Before Song Xi could figure it out, her phone buzzed again.
Huang Liuer's profile picture jumped to the very top.
A few new messages appeared in their chat window.
Huang Liuer: "It's fine if you trick him out of his money, but you must not let him trick you out of your heart."
Huang Liuer: "I seriously suspect that man has issues in that department. I've been here this long, and the last time he came back, he left without even stepping inside the bedroom."
Huang Liuer: "You absolutely cannot get involved with a man like that. What's the point of him just being handsome? Completely useless."
Song Xi: "??????"
She was still racking her brain trying to figure out how to explain tonight's events, but looking at this now, she didn't need to explain at all. In fact, Huang Liuer was actually worrying on her behalf.
No, she still needed to explain.
Song Xi: "I just happened to run into him when I got off work. It wasn't planned."
Song Xi: "I don't know him well."
Huang Liuer: "Tsk tsk tsk, that doesn't sound like someone you don't know well. Lord Shang is so aloof, how could he go to a place like that for no reason? It had to be for you."
Huang Liuer: "I can tell. He's interested in you. He wants to hit on you."
Looking at these messages, Song Xi still felt a bit worried.
Song Xi: "Sister Liuer, aren't you going to be mad?"
Huang Liuer: "What do I have to be mad about? Lord Shang doesn't like me at all, let alone want to marry me. Right now in the Gu Family, I'm at best just a little pet they keep. He can do whatever he wants, as long as he's willing to give me money to live on."
Huang Liuer: "Once I save up enough money, I'll find some honest guy and settle down."
An honest guy took a bullet out of nowhere.
Huang Liuer: "Jokes aside, I'll say it again: he has plenty of money, so figure out a way to milk him for all he's worth. Don't ever give your heart to a kind of man who keeps women at home—he's definitely no good. You're so innocent, don't let him trick you!"
Song Xi: "Got it!"
Song Xi earnestly memorized every word Huang Liuer said.
She must absolutely not be tricked by Gu Lishang!
To her, Huang Liuer was like a very wise and clever senior. She believed that whatever Huang Liuer said were words of hard-earned truth that would keep her from going down the wrong path.
Sun Xiaoyu had been looking forward to a good show, but the next day she was baffled to see Song Xi showing up for work as usual.
Didn't she send the photos to Huang Liuer? Why was Huang Liuer acting like nothing happened?
Seeing Song Xi safe and sound only fueled her irritation. Why should all the good things go to some newcomer?
-
The next day.
Just as Song Xi was heading back to the backstage area after delivering wine, she happened to run into Xie Qian and Gu Lishang.
The two of them were always remarkably eye-catching wherever they went, followed by serious, high-profile bodyguards as the head manager personally and respectfully escorted them inside.
Xie Qian was chattering away with complaints.
"I called you so many times before, and every time you acted like pulling teeth and refused to come. How come you show up the second you're called now?"
Gu Lishang ignored him, so Xie Qian started making sarcastic, probing remarks.
"Lord Shang, aren't you visiting a bit too often lately?"
It was only after receiving a warning glance from Gu Lishang that Xie Qian finally shut his mouth with a look of satisfaction.
He was a total masochist at heart.
Seeing them from afar, Song Xi decisively turned into another corridor and hid far away.
Gu Lishang was someone she couldn't afford to provoke, and their previous encounters were pure coincidence.
Staying far away from Gu Lishang was the safest bet for her now. That way, what happened that night wouldn't come to light—which was better for Huang Liuer, and better for her.
The head manager led them to the door of the private room, and Xie Qian spoke up.
"That waitress who poured drinks for my Brother Shang last time was pretty good. Call her over again this time."
Could Xie Qian possibly not understand Gu Lishang?
The only reason Gu Lishang was willing to come was for that waitress.
He was genuinely curious: just a waitress, could she really have that much charm? Even Gu Lishang couldn't help himself.
The head manager eagerly replied.
"Right away! I'll go get her right now!"
-
In the backstage lounge, most of the waitstaff were currently busy working. The few who had some free time rested here temporarily. Since it was very close to the bar area, whenever anything came up, the head manager would come straight here to find people.
Upon entering the lounge, the head manager called out directly.
"Where's Song Xi? Is she here?"
All the waitresses wore masks, so she couldn't tell who was who and could only shout like that.
No one answered.
After a long moment, one of the waitresses spoke up.
"She must be out delivering wine."
The head manager asked again, "When will she be back?"
"Hard to say."
The head manager instructed: "When she gets back, tell her to go straight to Private Room 1 to serve."
"Got it, understood."
Having given her instructions, the head manager hurried off to tend to other matters.
The moment the head manager left, the other waitresses couldn't help starting a discussion.
"What's so great about this Song Xi anyway? Why does Private Room 1 always ask for her?"
"Young and good at putting on an innocent act, probably. Hahahaha."
"Did you guys know? Last her went to serve in Private Room 1, she made several thousand just in tips."
"That's Lord Shang, of course he's going to be generous."
"I really don't get it. I went to deliver wine to that room too, and she didn't even do anything special—just poured a few glasses. Why does she get so many tips while I break my back every day and get felt up by bald old men just to barely scrape together a few hundred?"
The other waitresses were filled with all sorts of envy, jealousy, and hatred over the matter, but since the guests had specifically requested Song Xi, there was nothing they could do to compete.
Sun Xiaoyu had been sitting there the whole time. Having heard the head manager's instructions and the other waitresses' discussion, she hesitated for a moment before suddenly speaking up.
"Stop talking, you guys. I'll go to Private Room 1."
"Huh?" The waitress who had been given the assignment looked worried. "But Sister Chen said Song Xi should go. Wouldn't that be bad?"
"What's the big deal? Everyone's wearing masks anyway. Big shots like them see so many women all the time, how could they possibly remember every single one? In this business, the bold survive and the timid starve. I dare to go—do you?"
The rest of the waitresses in the room fell silent.
They certainly didn't have Sun Xiaoyu's nerve; if their deception was exposed, they wouldn't be able to handle the consequences.
Sun Xiaoyu spoke up again.
"It's settled then. None of you say a word about this. When I get back, I'll share some of the tips with you."
Getting tips without having to take any risks—there was no reason to turn down such a good deal.
The waitresses immediately shut their mouths and stopped discussing it.
Sun Xiaoyu flashed a confident smile, turned around, and walked out of the lounge, heading straight for Private Room 1.
-
Song Xi had spent nearly two hours delivering drinks. When she finally managed to steal a moment to return to the lounge for a breather, she took off her mask and sat down to catch her breath, only to notice several waitresses in the room staring at her.
Such gazes made Song Xi genuinely uncomfortable, until she finally couldn't help asking,
"Is there something wrong? Why are you all looking at me like that?"
Only then did those waitresses realize their stares had been a bit too obvious. They hurriedly withdrew their glances and began shaking their heads wildly, pretending to be very busy.
"Nothing, nothing at all."
"Yeah, nothing's wrong."
"..."
Song Xi still felt like something was off.