"Then I'll have to trouble you. Please accompany me now."
Zhan Bei Jue asked for leave from Jiang Nan Fang. He wouldn't secretly meet her tonight; he didn't know when he would return, so he'd see her tomorrow.
Lu Ming Zhe looked at him with disdain. "Did you two make up again? And you're still playing at secret love affairs? You've come up with quite a few tricks now."
Zhan Bei Jue didn't want to show off their affection and provoke him. "It's the pressure of life, I can't help it. Now I'm the one gossiping about you, not the other way around. I suggest you say less."
The two changed into casual clothes in the lounge of Zhan Bei Jue's office and went to a club with A Zhong.
A Zhong acted as the big boss and went to sign up for a platinum membership. He also asked the client manager if they knew Mrs. Fang.
"Mr. Zhong, I'm sorry, this is customer privacy and cannot be disclosed to outsiders."
A Zhong feigned displeasure. "She's the one who introduced me here, saying that mentioning her name would be effective. Is this considered an invasion of privacy?"
"She said that mentioning her name would get me an eighty percent discount and some freebies... are you deceiving consumers?"
It turned out to be like this. The client manager quickly understood. "So it was Mrs. Fang who introduced you, my apologies, Mr. Zhong."
"Mrs. Fang is a long-time customer here. Since you're his friend, of course, you'll get a discount and free drinks."
"I apologize for my rudeness just now, Mr. Zhong. Please don't take it to heart."
The three went to a private room. The lady was very generous and planned to store some wine there. The manager treated him like a VIP.
As they chatted, the topic shifted. He asked if the person Mrs. Fang usually sought was present, stating he wouldn't feel at ease with anyone else and wanted him to come out and keep him company.
"Mr. Zhong, I'm sorry. This is your first time here, so you might not be familiar with the rules. Please let me explain them to you carefully."
The male escorts here were also divided into different tiers. The most basic ones served drinks or promoted them, and performed for guests. Those who were slightly more attractive would be fancied by rich women, accompanying them in games and drinking. Those with more capabilities became private escorts for a certain rich woman. Each month, besides bringing in a certain amount of wine business for the club, they would also receive a considerable living allowance from the rich woman. They were available at any time, but were not allowed to disturb the rich woman when not needed. It was slightly more freedom than a man keeping a mistress in a golden house, but the general idea was similar.
"So, if Mrs. Fang has her eye on someone, then that person's good things are hers alone, and others can only look but not desire?"
"Mr. Zhong, it's the same with whomever you fancy. Others can't covet them either. We have many high-quality male escorts here, and new ones come in every day. You might as well check out the newcomers. They're cheaper and, more importantly, innocent."
A Zhong disguised himself as a pervert. "Call over anyone who isn't taken, and let me see them."
A group of men flooded in. Each was tall with long legs, wearing makeup as thick as a woman's. Although they all looked refined, their essential masculinity was masked, making them unappreciable to straight men.
A Zhong asked each of them their age and how long they had been working there, finally choosing the oldest and longest-serving one to stay. The man was very adaptable. For the sake of money, he immediately sat obediently next to A Zhong, pouring him drinks and calling him "brother."
A Zhong pretended to be interested in him, put his arm around him a couple of times, and after drinking two glasses of wine, he started talking about Mrs. Fang.
"The one she usually seeks, according to your manager, is the pillar of your business here, and is also top-notch in appearance. Is she older or younger than you?"
The man's jealousy was successfully ignited. A Zhong, speaking with disdain, said many bad things about him. The implication was that he was no worse than the other man, but Mrs. Fang simply hadn't noticed him.
"Oh. Now that you mention it, I'm curious. Do you have any photos of her? Let me see."
"Let me see if my treasure is better or Mrs. Fang's treasure is better."
Having been called "treasure," and perhaps soon to have a benefactor himself, the man quickly took out his phone and scrolled through several photos of Mrs. Fang's male escorts.
A Zhong frowned. "Mrs. Fang's taste is really not good. I think you're better looking than him. And your name is pleasant too. What's his name?"
"His real name is Zhang Zhuo, stage name Ah Hao."
"Ah Hao? Does he think this is the 80s? How rustic."
They chatted enthusiastically and drank two bottles of foreign liquor. A Zhong instructed him to store the rest and then asked him to leave.
"There are two straight male friends here today, so it's inconvenient. Next time I'll come alone to chat with you. Be good, my dear, wait for me, you can go now."
The man, though somewhat disappointed, felt a sense of anticipation and left with great pleasure. As the door closed, A Zhong immediately relaxed his shoulders, unbuttoned a shirt button, and turned to Zhan Bei Jue.
"Mr. Zhan, I didn't mess up for you, did I? How was my performance just now?"
Zhan Bei Jue looked at him with a meaningful gaze. "Are you sure you've never dated a boyfriend before?"
"?"
Zhan Bei Jue praised and criticized him. "If it weren't for Zhou Jin Bei loving you to death and constantly boasting about how capable you are in front of Jiang Nan Fang, I would suspect you had a problem with your orientation."
Using the information he provided, Zhan Bei Jue quickly found Ah Hao after some searching. Comparing his and Mrs. Fang's movements, their trajectories perfectly overlapped. The two had entered and exited the same room at this club countless times within a five-minute interval. However, Fang Shu Ya had not left any trace at this club.
Zhan Bei Jue observed the few men who frequently appeared with Ah Hao and then picked out one who looked unfamiliar. He asked A Zhong to use the honey trap again and have that person called in, so he could identify him again.
"What do you mean 'honey trap,' Mr. Zhan? I'm risking my life for a brother here, you can't just label me like that."
"Don't worry. I won't tell Zhou Jin Bei about your performance today."
After Zhan Bei Jue's diligent search, the truth was finally uncovered. This club did not have a fixed room booked under Fang Shu Ya's name, but they did have rooms booked under the names of male escorts. Moreover, the accounts were only a week old. Could this mean that Fang Shu Ya's misdeeds had only been going on for a week?
Lu Ming Zhe recalled that during this past week, she had been affectionately spending time with Xiang Wan in Yun Cheng, hadn't called Fang Shu Ya once, and hadn't thought of her at all. She was also a person, flesh and blood and emotions, who would feel empty, lonely, and cold. Seeing that other women had everything, she would also feel envious. Therefore, he didn't resent her, and even breathed a sigh of relief.
So, he had reconciled with Xiang Wan and even had a daughter... she hadn't told him about such a big matter sooner.
Zhan Bei Jue withdrew his sympathy. "It's good that you can think that way. Regarding Fang Shu Ya, you were indeed in the wrong. Let's part on good terms."
The three parted ways, and Lu Ming Zhe went home alone. At home, Fang Shu Ya had specially invited a chef from her maternal family to cook a large table of delicious dishes for him.