Chapter 6 An Unexpected Incident
“I heard that Mr. Mo spent ninety million on that necklace, and it even set the record for the highest jewelry sale that day.”
Ye Linglan listened quietly. With charity auction as a pretext, Mo Zhicheng had captured every headline in the media; a necklace bought for ninety million—such extravagance was almost unimaginable. If that money truly went to charity, how many lonely orphans in welfare homes could it support? Yet the focus of their discussion was, “Who will Mr. Mo give it to? A women’s necklace wasn’t meant to be kept as a mere ornament at home. Besides, only when a piece of jewelry finds the right woman to wear it does it truly come alive.”
“I wonder what kind of woman Mr. Mo will fall for?”
Their conversation was animated and lively. Linglan only rubbed her aching arm. Standing in the casino all day had left her back sore and tired. She had too many things to remember, and sometimes she couldn’t focus, making mistakes while dealing cards. The supervisor had already warned her twice today. Linglan sighed softly. At times like these, thoughts of Ye Shenghan would warm her heart and ease her weariness.
“Ye Linglan, go with Su Qi to Private Room No. 1,” the supervisor instructed.
“Yes, I’m on my way.” Linglan replied at once, quickly adjusting her attire and tying her shoulder-length hair up in a ponytail, a few loose strands falling by her cheeks.
The casino stretched on endlessly, imposing and magnificent. Its halls were the epitome of luxury, with Baroque domes, beautiful murals, and golden statues, like a palatial Western wonderland. The lights blazed day and night, with no sense of time; the gamblers’ faces were filled with excitement and anticipation.
She walked across the corridor, the dark carpet muffling her steps. This independent area was set apart from the main hall, each suite equipped with its own gaming facilities. Linglan knew this section was reserved for special guests—figures from politics and business who commanded respect.
As she passed one suite, she noticed the door was ajar. Turmoil sounded from within—loud voices, hurried footsteps, curses, shouts, and terrified screams. It sounded as if one of the hostesses was being beaten.
Linglan looked in, startled—was it her? The girl’s name was Xiao Wen, about nineteen years old, and since working at Night City, Linglan had grown close to her. There was no interest or benefit involved; Linglan simply felt the girl was too young for this place, let alone this line of work. Yet in this world, some are driven by hardship to take desperate risks—everyone has their reasons. Linglan was five years older, always regarding her as a little sister. Now she watched as a man struck Xiao Wen hard across the face.
The sharp crack of the slap rang out, so vivid it seemed to echo right beside Linglan’s ear. She instinctively took a step forward, but as her hand met the door, her whole body froze in place. She could not act rashly, could not draw attention to herself.
No, no.
She watched as blood trickled from the corner of Xiao Wen’s mouth, each drop falling onto the scarlet carpet. Before it could be wiped away, the man’s hand rose again, swift and merciless, striking her once more. Another crisp crack, and Xiao Wen, small and helpless, seemed utterly insignificant.
As the man’s heavy hand was about to fall again, Linglan rushed forward without a second thought, shielding Xiao Wen like a mother sparrow protecting her chick. “Stop it!”
The burly man paused in shock, then glanced over at his boss lounging on the sofa, as if seeking silent permission on how to proceed.
With the bodyguard’s massive frame blocking her view, Linglan couldn’t see the other side of the room. The next moment, the burly guard stepped forward and backhanded Linglan across the face.
“Sister Linglan—!” Xiao Wen cried out in panic, clinging to her. Linglan’s vision blurred, a searing pain spreading across her left cheek as if it had been sliced by a razor, her skin burning and raw, ready to bleed. Her eyes stung with pain, tears threatening to spill out.