Chapter 72: Checking Into a Five-Star Hotel

In contrast, the square-faced man wore a gloomy expression, yet he neither retorted nor tried to evade the truth. He knew perfectly well how formidable Li Huan's horsemanship was. To be able to communicate with a spirited horse that was not yet fully tamed and suppress its resistance in such a short time was an extraordinary feat—even the club's top horse trainers couldn't manage it.

Jin Jiangqun didn't care much about the hundred-thousand-dollar bet; it was merely pocket change to him. However, losing the match in front of Sun Feifei left him feeling deeply embarrassed. He beckoned a waiter, filled out a check, and handed it to Li Huan before striding out of the stables, likely to shower and change.

The poker-faced man was reluctant, but since Jin Jiangqun had already written his check, he couldn't go back on his word. When he handed his own check to Li Huan, his eyes held a warning glint. What frustrated him was that Li Huan paid no mind to his murderous glare, focusing all his attention on the check in his hand. After the string of numbers, the currency was actually in US dollars!

He was instantly thrown off. When the square-faced man also handed over a check for a hundred thousand US dollars, Li Huan shamelessly asked, "Excuse me, what's the current exchange rate between RMB and US dollars?"

The square-faced man turned back and looked at Li Huan in surprise, unable to conceal his confusion and then genuine disdain. Wasn’t this guy supposed to be a finance major? How could he not know something so basic? Or was he just teasing him on purpose?

Li Huan, of course, knew the answer. He just found it hard to believe. At first, he had assumed Jin Jiangqun’s "hundred thousand" meant RMB, which would not have been much pressure for him. If Jin Jiangqun had declared upfront that it was in dollars, Li Huan probably wouldn’t have dared to take such a risk!

“Damn, I’ve hit the jackpot this time!” Li Huan exulted inwardly. When Jin Jiangqun and his group disappeared beyond the stables, he turned back excitedly to Sun Feifei and said, “Let’s book a room at a five-star hotel! I’ve never stayed in such a place in my life!”

At his words, a blush crept over Sun Feifei’s pretty face. Seeing Li Huan’s excitement, she rolled her eyes and snapped, “Didn’t I tell you already that my good friend is visiting? You men are all the same—so impatient!”

Li Huan was rendered speechless. For a moment, his mind blanked, but then he realized what she meant and flushed bright red. So this charming senior had misunderstood his suggestion as an invitation for something else entirely. He wanted to explain, but decided it was better to keep quiet—otherwise, the more he said, the worse it would get.

After just one equestrian competition, Li Huan had effortlessly pocketed three hundred thousand dollars. Converted to RMB, that was over 1.8 million—a significant sum for him, enough to buy a small apartment on the city’s outskirts and a mid-range sedan.

With so much money won, Li Huan naturally wanted to make a swift exit, and Sun Feifei felt the same. However, seeing Li Huan’s smug expression, she decided she’d make sure to take full advantage of him today!

Sun Feifei drove, insisting Li Huan take the passenger seat. Given the circumstances, she wouldn’t risk letting an over-excited Li Huan behind the wheel. Otherwise, that newly-won 1.8 million might soon become someone else’s inheritance.

Li Huan first went to the bank to cash the checks, opened a new account, and deposited all the money. Holding his bank card with its 1.8 million balance, he swaggered over to Sun Feifei, waved the shiny card, and declared, “Feifei, let’s go! Dinner’s on me tonight!”

Sun Feifei scoffed, flashed him a middle finger, and told him to get in the car. The red BMW roared to life, whipping into the street with a dramatic tailspin. As she floored the accelerator, thick smoke belched from the exhaust, and the BMW thundered off, leaving everything behind.

Moments ago, Li Huan had been brimming with excitement. Now, white-knuckled and clutching the safety handle, his face had turned from green to white, all traces of arrogance vanished.

“Could you slow down a bit?” Li Huan fought the urge to vomit. They were nearly downtown, where the traffic would make it impossible to maintain such speed. He seriously considered drafting a will in advance.

“I’m just too excited!” Sun Feifei replied in a deliberately coy voice, sending shivers down Li Huan’s spine.

“What are you so excited about?” Li Huan was baffled. Did Sun Feifei need money? Surely 1.8 million wasn’t much to her—her two convertibles alone were worth nearly a million each!

“My junior’s treating his senior to a lavish meal, of course I’m excited! And besides... aren’t we booking a room afterward? Hahaha…” Li Huan stared incredulously at her profile, as her piercing, shrill laughter—far more potent than a hundred ducks quacking—poured from her delicate lips.

“Do you have to laugh so... outrageously?” Li Huan hung his head. In front of Sun Feifei, he never felt he had the upper hand; she was the kind of bewitching woman whom any man would surrender to, even if it meant going through fire and water for her.

“Outrageous? I don’t think so. What you really mean is... lascivious, right?” Sun Feifei tilted her head, biting a finger, her big eyes blinking and her rosy lips pouting as if aggrieved.

“That’s your own interpretation—what’s it got to do with me?” Li Huan rolled his eyes. He couldn’t imagine how the quacking of a hundred ducks could be associated with such a suggestive, passionate word.

Sun Feifei snorted in exasperation. Occasionally, her coquettishness would slip through, blending with her ever-present allure in a way that could make any man’s blood run hot with excitement.

The car pulled into the underground garage of a shopping complex. Sun Feifei led Li Huan to the VIP elevator and up to the eighth-floor boutique fashion section. As soon as they stepped out, Li Huan was dazzled by the array of stunning decorations.

He knew this commercial complex, named after Zhonghai City, was home to the world’s top luxury brands. Only about twenty percent of visitors could actually afford to shop here, but that minority accounted for the bulk of luxury consumption.

Everywhere he looked were flagship stores for Versace, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Dior, and other international luxury brands. Li Huan had only ever paused to admire them from outside; he’d never imagined setting foot inside to experience the haughty lifestyle of the wealthy. Yet, to his disappointment, Sun Feifei bypassed all the stores whose names he recognized and instead entered a boutique called Yixiu’er, right next to the Chanel counter.

Li Huan had braced himself for a financial bloodletting, but seeing Sun Feifei head into a shop he’d never heard of, he grabbed her arm and said, “This windfall deserves to be spent! Those stores may be extortionate, but this card is more than enough for you to shop to your heart’s content!”

“Oh really? Do you think a store that can rent nearly two hundred square meters in Zhonghai Tower, right alongside the world’s top luxury brands, is some kind of second-rate shop?” Sun Feifei eyed him with interest, curious to see his reaction when he discovered the store was filled with all manner of women’s lingerie.

Li Huan was taken aback. Real estate in Zhonghai Tower was worth a fortune—a two-hundred-square-meter shop would cost over a million a year just in rent, not to mention management and labor fees. All told, his bank card might not even cover it.

“Come on, let’s go in. I have a surprise for you—you’ll fall in love with this place in an instant!” Sun Feifei’s mysterious smile piqued Li Huan’s curiosity. Was the manager inside a world-class beauty?

Sun Feifei waited for Li Huan to approach, then slipped her arm through his. He didn’t mind playing her boyfriend for the moment; after all, he had nothing to lose.

As they reached the entrance, two elegantly dressed shop assistants noticed their linked arms and greeted them with polite, enthusiastic smiles, inviting them inside.

The moment Li Huan stepped in, he was stunned. Whether it was surprise or shock, only he knew. Before his eyes were rows upon rows of women’s lingerie—sexy, revealing, three-piece sets. Thongs and lace bras were mere trifles compared to the wall covered in enticing pasties and G-strings of every imaginable style. The dazzling variety sent him spiraling into a fantasy world.

He’d never imagined that women’s “little cuties” and “little undies” came in such an array of designs—even nude, invisible ones that, when draped on mannequins, seemed as if nothing was worn at all, leaving full, rounded chests tempting any onlooker. Of course, the mannequins were only lifelike models.

Was he instantly in love with this place? Though he didn’t want to admit it, just seeing all these seductive undergarments stirred an uncontrollable impulse within him. The powerful visual impact left him lost, as if he were wandering in a blissful world fashioned entirely of lingerie, surrounded by countless loli, mature women, queens, goddesses, and battle-hardened heroines, each posing alluringly in every style from modest to provocative.

For a fleeting moment, Li Huan wished he could sleep forever in this wondrous realm, free to do as he pleased, leaving his integrity and virtue behind.

The thought brought a wicked smile to his lips, his eyes glinting with a mischievous, roguish charm.