President Saves Beauty
There is never just one side to the city’s night.
Brilliant neon lights outline skyscrapers, and rivers of car lights flow endlessly along the broad streets. Beneath this glamorous facade, in certain corners, a completely different ecosystem quietly grows—one where money and power intertwine into an impenetrable web, entangling the most primal desires of human nature.
Hidden away in the city's most expensive area, "Night" is unassuming, with a simple black sign and a heavy door that requires several rigorous checks before entry. It quietly opens a world of extravagance and permissiveness to only those with sufficient wealth and privilege.
Inside the VIP room, the air was almost indissoluble. The smoke from expensive cigars, the rich aroma of aged whiskey, and the sweet, yet ambiguous aroma of incense mingled in a lingering mellowness. The crystal chandelier cast a dazzling light, shrouding the leather sofas, Persian carpets, and the figures, some plump and some lean, in an unreal halo.
Amidst the lively conversation and laughter, cooperation intentions worth tens of millions are quietly reached, and tacit physical attempts and interest connections are silently carried out amidst the clinking of glasses.
Lin Qingyue lazily sank into the widest sofa in the center, a slender lady's cigarette between the fingertips of her right hand, and her left hand casually shook the amber liquid in the cup, the ice cubes hitting the wall of the cup, making a crisp sound.
Although she didn't like these kinds of social events, she had just taken the position of president of the Lin Group and her foundation was not yet stable. These seemingly boring social events were an indispensable lubricant for consolidating her power, and she had to attend them.
The door of the private room was pushed open, and the manager led several young men and women in, with a humble and flattering smile on his face.
"Boss, I brought a few 'waiters' to add more wine to liven up the atmosphere." The manager's voice was low.
This is an unspoken reservation at "Night." These men and women, without exception, possess exceptional looks, young and fresh, like carefully selected commodities. Their job isn't just to pour drinks, light cigarettes, and offer flattering compliments; it also involves satisfying guests' requests for "moderate" physical contact in exchange for generous tips or even more untold "opportunities."
Lin Qingyue's eyes wandered over the group of beautiful young faces, as if examining items on a shelf. Her gaze suddenly froze when it reached the last young man, who had his head lowered.
Amidst the smoke, he looked like a white jade beauty statue accidentally left deep in a swamp, exuding a purity and fragility that was out of tune with the surrounding environment.
Even in his cheap, ill-fitting waiter uniform, his white shirt a bit worn from washing, and his black vest and trousers accentuating his thinness, it couldn't hide his face, which was almost meticulously sculpted. His skin was a cool, pale complexion, seemingly radiant under the dim, ambiguous light. His nose was high, and his lips were full, but slightly pursed with nervousness, their color pale. He happened to look up slightly at the manager's casual nudge, revealing his watery, clear eyes, his long, thick lashes trembling like broken butterfly wings.
An ultimate, dust-free purity, a fragile feeling that could be easily broken, mixed with the youthfulness peculiar to teenagers, formed an almost fatal attraction that instantly and accurately hit the heart of Lin Qingyue, a veteran face control.
She watched him being signaled by the manager to pour wine for Mr. Li. Mr. Li's eyes, which were cloudy due to alcohol, lit up instantly. His greasy hands touched the boy's thighs almost without thinking, and even slid up and down ambiguously. His mouth was full of alcohol and he made obscene jokes.
The boy's body shuddered violently. He bit his lower lip so hard it almost drew blood, and his eyelashes drooped even lower. His hand holding the bottle trembled slightly, but he didn't dare dodge. He even tried to squeeze out a sound from his throat, forcing out a stiff and humble smile that was uglier than crying to show his obedience.
That smile, like a tiny file, inexplicably filed a corner of Lin Qingyue's heart, neither lightly nor heavily.
An inexplicable irritation and a stronger possessiveness suddenly seized her.
"Mr. Li, don't drink too much. Be careful when you get home or your wife will ask you to sleep in the study."
Lin Qingyue's voice was not loud, and although she was joking, it carried an unquestionable pressure.
Everyone's laughter and chatter stopped abruptly, and all eyes focused on him.
Mr. Li withdrew his restless hand awkwardly, his face somewhat embarrassed, a hint of displeasure flashing in his eyes. However, he did not dare to offend the new helmsman of the Lin Group easily, so he could only laugh it off and try to ease the atmosphere: "Mr. Lin is right, I can't drink anymore... hehe..."
Lin Qingyue smiled, extinguished her cigarette, and walked out of the private room to get some fresh air.
After a while, the manager brought the young man to her. Closer, Lin Qingyue could see him more clearly. He looked quite young, his pretty face tense with nervousness, like a little white rabbit caught in the sight of a wild animal, terrified but unable to escape.
She extended her slender, white fingers, her cool fingertips carrying an irresistible force. She gently lifted his chin, forcing him to meet her gaze. His skin felt wonderful to the touch, delicate and warm, yet it trembled slightly beneath her fingertips. The boy stiffened slightly, but dared not resist, forced to meet her gaze.
"Why do you come to work here?" she asked, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the smooth and delicate skin of his jaw. This action carried an almost intimate meaning that she herself had not noticed.
The boy pursed his lips even tighter and remained silent for a few seconds. Then, as if he had exhausted all his courage, he squeezed out a few words from between his teeth, his voice so soft it sounded like a sigh: "My parents are gone... I have to live, I have to... study."
It was a simple sentence, without any wailing or pity, and the tone was even a little flat, but it was like the tiniest needle, accurately piercing a soft corner of Lin Qingyue's heart. That initial pure lust was quietly wrapped in a layer of inexplicable pity.
She loosened her grip, as if merely inspecting the goods. Then, she pulled a gold-stamped business card from her purse and held it out to him. Her gesture was graceful and composed, a condescending gesture, yet strangely devoid of contempt, more like a declaration of right and proper.
"Come with me," she said, her red lips parted slightly. Her tone was as calm as if she were discussing the nice weather today, yet she carried the aura of a queen granting amnesty, leaving no room for doubt. "My apartment is in need of someone to take care of it."
The young man was stunned. He looked at the business card that exuded a faint cold fragrance and had a simple yet textured design. Then he looked at the beautiful, noble, and powerful woman in front of him. His brain seemed to stop working, and he was completely unable to process this sudden and fate-changing message.
In the end, driven by a deep despair over his current situation and a strong desire to escape this suffocating quagmire, the sudden, elusive, yet alluring offer of salvation from this woman before him overwhelmed all his uneasiness and doubts. He looked into her calm eyes, like a drowning man grasping at the only piece of driftwood before him. He exhausted all his strength and nodded heavily, his voice so soft it was almost inaudible:
"good."
Lin Qingyue's lips curved slightly, almost imperceptibly, as if pleased with his tact and compliance. She tilted her head to the manager and said calmly, "I've taken the person away. My assistant will handle the subsequent formalities."
After saying that, she naturally stretched out her hand, not to hold hands, but to gently hook his wrist with her cold fingertips, like a master signaling her new pet to follow, and then turned and walked out.
The skin on his wrist, where she had touched him, felt like it had been seared by a branding iron. He followed her almost mechanically, his mind blank, and walked out of the private room filled with cigarettes, alcohol, desire, and the air that made him sick.
The club manager bowed and nodded as he escorted them to the exclusive elevator entrance.
The black Maybach was already quietly waiting in the underground garage. The driver respectfully opened the door, and Lin Qingyue bent down to get in, then glanced at the boy who was still frozen outside the car.
"Get in the car." Her voice was not loud, but it carried a sense of command.
The boy woke up as if from a dream, hurriedly got into the car, and tried to shrink to the other side of the spacious compartment. His body was tense, and his fingers unconsciously picked at the seams of his rough pants.
The car door closed gently with a dull, high-quality sound, completely isolating him from the bizarre, suffocating world of "night." The car was completely silent, save for the barely audible whirr of the air conditioning system. The air was filled with the faint, expensive scent of car fragrance and the subtle, cold aroma of the woman beside him.
It all felt like a dream, both luxurious and fragile. He didn't even dare breathe, fearing that even the slightest movement would shatter the illusion and plunge him back into the cold, hopeless reality.
Lin Qingyue didn't care about his nervousness. She just took out her cell phone, sent a quick message, and then leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes to rest.
About ten minutes later, the passenger door was opened, bringing in a hint of cool night breeze.
A young woman in a smart suit and skirt, with shoulder-length hair, sat down neatly, holding a folder in her hand.
"Boss," she began, her voice steady and slightly fast, "everything's been taken care of. We've negotiated with the club, settled his previous salary, paid an additional three months' liquidated damages, and signed a confidentiality agreement. There won't be any further trouble." As she spoke, she handed the folder to Lin Qingyue, "Here's a copy of the agreement and the settlement documents."
Lin Qingyue finally opened her eyes, took the folder, and put it aside without even looking at it. "Well, thank you for your hard work."
She turned her gaze to the boy who was almost shrinking into a quail, took a quick look at him, pushed her glasses, and said to Lin Qingyue: "Are we going back to the apartment or...?" There was a hint of inquiry in her tone.
"Go back to the apartment." Lin Qingyue said concisely.
"Okay." She nodded and told the driver the address of "Platinum Mansion".
The car fell silent again. Feeling the scrutiny of the new lady, the young man grew even more nervous, his head lowered even lower.
Wang Jing had dealt with all sorts of thorny business and personal matters, including this one: the boss would occasionally bring back some "companions" he liked from certain occasions, but they usually didn't last long. She thought this time would be no exception.
In order to ease the almost frozen atmosphere in the car, she turned her head and tried to give the boy a reassuring smile.
"Don't be nervous, kid." She tried to sound more relaxed. "Our boss is a very good... employer." She chose her words carefully. "The view from the penthouse at Platinum Residence is great, and it's much more comfortable than your previous place. And the boss is very generous. As long as you..." She paused, swallowed the word "obedient", and changed her words, "...do your job well, and you won't be treated unfairly."
Seeing that he was still tense, she wanted to make a joke to ease the tension: "Relax, at least our boss is young and beautiful, much better than those fat-headed Mr. Li and Mr. Liu in the club, right?"
She had intended it to be a joke, but in the boy's ears, it confirmed his worst suspicions—he had indeed been treated as a pretty plaything, taken from one fiery pit to another seemingly ornate, yet essentially no different, cage. His face instantly paled, and he clenched his fingers even tighter.
Lin Qingyue frowned slightly and glanced at Wang Jing. Wang Jing immediately realized that this joke might not be appropriate. He coughed lightly, pushed his glasses to cover it up, turned around, and said no more.
Silence returned to the car again, with only the low roar of the engine.
The boy's heart sank little by little. It turned out that after leaving that filthy club, what awaited him was not salvation.
Wang Jing silently noted: This boy looks particularly fragile. She might need to be more careful with her approach when handling related matters in the future.
The city outside the car window was glittering and rapidly receding, leaving his unbearable past far behind. And his unknown future was firmly controlled by the cold yet powerful woman beside him.
"What's your name?" Lin Qingyue suddenly looked at him, her tone still carrying the usual discretion and distance of a superior.
"...Shen Yu." The boy's voice was a little hoarse, obviously due to nervousness.
"How old?"
"Ten, sixteen." He hesitated, his voice lowered, almost stuck in his throat, as if he was afraid that this number would bring about some bad consequences.
Lin Qingyue turned her head.
It's a waste of time to save it, but it's still underage and can't be eaten.
Just put it aside for now. When you get tired of it, you can throw it away.
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