87: The Entertainment Hub

Shen Yifei offered a small smile. The fact that Bai Qingyu would actually speak up for him against Zhang Wenzhi stirred a subtle spark of warmth within him for her.

“Zhang Wenzhi, let’s go,” the blonde woman urged, pulling on Zhang Wenzhi’s arm.

“Shen Yifei, the next time I see you, I’ll make sure you regret it!” Zhang Wenzhi huffed, glowering at Shen Yifei.

Shen Yifei merely shrugged. “Is that so? Well, let me tell you this: dare to cross me again, and I’ll break your legs!”

As his words hung in the air, Shen Yifei gave the handcuffs on his wrists two sharp twists.

With a sharp *clang* of metal, the mangled handcuffs clattered to the floor.

Zhang Wenzhi visibly trembled, cold sweat beading on his forehead. “I… we’re leaving!”

The blonde woman and Zhang Wenzhi scurried out of the jewelry store.

After shooing away the cluster of police officers, Bai Qingyu turned to Shen Yifei, her tone sharp. “You were relatively well-behaved this time. But can you please try to stir up less trouble in the future? I’m a very busy woman.”

Shen Yifei scratched his head. “Alright, alright.”

“Captain Bai, hello again,” Su Muqing greeted Bai Qingyu with a warm smile.

“Hello,” Liu Xiaoxiao also chimed in.

Bai Qingyu shook her head. “Miss Su and Miss Liu, there’s no need to be so formal. Could you briefly tell me what happened?”

Su Muqing nodded and recounted the events.

“That’s what happened. My assistant made a mistake, but it wasn’t serious enough to warrant an arrest, was it?” Su Muqing explained.

Bai Qingyu nodded. “Understood. Just try to ensure your assistant causes less trouble in the future, Miss Su.”

“Uh… right, alright.” Su Muqing’s expression became slightly awkward.

Bai Qingyu cast a sidelong glance at Shen Yifei, a cool smirk playing on her lips. “Strolling through the city with two beautiful women to buy jewelry on a weekend. Shen Yifei, your knack for charming women is truly impressive.”

“Just average,” Shen Yifei chuckled with a playful grin.

Bai Qingyu felt a pang of vexation. *Why did I even say that?* she chastised herself. *Now it sounds like I’m interested in him.*

“Enough! I couldn’t care less about your affairs. Just remember to behave yourself from now on!” Bai Qingyu declared, her face hardening as she shot Shen Yifei a withering glare.

Thinking back to how she had practically raced over, running numerous red lights along the way, just for Shen Yifei’s antics, and he hadn’t even offered a word of thanks, Bai Qingyu felt a bitter taste in her mouth.

“I’d *like* to behave, but there are always annoying people looking for trouble,” Shen Yifei sighed dramatically.

Bai Qingyu, growing agitated, leaned in and whispered, “Then you need to rein it in! Stop causing trouble at every turn, understand? Otherwise, it makes things very difficult for us in the police force!”

Shen Yifei also leaned closer, whispering back, “Got it, Captain Bai. Thanks for helping me out this time. I’ll treat you to dinner sometime.”

Seeing Shen Yifei's mischievous smile, a faint blush touched Bai Qingyu's cheeks. She had to admit, a flicker of something akin to affection stirred within her for him. The man before her possessed a lazy smile, yet beneath it, a unique aura emanated from his very bones, an aura even Bai Qingyu found hard to describe.

Bai Qingyu averted his gaze and huffed, “I’ll remember that! You’d better not stand me up! I… I have other matters to attend to, so I’ll be leaving now!”

With that, Bai Qingyu swiftly departed from the jewelry store.

Su Muqing glanced at Shen Yifei, a flicker of suspicion crossing her face, and said in a cool, detached tone, “Shen Yifei, I never would have guessed you and Captain Bai were on such good terms.”

“I don’t think we’re on good terms at all?” Shen Yifei scratched his head, a little puzzled.

Seeing that Shen Yifei didn’t seem to be feigning ignorance, Su Muqing simply remained silent. This man probably had no idea what that shy expression on Captain Bai’s face had meant.

As a woman herself, Su Muqing could, of course, tell.

Moreover, from Bai Qingyu’s demeanor, that woman practically treated Shen Yifei like her superior.

Su Muqing increasingly felt that Shen Yifei’s identity was far from simple, but it wasn’t the right occasion for her to inquire.

A short while later, the trio exited the pedestrian street.

The sky had already begun to darken. Shen Yifei asked, “Where should we have dinner tonight?”

Just then, a pretty young woman handed each of them a flyer.

“The Golden Tripod Entertainment Hub – a grand complex offering dining, leisure, and entertainment, all under one roof! Grand opening week: a whopping seventy percent discount on all services!”

It was an advertisement for a newly opened, massive entertainment complex, located just a short distance ahead. Many pedestrians were already flocking towards it, likely drawn by the tempting discount.

“Seems like a good place. How about we check it out?” Liu Xiaoxiao suggested.

“Sounds good,” Su Muqing agreed.

The Golden Tripod Entertainment Hub, having been open for only a few days, had successfully attracted a large number of patrons with its offer of seventy percent off all food prices. Their marketing was quite effective.

An entertainment complex, as the name implied, was a venue for leisure and amusement.

The first floor housed the main dining area, adorned in a lavish Western style, its main hall exuding a quiet elegance.

The second floor featured a bar, while the third floor hosted KTV (karaoke) rooms and other entertainment facilities. However, the second and third floors were currently in a trial phase, only admitting VIP clients.

By the time Shen Yifei, Su Muqing, and Liu Xiaoxiao entered, every seat was packed. Even with the discount, most of the patrons were well-off professionals.

“The decor here is quite impressive. I wonder who owns this entertainment hub?” Su Muqing remarked, looking around with a hint of admiration.

“Building an entertainment hub like this must be incredibly expensive, right?” Shen Yifei asked curiously.

“More than expensive. To open a leisure venue of this scale, money alone isn’t enough. You need significant connections,” Liu Xiaoxiao explained, shaking her head.

Shen Yifei didn’t know much about such matters and didn’t press further.

The trio found a table in a quiet corner and settled down, chatting as they ordered their food.

Meanwhile, inside a large private room on the third floor of the Golden Tripod Entertainment Hub’s KTV section.

The thumping beat of DJ music reverberated through the air.

Over a dozen men and women swayed their bodies to the rhythm.

Two pot-bellied men in suits leaned back on the sofa, sipping beer. On the coffee table beside them, three scantily clad girls, their nerves abnormally stimulated, had already returned to the dance floor, twisting their bodies incessantly.

This sight only further excited the men, who began to circulate among the women, filling the private room with an atmosphere of decadent revelry.

One of the paunchy middle-aged men tugged at his necktie, grumbling, “It’s gone already? Boss Wan’s supply seems to be getting smaller and smaller.”

“Exactly, exactly! Just when I was getting into it, it ran out!” the other man exclaimed, pounding the coffee table in frustration.