Chapter Four, Submerged from the Mortal Realm (Four)

The air was filled with the scent of alcohol, and Chen had lost count of how many glasses he had consumed. As he tilted his head back to swallow, he felt a man's hand resting on his waist, and it was clearly about to move upward

Something inside felt overturned, like a freshly opened bottle of cola, bubbling and fizzing. Maintaining a facade of composure, Liang Jinge stole a glance at her from the corner of his eye, only to meet her gaze as she looked over.

The table was filled with sharp minds, so it was impossible not to understand his meaning. The teasing silence fell as they watched Chen Danghao softly collapse into the arms of the young bodyguard. The bodyguard had an unfamiliar face, a buzz cut, and when his eyes turned towards them, his gaze was dry, slightly vacant, yet seemed to convey something else. Perhaps it was the strangeness of his face that made people want to look at him a little longer. Liang Jinge's features felt oddly familiar, and before that strange sense of familiarity could fade, he had already deftly helped Chen Danghao turn around and followed Ji Mingrui out of the private room.

The words still linger in the air, and she actually believes them without a doubt. Even for someone who is not loved, being deceived is ultimately not a pleasant experience. Chen Danghao took a slight step back, sensing her intention to escape, while Ji Mingrui lifted his gaze from the wine glass and looked directly over.

Suddenly, he felt a strange premonition in his heart. Lowering his head, in the moment their eyes met, he saw her weary gaze

As Ji Mingrui's voice emerged, the originally lively table suddenly fell silent, with dozens of eyes turning in unison to look at Chen Danghao. She visibly stiffened her shoulders, clearly not accustomed to such situations, yet still pretended to be calm: "I am feeling a bit unwell, so I will head back first"

Chen Danghao felt her throat dry, and the people in front of her suddenly transformed into grotesque masks, surrounding her in the middle. She hated herself for her self-inflicted suffering, and also despised her own lack of ruthlessness. At that moment, she had the courage to perish together, yet now, merely raising a toast, she found herself in such a predicament. With her arm extended, she stepped closer to Director Wang under Ji Mingrui's scrutinizing gaze. The middle-aged man reeked of alcohol, and she smiled faintly, wrapping her arm around his: "Director Wang, I toast to you"

"Don't drink the third cup by yourself; today's gathering was arranged by Director Wang. You should toast him a cup." Ji Mingrui spoke in a low voice, while helping himself to a piece of food with his chopsticks. Chen Danghao, holding an empty cup, looked up and met the gaze of the man across from him, who was presumably the well-groomed Director Wang.

In the cramped elevator, her voice was not loud, carrying a hint of hoarseness.

Liang Jinge let out a sigh deep in his heart, yet he still dutifully blocked the door, cutting off her escape route. He was always clear about his own identity, and as he expected, Chen Danghao took a step back and bumped into his chest.

"Come in if you have arrived, what are you doing standing at the door"

"Let’s start with three shots," Ji Mingrui said with a smile, though the mirth did not reach his eyes, sending a chill down Chen Danghao's spine. There were exactly two glasses of liquor in front of him. After a brief hesitation, Chen Danghao lifted the glass to his lips, held his breath, and downed it in one go. She had a poor tolerance for alcohol, a natural disposition; even as a child during the New Year, her father would dip his chopsticks in liquor and let her lick it, which would be enough to make her drunk and sleep through the night.

Liang Jinge, not understanding the situation, quickened his pace while softly reminding, "There is a restroom upstairs, Miss Chen"

This coincidence truly vexed Liang Jinge, as he did not have more time to stay by her side. The private room was on the 8th floor; upon pressing the elevator button, he caught a whiff of her perfume.

When the car door opened, she seemed to transform into a stranger. The black lace dress perfectly enveloped her delicate waist, with lace flowers extending from her shoulders to her elbows. As she turned around, Liang Jinge caught a glimpse of the faintly visible black straps on her back

Liang Jinge, realizing it only after the fact, finally understood that she intended to return to the car to change her clothes. Although he wanted to say a few words to stop her, his hand had already unlocked the car door first. Chen Danghao, with a swift motion, sat inside and, while closing the door, instructed him: "Keep an eye on things for me"

The Adam's apple moved slightly, and Liang Jinge reached out to extinguish the cigarette, locked the car, and followed Chen Danghao into the hotel. It was still the same elevator, and the people inside had changed several times. Just as they walked past, a clear "ding-dong" sounded.

How long does it take for a woman to change her clothes? He began to use his meager imagination to speculate. He wondered if she had unfastened the delicate straps of her skirt, if the two dimples on her waist were visible, if she had already put on that black lace dress, whether the dress was tight or loose, where the lace flowers were placed, and if there were any on her chest. At that moment, the man's mind was not capable of contemplating anything too sophisticated. In the time it took to smoke half a cigarette, the car window gently lowered, and he thought she was about to come out, instinctively reaching to open the car door: "Miss Chen..."

This is the second time he has embraced her

Under the premise that Ji Mingrui could not see, he bent down and picked Chen Danghao up horizontally. The parking lot was very quiet, so quiet that while holding her like this, he could hear her uncomfortable gasps due to intoxication. The distance from here to the car was only about fifty meters, and Liang Jinge slowed his pace, as if sensing that his steps had become lighter. Chen Danghao shifted her body slightly and gently rested her head on his shoulder

However, Chen Danghao did not enter; she stood at the door, her eyes as cold as ice. No matter how despicable Ji Mingrui was, he had never brought her to such a place. He had once told her that those drinking games that did not regard women as human beings were unacceptable. When he spoke, he was adamant, saying, "Danghao, rest assured, you are different from those women. How could I bear to let you go to such places? You are so beautiful that I wish I could hide you away, lest other men take notice and make me worry about jealousy. You are different from those women; how could I bear to let you go to such places? You are so beautiful that I wish I could hide you away, lest other men take notice and make me worry about jealousy."

The wealthy all enjoy coming here, and the locals of Ling Mountain are certainly aware of it. He has lived in Ling Mountain for twenty-six years, and during his most glorious days, he had also frequented such extravagant places. Now, as he steps inside again, everything has changed; the waitstaff are all unfamiliar faces, the ornate columns have aged, and the cracks from the glass wall he smashed while drunk a few years ago have vanished without a trace. Liang Jinge has no time for nostalgia, her footsteps pressing behind Chen Danghao, her back straightened, in stark contrast to the lethargy she exhibited during class. She reached out to press the elevator button and handed over the bag she had been holding: "Mr. Ji said to have you change your clothes and touch up your makeup before going in."

Is there a place called the Four Seasons Hotel in every city, regardless of its size, just as the Yuelai Inn is inevitably found in martial arts novels? Upon entering, one steps into the world of rivers and lakes, where the clinking of cups conceals hidden dangers and bloodshed. He lowered his head and saw Chen Danghao's emaciated shoulders; the hotel door opened, resembling the gaping maw of a vicious beast.

Her eyes are beautiful, and as she gazes like this, his premonition is confirmed in his heart

She remembered what he had said, that if he were alive, he would make her wish she were dead. She had no backbone and was certainly not foolish enough to oppose him in such a situation. Softening her attitude, Chen Danghao tentatively placed her hand on his shoulder: "Mingrui..."

The man was beaming with joy, his face lined with wrinkles. After downing a glass of wine, Chen Danghao already felt a bit lightheaded. Her face flushed from the alcohol, and despite her exquisite makeup, she could not hide her drunkenness. Leaning against the wall, she took a few steps back, set down her glass, and tilted her head to look at Ji Mingrui: "Boss Ji, who do you think I should accompany for a drink next?"

Why are you looking at me

As men approach fifty, if they do not pay attention to their maintenance, they are likely to end up looking like this. Chen Danghao suppressed the displeasure in his heart and walked around the table to Wang Dong's side. He had never learned how to engage in the social niceties of a drinking table. Just then, Wang Dong stood up with a broad smile on his face. Chen Danghao reached out to clink his glass with him, and just as he was about to tilt his head back to drink, he heard Ji Mingrui chuckle: "How can you toast like that? It's not easy for Wang Dong to meet you; why not have a toast together instead?"

Behind the six parts of drunken confusion lies four parts of vigilant clarity

A low laugh was heard at the table, and Chen Danghao's expression changed slightly as he leaned forward, his back pulling away from Liang Jinge's chest. From his perspective, he could see her straight back as she walked towards Ji Mingrui, carrying a hint of pride.

"Did I say to leave?" Ji Mingrui's voice remained as calm as before, subtly conveying authority: "Come here, sit beside me, let me see what is bothering you."

There was no empty chair beside Ji Mingrui, so Chen Danghao could only awkwardly stand to the side. Although she tried hard to appear calm, the helplessness in her eyes was still evident. Ji Mingrui remained silent and, of course, had no intention of bringing a chair over for her. In the tense silence, Chen Danghao slowly spoke up: "I apologize for being late; I just got out of class."

Then I will take Miss Chen back first. Liang Jinge's tone remained polite, but his subordinate secretly increased his strength, supporting Chen as they walked towards the parking lot. After walking a short distance, he turned back and saw Ji Mingrui's departing figure.

Chen Danghao was deeply intoxicated, reeking of alcohol, her black lace dress frayed at the edges, and with a slight bow, one could see her pale thighs. Liang Jinge's gaze was unwavering, following Ji Mingrui until he left the elevator, before politely and respectfully saying: "Mr. Ji, I have parked the car in the parking lot at the back"

The people in the private room had already started drinking. When Chen Danghao entered, Ji Mingrui didn't even glance at her. Once he saw the setup on the table, Liang Jinge suddenly understood why Ji Mingrui had called her here. The table was filled with businessmen, surrounded by beautiful women, and laughter was incessant. He wanted to catch a glimpse of Chen Danghao's expression, but he felt that after following Ji Mingrui for so long, she might have been in such situations more than once.

A woman is like this; she may see through your feelings of admiration, or she may not love you at all. However, if you choose to bow down and submit before her, she will certainly not refuse. Such a small vanity, Chen Danghao possesses, and Liang Jinge understands it clearly, yet he still finds himself unable to resist. Even being able to fulfill her vanity is considered a good thing.

Chen Danghao held a lipstick in her hand, applying the red color to her lower lip while glancing up at him. With just one look, Liang Jinge understood that she probably rolled down the car window merely to take advantage of the outside light, so as to avoid applying the lipstick poorly

Standing at the entrance of the Four Seasons Hotel, Liang Jinge helped Chen Danghao open the car door, his mind in a daze

There were few pedestrians at the entrance of the hotel, and occasionally a few cars passed by, all hurrying with just a glance. Liang Jinge leaned against the car door, unable to hear even a whisper. The car windows were originally designed to be tinted, making it impossible to see what the people inside were doing. Liang Jinge reached into his pants pocket, took out a cigarette, placed it between his lips with a sense of indifference, and despite feeling bored, he still took out a lighter to ignite it.

Liang Jinge noticed that his palms were sweating. He clenched his fists and then relaxed them, attempting to explain: "You ... ... "

As long as Ji Mingrui wishes, several bosses can seemingly appear out of thin air at this banquet table, Zhao, Qian, Sun, Li, Zhou, Wu, Zheng, Wang; he merely intends to humiliate her. She simply allows him to succeed, hoping to make him feel bored, ideally to the point where he wants to kick her away. With a new cup in hand, the transparent liquor sways as she stands beside yet another boss, and when someone wraps their arms around her waist, she ends up sitting on the other person's lap.

Liang Jinge remained silent, his arms still locked around the person in his embrace, yet his expression was resolute and upright, as if he were merely holding a soft sandbag. Ji Mingrui had no intention of taking Chen Danghao from him; seeing him standing still, he slightly furrowed his brows and said, "There is nothing else, take Danghao back."

Chen Danghao turned back, exchanged a glance with him, and then lowered her head to look at the bag in his hand. The clothes inside were stacked together, revealing only the edges, likely a formal dress or something similar. In fact, she had not accompanied Ji Mingrui to any events; she mostly did not dare to contradict him when he made requests. After taking the bag, Chen Danghao turned her feet and walked towards the hotel entrance

As if receiving a step up, Ji Mingrui stood up from her seat and naturally pulled Chen Danghao, who was already a bit tipsy and dazed, up from another man's lap. Her arms were still wrapped around the man's neck. Ji Mingrui's expression darkened, and she roughly pushed her towards Liang Jinge, saying, "I will take my leave now"

After two glasses of wine, the atmosphere at the table gradually warmed up. Ji Mingrui waved his hand towards the entrance, and Liang Jinge closed the private room door and stepped out. It is indeed a good hotel, with excellent soundproofing; inside and outside the door instantly became two different worlds

The elevator has arrived

But she is already beautiful enough. She is beautiful, while he happens to be shallow. His hand rests on the doorknob; whenever she is ready to come out, he will be the first to open the car door for her. Chen Danghao observes his actions closely, yet remains silent, continuing to apply lipstick evenly on her upper lip.

Ji Mingrui's expression also turned unpleasant, yet he could not bring himself to end the farce he had initiated. Suddenly, the door to the private room was pushed open, and Liang Jinge stood at the entrance, wearing the professional expression expected of a bodyguard: "Mr. Ji, there are several phone calls from the office, and the secretary asked me to check if you would like to return one."

Once again, there was a "ding-dong" sound as the elevator stopped on the eighth floor. Chen Dang seemed uninterested in hearing his explanation; as soon as the door opened, he stepped out of the elevator. Liang Jinge followed behind, the words "You look great today" stuck in his throat, swallowed back without even getting a chance to express them. Suddenly feeling a bit self-deprecating, he pondered his own status; even if the girl in front of him was uneducated and had become someone else's mistress, she was still a mistress adorned with gold, while he, a person of his standing, couldn't even touch a finger of hers.

If I go up and change again, it will be you who gets scolded if Mr. Ji finds out. " Chen Danghao said as she walked to the side of the car, tugging at the rear door handle twice; the door did not open. She glanced at him gently, remaining silent.

"I won't return to the villa; I need to go home and take a look," Ji Mingrui said as he took out his phone, typing while glancing at him. "Liangzi, you are more perceptive than I imagined"