No one picked up the call. She hung up and dialed again, repeating the process numerous times before Li Manman finally gave up.
She squatted down on the villa’s doorstep, tears dripping down as her emotions felt like a roller coaster. She had only been out for a few hours, so how could she not get back inside?
Li Manman, tearful and blurry-eyed, dialed Fu Bin’s number on her phone. It rang for quite some time before someone picked up.
"Manman, what made you think of calling me?"
Fu Bin stepped out of the noisy private room, took out his lighter, and lit the cigarette hanging at the corner of his mouth.
Li Manman’s voice was heavy with nasal sobs: "Did you say you’d help me pursue Feng Yi?"
Fu Bin smiled slyly and glanced back at the room: "Rejected again?"
Li Manman recounted the situation to Fu Bin, feeling wronged, and asked him for advice.
Fu Bin flicked the ash from his cigarette into the ashtray by the door and, with a conspiratorial look in his eyes, shared his plan with Li Manman.
The two quickly reached an agreement, just waiting for Feng Yi to fall into the trap.
After hanging up, Fu Bin returned to the private room, telling everyone to disperse, saying they could gather again when there’s time.
"You’re really unreliable, you suggested going out to eat, and you’re also the one causing the breakup. Who called you just now, was it a beauty invitation?"
"You’re so untrustworthy, choosing romance over friendship."
"Alright, alright, let’s go. A night of passion is worth a thousand gold."
The people around teased one another, and Feng Yi extinguished the cigarette butt in his hand, standing up to stride out.
At six o’clock in the evening, he called the aunt at home, asking her to remember to make dinner for Li Manman. But the aunt said Miss Li had gone out and hadn’t returned yet. Originally, he planned to go home to check if the girl had returned after work, but was instead dragged here by Fu Bin.
Fu Bin quickened his pace to catch up with Feng Yi, grinning mischievously: "Did you and Manman do ’that’ yesterday? Not a bad feeling to indulge, huh?"
Feng Yi stopped at the elevator, raised his hand and pressed the button for down: "You seem to be meddling too much."
Fu Bin patted Feng Yi’s shoulder, raising his thick brows slightly: "Just wait for tomorrow to thank me properly."
As the words fell, the elevator doors opened, and the two stepped inside together. Feng Yi cast a glance at Fu Bin, who was half-leaning against the elevator wall, puzzled at his earlier remark.
After leaving the club, Feng Yi got into his car; his phone had been left inside. On the screen, it was filled with missed calls from Li Manman.
Worried about if something was wrong with the girl, Feng Yi dialed back, but it rang for a long time without anyone answering.
He furrowed his brow slightly, started the car, and sped off in another direction.
Upon rushing back to the villa, Li Manman was being harassed by several men: "Beauty, it’s so late, why not come with us instead of going home?"
Li Manman cried while trying to pry open the man’s grip on her wrist, but the disparity in strength between men and women rendered her efforts useless.
"Let go of me quickly, or I’ll scream for help."
The men laughed unrestrainedly, their lecherous gazes sweeping over Li Manman’s body.
Feng Yi, eyes darkened, jumped out of the car and ran over, kicking the man holding Li Manman’s wrist to the ground: "If you don’t want a beating, get lost right now."
The men glanced at each other and then left in a hurry.
"Are you alright?" Feng Yi bent down and wiped the tears from Li Manman’s face.