Chapter 229 - Running Hell

Feng Xuan had carefully chose her outfit for tonight. She settled with a fitted long-sleeved top and a pair of black pants. Blend in the background, she thought. She didn't need to announce that she was one of the boss' daughter.

Like an excited kid on a field trip, Feng Xuan kept her eyes glued to the window, trying to guess where they were going. They went farther and farther from the center of the city and just before they crossed a boundary, they turned in a rather busy commercial street.

It was not yet nightime but most the shops were already opening up. There were diners right out on the road, propping up folding tables and chairs. Streetfood littered the place and the smoke was thick from a space that grilled meat. 

Feng Xuan wanted to roll down her window and take in the air but she knew it would only make her stomach grumble. Her last meal was almost twenty-four hours ago. "Are we going to eat here?"

Qing Chen smiled at her. "Calm down. I'll take you to every kind of business we have here—at least the majority of it."

Majority… the word echoed in her head. Yeah, this looked like the sort of place wherein mobsters were lords of the streets. When they finally reached a space, the lights on the stores were already on. Bright white lights and neon ones. It was as if more and more people are pouring out and it got harder for the car to pass through.

Qing Chen got out of the car and she did not wait for him to open her door. "There'll be lots of walking. It'll be easier to navigate that way."

Feng Xuan had no complains and took Qing Chen's hand and they went to their first destination.

**

This place had a lot of hidden doors, she noticed. There were doors covered in curtains, some were shadowed over by the vendors, doors that look like they would never open again. Doors that were grills, doors that slide to the side, doors that slide upwards, doors that were screens, doors that completely blended with walls, there were small doors filled with stickers and some were tinted, some were made out of pure metal. 

Her eyes tried to avoid the food but it kept drifting towards them. Qing Chen noticed and pushed her through one of the big wooden doors. It was a huge building with a high ceiling. There were noisy industrial fans and a part of the kitchen was protruding from a wall. Tables were lined on the ground and it was half full.

"Where are we?" she asked, not really minding because the smell of food was already hugging her nose and she wanted nothing else than to fill her stomach.

"The first restaurant that Enigma protected. Then later on bought it."

"You mean forced to pay in exchange for uneccessary protection?"

"That too," Qing Chen answered. His face was not a known one in these smaller businesses. It was Qing Lok who had been given the task of regularly checking here. "Well, aren't you hungry?"

When the waitress came in simple shirt and pants, Feng Xuan almost ordered everything in the menu. She added a note that all the cooked foods to be served immediately. A bowl of soup was placed in the middle of the table less than two minutes later.

Feng Xuan did not talk as she seemed to have breathed in the hot appetizer. It was a little spicy and gave her a runny nose. "This is delicious. Do you have copies of the recipes?"

"Sure, I'll have a copy for you."

Living overseas on her own, Feng Xuan had been able to experience different cuisines. There was nothing more delicious than eating the food in their right environment. None of the food that was served to them would get a five-star rating from a hotel but here, it was the best thing.

"Are you satisfied?" Qing Chen asked.

Feng Xuan tapped her bloated stomach. "That was one of the best meals that I ever had."

"You're ready for the next one?"

Feng Xuan held a finger up as she finished her glass of water. "Let's go."

**

Qing Chen had warned her that this would be a shabbier place. In short words, Feng Xuan entered her first strip club. Qing Chen had pulled a tinted door and let her in first, the music was loud and drummed against her ears. It was hard to see because of the darkness. It just opened but there were already a lot of people inside and a girl was already working on the pole, dressed in matching neon bra and underwear.

Feng Xuan felt herself smile. "Now, this is fun!" she said and dropped down on one of the couches near the stage. A girl with a leash around her neck offered them a menu and she ordered water and got a disapproving look from their server. Qing Chen got a hard drink.

"You got some singles?"

Qing Chen humored her and passed a bill to one of the guards. He came back with a thick bundle. 

Feng Xuan immediately removed the rubber band and took a slim bunch and threw it at the stage. "Wooh!"

Despite the loud music, she heard Qing Chen laughing at her. She looked back at him and gave him his share of bills. "Come on, Chen. Throw some money."

Qing Chen downed his drink and shook it in the air and it was replenished on the spot by their guard. He threw half the bills in his hands and pulled Feng Xuan next to him. "I'll let you get the full experience." He waved the remaining bills and shouted. "Hey, Lovely, come down here!"

Feng Xuan heart raged in her chest in nervousness. "What?!"

"Relax, it'll be fun."

"How did you even know her name?" Feng Xuan eyed the big-busted girl and the neon strips that covered her body who was making her way to their table.

"This bar is called Lovely. If you don't know the name of the dancer just call them out with the name of the club where they are working. It's a thing with the strip bars that we own."

"Bars? As in with s?"

"One of many," Qing Chen said and inched away from her.

"Oh my God!" Feng Xuan exclaimed as the other guests cheered when 'Lovely' stepped in front of her and started shaking her bottom. Feng Xuan did not know what was summoned inside her but she was laughing and enjoying. 'Lovely' even guided her hands on where to slip the bills. 

"You're beautiful!" she shouted to the girl as she climbed to Feng Xuan's lap and started to rhythmically sway her h.i.p.s. "I wish my body looks good as yours."

"You have quite a face too." The dancer's eyes flicked to Qing Chen. "Boyfriend?"

Feng Xuan laughed. "He's my husband!"

"Sway your h.i.p.s like this tonight. It'll send him to heaven."

Feng Xuan slipped a bundle of money in 'Lovely's' waistband. "Not when we're the ones running hell."