But would it even work?

Before long the waiter came back leading a pretty-boy type, dolled up so soft and creamy he nearly shone. In the waiter's estimation, these schoolgirls never liked the rugged, muscular he-men — they liked the softer sort, pretty boys with a touch of Korean-drama about them.

"Ladies, are you satisfied with this one?" the waiter asked, stooping low.

"..." Gu Mengyao was left speechless. This? This was supposed to provoke Wei Zhao? He wasn't even as good-looking as Wei Zhao. What sort of establishment was this? He looked like that and still came out to work as a duck — had he no shame? No wonder that middle-aged woman earlier had asked for Wei Zhao and not for any of the male escorts in the bar.

"If you're satisfied, then here is the price list..." The waiter handed Gu Mengyao a small price card.

"All right, all right, no need to look, I understand." Gu Mengyao, thoroughly glum, pointed at the pretty boy. "You sit over there..."

That said, she stole a glance toward Wei Zhao's table — and saw him still toying idly with the glass of red wine in his hand, as though nothing in the world were happening.

The pretty boy was beside himself with joy today. To see Gu Mengyao and Shen Yushu before him — both of them one-in-ten-thousand beauties — and to think that such fortune should fall to him, of all people, left him quivering with excitement.

"Ladies, the two of you look like you're still in school?" Seeing that Gu Mengyao said nothing, the pretty boy took her for shy and spoke first.

"Shut up. Will you die if you sit there and say nothing?" Gu Mengyao was irritated by Wei Zhao's attitude. This fellow had watched her call over a "duck" — how could he have no reaction at all?

But... what reaction ought he to have had?

For a moment Gu Mengyao felt lost... Yes, she was the eldest miss; he was her follower. His only duty was to look after her studies and her daily life, and now and then to serve as a temporary bodyguard and an occasional shield... He had no right to meddle in her private life...

And she — why should she care so much what he thought? She had called over a "Junjie"; what exactly was she trying to do? Provoke Wei Zhao?

But why provoke him? What was he to her? If she did this, would he even be angry?

Had she lost her head? To actually go and do something so idiotic?

Even if she took this "Junjie" and went to book a room, Wei Zhao would only trail along behind at a distance, neither near nor far, wouldn't he? At that thought, Gu Mengyao's spirits sank all at once...

She was being far too foolish — foolish to the point of being laughable. Provoke Wei Zhao? Why on earth should she want to provoke him?

While Gu Mengyao hesitated, the pretty boy was sulking too. He had thought he might carry a beauty home tonight; never mind not being paid — he would gladly have paid them. These two were the very top tier.

But before even a ten-thousandth of his fantasy could come true, one savage shout from Gu Mengyao startled him half out of his wits, and he sat there meekly.

Much as he longed to take the two girls in his arms this very moment and go book a room, in a bar he dared not act out of line; nominally, all he was here for was conversation.

The wolves in the bar, seeing that Gu Mengyao and Shen Yushu had actually called over a male escort, were all stricken with grief and indignation. To think these two had come here hunting for thrills... Had they only known, they would never have waited for the girls to summon a male escort — they would have gone up themselves...

Most of the lechers, and especially the passably good-looking ones, beat their chests and stamped their feet.

Wei Zhao watched Gu Mengyao and Shen Yushu, unable to guess what they were up to, calling over a male host... If it came to that, they would have done better to call him — he could have earned a little extra on the side... A short while ago he had chatted idly with Sun Jingyan and made a thousand yuan, and walked off with a fat wallet besides. Clearly this profession had real potential.

Behind the bar, in a darkened room, a man sat quietly watching the goings-on out in the bar, his gaze never straying from the range that covered Gu Mengyao's table and Wei Zhao's table.

"That duck was called over by Gu Mengyao?" the man asked, looking at the bar manager beside him, Su Jiaonang, with something like disbelief.

"Yes, Brother Cihua," Su Jiaonang nodded cautiously.

"Who'd have thought the eldest Miss Chu liked that sort of thing. No wonder she keeps a bodyguard glued to her side..." This man was Li Cihua, famous throughout Songshan City, known to all as Brother Cihua — a figure who walked the edge between the black and the white...

But anyone with eyes could see he was nothing more than a front man pushed out onto the stage; the real power belonged to the man behind him. Otherwise, with no background whatsoever and the record of a released convict, Li Cihua would have found it very hard indeed to make any kind of splash in Songjiang City.

Were it not for that man behind him, the things he did day to day would long ago have drawn the police's unrelenting attention.

"Looks like Miss Gu isn't too taken with that fair-faced boy, is she?" Li Cihua said mildly, seeing how Gu Mengyao gave the male host the cold shoulder. "Don't you see the table beside hers? That's Miss Gu's personal bodyguard — far better looking than that fair-faced boy."

"Shall I switch him for another one, then?" Su Jiaonang asked cautiously.

"No need. They're probably just trying something new..." Li Cihua mused. So this little Gu Mengyao was a wild one — keeping a man at home yet coming out here to fool around, and bringing the kept man along with her besides... He really felt sorry for the fellow...

What was that man's name again? Right — Wei Zhao... Mm. It seemed he would have to have a good talk with him, and make sure he didn't spoil his plans...

"Brother Cihua, what do we do now?" Su Jiaonang did not know how to take up Brother Cihua's words. He knew little about matters above his station; his part was simply to do as Li Cihua instructed.

"Go make some trouble for the eldest Miss Chu, test Wei Zhao's skill, and then I'll step in." Li Cihua thought for a moment, then said.

"Understood." Su Jiaonang was well practiced at this sort of thing. He nodded and went off to arrange it.

Gu Mengyao felt like a proper fool. She did not know which nerve had misfired in her earlier, that she should actually order a "duck." If Daddy ever found out, he would be so terribly, terribly disappointed in her... And Uncle Qing, and her classmates... It was mortifying beyond words.

At first, watching Wei Zhao over there, debonair and merry with a beauty on his arm, Gu Mengyao had been unable to swallow her anger; so when the waiter made his recommendation, she nodded. Now it was too late for regret.

By now Gu Mengyao had recovered her calm from that earlier bewilderment. Wei Zhao was only her follower — how could he possibly be angry? And she — why should she be angry with him? Could what Xiaoshu said really be true... that she liked Wei Zhao?

That... how could it be possible? Absolutely impossible.

This person was so thoroughly obnoxious, and such a philanderer besides. She would have to be blind to like him...

But what if she weren't blind? That possibility, Gu Mengyao had not yet considered.