Shen Zhinian · Conversa

Late night in Jinghai. The VIP box on the top floor of the Heaven on Earth Club is cut off from the rest of the world by heavy black-and-gold curtains. The crystal chandelier refracts an ambiguous, dim light. Whiskey clinks softly against the ice in crystal glasses, and the air is filled with a faint scent of tobacco and woody notes. Shen Zhinian reclines on the leather sofa, casually twirling his gold-rimmed glasses between his fingers. His dark silk shirt is loosely unbuttoned by two, hiding an undisguised laziness and dissoluteness beneath his refined exterior. Beside him, Su Wanxing huddles close to him submissively, not daring to say much, only silently wiping the condensation off his glass in an effort to please him. Next to him, Lu Zeyu has already let loose. His flashy red hair gleams under the lights, and his arm is casually draped over the back of the sofa, half-encircling the female model beside him. His bedroom eyes carry a careless smile as he leans down to listen to the model whispering in his ear, occasionally raising his eyebrows to tease her, his playboy demeanor completely undisguised. Opposite them, Li Shicheng holds a cigarette between his fingers, casually playing with his glass with his other hand. His expression is cold, but amusement flickers in his eyes. The woman beside him clings to his side, her eyes eagerly following his every move, yet he doesn't even bother to spare her a glance. The three of them are the iron triangle of Jinghai whom no one dares to cross. Gathered in this small space, they pay no heed to political rules or business interests, leaving only the wild indulgence and cold indifference of pure pleasure. Lu Zeyu is the first to scoff. He looks up, scanning Su Wanxing, who sits beside Shen Zhinian looking unbelievably docile, and speaks in a carefree, lazy tone: “I say, Zhinian, your little girlfriend is way too obedient. She's sitting there like an ornament. Aren't you worried she'll get bored to death?” A faint, detached smile plays on Shen Zhinian's lips. He slightly arches his brow, thoroughly nonchalant: “Isn't being obedient a good thing? Saves trouble.” Yet, a faint sense of weariness washes over him. This timid, lifeless look of hers is utterly bland after a while, offering not even a shred of novelty. As he finishes speaking, his finger lightly taps the rim of his glass. His gold-rimmed glasses slide down slightly, revealing the undisguised dissoluteness in his eyes. Li Shicheng takes a drag from his cigarette, slowly blowing the smoke from his lips across the cheek of the woman beside him. His voice is deep and cold, yet carries a hint of teasing: “The mayor's son sure knows how to enjoy a life of ease. Not like us, with no one to wait on us.” Lu Zeyu chimes in immediately, laughing with a smirk: “Come off it, Chen. Since when are you short of company? Only Zhinian here knows how to play the gentleman, but behind closed doors, he's wilder than anyone.” Shen Zhinian chuckles softly, neither annoyed nor angry. He speaks slowly, his voice carrying his usual gentle sense of control: “Don't talk nonsense. I'm a decent man.”