69: bar accident

8:00 PM, Bright Moon Bar

Sun Kai sat with two scantily-clad, heavily made-up girls beside him, but he had no interest in having fun today.

He drank irritably, glancing toward the door from time to time as if waiting for someone to arrive.

Finally, a familiar figure appeared outside the door.

The newcomer frowned as she took in her surroundings. Clearly unaccustomed to the noise, she wore a lady-like dress and a ponytail, looking completely out of place.

Sun Kai pushed away the girls who kept rubbing against him and hurriedly stood up to greet her at the door.

"Linlin, you finally came. I've been waiting for you for so long. Why are you standing at the door? Come in."

Zhang Linlin sidestepped to avoid his reaching hand and shook her head coldly. "I'm not going in. It's too loud to hear anything inside. If you have something to say, say it here."

Sun Kai awkwardly withdrew his hand. Suppressing his irritation, he said with a smile, "If you're afraid of the noise, there are private rooms upstairs. This will take a while to discuss. Don't stand here and bother the other guests."

"Then let's talk in the lobby."

"Fine! Fine! I'll take you over."

There was no way Zhang Linlin would go to a private room with him. She reluctantly followed him to a booth and sat down. Looking at the kissing, drinking, and scantily-clad men and women around her, she didn't want to stay for another minute and quickly asked:

"Can you tell me what this is about now? How did I violate company regulations?"

"It's like this: a very important document went missing from my office."

"That has nothing to do with me!"

Sun Kai helplessly picked up his glass and drained the liquor. He sighed, "I believe you, of course, but others don't. The higher-ups have decided that as long as you take care of one thing, they won't hold you responsible."

Although Zhang Linlin hadn't taken any documents, she had indeed leaked some information to Starlight. Feeling a bit uneasy, she asked cautiously, "What do you want me to do?"

"It's simple. Right now, Jiang Chuan doesn't agree..."

"I don't agree!"

Hearing that name, Zhang Linlin reacted reflexively, interrupting him without any hesitation.

Sun Kai gripped his glass tightly, staring coldly at the woman on the sofa. After a long while, he said with a smile, "If this gets done, you can get a million. Do you agree?"

"I! Do! Not! Agree!"

Zhang Linlin stared him down without fear, enunciating every word. Then, she picked up her bag and turned to leave.

Sun Kai slammed his glass onto the floor, strode up behind her, and grabbed her by the hair, pulling her straight to the ground.

He kicked her viciously, cursing as he did, "You bitch! I gave you a chance! You went to a hotel after dating Jiang Chuan for a week, and now you're playing the innocent with me?"

"Fuck! You eat my food, drink my wine, spend my money, and use my resources. What the fuck right do you have to refuse? You still like Jiang Chuan, don't you? Is that it?!"

Zhang Linlin curled into a ball to protect her vitals. She didn't say a word, nor did she shed a single tear.

Would it be useful to accuse him of cheating or preying on Female Anchors?

If it were, this man wouldn't have the face to come looking for her again. She gritted her teeth. It hurt! But she didn't make a sound.

"Speak! Do you still like Jiang Chuan? What a bitch!"

Those around them weren't surprised to see a fight. People fought here every day—over infidelity, over women—it was all too common.

A girl sitting at the bar, leaning over the counter while lazily playing on her phone and drinking juice, heard the familiar name. She stood up, saw the fight, and frowned as she shouted:

"Da Zhuang! What the hell are you doing? Can't you see a fight's broken out? Follow me!"

"Coming, Sis!"

"Boys, time to work!"

The woman called "Sis," followed by eight or nine burly men, pushed through the crowd of onlookers. She saw a man viciously kicking a girl while shouting about whether she could forget Jiang Chuan.

"You dare bully President Jiang's people? Boys! Get him! I'll take responsibility for whatever happens!"

"Leave it to us!"

The leading brute kicked Sun Kai over a meter away. He swung his club, specifically targeting fleshy areas—clearly an old hand at this.

The lackeys swarmed him, punching and kicking until Sun Kai was buried under the assault, working up quite a sweat.

Knowing they knew when to stop, the woman ignored them and walked over to the girl on the ground. She knelt and asked, "How are you? Do you need to go to the hospital?"

"Cough... cough... thank... you... no need... for the hospital."

"What's your name?"

"Zhang... Zhang Lin..."

Seeing the girl pass out, the woman took out her phone, called an ambulance, and then called Jiang Chuan.

It rang once and was hung up. Helplessly, she sent a text message.

[Someone named Zhang Lin, who seems to be related to you, was beaten up. She's on her way to First Hospital now.]

[Jiang Chuan: I'll be right there. I owe you one.]

The woman put down her phone and waved her hand, shouting, "Da Zhuang, that's enough!"

Then she walked over to Sun Kai, who was howling in pain on the ground. She knelt and slapped his face hard, saying coldly:

"Is that necessary? That girl didn't even scream as loud as you. Stay away from Jiang Chuan's people from now on, or I'll beat you every time I see you. Understand?"

Terrified, Sun Kai reflexively covered his head. Seeing she wasn't there to hit him, he lay flat on the ground and nodded repeatedly, stammering incoherently:

"Un... understood, Heroine, spare me!"

"Drag him to the breakroom and wait for my call."

"Yes, Sis!"

The woman followed the paramedics into the ambulance. Looking at the girl on the gurney, she muttered jealously, "Hmph, he really cares about you. If I'd known, I wouldn't have saved you."

The ambulance sped through the streets, arriving at First Hospital in just over ten minutes.

Doctors and nurses rushed the unconscious Zhang Linlin straight into the emergency room.

Seeing the doctors' reaction, the woman grew uncertain. If an adult man kicked a girl with all his might, things could really go wrong.

She took out her phone to urge Jiang Chuan to hurry, but fearing he was driving, she hesitated for a long time and didn't call.

She was in no mood to sit and paced anxiously outside the ward. She hated this place and wouldn't come to a hospital even if she were sick; she was only here because it involved Jiang Chuan.

Not long after, a doctor in a white coat opened the door and walked out.

The woman quickly grabbed the doctor and asked, "Doctor, how is she?"

"Internal abdominal bleeding. We need to prepare for surgery. Who are you to her?"

"I... I'm her friend."

"Contact her family immediately. The bleeding isn't too severe yet, but we can't delay any longer!"

"Okay... okay!"

The woman quickly took out her phone and called Jiang Chuan. It connected after one ring. She said hurriedly, "Do you have the contact information for that girl's family? She needs surgery, and a family member must sign for it!"