The waiter passed by the bar, handed a card to Fu Jichen, and was about to give Shen Jianian one when a group of people rushed in. It seed they weren’t new to this ga, heading straight to the waiter to ask for a card.
After dealing cards to the group, the waiter placed one in front of Shen Jianian.
"Hey, I don’t..."
Shen Jianian intended to say, "I don’t want to play," but before she could finish, the waiter turned to deal the next person, not hearing her at all.
The cards appeared to be custom-made for the bar, not regular playing cards. The back was plain black, and when flipped over, a golden number lay in the center, surrounded by a circle of patterns.
Shen Jianian didn’t want to participate in this ga. She worried about her bad luck, fearing she might be selected and given a high-difficulty challenge task. If she couldn’t complete it, she didn’t know what punishnt she might face.
She felt like a black hole in gas, never blessed by the goddess of fortune in gaming.
Shen Jianian wanted to throw the card away, but the lights brightened suddenly. People surrounded her, eyes wandering, eagerly sizing up those around, eager for the upcoming ga. She had no chance to "destroy the evidence" of that card.
Fu Jichen noticed her little action, comforting her by saying, "With so many people here, only two are drawn per round. It’s unlikely they’ll pick you. We’ll leave after watching one round."
Shen Jianian believed him.
But she didn’t expect a slap in the face to co so quickly.
After ensuring everyone had received a card, the bar’s owner took out a phone and projected it onto the big screen behind him, ensuring the whole drawing process was fair and transparent.
He opened an app on his phone that randomly drew numbers, asked the waiter how many cards were distributed, entered the range, and chose a number to draw.
The number 42 popped up on the big screen.
Shen Jianian frowned and whispered, "No way," as she looked down to confirm her card. It clearly said "42."
What did she say? She indeed had a cursed destiny in gas!
"What do I do now?" Shen Jianian was extrely nervous, with no other options, she could only seek help from Fu Jichen, who was nearest to her.
The owner’s voice echoed through the hall via microphone: "Who has the card numbered 42? Please raise your hand."
Fu Jichen couldn’t refuse Shen Jianian’s plea, silently sighed, and before anyone noticed, he discreetly swapped the card in her hand, saving her.
"Who is number 42?" The owner on stage asked again.
Fu Jichen raised his hand to indicate, and in an instant, all eyes were on him.
The man leaned slightly, one leg slightly bent with his foot on the crossbar under the stool, the other leg straight on the floor. His back slanted against the bar, dressed in a low-key yet sexy black shirt and trousers that outlined a tall figure. He looked lean, but the lines on his shoulders and arms were firm and compelling, inviting imagination, making one involuntarily imagine his physique beneath the shirt.
Seeing such a handso, poised elite, the crowd erupted, clapping, whistling, hooting, waiting for a good show.
So ladies silently prayed, hoping to be partnered with him, willing to accept any challenge.
The owner saw him and was probably overwheld by his aura, unable to speak for a mont. Only after soone urged him from below did he co to his senses, tapping his phone to draw the next number.
The number 17 appeared on the screen.
Everyone checked their cards, so relieved they wouldn’t have to accept a challenge, others disappointed they couldn’t play a ga with the elite, number 42.
The owner’s gaze swept the crowd. No one claid number 17. He lifted the microphone to his mouth: "Who drew number 17? The chance to play a challenge ga with the handso guy is rare; what’s there to hesitate about?"
Laughter burst out.
After a dozen seconds, as laughter subsided, number 17 was still missing.
The owner found it odd, guessing soone might not want to participate unless it was oversight. But tonight’s custors were all here for the anniversary event; surely, anyone with a card would want to play.
"Did number 17 go to the bathroom?" The owner joked, "If not standing up soon, we’ll start a carpet search."
A carpet search ant asking everyone to show their cards to those nearby, quickly finding the person. If soone hid their card, an empty hand would also explain it.
Of everyone present, only Fu Jichen knew whose hand held the card. Coincidentally, the card he’d initially received was number 17, which he had switched with Shen Jianian’s, unknowingly trapping her again.
Fu Jichen gave Shen Jianian a helpless look.
Shen Jianian took a sip of her pogranate juice, accepting her fate, slowly raised her hand, and admitted she was number 17.
Everyone’s eyes once more zeroed in on this spot. So people noticed Fu Jichen and Shen Jianian were together and voiced dissatisfaction: "Is the owner biased? The handso guy and the beauty are together, how can it be such a coincidence!"
Shen Jianian heard so voices and desperately wanted to retort, how is this coincidence? It’s a disaster. She had no intention of participating in a challenge task. Since entering this bar, she’d felt sothing amiss.
Perhaps this was the consequence of craving freedom.
"Which one of you will draw the task?" The owner hadn’t expected to pick two high-profile individuals right at the start of the ga, a male-female pair at that, and there was a hint of amusent in his tone.
Fu Jichen remained seated, showing no intention of going on stage, motioning with his hand: "Please, let the owner do it."
The bar owner, around thirty, young and handso, with so assets, loved making friends, and upon hearing Fu Jichen, felt trusted, responding with a smile: "Then I’ll draw for the gentleman. Bla it on bad luck if it’s not a good one. At worst, I’ll punish myself with a drink."
A server holding a task box ascended the stage. The owner stuck his hand into the hole at the top of the box, grabbing a randomly folded slip of paper, opening it for everyone to see.
The owner was the first to see the task, montarily stunned, then twisted his mouth into a suggestive smile, remaining silent for a while.
"What’s the challenge? Don’t keep us in suspense," soone below, unable to contain their curiosity, shouted loudly.
Stifling a laugh, the owner flipped the slip over, showing the side with writing to everyone, cleared his throat, and announced: "Well, let’s have the gentleman with number 42 and the lady with number 17 kiss for three minutes."
What?!
Shen Jianian’s ears felt stuffed, buzzing for a mont.
The whole bar scread, and to build up the atmosphere, countless gold confetti was thrown into the air, like a swarm of golden butterflies taking flight, tangibly demonstrating the phrase "drunk in indulgence."
"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!"
The crowd, enjoying the show, chanted in unison.
At that mont, Shen Jianian’s mind was still blank. She slowly turned, her eyes filled with disbelief, even conspiracy theories, wondering if this was Fu Jichen’s sche.
"Did you bribe the bar owner?" Shen Jianian blurted out.
Fu Jichen, elbow resting on the bar, exuded laziness, his deep dark eyes showing only helplessness and innocence: "Even if I bribed the owner, I couldn’t have bribed the number-drawing app. In your eyes, am I just a scher?"
Shen Jianian panicked: "Can we just slip away?!"
Fu Jichen, with a peripheral glance, saw dozens to hundreds of eyes fixed on them, and said in a low voice: "I’m afraid not."
"What should we do now?!" Shen Jianian was on the verge of breaking down, wishing to find a hole to hide in.
"I’m indifferent." Fu Jichen’s voice lowered, so only they could hear, "How about you...bear with it?"
Shen Jianian instantly blushed, squeezing out three words: "In your dreams."
Privately, she could never kiss Fu Jichen for three minutes, let alone in front of so many people, risking being recorded and viral online. Given Fu Jichen’s status and position, who knew what news might co out.
While people hadn’t recognized Fu Jichen yet, once they rembered he was the Junshan Group’s CEO recently interviewed and trending, issues could arise.
While he might not care for reputation, she still did!
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