man might be flying in from Japan. Don't you want to see your best friend?"

Gong Xiao Man? Xiao Man was really coming?

After graduation, Xiao Man stayed in Japan with her Japanese citizenship, and Yao Yao returned to China. Their busy lives meant they barely kept in touch. Xiao Man had been her closest, truest friend. They laughed, cried, partied, and even went to women-only clubs together. Those were beautiful memories. "Thanks, Xia Ru. If I have time, I'll come."

"Alright, here's the invitation." Xia Ru handed her the invitation before stepping out of the elevator. Just as the doors closed, a strange, sly smile appeared on her lips…

That night, the hottest nightclub in town, Heaven on Earth, was buzzing with energy. The stage was alive with dancing women, and the crowd partied with wild abandon. But at one central booth, the atmosphere was far from festive.

"Damn it! Where's Xiao Xue? I want Xiao Xue!" a man roared. His exposed skin was covered in tattoos.

The mama-san, sweating nervously, tried to calm him. "Mr. Zong, Xiao Xue isn't feeling well tonight. How about a drink first? I'll call her right away and get her here, okay?"

"Hmph. Then hurry up."

"Yes, of course. Xiao Luo! Bring a bottle of XO to Mr. Zong!" she called out to a server.

"Got it." Wearing a server uniform, Yao Yao walked over with a bottle in hand.

She had just started this second part-time job as a nightclub server the previous afternoon. Though she knew it was a shady environment, she had no choice. The daily pay made it perfect for her goal—earning enough to pay for her grandfather's dialysis. No wonder she'd been in a daze all day at work.

"Well, well, a new face?" Mr. Zong's eyes lit up at the sight of Yao Yao.

"Yes, sir."

"Come, have a drink with your big brother." He leered as he grabbed her hand.

Her heart tightened as she instinctively pulled away. "I'm sorry, sir. I don't drink." She turned to leave.

"Stop right there!" Several of his goons blocked her path. "When big brother invites you for a drink and you refuse, that's disrespectful. And when he loses face… he gets real mad."

"S-Sir… I'm just a server, not a hostess," Yao Yao said, cold sweat trickling down her back.

"You think I don't know that? But I'm telling you to drink now. So, will you or won't you?"

She had experienced Yu Ao Tian's quiet, terrifying presence before. In comparison, this guy's thuggish bluster only highlighted the difference between true danger and empty threats—just like Li Wen Feng versus Feng Chen Yi.

Sometimes, it wasn't the loud ones you had to fear—it was the silent, calculating ones like Yu Ao Tian who were truly dangerous.

Even though she could tell this guy was all bark and no bite, there was nothing she could do about it. "Sir… if I drink this one glass, will you let me go afterward?"

(To be continued)