Thus, we were led by the attendant to the top floor, to a room whose luxurious aura could be felt even from outside the door.
Upon pushing open the door, we were utterly stunned by the scene before us.
How to describe it? Had I not known beforehand that this was a nightclub room, I might have suspected I’d stumbled into a fairytale illusion, much like Alice.
The space boasted three-dimensional wallpaper, rich with a sense of depth, and an assortment of lifelike imitation plants. The bedroom alone exceeded the total area of my own home.
A fresh, clean fragrance, reminiscent of a forest, mingled with the scent of green leaves and damp earth, permeated the entire room. Upon closer inspection, one would notice a range of common modern furnishings—television, computer, air conditioner, refrigerator, wardrobe—all cleverly disguised and perfectly integrated into the environment.
Yet, the most striking feature was undeniably the colossal round bed positioned in the center of the room, large enough to accommodate ten people. A delicate pink curtain draped around it, evoking the image of a medieval princess’s boudoir or a fairy’s slumbering haven in a dream.
‘Though it felt somewhat out of place, I couldn’t help but wonder, just how formidable a person would one need to be to warrant such an enormous bed? Wei Xiaobao?’ I mused inwardly.
“Welcome to Alice’s Dream,” the attendant announced, activating the glass pendant lamp suspended from the ceiling. It bathed the entire room in an elegant green glow. “Here are your clothes and electronic devices. Please forgive any inconvenience caused. Should you require supper service, simply dial 101 on the bedside service phone.”
“Hmph, they make it look so pretty, but it’s still just a place people sleep in,” the Girl in the Cat Mask scoffed, her single remark instantly deflating the atmosphere. “Who knows, if you search carefully, you might even find used condoms.”
“There’s no need to worry. This is a newly renovated room, and no other guests have stayed here before you. As you are a special lucky guest, and given that your chosen female companion appears to be quite young, our manager took the liberty of assigning you this room. If you are not pleased with it, we can certainly arrange a different one for you.”
‘Not just young, she’s not even eighteen yet,’ I thought.
“Oh? So we’re the very first guests to enjoy this room, then? Hehe, that’s actually quite nice! What’s this?” The Girl in the Cat Mask opened the wardrobe, pointing at the array of strangely styled clothes inside.
“Those are cosplay-themed lingerie, specifically provided for guests with particular preferences,” the attendant explained patiently. “If there’s nothing else, I shall leave you to your rest. Oh, and the manager asked me to inform you that around nine o’clock tonight, the boss will be hosting a small event in the central conference room on the tenth floor, to which all lucky guests are invited. We hope you will attend.”
So that was it. It seemed being a ‘lucky guest’ wasn’t as simple as I’d imagined. There was no such thing as a free lunch in this world; the boss wouldn’t provide such lavish food, drink, and a luxurious bedroom without some ulterior motive. Even a fool wouldn’t believe otherwise.
“I understand,” I nodded. The attendant bowed slightly and backed out, closing the door behind them.
“Oh? Hey, hey, Mr. Ultraman, which style of lingerie do you like?” In an unguarded moment, the Girl in the Cat Mask, who had followed Bingying and me in, was already pulling out various outfits and holding them up against herself.
“Who’s Mr. Ultraman?!” I exclaimed. “Any of them would be fine, I suppose. That Black Cat cosplay outfit you’re holding looks pretty good… Wait, why are you even here with me?” Once I was certain the attendant had left, I immediately confronted the Girl in the Cat Mask, who clearly shouldn’t have been there.
“Huh? Who’s Black Cat?” The Girl in the Cat Mask asked, biting her finger and feigning an innocent, childlike expression.
“An anime character… Hey, don’t try to change the subject!” I retorted. ‘That was close, I almost let her distract me.’
“Is that so… What about this one?”
“That’s Sonico’s… You should put that one down. It might suit Bingying, but you’re quite a ways off from pulling it off.”
“So, who’s your favorite anime character, then?”
“Hmm… Probably Sora from *Yosuga no Sora*, though you probably wouldn’t know who that is.” ‘Besides, there’s no way they’d have that kind of cosplay outfit here.’
“Oh, let me see… Is it this one?” The Girl in the Cat Mask pulled out a white qipao, designed in Sora’s style, and asked with curiosity.
‘They actually have it! You were definitely pretending not to know anime just now!’
“Please, you absolutely *must* wear it!” I blurted out. ‘Ah, I accidentally knelt down!’
“Pervert…” Bingying’s gaze was utterly glacial.
‘Please, don’t look at me like I’m scum. My heart is truly aching.’
To mask my internal awkwardness, I cleared my throat. “Alright, no more distractions. Honestly, why are you here? Didn’t I already choose someone else? According to what you said, this kind of thing isn’t allowed unless both parties agree, right? Why didn’t the attendant kick you out?”
“Oh, didn’t you make a bet with that man earlier?” the Girl in the Cat Mask said with a beaming smile. “You bet everything he owned, except his life.”
“Don’t tell me…” A faint suspicion was already forming in my mind.
“That’s right! I was the woman who came with him. Theoretically speaking, I was one of his possessions, so naturally, I belong to you now. What do you say, Mr. Ultraman? Please don’t hold back; torment me to your heart’s content, just as you wish.” The Girl in the Cat Mask’s voice was laced with temptation.
“I keep telling you, I’m not Mr. Ultraman… And what if I don’t want you?”
“Generally speaking, everyone attending must be in pairs. This is precisely to prevent anyone from being left without a partner after the party concludes. However, the man who came with me has already been defeated by you, and if even you don’t want me, I’ll probably be swept out the door.
Have you ever seen what happens to trash? A lone person, walking down a dark alley on a cold, desolate night, with no streetlights, utterly alone and helpless. And countless red-eyed wolves lurking in the shadows, just waiting for the opportune moment to drag them into the darkness and devour them whole…” The Girl in the Cat Mask knelt, leaning against the wardrobe, striking a pitiful pose.
‘What do I do? Her description is so vivid, I can’t stop my mind from conjuring up *doujinshi* scenes of the girl being… well, *handled* by various burly men.’
“STOP! I get it, I get it! I won’t kick you out, alright?!” I quickly interjected, stopping her from continuing.
“Oh? Really?” The Girl in the Cat Mask happily stood up. ‘Just as I suspected, that heartbroken act earlier was completely fake. I’d bet money that even if I kicked her out, she definitely wouldn’t end up sleeping on the streets.’ “In that case, why don’t you take off your mask? Let me see what kind of choice I’ve made.”
“Should we show our true faces to an outsider?” Bingying asked hesitantly, her eyes conveying the unspoken question to me.
“It should be fine,” I replied. “Though she’s a bit peculiar, she doesn’t seem like a bad person.”
And so, we both removed our masks.
“Wow, what a score!” the Girl in the Cat Mask exclaimed. “Your girlfriend is really beautiful too! No wonder you were so reluctant to let that man take her. But if that’s the case, why would you two come to a place like this? Or do you have absolute confidence in choosing your own girlfriend? Wouldn’t participating in this party then be completely meaningless?”
“Uh… well, there’s a special reason, that’s all,” I mumbled vaguely. ‘I certainly couldn’t tell her that Bingying and I had no idea about any party and had merely snuck in under false pretenses.’
“Ah, I know!” The Girl in the Cat Mask suddenly cried out, startling us both. “You two are here for that legendary ‘thing,’ aren’t you?”
“‘Thing’?” I stared blankly.
“Yes, that legendary ‘thing’ that can grant any wish…” The Girl in the Cat Mask’s voice suddenly dropped to a hushed tone.
‘Grant… any wish?’
“What nonsense,” Bingying suddenly interjected. “In this world, if you want to gain something, you must always pay a price. How could such a good thing possibly exist? Even if it truly could grant wishes, the cost would undoubtedly be something mortals couldn’t even begin to imagine.”
I looked at her, quite surprised; I hadn’t expected to hear such chuunibyou-esque words from her. Bingying likely realized how out of character her remark was, for she simply averted her gaze and remained silent.
However, while it sounded rather adolescent, it was actually quite logical. Everyone knew the saying, “there’s no such thing as a free lunch,” yet not everyone truly understood it. Otherwise, the world wouldn’t be filled with so many swindlers and their victims.
Still, if it truly could grant any wish, then *she*… No, no, I just said it, and already I was tempted. I bit my tongue, trying to clear my head.
Regardless, I found myself captivated by this so-called ‘thing’ that could grant all wishes.
“They say the reason Wei Feihong hosted this banquet, aside from providing a venue for people to unleash their desires and collecting service fees, was primarily to seek out individuals blessed with great fortune. Apparently, only those with such immense luck are capable of using that ‘thing’.”
‘What is it, the Imperial Seal of China?’
‘It’s probably just like a rumor, starting off normal but completely transforming after being passed from person to person.’
‘Yes, that must be it.’
“Well, there’s no point in us overthinking it here. Aren’t you invited anyway? We can just go and see what it’s all about later.”
‘She has a point.’
“By the way, could you take off your mask too? It’s a bit creepy to look at.”
“Oh? My apologies, I completely forgot. Hehe, that’s much better now, isn’t it?” The Girl in the Cat Mask gently removed her own mask.
“Well, well, what do you think? I told you choosing me wouldn’t be a mistake, right?” the Girl in the Cat Mask said proudly.
I had to admit, the Girl in the Cat Mask certainly possessed the capital to be proud. While she still couldn’t compare to Ye Siya or the Golden-haired Girl I’d seen earlier, she was definitely on Bingying’s level. Yet, even though I knew she was young, wasn’t this *too* young?
“Um, if I’m not mistaken, you’re not yet an adult, are you?” I asked, a hint of hesitation in my voice.
“Oh my, you found out! While I’m a little embarrassed to admit it, this humble maiden is only seventeen this year. Please take care of me,” the Girl in the Cat Mask said, feigning shyness.
‘She’s the same age as us! And this girl is incredible! She’s only seventeen, yet she’s been to nightclubs so many times! You can’t tell at all from her appearance! Is this the legendary innocent-looking *b*tch*?!’
Perhaps noticing our shocked expressions, the Girl in the Cat Mask squirmed uncomfortably. “To my shame, despite being this age, I’ve never had a single experience. So, if possible, could you please be a little gentle when the time comes?”
‘So she’s not a *b*tch* after all! No, wait, that contradicts what you said about having been to nightclubs several times!’
“Hmm? Didn’t I mention it? It’s one of the rules of this nightclub: no XXOO with minors! After all, even though it’s a ‘chaotic party,’ it actually has a legal business license, you know.”
‘You’re telling me a ‘chaotic party’ actually has a legal business license?! The relevant department that issued this place a business license is doomed! And why would the club have such a rule?! Before considering such a rule, could you please ask the security guards at the entrance to get their eyes checked and stop letting minors into this place?!’
“I know it’s ridiculous,” the Girl in the Cat Mask continued. “All the girls in my class have had at least one boyfriend, some even several, but I’ve never had one. That’s why I pretended to be a couple with that man to sneak into this place, but we actually have no relationship at all, you know? It’s a shame I never found anyone I liked—always old men or ugly freaks. Each time, I just used this rule to put them off. This is my fourth time, and I finally drew a lucky lot. Hey, why don’t you two go first and let me study a bit?” The Girl in the Cat Mask looked at Bingying and me, her eyes sparkling.
‘What kind of school do you go to that’s so wild?! Rather, they should be learning from you! And didn’t you say no XXOO with minors?!’
“As long as the person is willing, it’s fine! Hey, hey, just let me watch, please, pretty please~~”
‘Begging won’t work! Security, hurry! Get this crazy person out of here!’
“Hey~~~ What’s your problem with me, anyway? I’m confident I can compare to your girlfriend, you know. Isn’t a threesome a man’s dream?” She rubbed against me like a cat.
‘Precisely why it’s absolutely not happening!’
‘Oh no, this annoying little imp has some tricks up her sleeve. At times like this, I need to recite Pi: 3.1415926…’
“Hey, hey, you’ve done it so many times anyway, just let me watch, please? Please? Please?”
“W-w-we… haven’t done it at all!” Bingying, who had been silent all this time, finally burst out.
“Huh?” This time, it was the Girl in the Cat Mask’s turn to be stunned.
“Actually, not only have we not done it, but we’re not even boyfriend and girlfriend,” I added, clarifying. “We just got caught up in all this while looking for a friend.”
“Eh? Eh?”
“Ah, and by the way, just like you, we’re also under eighteen.”
“Eh?! Eh?! Eh?!”
“So, you understand now.”
“I understand!”
“Is that so? Good then…”
“The three of us, let’s do it together!” The Girl in the Cat Mask charged aggressively towards us, tightly gripping both Bingying’s and my hands.
“Huh?”
“It’s fine! If it’s the three of us together, we can overcome anything! Isn’t there an idiom, ‘three people make a crowd’? It means one man needs two women to serve him below!”
‘That’s not what it means at all! And you’re not supposed to use idioms like that, hey!’
‘No use, this kid is beyond saving.’
“In any case, I won’t do it with you. Such things are meaningless if it’s not with someone you love,” I said calmly, placing my hands on her shoulders.
“Eh?” The Girl in the Cat Mask looked incredibly crestfallen.
‘Excellent, that should settle it.’
“Th-then, what about me…?” I felt a tug on my sleeve. I turned to see Bingying, head bowed, speaking in a small voice.
“I just convinced one of them; could you please not cause trouble or joke around at a time like this?”
“I’m sorry…” she said, sounding somewhat dejected.
‘…This, she must be faking it, right? I have to say, her acting is really good. Next time, I’ll recommend Bingying for the drama performance at the graduation ceremony.’
“Since that’s the case, can we be friends, then?” the Girl in the Cat Mask asked with a smile.
“…Whatever you want.” I really wanted to crack open her skull and see how her brain circuits were wired. What kind of imaginative leap does it take to suddenly switch from ‘friends with benefits’ to just ‘friends’? But as long as we don’t talk about ‘doing it,’ we can be good friends.
“Then, my name is An Yueyin. Please take care of me. What about you two?”
Hesitating for a moment, we still clasped her outstretched hands.
“Bingying.”
“Luo Tianchen.”
“Okay, so now we’re friends! By the way, Bingying?”
“Is something wrong?”
“Nothing really, I just feel a bit sorry for that man earlier. If Bingying had just said she was underage, that man naturally wouldn’t have dared to do anything to you, and none of this would have happened, right?”
“…”
“…”
‘Hey, hey, why are you both looking at me? It has nothing to do with me, alright… Well, maybe, possibly, I had a tiny bit of responsibility, just a tiny bit, okay?’
‘Hmm, let’s observe three seconds of silence for that man.’
‘1, 2, 3.’