Chapter 10

Jin Xiaopeng felt as though he were sitting on pins and needles, with thorns pricking his back.

Before he came, Shi Xingzhou had told him to make sure Qiao Huan drank to his heart's content. Everything afterward would be taken care of.

But one look at how Qiao Huan had been drinking was enough to tell Jin Xiaopeng that he could hold an enormous amount of liquor. There was no way he could outdrink him, and now Qiao Huan had disappeared somewhere...

Seeing how preoccupied Jin Xiaopeng was, Jiang Renbao lost interest too. He pulled Bai Jike, who had just come out of the restroom, into a drinking bout. But the more Bai Jike drank, the paler his face became, and he seemed perfectly fine. Jiang Renbao, on the other hand, had already passed out drunk on the leather chair.

Jin Xiaopeng gave the two another envious look. People said you could only get drunk without a care in front of someone you trusted most. He had thought Jiang Renbao and Bai Jike weren't close, but apparently they got along so well...

He was the one who had arranged the gathering, yet now he felt like an outsider.

As he was thinking, Jin Xiaopeng's phone rang.

STARSHIP:

[Xiaopeng, you've really disappointed me. How could you fail at something so simple?]

[Forget it. I thought you had what it took to make it big if I gave you a hand, but now it seems...]

[Here's what we'll do. A waiter will bring you a supplement shortly. Put it in a drink and offer it to Mr. Qiao Huan to give his health a boost. Someone else will handle the rest.]

He had just finished reading the messages when a waiter brought over a stack of tissues and lightly patted the back of his hand while handing them to him.

Jin Xiaopeng lifted the tissues and froze.

There was a white pill underneath them.

He had just looked up to ask about it when he found that the waiter had already disappeared.

Jin Xiaopeng picked up the pill, and his whole body went rigid.

It had a faint scent of fruitwood that would be almost imperceptible mixed into foreign liquor.

It was the very same scent as the drink he'd had before he passed out that day!

Now, he could no longer deceive himself.

So this was what Shi Xingzhou had sent him here to do.

Jin Xiaopeng gave a bitter laugh, struck by the irony.

He was a victim himself, yet now, to protect himself, was he going to become a perpetrator?

But if he didn't do as Shi Xingzhou said and those videos were released, he would never have a chance to turn things around.

At the thought, Jin Xiaopeng clenched the pill in his hand, all the light fading from his eyes.

In this industry, did you have to hurt others to become popular and famous?

The next second.

His hand was seized in a tight grip.

It was as though an eagle's talons had clamped down on him, and pain shot through his entire body!

Jin Xiaopeng looked up in panic.

It was Zhuo Yang.

A furious Zhuo Yang.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Zhuo Yang glanced at the seats and saw that Jiang Renbao and Bai Jike both seemed barely conscious. "Did you drug them?" he demanded.

"No, no, no!" Jin Xiaopeng endured the agonizing pain. "I didn't drug them..."

"Then who were you going to drug?"

"Nobody!" Before he could finish, he felt as though his fingers were about to be pulled out of joint. Jin Xiaopeng hurriedly changed his answer. "It was Qiao Huan..."

The moment those words came out, Zhuo Yang could no longer control himself.

He grabbed Jin Xiaopeng by the collar and slammed him against the wall beside them.

Zhuo Yang's eyes were bloodshot. "Why were you going to drug him? Speak!"

On the other side of the wall was the VIP area.

Qiao Huan had expected it to be cramped and confined, but he hadn't imagined it would be so lavish.

An enormous fountain rose from the center of the circular floor, like the golden wheel of a spinner game.

Different rooms made up the spaces on the wheel.

Qiao Huan had only seen nightclubs dedicated to trading sex for money in foreign news reports before. He hadn't expected a place like this to exist in his own city.

"Stunned?" Mr. Du looked smug. "Come on, let's not keep them waiting."

"Okay..."

Qiao Huan pretended to stagger a couple of steps while quietly switching on the brooch he always carried.

It was one of the little gadgets undercover officers commonly used. Soon, Captain Qiao could see the footage too.

"Fuck? There's actually a place like this?" Captain Qiao didn't bother with politeness. "Buffing, be careful."

Qiao Huan lightly tapped twice behind his ear again.

Mr. Du led him into a room marked "No. 46."

It looked like a KTV room, and two men were already seated inside.

Captain Qiao immediately identified them. "Those are Mr. Liu and Mr. Jiang, the ones Du mentioned earlier. One is the general manager of Qiancheng Capital's industry division, and the other is the president of Fanhua Entertainment."

Both men wore suits and dress shoes, and their every movement exuded refined charm. If a passerby saw them on a magazine cover, they might even say, "Those older guys are so handsome."

Human faces, beastly hearts, Qiao Huan thought.

Mr. Du put on a fawning smile. "Gentlemen, let's have a good few drinks today."

Mr. Liu and Mr. Jiang looked Qiao Huan up and down, both showing expressions of satisfaction.

Mr. Jiang asked, "Is this the Xiao Wang you said would be suitable for our new show?"

"No, no, no." Mr. Du shook his head. "This one's even better. He was on City Escape before too. His name's Qiao Huan."

Mr. Jiang said, "Qiao Huan... He certainly can hold his liquor."

He looked at Mr. Du as he spoke, seemingly reproaching him.

Mr. Du immediately panicked. He handed Qiao Huan another drink and winked at him. "He thinks you're not drunk enough yet."

Qiao Huan understood.

He hadn't seen Mr. Du's movements clearly at the booth earlier, but now he saw them perfectly.

"What's that white pill?" Captain Qiao had obviously seen it too. "An aphrodisiac or a sleeping pill?"

Qiao Huan turned his back to drink, quietly replying at the same time, "Why not try it and find out?"

Then he turned around and put on a smile. "Gentlemen, let me offer you a drink too!"

Even the curve of his smile was exactly like that of the God of Entertainment statue by the entrance, making him look both enthusiastic and reserved.

The three men were delighted. They stood up to accept the drinks, all praising Qiao Huan for knowing how to behave.

Three minutes later.

Qiao Huan looked at the three men sleeping soundly and sighed.

"Looks like it was a sleeping pill."

"Fantastic!" Captain Qiao's tone was wildly exaggerated. "Kid, you're that good with your hands! Who taught you?"

Qiao Huan: ...

Qiao Huan said, "Wasn't it you who taught me yourself?"

Captain Qiao chuckled. "Oh, so it was me."

Dark lines covered Qiao Huan's face.

When exactly was the police force's psychological evaluation starting this year?

"Pull out, Buffing. Thanks for your hard work." Captain Qiao's tone grew serious. "We'll send other 'salespeople' to follow up on those two moneybags. It looks like this case involves more than just Star Radiance and Qiancheng. A lot of other companies have similar dealings too."

"Mm," Qiao Huan said. "But I don't want to pull out yet."

"Since Jin Xiaopeng brought me to Between Life and Death on Shi Xingzhou's orders, he must have planned to put me in one of the rooms too. I need to see which moneybag Shi Xingzhou prepared for me."

"Wouldn't that be too... Never mind." Captain Qiao thought for a while before answering. "Stay safe."

Qiao Huan left the room and saw more than a dozen identical private rooms around the circular floor.

But he checked them one by one and found no other moneybags.

Qiao Huan looked displeased. "Did Shi Xingzhou decide not to make a move because Jin Xiaopeng brought more than just me along?"

"That's possible," Captain Qiao said. "Shi Xingzhou has been a middleman in the sex trade for so long, he must have his methods."

"All right, then."

Qiao Huan was in a bad mood.

If only his good roommates hadn't insisted on coming along... Sigh.

"Pull out for now. We'll take our time and make a plan."

"Yes, sir." Having answered, Qiao Huan was just about to step outside when the hidden door suddenly opened.

The people who came in were none other than Shi Xingzhou and... the female moneybag from earlier!

Qiao Huan thought, Is the entertainment industry this cutthroat now? Even the young master of Star Radiance has to do the hanky-panky?!

Shi Xingzhou looked as though he'd eaten shit.

For safety's sake, he had never personally come to Between Life and Death, but today he had suddenly received a message from his aunt insisting that he show up to rescue someone...

Who would have thought the person he was supposed to rescue was Qiao Huan?!

"Stop pretending. You're Qiao Huan, right?" Seeing Qiao Huan squinting as though he couldn't see clearly, Shi Lianyi laughed heartily. "I knew Xiao Du and his lot wouldn't be able to handle you. I even thought I'd come rescue you."

"Mr. Du and the others couldn't hold their liquor." Qiao Huan smiled politely.

Shi Lianyi waved a hand. "Oh, come on. It's not like I don't know how things work at Between Life and Death. But I don't like playing that way, so I'll ask you straight: are you interested in joining my variety show?"

Oh, so she hadn't come to do the hanky-panky with Shi Xingzhou, but to invite him onto a variety show.

Then it sank in. "Huh?"

They were talking business in a place of such drunken luxury and sensual indulgence?

Shi Xingzhou was stunned for a second too, then immediately urged her, "Auntie, why don't you think it over?"

Qiao Huan had already been ridiculously lucky to escape Jin Xiaopeng's scheme.

And now his aunt, a top producer, was actually inviting him onto a variety show?!

That was an SSS-rank variety show! His father had traded who knew how many resources to get him a spot on it.

Yet Qiao Huan had received an invitation just like that, without lifting a finger!

"Xingzhou, there's nothing for you to do here. Why don't you go outside first?" Shi Lianyi frowned. "Sorry for making you come all this way for nothing."

Though she was apologizing, her tone was icy, and even an outsider like Qiao Huan could tell he wasn't welcome.

"So, Qiao Huan, will you come? I'll call Pei Dahai right now." Shi Lianyi's tone changed, becoming full of anticipation.

Qiao Huan refused at once. "No, no, no—"

Another variety show?

Spare me.

"Our show has a huge investment, you know. It's bound to be a hit," she urged. "All we need are some people like you, smart and not delicate, who are good at escaping. There are only a few spots left, and I happened to see you. Tell me, isn't that fate?"

"No, no, no." Qiao Huan shook his head and headed for the exit. "I can't, I can't..."

"I watched your cut from City Escape before. You were especially good on a variety show!" Shi Lianyi doggedly followed him. "Actually, we're still short of some strong, athletic people to handle the physical challenges. I don't know how you get along with your roommates, but it would be perfect if all four of you could come!"

"I get along terribly with them. We barely know each other—"

Shi Xingzhou chimed in too. "Auntie, they're competitors. How could they go on a show together..."

Bang!

The three of them had just stepped out of the hidden VIP door when they were struck dumb.

Not far away, Zhuo Yang was like a furious leopard, his arm muscles bulging as he pinned the skinny Jin Xiaopeng hard against a table.

Beside him, Ye Yiwei was checking Jiang Renbao's and Bai Jike's vital signs. The two of them had an almost tacit understanding, one in motion and the other still.

Zhuo Yang said, "You drugged my brother and you think you can run?"

Before he had even finished speaking, he saw Qiao Huan appear before him, and his expression instantly turned joyful. "A Huan! You're okay! That's great!!!"

Qiao Huan: "..."

Shi Xingzhou: "???"

Shi Lianyi: "!!!"

The normally composed producer Shi Lianyi's voice cracked on the spot:

"Qiao Huan! Keep pretending!"

"You brothers are obviously close, and you can all fight!"

Author's note:

At the same time:

Shi Xingzhou: My establishment got smashed up?

Qiao Huan: The establishment I was investigating got smashed up?

Shi Lianyi: Boo-hoo-hoo, good smashing! Smash it louder!