Back on Xiu"s side...
Host clubs weren"t really new to her. In the entertainment industry, these places were often used as meeting spots. So, no matter how disgusted she was inside, she couldn"t bring herself to say it. As Chen Xiu, she wasn"t treated like those D-cla.s.s celebrities but the direct innuendos were enough for humiliation.
No one had ever tried to get cozy with her because of her high status in the industry but they never left any chance to say something hurtful as well. It was always a reminder that no matter how famous she ould get, she"d always be nothing before those in power.
She completely agreed with Dylan"s words that there were no humans in this kind of place. There were only hungry and filthy wolves. Perhaps, that"s why Dylan didn"t fit in this kind of environment at all. His dignified and decent self looked really out of place. His aura of the aristocracy was a stark contrast with the shabby activities of this extravagant looking place.
Inside the private room, Xiu saw four men including the one whom they met at the entrance. Each of them had a young woman sticking beside them. Some pouring drinks or some feeding them fruits with their own hands. This ingratiating scene was repulsive and hateful to Xiu. It was her first time entering a host club in this life but it seemed like nothing had changed at all in years.
To avoid displaying her expressions, Xiu kept her attention on Dylan, whose face scrunched up in disgust while he clenched his fists tightly. Xiu really didn"t expect that Dylan was this repulsed by this place. It was safe to say that he didn"t like frequenting such places.
Dylan greeted everyone out of politeness and sat on a couch with Xiu right by his side. The conversation at first started out casually as it moved towards the real agenda. But after a while, the atmosphere changed.
"I didn"t expect Mr. Qiu to bring his own female partner, I had arranged for a good companion for you," the one who spoke was Director Lu himself.
"Thanks for your kindness, but Director Lu, I don"t think your help was necessary. It"s not like someone like me lacks women... in life or in my..." Dylan left his words hanging making Xiu almost gape at him in disbelief. Was he an idiot? He really was trying to stir up trouble in another man"s territory with his direct blows.
But of course, Xiu was amused. Seeing how Director Lu looked awkward and incensed, another man beside him named Shao Tao tried to placate the situation as he said, "Haha... Mr. Qiu is really funny. How about you ask your partner to pour a drink for you?"
Xiu was about to pick up the wine jar when Dylan held her back and said, "I can pour my own drinks. You see I grew up abroad, so I"m used to doing my own work. Unlike some people, I have learned how to feed myself as well."
Xiu felt another wave of admiration for Dylan. His every word was like a blade trying to cut people"s egos. She thought Darren was sharp-tongued, who knew Dylan wasn"t a pushover either.
The fourth man in the room, Woo Gengxin extended his gla.s.s towards Xiu and said, "I hope then Mr. Qiu would let his partner accompany us for a drink."
Dylan"s courteous facade had a crack as he glared at that man and said, "If even I"m not asking her to pour me a drink, then who the h.e.l.l are you? If you love drinking with women so much, I think you should let the woman beside you do this honor."
"Mr. Qiu, I have been patient considering our upcoming cooperation but now, you"re crossing a line. For just a woman, you"re willing to lose this million dollar deal?" Director Lu sounded infuriated.
Dylan stood up to face him and said, "I have also entered this G.o.d-forsaken place because of that deal. Otherwise, do you really think I, Qiu Hedi would walk through the doors of a host club?"
"You"re gonna make Erzhong Group your enemy at this rate. But I can really let this go if your female partner has a drink with me," said Director Lu.
Without even thinking, Dylan held his collar and said, "Listen you puny little Director Lu, I am Qiu Hedi. Just because I"m running Spark International Group, don"t forget my real status. I"m still the only heir of Qiu conglomerate. Someone like you who used the money to get your position can"t really offend someone like me."
Xiu really had the wish to give him a round of applause. He looked like a completely different person than his petty self. He looked mature and intimidating. She remembered someone once had said to her at one of these meetings in her previous life, "Xiu, it"s just a gla.s.s of wine. What"s the big deal? They are offering you a lead role, the least you can do is show your sincerity by drinking with them."
But it wasn"t just a gla.s.s of wine for her back then. Because with each sip of wine, she felt her throat being pierced with needles as if she was being humiliated this way. Her life"s work and hard work had amounted to one gla.s.s of wine with the investors. It was painful to think about that but it was the truth of that glamorous life as an actress. Not once or twice, an actor had to be smeared with all kinds of dirt at every other occasion.
"Next time, before playing any trick like this with me. Remember who you are and who I am. You wouldn"t wanna mess with me. Your people might not have self-respect but my people represent me and I"m a crazy person who values his self-respect the most," saying that Dylan took Xiu and walked out of that suffocating place.
Coming out of the host club, she saw Dylan leaning against his car and taking long breaths to calm himself. He looked exhausted and mad.