Chapter Fifty-One: The Turmoil of Pride

As the applause faded, the last act of the bar’s grand opening event drew to a close. I realized, with some relief, that all my efforts had not been in vain; the audience’s enthusiasm far exceeded anything I had anticipated. Perhaps there were other ways to make this event even better, but those were options beyond my reach.

With Zhao Kewen’s rallying cry—“Let’s party!”—the DJ unleashed a torrent of dance music. Almost every young man and woman poured onto the spacious dance floor, giving themselves up to the rhythm.

Kewen herself wasted no time, hurrying to the VIP tables with a wine glass in hand, laughing and drinking with the various business leaders. Yoqin and Tao Yueran each stopped by to say goodbye before leaving, while An Ye, still by my side, seemed possessed—his eyes glued to Yoqin’s figure. I had to punch him in the arm now and then to bring him back to reality, reminding him not to get any wild ideas.

Many members of the musical troupe had already joined the revelers on the dance floor, losing themselves in the festivities. Zhang Tongtong, however, plopped down beside me, insisting that I treat the troupe to a farewell dinner. I could only agree with a helpless smile, promising to arrange it in the next few days, but not tonight. When she asked why, I couldn’t bring myself to tell her the truth. Instead, I lied, claiming I had to attend a celebration banquet later that evening. The real reason was simple and, frankly, a bit pathetic: I was broke. Ever since leaving the supermarket, I’d been living off the last bit of money borrowed from Li Xuyang, and after more than half a month, there was almost nothing left.

Seeing Zhang Tongtong’s disappointed expression, I could only force a bitter smile. That’s life, isn’t it? On the surface, everything might seem brilliant and impressive, but the hardships and struggles are known only to oneself.

After shepherding the reluctant Zhang Tongtong back to her seat, I looked around the bar. There was Kewen, elegant and alluring, toasting with the big shots; and there was the poised and graceful Shi Yu, still keeping Li Jia company, chatting and laughing.

Just as I was about to withdraw my gaze, a beautiful face framed by a splash of fiery red suddenly appeared before me.

“My Queen, what are your orders?” I said, immediately surrendering as I faced Luo Qing, whose expression was cold and stern, yet whose beauty was undiminished.

She didn’t reply, simply crossed her arms and fixed me with an icy, murderous glare. Knowing her as I did, I realized she was teetering on the brink of an outburst. Her silence was merely a prelude to the storm.

As I racked my brain for a way to break the impasse, she finally moved. With a graceful flick, she extended her slender, pale hand toward me and curled her finger in a summoning gesture.

Unlike last time, she was standing right in front of me, her fingertip nearly brushing my nose. I knew that if I refused her now, her temper would erupt right here, no question.

“At your command!” I hurried to her side, making a show of deference.

She sniffed haughtily, seemingly surprised by my compliance, but her prideful air said, “That’s more like it.”

An Ye looked completely dumbstruck, staring first at the stunning Luo Qing, then at my own unremarkable self. Slowly, he raised his right thumb toward me in admiration.

“Still got a lot to learn, kid,” I said with exaggerated nonchalance, waggling my finger at him. Let him show off in front of me with Tao Yueran’s disdain—now it was my turn to demonstrate a comeback! Anyway, he had no idea what kind of relationship I had with Luo Qing. I could say whatever I liked and enjoy his envy.

Luo Qing watched our ridiculous exchange with a puzzled look.

I winked at her, silently pleading: Whatever our issues, please don’t expose me here, or I’ll never live it down.

Luo Qing wasn’t stupid. Seeing my frantic signals, and piecing together An Ye’s gesture and my provocative words, she seemed to instantly grasp the situation. With a captivating smile, she glided over to An Ye, bent low to whisper something in his ear. Whatever she said made his face light up with surprise and amusement, and he glanced at me with a knowing, mischievous grin.

It was over—she’d exposed me, no doubt. She’d only whispered it to An Ye out of a token sense of mercy. What she didn’t realize was that this only made things more awkward for me. Truly, I’d brought this upon myself. Trying to be clever had backfired—I’d only managed to dig a deeper hole. Now, An Ye would never let me hear the end of it. Luo Qing’s betrayal left me crestfallen. I’d thought we had a tacit understanding, but clearly, I was wrong. An angry woman is not to be reasoned with!

Following Luo Qing out of the bar, I was in a foul mood. There’s nothing more frustrating than losing face in front of your friends—especially for a man, and especially in front of relatives, friends, and beautiful women. It stings far more than losing money.

After we’d walked a while along the sidewalk, she finally turned to face me, her expression full of contempt. “Apologize!” she snapped coldly.

“Fine, an apology… Miss Luo, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have carelessly missed your birthday and made you angry. Please be magnanimous and forgive me. I, Yang Chen, am on my knees in gratitude.” I spoke with little enthusiasm. If this was what she wanted, so be it. I’d lost face already—what did an apology matter?

Luo Qing seemed surprised by how quickly I apologized, staring at me in silence for a long time.

“I’ve apologized. If that’s all, I’m going back. You really shouldn’t get so angry all the time—it must be exhausting. Try to be a little happier,” I said, turning back toward the bar. I knew I was emotional, maybe too childish, but I couldn’t help how I felt—I wasn’t the best at controlling my emotions.

“Stop right there!” she shouted behind me. Then she hurried over in her heels, hesitated, and said, “That doesn’t count. It wasn’t sincere.”

I looked at her, exasperated. “Fine, whatever you say. How do you want me to apologize? Should I kneel?”

She seemed at a loss, flustered, unable to say what she really wanted.

Seeing her act so unreasonably, I gave up and walked around her to the bar entrance, hesitating about whether to go back in. Kewen must have drunk a lot by now—I hoped she wouldn’t overdo it. Shi Yu and the others were probably wrapping up, and as for An Ye… Just the thought of his mocking smile made me want to swear. Why was I even thinking about him?

“Tightwad!” Luo Qing caught up to me, shouting after me, “Are you even a man?”

That did it. I turned back, sneering, “Does it even matter if I’m a man when I’ve lost all dignity?”

She looked at my self-mocking expression and suddenly burst out laughing.

Watching her laugh, I grew even more frustrated. “Is it really that funny?”

Her beautiful eyes curved into crescents as she smiled. Then she crooked her finger at me again, teasing, “So it’s because of what happened earlier that you’re upset?”

Without thinking, I stepped closer, waiting for her to continue.

“Do you want to know what I said to your friend?” she asked, her voice full of mystery.

I nodded, then quickly shook my head, cursing myself. Why would I want to hear how she’d sold me out?

She laughed gleefully, then leaned in and whispered in my ear, “I just told him you’re really impressive.”

I froze. What?

I stared blankly at Luo Qing’s slightly flushed face, confused—impressive?

After a moment, realization dawned. I suddenly understood what she meant. A surge of pride welled up inside me. Seeing Luo Qing’s embarrassed demeanor, I was elated. She really gets me—our understanding is perfect!

I swept her into my arms and spun her around. Her crimson evening gown traced a dazzling arc in the night breeze. Gently, I set her back down and whispered in her ear, “Say that again.”

“No way!” she replied haughtily, turning her head and pushing me away.

Looking at her adorably stubborn expression, I regretted having misunderstood her over something so trivial. She was right—my earlier behavior was anything but manly.

I gazed at her, feeling a bit embarrassed, wanting to apologize but not knowing how to start. “Um… Luo Qing, I’m sor—”

She cut me off with a wave of her hand, then paced elegantly around me before announcing, “I don’t want your apology now. I want you to make it up to me—because you’re always making me angry!”

Her demand made me playful. “How should I make it up to you? In that impressive way?”

At my teasing tone, her cheeks turned as red as ripe apples.

Seeing her shyness, my heart raced. Suddenly, I felt a warmth that was both unfamiliar and familiar—a feeling that filled me with both joy and fear.