Chapter 45: Sovereign Over All

Chen Bo slammed on the brakes, and the BMW slowed down. Earlier, he had been so focused on not being late for his appointment with An Yuan that he changed his mind now. Compared to An Yuan, his wife's safety was far more important.

By the time they got off at the Royal Wharf, they were already over half an hour late for the meeting with An Yuan.

Night had fallen. The neon sign of the Royal Wharf nightclub flickered dazzlingly in the darkness.

“Where’s your manager?” Chen Bo asked a young woman walking toward them as they entered the lobby. The girl seemed momentarily caught off guard, her gaze flickering across Chen Bo’s face before shyly looking toward Li Tian’er. In a timid voice, she replied, “You mean Sister Juanjuan? She’s entertaining guests on the third floor. She called up about a dozen girls including Tingting.”

Last night, it was decided that Lan Juanjuan would be hosting An Yuan tonight. But before he arrived, Lan Juanjuan had already taken the Twelve Golden Maidens on stage early. Wasn’t this just asking for trouble?

Without him there to oversee things, how could Lan Juanjuan, with her superficial knowledge of Dream of the Red Chamber, possibly ignite An Yuan’s desire to conquer?

Chen Bo’s expression darkened instantly. He took Li Tian’er by the arm and strode upstairs, leaving behind the girl who was still trembling from their brief exchange.

Li Tian’er glanced back at the girl, feeling a pang of sympathy. The girl probably had no idea what had made Chen Bo so angry. Chen Bo had only said one sentence, but Li Tian’er guessed it was Lan Juanjuan who had provoked him.

Half the rooms on the third floor were small private suites; at the far end were the staff’s makeup and rest rooms as well as the office. The suite area was separated by frosted artistic glass, so from the corridor, one couldn’t see the office area unless paying close attention.

At the end of the office area was a small staircase leading directly down to the side entrance on the first floor.

Chen Bo preferred taking the grand stairway with its red carpet in the lobby—it made him feel like a king surveying his realm.

At this hour, the private suites on the third floor were still empty. It wouldn’t be until after one or two in the morning that guests would request to open the small suites.

Looking at the row of warmly lit private rooms, Li Tian’er tugged on Chen Bo’s arm and asked what the guests usually did in the suites. She was worried he might be breaking laws and end up thrown into jail again—that would be disastrous.

Chen Bo hadn’t expected Li Tian’er to care about his business. Since she asked, he felt he should explain properly. Besides, there was no rush to meet An Yuan now—perhaps Lan Juanjuan and the Twelve Golden Maidens had already made their move. His sudden arrival might even interrupt their plans.

“The small rooms aren’t really small—each is over forty square meters. You can go in and take a look,” Chen Bo said, casually opening one of the suites beside him.

The pinkish lighting at the door cast a seductive glow, but when Chen Bo flipped on the room’s light, it revealed a crystal-clear world of elegance.

Against one wall was a white pearl leather sofa. The center of the floor was covered with an exotic rug. One wall was adorned with a large oil painting of a maiden emerging from the bath, a reproduction of an eighteenth-century European masterpiece, with exquisite colors and lifelike figures.

The floor-to-ceiling window was draped in double-layered pink and blue velvet curtains, echoing the velvet cushions on the sofa. The overall effect was warm and refined, with not a hint of salaciousness.

“The private suites are mainly for VIP clients to relax, drink, and chat. They can also request a dancer to perform privately for them,” Chen Bo explained.

Hearing this, Li Tian’er felt reassured that Chen Bo’s business was quite legitimate.

Chen Bo glanced at his phone, then at the office area behind the frosted glass. His expression grew colder. He somewhat regretted bringing his wife here—if she saw anything unsavory, her pregnancy could be affected, and that would be a heavy price to pay.

“Sweetheart, if you like the room, I’ll have some snacks and fruit sent over. You can eat here first. I’ll go attend to some clients and be back soon.”

The room’s environment was so pleasant and offered peaceful solitude. Naturally, Li Tian’er was happy to stay. Chen Bo closed the door behind him, and soon there was a knock. Several male waiters in tails entered, set down covered trays, bowed deeply, then quietly exited and closed the door behind them.

It was truly a royal treatment. Li Tian’er recalled how Lan Juanjuan had bowed and left like a court lady last time—it felt like watching a palace drama.

The snacks were authentic, the dim sum delicious, and the fruit elegantly cut and served on gold-edged plates with ornate stands—sumptuously grand.

After only a couple of bites, there was another knock. A female server entered with a tray holding three teapots. She half-crouched and gently placed the pots on the table.

“Is there anything else the madam needs?” she asked politely.

Being addressed as “madam” made Li Tian’er grin awkwardly.

“Why three teapots?” she asked.

The server, still half-crouching, pointed to a plum blossom-patterned Yixing teapot, explaining it contained warming black tea infused with rose petals for a unique aroma. A tall glass pot sat above a scented candle, with fruit slices gently swirling inside, blending fruity fragrance with the tea’s scent. The last, a fine white porcelain pot, held a flavored fresh milk.

Hearing the words “flavored fresh milk,” Li Tian’er’s heart skipped.

“I don’t want that one,” she said, waving it away.

No matter how Chen Bo explained that the night her mother-in-law had drugged the dumplings, she still associated fresh milk with that unsettling memory.

“Pregnant women benefit from warm milk. This was specially prepared by the kitchen at Mr. Chen’s request. It contains raisins and corn juice...” the server began.

Li Tian’er quickly waved her off.

Once bitten, twice shy.

Only now did she notice a sound system beside the sofa, with vinyl records that all looked new, each a classic Hollywood soundtrack.

She never expected to find such antique records here, especially ones so pristine. She was tempted to grab them all and take them home. But after the initial excitement, she knew that aside from the wealth system tied to her, she couldn’t take anything else from this world—not even memories. Though, truthfully, she wished she could forget them all.

Especially Li Tiantian’s tangled romantic history, which left her restless and unable to make sense of it.

The turntable started spinning, the needle smoothly settling onto the vinyl. Heavenly music filled the air. Li Tian’er closed her eyes, lost in the song’s enchanting mood.

“Knock, knock, knock!”

A hurried knock shattered the music’s beauty. Slightly annoyed, Li Tian’er raised her voice, “Come in.”

The young woman who had brought the tea entered. She tried to speak but was drowned out by the music. Growing anxious, she came closer to Li Tian’er, her voice trembling and words stumbling.

“Mr. Chen has been taken away...”

“What did you say?” Li Tian’er asked, lowering the volume and staring at the young woman’s pale, nervous face.

“Mr. Chen has been taken away.”

“By whom? Where? And why?” Li Tian’er fired questions rapidly.

The girl became even more flustered and couldn’t answer immediately. After a few seconds, she finally said, “The police station.”