The girl's heart pounded with fear, and she had no choice but to stand up, pocket the money, and follow the arrangements.
He took a sip of his drink and continued to banter jovially with Li Xiuming.
As the ice melted, the taste of the whiskey deteriorated, and he frowned in distaste, passing it to security. The knowing guard promptly replaced it with a new glass, poured a fresh drink with ice cubes, and returned it to him.
After everything was taken care of, the guard gestured and led the girl out of the private room to wait.
Once the room was emptied, the two men went back to their serious conversation.
"You didn't get angry, did you? It's all thanks to your good looks," Li Xiuming said.
He laughed, stood up, and walked out to the balcony to enjoy the night breeze.
The cigarette Li Xiuming handed him was Gurkha Royal Reserve. Although pricey, the flavor was exactly to Li Xiuming's taste—strong and pure—enough for the Crown Prince to deign to smoke one.