The soft light enveloped the girl like a veil, making her already pure features appear even more innocent and radiant.
The girl's clear, pure eyes, like a clear spring, seemed out of place in this messy private room, as if they were the only remaining pure thing in the world.
The girl's hands pressed tightly against her slightly upturned pleated skirt, which was so short it looked as if a mere breeze could flip it over.
Beneath the hem of the skirt, black lace trim peeks out, resembling the wings of a black butterfly about to emerge.
Lu Yanting's throat bobbed involuntarily, and he casually picked up a glass of wine from the table and gulped it down.
He just watched Qiu Mang stand there quietly. The girl looked like a lamb that had wandered into a pack of wolves, so innocent and so tempting.
In the dimly lit room, the man on the soft chair, having finished his meal, let out a loud burp.
He then grinned, revealing a malicious smile, and asked, "What do you need? Can you really fulfill any need?"
Qiu Mang tried her best to maintain a professional smile and politely replied, "Yes, sir. Please feel free to tell me if you need anything."
The man raised an eyebrow slightly, a hint of ambiguity flashing in his eyes, and said, "Oh? Then... what about physical needs?"
Upon hearing the man's words, Qiu Mang was instantly stunned, her mind going completely blank.
Before she could react, she felt her wrist being tightly gripped by a strong hand.
Qiu Mang frantically pulled her hand back, and she heard her own trembling voice come from her throat: "Sir, you've had too much to drink. I'm not a public relations person; I'm just a waitress!"
Seeing the panic on the girl's face, the man became even more brazen. "What difference does it make whether you're a waitress or a PR professional? As long as the money's right, what's the difference?"
After saying that, the man stood up, his tall figure slowly approaching the girl. Qiu Mang was forced step by step to the wall, her back pressed tightly against it, with nowhere left to retreat.
The cold temperature of the wall seeped through the thin fabric of her clothes and into her body, causing Qiu Mang to shiver involuntarily.
"Little girl, you're so fair-skinned and pretty, so charming! I love this kind of pure and innocent type!"
Just as the man's hand was about to reach for her face, a voice suddenly came from behind her.
"Hey! New waiter! We've run out of drinks here, come and take our order!"
"Here it comes!" Qiu Mang dodged away quickly.
"Who the hell is this? Don't they have any sense of propriety?" The man frowned and turned to look.
When he saw the man on the sofa, he instantly composed himself.
Hua Xiao leaned back on the sofa and waved to the girl. A beam of light from above shone directly on Hua Xiao's handsome face, making him look extremely alluring.
Qiu Mang suddenly remembered what Yueyue had said: Don't provoke President Lu who is sitting on the sofa, otherwise you won't even know how you died.
Qiu Mang's heart skipped a beat, and she walked over, clenching her hands tightly.
Two men were sitting on the sofa. One was Hua Xiao, who was talking to her, and the other was hidden in the shadows, his face indistinct, but he exuded an aura that kept strangers at bay.
Qiu Mang didn't know Hua Xiao, nor did she know who President Lu was. Oh well, she'd just have to be careful to serve both of them.
"What would you two like to drink?" Qiu Mang immediately put on a professional smile as he approached the two men.
"Pour Mr. Lu a glass! He's finished his." Hua Xiao raised an eyebrow, his smile wicked.
Qiu Mang squatted down, picked up the wine bottle, and the moment he looked up, he met the deep black eyes of the man in the shadows. In that instant, it was as if the air itself froze.
"Mr....Mr. Lu?"
Is it Lu Yanting?
"What are you standing there for? Pour it for President Lu!" Hua Xiao said.
"Okay...okay!" Qiu Mang opened the bottle and poured wine for Lu Yanting. The clear liquid swirled gently in the glass.
"Mr. Lu, it's done."
Qiu Mang lowered her eyes, ultimately unable to meet Lu Yanting's gaze.
"Miss Qiu, Mr. Lu saw you being bullied earlier and specifically asked me to help you out. How is this how you repay Mr. Lu?" Hua Xiao teased.
"Well, thank you, Mr. Lu," Qiu Mang said softly, pursing her lips slightly.
Hua Xiao sighed, rubbed his temples, and chuckled, "She really is an innocent young girl! At least, she should..."
Hua Xiao's gaze swept over a female public relations officer not far away. The female public relations officer's body was pressed close to the man next to her, and her slender white fingers were feeding the man a piece of fruit. The action was extremely ambiguous.
Qiu Mang followed Hua Xiao's gaze and her face instantly turned bright red.
"If you have nothing else to do, get out of here!" Lu Yanting took a deep breath and suddenly spoke.
"Okay, okay... I'll leave, I'll leave right now. President Lu really is a traitor who kicks away the ladder after crossing the river and discards the millstone after using it!" Hua Xiao clutched his chest, looking distressed.
After Hua Xiao left, Lu Yanting looked at the girl in front of him, his eyes filled with anger. "What? Weren't you supposed to be so noble? Didn't you want to earn money with your own hands? Now you've come to a place like this to make money. Where's your backbone? Where's your integrity? Have they been eaten by dogs?"
Lu Yanting had seen her at her most vulnerable and had also offered her a helping hand during her most difficult times, which made his words all the more impactful.
The man's words were like heavy hammer blows, each one striking her heart with devastating force, leaving her bloodied and in excruciating pain.
Qiu Mang lowered her eyes, hiding the grievance in them.
The man, however, had no intention of letting her go. He reached out and pinched her chin. "What? You'd rather be taken advantage of by other men here than be with me? How much do you hate me?"
Lu Yanting stared intently at Qiu Mang, his grip tightening unconsciously. Qiu Mang winced in pain, but stubbornly refused to utter a sound.
"Speak!" Lu Yanting's voice was deep and imposing.
Qiu Mang took a deep breath, slowly raised her eyes, her gaze filled with grievance yet also a hint of stubbornness. "President Lu, I don't hate you. I just want to live by my own efforts and don't want to be anyone's appendage."
Lu Yanting paused slightly, loosening his grip a little. "Rely on yourself? In a place like this, do you think you can escape unscathed?"
Qiu Mang bit her lip. "I'll be careful. I know what I'm doing."
Lu Yanting snorted coldly, "You have no idea how dangerous it is here."
Looking into the girl's large, clear eyes, Lu Yanting felt a tightness in his chest. This woman hadn't seen much of the harshness of society and always overestimated her abilities. What would it take for her to admit defeat?
Lu Yanting was somewhat confused; he couldn't explain what he saw in this woman.
Perhaps it was her pure and innocent eyes, or perhaps it was her tenacious vitality like wild grass and her stubbornness, but the more this woman rejected him, the more it aroused his desire to conquer her.
But at this moment, he couldn't stand her inexplicable stubbornness, and he hoped that she would soon break through the wall and seek his protection.
Lu Yanting stood up, his tall figure looming over Qiu Mang. "From now on, leave this place and don't let me see you in a place like this again."
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