Chapter 04: What Kind of Appointment Does the Beauty Have

I said, "Jiao'er, Ge Lian hasn't even found a wife yet, don't talk nonsense!" Yang Wei was most afraid of this little girl joking without restraint; when she got anxious, she could say anything.

Oh dear, little aunt, let me take a break. We've been wandering for an hour now, and I've just been following you around in circles. If you're not tired, I certainly am!

No, that is just an invitation to a meal, it's all about eating chili peppers! Yang Wei rejected Jiao Jiao's proposal without a second thought, and just the thought of the shiny red chili peppers she eats made him feel uneasy.

After Yang Weichong finished his shower, it was already past noon. Today's unexpected events disrupted his well-maintained routine. Normally, he would exercise in the morning and then go to sleep, only getting up after noon.

In the afternoon, Yang Wei had originally planned to take a nap, but before 3 o'clock, he was disturbed by the impatient Jiao Jiao, leaving him no choice but to get up and keep the appointment

... ...

Ah! So expensive... Let me take a look," Yang Wei said as he took the receipt. He found it strange that the fabric used for both the jacket and the skirt was the same material as that used for making undergarments, yet it was priced as if it were a whole cart of fabric. He remarked, "Jiao'er, this is just too expensive!"

"Yang Wei, do you think that outfit will get me the most attention?" As Jiao Jiao linked arms with Yang Wei and stepped outside, she noticed some envious glances from the men around and asked with a sense of pride.

Then came a fashion show featuring an individual. Jiao Jiao transformed like a chameleon, first donning a pink short-sleeved top and draping a light veil, her hair styled like a catwoman. At that moment, Yang Wei leaned on the counter, giving a thumbs up and exclaiming, "Good!" Shortly after, she changed into a red short-collared dress, prompting Yang Wei to give another thumbs up, saying, "Stylish!"

The second person is Guan Jun. When Yang Weigang first met him, he was still a thug and was one of the planners who prompted Yang Wei to work as a security guard in the karaoke city. Later, he somehow leveraged that connection to get a temporary job at the Urban Construction Bureau. Dressed in the uniform of the urban management, he now appears to be a member of a national law enforcement agency. However, while his identity has changed, his nature has not. Even now, he maintains ambiguous relationships with several women in the karaoke city. Yang Wei suspects that his initial encouragement for him to enter the karaoke city might have been to facilitate his own interests.

"Jiao'er, can this be worn outside?" Yang Wei asked cautiously, worried that this outfit, which looked like a torn piece of cloth, might have some adverse effects when worn.

The entire afternoon is free time for him, but he usually spends it either at the gym or fishing nearby, and he only officially starts work after 7 PM. Here, they essentially belong to the category of "three noes" personnel, having no identity, no family, and no friends. Moreover, the work in the entertainment city often reverses the day and night; sometimes, when business is good, working several consecutive nights is not unusual, which further limits his social interactions

Do not! There is something!

This... this young lady, I am quite dazzled, how about this set!" Yang Wei said, scratching the back of his head, feeling a bit embarrassed. He was afraid that Jiao Jiao would see that he was not really paying attention and had just randomly pointed to a set.

I invite you to dinner! Is that enough!

The taxi ride from Baishui, where Yang Wei lives, to the city center takes a good ten minutes. Sitting in the car, Yang Wei gazes out the window; this city is both familiar and unfamiliar to him. The old town, which was still standing a year ago, is now nearly demolished. Turning from Baishui onto Zezhou Road, a straight avenue runs directly north and south, with a street wide enough for eight large vehicles extending a full five kilometers. Truly, the changes are astonishing.

Why didn't you say so earlier

Stop it, cut the nonsense, if there's something to say, say it! Yang Wei lay down and said

Hello, the total is 2280 yuan! Please hand over the receipt.

Taking a shower, did not hear!

"Don't... don't go, I will definitely go, who says I won't!" Upon hearing this, Yang Wei immediately softened his tone as Jiao Jiao took out her trump card.

"Stop right there, do you dare to hide..." The two of them left the Silver City, leaving behind the crisp laughter of the young girl, like silver bells, and Yang Wei's pleading voice of 'I won't dare anymore'.

This is what you chose, and I will wear it for you in the future! Jiao Jiao leaned on Yang Wei's arm, looking up at him with a hint of eagerness in her gaze, which startled Yang Wei, prompting him to quickly avert his eyes from her.

"It's not too expensive, it's still a far cry from the brand names," Jiao Jiao said, pulling out a stack of Renminbi from her bag, counting it, and handing it to the sales clerk. She added, "What do you know? A girl can only be beautiful for a few years; after that, no one will look at her anymore"

"No, it won't do. Every time you come out, you always slack off!" Jiao Jiao said without any sympathy, pouting as she pulled Yang Wei.

"Isn't it you, my husband? Ha..." Jiao Jiao said, laughing softly.

"How can you be so lacking in charm? Don't you know that when shopping with a girl, you should take the initiative? You actually made me wait for you." Jiao Jiao linked her arm with Yang Wei's as they entered the Silver Capital.

Hmph, I don't care, anyway you will accompany me this afternoon. If you dare not come, you will bear the consequences yourself

"Come on, if I want to find some romance, I might as well go home and sleep!" Yang Wei said as he walked.

Then accompany me to go shopping this afternoon

Sister Ping, it's nothing, just a misunderstanding

You have a good eye, choosing the most expensive one right away, and it's a backless dress. Jiao Jiao smiled and looked at him, seemingly particularly pleased to hear Yang Wei say this. She turned to the sales clerk and said, "Please pack it up for me!" The delighted sales clerk hurriedly packed it for Jiao Jiao, probably thinking that there was a big spender to take advantage of.

The place where he lives is also very simple. The downstairs is filled with items left by the original landlord, untouched. The upstairs is occupied by his landlord. Apart from a set of sofas left by the landlord in the living room, the bedroom is Yang Wei's private space. It resembles many years ago when he was a monk and a soldier: a bed, a table, and a clothes rack. There isn't even a decent quilt on the bed, just a piece of nailed leather. On the clothes rack hangs a military uniform, the only remaining memento from Yang Wei's time in the army. There is also a work uniform, resembling that of a city management officer, neither distinctly blue nor gray. Beneath it are combat boots that have accompanied him for many years, which should have been retired long ago. However, the quality of items from the army is indeed very good; after several years, they have merely developed a slight opening. As a memento and his only possession, Yang Wei has kept them.

Xiao Wei, why can't I get through on the phone! The gentle and magnetic voice of the female boss came through the microphone

"How cheesy, it's fine, I'm hanging up now." Yang Wei had nothing good to say to her

Alas, poverty stifles ambition! Yang Wei sighed inwardly; he had dreamed countless times of marrying a good wife, yet he had not even dared to bring Xue Ping home in his dreams.

"How annoying, why is it so slow, I've been waiting for half an hour!" Jiao Jiao spotted Yang Wei getting out of the car from a distance. Without waiting for the taxi to drive away, she hurried over, as usual linking her arm with Yang Wei's, and began to act coyly.

Ah! ... ... Yang Wei, you scoundrel," Jiao Jiao said, pinching Yang Wei's arm fiercely; this was her usual weapon, infallible every time.

Forget it, don't you have a husband!

Sister Ping, you are looking for me!" The call was connected, and Yang Wei said, having been in direct contact with the boss for nearly six months, he still felt a bit reserved.

The third is one's own boss. Regardless of the karaoke establishment, the bosses are primarily focused on making money and tightly controlling security. Officially, they are security personnel, but in reality, they serve the same purpose as the boss's private enforcers. All matters that cannot be made public must be handled by the security, and it is unacceptable if they do not maintain strict control.

... ...

Is there a need for a back scrub? If not, I can come over to your place! Hehe... Jiao Jiao is still the same as usual, seizing every opportunity to tease Yang Wei.

Then you speak! Jiao Jiao asked excitedly

In the distance, a sixteen-story building with the name "Yindu" was visible. The taxi slowly came to a stop, and as Yang Wei got out, he saw Jiao Jiao standing at the entrance of the shopping mall, looking around. Jiao Jiao, as usual, wore a different outfit every day. Today, she was dressed in a light-chest small jacket, with a crescent-shaped neckline that dipped to its limit. The pure white jacket blended seamlessly with her skin, which was as white as mutton fat. Paired with light blue cropped pants and a small red handbag, she appeared exceptionally graceful, surpassing even the models specifically hired for the Yindu display window. Every day, her outfits were unique, and today was no exception with her light-chest small jacket, the crescent-shaped neckline at its lowest point, the pure white jacket harmonizing with her mutton-fat white skin, complemented by light blue cropped pants and a small red handbag, making her look remarkably elegant, even more so than the models in the Yindu window.

"You are completely exposed, running around naked will guarantee a 100% turn-back rate," Yang Wei said with a lewd smile as he watched her get into the outfit.

"Cut it out, the crowd of people who wanted to go shopping with me has dwindled, and you shouldn't be unhappy about it. You have a beautiful girl accompanying you, how impressive is that?" Jiao Jiao teased, observing Yang Wei's awkward expression. She then laughed heartily without any reservations, drawing the attention of those nearby. At that moment, Jiao Jiao would look at the surrounding people and declare, "What are you looking at? Haven't you ever seen a beautiful girl with a handsome guy?"

After the shopping began, Yang Wei realized that disaster had struck him, similar to his previous experiences, even more so this time. Wherever they went, Jiao Jiao would always try on various items, regardless of whether she intended to buy them or not, she had to take a few glances. When she saw something she liked, she would turn around and ask, "Yang Wei, does this look good on me?" Or she would inquire, "Yang Wei, which one do you think I should choose?" If not, she would directly call out, "Yang Wei, come over and help me put this on."

Is everything really okay

I told Ping Jie, you wait for it regarding that thing you secretly did that day

The second call was returned to Guan Jun. Apart from a few mutual slanders and personal attacks, there was basically no conversation between the two, as their relationship was too familiar. Yang Wei was a person who valued the past; if it weren't for the help Guan Jun had given him before, they would not have been able to get along. When Guan Jun heard that he had been beaten while wearing his own uniform, he laughed so hard that he couldn't speak, which infuriated Yang Wei, leading him to ignore Guan Jun and hang up the phone directly.

"How annoying, even when accompanying someone shopping, you are being lazy." Jiao Jiao pulled Yang Wei over forcefully.

"Oh, you blame me? It's not even three-thirty yet. Do you have any sense of time?" Yang Wei allowed her to link her arm with his as he spoke. He knew that if he deliberately prevented her from linking arms, she would dare to come up and wrap her arms around his neck.

"Look at what you said, it's really nothing. Officer Liu from the police station even gave me a ride back!" Yang Wei said

After hanging up the phone for a full two minutes, Yang Wei stared blankly at his phone, lost in thought about this female boss. It was truly a case of wanting to say something yet holding back. Not only was she beautiful, but she also had a good temperament. Men and women alike in the singing city held her in great respect. In the past, given her status, she would have been considered a super madam, charming and adept in social situations. However, there was not a trace of the mundane in her; she exuded an air of elegance and otherworldliness. Sometimes, Yang Wei mischievously thought that if this boss were to personally perform on stage, the income of the singing city would likely increase exponentially.

Who are you trying to scare! I won't go!

Yang Wei was absent-mindedly following behind. Whenever asked, he would mechanically respond with a simple, "Good, looks good, anything looks good!" Until Jiao Jiao chose another pair of earrings and asked, "Brother Yang, do these look good?" No one answered. When she turned around, she realized Yang Wei was nowhere to be found. Jiao Jiao, feeling annoyed, went back to look for him, only to find Yang Wei leaning against the stairs, panting with the items he had just bought.

"Oh! Don't pinch me, or I'll scream... This is inappropriate... I'm going to scream!" Yang Wei felt a sharp pain for a moment and quickly dodged Jiao Jiao's second attack

By the way, come to my office tomorrow and bring the money for this month!" Xue Ping assigned work to Yang Wei and hung up the phone

"Alright, alright, I yield to you... Please don't keep pulling me, I can walk on my own!" Yang Wei conceded

What a nuisance, taking a shower in the middle of the day! What happened in the morning? The duty officer at the karaoke city said you were taken away by the police station! In the voice of the female boss, Yang Wei could clearly hear her concern for him

"Didn’t hear, I’m taking a shower!" Yang Wei casually remarked. In Yang Wei's eyes, Jiao Jiao was merely a bit younger; he had only helped by slapping a few bullies who were picking on her, yet he had attracted a problem even more troublesome than those little thugs.

3:30 PM, at the entrance of Yindu, I will wait for you for five minutes! You can come early, but you must not be late!" Jiao Jiao proudly hung up the phone

When they reached the women's clothing department on the fifth floor, Yang Wei finally had time to rest. In front of a counter selling Aigle women's clothing, the colorful summer outfits caught Jiao Jiao's attention. Yang Wei quickly said, "Jiao Er, go ahead and pick some, this one is good!" Watching the sales assistant guide Jiao Jiao as she began to choose clothes, Yang Wei happily sat down in the sales assistant's chair.

At this time, Jiao Jiao would usually have a childlike smile on her face, blowing a kiss to Yang Wei from a distance. After trying on several outfits, Jiao Jiao finally asked, "Yang Wei, which one is the best?" This question caught Yang Wei off guard, and he realized that he had been too focused on giving a thumbs up to notice which outfit was actually better; in fact, even if he had noticed, he wouldn't have been able to distinguish it.

The first call, as expected, was from Jiao Jiao. Jiao Jiao is the person most familiar with his daily routine; the first call he receives every morning without fail is from her. Yang Wei pressed the send button and called her back

"I know!" Yang Wei said

How annoying, how can I talk to them! Jiao Jiao is being coy again

"Oh dear, Brother Yang Wei, your face has gotten bigger. Why aren't you even answering my calls!" A voice that was both delicate and charming came through the receiver. This was Jiao Jiao's signature voice, said to have captivated countless men. However, despite having listened to this voice for half a year, Yang Fangwei still felt as if it was the first time he had heard it, his whole body tingling as if he had caught a rash.

... ...

That's good. If there's anything, just call me directly!" Xue Ping said

The first is Jiao Jiao, which is her stage name; her real name is Qi Yu Jiao. She is hailed as the "Star of the Song City" in Jin Xiu. It is said that she has some familial connection with the female owner and is involved in managing the club's business. Yang Wei is also unclear whether she is a courtesan or a singer, whether she is a boss or a worker. However, she is quite attractive and popular in Jin Xiu, often referring to Yang Wei as "husband" and calling herself "Yang Wei's wife." Nevertheless, this relationship is merely verbal, and nothing substantial has ever occurred.

"It's not that difficult!" Yang Wei said casually, carrying a large bag and a small bag, with a look of dissatisfaction on his face

... ...

For Yang Wei, who fears neither heaven nor earth and is a source of headaches for the police station, he unexpectedly blushes at the sight of the female boss, likely due to feelings of guilt. Long ago, this exceptionally graceful female boss became the leading lady in Yang Wei's dreams, though he never dared to speak of it. One time, while waiting for his boss in the office, Yang Wei happened to see the boss's red trench coat hanging on the rack. Compelled by an inexplicable urge, he couldn't help but touch the coat, finding it irresistible, and even leaned in to smell it, savoring the fragrance of the beautiful woman. Yang Wei was so excited that he nearly drooled, but who would have thought that this embarrassing moment was caught by Jiao Jiao, who burst into laughter, shaking with amusement. It took a week of teasing Yang Wei before she finally agreed to keep it a secret. To this day, this incident remains Jiao Jiao's trump card for blackmailing Yang Wei.

He picked up his mobile phone, an old NOKIA 5110, which was quite outdated but still very functional. He could hold it to his ear to make calls, and it had a substantial weight, capable of being used as a brick to hit someone. Noticing that there were six missed calls displayed on the screen, Yang Wei checked and realized that he had few friends in Fengcheng, so he could easily guess who was calling.

The third call was returned to the boss, to be precise, his female boss. Although Yang Wei did not know who the actual backer of the Jinxiu Song City was, the visible owner was this woman named Xue Ping. A year ago, when the song city underwent renovation and expansion, this female boss appeared out of nowhere on the stage of Fengcheng, and according to Da Shi's speculation, the backer of Jinxiu must be a powerful figure. Since Yang Wei joined Jinxiu, he had not witnessed any incidents such as police checks or fire department closures, which are common occurrences in places like song cities. If such incidents happened frequently, it would not be surprising; however, if they did not occur for three to five months, it would be unusual. If there were no incidents for an entire year, it would be a tall tale, and this female boss, Xue Ping, was indeed the creator of this tall tale.