Chapter 11
As they drove into the nightclub’s parking lot, a few elegantly dressed young ladies caught their attention with their seductive gazes. Just as Zhou Chao and Li Yang stepped out of the car, two of the alluring ladies approached them, asking, “Hey handsome, care to have a drink together?”
Zhou Chao looked calmly at the seductive ladies before him, remaining silent. Li Yang intervened, saying, “No need,” and turned around, leading Zhou Chao inside.
As they walked, Li Yang explained, “Those girls are just looking to score free drinks and party. You don’t need to pay them any mind. I’ll take care of them later.”
Zhou Chao nodded, and once inside, they secured a private booth. Li Yang, no stranger to such places, navigated with ease, as he was already familiar with the surroundings. As they stepped through the entrance, the lively music inside gradually stirred Zhou Chao’s emotions, causing a restlessness within him. However, his expression remained calm and serene, like still water.
“Chao, what would you like to drink?”
“You decide, Big Bro. I’ve never been to a nightclub before, so I have no idea what drinks are good.”
“Alright!”
Before long, the table was adorned with various drinks, most of which Zhou Chao had never tried. They engaged in conversation while enjoying their drinks. Soon enough, a group of ladies flocked around them.
These ladies, with delicate makeup and stunning figures exuding beauty and sensuality, appeared familiar with such environments, engaging in lively conversations with Zhou Chao and Li Yang.
Li Yang leaned in, whispering to Zhou Chao, “Some of these girls are just looking for free drinks, while others seek excitement. Keep your guard up and enjoy their company, but don’t take things too seriously.”
With Li Yang’s advice in mind, the group of ladies entertained him while Li Yang indulged himself. Accompanied by the energetic atmosphere and pulsating DJ music, Zhou Chao found himself losing inhibition in the presence of the alluring ladies.
Having never experienced such a wild night at a nightclub and being accustomed to more reserved encounters, Zhou Chao couldn’t fully let himself go as the ladies primarily surrounded Li Yang.
Recognizing Zhou Chao’s hesitation, Li Yang summoned the nearby ladies, leading Zhou Chao to the dance floor to let loose. Amidst the kaleidoscope of lights and the exhilarating DJ music, Zhou Chao lost himself in the moment.
After a night of revelry, it was already 3 a.m. Li Yang was deeply engrossed with the ladies by his side, while Zhou Chao settled the bill and made a reservation at a nearby 5-star hotel. Li Yang departed with an attractive and tall lady, giving Zhou Chao a meaningful glance before leaving.
Stepping out of the nightclub, Zhou Chao found a middle-aged driver waiting for him. He got into the car and arrived at the hotel, where he quickly freshened up and fell asleep.
The next morning, Zhou Chao was awakened by the sound of the system’s check-in prompt. Groggily, he responded with a check-in.
“Check-in successful. Reward: 500,000 in cash and a premium tea gift package.”
“Claim!”
“Huaxia Bank: 500,000 deposited. Current balance: 11,630,000.” Zhou Chao glanced at his phone, tossed it aside, and went back to sleep.
Around noon, Zhou Chao was interrupted by a video call from Li Yang. “Bro, you’re not living up to the hype. You’re wasting your time alone in a hotel.”
Zhou Chao looked at Li Yang on the other end of the call, as well as the sleeping beauty beside him, and silently extended his middle finger. “Get lost. Who’s like you?” Li Yang burst into laughter before he could say anything, and Zhou Chao promptly ended the call.
Lying on the soft and comfortable bed, Zhou Chao gazed outside. It was time to find a girlfriend and put an end to his current solitary life. After getting up and wandering around, he realized he had never been to such a high-end hotel before. Dressed in his pajamas, he looked outside at the bustling traffic, feeling a sense of contentment. This is what life should be like.
Indulging in a delightful bath, Zhou Chao called the front desk to have lunch delivered to his room. Within ten minutes, a young and beautiful hotel butler arrived with a food trolley. Zhou Chao swiftly devoured the sumptuous lunch, leaving no trace behind. He then lounged on the room’s sofa, basking in pure bliss.
At 2 p.m., Zhou Chao completed the check-out process and drove his Maserati Quattroporte back to his old mansion. He moved a lounge chair from the living room to the garden, surrounded by tall trees casting warm but not scorching shadows on the ground.
Lying on the lounge chair, Zhou Chao absentmindedly played with his phone. Suddenly, he remembered the tea gift package he received during the morning check-in. “System, where’s my tea gift package?”
“The tea gift package is located in the display cabinet on the ground floor of your mansion.”
Hearing this, Zhou Chao got up and made his way inside. Opening the display cabinet, he discovered a wide variety of bottles and jars, each labeled with a sticky note.
“West Lake Longjing, Anxi Tieguanyin, Dongting Biluochun, Huangshan Maofeng, Taiping Houkui, Xinyang Maojian, and more!” Zhou Chao read through the labels and realized that the cabinet contained almost every high-quality tea available on the market.
He carefully smelled each one, then picked up a jar labeled “Wuyi Mountain Dahongpao, 100g.” Staring at the label on the pottery jar in his hand, Zhou Chao was dumbfounded. “System, can I openly drink something like this?”
“Rest assured, host. These items have legitimate origins. You can use them without worry.”
100g was roughly one-fifth of the annual production, and if anyone found out, he might attract unwanted attention. Zhou Chao’s mind was in a state of confusion, but in the end, he returned the jar to the display cabinet and casually grabbed a bottle of West Lake Longjing.
Back in the garden, Zhou Chao arranged the tea set. If it weren’t for the skill he acquired during the morning check-in, he would have simply brewed the tea with boiling water. Although the acquired knowledge revolved around a noble and elegant demeanor, it also included the art of tea. While he might understand it in theory, he lacked practical experience. Nevertheless, he was gradually being influenced by these subtle changes.
Zhou Chao heated the water, following the knowledge in his mind—warming the cups, awakening the tea, and carefully brewing the leaves. In no time, he had prepared a pot of tea. When it reached the perfect temperature, Zhou Chao lifted the teacup and savored the exquisite and rich taste of the tea.