Chapter 39.1

“Can it be Minister Liu? A rare guest!” Yao Chen took that lecherous paw and smilingly greeted the fat man. “I hear you’ve been transferred back and promoted to minister! My hearty congratulations!”

“Oh, no need to congratulate me, Xiao Yao.” Fatty Liu looked at the beautiful girl Yao Chen was shielding. “But Xiao Yao, I have to let you know, your waitress is outrageous. Look at what happened to my clothes…”

Yao Chen tutted. “This little girl is inexperienced, she must have been nervous to meet such a distinguished guest. Please, let me apologize to you on her behalf. If you’ll leave your suit jacket today, I’ll have someone wash it and send it to you.”

The whole time he had the girl tightly, solidly shielded behind him, obviously meaning to protect her. Though there was a smile on his face and humble words were coming from his mouth, he was known in reality as a ruthless man. Minister Liu humphed, and didn’t cross the line. “Forget it, that would be far too much trouble. If you ask her to merely have a drink with me, I’ll overlook the issue.” This gave both him and Yao Chen a way out.

Yao Chen’s appearance was far too coincidental. Han Yanyan even wondered if he had been watching from the sidelines, only to appear at just the right moment. After all, they were in Area 8. Room 812 was not far away.

Suspicions aside, it was quite manly of him to protect her. There was a reason why the classic trope of ‘the hero saving the beauty’ had stood strong over thousands of years of literature, and was still being used to this day. Han Yanyan smiled very slightly.

She assumed that since he had already protected her once, he would also protect her from this cup of wine. But she had overestimated Yao Chen.

Instead of deflecting the cup of wine, Yao Chen instead replied with great relish, “One drink isn’t enough. She shall be penalized with three cups.”

Han Yanyan drew in a sharp breath.

Yao Chen turned. With a stern face, he told her, “Look what you’ve done! Thankfully Minister Liu is a magnanimous man and won’t hold this against you. If you want to continue working here, Han Yanyan, apologize to the minister and drink three drinks with him.”

He particularly stressed “if you want to continue working here”. This was… him learning about her situation from Xiao Yang and knowing that she couldn’t lose this job, right?

Between ‘a humiliated student’ and ‘a calm acceptance’, Han Yanyan decided that the first would be too difficult for her current level of acting skill. The latter was her natural response, which would be easier.

She clasped her hands before her in the most standard posture a waitress could have, and bowed her head to Fatty Liu. “I’m very sorry, Minister Liu. I was careless. Please forgive me.”

Fatty Liu hadn’t expected Yao Chen to give him face like this. Feeling much better, he snorted and said, “A small thing. Punish yourself with three drinks, and we’ll put it behind us.”

Han Yan Yan looked up. Before she could speak, Yao Chen had dragged Fatty Liu by the arm into his private room. Pushing the fat man in first, he glanced back at her.

“Come in.” The meaning was clear.

Han Yanyan briefly rolled her eyes toward the ceiling, then went in.

It was Ah Sen who had replaced her in the private room. Sitting on the sofa, Yao Chen beckoned to Ah Sen, who bent down to listen. When he heard Yao Chen’s instructions, Ah Sen turned to look at her with complicated eyes. He left quickly.

Yao Chen and Fatty Liu sat on the sofa, talking with each other and flattering each other. No one glanced at Han Yanyan, as if she had been forgotten.

Han Yanyan didn’t try to make herself known, either. She took up Ah Sen’s previous position and pretended not to exist.

It didn’t take long for Ah Sen to return with three glasses of liquor on a tray. When Han Yan saw them, she cursed inwardly. What did Yao Chen want?

This was a special liquor whose contents were so strong that even men quickly lost themselves, let alone young girls like Han Yanyan. Her new body had little resistance to secondhand smoke, and even less to alcohol.

“Yanyan, come here.” Cigarette hanging from his mouth, Yao Chen smiled, looking amused. “This is for you. Minister Liu is a broad-minded man – apologize to him with these three drinks, and the matter will be over. ”

Minister Liu and all the other men in the private room were obviously aware of what sort of liquor this was. They looked on, entertained, as if watching a good show. Ah Sen and the two familiar escorts looked worried.

“Yanyan,” spoke Minister Liu, calling her by the name written on her badge. He waved his paw. “Go on, drink this and we’ll be even!”

When the three glasses took effect, she would surely be done for.

Han Yanyan lifted her eyes to Yao Chen. She wasn’t angry, she just didn’t understand.

Fatty Liu had his eyes on her, and intended to get his hands on her. It was obvious that he hadn’t intended to give in until he got what he wanted. By stopping him, Yao Chen had admitted that Han Yanyan was under his protection. No one had said anything about it, but all knew that the most important outcome of this ‘matter’ was that Fatty Liu could no longer touch her in the future.

Just like male beasts had their own territories, now that she was under one’s protection other male beasts could not cross the boundary without great difficulty.

Compared to that, it was peanuts for him to deflect a simple glass of wine. But Yao Chen hadn’t. Instead, as if afraid that it wasn’t enough, he had upgraded it to liquor. He had been willing to take her under his wing, yet now he was embarrassing her here. What did he want?

Han Yan lifted her eyes to see Yao Chen holding that cigarette in his mouth, his eyes full of malice–

Stubborn girls and fierce women had to have their spines broken, had to be crushed underfoot. Only then would they know how to be obedient and docile, how to crawl at his feet.

Han Yanyan had a sudden realization.

So as it turned out, he was waiting for her to surrender!

A few days ago, she had refused his offer to be an escort or mistress. Was that when he had begun training her? Tempering justice with mercy, a two-pronged approach with a carrot in one hand and a stick in the other.

Now, if she was willing to cry and beg him, he would surely deflect these three drinks for her in a very manly manner. And from then on she would be psychologically in his debt, subconsciously submitting to him!

This man didn’t need pick-up artist lessons, he was a born master! Did this world even have pick-up artists? If it didn’t, she feared he would be the founder!

After three drinks, she would be unconscious. Then what?

Han Yanyan glanced at Fatty Liu, who looked as though he was thoroughly enjoying the show. Yao Chen was right here. Men always cared deeply about the meat they hadn’t eaten yet. They wouldn’t give it up easily to other men before they had the first bite themselves.

Very well then. Let’s gamble.