Chapter 24

Leng Xiang felt that she was dressed too casually to go into Red Pool to dance, so she headed toward the bar instead.

The bartender had been sent by Jiang Sisi to fetch some liquor from the back. As soon as Leng Xiang sat down at the bar, she noticed the woman wearing a Silver Mask mixing drinks.

The boss’s bartending skills were impressive; she seemed even more professional than the bartender. Her hands were beautiful—slender and delicate. The colorful raw liquors blended skillfully in her hands into a transparent, multicolored drink. Each hue was very faint, but just faint enough to be stunningly pretty.

The pendant lights above the bar cast their glow downward, illuminating the glass and making it sparkle translucently, dazzling to the eye.

Last time, when Yu Shan had been harassing her, the boss had stepped in to defuse the situation, soothing both sides and even giving her a Black Pool VIP Gold Card.

She had a good impression of the boss. If not for that incident, she actually quite liked Black Pool Bar.

Leng Xiang watched the boss mix drinks. Jiang Sisi smiled faintly and said, “Good evening.”

Leng Xiang glanced around the bar and saw no one else besides the boss. She asked, “Where’s the previous bartender?”

Jiang Sisi laughed. “I fired him.”

The bartender, having fetched the liquor from the back, overheard Jiang Sisi say he’d been fired and instinctively glanced down at his uniform.

He decided to stay put for now and see what his boss really meant.

Leng Xiang looked at her in surprise. “Why?”

Jiang Sisi continued mixing as she replied, “Because he served a customer who can’t drink a glass of 70% proof vodka.”

Leng Xiang realized the boss was talking about her. She pursed her lips and said, “It wasn’t his fault. I drank it myself.”

Originally, the bartender had seen her sitting alone and offered her a taste of a new cocktail. But because of her conflict with Yu Shan—which had reminded her of past events—and her bad mood, she’d downed it in one go.

She wasn’t unreasonable; this couldn’t be blamed on the bartender.

Jiang Sisi looked at Leng Xiang and smiled.

She said, “I was joking. He’s worked diligently for me for so many years— even without merit, his hard work counts for something. I have to give him a chance to redeem himself.”

The bartender came over with an unopened bottle from the storeroom.

Jiang Sisi pushed the unfinished drink to the bartender. He opened the bottle and poured some in. The crystalline pale colors diffused into an enchanting deep blue, with faint golden flecks shimmering within.

It resembled the color of her skirt hem when she’d danced in Red Pool before.

Jiang Sisi slid the finished drink to Leng Xiang. “Our latest creation, inspired by you. It’s on the house.”

She’d been experimenting with new recipes lately, and her first thought during testing had been of Leng Xiang.

Leng Xiang breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the bartender come out with the liquor.

It wouldn’t be right if he got fired because of her.

The bartender said, “This one’s very low-proof; it won’t get you drunk.”

He still felt guilty about that incident.

The bartender added, “Regardless, I bear some responsibility for what happened that day. I apologize to you.”

“And from now on, whenever you come to Black Pool, all your drinks are on my tab.”

Leng Xiang looked at the boss, who stood nearby with her arms crossed, lips curving upward beneath her mask.

Leng Xiang said, “No need. I don’t blame you.”

Jiang Sisi teased him, “Enough. With your salary, you’d better save it for yourself.”

She turned to Leng Xiang. “From now on, all your tabs at Black Pool are on us—as long as you keep coming.”

This woman in the Silver Mask was truly skilled at putting people at ease.

Strictly speaking, Black Pool Bar couldn’t be blamed for that incident, but they still bore some responsibility.

Yet she brushed off the bar mishap so lightly.

No wonder, amid all the bars big and small on South Road Street, Black Pool had grown so large and attracted so many prominent guests in this cutthroat environment.

It was inseparable from the boss’s management savvy and connections.

This woman was no ordinary fish in the pond.

Moreover, Leng Xiang felt an oddly familiar vibe from her, faint but persistent.

Who exactly was she?

Leng Xiang eyed the deep blue drink pushed toward her. “Thank you, but I don’t want this today. Could I have the same kind I drank last time?”

Jiang Sisi looked at her, smiled, and said, “What’s wrong? Bad mood?”

Leng Xiang: “Yeah.”

Black Pool Bar had upgraded its security since that incident; nothing like that should happen again.

Since Leng Xiang requested it, the bartender naturally obliged. He quickly mixed another glass of the drink she’d had before and slid it over.

Leng Xiang reached for the glass, but Jiang Sisi pressed her index finger to its rim. “If you’re in a bad mood, this will get you drunk fast and isn’t good for you.”

Leng Xiang shook her head. “It’s fine.”

She wanted to get drunk, so she wouldn’t have to think about all that mess.

She didn’t like Jiang Sisi—in fact, seeing her made her want to turn and leave.

This dislike stemmed from multiple things: past reasons, but more importantly, that night.

Even knowing it wasn’t Jiang Sisi’s fault, dislike was dislike, hatred was hatred.

Yet Jiang Sisi had helped her a lot—defusing situations, especially with the recent mistress scandal. Without her, Yu Shan would have won completely.

She might have been driven out of the industry by militant fans.

Jiang Sisi had even offered her the female lead role.

And that help and role came with a price.

The price: lying in Jiang Sisi’s bed.

A fair trade.

But wasn’t that exactly the hidden rules she despised most?

Future versus dignity—how to choose?

Leng Xiang stared at the patterns on the glass, watching the liquid refract beautiful lights under the pendant lamp.

She picked it up and downed it in one gulp.

The bartender nearly jumped out of his skin.

Leng Xiang set down the empty glass. “Could I have another?”

The bartender tsked at how fiercely she drank and whispered to Jiang Sisi, “She drinks like this and won’t have issues? Should I prep some hangover soup?”

Jiang Sisi glanced at Leng Xiang’s state. “No need. Let her drink if she’s in a bad mood. When she’s drunk, just take her upstairs to sleep it off.”

Last time, after mixing drinks and downing the strongest one, Leng Xiang had passed out immediately.

This time, she started with the strongest; the buzz hadn’t hit yet, so she could hold it.

The bartender dutifully mixed another and pushed it to Leng Xiang.

He tried to chat with her to slow her down. “Did something happen?”

After one glass, Leng Xiang’s brain was heating up. She’d planned not to tell anyone—not even Shen Cheng a word.

But now she wanted to talk.

Leng Xiang said softly, “Do you know… Jiang Sisi?”

The bartender glanced at his boss.

Jiang Sisi wasn’t right in front of her?

Jiang Sisi instantly understood why Leng Xiang was here tonight, drowning her sorrows.

Because of what was coming tomorrow, her bad mood had driven her here.

Jiang Sisi shot the bartender a look; he got it immediately. Leng Xiang clearly didn’t know their boss was Jiang Sisi.

The bartender looked at Leng Xiang and sighed inwardly.

What sin had their boss committed now to make this beauty come buy drunk and still mutter her name?

By now, Leng Xiang was tipsy, the alcohol hitting her.

She murmured softly, “I don’t want…”

The bartender didn’t catch it. “You don’t want what?”

Leng Xiang slumped over the bar and whispered, “Don’t want… to see her.”

If she didn’t see her, there’d be no headaches, no need to think about the future.

Jiang Sisi watched Leng Xiang thoughtfully.

She asked, “Will you go see her?”

Leng Xiang stayed buried on the bar, silent for a long time. Finally, she whispered, “I… I don’t know.”

After that, she went completely quiet, motionless.

That drink was potent; it got you drunk fast.

Jiang Sisi touched her forehead—temperature normal, nothing wrong. A good sleep would fix it.

The bartender eyed Jiang Sisi, then the passed-out Leng Xiang, and shivered. “Boss, what did you do this time?”

Jiang Sisi felt a twinge of guilt and reflected. “I played a joke on her, and she took it seriously. My mouth has no filter—my fault.”

The bartender said, “That’s all?”

Jiang Sisi replied, “What else? Force myself on a good woman?”

The bartender shot back coolly, “…You might actually be capable of it.”

Jiang Sisi: “…”

She knew her nature was wicked; she’d hidden it well for years, but the mischief bubbled up now and then.

Seeing Leng Xiang like this, her first instinct was to tease.

Originally, she’d planned to explain properly to Leng Xiang tomorrow: that it was just a joke in her office, apologize for going too far.

If she hadn’t run into her drowning sorrows.

But now, suddenly, she didn’t want to explain.

She was too curious what Leng Xiang would do.

If she really said she wanted her, would she agree?

The bartender looked at Leng Xiang. “She’s drunk?”

Jiang Sisi: “Probably.”

Bartender: “Since it’s your mess, Boss, please take care of settling her this time.”

“You’ve got some nerve.” Jiang Sisi glanced at him. “Who’s the boss here, you or me?”

Bartender: “I wouldn’t dare. I’m just giving you a chance to redeem yourself.”

He was mocking her.

Jiang Sisi thought, Am I a boss with no authority?

Still, Leng Xiang needed settling.

Jiang Sisi scooped her up from the bar stool by the waist. Leng Xiang barely stirred, pliantly letting herself be carried.

Good drunks were easy to handle—which explained how that shady guy had taken her so easily last time.

Leng Xiang murmured, “Jiang Sisi…”

Jiang Sisi, close enough to hear clearly, waited for more, but then Leng Xiang mumbled, “You bastard…”

Jiang Sisi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Though tall, Leng Xiang was surprisingly light to carry. Jiang Sisi was taller and worked out regularly, so she held her steady.

Being carried princess-style, Leng Xiang sensed warm body heat. The person’s body was soft; something soft pressed against her as she nestled in…

Leng Xiang leaned into the softness—it felt nice. Finally, she buried her face right in it.

So nice… so soft…

Jiang Sisi stared speechlessly as Leng Xiang buried her face in her chest.

It was the first time in her life someone had taken such a liberty.

And Leng Xiang had just called her a bastard.

She thought it over—even that night, Leng Xiang had let her grope freely. Call it even.

With that, Jiang Sisi let Leng Xiang stay buried against her chest and carried her to the second floor, into the elevator for the upstairs hotel.

Jiang Sisi got Leng Xiang a room upstairs. The front desk girls gaped in shock at their boss carrying a woman, but she just greeted them casually, offering no explanation.

She laid Leng Xiang on the bed, removed her jacket, tucked her in, then asked the floor attendant for painkillers and water, placing them on the nightstand.

She left a note too.

In a great mood, Jiang Sisi looked at Leng Xiang on the bed before leaving. She was out cold, oblivious.

Jiang Sisi said, “See you tomorrow.”