Chapter Ninety: Riding High on the Spring Breeze

Chapter Ninety: Riding High

Because of his promotion, Bai Zeshao and Ye Weitian gathered a group from the Secret Service Office and, that evening, went to the Rose Cabaret to celebrate his rise.

Among them were the members of the Inspection Team, which had originally been formed to root out the spy within, and Bai Zeshao had also invited Shi Zhichao from the Guard Unit.

Although Shi Zhichao had once confined him to quarters over the An Guoming affair, Bai Zeshao would never underestimate the man's rank or influence.

Of course, Bai Zeshao had only extended the invitation on a whim, and he had not expected Shi Zhichao to actually accept.

Shi Zhichao's rank and authority were far above Bai Zeshao's, but for this promising young man who had clearly caught Boss Dai's eye, he had no reason to refuse.

What was more, he had once put Bai Zeshao under confinement. It had been for official business, true, but who knew whether Bai Zeshao might harbor resentment over it?

Now that Bai Zeshao had sent an invitation, it was the perfect chance to smooth things over between them.

What surprised Bai Zeshao most, however, was that Sun Yanjie had also shown up somehow, and he was extravagantly generous, bringing two gold bars straight away.

Two for Bai Zeshao, two for Liu Xiaobing; even Sun Yanjie's magnanimity had to be admired.

During the evening, Sun Yanjie quietly leaned toward Bai Zeshao and whispered, "Director Wu Yangbing asked me to convey his congratulations to you. The occasion tonight isn't quite right, so he won't be coming."

"Brother Wu is far too considerate," Bai Zeshao said with a smile.

As for Wu Yangbing's absence from the gathering, Bai Zeshao could understand it. After all, one of the Secret Service Office's duties was to keep watch over the military.

And as the Quartermaster Director of the Garrison Command, Wu Yangbing would indeed have been out of place at an internal gathering of the Secret Service Office.

"Still, Xiao Bai," Sun Yanjie said suddenly, "when I came over, Old Wu told me he'd prepare a great gift for you, as a present for your promotion."

"Then I'll look forward to Brother Wu's gift," Bai Zeshao replied with a smile.

Throughout the night, Bai Zeshao mingled easily with everyone, and the atmosphere was exceptionally lively.

As for Sun Yanjie, though he was an outsider, no one treated him coldly. On the contrary, they were rather warm toward him, since everyone knew something of the influence he wielded in Shanning.

Watching Bai Zeshao move effortlessly through the crowd, Liu Xiaobing was secretly astonished. Back in school, Bai Zeshao had hated gatherings like this.

It had only been a short while since they left school, yet Bai Zeshao had changed so much. It seemed he was not the only one changing; everyone was.

What most startled Liu Xiaobing was that Bai Zeshao seemed able to get along with people in nearly every section of the Secret Service Office.

Even Sun Yanjie's attitude toward Bai Zeshao had changed dramatically. He had heard before that Bai Zeshao and Sun Yanjie had joined forces in business.

Now it seemed their relationship was probably far more than business alone.

Thinking of this, Liu Xiaobing's gaze toward Bai Zeshao shifted as well. It seemed he had still underestimated this old classmate of his.

Well past midnight, after drinking to their hearts' content, the group called over a few of the cabaret dancers, took a private room, set up a table, and started playing mahjong.

Whether it was Bai Zeshao's good luck or the radiance of the dancer named Achen at his side, tonight he was truly riding high.

The people beside him looked at Achen with undisguised envy.

There was no helping it. Everyone in Shanning knew of Achen's beauty and allure, but not just anyone could taste those charms.

On one hand, it was because Achen herself was proud and aloof by nature; on the other, people were wary of the cabaret's backing. No one would make an enemy of the Commander's Office's Chief of Staff over a dancer.

Most of the people from the Secret Service Office tonight were ordinary operatives and did not have much money to burn, so many of them had never been close to Achen before.

Now that they saw her seeming to throw herself at Bai Zeshao, the way they looked at him changed again.

Even Liu Xiaobing, standing nearby, was once more stunned by Bai Zeshao.

In truth, though everyone was surprised, Bai Zeshao himself was hardly any less astonished.

He had merely called over a few dancers at random, never expecting Achen to come over on her own.

With such affection from a beauty, of course he would not turn her away. Yet Bai Zeshao only sampled it lightly, with no intention of going further.

After all, his position was special, and Achen was in the middle of such a complicated place as a cabaret; who knew what her true identity might be?

And for her to come so eagerly to him simply because of some supposed kindness from years ago, a kindness even he had never fully understood, was not something Bai Zeshao himself believed.

As for his charm suddenly bursting forth, he still had enough self-awareness to dismiss the notion.

So when it came to Achen's closeness, his stance was neither to seek it out nor to push it away.

Still, Bai Zeshao had great respect for Achen's skill at the table. Without her guidance by his side that night, he would never have won so much money.

Of course, with his formidable memory, it would not have been difficult to win on his own, but Bai Zeshao did not do so.

He felt there was no need. Life was already tense enough every day; playing cards was just a way to relax.

By the time the game ended, it was already past three in the morning. Bai Zeshao looked at the great stack of cash before him and could not help but click his tongue in amazement.

He then took a large portion of it and handed it to Achen, who accepted it without the slightest hesitation.

Her movements and expression were so natural, as if she were his wife, and before long she said lazily, "I'll keep this money for you for now."

Everyone stared, dumbstruck, and then began to tease Bai Zeshao.

Bai Zeshao could only scratch his nose with a wry smile.

When it was time to leave, Bai Zeshao did not depart the cabaret. Instead, he stayed the night there, in Achen's room.

Under the crowd's amused gazes, Bai Zeshao slapped the door shut.

As for what happened that night, only Bai Zeshao and Achen knew.

The next day, when Bai Zeshao was leaving the cabaret, Achen told him that all of the previous night's expenses had been covered by Miss Qian Huiwen.

Bai Zeshao froze for a moment at the news, and then a trace of regret rose in his heart. How had he forgotten about her during last night's celebration?

"Don't forget to thank Miss Qian when you go to work later," Achen said at that moment, her voice brushing against his ear.

Though her tone was calm, to Bai Zeshao it sounded strangely sour, as if she were jealous.

Bai Zeshao turned to look at her, and Achen simply winked playfully.

Under her teasing gaze, Bai Zeshao fled the room in some embarrassment.

Achen burst out laughing at his retreating figure and murmured, "Coward."