This bar did good business, and the private rooms had long been fully booked.

Su Ci had only been to a bar once before, and that was because of a celebration banquet with the film crew. She had no real interest in such noisy places.

Inside the bar, the lights flickered in a bewitching, dazzling way, carrying an indescribable strangeness and haze.

Su Ci was wearing a light mauve dress. Her soft, fine long hair naturally draped behind her shoulders, and paired with her snow-white skin, she looked like a pure little rabbit spirit who had wandered into a dim swamp.

The moment she appeared, she instantly drew the attention of many people present.

The private rooms were already full, and Su Ci had no intention of going into one anyway. After all, she hadn’t come here to spend money, and inside a room it would be harder to keep an eye on Ji Chi’s situation.

Just now at the entrance, she had taken a look at Ji Chi’s life value — there was only one hour left.

She found a booth seat. The spot wasn’t particularly hidden, but it also wouldn’t draw too much attention.

As soon as Su Ci sat down, a waiter came over and handed her a drink menu. “Miss, what would you like to drink?”

The male waiter had been working here for two years. Every day many beautiful women came to play at the bar — sexy ones, charming ones, cute ones, pure ones — but none could compare to the girl in front of him.

Just watching her pale fingers flip through the menu made the waiter momentarily lose focus.

A girl this beautiful coming to a bar was clearly like a little white rabbit falling into a pack of wolves; she would probably be eaten alive.

With her current body, Su Ci couldn’t touch even a drop of alcohol, and she hadn’t planned to drink anyway. “A glass of freshly squeezed orange juice.”

“Alright.” The waiter wasn’t surprised she didn’t order alcohol. After all, a girl this pretty would definitely have plenty of people come over to buy her drinks.

The waiter withdrew his gaze from Su Ci’s delicate white fingertips. “Miss, would you like any snacks?”

“A fruit platter.” Su Ci handed the menu back to him. She looked at him and asked, “Ji Chi is an employee here, right? What does he do?”

The waiter froze for a moment — so she was here for Ji Chi as well.

Ever since Ji Chi started working here part-time, quite a few female customers had been asking specifically for him to take their orders.

For them, aside from their base salary, their main earnings came from commissions on drinks. Ji Chi had only been here for less than a month, and just from commissions he had already earned a five-figure sum. One had to admit — having a handsome face was really nice.

The waiter answered, “Miss, Ji Chi is a waiter here.”

Su Ci nodded. “You can go.”

The waiter smiled politely and left with the order slip.

He had barely taken two steps when a man in a white shirt, his hair heavily styled and stiffly pushed up, walked toward Su Ci with a wine glass in one hand and the other hand in his pocket.

“Hello, do you mind if I sit here?” The corners of the man’s lips lifted confidently as he looked at the girl.

Su Ci lazily lifted her eyelids. “I mind.”

Man: ……

Even after being rejected, he didn’t give up. It was his first time seeing such a beautiful girl. Under the flickering, dazzling lights, she was breathtaking.

“I wonder if I have the honor of inviting you for a drink?” The man raised the glass slightly, revealing an expensive watch on his wrist.

Su Ci propped her chin with one hand, not even bothering to lift her eyelids. “Not interested.”

The man was the owner of a small company, young and with assets. He had hit on many beautiful girls before and had never failed.

The man smiled and took his car keys out of his pocket, placing them on the table. “It’s too stuffy here. Miss, are you interested in taking a night ride in my car?”

Su Ci was unbearably annoyed. She looked at the man and felt that a white shirt didn’t look good on just anyone. Lu Zhe wore it with a clean, otherworldly air, while the man in front of her looked greasy.

Su Ci’s tone carried a hint of impatience. “You’re very annoying. Can you shut your mouth?”

The man’s breath caught. His expression turned awkward and ugly. He glared fiercely at Su Ci, then could only take back his car keys and leave.

The waiter brought over an exquisite fruit platter, followed by the freshly squeezed orange juice.

Su Ci ate fruit while listlessly listening to the band on stage singing.

On the other side, Ding Xiaoyou had told Ji Chi earlier that her “friend inviting her to the bar” was just an excuse. She followed Ji Chi here partly because she couldn’t stand seeing Su Ci cling to him. She was worried Ji Chi had already been won over by Su Ci.

Another reason was that she wanted to wait for Ji Chi to get off work.

When she saw Jiao Jiao-nv enter the bar with a group of bodyguards, and then saw Ji Chi about to go in as well, Ding Xiaoyou quickly reached out to grab his arm. “Wait, you’re going in to work?”

Ji Chi’s cold gaze dropped to where she held his arm. “Mm.”

Feeling Ji Chi’s displeasure, Ding Xiaoyou hurriedly let go. “It’s my first time in a bar. I’m a little nervous. I want to go in with you.”

Ji Chi didn’t respond. He simply walked inside.

“I’m going to work. Go find your friend.” After stepping into the bar, Ji Chi spoke in a cold voice, telling her not to follow him anymore.

Ding Xiaoyou looked at the swirling lights and noisy sounds around her. She suppressed the unease inside her. “Ji Chi, what time do you get off? It’s not safe for a girl like me to go back alone. I want to wait for you and go back together.”

Ji Chi’s cold, stern features looked even deeper under the chaotic lights. “I get off very late, and I don’t have time to send you back.”

After saying that, he walked into the break room.

The bar’s work uniform was a standard custom-made set, a white shirt inside with a black vest on top.

Ji Chi was tall, and even wearing the simple uniform, he was still handsome.

At that moment, the phone he had placed in his locker rang. It was Fang Qin calling.

“Xiao Chi, have you eaten?” Fang Qin hadn’t called her son in a while, afraid of disturbing his work.

Ji Chi replied, “I have.”

Fang Qin asked, “Have you been very tired lately?”

“Not tired.”

Fang Qin already knew her son would answer like this.

Ji Chi had been sensible since he was young. After the family went bankrupt, he started taking part-time jobs. Because he had good grades, during winter and summer breaks he even tutored primary school students to earn money.

“You need to make sure you rest. Don’t overwork yourself. There are only a few days left before school starts. By then, your studies must come first. As for tuition and living expenses, Mom will handle them.” Fang Qin knew her son was working two jobs now, and she worried he was pushing himself too hard.

Ji Chi responded to each point.

“After school starts, you’ll move into the school dormitory. We shouldn’t trouble the Su family anymore.” Fang Qin knew her son was very sensible, but she still reminded him.

Ji Chi’s eyes unconsciously lingered on the locker. He responded softly, “I know.”

Fang Qin asked a few more questions about her son’s recent situation. Knowing he had work now, she hurried to hang up, afraid of delaying him.

The manager saw Ji Chi come out of the break room.

He was a bit dissatisfied. “Table Four’s customers specifically asked for you to take their order. Hurry over.”

Ji Chi responded and walked out.

At Table Four sat several women dressed in sexy outfits. When they saw Ji Chi approaching, they excitedly nudged each other. Their eyes locked onto his face and couldn’t move away. Some couldn’t help teasing him and asked for his contact information.

Ji Chi’s brows and features remained cold, but he had professional discipline. He politely asked what they wanted to order.

When the handsome boy’s lips curved into a smile, several of the women let out excited screams.

After the female customers ordered drinks, Ji Chi turned to leave with the order slip. The smile on his face faded. When he lifted his eyes, he saw Su Ci — standing out starkly from her surroundings.

His hand holding the slip tightened instinctively.

Ji Chi felt a kind of shame, as if he were standing in a muddy swamp while Su Ci stood spotless at its edge, looking down at him from above.

His lips pressed lightly together. Embarrassment flickered in Ji Chi’s eyes. He gave Su Ci a brief nod before walking away.

His expression was very cold. As he went back and forth delivering drinks to the female customers, he no longer looked toward Su Ci once. He was terrified of seeing even the slightest trace of disgust or disdain on her face.

Su Ci finished an entire fruit platter. Bored, she sipped her juice, played on her phone. There were still thirty minutes left.

She discovered that whether at the milk tea shop or here at the bar, Ji Chi was extremely popular.

So then — how did he end up beaten to death?

Su Ci bit her straw and kept glancing at Ji Chi from time to time.

Over on the other side, a man with glasses and a half-bald head walked toward her. “Little girl, are you alone? Big brother can buy you a drink.”

The man tried to sit down across from her.

“Did I give you permission to sit?” Su Ci lifted her gaze.