The corridor of the nightclub stretched on with a series of domed arches, extending the visual space, as if stepping along this decadent glamour could lead all the way to a magnificent hall.
Two men walked beneath the shifting light cast by crystal chandeliers, following a waiter toward a private room.
“Who set this up?” one of them asked.
The man beside him, not very old but already noticeably gray-haired, replied, “The young master of Ruixiang Pharmaceuticals.”
The man frowned slightly. “You mean that Xue Bao Tian you mentioned? That scumbag?”
“Yeah.” The prematurely gray-haired man tucked his shirt into his waistband as he spoke. “If he starts messing with me later, don’t interfere. I only brought you along in case he gets me drunk and there’s no one to take me home.”
He turned his head, expression serious. “If it gets bad, just send me to the hospital.”
The heavy, luxurious door of the private room was set with black tempered glass, reflecting distorted and blurred faces. The gray-haired man hesitated again and again before finally gripping the cold metal handle, taking a deep breath, and pushing the door open.
The heavy expression on his face instantly turned into a beaming smile the moment the door opened.
“President Xue! Sorry, I’m late!”
Inside the private room, shifting lights filled the unusually spacious area. The decadent music had just faded out, replaced by a rhythmic bass that throbbed through the air, shaking hearts with a mix of intensity and indulgence.
Men and women dressed in finery sat along the semicircular sofa. In the central seat, a man in a white suit glanced over briefly, then withdrew his gaze as if it meant nothing.
The gray-haired man led his friend forward, bowing and nodding. “President Xue, I’m late. I’ll punish myself with three drinks.”
Xue Bao Tian had an arm around a girl, chatting. She giggled, and in an effort to hook this wealthy target, subtly tugged at her clothing, revealing even more of her ample chest.
A man long immersed in wine and women naturally understood such intentions. Xue Bao Tian’s gaze slid downward, landing on that pale softness.
But the anticipated excitement didn’t come. Instead, his chest suddenly tightened, and memories of being bitten and handled a few days ago surfaced unbidden. The lingering soreness—so tender he didn’t dare touch it—flared up instantly.
“Fuck!” He hunched slightly, gritting his teeth at the girl. “Aren’t you cold, showing that much? Why don’t we send you to the polar exhibit? Might even give the penguins a day off.”
He ordered, “Find some clothes for these women. Got any tracksuits? Put them on!”
Someone teased from the side, “What, Young Master changed his tastes? Didn’t less fabric used to make you happier?”
“Shut the hell up. What change? If anything, you should turn around and get lost.”
As the noise continued, a voice laced with suppressed anger cut in: “Mr. Xue, someone here is talking to you.”
The room fell silent for a moment. Even the women who had been pouting and complaining shut their mouths.
Xue Bao Tian dropped the expression on his face and turned slightly, noticing the gray-haired man nervously shaking his head at the man beside him.
“Oh?” His gaze lingered briefly on the speaker before he finally gave the gray-haired man a proper look. “Well, well, isn’t this President Fan from Jiuhua Health? When did you get here?”
The gray-haired man swallowed his discomfort, forcing a wrinkled smile. “Just arrived. President Xue, let me toast you.”
His glass remained raised in midair—ignored once again. Xue Bao Tian whistled at the waiter selecting songs in the corner. “Play something for me—‘What the Hell Are You.’”
As the intro began, one of his hangers-on stirred things up. “Bro, the guy’s been holding his drink up for a while.”
“He’s toasting President Xue, not me.” Xue Bao Tian propped his leg on the table, cigarette between his lips as he spoke lazily. “President Fan, my dad is President Xue. If you want to drink with him, why come to me?”
The gray-haired man slapped his own mouth lightly. “My mistake, my mistake. Won’t make that kind of low-level error again. Vice President Xue, I toast you.”
“Vice President?” Xue Bao Tian withdrew his leg and leaned slightly toward him. “So you’re saying I’ll always be ‘Vice’ in the future? Never making it to full President?”
The glass wobbled, liquid spilling onto his fingers. The gray-haired man moved his lips. “No… no, that’s not what I meant.”
Xue Bao Tian removed his cigarette and broke into a grin. “Relax, I’m just messing with you. Look how scared you are.” He patted the man’s arm heavily. “Just livening things up. President Fan’s not mad, right?”
“Not angry, not angry.”
Xue Bao Tian picked up his drink and casually clinked it against the gray-haired man’s glass. While flirting and bantering with the woman who had already put on a bartender’s outfit, he took a light sip.
“Who’s this?” He pointed at the man beside the gray-haired one—the same person who had spoken earlier.
The gray-haired man, sitting on the sofa, quickly half-rose from his seat. “This is my friend Jing Liang. He works at the Audit Bureau. I brought him along today to meet some people.”
“Mm.” Xue Bao Tian responded indifferently.
“Vice President Xue, I came today to apologize.” The gray-haired man still half-hovered above his seat. “You’re magnanimous—please don’t hold it against me.”
Xue Bao Tian chuckled. “President Fan, couldn’t get through to my brother-in-law, so now you remember me?”
The gray-haired man was left speechless in embarrassment.
Xue Bao Tian rested his elbow on the back of the sofa, swirling the drink in his hand. “You wanted your health products into pharmacies. Behind my back, you called me useless, went through my brother-in-law instead. But have you thought about it? No matter how much the old man likes him or relies on him, he’s still not a Xue.”
“Yes, yes, yes—it’s my fault for not knowing who’s who. Vice President Xue, please give me another chance.”
Xue Bao Tian’s narrow eyes lifted slightly. “I heard President Fan has a fine horse?”
“…Yes.” The gray-haired man gritted his teeth. “If Vice President Xue likes it, I’ll have it delivered to you tomorrow.”
“That works. Same group as today—let’s all have a taste of what a retired champion horse is like.”
“What do you mean by that?!” The man beside the gray-haired one glared sharply.
Xue Bao Tian’s gaze turned dark and sinister, though a faint smile tugged at his lips. He pulled out a cigarette and placed it between his lips. “President Fan, your friend doesn’t seem to appreciate a joke.”
The gray-haired man let out a breath and forced an awkward smile. “Vice President Xue is truly humorous.”
“I don’t even like riding horses—what do I want your horse for?” Xue Bao Tian flicked the cigarette he had just lit into the glass and pushed it to the far end of the table. “Didn’t you say you wanted to make amends? Drink it. Your health products can go on the shelves, and that tiny little factory of yours might even come back to life.”
He smacked his lips lightly. “When I slap your face, don’t ask me why—because when I give you candy, you never say thank you either.”
White foam mixed with black ash. The cigarette soaked in the liquid as tiny bubbles slowly rose from the bottom of the glass. Under everyone’s gaze, the gray-haired man’s hand trembled as he reached for the glass.
“Wait.” Xue Bao Tian lifted his chin slightly. “I said your friend drinks it.”
The private room fell completely silent, leaving only Xue Bao Tian behind.
The table was a mess. The glass with a cigarette in it sat empty. The man rubbed his temples and muttered, “Damn, he really drank it.”
He took out his phone and dialed a number. The wind crackled over the line for a long time before it was finally answered.
“Well?” Xue Bao Tian’s voice sounded a bit stiff.
“It’s done,” came the reply.
“Done?” Xue Bao Tian straightened abruptly. “You’ve got him under control?”
“We’ve got him now. Just some poor bastard—won’t be able to squeeze money out of him. What next? Call the police?”
“Who the hell wants his money? Just scare him with the police first—best if he pisses himself.”
“Boss, you don’t want to come take a look? He’s scared shitless, like a grandson.”
“Really?” Xue Bao Tian curled his lips into a smile. He filled his glass with liquor, tipped his head back, and downed it. “Wait for me.”
On the outskirts where the city met the countryside, even the night wind was harsher.
Xue Bao Tian pulled his coat tighter, pressed the lock on his car, and secured it.
Across from him was a small motel. There was no signboard—just a dim, flickering lightbox standing outside, swaying in the wind.
He lifted the grimy plastic curtain and ducked inside. The worn-out front desk was unattended. He pulled out his phone and dialed the same number as before. “Which room?”
“Second on the left.”
“I won’t go in—might blow the cover. Just crack the door open so I can take a look.”
“Alright.”
The moment the call ended, a door opened on the left. Xue Bao Tian smoothed his hair with his hand and walked over.
The motel was old, carrying a faint musty smell. The corridor was dim and unlit. Room 102’s door was slightly ajar, and the light leaking out cut a slanted yellow strip across the dark floor.
“Damn it, let’s see if you die this time,” Xue Bao Tian muttered impatiently as he approached. As he reached the doorway, that strip of light fell across his eyes.
Before he could steady himself, the half-open door was suddenly yanked wide. A hand grabbed his collar and dragged him violently into the room.
The light inside spilled out for just a moment—then the door slammed shut, swallowing it back inside…
Next
Futile Devices Scans 
Leave a comment