Chapter 180 - The Hobby of the Traveler
Chapter 180 - The Hobby of the Traveler
There were bursts of music in the "Night Pearl" and people were swaying intimately in the dimly lit dance floor. There are no real couples among these men and women. After all, the men in such places tacitly agree not to bring their family members.
Duan Yunhong and Ning Fei, on their side, turned around with their wine glasses, "talking behind the scenes" about the people who still vaguely existed in Duan Yunhong's memory, which also indirectly allowed Ning Fei to understand a little more about his "past".
"Why are you always looking at the dance floor?"
During the dance, Duan Yunhong saw Ning Fei glancing at the dance floor from time to time and asked, "Do you want to dance too?"
"I just think it's funny that these people can't dance, but they keep wandering around inside just to get close through their clothes." Ning Fei sneered in a low voice, "This is not even considered as being a hooligan in public. Even if I don't have any dancing skills, I can dance more passionately and more enthusiastically."
"for example?"
"For example, even if these young girls are experienced in romance, they are still limited in their experience, so they won't even try to touch me." Ning Fei said faintly, "Although, men are indeed a species that can get erect even if they are touched casually through their clothes."
Duan Yunhong lowered his eyes to look at the remaining wine in the glass: "So, you know a lot?"
"Ha, I have much more experience than these girls, right?" Ning Fei sneered, "And don't you know that Su Cenxi learned many of her moves and positions from me? I don't dare to call myself an expert in other things, but I am quite good at showing off my 'sexual tension'."
Duan Yunhong swallowed the wine in his mouth, and his throat rolled heavily: "...Then shall we go down?"
"You wish. I don't want to be the center of attention here, especially because of the 'shocking' behavior of two men." Ning Fei glanced at him and snorted, "I just want to quietly protect the Cheng family and don't want any complications."
Duan Yunhong wanted to say something, and before he could even utter the beginning of the words "then wait until we get back", someone interrupted him.
The vice president of Pingdu Newspaper, who sent them the invitation, finally remembered to contact someone. After confirming their identities, he introduced them to several of Pingdu's business and political friends. But Ning Fei's mission focus is not in Pingdu, and he has basically no interest in socializing with these people. So he just said hello briefly, found an excuse to escape, and slipped away, leaving Duan Yunhong behind.
His speed was so fast and his actions were so decisive that Duan Yunhong didn't have time to catch him and could only watch him run away.
The other men joked with Duan Yunhong: "It seems that Ning Fei is still young at heart and hasn't fully grown up. He can't even tell the main point in this kind of situation."
Duan Yunhong heard this and replied in a cold tone: "Anyway, there is always someone to cover for him. Even if he likes to play, it doesn't matter."
When others heard him say this, they realized that he didn't want to gossip about Ning Fei behind her back, so they smiled and changed the subject, no longer talking about Ning Fei.
While Duan Yunhong was caught up in this boring social interaction, Ning Fei also found something slightly interesting.
He found that the lady who had sat at the same table with Liang Zhiming before was left alone. She was now sitting alone at a table in the corner, looking forward expressionlessly, with a cigarette between two fingers.
Ning Fei walked over: "Would you mind borrowing one?"
"...Hmm?" The young lady looked up with a bit of confusion, as if wondering why a young man would lend her a cigarette. Only then did Ning Fei see her appearance clearly: an oval face, big eyes, and clear lip lines. Even with such beautiful and heavy makeup, it was obvious that she was naturally beautiful, which gave her a huge advantage over the other girls present.
It's actually a bit strange that a girl like this is sitting alone in a corner smoking at this moment.
"I forgot to bring it." Ning Fei said in a natural tone, as if he really came to quit smoking, "Your thin cigarettes seem to be good, so I asked to borrow one from you."
The lady seemed to take his words as a form of flirting and smiled: "Sir, if you borrow, you must return it."
These are the rhetoric used in their line of work, and the tone they use is also gentle and pleasant. Ning Fei responded calmly: "Of course. If you can tell me your name and address, I would like to send a small gift of thanks to you."
"I can't say 'home'. My name is Qiao Li, and I'm here almost every night." Qiao Li simply avoided the question of where she lived. While taking out a cigarette from her small handbag and handing it to Ning Fei, she asked, "Sir, you look unfamiliar. Is this your first time here? What's your name?"
"My last name is Ning, and it's indeed my first time here." Ning Fei knew that "Qiao Li" was just a pseudonym, but he still gave his last name easily, and lit the cigarette with the match that Qiao Li lit consciously. He looked really good while smoking, and he wasn't in a hurry to continue chatting with Qiao Li, he just puffed out smoke leisurely. Qiao Li had never seen such a man before. His face and manners seemed more elegant and refined than all the girls present, so she was stunned for a moment.
But she quickly came to her senses: "Since this is Mr. Ning's first time here, it seems that he is a distinguished guest of Pingdu Newspaper? How about I introduce the 'Night Pearl' to you?"
"No need, I've heard of it." Ning Fei flicked the cigarette into the ashtray, "I'll just sit for a while. Miss Qiao isn't waiting for someone, is she? I'm sitting in a seat reserved by someone else?"
"No, there's no one here." Qiao Li smiled at him, her beautiful eyes looking forward to it. "Then can I chat with you for a while?"
"If you want to chat, then chat. If you don't want to chat, just sit here." Ning Fei said casually, "If you want to drink, then order some. It's my treat."
He slowly exhaled a puff of smoke and smiled: "Consider it my treat, not my return of the cigarette."
"Then let me order some for you to quench your thirst. This bar actually has a kind of wine that doesn't conflict with the taste of my cigarette. I've wanted to share it with others for a long time, and today is the chance." Qiao Li didn't refuse. She called the waiter and ordered two glasses of the same wine. Ning Fei had looked at the menu before and knew that this kind of wine was not among the most expensive ones. It seemed that Qiao Li knew how to act appropriately.
While waiting for the wine to arrive, Qiao Li did not remain silent and chatted with Ning Fei in a random manner. When she heard that Ning Fei came from Yucheng, she was a little surprised: "It's so far away! It must be very hard to come all the way here. It should be much colder here than Yucheng. I heard that the main force of the government is in Yucheng, and the development there is more active than Pingdu. Why did Mr. Ning come to Pingdu in such a cold weather?"
Ning Fei said casually: "Come and see the snow."
"Mr. Ning is in a good mood." Qiao Li sighed, "But after the heavy snow, the golden tiles and red walls against the white snow are indeed very beautiful. It's just that ordinary people like me can only watch from a distance. If Mr. Ning could go in and take a look, I'm afraid it would be a completely different world."
Ning Fei suddenly said: "You are quite cultured."
Qiao Li was startled when she heard this. Just then the waiter came over to serve wine. She took the wine and changed the subject: "Mr. Ning, would you like to try my recommendation?"
Ning Fei took a sip to save face. It was actually just a light-flavored fruit wine. To him, it was not much different from boiled water.
So he said bluntly: "Generally speaking."
Qiao Li probably didn't expect him to make such a sharp comment. After a pause, she replied, "Mr. Ning is well-informed and has certainly tasted more good things. It seems that I have a vulgar taste."
Ning Fei suddenly brought the topic back to the topic: "Have you ever been to school?"
Qiao Li hesitated for a moment: "...I did study for a few years."
"Junior high school? High school?" Ning Fei looked her over. "Did you go to college?"
"I can't afford to go to college." Qiao Li smiled, "I didn't finish high school. I can be considered... a refugee."
"Being a female high school student is a rare qualification for ordinary people, and even rarer here." Ning Fei put out his cigarette, "What a pity."
Seeing that he didn't comment like other men, "What's the point of studying, especially since you're a woman," Qiao Li secretly breathed a sigh of relief: "These days, being alive is something to be grateful for. For a little girl like me, studying is no longer a luxury."
"Indeed. But even though I can't go to school anymore, I can still read books occasionally. When I'm alone, I can find peace in books." Ning Fei replied, "If you want..."
"Qiao Li! We haven't finished talking just now...!"
A figure suddenly approached quickly. Ning Fei raised his eyes and wondered who else could it be but the famous reporter Liang Zhiming? His tone was as urgent as his footsteps. He stopped at the table and said to Qiao Li, "Boss Huang insisted on asking you to dance just now. Are you free now? ... Sir, please give up your seat for a moment."
Of course, the last sentence was directed at Ning Fei. Ning Fei raised his eyebrows and was about to stand up when Qiao Li grabbed his hand.
"Liang Zhiming, didn't you see I was chatting with someone? You didn't pay me to meet you, so why are you cutting in line now?" Qiao Li looked at Liang Zhiming and said firmly, "I'm not free today, don't look for me."
Liang Zhiming saw that Ning Fei didn't move after being arrested, and thought he was really a boss who spent money. He frowned and stared at him for two seconds, then gave in and said, "Then come with me, and we'll talk for ten minutes."
"I'm not going. If you have anything to say, just tell me here." Qiao Li gave Ning Fei an apologetic look, but she didn't let go of his hand. "But if it's still the same words as before, then you don't have to say it. It's meaningless."
"What do you mean 'boring'? I found you a painting job that suits your major and allows you to stop being a prostitute. Isn't that good?" Liang Zhiming almost couldn't control his tone. He frowned and stared at Qiao Li. "If you think the salary of 30 yuan a month is too low, I can give you a little subsidy. Although this place makes money quickly in a day or two, it's 'eating people'. How can you stay in a place like this...!"
"Liang Zhiming, I have a daughter at home who needs food and clothes. I don't have time to play the game of 'eating my dreams' with you." Qiao Li also stared at him, "And you're subsidizing me? How much? Three or five yuan occasionally? Do you know that this glass of wine costs fifteen yuan?"
Liang Zhiming said angrily: "So what? Just to drink this fifteen-dollar wine every day, you would rather rot in a place like this than leave? You could have lived a simple life before, but it was the feasting and drinking that ruined you...!"
"Hey! What are you doing over there?!"
The quarrel attracted the security of the dance hall. Qiao Li unceremoniously threw the blame on Liang Zhiming, and Liang Zhiming was "asked" to leave.
Before leaving, he glared at Ning Fei fiercely, as if Ning Fei was the devil who dragged Qiao Li into this "man-eating den" and wouldn't let her leave.
Qiao Li let go of Ning Fei's hand at this time, and said apologetically: "I'm sorry, Mr. Ning, I really can't handle him... How about this, you order another glass of your favorite wine, and I'll buy both of them."
"No need." Ning Fei didn't care about this little money and waved his hand, "You've already paid."
Qiao Li: “…Ah?”
Ning Fei looked at the direction Liang Zhiming left, smiled with interest, and stopped answering.
——Men, oh men, always like to play this crappy game of “pulling good people into trouble and helping prostitutes to become good people”, how can it not be considered an interesting little story?
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Ning Fei: I am dying of laughter. I have met a living moral conductor.
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