?53: Episode 53: Unwritten Rules 53: Episode 53: Unwritten Rules Hai Mingzhu had already scoured the bar, but found no sign of Li Yawei.

    Upon hearing Shen Yue inquiring about Li Yawei’s whereabouts, her spirits lifted immediately.

    When the bartender collected the payment, the slick move swept four greenbacks under the counter.

    Each drink cost less than one greenback, the rest was all tip.

    Although Shen Yue wasn’t untypically lavish, his tip far exceeded that of those who had just arrived at the bar.

    Gesturing towards the secluded side corridor of the bar, the bartender dismissed Shen Yue.

    Shen Yue, however, understood, and, with drink in hand and arm around Hai Mingzhu’s waist, started walking towards the quiet passageway.

    The passageway was somewhat long, tranquility and darkness disconcerting enough to create unease.

    Stopping abruptly in the quiet corridor, Shen Yue, like a cheetah, swiftly glanced back to find that the bartender’s gaze was shifting away from this area while he was speaking into a walkie-talkie.

    “Why are you watching him?” Hai Mingzhu, hugged by Shen Yue, felt a bit hot, but she couldn’t push Shen Yue away.

    It’s all an act, we’re acting, we need to uphold the professional demeanour of an actor.

    Hai Mingzhu tried to reassure herself, “Do you suspect he’s linked to Li Yawei?” Feeling the heat and getting a bit thirsty, Hai Mingzhu got a whiff of the aromatic liquor and couldn’t resist taking a sip.

    “The drink is spiked,” Shen Yue whispered in Hai Mingzhu’s ear, “How well can you hold your liquor?”

    “Pretty well,” Hai Mingzhu didn’t want Shen Yue to belittle her, and asserted, “How about we have a drinking competition some time?” Immediately after, in order to prove her capacity for liquor, she wanted to down the whole drink.

    Snatching the drink away, Shen Yue said, “A drink costing two hundred dollars isn’t meant to be downed like that.”

    “Then how is it supposed to be drunk?” asked Hai Mingzhu in curiosity.

    It was her first time in such a place, and she knew that bars had their unspoken rules. Sёar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    “Open your hand,” Shen Yue quietly instructed, simultaneously pushing Hai Mingzhu into a darker corner of the passage.

    The bartender cast a glance their way.

    From his vantage point, he could see Shen Yue’s silhouette and also that Shen Yue was very close to Hai Mingzhu.

    The posture suggested their likely activity and, upon realising, the bartender creased his mouth in an understanding smile.

    “Drink with your hand?” This was the first time Hai Mingzhu had ever heard such a method, she couldn’t believe it, but still stretched out her hands as instructed.

    Shen Yue poured half of the drink onto Hai Mingzhu’s hands and then, all of a sudden, forced her hands towards her face which doused her face with the drink.

    Although prepared, Hai Mingzhu was taken aback by Shen Yue’s action and exclaimed, “What are you doing?” Unfazed, Shen Yue continued his actions and, in an instant, splashed the remaining half of the drink onto Hai Mingzhu’s chest.

    At this instance, Hai Mingzhu felt like she was in a nightmare.

    She had never imagined the usually silent and courteous Shen Yue capable of such madness.

    Appalled and shocked, Hai Mingzhu slapped Shen Yue, asking, “Are you insane, what are you doing?”

    Shen Yue caught Hai Mingzhu’s hand and pushed her against the wall.

    Scared and resisting hard, Hai Mingzhu said, “Shen Yue, sober up!”

    “I am sober,” Shen Yue murmured in Hai Mingzhu’s ear, “If Li Yawei isn’t here, she must be somewhere else.”

    Upon hearing “Li Yawei”, Hai Mingzhu felt relief knowing that Shen Yue had not forgotten their mission.

    In the darkness, she noticed Shen Yue’s glare was still intense, his sanity intact.

    Seeing that Shen Yue wasn’t making any further moves, Hai Mingzhu eased her struggle for the moment.

    But with their faces so close, Hai Mingzhu felt a bit flustered.

    She whispered, “Could you keep some distance while speaking?”

    Shen Yue didn’t step back and whispered, “Suiyuan Bar and the nearby Wild Bar are owned by the same person.

    There’s a modified path connecting the two.”

    “Are you saying Li Yawei went to the Wild Bar?” Hai Mingzhu began to understand.

    “I suspect so, because Jin Xin hasn’t sent any message to indicate Li Yawei’s departure.” said Shen Yue, “In that case, we must also go to the Wild Bar to look for Li Yawei.”

    “Then let’s go.

    What are we doing here?” Hai Mingzhu, seeing Shen Yue so lucid, felt less fearful and apprehensive.

    A composed Shen Yue reassured her, which was the reason she had decided to accompany him here, despite never having been to a bar before.

    If it were Jin Xin, she would never step foot here.

    As Hai Mingzhu puzzled over this contrast, Shen Yue explained, “The Wild Bar has a membership system and strictly monitors incoming persons.

    We wouldn’t be able to enter from the front door.

    Furthermore, if we make a ruckus, it would make our mission impossible.”

    “So, we enter through this shortcut?” Hai Mingzhu understood the complexity now.

    Shen Yue nodded, “Suiyuan Bar caters to women new to socialising.

    But sometimes, when some men want to take things to the next level and the women are unwilling, these men would try to bribe the bartenders to spike a woman’s drink.

    Gin Tonic is primarily consumed by women, and they tend to be less vigilant when consuming it.

    That’s why a spiked drink can easily make a woman with low alcohol tolerance pass out.

    Afterwards, these men would lead the woman to the Wild Bar.

    In such an atmosphere…

    the likelihood of these men succeeding is close to 99 percent.”

    Hai Mingzhu grimly understood, “The Wild Bar is shady, right?” then angrily retorted, “The men who trick women in this manner are the absolute scum!”

    A hint of humour appeared on Shen Yue’s face as he responded, “Are you a recent graduate?

    How many people do you think come here just for a drink?”

    “I am a recent graduate.” Hai Mingzhu bit her lip, “Then what are we waiting for?” Finally, she understood the act Shen Yue was pulling off – Shen Yue was playing the part of a disreputable man who intended to get her drunk!

    He intentionally poured the drink all over her to mimic the usual reaction of women who are new to society in this situation.

    Now, loaded with the smell of alcohol, she seemed all set to play the part of a drunk woman.

    “The effects of the alcohol need time and we also need to give the bartender some time” Shen Yue whispered, “This bartender isn’t a good lot; he’s responsible for selecting eligible men and women here.”

    “What does ‘eligible’ mean?” Hai Mingzhu asked.

    “Most of the people in there are wealthy individuals looking for excitement.

    Women new to socialising are always welcome.

    Seeing that you’re new to this and that I fit the scum’s characteristics, the bartender probably notified the patroller through his walkie-talkie that a sheep’s heading towards the tiger’s mouth.

    The membership restriction is to keep police out.

    They won’t mind us ‘sheep’ but in fact welcome us because we bring along unexpected variables.”

    That word, “variables”, sent a shiver down Hai Mingzhu’s spine.

    With fear at the fore, she asked, “You’ll protect me, won’t you?”

    A silence prevailed.

    In the quiet corridor, Shen Yue calmly responded, “As long as you don’t talk carelessly and keep a low profile, with me around, there’ll be no danger.”

    Hai Mingzhu felt relieved.

    Shen Yue had a way of putting her at ease.

    “Didn’t expect you to know so much about this,” Hai Mingzhu, well aware of Shen Yue being trustworthy, still couldn’t help but question him.

    After a moment of silence, Shen Yue responded, “In the past, Jin Xin and I took up a case related to a bar.

    This is pretty much how it works.” Not wishing to elaborate any further, Shen Yue said, “It’s about time, let’s go.”

    He assisted Hai Mingzhu through the dark corridor and advanced.

    Hai Mingzhu leaned on Shen Yue, acting drunk with unsteady steps, as if walking on clouds.