After Thinking I Was the Top, I Was Taken by a Cold Beauty - Chapter 5

Yun Deng regretted sending that picture the moment he hit send. He spiraled into a cycle of self-reflection, frantically wondering if the beauty would realize it was him. He worried that complimenting someone’s looks so bluntly right at the start would make him seem flighty or superficial. Even later that night, while gathering with friends, he was still brooding over the mistake.

Every Friday, Song Shuya invited friends and colleagues to a pool party she hosted. Her social circle was vast, ranging from minor celebrities in the entertainment industry to ordinary office workers. Yun Deng lay on a tatami mat, holding a tall glass and clinking it against Xia Shisheng’s as they talked.

However, Xia Shisheng was barely listening; Yun Deng’s words went in one ear and out the other. Instead, he interrupted excitedly, “Look at that beauty in the white dress. Her legs are so long!”

Yun Deng followed Xia Shisheng’s gaze to a short-haired girl in a pure white swimsuit sitting by the pool, chatting with her friends. He took one look, lost interest, and shifted his gaze away. He picked up a decorative vase from a nearby table and held it in front of Xia Shisheng’s eyes to block the view.

Xia Shisheng, who was enjoying the sight, brushed the vase aside with annoyance. “Just because you are not interested in beautiful women does not mean you should stop a straight man like me from looking.”

Yun Deng let out a long sigh and replied with a hint of regret, “I wish I could, but I prefer men who are good-looking.”

At this, Xia Shisheng instantly forgot what he was about to say. After a moment of failing to recall his thoughts, he simply offered a flat warning. “Just make sure you do not fall for me.”

Yun Deng’s ears were practically calloused from hearing that line. After promising once again that he would never make a move on his brothers, he lost the mood to chat. Instead, he began drinking gloomily on his own.

This lifestyle of luxury felt numbing to Yun Deng, as if his world consisted of nothing but money. He sipped a drink specially prepared by a mixologist who had been hired for three hundred thousand and was reportedly recruited from abroad. With a single glance, he could take in the entire night view of the capital; the top of the tallest building in the city was their exclusive spot for parties.

Feeling exhausted, Yun Deng stood up to find a quieter place to rest. However, as soon as he rose, he bumped into Song Shuya, who was wearing a black swimsuit and glamorous makeup. As the host of the day, she looked stunning, surrounded by friends of a similar style. If a hot-blooded young man were dropped into this scene, he might have fainted from the stimulation.

Song Shuya poked Yun Deng’s shoulder with her finger, twirling a strand of her hair around her palm. Even though she was casting flirtatious glances his way, Yun Deng felt absolutely nothing. He knew she was just teasing him.

“Someone specifically asked for you. He looks quite familiar to me,” Song Shuya whispered into his ear.

The circle of men who had gathered for Song Shuya immediately began jeering and cheering at the sight.

“Who is it? If they tracked me all the way here, I hope it is not an enemy,” Yun Deng said, puzzled.

“No, I told you he looks familiar. I think it is your ex.”

With that, Song Shuya pointed in a direction, signaling for him to go take a look. Already physically and mentally drained from sitting by the noisy pool, Yun Deng left the area without asking further questions.

This was He Dong’s first time in such a high-end hotel. The golden, magnificent decorations stood in stark contrast to his plain clothing. He sat stiffly on a rosewood chair, clutching the glass of warm water a staff member had brought him, quietly waiting.

When he heard footsteps in the hallway, he stood up immediately, his eyes filled with anticipation. However, upon seeing a group of strangers, he sat back down in disappointment. He could not help but wonder if Yun Deng had grown tired of him and no longer wanted to see him.

At the same time, two young men in business suits walked into the hotel lobby. The front office manager, having received word earlier, recognized the young master of the family immediately and rushed forward to greet him.

In the wealthy circles of the capital, Lin Yanxu, the eldest son of the chairman of the Lin Jewelry Group, was known as the most capable young man. However, a few years ago, he had stepped back from the company for unknown reasons. It was not until last year, following rumors that the founder was hospitalized, that Lin Yanxu returned to take over the family business.

The rumors were essentially confirmed. Many people had only heard of him but had never seen him in person. Seeing him today, the front office manager could not help but feel that the younger generation was truly formidable.

Lin Yanxu was there to discuss a contract. He declined the manager’s offer to lead the way and walked toward the exclusive VIP elevator. His secretary followed closely, carrying a briefcase and files, ready for duty.

“President Lin, the negotiators from Qiong City are quite sincere this time. They rejected an invitation from Group C to choose our company.”

The elevator rose slowly. Outside the one-way transparent glass, the night view of the capital gradually expanded. Lin Yanxu was confident in this negotiation. He nodded at the secretary’s words and turned to grip the handrail, admiring the scenery outside.

He had invested in this hotel years ago and was now the largest shareholder. Although the group focused on jewelry and porcelain, they had a presence in various other fields as well. Upon arriving at the floor, Lin Yanxu adjusted his attire, replaced his usual cold expression with a warm, approachable one, and headed toward the conference hall.

On the same floor, Yun Deng was hiding behind a stairwell door, wishing the nearby fire hydrant could expand several times over to hide him completely. Three minutes ago, he had seen the person looking for him downstairs.

He Dong, maintaining that pitiful appearance, had dropped to his knees to beg for another chance. There were many pedestrians on that floor, and since Yun Deng was someone of standing in his social circle, he was terrified of losing face or having the scene captured and sensationalized. If that happened, his father would surely kick him out of the house.

The moment the man knelt, Yun Deng covered his face and bolted. However, the man followed him like a shadow, crying as he chased him. In a panic, Yun Deng jumped into an elevator, hit a random floor button, and ended up here.

His heart was racing. After the initial fear, he began to wonder why he was running. He was a VIP customer here and could easily have security escort the man out. However, that thought lasted less than three seconds before Yun Deng softened again. After all, the man had only gone a bit too far with the kneeling; he had not done anything else.

Since he had left in a hurry, his phone and car keys were still on the top floor. Bracing himself, Yun Deng decided to go back up to retrieve his belongings before leaving. He had no idea that the top floor was currently quite lively.

He Dong knew Yun Deng’s friends were hosting a party here and expected Yun Deng to be invited. He went straight upstairs to find Song Shuya and cry about his woes.

Song Shuya fundamentally disliked all of Yun Deng’s exes. She had no specific reason; she just found them unpleasant to look at. She had advised Yun Deng more than once not to spend money so recklessly, lest he be targeted by men looking for a free ride.

To her frustration, Yun Deng never listened and seemed to have a knack for picking the wrong people. There was an instance where someone coaxed Yun Deng into buying a car worth three hundred thousand. While that amount seemed small to their circle, Song Shuya felt it was unnecessary to spend that much on someone he had dated for less than a month. Fortunately, Yun Deng had used his brain that time and refused.

When He Dong approached her, she recognized him from a brief encounter earlier while picking up a friend. Hearing that Yun Deng had run away upon seeing him, her words became sharp as she tried to drive him away. Heaven only knew what intentions this man had in seeking out Yun Deng.

However, He Dong was a master of pretension. With a few words, he packaged himself as a pitiful, abandoned ex-lover. He claimed he had been blind to believe someone else, ended up being swindled out of his money, and now had nowhere to stay. He expressed deep regret and wanted to apologize to Yun Deng.

Yun Deng watched the entire drama from the doorway, but he did not feel like stepping out to say anything. He already had a headache from that sent photo, and with the alcohol in his system, he was feeling quite irritable. Fortunately, Xia Shisheng noticed him. After gathering their belongings, Xia Shisheng walked over to him.

The two of them left the area to find another place to enjoy themselves. Song Shuya’s party was incredibly noisy, almost drowning out the sounds of a typical bar. Since they had booked the entire top floor for the night, they found a random room to lie down in.

Under the bright white lights, two lipstick marks were clearly visible on Xia Shisheng’s neck, and his collar was torn. He looked every bit the passionate, profligate playboy. Yun Deng silently criticized him for being a scoundrel, then pulled a tissue and stuffed it into his friend’s collar, signaling for him to wipe it off. If it had not been for He Dong’s sudden appearance, Xia Shisheng would still be surrounded by beauties, experiencing endless pleasure.

Xia Shisheng used the tablet in the room to call a server for drinks and fruit. He then pulled a deck of cards from his pocket, intending to play poker with Yun Deng until dawn.

“Are you crazy? How can two people play?”

“Why not? If I say we can play, we can play.”

At those words, Yun Deng knew Xia Shisheng was drunk, and quite heavily at that. His friend had a strange trait: when drunk, he appeared normal, but he became extremely talkative and stubborn. As expected, Xia Shisheng could not keep his balance a second later and looked as if he was about to fall over.

Yun Deng caught him just in time and helped him to the bed. Even though he was down, his mouth kept moving.

“Hey, did you know? I think this hotel was bought by your father’s rival company.”

“If we stay the night here, will you be assassinated? What if the rival wants to kidnap you to blackmail your dad?”

Yun Deng did not know much about the family business and was completely unaware of these matters. He did not even know who the rivals were, but he played along with Xia Shisheng’s muddled talk.

“Give me a break. If it is a rival of my family, they must also be in jewelry design.”

“Would people in that industry hire a hitman to kidnap me? They are probably at home raising oysters for pearls.”

Yun Deng finished his sentence and could not help but laugh at his own joke. Maybe they really were raising oysters at home. Xia Shisheng pondered these words for a moment, muttered that it made sense, and closed his eyes on the bed.

Exhausted, Yun Deng did not care about anything else and fell asleep on the bed beside him. Before drifting off, he vaguely hoped that staying in a rival’s hotel would not actually result in a dream about them hiring a killer. That would be far too ridiculous.

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