Chapter 19

Although he had the number saved, Ye Zhi had never dialed it before. The man stood too far away from him, and even just looking up at him felt distant, let alone approaching him.

But now, this was the only lifeline he could grasp.

As he dialed the number, when it was picked up, Ye Zhi’s breath hitched. The voice on the other end said “hello” in a deep, pleasing tone, with an indescribable magnetism that entered Ye Zhi’s ears, making him even more nervous. He opened his mouth, almost biting his tongue in panic. His voice trembled as he spoke, “Brother, I’m Ye Zhi. Can you help me with something?”

He had been rejected too many times in his life. He really didn’t want to be rejected this time.

His heart felt like it was screaming and begging. Although it was a very short moment, for him, it felt like an eternity had passed. Huo Youqiao said, “Wait for me for five minutes.”

The call ended, but Ye Zhi still held the communicator, not able to shake off his panic.

Because he couldn’t figure out whether Huo Youqiao was willing to help or not, and he hadn’t even clarified what he needed help with.

Returning step by step to the cashier’s counter, the cashier girl’s face was almost frozen with her smile as she reminded him, “Sir, are you ready to settle the bill now? The time for your private room is almost up.”

“C-Can you wait a few minutes?”

“Of course.”

The lighting was dazzling, and there were many entertainment options here. In the private room, you could drink, sing, hire escorts for entertainment, and there was even a small-scale casino, all of which were legal. The soundproofing of the private rooms was so good that despite the lively atmosphere inside, the noise couldn’t be heard, making it seem quiet here.

Occasionally, when a private room door opened, there would be booming music. And people stumbled out, each one completely drunk, speaking gibberish.

Ye Zhi felt out of place among them.

As the time on the communicator ticked away, just as it was about to reach five minutes, Ye Zhi finally encountered his lifeline.

The elevator door made a “ding” sound, and the man brought by the waiter, even though he was dressed casually, exuded an aura that immediately identified his status and identity. He glanced around the lobby, even though Ye Zhi was inconspicuous in the crowd, his eyes locked onto him immediately, then he walked straight towards Ye Zhi.

“Brother, you… you haven’t left yet?” Ye Zhi was surprised. He thought the man had already gone back.

Huo Youqiao said, “I checked the surveillance and saw that Ranran was sleeping soundly, and there were no anomalies at home, so I decided to wait for you.”

Ye Zhi was pleasantly surprised.

But Huo Youqiao had already taken the long bill from his hand, glanced at it briefly, and said, “I happen to have a membership card here. Let me settle this.”

Ye Zhi felt embarrassed and grateful at the same time. He whispered, “Thank you so much. I’ll pay you back.”

“No rush.” His tone was not harsh, but rather soothing. Then Ye Zhi watched as he skillfully signed the bill, solving his problem in just two minutes.

Even after Huo Youqiao left the counter, he didn’t ask about the bill. Ye Zhi breathed a sigh of relief and unconsciously followed him, only stopping at the elevator door to say, “Brother, I, I need to inform my father.”

Huo Youqiao nodded. “I’ll wait for you.”

“Thank you.” Besides these two words, Ye Zhi really didn’t know what else to say. He didn’t want to keep the man waiting, so he quickened his pace. However, without the waiter leading the way, the route that was originally taken twice became unfamiliar, and Ye Zhi found himself a bit disoriented.

He was about to find a waiter to ask for directions when two intertwined figures unexpectedly entered his sight.

The corridor was dimly lit, and the surroundings were quiet, with those two figures hidden in the darkness. Even though Ye Zhi couldn’t see clearly, he knew what they were doing. Their heads were close together, intertwined, emitting low gasps of breath. Ye Zhi hadn’t heard such sounds in a long time. When they entered his ears, his heart skipped a beat. Just as he was about to move away, he caught a familiar scent in his nostrils.