Going Against the Grain?

After their scrubs, Li Xian and the others changed into sauna outfits and took the elevator to the third floor.

The servers waiting in the third-floor lobby greeted them warmly and introduced the various services the place offered. Then they led the group to a hallway around the corner, where they could choose their therapists.

Two rows of therapists sat on either side of the hallway. As Li Xian and the others approached, they all stood up in unison to welcome them.

The hallway was suddenly a riot of springtime beauty, with women of every shape and size, chattering and laughing. Li Xian and the others were dazzled by the spectacle.

They wore matching uniforms and matching miniskirts, their pale legs an endless distraction. They ranged in age from twenty to thirty, but honestly, Li Xian was a little disappointed by their looks.

Maybe it was peak hour, and all the prettier ones had already been picked. Of the two or three dozen women left, a few barely scored above seventy, but they seemed a little older, and none caught Li Xian's eye.

Damn it, so the hostess at the entrance really was the prettiest one here.

Li Xian grumbled to himself, then glanced at Wang Meng, who was still staring blankly beside him. "Mengzi, don't let me down today!"

"Bro... I don't really have any experience." Wang Meng managed a wry smile. He'd always been single and rarely went out to places like this. He'd never seen anything like it, and now he didn't know what to do with himself.

Man, this was embarrassing.

Li Xian rubbed his forehead and called to Jiji, the old hand up ahead. "You'd better look after our buddy. Don't just think about yourself."

"Got it... Got it... Leave him to me." Sui Jiji turned and beckoned to Wang Meng. "Don't just stand there. Get over here... Keep dawdling, and you'll be stuck with whoever's left."

As they spoke, another group of customers stepped out of the elevator. Wang Meng was still hesitating, and Li Xian couldn't take it anymore. He kicked him in the butt.

Wang Meng stumbled forward a couple of steps, and Sui Jiji grabbed him by the arm, pulling him right into the crowd of women.

"Brother Xian... Don't worry about how I feel. Go ahead and enjoy yourself." Sun Wei, who'd been quiet until now, spoke up. His face drooped, as if he'd lost the will to live.

Yan Hanbing had called at the worst possible moment, dousing the guy's lust in an instant.

Having fun was one thing, but you didn't mess around when it came to your wife. When it mattered, Sun Wei had still listened to his heart.

Li Xian didn't spare his old friend's feelings at all. He grinned and laughed shamelessly. "You're overthinking it. I wouldn't pick anyone here."

They didn't have to score over eighty, but at the very least, they couldn't fall too far short. That was Li Xian's bare minimum.

He slung an arm around Sun Wei's shoulders. "Just take it easy. You've been living like this for two years anyway."

"Damn you... I really want to punch you." Sun Wei clutched his chest. That had really hit a sore spot.

Sui Jiji had already made his choice. He and Mengzi had picked two long-legged women, and before heading to a private room, he shamelessly taunted Sun Wei. "Young Master Wei, don't say I'm a bad friend. Once I'm done, I'll tell you all about the details."

"Get lost! ...Read my lips... G-O!" Sun Wei glared at him, then dragged Li Xian toward the elevators. He really couldn't stand being there any longer.

Out of all the guys, he was the only one with a girlfriend. It was like shackling his restless heart. Whenever he felt like fooling around, he had to think twice.

Sun Wei was the playful type to begin with. The fact that Yan Hanbing had kept him in line for two years, despite their frequent arguments, showed just how strong their feelings were. More importantly, he'd managed to stick to his principles, which was no small feat.

"Come on. Let's go to the lounge downstairs." Li Xian patted Sun Wei on the shoulder. "Let's get some snacks. Tea or Red Bull?"

"To hell with Red Bull. Get me some cooling tea to put out the fire."

The two were just about to step into the elevator when the server who'd greeted them hurried over. "Gentlemen, are you unhappy with our service?"

"It's been great... I just didn't see anyone I liked."

"Uh... Sir, could you wait a moment? I'll make some arrangements..."

"Forget it. I don't have time..."

Li Xian pressed the button for the second floor. The elevator doors slowly closed, leaving the embarrassed server behind. He took a deep breath, picked up his walkie-talkie, and said, "Second floor, second floor. Two distinguished guests are coming down. Please look after them."

When they reached the lounge on the second floor, Li Xian found a sofa in a corner and stretched out on it. He ordered a small snack platter for seventy-eight yuan, a can of Red Bull, and a pot of cooling tea.

The spacious lounge was quiet, and the dim lighting made it hard to see. There weren't many people near him. Couples, both men and women, lay in front of him in pairs.

Several tall figures wandered along each aisle, probably foot massage therapists looking for customers.

Li Xian looked away. Just then, the server brought over their order.

Sun Wei glumly poured himself a cup of tea. Li Xian opened his Red Bull, took a sip, and lit a cigarette. Then he laughed without a shred of sympathy. "Want me to take you home? You look miserable..."

"No. Just let me be for a while."

"Fine..." Bored, Li Xian took out his phone and glanced at it, then couldn't resist asking, "What are you thinking? You and Yan Hanbing can't keep fighting like this."

"I... I don't know either..." Sun Wei said gloomily. "She's two years older than me, and she's in a hurry to get married. She's hinted at it before, but I'm not ready."

"Ohhh... Whether you're ready isn't really the point. What matters is, what does your family think?"

"My family? My mom wants to come look at houses..."

"Well, there you go... They're already buying you a wedding home. Just grit your teeth and accept your fate." Li Xian shamelessly egged him on.

"Damn you. It's not your problem, so of course you can say that so easily." Sun Wei slapped Li Xian irritably, then changed the subject. "Enough about me. Let's talk about you. I heard what happened with Zhang Ning... From the start, I never wanted Zhao Rang to play matchmaker between you two. I knew that guy wasn't reliable, and I was right."

Zhao Rang was Sun Wei's coworker. He'd been the one to bring Li Xian and Zhang Ning together.

"It's fine. It wasn't your fault. I was so blinded that I didn't listen to your advice." Li Xian didn't care anymore. He had money now, and he'd gotten even. What more could he ask for?

He'd just learned his lesson the hard way. Next time, he'd keep his eyes open.

"Still, I can't help feeling responsible..." Sun Wei patted Li Xian on the shoulder. "How about... I introduce you to my supervisor?"

"Don't mess around..."

"I'm serious. My supervisor's gorgeous, has a great figure, a good education, and comes from a nice family. She has tons of guys after her. Her standards are a little high, but with what you've got now, you should be good enough." Sun Wei waggled his eyebrows.

"Damn... You have a grudge against your supervisor or something?" Li Xian joked. "Forget it, forget it. Don't drag me into this. Relationships are too much trouble. Let things happen naturally."

Li Xian didn't want to get caught up in a relationship right now. First, he didn't want the hassle. Second, he genuinely had no idea how to charm women.

Of course, sometimes there was no need to talk. Money could solve the problem just as well. In that case, he might as well wait for someone else to pursue him.

"Are you sure? You've probably met my supervisor before. She's Guo Yajing. She's not only beautiful, but capable too. If you win her over, she could be a great help to you later." Sun Wei kept trying to sell his supervisor.

Hearing her name, Li Xian pictured a graceful figure in his mind: a little over 1.7 meters tall, with a gorgeous figure, a perfectly shaped oval face, delicate features, and eyes that could shoot sparks.

In Li Xian's mind, she scored an eighty-five. She was even prettier than Dong Linlin, the woman he'd met before.

"Is she really that capable?" Li Xian muttered, seemingly missing the point. He turned to Sun Wei and asked, "Can you poach her from your company? We can negotiate the salary and benefits..."

"You..." Sun Wei was speechless. After holding it in for a long moment, he pointed at him. "No wonder you're... still single!"

"Quit messing around. I'm serious!"

"I... I'll ask her." Sun Wei felt exhausted. He couldn't figure out what was going through his buddy's head.

Li Xian's reasoning was simple. She was a capable professional, so he might as well poach her first. If he really did develop feelings for her, wouldn't it be more convenient to have her around?

In short, he was just doing things in reverse. It wouldn't affect the outcome.

Only Li Xian could come up with such a bizarre idea.

"Sir... Would you like a foot massage?" a sweet voice asked by his ear.

Something soft pressed against the top of his head, and a pair of soft hands rested on his shoulders. Li Xian tilted his head back slightly, but the shadow blocked his view, leaving him unable to make out the woman's face.

"Miss, your feet are down there. You're leaning your head against mine."