CHAPTER 100: CHAPTER 100: SUCH A SMALL WORLD

Leon Sterling drove swiftly to Ariston’s liveliest night bar street, just finished parking and got out of the car, when a few girls in mini skirts approached for a chat.

They wore heavy makeup, their eyes brazenly fixed on his while speaking. Even with some distance, the strong scent of alcohol could be picked up.

Leon Sterling only wanted to vent in a fantastical place and had no interest in the women throwing themselves at him. Although he was in a bad mood, he habitually put on a gentle smile, causing the girls to scream exaggeratedly when rejected. One even persevered and followed him as he walked back into the night scene.

The music inside the venue boomed, under the dazzling neon lights, indistinct figures of men and women exaggeratedly twisted their bodies.

Leon Sterling followed the server to sit down at the bar, feeling a bit happy.

He didn’t know anyone, the colossal music prevented him from normal thought, yet in such a noisy environment, his mind calmed. He casually pointed at a cocktail that looked particularly refreshing; the young and handsome bartender laughed, loudly telling him that the drink’s name was "A Solo Celebration."

Leon Sterling laughed too, unexpectedly pointing to such a suitable drink by chance.

The slightly tipsy girl beside him tilted her head to look at him, thinking he seemed like a college student, here purely to seek new experiences, and generously said, "That drink has a different name for every customer, the bartenders sell more, and get more commission."

Leon Sterling smirked, looked at the drink in his hand, and didn’t really mind the bartender’s little lie, rather finding the exposer a bit dull, so he prompted a symbolic lip curl to show he had heard.

He turned around against the bar, watched the chaotic dance floor, swaying with the beat, feeling much better.

He knew Ruby Sullivan always considered him a friend, even...not quite an intimate friend, but he was willing; seeing her as the young girl who could laugh freely even at a funeral, she possessed her unique philosophy of life. But such a girl should live carefree, yet with what has his elder brother tormented her into?

He hasn’t seen a genuine smile on her face ever!

He never intended to be someone’s savior, just...deep down he knew, if he couldn’t strive to keep her this time, he would regret it for a lifetime.

The girl who came with him finally found him sitting at the bar, immediately asked the bartender for a bottle of beer, to make her way laboriously through the crowd, "Hey, handsome, what a coincidence."

Of course, Leon Sterling knew they just met outside, didn’t want to restrain his disgust, glanced at her disdainfully, turned away, propped his arm on the bar, and seriously drank.

The girl leaning on her youth and beauty unwillingly jumped onto the high stool beside him, leaned towards him, "I’m Finley, nice to meet you." After saying this, she familiarly tapped his glass with her bottle.

Leon Sterling suppressed his temper, warned, "You’re bothering me."

Finley was oblivious to her annoyance, smiled, "I came alone, it’s quite boring, shall we dance?" Speaking, she reached to wrap Leon Sterling’s arm.

Leon Sterling was about to burst when another woman suddenly turned and embraced his shoulders, lazily eyed Finley, and said, "Sweetheart, my boyfriend doesn’t have time to accompany you dancing."

Finley now really got angry, released her hold, raised her eyebrows to examine her, mocking sarcastically, "Auntie, aren’t you ashamed of robbing the cradle?"

Leon Sterling gave her a faint smile, "Young lady, you’re out so late, have you finished your homework?"

Finley glared, "Do you know who I am? I’ll tell you, there’s no good in messing with me!"

"Alright, alright, The Sinclair Family’s heiress is not to be messed with. Can we leave now?" The woman said as she hopped off the high stool, gave Leon Sterling a wink.

Despite being somewhat regretful for not finishing that drink, Leon Sterling found the whole thing interesting, cooperatively got off the high stool, letting her pull him through the crowd.

The two came out from the night scene, the woman stretched her arms wide, lazily yawned, "Ah, the air is still better outside."

Leon Sterling saw she was leaving without looking back, unable to resist stepping forward, blocking her path, "Why avoid that kid?"

The woman sneered, "You’re not much older than them, are you? Hmm, let’s say, that girl is a hard-to-handle rich second generation, I see you’re still a student, so avoid trouble. Off you go, no need to thank me."

Only able to move aside, Leon Sterling again blocked her way, "First, I’m not a student, second, I’m probably much older than that kid, third, I want to find a place to drink, do you have any recommended locations?"

Perhaps he said too much, the woman finally heard his accent, blinked, stared at him for a moment, asked, "Foreigner?"

"Lived in Gallia for over twenty years."

The woman glanced at the time, grinned, "Chance encounter is still fate, come, I’ll take you for a drink."

After speaking, the woman pulled Leon Sterling into a taxi, stopped next to a large residential plaza, after getting out, she pulled him into a 24-hour convenience store.

"Is this the place you’re talking about?"

The woman curved a large smile, squinted her eyes, "Not inside the store, but the plaza, with street lights lit all night long, quiet enough and cool, walk further in there’s a small park, in case of urgency, you can go in and find a place to solve it, hmm... Though be cautious, may disturb couples seeking thrills late at night." Moreover, the most critical point is that this place is close enough to her home, once she’s had enough to drink, she can return home directly.

Not caring whether Leon Sterling agreed, she grabbed a heap of alcohol, and pulled his arm rushing to the plaza.

At this hour, few were around the plaza, she dragged him all the way to the children’s play area, crossed the shin-high barrier, cheered in as she sat on the swing, contentedly opened a pull-tab can, "Ah, delightful!"

During the day, lots of chattering kids always gathered here, with accompanying adults watching nearby, she never had the chance to sit on this swing.

The woman swayed, hummed a tune, genuinely free.

Today her mood was really bad, had a big argument with the client, lost a project worth tens of thousands.

Otherwise, she’d probably still be staring at the computer revising blueprints, where would she find the time to block the swing and sip beer?

She glanced at Leon Sterling outside the barrier, shouted, "Come in!"

There weren’t any lights near the play area, Leon Sterling couldn’t see her face at all, but hearing her voice, he felt bewitched into thinking this truly was the perfect spot for drinking, so he crossed the barrier, sat next to her.

The woman was very satisfied, giggling, swaying twice, then began pouring her heart out, "What do you do for work? Eh, never mind, I don’t want to know, I’m a fashion designer, quite famous, but what’s the use of being famous? Still gotta endure the client’s tantrums, it’s really driving me nuts."

Sasha Shaw finished, then gulped down a large swig of beer.