Returning to '97, creating a new life

No matter how busy Huo Gang was, he had to stay in this private room.

He smoked three cigarettes, and when he left, his eyes were full of light.

After he left, Yunshang looked at Xu Kai with eyes full of curiosity.

"What are you looking at? Haven't you ever seen a genius before?"

Yunshang laughed in exasperation: "I've never seen such a twisted genius..." She walked over, sat down next to Xu Kai, suddenly leaned in, bit his ear, and spat out the words through her teeth: "Your mind is full of filth every day."

Xu Kai pulled her into his arms, and the intimate behavior between the young couple—hugging, kissing, and hugging—could go on as many times as they wanted each day.

As the loud music started, Yunshang nudged Xu Kai, and the two moved from the sofa to chairs by the railing to watch the performance below.

The young women who were dancing on stage, wearing minimal clothing and showing off their long legs, came down from the side of the stage. The scene was a little chaotic, but that didn't matter. They spread out across the aisles and booths, covering the entire first floor, dancing in the area closest to the customers. Their perfume was noticeable, and their breathing could be heard as they danced…

What's most exciting is that when you get close, the fabric can't completely cover you up as it moves, and the people nearby get a little feast for the eyes. This performance immediately drew whistles and shouts from the audience.

The dance was unrehearsed and a bit chaotic, but when the female dancers felt the audience's enthusiasm and the music with its strong rhythm came out, they displayed their enchanting dance moves on the spot. This was not only due to the extra hundred yuan that Brother Gang gave each of them, but also the emotional presentation created by the atmosphere.

A few of the more open ones, while dancing, didn't forget to make expressions, constantly throwing flirtatious glances at the male guests who didn't bring female companions, which made these people release their excited emotions in advance.

Huo Gang watched from the corner, marveling at how right his arrangements for the day had been. He had originally come to thank Xu Kai for his close relationship with Miss Su, and the arrangement, which included offering suggestions, had also been upgraded. He hadn't expected such an unexpected bonus.

He'd already started planning where to set up small, half-meter-square platforms in different areas of the venue, so the girls could each have their own area to dance on, and their sweat might even land on some of the customers' faces...

The place was packed full, with not a single empty spot.

From where Xu Kai and his group were, they could see the entrance passage and many customers without seats were still waiting there.

The venue tried its best to make arrangements, adding small tables and chairs on the spot. They were uncomfortable to sit on and were located on the edge of the wall, making it difficult to see the stage. Even so, a considerable number of guests chose to accept these arrangements. They would just stand up during the performance. These small tables and chairs were simply a matter of buying an "admission ticket".

Amidst the energetic singing and dancing performances, a real singer came on stage and sang three familiar songs. The music softened and the lighting dimmed, giving everyone a break to chat, drink, and relax.

Xu Kai leaned on the railing with his arm as a pillow, looking around. A song ended, the lights came on, and it was just the right moment—such a coincidence.

His gaze was fixed on the passageway, where several people were standing at a small table. One of them was also looking around, his eyes meeting the second-floor area. Xu Kai chuckled to himself; these guys had actually come.

Wang Tao pulled Sun Bo aside and pointed to the area where Xu Kai was: "Big brother, look, isn't that Xiao Kai?"

The person Xu Kai was looking into was his cousin Wang Tao from his aunt's side.

Xu Kai waved to them, and Wang Tao waved back enthusiastically. He was quick-witted; they had finally managed to get a chance to enter, only to find a small table temporarily set up next to the passageway. This place was already out of the way, and it was also at the entrance of the passageway, with people coming and going. Watching the performance here was a completely unpleasant experience. There was nothing they could do; it was the first day of the Lunar New Year, and business was booming. Even so, it was only because Wang Tao knew a waiter here that the waiter had made special arrangements for them. Outside, there was a huge queue that had been told there were no seats available and they couldn't get in.

"My cousins, I'll go down and greet them." Xu Kai stood up. Pretending not to see them or acting stupid at this moment would be too much.

Yunshang hummed in agreement. She had already met Sun Xiuyun, so she felt no pressure about bumping into Xu Kai's relatives.

"Holy crap, it really is you! I thought I was seeing things." Wang Tao excitedly grabbed Xu Kai's hand. His excitement was simply because he had met his younger brother outside, an emotion different from meeting an old friend in a foreign land, but one that shared similar roots.

Sun Bo introduced the woman next to him: "This is my girlfriend, Cai Juan. You can just call her Sister Juan."

The round-faced woman wasn't particularly attractive, but Xu Kai certainly recognized her—his future sister-in-law. She was a mercenary woman, neither particularly likable nor unlikable. It was said that she had often displayed that sharp and sarcastic attitude towards his uncle and aunt.

She had never shown him any displeasure, and Xu Kai wouldn't intentionally develop any resistance towards her, after all, she had given birth to twin sons for his older brother, making her a hero in their family.

"Sister Juan."

"Hello there."

After exchanging greetings, without needing anyone else to mention it, Xu Kai glanced at the crowded scene around him. Almost every person who walked by blocked their view of the stage from their small table for a fleeting moment.

Yes, there were four people, including Sun Xue, the eldest sister from my uncle's family. It's understandable. Whether it was her or Cai Juan who wanted to come, it's not appropriate for a girl to come to such a legendary place with several men. Having someone to accompany her can help avoid some of the awkwardness during the legendary exciting activities.

"Just the four of you?"

Xu Kai asked a question and received an affirmative answer: "Don't sit here, come upstairs with me. There are only two of us over there, so we can all have some fun together."

"Is it convenient?" The eldest brother, Sun Bo, was still a bit reserved.

"It's my boyfriend, let's go."

Cai Juan glanced at Xu Kai. He was so good at talking. She knew her boyfriend's temper all too well. He was vain and aloof. He said they were having fun together, but he didn't mean the upstairs environment was better.

"Wow!" Wang Tao entered the private room and was completely stunned. Compared to his previous position, this place was simply heaven. It was facing the stage, with a whole set of sofas inside, as well as chairs and small tables placed in front of the railing.

Look at what's on the coffee table.

The XO wasn't that eye-catching; the most eye-catching thing was the fruit boat that was more than half a meter long, and the fruit on it wasn't cheap stuff; it was all high-end stuff.

"Let me introduce you, this is my girlfriend, Yunshang."

"My maternal uncle's eldest brother, Sun Bo, my maternal aunt's eldest sister, Sun Xue, my maternal aunt's cousin, Wang Tao, and this is my eldest brother's girlfriend, Sister Juan."

Yunshang greeted everyone with a smile, while the others looked at her with a bit of restraint. It wasn't for any other reason than that her outstanding appearance put a lot of pressure on them.

Despite having people like Xiao Lili and Sun Ting who claim that their cousin is now a high school idol, they've known each other since childhood, so even though Xu Kai's appearance has changed a lot, it's hard for people to think he's handsome.

Yunshang is completely different. She is at the age of youthful vitality, with a face full of collagen. Her excellent qualities make people feel great pressure when they are around her.

Sun Xue and Cai Juan, in particular, were both women and were completely outmatched in every way. Despite being a few years older, they were somewhat at a loss.

"XO, bro, what's this..." Wang Tao was the most normal-thinking one, his attention instead focused on the liquor on the table.

As a student, he knew all too well how unapproachable those so-called goddesses were at school. He already had a clear understanding of his own limitations. When he saw someone like that, he immediately stopped looking at her. He knew that she was not a product of his world.

Sun Bo glared at Wang Tao, his words carrying a strong warning: "Don't embarrass yourself."

Although Xu Kai appeared calm, the others still glanced at him from time to time. The change made them very uncomfortable, especially since they had been playing cards on the same kang (a heated brick bed) just yesterday, talking about the so-called luxury of "Emperor Hotel." The older guys had gotten together to broaden their horizons. Sun Bo had brought his girlfriend, and worried that she would feel awkward alone, he had called his sister. Little did they know that they would run into Xu Kai here.

In their minds, this was their younger brother, too young to be in this place.

Looking around, it's clear that not only have they arrived, but the scene they've created makes them seem like the intruders...

An indescribable feeling: awkward? Resentful? Uncomfortable?

It's a very complex emotion.

Fortunately, the performance began. As soon as the exciting program started, everyone's attention was focused on the stage. People sat on the edge of the railing, with their hands on it or even lying on it, all keeping their attention below and avoiding looking to the left or right to avoid the awkwardness of making eye contact with others. The graceful movements of that woman were something they had never seen or heard of before. Next, the cloth covering her body would be completely removed from her.

Yunshang sat by the wall, with Xu Kai shielding her from view. His thoughtful gestures showed his care and consideration for her, preventing her from feeling awkward if she made eye contact with her older siblings while watching the show.

Whistles erupted from the crowd.

It wasn't that the piece of cloth was gone; it was that a man wearing tight pants that closely matched his skin tone came up.

Next, everyone knows it's fake, but the color of the pants, combined with the perspective effect, makes it seem real.

The scene fell silent, save for the heavy breathing and the figures trying to appear calm and composed.

Xu Kai felt his waist being twisted in a cross shape. Yun Shang whispered in his ear, "Look at the terrible idea you came up with, what has this turned into?"

Xu Kai had seen things even more exciting than this, and he didn't have the urge to stare. He turned his head and whispered, "Let me ask you, with all the talk about how amazing the show here is, if you were in his shoes, wouldn't you be interested?"

Yunshang pressed her knuckles hard against Xu Kai's ribs. If it were just the two of them in the private room, he would cry out in pain and then enjoy their playful banter. The rising emotions could at least be relieved by kissing and hugging.

There were still people in the private room at that moment, so it wasn't appropriate; we had no choice but to endure it.

The performance, which lasted for half an hour from the dance to the final duet, ended with everyone letting out a sigh of relief. At that moment, everyone tried not to turn their heads to look around, calmed themselves down, and pretended to be composed as they drank with the people around them.

If it's a group of men, then this becomes the time to discuss exciting things.

As soothing music began to play and the lights in the room softened, Xu Kai turned his head and saw that his older brothers and sisters were all looking down without moving. He chuckled to himself and waited for about a minute. Men understand this kind of waiting.

"Here, have something to eat."