Lu Chengwen tracked down Chen Moqun, his best friend and the older brother of Chen Mohuan and younger brother of Chen Mengyun. Unlike the dashing Chen Mohuan, Chen Moqun was a textbook chubby rich kid. While Chen Mengyun ran the Chen family's business, Moqun held the largest share of the company, despite barely lifting a finger. His days were spent racing sports cars, chasing foreign models, and burning through cash he couldn't possibly exhaust.
Chen Moqun had plenty of lackeys but few true friends. His one real buddy, his self-proclaimed "brother for life," was Lu Chengwen.
When Moqun got Lu Chengwen's call, he was momentarily stunned. Hearing that Lu Chengwen wanted to "have some fun," he lit up, instantly sending over the address of an upscale private club. The women there were all "models," and if you didn't drop at least a hundred grand in a night, you'd feel out of place. For Moqun, splashing a million or two was just another Tuesday—unless he was feeling frugal to "save" for his old man.
Fat as he was, Moqun was treated like royalty here.
Lu Chengwen was in a foul mood. Having been a villain six times before, he was no stranger to the high life and places like this. But watching Chen Moqun, he realized the guy was bored out of his mind. Moqun had seen every beauty, indulged every whim, and was now scraping the bottom of the barrel for new thrills.
Still, Moqun was in high spirits. "Sally, Xue'er, and you—what's your name again?"
"Brother, I'm Tiantian!" the girl chirped.
"Whatever, whatever!" Moqun waved it off. "You girls take good care of my big brother. He doesn't come to places like this often. If you can make him lose himself tonight, I'll throw in a hundred grand bonus for each of you—no cap!"
The girls squealed, crowding around Lu Chengwen. "Young Master Lu, what's your style?"
"Let's play some games, Young Master! We've got plenty of spicy ones!"
Lu Chengwen had come to unwind, but his heart wasn't in it. "Quiet down, ladies. I need to talk to my buddy here."
The girls retreated, turning off the music and chatting softly over their drinks.
"What's up?" Chen Moqun asked. "Not your type? Want a new batch?"
"Nah." Lu Chengwen sighed. "I'm engaged to Leng Qingqiu. You heard?"
"Yeah." Moqun snorted. "Leng Qingqiu? Man, I don't even know what to say. What's she got? A figure? A face? Every girl here's got that. You've wasted three years chasing her, passing up countless beauties. For what?"
"And if you're gonna be a simp, why her? The Leng family's barely hanging on—they're leeching off your Lu family to survive. Yet she struts around like she's the queen, always with that sour face. She makes me sick!"
Lu Chengwen glanced around. "We've been throwing money around in places like this since college, chasing thrills. After all these years, you're not tired of it?"
"Tired?" Moqun scoffed. "Hell yeah, I'm tired. But what else can I do? I tried working once—fell asleep three times in one afternoon. My staff tried explaining reports, and I didn't understand a word. I'm useless at anything else. All I know is spending money, partying, and chasing girls."
Lu Chengwen eyed him. "That's not chasing girls. Chasing is pursuing, not just flashing cash and snapping your fingers to get them to flock over."
"What, you want me to be like you? Running after Leng Qingqiu's cold shoulder all day?" Moqun shot back. "At least my sister's a proper lady! Why'd you dump her? You and Mengyun were childhood sweethearts, inseparable. If you'd spent those three years chasing her instead, you'd be my brother-in-law by now, and I'd probably be bouncing a nephew on my knee!"
Lu Chengwen glared at the shameless fatty. "You know damn well why we broke up! You got me drunk and threw a bunch of foreign girls in my bed, and Mengyun caught us red-handed!"
"I was young and dumb!" Moqun protested. "We could've explained! But you? The mighty Lu heir just tossed her aside like nothing. Be honest—did you even sleep with her? Or did you get bored and ditch her on purpose?"
Lu Chengwen nearly shouted, "We were in high school, you idiot! High school! I didn't know anything! I kissed her cheek once and couldn't sleep for three days!"
"You were together all through college!" Moqun yelled back.
"Yeah, because you told me I needed to practice with other girls first, or Mengyun would think I was bad in bed!"
"Hold up!" Moqun pointed. "The first time, I said practice. But the second time, you dragged me along, saying you needed to 'review the lesson' and 'lock in the skills' to impress my sister. That was you, wasn't it?"
"Now it's my fault?!" Lu Chengwen snapped. "When that bunny girl was grinding on the pole, you were on your knees, crying like a baby, saying I was your savior and you'd live like that forever. That was you!"
"I was young!" Moqun argued. "You just let me spiral! When I was a kid, I wanted to be a doctor, a lawyer, an astronaut. You led me into this mess, and now I'm nothing but a family joke!"
"You didn't become a doctor, lawyer, or astronaut?" Lu Chengwen asked.
Moqun paused, then nodded. "I did. I've played gynecologist for fallen women, sexy defense attorney for naughty defendants, and starship captain seducing female astronauts in a space pod…"
They locked eyes and burst out laughing.
"You're such a sleaze," Lu Chengwen said, grinning.
"I should've been an actor," Moqun replied.
Just then, Lu Chengwen's phone rang. Seeing Leng Qingqiu's name, his face paled. He yelped, "Quick, quick, get the girls over here! Crank the music—loud! Everyone, get wild!"
Chen Moqun was baffled. "Why the sudden party mode?"
"Shut up! It's Leng Qingqiu's call. I need her to stay the hell away from me!"
At the mention of Leng Qingqiu, Moqun's nearly 200-pound frame shot up, teeth gritted. "Party hard! Go all out!"
That's what led to the earlier phone call.
Lu Chengwen thought it was over. But thirty minutes later, the club manager approached, whispering, "Young Master Lu, President Leng's here. She's in the elevator. Should we… clear out the girls?"
The manager was sharp, well-versed in the dynamics of Snow Capital's elite. The four great families were their cash cows, their VIPs. They had files on their girlfriends, wives, phone numbers, car plates, temperaments, and connections. One wrong move, and a scorned lover could storm in, causing chaos.
But Lu Chengwen didn't need the manager's tact—not with Leng Qingqiu. So when she walked in, she saw him draped over two beauties, belting out, "They say I'm a dashing, invincible conqueror, oh yeah…"
SCREECH! The music cut off.
"Hey, why'd it stop? I was about to show off my operatic high notes!" Lu Chengwen turned, grinning. "Well, if it isn't my almost-fiancée, the stunning Leng Qingqiu! Haha, sit, sit! Pick a song!"
Leng Qingqiu's gaze was icy. "You're living it up."
"Just having some fun. You need something?"
Her lips parted, but his question caught her off guard. For three years, he'd always sought her out. When had she ever come to him?
She hesitated. "Come with me. I have questions."
Her tone was commanding, as always. In her mind, just speaking to him was a favor—he'd surely follow with a goofy grin, no questions asked.
But things were different now.
Lu Chengwen laughed. "I'm a man! A proud, iron-willed hero, a gallant young warrior! So what if I'm with a few girls? What's the big deal? You mad? Upset? Fine—call off the engagement!"
The room froze. The manager, ready to defuse a fight, faltered. Young Master Lu's not giving her any face. Is he… trying to break it off?
Hold up. Let's see how this plays out.
Lu Chengwen was smug. Leng Qingqiu, don't say I didn't give you an out. If you can stomach this, I'm done for!
Look at that chest heaving—she's pissed, right? Furious? About to blow?
There's a beer right there—splash it in my face, and we're done.
Leng Qingqiu fumed, then suddenly smiled. She sauntered over, nudging a girl aside to sit beside him, leaning in close. "Why so mad? I was just worried about you."
Lu Chengwen nearly imploded. Chen Moqun's jaw dropped, and the manager's eyes bulged. This is the fierce Leng Qingqiu?
Lu Chengwen shrank back as she clung to him, stammering, "Don't think an apology's gonna stop me from chewing you out…"
"Not playing tonight, okay?" she said, voice soft. "I really want to talk."
Lu Chengwen stared, his world collapsing. What are these heroines doing?!
Xu Xuejiao's sudden mutation was bad enough, but Leng Qingqiu? What's possessing her today?
I just want to be a quiet little villain, live a few peaceful days, and stay out of you big shots' drama. Why's that so hard?
Can't we all just live our own lives? Stay out of each other's way? Is that too much to ask?
Leng Qingqiu, hearing his thoughts, felt a pang. Does he really want me gone that badly?
Lu Chengwen gritted his teeth. Time for a desperate move.