Chapter 199: Li Xiaotan, Little Aunt

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

Ah Tan’s gaze remained calm, but her hand, hanging by her side, suddenly tightened.

“Speaking of which,” Fei Yan laughed heartily, speaking with a nostalgic tone, “Although Gao Ning is the one in charge on the surface, and all the sisters address him respectfully as ‘Manager Gao,’ in reality, he’s just a lapdog kept by the boss. Despite his sharp appearance in suits and ties, what sets him apart from the ordinary workers hired from outside?”

“Even if you’ve managed to take the leading position, what difference does it really make? There’s word going around that you haven’t performed on stage in over two weeks. So, why not try to win Gao Ning’s favor and get his help to transition out of this profession? Wouldn’t it be more beneficial to go for a clean break?”

“Sister Yan—” The woman who was silent for a long time suddenly spoke, her eyes as cold as ice, “I know you’ve been dissatisfied with me because 1 took your top spot for a long time.”

Fei Yan took a drag from her cigarette, one hand resting on her other arm, and exhaled white rings of smoke from her mouth, like the enchanting women of the ancient era. Upon hearing this, she nodded gracefully.

“You’re right, I’m not satisfied.”

Ah Tan revealed a faint smile, clear and cool. “That’s just right. I’m happy to give you a hard time. As for whether 1 go out to entertain men, whether I turn over a new leaf, and my relationship with Gao Ning, these are all my own affairs, none of your concern.”

Fei Yan sneered twice and glanced in the direction of the bar. “If you have the guts, then never compete with me for men again. I’d like to see if one Gao Ning can fill your greedy heart!”

With that, she walked away briskly in her high heels.

Ah Tan took a deep breath, exhaled a sigh of relief, and subconsciously glanced at the bar. The two rounds of selection had just ended, and now it was the final round. Those who weren’t chosen were queuing up to collect their money, and the lucky one who was selected had a pleasantly surprised expression. Coincidentally, Ah Tan knew her.

A newcomer who had only been in the club for two months, her stage name was Ke Er. Although she was already twenty-five years old, she knew how to take care of herself. It was said that almost ninety percent of the clients she spent the night with came back for more.

When Shen Wan and Ke Er were leaving, Shen Wan suddenly stopped in her tracks and bent down to pick up a lipstick that had conveniently fallen right in front of her.

“Thank you.” A hand with freshly manicured nails reached out towards her. “It’s mine. I dropped it.”

Shen Wan followed that hand, her gaze lingering on the exposed arm of the woman, finally settling on her beautiful face, and a sly smile tugged at her lips.

Look, after just two encounters, the fish is already hooked.

Their eyes locked.

Ah Tan looked into the woman’s deep and clear black eyes, and for a moment, she felt like she saw a glimpse of someone she used to know.

Who could it be?

Lost in thought, it wasn’t until the other person placed the lipstick in her open palm, and she felt the cold touch, that she suddenly snapped back, “Have we met before?”

“Oh?” Shen Wan raised an eyebrow. “Maybe.”

The cautious and alert Ke Er at her side gave Ah Tan a quick, wary look, then gently pulled Shen Wan’s hand. “Darling, we should go.”

Shen Wan paid no attention, her gaze remained fixed on Ah Tan’s face.

It was a hint and an encouragement.

Ah Tan’s eyes flickered slightly, and she felt a faint stirring in her heart. The old woman Fei Yan had a point – she needed money, desperately. Apparently, becoming Gao Ning’s mistress couldn’t fully satisfy her craving for wealth.

So, the lipstick wasn’t hers to begin with; she had tossed it intentionally.

And the expression on the other woman’s face right now wasn’t completely indifferent. Should she take the gamble?

Just as she hesitated, a burly man in black suddenly approached. “Miss All Tan, Manager Gao would like to see you in his office on the second floor.”

A bucket of cold water was poured over her head, and the woman snapped back to reality. She put the lipstick away and nodded at the man. “I’ll go there right away.”

Shen Wan cursed silently, her plan was about to succeed, but an unexpected interruption had occurred.

Damn it! Today’s efforts were all in vain.

Trying to make Li Xiaotan let down her guard wasn’t an easy task, but Shen Wan had enough patience.

She said with a leisurely tone, “You’re lucky this time. 1 happened to pick it up. Be more careful in the future.”

“Thank you for the reminder.”

“Let’s go.” Shen Wan walked away with Ke Er.

Ah Tan stood in place, and just as they passed each other, she heard the other person say something:

“This place isn’t bad; I’ll come back tomorrow.”

With a tone that was half-smiling, half-teasing, and a casual manner.

Her heart raced.

Having sent Ke Er away, Shen Wan leaned against the hood of a nearby black Volkswagen, holding a cigarette in her hand. Her long hair danced in the wind.

The black spaghetti straps couldn’t hide her slender shoulders, and her long legs, encased in black stockings, were pressed together at an angle, appearing slender and elegant.

The cigarette was given to her by Ke Er, a women’s brand with a mint flavor, not harsh at all.

She was used to inhaling deeply, so she exhaled smoke rings frequently, and in no time, more than half of the cigarette was consumed.

Only a small stub remained, so she decided to finish it before leaving.

Firstly, she didn’t want to waste it, and secondly, she needed time to collect her thoughts.

Just now, it was the first time in Shen Wan’s life that she had interacted with Li Xiaotan. Compared to the woman she had seen in the hospital in her previous life, who was tormented by illness and looked haggard, Li Xiaotan had become much younger and more beautiful.

Li Xiaotan… Li Xiaoyun…

Strictly speaking, this woman should have been someone very close to her in this world, someone with even a blood relationship. However, Shen Wan didn’t want to acknowledge this little aunt, and Li Xiaotan also failed to recognize her.

In her previous life, after Li Xiaoyun’s death, Shen Wan wasn’t immediately taken back to the Shen family by Shen Chunjiang to live the life of a wealthy young lady. Instead, she was entrusted to Li Xiaotan. She then entered Night Paris and became a beer girl, a woman who sold her charm.

At that time, she was young and naive, and she listened to her little aunt obediently. Her little aunt told her that being a young lady was not shameful as long as there was money.

She also told her that women would eventually become playthings in the hands of men, and the only difference was whether this plaything was fun and attractive enough to keep the owner interested for a long time.

She even said that if women were compared to merchandise, they should be sold at a high price. Who knew, they might find a good buyer and fetch a sky-high price.

No matter how much she said, Shen Wan listened, and even though she didn’t agree at first, after a long period of exposure, it was inevitable that she would be influenced.

It could be said that from the age of 19 to 23, Shen Wan’s values and outlook on life were shaped entirely by Li Xiaotan. So much so that when she returned to the Shen family, it took her a lot of time and countless internal struggles and self-questioning to gradually correct herself.

During this process, she couldn’t tell anyone about it, she had to silently change herself, all the while being cautious and hiding it, afraid of being discovered by the Shen family.

So, for a long time, she didn’t dare to speak up casually.

During those times, she felt so lonely and scared, and after successfully overcoming challenges, she became all the more determined and resilient.

The repeated stumbling and falling made her realize that only when a person was strong enough could they be invincible, indestructible!

To say that she didn’t hold any resentment would be untrue.

Because of Li Xiaotan, she took countless detours.

But it didn’t escalate to hatred, after all, she owed her for raising her..