Chapter 22: Revelry in the City

After winning the derby, at the urging of the team captain Zheng Zhi and other senior players, everyone on the team decided to head to a nightclub to celebrate.

In the past, Dai Zhiwei had skipped several team gatherings, as they were always small cliques going out in twos and threes, and, with his meager finances, he never felt much inclination to join. But this time was different—everyone was going. Refusing again would make him appear unsociable.

Since there would be drinking, Dai Zhiwei left his little X1 parked at the stadium and took a cab with veterans Zhang Linpeng and Wang Junhui to the reserved nightclub.

The moment Dai Zhiwei stepped out of the car, he was utterly stunned by the scene before him!

He’d been to bars and clubs before, but never anything as upscale as this—mainly because he simply couldn’t afford it. The entrance was a parade of luxury cars, more like an auto show than a parking lot; here, even a lower-end BMW, Benz, or Audi would feel out of place.

“My god! Is this the kind of happiness only the wealthy know?” Dai Zhiwei couldn’t help but steal several glances, his eyes darting across the women coming and going, swallowing hard in spite of himself.

No wonder—the women here were simply stunning, and with early summer in full swing, a row of long, fair legs became the defining scenery.

Zhang Linpeng, acting as the big brother among the three, led them inside. Even before Dai Zhiwei reached the door, he could already hear the thundering music vibrating through the walls.

Stepping inside, he was assaulted by a strange fragrance—a heady cocktail of countless perfumes—that jolted his senses. It wasn’t unpleasant; in fact, it seemed to tug at some hidden nerve, making him inexplicably exhilarated.

The place was packed, shoulder to shoulder with people.

This was his first true glimpse into the so-called “world of the wealthy.” To him, it was dazzling, unfamiliar, and complicated—a place that even stirred a faint sense of danger.

“Dapeng, Xiaowei, Hui!” Zhao Xuyang, who had arrived earlier, spotted them and hurried over. “You’re here! I’ve got our spot already!”

It was truly jam-packed. The three of them squeezed after Zhao Xuyang to their reserved area.

Dai Zhiwei had no idea about the difference between “booths,” “half-booths,” or “open tables,” but this spot had a semicircle of sofas and was surrounded by bead curtains—a good deal of privacy. It was also not far from the DJ booth, which probably made it one of the best seats in the house.

Zheng Zhi, Zeng Cheng, and a few others had already arrived, sipping low-alcohol cocktails or beers.

Dai Zhiwei exhaled quietly; he’d worried they might be drinking strong liquor like company banquets from his past life. For ordinary people, getting drunk on baijiu was no big deal, but for athletes, drunkenness was taboo.

Thankfully, everyone from the Evergrande team was drinking only low-alcohol cocktails and beer, which Dai Zhiwei had no fear of.

“Xiaowei, what’ll you have?” he faintly heard Zhang Linpeng shouting over the music.

“Anything’s fine!” Dai Zhiwei wasn’t familiar with the menu here, but he knew better than to ask for a Harbin or Budweiser—even though those had been his favorites in his past life.

Zhang Linpeng called the waiter over and ordered some drinks with practiced ease.

Dai Zhiwei sneaked a look: apparently two sets, but he couldn’t see the details. Still, even the cheapest set here started in the four digits!

“My god, my past life’s monthly salary couldn’t cover a single night here!” Dai Zhiwei thought with a gasp.

Soon, the waitstaff arrived with drinks, fruit platters, and ice buckets, then began opening and pouring the alcohol.

“Come on!” Zheng Zhi raised his glass, calling everyone together. “To our victory!” Everyone downed their drinks in unison.

Dai Zhiwei knew, even though he’d secured his place as a starting player, he was still a junior on the team. He pulled Wang Junhui along to toast each of the senior players.

It might have been imported beer, low in alcohol, but after a dozen rounds, Dai Zhiwei felt bloated and had to dash off to the restroom.

Even as an athlete, Dai Zhiwei’s bladder hadn’t grown much stronger.

It was just after 11 PM—the nightclub’s peak hour. After relieving himself, Dai Zhiwei, tall and broad as he was, had to push through the crowded throng on his way back to their table.

From ten meters away, he could see that the sofa area had grown more crowded.

And… were those beautiful women?

He couldn’t see their faces clearly, but their figures were certainly impressive!

As Dai Zhiwei was about to sit down, Zhang Linpeng noticed his return, promptly got up, and leaned in to whisper, “You’re back? Perfect! I have some friends to introduce you to!”

He pointed to a few women beside him, each a flawless beauty with fair skin and dazzling looks.

Especially when he introduced the girl sitting in the corner—Dai Zhiwei made sure to remember the name “Zhong Luchun.”

At this moment, Zhong Luchun had taken off her jacket, revealing a tight, sexy leather camisole and shorts. Her smooth, long legs were perfectly straight, accentuating her slender, tall figure. The curves beneath her lost jacket seemed ready to burst forth, and the leather shorts hugged a perfectly rounded figure—exquisite proportions, effortless allure.

When Zhong Luchun stood up, Dai Zhiwei realized that, even in low heels, she was a bit taller than he was.

Zhang Linpeng had introduced these women as models; most of them were seasoned veterans of nightlife, quick to break the ice, chatting and laughing with the men within minutes.

Noticing Dai Zhiwei’s particular interest in Zhong Luchun, Zhang Linpeng and Zheng Zhi shifted seats, placing Dai Zhiwei right next to her.

Squeezing past the crowd, Dai Zhiwei could distinctly feel his own body reacting, as his clothes brushed against Zhong Luchun’s curves while she made room for him—a strange, electric sensation.

Zhong Luchun clearly sensed it too, deliberately turning her head away, leaving Dai Zhiwei feeling rather awkward.

“I’m older than you—how about I call you Xiaowei?” Zhong Luchun said with a smile, having learned his age earlier.

“Haha! Miss, Xiaowei might be young, but he’s no small boy! You should call him Brother Wei!” Feng Xiaoting chimed in mischievously.

“Get lost!” Dai Zhiwei grabbed Feng Xiaoting’s head and turned it away.

“Hee hee!” Zhong Luchun giggled, producing two sets of dice. “Shall we play a game?”

Dai Zhiwei grinned—in his previous life, he’d been the “King of Dice” on sports websites—so he replied, “Sure! But I don’t know the rules, you’ll have to teach me.”

“Oh, come on! Who doesn’t know how to play? Don’t tease me!”

“Really! I swear I don’t.”

“No problem, I’ll teach you!” Zhong Luchun replied cheerfully.

In nightclubs, dice games had long evolved into countless forms—poker, niuniu, even mahjong! Zhong Luchun taught Dai Zhiwei the most popular version—Liar’s Dice.

This game was all about psychological warfare and reading your opponent. The rules were simple.

“Bring it on! I’m not afraid!” Dai Zhiwei declared boldly.

And so, the real contest began!

Zhong Luchun was no match for Dai Zhiwei, losing three rounds in a row right from the start.

But since it was just the two of them playing, they didn’t drink too quickly, chatting as they played, growing more familiar by the minute.

When Dai Zhiwei learned she was born in December 1990, he joked, “Then I should call you ‘big sister’?”

“If you call me ‘sister,’ shouldn’t you do something to show it?” Zhong Luchun teased sweetly.

“Oh? Like what?”

“How about three shots in a row?”

“Sure!” Dai Zhiwei replied boldly, “And I’ll do them full!”

Zhong Luchun laughed even more brightly at that.

So Dai Zhiwei and Zhong Luchun continued to talk, play dice, and drink, and before they knew it, an hour or two had passed.

Zhong Luchun could hold her liquor, and though she’d had plenty, she was still composed. She eyed Dai Zhiwei, who had also drunk a fair amount, yet his gaze remained clear, his cheeks showing not a trace of red—like he hadn’t touched a drop.

“Wei, were you lying to me earlier?” Zhong Luchun teased. “You said you didn’t know how to play? Don’t play the fool!”

“Playing dumb to win?” Dai Zhiwei laughed. “Honestly, I’m a novice. If I’m lying, I’m a pig!”

“Oh? Then how come you suddenly got so good?” she prodded.

Dai Zhiwei beckoned her closer, then whispered in her ear, “Because I’m a genius! Hahaha…”

“Shameless!” Zhong Luchun playfully smacked his shoulder—then paused in surprise.

“Wow! I didn’t realize your muscles were so firm!” She let her hand trail from Dai Zhiwei’s shoulder down his arm, finally coming to rest on his thigh, squeezing the taut muscle.

Dai Zhiwei tensed, his legs involuntarily drawing together, a rather embarrassed smile on his face.

Zhong Luchun’s eyes sparkled as she leaned in and whispered, “You… aren’t a virgin, are you?”

Dai Zhiwei was a bit flustered by the flirtation, but after all, in both lives combined, he was no stranger to these games—he couldn’t let himself be underestimated by this young woman.

“That’s right! I’m a virgin! Haha, are you going to give me a red envelope?” Emboldened, he took her delicate hand in his, gently caressing it, savoring the exquisite feel.

“Cheeky!” Zhong Luchun rolled her eyes, but made no move to pull away. This level of intimacy was nowhere near her limit.