Chapter 87

Wang Rui complained, "You're really too busy with work!"

Yang Jingxing bent down to pick up Nian Qing and carried her in his arms, placing her back in her seat amidst the cheers, then went out to answer the phone.

"Hello, are you home yet?" Yang Jingxing asked with concern.

"I'm downstairs, come pick me up," Tao Meng's voice was much calmer than before.

Yang Jingxing hurriedly went downstairs, and Tao Meng was standing next to the front desk, looking at the lights on the small Christmas tree.

"How did you come? It's almost eleven," Yang Jingxing said with a hint of blame.

Tao Meng looked at the lights for a few more seconds before turning to look at Yang Jingxing, then turned her body to face him and asked, "Where are your clothes?"

Yang Jingxing said, "They're upstairs."

Tao Meng said, "Then let's go up first."

Yang Jingxing said, "Wait for me here."

Tao Meng ignored him and slowly went up the stairs.

Yang Jingxing pulled at Tao Meng's sleeve, "I'll be right back... Where's your dad?"

Tao Meng waved her hand forcefully and continued walking up.

After going upstairs, Tao Meng was confused; she didn't know the room number. Yang Jingxing tried to persuade her, "Let's talk here."

Tao Meng looked elsewhere, unmoved.

Yang Jingxing gave in, "Alright, let's go... Are you alone?"

Tao Meng said, "Dad went back first."

Yang Jingxing said, "Then I'll send you back to school later."

"No need!" Tao Meng was very firm.

After taking a few steps, Yang Jingxing turned back and asked, "Who was with you before?"

Tao Meng looked at Yang Jingxing, her lips trembling, "None of your business."

Pushing open the door to the private room, there was a chorus of giggles and screams from the girls inside.

"Such a long call..." Wang Rui shouted, but when she saw Tao Meng behind Yang Jingxing, she immediately became ladylike, "Oh, welcome!"

Nian Qing quickly got up from Chai Litian's lap, and Guo Ling turned off the music... It seemed much quieter all of a sudden.

Tao Meng took a few steps forward, smiled, and waved, "Hello... What are you playing?"

Qi Qingnuo invited, "Sit... Beer, Sprite, fake foreign liquor, what do you want to drink?"

"I'll get it myself," Tao Meng sat down next to Qi Qingnuo, looked around, and asked, "Where are your things?"

Qi Qingnuo said, "They're downstairs."

Tao Meng said, "I wanted to come earlier, but I had to accompany my dad to meet some friends, so I was delayed."

Qi Qingnuo smiled, "It's fine... Do you want to sing?"

Tao Meng said, "You guys haven't sung yet, keep playing, you look so happy."

Wang Rui said, "You should sing a duet, and as a penalty for being late, three cups."

Qi Qingnuo said, "Special guest, how can that be considered late!" Then she asked Tao Meng, "Truth or dare?"

Tao Meng nodded, "Sure."

Nian Qing hesitated, "How do we divide into groups?"

Yang Jingxing sat down next to Tao Meng and said, "You play, I'll handle the logistics."

Wang Rui disagreed, "You wish, we're not done yet."

He Peiyuan said, "Perfect, we can play with just the girls."

Yang Jingxing said to Tao Meng, "You replace me, be careful, they're all worse than the other!"

Wang Rui called out, "We're bad? You've had it all!"

Nian Qing explained the rules to Tao Meng and then started. It was Qi Qingnuo's turn to shake the dice, and after a series of clinks, Guo Ling finally became the king. Everyone was on edge as she laughed.

"Do you want some watermelon?" Yang Jingxing asked Tao Meng.

Tao Meng said without hesitation, "Give me a slice."

He Peiyuan pushed the large plate over, and then Yang Jingxing picked a slice of watermelon and handed it to Tao Meng.

Guo Ling was much nicer than Nian Qing, shaking the dice cup wildly and shouting, "Open, open!" Only Wang Rui was being mischievous, shouting "one, one."

The result was two, and Qi Qingnuo was unlucky. It seemed to be a popular choice, and everyone cheered. Shao Fangjie shouted, "Overthrow two big mountains!"

Qi Qingnuo straightened up, "Little one... Truth."

Nian Qing refused, "No, eliminate truth!"

Guo Ling asked directly, "What color are your panties?"

Nian Qing said, "You might as well make her take them off and show us!"

Qi Qingnuo wasn't at all troubled, "Black, it's my turn."

Tao Meng chuckled and glanced at Yang Jingxing. Yang Jingxing said, "They don't know about me yet."

Qi Qingnuo said to Tao Meng, "We just started, we were singing before."

Nian Qing said, "Yang Jingxing should join too, otherwise it's no fun. Six of you, just right."

Tao Meng also said, "You should join too."

Yang Jingxing said, "Alright, I'll be number seven."

The others, of course, wouldn't agree.

In the new round, Qi Qingnuo shook the dice and it landed on He Peiyuan. He Peiyuan then shook and it landed on Yu Xinting. Yu Xinting was scared stiff, "I choose... truth, no, dare."

He Peiyuan chuckled, "I'm so kind... go to the door and recite a Tang poem."

Nian Qing added, "No, recite it to Yang Jingxing, and do it with deep emotion!"

In comparison, Yu Xinting quickly ran to the door and, under the orders of the others, had to open it, look around, and recite in a moderate voice, "Beside my bed, the bright moonlight..."

After everyone had their fill of laughter, He Peiyuan shook again and looked at Tao Meng, "It's you."

Tao Meng was surprised, "Ah... oh."

Yang Jingxing handed the dice cup to Tao Meng, "Don't be shy, be evil."

Tao Meng smiled, looked at the dice, covered it, shook it hard, and carefully revealed it, "Five."

Shao Fangjie exclaimed, "How unlucky... truth, Tao Meng, I believe you are pure and kind!"

Nian Qing said to Tao Meng, "Don't be shy, show your most evil side."

Tao Meng thought for a moment and asked, "What was the happiest thing in your life from childhood to now?"

Yang Jingxing laughed, "You're too evil."

Shao Fangjie was grateful but seemed stumped by the question. After thinking for a moment, she said, "The happiest... when I got the acceptance letter."

To keep the atmosphere from getting cold, Nian Qing urged them to continue quickly. Tao Meng shook again, and Chai Litian became the king. Chai Litian put down the cashews, blew on the magic hand, and giggled as she shook out a two.

Nian Qing was delighted and hugged Chai Litian in celebration, "Sweetie, I love you."

Tao Meng pretended to be confused, "Me?"

Nian Qing was excited, "Quick, quick, truth or dare?"

Tao Meng looked at the hostile environment and then at Yang Jingxing, who showed no intention of helping her, and made up her mind, "I'll... go with truth."

Everyone looked at Chai Litian with anticipation. Chai Litian pursed her lips and squinted her eyes for a moment, "How much do you like Yang Jingxing?"

Nian Qing quickly added, "Say it with deep emotion, for at least a minute!"

A row of eyes all turned to Tao Meng. Yang Jingxing was smiling, and He Peiyuan was still eating.

Tao Meng crossed her hands on her legs and looked in Chai Litian's direction, "It's okay."

The group was disappointed, but Yang Jingxing was pleasantly surprised and said to Chai Litian, "Thanks, I'll treat you to a meal later."

Nian Qing was dissatisfied, "I'll teach you, you should say, 'You are my heart, you are my liver, you are three-quarters of my life.'" She really had a talent for comedy.

Qi Qingnuo said, "Be more polite to the guest, continue, continue!"

Chai Litian shook again, and it landed on four. Yu Xinting clapped excitedly, "It's me!" Then she shook and it landed on He Peiyuan.

He Peiyuan looked at Yu Xinting with bright eyes, "Xinting, we're the best, I choose dare, make me eat something."

Yu Xinting twisted her body to show disagreement and then started thinking. Qi Qingnuo whispered something in Yu Xinting's ear, and Yu Xinting seemed to agree, "Peel ten cashews and feed... feed Nian Qing, one by one."

Nian Qing was delighted and even licked her lips. So, under everyone's watchful eyes, He Peiyuan peeled ten cashews and fed Nian Qing one by one. They put on a show.

They were about to continue, but a server came in and said the time was up. Nian Qing said they wanted to extend, and Guo Ling and the others also supported it. Qi Qingnuo said to Yang Jingxing, "Why don't you guys leave first, we'll play a bit more."

Yang Jingxing said, "Be careful when you go back... I'll call you later."

But Tao Meng said, "No need, you guys keep playing, I'll leave."

A man in his mid-twenties who came in with the server shouted loudly, "Keep playing! Hurry up and leave, your time is up."

The few of them glanced at him; his appearance was not very likable. Qi Qingnuo said to the server, "Add another hour."

The server turned to the young man, "Sir, they want to extend, please wait a bit longer."

The young man took two steps to Qi Qingnuo and asked unfriendly, "I told you to leave, don't you understand?" He also glanced at the others.

The smell of alcohol on his breath made Qi Qingnuo turn her head. The server quickly said, "Sir, please come with me, take a break."

"Take a break my ass! I've been waiting for an hour, and I'm still waiting, make them leave," the young man opened his coat and sat on the sofa.

The server apologized to Yang Jingxing and then bowed, "Sir, please, they want to extend, thank you."

The young man stood up and pointed at Yang Jingxing's face, "You'd better leave quickly, don't cause trouble."

The server apologized again as he left, allowing Qi Qingnuo and the others to continue playing.

Yang Jingxing put on his coat and said to Qi Qingnuo, "Be careful later."

Qi Qingnuo smiled, "What could happen, go have fun."

Yang Jingxing pointed at the nuts and other snacks on the table and asked Tao Meng, "Do you want to take some?"

Tao Meng shook her head.

But before Yang Jingxing and Tao Meng could leave, the young man came back with a group of people, about ten in total. The ratio was the opposite of Yang Jingxing's group, eight men and two women.

The man was not at all polite, calling to his friends, "Come in, come in, Chuanzi, go order some food."

Looking at the average age of the group, they were around twenty-two or twenty-three, the oldest being twenty-five or twenty-six, and the youngest around seventeen or eighteen. Qi Qingnuo and the others were still sitting, but Yu Xinting and An Xin stood up and moved closer to Yang Jingxing.

The man shouted at Yang Jingxing again, "Your time is up, you can leave!" The look and demeanor of his friends were much more intimidating than the music school girls. The girl standing next to him, with extra-long fake eyelashes, was probably around eighteen or nineteen, and her expression seemed to be trying to shame the other girls with her provocative makeup.

The same server apologized to Yang Jingxing again and then called on the walkie-talkie, "Manager Zhu, room 311."

Seeing the situation, Yang Jingxing suggested to Qi Qingnuo, "Why don't we all leave?"

Qi Qingnuo shook her head and shouted, "Why should we!"

The woman in her twenties on the other side responded, "Why should we! Why should we! Be reasonable!"

Yang Jingxing looked troubled and said to Tao Meng, "Wait for me outside."

Tao Meng sat down with a thud.

Yang Jingxing suggested to everyone, "We can't have fun anyway, let's go, we can continue next time."

Someone on the other side praised, "Smart."

But it seemed only Yu Xinting and An Xin supported Yang Jingxing's decision, standing there, while the others were ready with their clothes and bags. One of the men on the other side sat down next to He Peiyuan, who quickly stood up and moved closer to Yang Jingxing.

Another man shouted at the server, "Clean up quickly, it looks like a pigsty!" His companion laughed.

Yang Jingxing invited, "Let's go, have some late-night snacks."

The server quickly said, "No need, sorry, please wait a moment."

Qi Qingnuo glanced at the pitiful Yang Jingxing and suddenly stood up, changing her mind, "Forget it, let's go, a bunch of hooligans!"

The older woman raised her hand and shouted loudly, "Watch your step!"

Yang Jingxing quickly apologized, "Sorry, don't take it to heart."

A man on the other side kicked the plate on the coffee table, "Get out!"

The music school girls were a bit scared and stood up. Yang Jingxing waved, "Let's go, let's go." He pushed Yu Xinting's shoulder.

Yang Jingxing watched as the girls left one by one, with Qi Qingnuo standing next to him and Tao Meng still sitting there. Yang Jingxing bent down and pulled, "Let's go."

Tao Meng twisted her arm, her breathing uneven.

Yang Jingxing hugged Tao Meng's shoulder, "Be good, be good."

It seemed Tao Meng was dragged up by Yang Jingxing, her face full of anger, not even looking at Yang Jingxing. Qi Qingnuo also comforted, "Forget it, don't mind them."

The server was still apologizing, "Wait a moment, sorry."

The leader came over and slapped Yang Jingxing's shoulder hard, "Brother, you're smart, we come out to have fun, if not for today, I would have had my way with these girls!" He looked really vicious.

Yang Jingxing ignored him and pushed Qi Qingnuo, who was about to explode, out the door, then carried Tao Meng out. The man reached out to push Tao Meng, "Get out!"

But he didn't touch her, not because Tao Meng moved quickly, but because Yang Jingxing blocked him. The man was not satisfied, the long scar on his face twitched, and he looked at Yang Jingxing's eyes and reached out to Tao Meng again.

Yang Jingxing blocked the hand again.

"**!" The man was angry and lunged at Tao Meng.

Yang Jingxing blocked with his left hand and pushed Tao Meng out the door with his right.

The server shouted, "I warn you, don't cause trouble here!"

The man couldn't reach Yang Jingxing, so he jumped up and punched Yang Jingxing in the head. Yang Jingxing blocked with his left hand and, at the same time, pulled Tao Meng's hand that was grabbing his coat and pushed her out the door.

"**! I'll beat you to death!" The man was really angry, crouched down, leaned forward, and threw a powerful punch at Yang Jingxing's chest.

Yang Jingxing grabbed the man's fist with his left hand, turned around, and slammed the door shut with his right hand. Tao Meng, standing there, reached out her hand but didn't make a sound.

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