Lin Shaocheng is back
Today, the dance hall has been completely renovated. There are more neon lights and disco balls on it. Unlike before, when there were two speakers in front and a large fence surrounding the dancers, today there is a raised platform in front with two new speakers and a microphone, creating a new stage. Soft leather sofas surround the fence, and male and female waiters come and go with trays of drinks, providing service.
After Li Guorong went inside, Qian Mancang raised his hand to signal, and the henchman next to the sound system changed the music to elegant ballroom dance music. The men and women on the dance floor also changed their dance steps, hugging each other and swaying slowly.
Qian Mancang gave a gentlemanly bow, his sharp eyes fixed on Li Guorong. This aggressiveness was something Li Guorong rarely experienced with Lin Shaocheng. Lin Shaocheng was like a bright moon, cool and gentle, while Qian Mancang was like the sun, burning her with passion.
Li Guorong is already married and is no longer at the age of a middle-aged or elderly woman from her previous life, so it's not appropriate for her to dance with other men.
"That's the big boss of the dance hall. Who's that woman next to him? She's really something."
"It's not surprising that she's so good-looking."
Li Guorong felt immense satisfaction, meeting the envious gazes of women and the admiring eyes of men. Her beauty and temperament were recognized by others, and her hand unconsciously rested on Qian Mancang's hand.
The two twirled on the dance floor, one retreating while the other advanced, the other advancing while the other retreated, spinning and bending over. Her head was dizzy from the warmth emanating from their bodies, and her feet felt as if they were walking on clouds.
As the music stopped, Li Guorong regained some clarity. She pushed Qian Mancang away, remembering that he was married. Another song started playing, and Qian Mancang didn't linger. He left with a meaningful smile.
Li Guorong was a little tired, so she went to rest on the newly placed sofa. Holding a glass of alcoholic beverage, she felt the subtle glances around her and couldn't help but smile. In her previous life, she was most afraid of this kind of scrutiny. She had married far away to a village and was older when she married. The local wives looked down on her and their eyes were full of disdain. But now it was different. These glances were full of envy and jealousy.
"I dedicate this song to the love of my life." Qian Mancang's voice came from the stage. Li Guorong looked up, her face showing surprise. Qian Mancang stretched out his arm and pointed in her direction, his eyes staring straight at her.
Li Guorong's heart pounded, and the envious gazes of the women around her made her stand tall, becoming the focus of the entire dance hall.
“...I love you endlessly, I can love you every day, every month, every year, forever…” [1]
Qian Mancang sang a love song in Cantonese, which he had specially learned. When he reached the climax of the song, he stepped down from the high platform. A spotlight shone on Li Guorong, and Qian Mancang approached and reached out to invite him.
Li Guorong's face showed a hint of struggle. She knew she couldn't respond to him, but this was such a good opportunity. So many eyes were on her, and that hand was like money, making it hard for her to resist. Her vanity swelled to an extreme. The red, blue, purple, pink, and orange lights alternated on her face. Perhaps it was the effect of the alcohol, or perhaps the lights were too dazzling, but she inexplicably placed her hand in Qian Mancang's hand once again.
Li Guorong followed Qian Mancang to the stage. Inside the dance floor, men and women were twisting and turning like madmen. She felt a little uneasy, thinking of the loneliness of being alone in her empty room. At this moment, under the spotlight of everyone, that unease dissipated like smoke.
The two twisted their shoulders on stage, displaying perfect chemistry.
Li Guorong turned around and looked at the audience. It was as if she had been doused with a bucket of ice water. She opened her mouth tremblingly but couldn't say anything.
Lin Shaocheng's fair face was covered in stubble, his cheeks were thin and somewhat sunken, and his clear black and white eyes were bloodshot. His gray overcoat smelled of dust, making him completely out of place in the dance hall. He pursed his lips, lowered his eyes, and left like the wind.
Li Guorong reached out as if to grab something, but grasped nothing. Qian Mancang wore a smug smile; he had won. With money and brothers, he was no longer the same person he used to be. Qian Mancang's right hand gripped Li Guorong so tightly that it hurt.
Li Guorong seemed to have just come to her senses. She shook off Qian Mancang's hand and rushed out. Lin Shaocheng was no longer at the door. She was a little confused. Was it just her imagination?
Cui Fanghua chased after her, "Little sister, are you leaving?" She had just seen her brother-in-law leave. It was hard to get a taxi at this time. What if a shady driver took a fancy to her? "I don't think my brother-in-law is angry. Shall we dance a little longer?" Her eyes were fixed on a tall, thin man inside the door, and she even gave him a flirtatious wink.
Li Guorong only came to her senses amidst the howling night wind and Cui Fanghua's cold words. It was all real. Her legs felt weak for a moment. She climbed into the passenger seat and tossed the keys to Cui Fanghua. "Drive."
Cui Fanghua's expression darkened slightly, and then she thought of Lin Shaocheng. She licked her lips and said, "Okay."
The red sports car roared and woke up several houses along the way. Li Guorong's face was pale, and even rouge could not make him look healthy. Instead, he looked like a ghostly child in a paper effigy.
Cui Fanghua glanced at Li Guorong's frightened expression and smiled slightly. "You and that boss are completely innocent, what are you afraid of? I'll vouch for you. It's just that you're from the same hometown and you're helping out with your business. It would be petty for your brother-in-law to hold a grudge against you. Besides, you worked hard in China to support his studies. If he still holds a grudge, he would be ungrateful."
Li Guorong then came to his senses. Cui Fanghua was right. She hadn't done anything outrageous. Lin Shaocheng's factory had always been in a state of semi-death. The fact that he could live so freely abroad was all thanks to her chili factory. What right did Lin Shaocheng have to be angry?
Seeing that Li Guorong's expression had improved, Cui Fanghua deliberately stirred things up, saying, "Little sister, you're so beautiful, it's normal for people to pursue you. Why does your husband still lock you at home? In my opinion, he shouldn't have gone to the Ugly Country. Who knows what might have happened there."
Thinking about the openness of the Ugly Country, Li Guorong's face darkened, and she rubbed her hands together. She had some doubts in her heart. Even her relatives couldn't help but have the desire to have fun, let alone Zhu Lin Shaocheng.
The car screeched to a halt. Li Guorong slammed the door open and angrily pushed it open. The house was pitch black. Li Guorong shouted, "Lin Shaocheng, why don't you turn on the lights when you come home? Are you sick?"
She turned on the light; the first floor was empty. She strode up to the bedroom, turned on the light again, and found it empty as well. The drawer was open, and she rushed over; Lin Shaocheng's bankbook was gone. Her feigned anger now became real, and she ran to the walk-in closet, yelling, "Lin Shaocheng, what are you doing? If you want a divorce, just say so!"
In the walk-in closet, her clothes were neatly hung one by one, while Lin Shaocheng, who originally had few clothes, had none left. Her jewelry lay quietly in the cabinet, but Lin Shaocheng's watch was gone.
Li Guorong was gripped by immense panic, like a punctured ball, her guilty anger bursting through her. She collapsed to the ground, realizing she had never intended to wrong Lin Shaocheng. She had only been dancing with someone else, and now Lin Shaocheng was gone.
She stood up. No, she had to find out. She ran downstairs again. Where could Lin Shaocheng have gone? The factory? Li Xiangxi's house?
"Second sister-in-law, let's go to the factory."
On this boring night, Li Guorong was no longer bored.
There was no one inside the factory. Outside Li Xiangxi's house, Li Guorong pounded on the door violently, shouting, "Lin Shaocheng, I know you're in there. Open the door if you dare!"
Li Xiangxi thought he was dreaming when he heard the woman's shouts, but the voices grew louder and louder, and the dogs around him started barking wildly. Li Xiangxi suddenly stood up and shouted, "Who is it?"
He hurriedly put on his clothes, opened the door, and asked, "Sister-in-law? What are you doing up so late at night?"
Li Guorong's once smooth curly hair had turned into a golden lion's mane, and her lipstick was mostly smudged. Wearing a short skirt at night, she looked like a streetwalker. Li Xiangxi became suspicious. "My brother hasn't come back. Why are you dressed like this, sister-in-law?"
Li Xiangxi's strange tone made Li Guorong feel as if something was stuck in her throat. She pretended to push Li Xiangxi away forcefully and opened the doors of every room.
Li Xiangxi did not stop him. He stood in the middle of the courtyard and looked Li Guorong up and down. His gaze grew colder and colder, somewhat like Lin Shaocheng dealing with his opponent.
"Sister-in-law, heaven is watching what people do. My brother is an honest man. If you didn't want to stay, you should have said so earlier. You've eaten all of my brother's money. What kind of person are you to just wipe your mouth now?"
Li Guorong roared, "What nonsense are you spouting? I've never done anything to wrong him! Where is he hiding?" Li Xiangxi sneered, "My brother's abroad. Why are you acting like you have a guilty conscience?"
Li Guorong looked around. Li Xiangxi's expression didn't seem to indicate that she knew anything. She pursed her lips, pushed Li Xiangxi away, got into the car, and said, "Let's go home."
Cui Fanghua stuck her head out of the car and looked in Li Xiangxi's direction. "Where's my brother-in-law? He's still angry. That's so petty."
Li Guorong was too weak to answer and slumped softly in the back seat. Had she really done something wrong? Alone in a foreign land, with no man at home and no lively family of brothers and sisters around, she was just a little lonely and needed to relieve her loneliness. Otherwise, she would be bored to death.
Li Guorong lay in bed, too weak to remove her makeup. At the slightest sound outside, she would stand by the window to look out, only to be greatly disappointed. But then her eyes lit up. Tomorrow the factory would reopen, and Lin Shaocheng would definitely come to check on its operations. She was sure she would see him tomorrow.
Li Guorong closed her eyes. Tomorrow she had to appear beautiful and not look tired, lest it make her seem guilty.
After lying down for a few minutes, Li Guorong went to the dressing room again and picked out a light blue suit dress. It made her look fresh and elegant, and it was more beautiful and charming than yellow. Which one should she wear? Lin Shaocheng liked blue, so he chose blue.
Are the stockings flesh-colored or black?
Should the shoes be high heels or low heels?
The dressing room was a mess, but finally the morning light illuminated Li Guorong's face. Her perfect base makeup and pink lipstick made her look pure and charming. Her light blue suit made her look even more elegant, and her black leather shoes added a touch of dignity. She put on her black Chanel milk bag, confidently got into her little red car, and drove to the factory.
[1] I love you endlessly, Aaron Kwok
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