Chapter 39: Trouble Has Come

As soon as Zhang Linsheng left, Ye Fei’s allure immediately diminished. A few people still tried to strike up a conversation with him, but his cold demeanor quickly discouraged them. Seeing this, everyone tactfully drifted away; after all, it was better to mingle and make more acquaintances at a cocktail party.

“Ye Fei, we’re heading off. Several companies are interested in our company’s proposal. We’ll go discuss potential collaborations. You can wander around as you like!” Shu Manyun called out as she pulled Su Xue and the others along with her.

“Hey, aren’t you being a bit too mercenary? The moment Zhang Linsheng leaves, I’m completely sidelined by you all,” Ye Fei protested indignantly.

“Say what you want,” Shu Manyun giggled. “If Zhang Linsheng comes back, we’ll return to keep you company.”

“Honestly, if Zhang Linsheng does come back, I’ll chase him off. Out of sight, out of mind,” Ye Fei muttered resentfully.

The three women left, laughing sweetly. Brother Hui gave Ye Fei a kindly smile, while Xiao Bao snorted in displeasure, and the two men quickly caught up with the women.

“My mouth is dry from all this talking,” Ye Fei remarked, getting up and heading for the buffet table.

Everything at the party was there for the taking, set up in buffet style so everyone could help themselves. At the table, a portly, balding middle-aged man stood surveying the spread.

Ye Fei approached, reached out, and grabbed a glass of wine right in front of the balding man, draining it in one go.

“Uh, that glass was—” The man turned, revealing himself to be Director Jia. He stared at Ye Fei, momentarily speechless.

“What’s wrong? Did you want a drink too? You’ve got plenty of glasses in front of you—just take one. Enjoy at your leisure. I’m off to the restroom,” Ye Fei said irritably. Why was this old man so meddlesome? Was it such a crime to grab a drink? Did he need permission for each glass? Ridiculous.

As Ye Fei walked away, Director Jia gazed after him in a daze, then murmured to himself, “Forget it, he’s already drunk it. The medication won’t kill him—at most, he’ll just sleep it off. Ugh, this headache is killing me. Never mind, I’ll take my pills.”

Then Director Jia poured several pills into another glass of wine. He had long suffered from debilitating headaches, insomnia, and palpitations, and the medication he used was meant to suppress the pain, calm his nerves, and induce sleep. His condition had worsened over time, so he’d increased the dosage.

The glass Ye Fei had just finished had contained Director Jia’s medication—not dangerous, but enough to make him sleep.

...

Zhang Linsheng was keeping a close eye on Ye Fei. Noticing something seemed off, he approached.

“Ye Fei, is something wrong?” Zhang Linsheng inquired.

“Chairman Zhang, where’s the restroom? I need to go,” Ye Fei said, relieved to see a familiar face.

Zhang Linsheng promptly pulled out a card and handed it to Ye Fei. “This is a room key. Just take the elevator up—the suite has a private bathroom.”

Ye Fei accepted the card with thanks and headed for the elevator. As the wealthiest man in Deep Sea City, Zhang Linsheng naturally wouldn’t hand out an ordinary room key; this was for the presidential suite at the Grand Star Court.

Ye Fei was no stranger to luxury, so he accepted the arrangement with equanimity. It was just a restroom, after all.

But soon after, Ye Fei sensed something was wrong. After relieving himself, his body felt oddly light, his head heavy, a wave of drowsiness washing over him.

“Someone drugged me—that glass of wine…” Ye Fei realized at once. The subtlety of the ploy was terrifying; he had no idea when he’d been dosed.

He considered Director Jia, but recalled the man’s genuine surprise—so it seemed he hadn’t meant to drug Ye Fei.

Ye Fei’s mind grew heavier. He quickly pulled out his phone, typed a message telling Su Xue and the others not to worry about him and to stay safe, then, barely able to keep his eyes open, hit send and collapsed onto the bed, falling into a deep sleep.

Not long after, the suite door opened and a handsome young man entered, supporting a woman whose complexion was unnaturally flushed. She was none other than Yi, the domestic superstar and special guest of the evening. Her face was tinged with an unnatural red, betraying the effects of some drug.

At that moment, the young man’s phone rang. After answering, he seemed to have encountered something urgent and had to leave. He set Yi down carelessly on the sofa, turned, exited, and locked the door behind him.

Soon, the flush on Yi’s face deepened, her body burning with fever. Restless and tormented by the heat, she tore off her beautiful gown in a daze, stumbled into the bedroom, and saw Ye Fei slumbering on the bed.

An inexplicable urge overtook her. Yi climbed onto the bed, wrapped herself around Ye Fei, found his face, and pressed her lips to his again and again, leaving a trail of kisses.

Still unsatisfied, Yi stripped off Ye Fei’s clothes as well, and her bare body twined around him like an octopus, clinging close.

Ye Fei, deep in unconsciousness, was utterly unaware of what was happening, oblivious to the fact that he was becoming intimately entangled with a stranger.

...

After several rounds of passion, the effects of the drug wore off. Completely spent, Yi collapsed onto Ye Fei and gradually fell asleep.

The next morning, Yi awoke to find a naked man lying beside her. Startled, she felt a sharp, unfamiliar pain between her legs, and her face drained of all color.

“It’s him—” Yi stared at Ye Fei’s sleeping face. She recognized him; the night before, the city’s wealthiest man Zhang Linsheng had been speaking with Ye Fei, drawing everyone’s attention. She had glanced at Ye Fei more than once.

Bits and pieces of the previous night came back to her: she had been drugged by Young Master Luo, brought to this suite, and then left alone when he received a phone call. Under the influence, she had ended up in bed with the sleeping Ye Fei.

Seeing the bloodstain on the sheets, Yi nearly fainted. Her emotions in turmoil, she stared at Ye Fei for a long moment. Suddenly, Ye Fei made a faint noise, as if about to wake. Terrified, Yi’s face turned ashen.

She hurried to wash up, found her dress, and was relieved to see it was undamaged. Dressing quickly, she slipped away before Ye Fei regained consciousness.

“Mmm—” Ye Fei slowly woke, feeling as though he’d slept like the dead, completely unaware of anything that had happened during the night.

“Huh? What the hell? Why am I naked?” Ye Fei shivered at the chill on his bare skin.

“There’s blood—”

He saw dried blood on himself, and a patch of it stained the sheets.

On the floor by the bed lay his own clothes, torn off in haste.

A faint fragrance lingered on the pillow, the sweet scent of lipstick tickling his nose.

Glancing in the mirror, he saw his face covered in lipstick marks, long strands of hair on the blanket, and by the sofa in the suite’s living room, he found a delicate women’s necklace.