Chapter 9: Don’t You Like Abs
Meng Shuyou returned to the downstairs restaurant.
Winnie waved her hand, “Yaoyao, you’re finally back.”
Mia was busy editing the photos she had just taken, “We’ve all eaten our fill, have you eaten?”
“No.” Meng Shuyou pulled out a chair and sat down.
“Huh?” Mia put down her mobile phone and asked puzzledly, “Weren’t you going to meet a friend? Didn’t you eat together?”
Meng Shuyou shook her head lightly, “Accidental encounter, just chatted casually.”
“Then we should’ve waited for you if we’d known.” Winnie handed her the menu, “Quickly see what you want to eat.”
“It’s fine, no need to wait for me.” Meng Shuyou called the waiter and ordered a pasta and seafood soup.
Mia asked curiously, “What friend? How come I’ve never heard you mention them?”
Meng Shuyou didn’t know how to answer.
She had just made up an excuse on the spot; she didn’t have the qualification to be Mister Pei’s friend.
Winnie vaguely guessed, “It couldn’t be… him, right?”
Meng Shuyou gave the default.
“Who’s that?” Mia didn’t understand what riddle they were playing and immediately got unhappy, “What do you mean? You two have secrets you’re not telling me?”
“No.” Meng Shuyou gave a brief explanation.
“It’s fine, baby, I’ll introduce you to someone better.” Mia comforted her, “Just a man, there are plenty more, no need to hang yourself on one tree.”
Winnie agreed, “Agreed.”
Meng Shuyou understood the reasoning, but she had her own difficulties.
Only someone with Mister Pei’s status could help her resolve her predicament.
Mia spoke from feeling, “If you ask me, men have only one use: satisfying physiological needs.”
Meng Shuyou wanted to cover her mouth, “Keep your voice down.”
Mia was utterly unconcerned, “What are you afraid of? They can’t understand Chinese anyway.”
Meng Shuyou really wanted to say there was someone who could understand Chinese, and he was upstairs.
She looked up at the terrace above and saw no one there, then breathed a sigh of relief.
Mia had immigrated to America with her family in her teens and received an open education here, so she was very open about male-female relationships.
Just then the waiter came to serve the food, and the topic ended there.
–
Meng Shuyou hadn’t received a telephone call from the Meng Family for half a month.
There had been no movement since the last incident; she thought Meng Zhenhua would force her to apologize to Ellen, but unexpectedly it came to nothing.
She heard that Meng Yan was about to get married, perhaps they were preparing for the marriage, so Meng Zhenhua had no time for her for the moment.
That day while scrolling Moments, Meng Yan posted photographs of trying on wedding dresses, and intentionally or not revealed a rare leather Hermès, the currently out-of-stock style in the wealthy ladies’ circle.
Someone commented asking where she bought it, and she said her fiancé brought it back from abroad on a business trip.
Her overt and covert flaunting intentions couldn’t be hidden.
It annoyed some people, who vented privately in the group.
“It’s just a Birkin, if she’s got the skills, let her husband send her the White House.”
“Forget it, her husband has no real power in the Group, just an idle rich second generation, would he really spend two million on a bag for her?”
“I don’t get it, what’s there to be proud of about a bag a man buys; if she earned it herself, I’d respect that.”
“No way around it, who’s she got the skills?”
“Just let her have it, after all, she finally married into the Zhao Family.”
“Correction, they haven’t gotten the certificate yet; whether this marriage happens in the end is uncertain—who doesn’t know Second Young Master Zhao has a white moonlight ex-girlfriend.”
“You saying that reminds me, Second Young Master was devoted to his ex-girlfriend; if not for family opposition, where would she get a turn.”
Meng Yan usually acted flamboyantly and loved the spotlight, so many socialites in the circle couldn’t stand her and seized opportunities to throw shade.
Meng Shuyou forgot how she joined this group and quietly lurked to watch them curse her out; it was quite entertaining.
Things had been calm during this time.
At the end of March, school had a spring break for a week.
Mia had been looking forward to the holiday early on and on the first day invited Meng Shuyou and Winnie to go to a bar to party.
A new bar had opened on Michigan Avenue and was said to be very popular.
After eight o’clock it was the most lively, with the place boiling over.
As soon as they entered the bar, a restless, hot atmosphere hit them in the face.
The flashy modern lighting created a unique atmosphere, with the dome cut into irregular shapes and distinctive space design.
There was a band performing on stage, with passionate rock music.
Only, the handsome guys singing and dancing weren’t wearing tops, each with a male model physique, distinct muscle lines, vigorously thrusting hips and striking provocative poses.
The audience’s screams were about to break through eardrums.
Meng Shuyou hadn’t expected this style, “This doesn’t seem like a proper bar.”
Mia was thrilled, “This is the kind of bar us girls should come to—sipping drinks while appreciating handsome guys dancing, pure bliss.”
Winnie nodded vigorously, “It’s pretty good.”
Actually, Meng Shuyou preferred a bar; it was too noisy here and hurt her ears.
But since they were already here, she didn’t want to spoil the fun.
Mia had booked a booth in advance, close to the bar counter.
They found the spot and sat down, ordering a few special drinks, a fruit platter, and three small desserts.
Winnie and Mia watched the handsome guys dance with great enthusiasm, discussing who had the best physique.
Only Meng Shuyou wasn’t very interested and focused on scrolling her mobile phone with her head down.
Winnie nudged her arm, “Yaoyao, how come you’re just playing on your phone at a place like this?”
Mia blinked, “Don’t you like abs?”
“They’re okay.” Meng Shuyou felt nothing; in her eyes, they were no different from a lump of meat.
Compared to exposed muscles, she appreciated physiques that could wear a shirt with mature charm.
She had been fortunate to see Pei Yuzhou’s; everyone else fell short.
Later, Mia and Winnie got tipsy and went to the dance floor to dance with others.
Meng Shuyou knew her own alcohol tolerance and didn’t dare drink too much; one of them three had to stay sober.
After staying inside a long time, she took her mobile phone and went outside for some fresh air.
Just as she exited the door, someone suddenly collided head-on with her; that person shoved her hard and ran inside in a panic.
Meng Shuyou hadn’t even seen the person clearly before she fell heavily to the ground, wincing in pain.
Her mobile phone also smashed onto the ground, screen cracked.
A flurry of hasty footsteps approached.
Looking up, she saw four or five burly bodyguards in black chasing toward this side.
Meng Shuyou didn’t know what was happening.
The bodyguards passed by her, and she glimpsed the bulging outlines at their waists.
Pistols!
She picked up the mobile phone in terror and stood up from the ground, frantically pressing the power button, but it stayed black screen and wouldn’t turn on.
Chaotic shouting came from inside.
Meng Shuyou couldn’t worry about that and prepared to go in to find Mia and Winnie.
Just as she turned around, someone suddenly called out to her.
“Miss Meng, why are you here?” Mark strode over.
Meng Shuyou was extremely anxious, “My friends are still inside.”
Mark reminded her, “Don’t go in, it’s very chaotic inside now; your friends will be fine.”
With his words, Meng Shuyou felt reassured, “Those bodyguards, are they yours?”
Mark nodded, “Yeah.”
Meng Shuyou didn’t dare ask more.
The more you know, the more dangerous it is—that’s how it always goes on television.
Her foot still hurt, so she quietly squatted to the side rubbing her ankle.
Last time it was her right foot sprained, this time again.
In less than twenty minutes, several bodyguards escorted a man with a full beard out.
Mark ordered, “Take him to see Mister.”
