Persuade With Reason

“Do you know Xie Lisu’s ex-girlfriend?” Fu Yuchuan pondered for a moment. “Oh, I remember now. A few months ago, when we went to that private restaurant, that girl seemed to reach out and steady you.”

Thinking about it, Fu Yuchuan chuckled as he rubbed the back of his hand. “You know, that girl is really something. No wonder even women are drawn to her. If she weren’t your nephew’s ex, I’d be tempted to—”

“No, you wouldn’t.” Shi Yibai set down the flower shears. “You’re not worthy of her.”

Fu Yuchuan: “Our friendship has just hit an iceberg.”

Shi Yibai ignored Fu Yuchuan and turned the vase slightly, gently caressing the delicate petals. “She’s a favorite student of a renowned professor at Imperial Capital University, admired as a goddess by countless people on campus. Major companies are all vying to recruit her. And you?”

Fu Yuchuan: “…”

He had performed poorly on the college entrance exams and ended up studying abroad. Now, he was just idling away in his father’s company.

Alright, he couldn’t compare to a goddess.

“But isn’t life about siding with your own people rather than being fair?”

Shi Yibai: “Hmm.”

What does “hmm” mean?

What’s the implication here?

Nighttime has a way of stripping away the day’s inhibitions, allowing one to embrace their true self.

Jin Fei drove her mother’s car to the entertainment venue. After parking, she glanced at the luxury cars surrounding hers, twirled the keys in her hand, and strode confidently through the entrance.

“Miss Jin, you’re here?” The receptionist at the front desk greeted her with a sweet smile. Jin Fei wasn’t a regular here, but wherever she appeared, people rarely forgot her presence.

“Is Miss Zhao here yet?” Jin Fei smiled at the receptionist.

“Miss Zhao has already arrived. Please follow me.” The receptionist led the way, smiling warmly at Jin Fei. “Many of my colleagues were thrilled to hear you were coming.”

“Thank you.” Jin Fei smiled. “I always have a good time here.”

“This way, please.” The receptionist’s smile grew even brighter as she stopped in front of a door, gently knocking. “Miss Zhao, Miss Jin is here.”

Jin Fei pushed the door open and walked in. Zhao Yue was chatting with a group of young men and women. When Jin Fei entered, one of the girls beside Zhao Yue stood up to make room for her.

“You’re finally here.” Zhao Yue tilted her chin slightly, glancing around the room. “Since I arrived, everyone’s been asking when you’d show up.”

“Traffic was bad. Sorry to keep you all waiting.” Jin Fei took a sip of champagne and sat down beside Zhao Yue.

The group gathered around the table, which was covered with bottles of various-colored drinks and a messy pile of cards. Jin Fei leaned back lazily against the sofa, her glass shimmering under the flashing lights, its color shifting like a kaleidoscope.

Among the group were friends both Jin Fei and Zhao Yue knew, as well as some attractive men and women Zhao Yue had invited to liven things up.

Someone mixed a colorful drink and brought it over to Jin Fei. She looked up at the young man holding the glass. His features were youthful, and his smile carried a hint of shyness unique to teenagers.

He seemed nervous that Jin Fei might refuse, his hands trembling slightly as he held out the glass.

Jin Fei handed her champagne glass to the young man and took the colorful drink, taking a sip.

Hmm, kids should probably stick to their studies. If you’re not naturally talented at mixing drinks, it’s better not to force it.

“This is my cousin. He insisted on coming out to see the world today.” Zhao Yue wrapped an arm around Jin Fei’s shoulder. “The little rascal loves excitement, so I brought him along. He’s been tinkering with drinks all night, and the best one he made ended up in your hands.”

“Is he of age?” Jin Fei chuckled softly, swirling the glass in her hand before taking a long sip, her eyes sparkling like smoke.

“He’s twenty this year. I wouldn’t dare bring him out if he weren’t.” Zhao Yue bit into a piece of fruit someone had fed her. “My mom and brother would break my legs if I did.”

Jin Fei laughed, the liquid in her glass swaying gently.

“What’s your name, little brother?” Jin Fei’s tone softened considerably when speaking to her friend’s cousin.

“Pei Yiqi.” The young man’s face flushed slightly. He noticed a drop of wine on Jin Fei’s hand and quickly handed her a tissue.

“Thank you.” Jin Fei casually wiped her hand and finished the drink before being called over by others to join a game.

“Hey, little cousin.” Zhao Yue noticed her cousin’s reddened ears and beckoned him closer, whispering, “Don’t fall for her. It won’t end well.”

Pei Yiqi’s ears turned even redder. “I’m not.”

Zhao Yue didn’t press the issue, nodding toward Jin Fei. “See that?”

Men and women alike were eagerly vying for Jin Fei’s attention, unconsciously trying to please her.

When Pei Yiqi looked over, Jin Fei happened to turn her head and smile at one of the girls, whose eyes instantly lit up as if filled with stars.

“Not everyone can be the goddess of Imperial Capital University.” Zhao Yue smiled contentedly, as if the admiration directed at Jin Fei were meant for her instead. “Falling for a woman like that is both a blessing and a curse. You’re my cousin, and I can’t just watch you walk into that trap.”

Pei Yiqi’s blush faded a little as he looked away. “I just see her as an older sister.”

“Good.” Zhao Yue stood up and walked over to sit beside Jin Fei. “Alright, with so many of us here, let’s skip the Tarot cards and go straight for Truth or Dare.”

“Boo!” The group groaned in unison.

“That’s so old-school.”

“Too cliché.”

“Hey, hey, hey.” Zhao Yue rapped her knuckles on the table. “Are you all just scared? Jin Fei, what do you say? Should we play?”

Jin Fei shrugged indifferently. “Whatever makes you happy.”

The group teased her, saying Jin Fei always favored Zhao Yue the most.

“Oh, shut it. Our friendship goes back to the cradle. You can’t compete with that.” Zhao Yue pulled out a deck of cards. “Come on, everyone, gather around.”

“Something feels off tonight.” Fu Yuchuan played a few rounds of cards with his friends before turning to the dealer. “Where are the girls who usually play with us? Are they not working tonight?”

Those girls were cute and fun to talk to. Every time he came here, he’d invite them to join, but tonight, none of them were around.

“Mr. Fu, are you asking about Lingling and the others?” The dealer explained carefully, “Another guest came tonight, and they’re all over there playing with them.”

“Who’s important enough to take them all away?” Fu Yuchuan tossed his cards onto the table, feeling bored.

“Mr. Fu, I’m sorry.” The dealer quickly apologized.

He couldn’t very well tell Fu Yuchuan that Lingling and the others hadn’t been summoned—they’d gone over on their own.

“Whatever.” Fu Yuchuan wasn’t the type to throw his weight around. He glanced at Shi Yibai, who was sitting nearby sipping his drink. “Yibai, come on, join us for a game.”

Shi Yibai walked over and picked up the deck of cards. His elegant fingers moved deftly, shuffling the cards with effortless grace.

“Such beautiful shuffling, such a bored expression.” Fu Yuchuan sighed. “Kang Jing, isn’t a man like Yibai just infuriating?”

Hearing his name, Kang Jing snapped out of his thoughts. “What?”

“What’s with you tonight?” Fu Yuchuan looked at him suspiciously. “Did some enchantress steal your soul?”

“No enchantress, but there is a beauty.” Kang Jing, with his honest and reliable demeanor, replied, “I saw a very striking woman earlier.”

“How striking can she be?” Fu Yuchuan added a couple of ice cubes to his glass, shaking it so the ice clinked loudly. “You’ve been in the mountains too long. Everyone must look good to you now.”

Kang Jing smiled. He wasn’t one to argue, so he simply took a sip of his drink.

A card was dealt to him, and Shi Yibai looked over. “How’s it been these past six months?”

“Tough, but meaningful.” Kang Jing raised his glass to Shi Yibai. “What about you? I heard the Xie family held an engagement party. You didn’t go?”

“What does Yibai have to do with the Xie family? Why should he attend some junior’s engagement party?” Fu Yuchuan’s tone carried a hint of mockery. “The way the Xie family treated him during his hardest times still makes me sick.”

Kang Jing glanced at Shi Yibai, who remained silent, and smiled. “Fair point. It’s better not to go. Saves trouble.”

As they spoke, Kang Jing noticed that the staff who usually chatted and laughed with them seemed a bit off. “What’s going on?”

A staff member who was most familiar with Fu Yuchuan cautiously glanced at Shi Yibai: "Mr. Xie might have had a bit too much to drink tonight. I heard that the staff who usually accompanies him is busy with someone else, and it seems... it seems he went to cause trouble with that person."

"Is that guy here tonight too?" Fu Yuchuan clicked his tongue in disdain. He didn’t think much of Xie Lisu, but despite his usual sharp and sarcastic tongue, he refrained from saying anything harsh in front of Shi Yibai.

However, what struck him as odd was why the staff seemed overly concerned.

He stood up: "I’ll go take a look."

After Xie Lisu barged through the private room door, the first person he saw was Jin Fei. Men and women surrounded her like stars orbiting the moon.

Jin Fei, lounging lazily against a girl, held a deck of cards in her right hand and a glass of wine in her left, exuding the aura of a queen bestowing her favor upon her subjects.

"Mr. Xie, Mr. Xie..." The staff who had followed him, worried that Xie Lisu might cause a scene, caught up to the door and saw that he had stopped at the entrance without entering.

They glanced inside the room, then back at Xie Lisu, forcing a smile as they tried to mediate the situation.

"Jin Fei?" Xie Lisu felt as if a balloon had been stuffed into his chest, swelling to the point of bursting, yet he feared the explosion might hurt him. "What are you doing here?"

Jin Fei frowned when she saw Xie Lisu standing at the door. This man had no shame—engaged to someone else, yet he chased her all the way here.

"That scumbag Xie Lisu dares to show his face?" Zhao Yue, upon seeing Xie Lisu, instantly transformed into a raging keyboard warrior: "You filthy trash, go back and play nice with your dog fiancée. Don’t ruin your daddy’s fun."

Jin Fei silently glanced at Zhao Yue: "Why stoop to being a dog’s father when you can just be human?"

Xie Lisu stormed into the room, pushing aside the men and women surrounding Jin Fei, and reached out to grab her arm: "Come with me!"

Jin Fei deftly sidestepped, avoiding his grasp. She used the cards in her hand to block his arm: "An engaged man should stay home and keep his fiancée company. Stop being so fickle."

Xie Lisu turned to look at the men and women in the room, and the balloon in his chest finally burst.

Him, fickle?!

Damn it! [Just a figure of speech.]