Chapter 10: Deputy Director Zhang and the Family Reunion

“You go ahead and accompany him. Which ladies need to be called onstage? I’ll send someone to the dormitory to fetch them.”

For the sake of her lucrative job, Hao Meng had always adopted a tolerant attitude toward Deputy General Manager Zhang, her immediate superior. Although Deputy Zhang was wary of her status as a top hostess and hadn’t dared to force any real intimacy, he’d still managed to take advantage of her on numerous occasions.

Seeing Deputy Zhang in a hurry and unconsciously leaving, Hao Meng felt uneasy. She was determined not to let him see her changing clothes again, so she deliberately made an excuse, “I’ve got my period. Do you really want to watch me change my sanitary pad?”

“It’s not like I haven’t seen it before. Wait until you’re dressed, then we’ll leave together.”

Deputy Zhang shamelessly pulled out a cigarette, lighting it as he eyed her lecherously, hoping to enjoy the sight of Hao Meng changing. Though she despised his boorish behavior, she couldn’t afford to offend him. So, in front of him, she quickly changed into the hotel’s custom suit and skirt, lost the mood for makeup, and followed him to the hotel.

The dormitory was right behind the hotel; hostesses and ladies lived in the same building, though their conditions differed. The ladies shared rooms, six to a space, while the hostesses had two per room.

Upon entering, she saw Boss Chen already waiting in the hotel lobby with his driver, who doubled as his bodyguard.

Chen Anlong, his name, was a Taiwanese investor with three Dafu shoe factories in Dongguan, employing over a hundred thousand workers. The main factory was in the Humen Baisha Second Village Industrial Zone.

He was a VIP at Family Reunion, spending at least thirty to fifty thousand yuan a month, sometimes over a hundred thousand. Generous to staff, hostesses, and ladies alike, all hotel employees hoped to meet this god of wealth each day.

When Hao Meng first became a hostess, she’d worked hard to keep him as a golden client. But Chen Anlong, fond of sowing his wild oats, wouldn’t be tied down by one woman. Their relationship—money for companionship—lasted only briefly before he sought out other hostesses and ladies behind her back. After that, they lost contact.

Frustrated, Hao Meng secretly nicknamed him “Old Lecher.”

This time, Chen Anlong sought her out specifically, intrigued by Jiang Fan’s impressive skills he’d witnessed two nights ago, hoping to win him over through Hao Meng.

Like all lustful men, he craved what others had. Having grown bored of Hao Meng, seeing her arm in arm with Jiang Fan reignited his interest. Though he denied they were a couple in front of his driver, in his heart he accepted their intimacy, and thus his desire for Hao Meng stirred anew.

Chen Anlong wanted not only to win over Jiang Fan, but to claim his woman, relishing the excitement of a triangle.

As Hao Meng approached, Chen Anlong, right in front of Deputy Zhang, pinched her behind and remarked, “Feels good, still so firm.”

In a place like this, it was normal for clients to flirt and grope hostesses and ladies. Though she harbored resentment toward Chen Anlong, for the sake of money, Hao Meng hoped he’d keep booking rooms.

With more bookings came more ladies on duty, earning her a twenty-yuan commission per lady, and Chen Anlong’s generous tips for hostesses handling his reservations weren’t insignificant.

When Deputy Zhang told her that Chen Anlong had booked rooms, Hao Meng felt none of her former joy. Seeing his habitual groping even bred disgust, though she didn’t let it show.

Deputy Zhang finished his task and left early.

Hao Meng accompanied Chen Anlong and his bodyguard to the reserved suite. Unlike before, she didn’t banter or flatter him with risqué jokes but deliberately sat half a meter away on the sofa, asking, “Boss Chen, is tonight another drinking party with friends? I can reserve your favorite ladies in advance.”

Family Reunion mostly served Taiwanese guests. Boss Chen’s business partners and drinking buddies were well-known to the hotel’s hostesses.

Chen Anlong looked at Hao Meng with a lascivious gaze and, likening himself to a king, replied, “It’s been a while since we enjoyed each other. I haven’t invited friends tonight—I just want to spoil you.”

From the general manager down to the waiters, everyone waited on him like a lord. With the power of his money, he could have any hostess he wanted; so far, none had refused.

For a time, Chen Anlong had even set his sights on the waitresses and front desk staff, finding them purer than hostesses and ladies. Most he approached succumbed, prompting hostesses to joke that Family Reunion was his harem.

Hearing Chen Anlong wanted her to entertain him, Hao Meng hesitated and said, “Boss Chen, I’m not convenient tonight. Let me find you a pretty lady to serve you. I don’t want to spoil your fun and bear the guilt.”

For the first time, a hostess refused him, and Chen Anlong’s pride was bruised. He said angrily, “What, afraid I won’t pay?”

“Not at all. If you don’t believe me, check yourself.”

Hao Meng herself didn’t know why, but when Deputy Zhang had asked her to work late that afternoon, she’d deliberately worn a sanitary pad, though she hadn’t started her period.

She knew all too well that once you entered this world, lying down was easy, standing up was hard. But since meeting Jiang Fan, she subconsciously hoped to keep herself a little cleaner.

When she dared him to check, Chen Anlong, somewhat superstitious about a woman’s period, didn’t press further and changed the subject, “Two nights ago, I saw you with a young man—was that your boyfriend?”

“Two nights ago? You saw us?” Hao Meng asked, surprised.

“I not only saw you two, I saw him fight for you.”

“We met on the train, not a boyfriend.”

“Not a boyfriend? Why were you so close?”

“I’m a woman who’d just been robbed—of course I was scared. Holding a man’s arm for reassurance is normal. You’re reading too much into it.”

Though she hoped for a connection with Jiang Fan, she couldn’t possibly confide her feelings to a client. So Hao Meng denied it again.

In a world ruled by deception and money, Hao Meng had mastered the art of concealing her emotions, successfully fooling even the cunning Chen Anlong.

Believing her, Chen Anlong got straight to the point, “When can you arrange for me to meet him? I’d like to get to know him. Naturally, you’ll benefit as well.”

She’d once tried to keep Chen Anlong for his money, never admiring his character.

“You know, in our line of work, it’s not proper to exchange contact details. I only know he’s in Dongguan visiting friends, but has no fixed address. We parted ways two nights ago without leaving any contact info. I’m afraid I can’t earn your finder’s fee.”

Just as Hao Meng was deflecting, hostess Wang Fang knocked and entered, warmly greeting Chen Anlong before turning to Hao Meng, “The owner of the convenience store across the street asked me to pass on a message. A local girl called urgently for you. The boss told her to call again in fifteen minutes.”