69novels Page 144
Page 144
This jerk just had to be cheeky in front of her.
The traffic light turned green, and Gu Ran stepped on the gas and continued driving, pretending to be angry as he said, "Since that's the case, nobody's going to sleep tonight. Anyone who dares to sleep will be tormented by me!"
Liu Miaomiao couldn't help but laugh out loud at this childish and shameless remark.
Su Xiaoqiang covered her mouth and chuckled smugly to herself.
Gu Ran glanced at Su Xiaoqiang in the rearview mirror, just as Su Xiaoqiang was looking in the mirror.
Their eyes met in the rearview mirror for a fleeting moment.
……
Half an hour later, Gu Ran drove the car to a high-rise building on the Bund.
"We're not going to the top-floor clubhouse, are we?" Liu Miaomiao asked Gu Ran, looking at the elevator buttons.
Gu Ran nodded.
“But I remember that club only serves members and you have to make a reservation.” Liu Miaomiao looked at Su Xiaoqiang. They had heard that the desserts at that club were delicious, so they wanted to try it, but when they got there they found out that it only served members.
Su Xiaoqiang asked how much it would cost to join, then pulled out her credit card, clearly indicating that she was saying, "Name your price, and I'll join right away. I can afford any price."
But the people at the club said that you need a referral from a current member to join, and money isn't enough.
The two were stopped at the door, an experience never before had it for the young ladies from Shilan Middle School.
Su Xiaoqiang had complained about this to Gu Ran before, feeling that she had lost face. The usually proud little fairy felt like a country bumpkin for the first time, and was looked down upon by others.
She looked at Gu Ran; he must have made an appointment to bring her here specifically.
He always kept in mind what she had said.
So thoughtful!
Thinking of this, she forgave her boyfriend for watching the show from the sidelines, and then, taking advantage of Liu Miaomiao's inattention, gently took her boyfriend's hand.
Gu Ran first glanced back at her, then withdrew his hand expressionlessly.
"Ugh, don't touch me, I'm still having a headache about where I'll sleep tonight!" he said to Su Xiaoqiang, looking exhausted and disheartened.
Su Xiaoqiang was about to feel embarrassed and angry when she saw his smug look on his face, but then the elevator doors opened and Gu Ran walked out first.
"We can't embarrass ourselves in public!" Su Xiaoqiang swallowed her words and followed behind him with Liu Miaomiao.
Liu Miaomiao felt inexplicably intimidated when she saw the luxurious and stylish decor.
Then they saw the tall security guard who had stopped them before, standing imposingly in front of the clubhouse, like Dian Wei, Cao Cao's general.
Liu Miaomiao asked softly, "Should we change into our formal attire before we come back?"
Gu Ran walked ahead and turned back to say, "No need, I asked before I came, there's no dress code."
"Sir, do you have an appointment?" The security guard in a black suit asked Gu Ran, who was wearing a black jacket and jeans, politely but stiffly.
"My surname is Gu."
The security guard whispered a few words into his earpiece, and then a female manager in a suit and uniform skirt quickly came out.
"Hello Mr. Gu, please come in." The female manager and the security guard bowed to the three of them and then invited them in.
The female manager recognized Su Xiaoqiang and Liu Miaomiao. She humbly apologized for refusing to serve them last time and said some very polite words. At the same time, she hoped that Gu Ran and the other two would have a good time tonight.
After a few words, Su Xiaoqiang and Liu Miaomiao both forgot about the unpleasantness from last time.
No wonder he's the manager of a private club; his emotional intelligence is frighteningly high.
The clubhouse is divided into two areas: a lobby area and private rooms.
The cubicles are not completely enclosed, but rather semi-enclosed and semi-partitioned. The club deliberately uses this layout to create a sense of distance that distinguishes people by social class, yet also makes them feel close yet distant, as if outsiders could touch the inside at any time.
Those inside the cubicle can enjoy the envious glances from outside, boosting their sense of accomplishment.
It must be said that this club is very good at understanding human nature.
The hall seemed to be hosting a small cocktail party, with more than a dozen men and women dressed in expensive and elegant formal attire, holding wine glasses and exchanging quiet conversations amidst the clinking of glasses.
When they saw two pretty girls in down jackets following behind a boy in a black jacket, they were slightly taken aback.
When they saw the female manager leading the three people towards the largest cubicle, their attention became even more focused, and they were very curious about the identities of these three people.
It's important to know that this largest private room requires reservations to be open to the public, and you need to have proper identification to make a reservation.
The cubicle contains sofas for receiving guests, a dining table, a conference table, a large screen, and many business facilities for meetings.
This private room boasts the best view in the clubhouse, offering an unobstructed panorama of the Bund and surrounding landmarks.
"We'd like to chat first, and please arrange dinner for me at seven o'clock," Gu Ran said to the female manager.
"Okay, then the three of you, please come this way." Upon hearing Gu Ran's request, the female manager immediately led the three to a floor-to-ceiling window.
In front of the floor-to-ceiling window, there are three single sofas, and in the middle of the sofas, there is a round glass coffee table.
After the three of them sat down, their gazes were all directed toward the Huangpu River. The Bund, shrouded in mist and rain, had an air of both luxury and vicissitude under the dim sky.
This was the first time they had ever seen the Bund like this.
Gu Ran looked at Su Xiaoqiang and was pleased to see that she was very satisfied with the atmosphere.
He asked the female manager, "I'd like some afternoon tea. What would you recommend?"
The female manager was very attentive in introducing the club's signature desserts, including Chinese, Western, and Japanese styles, and even explained in detail which dessert should be paired with which drink.
Su Xiaoqiang and Liu Miaomiao both love desserts, but there are too many varieties for them to choose from.
Finally, following the female manager's advice, I ordered the pastry chef's two best dishes, along with matching coffee.
"Mr. Gu, what would you like?" the female manager asked Gu Ran, who hadn't ordered yet.
Gu Ran ordered a glass of orange juice and a dessert that Su Xiaoqiang had wanted to order but hadn't.
The female manager handed Gu Ran an electronic service bell, saying that she could press it if needed and she would come to serve her as soon as possible.
Then, knowing his place, he withdrew.
Su Xiaoqiang admired the beautiful scenery of the Bund, and noticed that the people outside the hall were looking at them with envious and curious eyes.
It allowed her to rediscover the pride of being a highly regarded young star here.
The clubhouse was very warm, so Su Xiaoqiang took off her down jacket, revealing a black fitted warm sweater underneath that accentuated her slender figure.
She noticed that her boyfriend was smiling beside her, his gaze constantly shifting between her chest and face.
He just stared at her so openly, and even though Su Xiaoqiang glared at him several times, he didn't stop.
So she had no choice but to raise her little pink fist and wave it in front of her boyfriend as a slight threat.
Gu Ran pursed his lips and could only look at Liu Miaomiao. Liu Miaomiao had also taken off her down jacket, but she was wearing a pullover sweatshirt underneath, so she didn't show off her figure for him to admire.
"Gu Ran, how did you manage to book this place?" Liu Miaomiao asked curiously.
In her opinion, if even Su Xiaoqiang couldn't get a call here, Gu Ran, who was from the same city, probably didn't have that ability either.
Gu Ran said, "One of my senior classmates is a member here, and he made the reservation for me."
This senior is Caesar. He received mooncakes and gifts from Siam from Gu Ran before, but he hasn't reciprocated.
The gift from Siam was a small wooden carving of a white elephant, not much bigger than a palm. It wasn't a particularly valuable item, but the white elephant was considered a sacred object in Siam, making it exceptionally meaningful.
As the leader of the gang, how could Caesar just accept gifts without reciprocating?
So he asked Gu Ran through Nuonuo what kind of return gift she wanted.
Gu Ran happened to overhear Su Xiaoqiang complaining about the club, so he asked Caesar to book it for him.
Chapter 179 Single Dogs Still Don't Realize It
Caesar had members of the Mint Club, a club that catered exclusively to the upper class, and Mint would find a way to fulfill any request they made.
It's all about spending money.
Caesar wanted to give others the best, so he booked the largest and best private room in the club.
He originally wanted to book the entire venue, but Gu Ran didn't want it to be so grand and declined the offer.
Gu Ran glanced at Su Xiaoqiang and suddenly said to Liu Miaomiao, "Last time Xiaoqiang brought you here, but we didn't get to eat dessert, which made her feel guilty for a long time, so she's been asking me to come up with a solution."
As he spoke, he grasped Su Xiaoqiang's slender hand, kneading her soft palm, and continued to say to Liu Miaomiao, "Xiaoqiang said that she's willing to agree to anything as long as you can come here."
After hearing this, Liu Miaomiao looked at her best friend with some emotion, then pulled Su Xiaoqiang to her side and pulled Su Xiaoqiang's hand away from Gu Ran's touch.
Liu Miaomiao glared at Gu Ran: "Although I thank you this time, you can't force Xiaoqiang to do something she doesn't want to do."
How do you know she doesn't want to?
"Didn't you notice how quiet she is tonight? She's usually so talkative."
Liu Miaomiao finally understood. Recalling how unhappy Su Xiaoqiang had been in the car earlier, she realized that Gu Ran must have forced her to do something.
Gu Ran smiled without saying a word as she looked at Su Xiaoqiang, whose cheeks were flushed red with embarrassment.
Damn it, this scoundrel is taking advantage of the situation and even lying and fabricating evidence right in front of everyone!
When did she beg him to come to this club? When did she say she'd do anything for him?
But she couldn't deny it, because doing so would make her lose face in front of her girlfriends.
Su Xiaoqiang cares a lot about her appearance. In front of outsiders, she always appears proud and strong. Wherever she stands, she is a beautiful sight, making people want to kneel down and call her "Your Majesty".
But when she's alone with Gu Ran, she turns into a little woman, like a lamb, with all the initiative in his hands.
How awful! He's got me cornered.
Amidst the joking, the female manager personally brought out the desserts and drinks.
Gu Ran took a sip of orange juice and found it very refreshing and sweet.
"The orange juice is delicious, you should try it." Gu Ran put the straw to Su Xiaoqiang's lips.
Su Xiaoqiang, with her red lips still on the straw, took a deep sip and nodded: "Hmm, not bad, it seems to be made with a variety of oranges."
Elsewhere, freshly squeezed orange juice is made by adding sugar and water to an orange, but the orange juice in Gu Ran's cup is freshly squeezed and filtered, and it's made with the best oranges, so the taste is naturally sweet.
Gu Ran put down the orange juice and then shared half of his dessert with Su Xiaoqiang.
Seeing this, Su Xiaoqiang also shared half of her dessert with him.