Chapter 797: Shang K Chooses a Consort

At half past eleven at night, the Golden Cauldron International Entertainment Club.

The gilded sign blazed gaudy in the night, the doorman eagerly pulled open the heavy glass doors, and even the air was suffused with the scent of decadent extravagance.

Zhou Hongwei and Tang Yuchao supported each other, staggering in with drunken steps. Their leather shoes clicked on the mirror‑smooth marble floor, producing a chaotic clatter.

The lighting was dim.

From the private rooms on either side of the corridor came wailing, howling songs and noisy laughter.

"Chief Zhou, Chief Tang, this way please!"

The head waiter, a woman in her thirties with impeccable makeup, greeted them with a beaming smile and led them to the most luxurious private room at the back.

The room was spacious, with a circular sofa that could seat over a dozen people.

A huge projection screen played soft, sensual music, while the crystal chandelier cast hazy pools of light. The table was already set with a fruit platter, snacks, and several bottles of foreign liquor.

The two men slumped onto the sofa.

Zhou Hongwei loosened his tie, waved a big hand, and shouted, "Serve the food!"

"Sure thing, I'll arrange it right away!"

The head waiter smiled and withdrew.

Less than five minutes later, the door was pushed open again.

The head waiter led in eight young women wearing high‑slit cheongsams; they stood in a line one meter from the coffee table, each wearing a professional, sweet smile.

"Chief Zhou, Chief Tang, what do you think of these ladies?" the head waiter asked with a smile.

Zhou Hongwei narrowed his drunken, bleary eyes, scanning left to right like an emperor choosing a consort, curled his lip, and blurted, "Auntie's time, get out."

The girl on the far left's face stiffened slightly; she lowered her head and walked out.

"Can't handle it? Get out!"

Zhou Hongwei added another remark, his tone dripping with condescending superiority.

Upon hearing that, two more girls exchanged a glance, undisguised contempt flashing on their faces, and without a word turned and left.

Five girls remained standing there, the atmosphere growing awkward.

Zhou Hongwei scrutinized them again, his brows knitting tighter, then spat, "Damn, I didn't see clearly before—how are they all misshapen melons and cracked dates? Bring another batch!"

His words were extremely unpleasant; the five girls' faces instantly fell.

One of the girls, her hair dyed chestnut, couldn't hold back, muttering under her breath with her head down: "You look like a pig yourself, yet you dare criticize others…"

Her voice was soft, but in the quiet private room it was clearly audible.

Although Zhou Hongwei was about seventy‑percent drunk, his hearing was sharp. He jerked upright, eyes bulging like bronze bells, and snapped, "What the hell did you just say?!"

The girl shuddered, her face turning pale: "I… I didn't say anything…"

"You didn't say anything? Do you think I'm deaf?! Damn it, you shameless whore!" Zhou Hongwei flew into a rage, snatched the empty beer bottle in front of him, and hurled it at her.

"Oh no, Chief Zhou! Chief Zhou, don't get angry!"

The head waiter, terrified out of her wits, lunged forward to restrain Zhou Hongwei, while signaling the girl with her eyes: "Hurry up and apologize to Chief Zhou! You've got no manners!"

The girl, terrified, tears streaming down, bowed repeatedly: "Yes, yes, sorry Chief Zhou, I was wrong…"

"Get out! All of you, get out!"

Zhou Hongwei slammed the beer bottle hard onto the coffee table, sending glass shards and liquor splashing everywhere.

The head waiter hurriedly waved for the girls to leave, then pulled out a handkerchief, wiping the liquor stains from Zhou Hongwei's person while wearing an apologetic smile: "Chief Zhou, don't stoop to their level—they're just new and clueless. I'll call in a more sensible, beautiful batch right away—you'll be satisfied."

Just then.

The environmental bureau bigwig sitting nearby, rubbing his temples and hardly speaking—Tang Yuchao—felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.

Tang Yuchao pulled out his phone, glanced at the caller ID, his face instantly changed, and his drunkenness evaporated halfway.

He glanced at the furious Zhou Hongwei, covered the phone, and rose: "Old Zhou, you keep playing; I'm going to take this call and hit the restroom."

Having said that, without waiting for Zhou Hongwei's reaction, Tang Yuchao hurried out of the private room.

"Hurry back, I'll wait for you."

After seeing Tang Yuchao off, Zhou Hongwei sighed to the head waiter with a smile: "Old Tang's just useless now that he's old—he drinks a little and runs to the toilet."

The head waiter could only force a smile, then went out again to summon more people.

About ten minutes passed.

The new batch of girls still hadn't arrived, and Tang Yuchao hadn't returned; Zhou Hongwei couldn't help but mutter, "Damn, it looks like Old Tang really is no good."

Growing impatient, Zhou Hongwei was about to urge the head waiter to hurry up and bring the girls.

The door suddenly swung open.

Zhou Hongwei thought it was the head waiter bringing people, didn't even look up, and waved impatiently: "Damn, quit dawdling, hurry up."

Before his words finished, he sensed something was off.

The incoming footsteps were steady and powerful—more than one person—and lacked the rhythm of high heels.

Zhou Hongwei lifted his head, his vision blurred by drink.

He focused his gaze.

The next second, his glass clattered to the floor, spilling amber liquor everywhere.

Three people stood at the doorway.

Leading them was a man in a dark jacket, tall and stern‑faced—none other than Wuzhou's mayor, Lin Dongfan.

Behind Lin Dongfan,

on his left stood the expressionless, sharp‑eyed bodyguard and driver, Lao Ba; on his right was the obnoxious Wuzhou Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection Secretary, Shi Liantang.

The ambiguous lighting in the private room made the three of them look utterly out of place.

Lin Dongfan's gaze calmly swept over the disordered coffee table, the glass shards on the floor, and Zhou Hongwei's face, twisted and flushed from shock and alcohol.

He said nothing, merely stepped forward two paces and sat on the single sofa opposite Zhou Hongwei, while Shi Liantang likewise took a seat beside him.

Only Lao Ba, upright and resolute, stood behind Lin Dongfan.

Like a mighty guardian deity!

The team leader heard the noise, pushed the door and entered; seeing this scene, he exclaimed 'ah', covered his mouth, froze at the entrance, unable to move forward or back.

Zhou Hongwei had his mouth open, making a 'ho-ho' sound from his throat, as if someone were choking his neck.

He tried to stand, but his legs went limp like noodles; after two attempts he failed, so he could only slump on the sofa, terrifiedly watching Lin Dongfan.

Lin Dongfan finally spoke, his voice not loud, yet it pierced Zhou Hongwei's ears like an ice pick:

"Bureau Chief Zhou, what refined taste."

Saying this, Lin Dongfan's gaze swept over Zhou Hongwei's open shirt collar and askew tie, then he added: "Looks like, this afternoon I told you to 'go back and work properly,' but you really didn't take it in."

"Lin... Mayor Lin, why have you also come..."

Zhou Hongwei was so nervous he could barely speak, his heart seemingly up in his throat, and he dared not even look at the cheongsam-clad beauty at the doorway.

The lady leader also sensed the situation, saw things were wrong, turned and led the ladies away.

Lin Dongfan lit a cigarette, half-smiling, and replied: "Idling is idling; I came especially to meet you. Now, will you voluntarily confess, or shall I give you a taste of your own medicine?"