Li Ye simply reached out and hugged Ning Wei’s slender waist, pulling her entirely into his embrace.
“Be patient,” he whispered into Ning Wei’s ear.
The staff member happened to glance back at the corner and then lowered his head, as if he had seen something extraordinary.
The more the staff member acted this way, the more unsettled Ning Wei felt.
Had they entered some illegal establishment? Why was a staff member so cautious?
Regarding the “Pink Crystal,” she felt both anticipation and worry. Anticipation that she was finally getting closer to the hotel’s secret, and worry for the safety of her other teammates.
Exiting the staff dormitory, they continued upwards towards a dark staircase.
Ning Wei, wearing high heels, felt a bit unsteady and almost missed a step.
She let out a gasp, startling even the staff member leading the way.
Li Ye’s face contorted in displeasure. He bent down, picked Ning Wei up directly, and said to the staff member, “It’s so dark here, why aren’t the lights on? Are you afraid I can’t afford the electricity bill?”
His voice was icy, and he seemed genuinely angry.
The staff member didn’t want to offend any of their guests. Those who could afford to patronize this place were no ordinary people, certainly not someone like him, a minor employee, could afford to offend.
Therefore, upon hearing Li Ye’s displeased voice, he immediately nodded and bowed, explaining, “My deepest apologies, the Pink Crystal is indeed… Please forgive us, guests. We are almost there. I will definitely report this issue to the manager.”
His attitude was so sincere that Ning Wei, not wanting to alert them further, gently shook her head in Li Ye’s arms.
With his beauty in his arms, all his annoyance naturally dissipated.
Li Ye snorted dismissively, as if unconcerned, then carried Ning Wei forward step by step.
The guest no longer pursued the topic, and the staff member secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
He dared not delay any further, picking up his pace and talking all the way to ease the atmosphere and appease the guests’ emotions.
Colored lights twinkled ahead, and the staff member’s face broke into a smile. “Guests, the Pink Crystal is just ahead. Please head towards the lights, and you absolutely won’t go wrong.”
This employee’s job was to guide any guest who got lost to the Pink Crystal, and to provide a brief introduction along the way. If he could ascertain the guest’s identity and spending power, that would be even better.
Unfortunately, Li Ye maintained an unapproachable demeanor throughout the journey. Those who came here were not ordinary people, so the staff member didn’t dare to be sly and ask probing questions.
“Wait,” Li Ye said, as he set Ning Wei down, stopping the staff member who was about to turn and leave.
The staff member, perhaps hoping for a tip, smiled even more brightly.
“Does the guest have any further instructions?”
“If I wish to come here again, do I still need to walk to the staff dormitory and wait for you to escort me?”
The staff member’s smile didn’t waver as he slowly explained to Li Ye, “There is a button with an internal number inside the elevator. Press it, and a call will be made upstairs. Just state that you are going to the Pink Crystal, and the people downstairs will arrange the elevator for you, and you will arrive here smoothly.”
It sounded very complicated, which explained why they had stayed in the hotel for several days without hearing a whisper about it.
Having gotten the answers he wanted, Li Ye waved his hand casually, and the staff member, knowing his cue, quietly departed.
Ahead lay neon lights, dazzling and colorful.
Under the flickering lights, one’s heart could easily become lost.
“Shall we go?” Li Ye extended his arm, embracing Ning Wei, and said to her gently, looking down.
Ning Wei nodded, glancing at her high heels and frowning slightly.
“Uncomfortable?” Li Ye immediately noticed her mood and quickly crouched down to examine them.
It turned out the strap around her ankle was buckled too tightly, pinching a piece of skin on the top of her foot. After re-buckling it, Ning Wei’s expression relaxed considerably.
“Why don’t you take off your shoes, and I’ll carry you?” Li Ye suggested.
Ning Wei shook her head and gestured to her silky dress. “It’s easy to expose myself if you carry me.”
Li Ye suddenly understood, and held Ning Wei’s slender waist even tighter. “Then I’ll just hold you. I promise you won’t fall.”
Looking at his earnest expression, Ning Wei’s heart stirred.
Then, she sighed again. In truth, Li Ye understood nothing about romantic relationships; his protection of her was merely the care of a reliable teammate.
The current situation didn’t allow her to indulge in fanciful thoughts. Ning Wei shook her head, intending to cast all these杂乱 (zá luàn - disordered, confused) thoughts out of her mind.
“Let’s go,” Ning Wei smoothed her dress and then gave Li Ye a radiant smile.
Li Ye nodded and supported her as they slowly walked inside.
The dark corridor formed a stark contrast with the dazzling lights. As they stepped inside, it was as if they had entered another world.
Above them hung a large, pink crystal ball. Colorful spotlights spun around, occasionally hitting the crystal ball and then refracting elsewhere.
Thus, the brilliant lights they had seen at the entrance originated from here.
This was a large hall. Staff members in blue uniforms, carrying platters of fruit or glasses of wine, moved back and forth across the hall.
There were also women, dressed similarly to Ning Wei in figure-hugging attire, their high heels clicking noisily. With heavy makeup, they were led by staff members into various private rooms.
More men, dressed in suits and appearing to be gentlemen, walked quickly through the hall, disappearing into unknown rooms under the cover of darkness.
Further ahead in the hall, a curly-haired woman in a form-fitting, shortened cheongsam stood on a stage, singing a soul-stirring song into a microphone.
Behind her was a pole, on which a woman with a ponytail, wearing a skimpy bikini, was twisting her body, performing various difficult moves on the pole in sync with the song and dance.
She would lift one leg, then perform a split, instantly capturing the attention of the men below.
They looked at her as if she were prey.
The scene felt increasingly wrong, like a place for some kind of special transaction.
Ning Wei hadn’t expected that beneath the glamorous exterior of a five-star hotel, such a mysterious place would be hidden.
No matter where it was, such a place absolutely shouldn’t exist!
No wonder it was so difficult to find; it was a place with hidden depths.
Li Ye’s gaze was as clear as a lake, unlike the lecherous stares of the other men.
Moreover, his outstanding temperament and appearance attracted the hearts of all the women present.
After all, they were serving people. Instead of serving those portly men with greasy hands that only knew how to grope women, it was better to spend a night of passion with the handsome man before them.