Chapter 197 As Expected

**Chapter 197: As Expected**

At 8 p.m., Oriental Rome Nightclub.

The racket from the VIP room on the third floor was unrelenting, the noise easily penetrating even through the thick, closed door.

The attendant waiting outside kept his eyes downcast, playing deaf to the ruckus.

Inside the room, multicolored lights pulsed nonstop. On the central sofa, a man in his twenties lounged carelessly, his long legs lazily propped up on the coffee table, a girl in revealing clothes nestled in his arms.

Around them, others were whooping and hollering, the sounds of games and dice rolling filling the air. Liang Jinwen picked at his ear impatiently before kicking the man beside him and asking with a sidelong glance, “Who the fuck are we waiting for? Still not here?”

The similarly aged man next to him poured him a drink and replied amiably, “He’s on his way, he’s on his way.”

Liang Jinwen snorted, his tone laced with sarcasm. “Look at you, all eager. Who's this VIP that’s got you so worked up?”

The others nearby overheard and crowded around, grinning. “Yeah, who is it? Who dares keep our Young Master Liang waiting this long?”

The room erupted into noise again. Song Zeyang remained unperturbed, swirling his drink before lightly clinking it against Liang Jinwen’s glass. “No hurry, Young Master Liang. You’ll find out soon enough, won’t you? Where’s the fun in spoiling the surprise?”

Liang Jinwen’s brow furrowed slightly as several names flashed through his mind. He studied Song Zeyang for a long moment before letting out a cold laugh, ultimately dropping the subject.

The others, sensing the mood, didn’t press further and returned to their revelry.

The room grew rowdy again. The girl in Liang Jinwen’s arms seemed to notice his bad mood and flirtatiously fed him drinks and fruit. At first, he remained cold, but eventually, her antics amused him, and he drew her in to whisper something in her ear, making her giggle.

Song Zeyang glanced at them out of the corner of his eye but paid no mind, focusing on his own snacks.

It wasn’t until ten minutes later that the VIP room’s door finally swung open. Everyone instinctively turned to look—first in surprise, then immediately back at Liang Jinwen.

“Well, well. The gang’s all here.”

Yue Lingchuan stood at the entrance, dressed in a black casual shirt with the top buttons undone, revealing a firm chest. His sleeves were rolled up, baring toned forearms. His slightly tousled hair was casually swept back, leaving his handsome face fully exposed.

Compared to usual, his demeanor carried an air of carefree swagger, exuding a rogueish charm typical of a wayward playboy.

The moment Liang Jinwen saw who it was, his expression darkened.

He curled his lips into a mocking smile. “Well, well. If it isn’t Young Master Yue.”

Leaning back on the sofa, one leg crossed over the other, he swayed it lazily, his tone dripping with scorn. “What brings you here, Young Master Yue? Given up being a cop in Pingjiang and crawled back home?”

Yue Lingchuan swept a glance over him and replied nonchalantly, “Is it so strange for me to come back? I went to be a cop, not sign my life away.”

Then, his tone shifted lightly. “Though I did hear Young Master Liang’s been mixed up in some trouble lately?”

Liang Jinwen’s face stiffened for a split second before he reverted to his usual sneer. “Seems like you’ve been away from the provincial capital too long, Young Master Yue. Your info’s stale.”

He tilted his chin up, looking down on Yue Lingchuan from his seated position. “Just a trivial matter. Hardly worth calling ‘trouble.’”

“Oh?” Yue Lingchuan strode forward, shoving Liang Jinwen’s legs off the coffee table before leisurely taking a seat beside Song Zeyang. “Must’ve been a misunderstanding on my part, then.”

Liang Jinwen’s expression soured at the action, but his mood improved slightly at Yue Lingchuan’s words—until the latter added, “Though it is odd how the police have called you in multiple times. Can’t help but look suspicious.”

“How many trips to the station do I have under my belt?” Liang Jinwen scoffed, his eyes glinting coldly. “Since when do you care, Young Master Yue?”

“Or,” he continued, voice sharp, “have you gotten so addicted to playing policeman that you’re dying to investigate me now?”

Yue Lingchuan lazily leaned back on the sofa, and at those words, actually raised an eyebrow. "Don’t even joke,"

he said with a bright smile. "If you ever really get into trouble one day, I’d specially file an application just to take charge of your case."

"Pretty wild, right?"

"You!" Liang Jinwen immediately sat up, furious. "Yue—"

Song Zeyang, seeing the situation spiral out of control, quickly stepped between them to mediate: "Cut it out, okay? We rarely get together like this. Why make it so unpleasant?"

"Yue, Liang, give me a break here?"

He clasped his hands together and bowed slightly toward Yue Lingchuan, his expression full of helplessness. Yue Lingchuan remained smiling but feigned innocence: "Now that’s unfair. Wasn’t it Liang who’s been being snide all along? Suddenly it’s my fault?"

Liang Jinwen, seething with anger, was about to retort when Song Zeyang swiftly turned and pressed him down: "Liang, Liang, calm down, take it easy!"

Blocked by him, Liang redirected his anger toward Song and sneered, "Calm down? If you hadn’t brought him here, would I even be angry?"

"Third Song, what’s your game? You pulling some stunt here?"

"Ah, don’t say that! It’s just been so long since Yue joined us! I thought since we’re all here, why not catch up?"

"Totally on me," Song spoke appeasingly. "How about this—I’ve got a bottle of wine stored here. Since the mood’s right, let’s open it. Liang, no hard feelings?"

Liang’s eyelids twitched. "That bottle you spent over a million on abroad?"

Song nodded with a grin. Liang looked at him in surprise. "You’d really open it?"

Song said, "What’s wine for if not drinking? Consider it my apology to Liang."

Liang scoffed, finally somewhat mollified: "Since you put it that way, I’ll let it slide."

He glanced at Yue and leisurely slouched deeper into the couch again: "Might as well see what a million buys."

Yue took a slow sip of his drink, playing along for Song’s sake without provoking further.

The room exhaled.

The others, who had been too intimidated by their earlier standoff, now laughed and joked again, seeing the two had cooled off.

The million-dollar wine was soon brought out. Liang made a show of sipping it slowly, putting on his high-society act.

Song chuckled, smoothly refilling his glass again and again while keeping the peace with pleasantries.

The wine was deceptively mild at first but hit harder the more you drank.

Amid the strobe lights of the private room, Song subtly exchanged a glance with Yue.

By the end, most of them were wasted, their jokes and antics growing bolder, groping their dates with less restraint.

Liang, having drunk the most, was flushed and sprawled on the couch, his hands still roaming.

Half-conscious, someone dared to ask, "Liang, this girlfriend you brought doesn’t hold a candle to the last one, huh?"

"What, already tired of her?"

A few others chimed in: "Yeah, Liang, that dancer last time—wasn’t she a dancer? Damn, that dancer’s body—absolutely a total knockout."

The man joked, "I was just thinking when Young Master Liang would get tired of her so I could have a chance with her. How come it's already over?"

Everyone chimed in, talking at once. Liang Jinwen listened, his reactions sluggish, and scoffed, "Tsk, don’t even mention it. That woman was one of the hottest pieces I’ve had in years—*hic*—"

"Damn shame..."

Song Zeyang smiled and casually asked, "If you liked her so much, why’d you break up?"

Someone nearby added, "Yeah, Young Master Liang. Even if marrying her wasn’t an option, you could’ve kept her as a side piece!"

"Hahaha, who in our circle would even dare cross Young Master Liang anyway?"

Liang Jinwen tugged at the corner of his lips, his eyes glazed. "It... it was the old man’s orders..."

His voice slurred, "Damn it, what a waste. I wasn’t even done with her yet..."

As soon as the words fell, those around him pretended not to hear, continuing to drink and fool around. Only Yue Lingchuan, off to the side, shifted his expression slightly, thinking to himself—*Just as I suspected.*