Chapter 69: Quite a Few Familiar Faces

“Manager Gao, right? My bike weighs over five hundred pounds; there’s no way one person can move it,” Yang Meng said.

Gao Pei smiled, “Mr. Yang, you truly are a kind-hearted person. Even after he angered you so much, you’re still speaking up for him.”

Yang Meng shook his head, “No, no, no, I’m just worried he’ll damage my bike.”

Gao Pei paused, “You’re right, Mr. Yang. I didn’t consider that. I’ll take care of it myself in a bit. What brings you here today, Mr. Yang?”

Yang Meng replied, “As I mentioned, I need to see your boss. Has he arrived?”

Gao Pei shook his head, “He hasn’t come yet. I’ll call him now. He’ll definitely hurry over once he knows you’re here.”

Yang Meng laughed, “No need to rush. I’m not in any hurry. If he’s busy, let him finish what he’s doing. As long as he comes by today, that’s fine.”

After all, he was here to ask Zhang Qiang for a favor; the earlier incident was already awkward enough. To pressure the man to come over right away wouldn’t seem appropriate.

Gao Pei nodded, “Alright, Mr. Yang, I’ll call my boss to let him know you’re here. A-Le, come here!”

Standing by the bar was the same boy named A-Le who had served Yang Meng and his friends last time.

A-Le was chatting energetically with a girl, and seemed annoyed when someone called him. But seeing it was Gao Pei, and then Yang Meng beside him, he immediately dropped everything and sprinted over, “Brother Yang, we meet again!”

Yang Meng smiled, “Yes, today I need to see your boss. Could you arrange a seat for me while I wait?”

A-Le responded quickly, “Of course! No need to ask. You’re here, so it’s definitely the BOSS booth! How did you like the one last time?”

Yang Meng shook his head, “Why take up such a big space when I’m alone? Just find me a small corner to sit for a while.”

A-Le insisted, “Brother Yang, our boss said you’re a VIP here. You get the BOSS booth every time. Don’t worry—this is a nightclub! We never lack ladies to drink with you. I’ll arrange a crowd for you, guaranteed to please you.”

Yang Meng was instantly tempted, but since he was waiting for Zhang Qiang to discuss business, he finally declined A-Le’s generous offer and settled into a small booth in the corner. He wanted some drinks, and A-Le told him there were still five bottles of Hennessy Richard left from last time, stored at the bar. So, he kept on drinking.

After delivering the drinks and soft beverages, A-Le breathed a sigh of relief. One of his clients had booked the BOSS booth through him tonight; if Yang Meng had taken it and the client found out, his commission would have been lost. Luckily, Yang Meng hadn’t gone.

Sitting in the corner, Yang Meng felt rather dejected. He’d told Gao Pei not to hurry, but after nearly an hour, Zhang Qiang still hadn’t arrived. All he could do was drink and watch others dance.

If only he’d asked A-Le to bring over a girl to drink with him! Why bother maintaining a façade?

He drank alone, waiting for Zhang Qiang, while the rest of the nightclub was a sea of joy, making him seem completely out of place. Perhaps because Gao Pei had spoken to the staff, none of the girls approached Yang Meng for conversation, which only made him more bored.

While Yang Meng brooded in his corner, the BOSS booth was a different scene—a group of men and women were happily drinking together.

“Listen up, your task tonight is tough! My buddy here can drink anyone under the table. If you manage to get him drunk, this twenty thousand is yours to split!” A man waved a stack of cash at the women drinking nearby. “No dice games or tricks tonight—the only goal is to make my brother enjoy himself!”

Another younger man frowned, “Brother Zhou, isn’t this a bit much?”

The man called Brother Zhou grinned, “We’re out to have fun, aren’t we? Tonight, it’s on me. You must enjoy yourself, no excuses! Come on, be a real man surrounded by all these beauties—don’t chicken out! Drink up! Waiter, bring another bottle of Armand de Brignac! If we run out, we’ll order more!”

Hearing this, the girls on site cheered excitedly.

Armand de Brignac champagne—eight thousand eight hundred a bottle. That’s quite a commission. And from the looks of it, he’d keep ordering. For the sake of the tip, they had to get the young man drunk.

Thinking this, the girls circled around the young man.

“Brother Zhou, isn’t this a bit inappropriate?” the young man said, feeling awkward.

“What’s inappropriate? Relax and have fun tonight. Business with your father is one thing, but our friendship is another. I tell you, you look distinguished and promising—that’s why I value you as a person.”

The young man quickly waved his hands, “Brother Zhou, you’re killing me with praise!”

Brother Zhou turned to the girls, “Ladies, listen up. The man before you is truly remarkable. A young genius in the medical field, his skills are unmatched—a famed doctor of his generation! I’m not exaggerating: if you befriend him, even if you have one foot in the grave, he’ll pull you back!”

One of the girls glanced at the young man, “A famed doctor so young? I thought they were all old men!”

Brother Zhou glared, “It’s all about talent! He’s the most gifted young doctor in the country. Mark my words, he’s destined to be a legendary physician!”

The young man was embarrassed. He waved his hands, “Brother Zhou, you’re really overpraising me. I’m not that great!”

Brother Zhou chuckled, “Come on, don’t be modest. Remember Manager Huo who joined us? She secretly asked me to say nice things about her, hoping to get closer to you.”

The young man was surprised, “Really?”

Manager Huo, who came with Brother Zhou, was named Huo Yan—her name matched her allure. When they met, she wore a business suit, but her charm radiated from her very bones.

Brother Zhou lowered his voice, “I’ve invited her tonight as well. Whether things progress between you two depends on you. That’s as much as I can help. Hmm?”

As he spoke, his gaze shifted to another part of the nightclub.

The young man asked curiously, “What is it, Brother Zhou? What are you looking at?”

Brother Zhou shook his head, “Nothing, this world is too small—I just saw a few old friends.”

“Why not say hello?” the young man asked.

Brother Zhou replied, “Forget it.”

The young man suddenly understood, “Ah, emotional debts!”

Brother Zhou laughed, raising his glass, “Men, we all know how it is. Enough talk—ladies, it’s your turn! Make sure my brother has a great time tonight!”

With that, the girls crowded around the young man, practically clinging to him. He’d never experienced such attention before and soon joined in their fun.

Yang Meng hadn’t seen these two, but he would have recognized them. ‘Brother Zhou’ was Zhou Chun, and the young man was the ‘Wei’ who’d complained about Yang Meng’s motorcycle blocking the road earlier. Who would have thought they knew each other?

Meanwhile, in another booth on the opposite side of the bar, another scene unfolded: three beautiful women sat together drinking.

“Men are all worthless!” one woman said, raising her glass.

Another replied, “Exactly! Qiao Yu, Jingjing’s right—you shouldn’t waste your anger on men like that.”

“Hmph! That’s right! Men are dogs! We can live perfectly well without them! Are we any less than they are? Let’s drink!”

The three were none other than Qiao Yu, Quan Yajing, and Chen Jiao—acquaintances of Yang Meng from the motorcycle club.

After draining their glasses and setting them down, Quan Yajing fumed, “Especially that Yang Meng—so oblivious! Invited him for drinks, he wouldn’t come! Even dared to turn off his phone!”

Chen Jiao countered, “Jingjing, you’re wrong. His phone probably died. Otherwise, which man could refuse an invitation from three beauties? He’s probably frantic, searching for a charger and waiting for our call. Let’s not call him! Come on, Qiao Yu, let’s hit the dance floor and show those lousy men!”

“Haha, Chen Jiao’s right! Let’s go, Qiao Yu, let’s have some fun!” Quan Yajing said.

Qiao Yu poured herself another drink, “Not me. So what if they’re men? Who says women need men? These jerks are everywhere! Isn’t every one of them just out to hunt? Being with such scumbags disgusts me! I just want to drink and dance tonight—just go wild with me once, and that’s enough!”

“Well said! Cheers!” Glasses clinked in the booth, and the women seemed genuinely happy.

At that moment, Yang Meng, huddled in his corner, finally saw Zhang Qiang arrive.

“Mr. Yang, I’m truly sorry to have kept you waiting!” Zhang Qiang hurried over. “I was out with friends at a farmhouse in Fuxian. As soon as my staff called, I rushed back, but even so, I’m late. It’s all my fault.”

Hearing this, Yang Meng felt much better. Fuxian was a suburban county under Handong City, about a two-hour drive. Zhang Qiang had made it in just over an hour—who knew how many times he’d sped!

Yang Meng smiled, “Boss Zhang, please, have a seat.”

“Don’t call me Boss Zhang!” Zhang Qiang sat next to him. “Just call me Brother Qiang, and I’ll call you Brother Yang. So, what brings you here today, Brother Yang?”

Yang Meng opened his riding bag and took out a paper envelope of cash. “Brother Qiang, I came specifically to bring you money this time.”