29: guide

After finishing a luxury breakfast, Jiang Ye got dressed and planned to head straight to a bathhouse for a scrub.

In a place like Shengtian, if you asked ten men about their preferred leisure activity, the answers would inevitably be: six for the bathhouse, three for business KTV, and one for the internet cafe.

In this region, a bathhouse had long since evolved beyond simple bathing; it was now a multi-functional venue integrating bathing, dining, entertainment, and leisure.

One could say that as long as your pockets were deep enough, almost anything you wanted to eat, play, or experience could be found within a bathhouse.

Today, Jiang Ye was heading to "Bubble Forest," which was considered a mid-to-high-end bathhouse in Shengtian, with an average expenditure of two to three hundred per person.

He used to pass by it frequently while delivering food, but he had never been willing to spend the money to go inside.

But today... on one hand, he had some spare cash now and really needed a good scrub and some relaxation;

on the other hand, it was preparation for tonight's "special operation"—he planned to check out that private cinema.

Although he now had Yaoyao as a long-term cashback target, there was another matter that had to be put on the agenda early: completing the gentleman's task of "obtaining the intimate clothing of three goddesses with a score of 85 or higher."

If he were still dirt poor, he might have considered tricking Ye Cheng into getting him into the girls' dormitory for a look around.

But that method was too risky and too creepy; it was a last resort that should never be used unless absolutely necessary.

Now that he had money, he could naturally take a more "high-end" and "compliant" route to see what the legendary "private cinema" was all about.

It would broaden his horizons and allow him to work on his task. Besides... cough, he wasn't sure what the process for that "companionship" was, so he felt he should get a good scrub to avoid any potential embarrassment.

Having made up his mind, Jiang Ye went out and took a taxi straight to Bubble Forest.

As soon as he stepped inside, the warm air mixed with the scent of body wash and aromatherapy hit him, instantly dispelling the cold from outside.

The uniformed staff at the front desk had an excellent service attitude, handing him a wristband with a smile.

After taking off his shoes and entering the men's area, Jiang Ye first took a quick shower and then soaked himself in a pool with a moderate temperature.

The warm water enveloped his body, his pores dilated, and the fatigue of the past few days seemed to drift away with the steam.

After soaking until his whole body felt relaxed and supple, he got up to find a scrubbing master.

The true essence of a Northeast bathhouse lies in the scrub!

Lying on a bed covered with a disposable bath film, the experienced master used a scrubbing mitt to work his magic. As rolls of dead skin fell off, the sensation was nothing short of a baptism of the soul—Southern friends will be left speechless by the scrub.

After finishing the scrub and rinsing clean, he changed into a set of clean bath clothes and finally entered the leisure phase.

The upper floors consisted of various leisure and entertainment halls. Jiang Ye found a sofa bed in a corner on the second floor and laid down. He ordered a pot of tea and went to the self-service fruit area to grab some watermelon and cherry tomatoes, scrolling through his phone as he ate, feeling incredibly cozy.

Time seemed to lose its meaning here.

By the time he felt completely comfortable and refreshed and was ready to leave, he checked the time and saw it was already past five in the afternoon.

He had stayed for nearly six hours.

Sure enough, a man's happiness is sometimes just this simple and boring.

————

Walking out of Bubble Forest, the sky outside was already completely dark.

Jiang Ye had previously added the WeChat of that private cinema called "Lianlian ST." Following the location they sent, he took a taxi straight to Taian Building in Shenbei.

Half an hour later, the taxi stopped downstairs at Taian Building.

Jiang Ye paid and got out, looking up at the twenty-plus-story building in front of him.

The building's exterior was ordinary, no different from the other surrounding office buildings. There were a few convenience stores and small restaurants on the first floor, and the people coming and going looked like ordinary office workers.

He scratched his head, suddenly remembering something.

This place... isn't this where that girl Ye Cheng stays?

Damn, he hadn't thought about it before. Ye Cheng was clearly still a student, so why was she always running to this place twenty kilometers away?

She couldn't be in that industry too, could she?

Holy crap?

When it was time to choose someone later, surely he wouldn't run right into Ye Cheng?

No way, right?

Jiang Ye smacked his lips, thinking the idea was a bit far-fetched, but it wasn't entirely impossible.

If Yaoyao with her 91 points had entered the industry, it would be pretty reasonable for Ye Cheng with her 87 points to take on some "Companion viewing" jobs.

He shook his head, shaking off the bizarre thought, and followed the instructions on WeChat to take the elevator up to the 12th floor.

*Ding—*

The elevator doors opened. Just as Jiang Ye stepped out, he saw a girl with yellow hair, wearing a tight sweater and a short skirt, standing by the elevator as if waiting for someone.

When she saw Jiang Ye, her gaze unhesitatingly sized him up from head to toe with a hint of scrutiny in her eyes.

"Do you have a reservation?" the girl asked, her tone flat and lacking enthusiasm.

Jiang Ye nodded. "Yeah, just contacted you on WeChat."

"Follow me."

The girl didn't say much else. She turned around and led the way in her high heels.

This private cinema called "Lianlian ST" was quite large; Rooms 1207 to 1214 all belonged to them.

The girl led Jiang Ye into 1207.

The entrance opened into a small hall with warm-toned lighting, a few bean bags, and dark wallpaper. The soundproofing seemed well-done, as he could hardly hear any sound from the other rooms.

Jiang Ye looked around, feeling a bit disappointed.

This environment... was just okay.

It was far from the "high-end private club" he had imagined; it looked more like a renovated hotel.

"This way, I'll take you to a private room."

The yellow-haired girl didn't linger in the reception area. She led Jiang Ye through a small hallway and pushed open the door to a private room.

The room wasn't large and the lighting was dim, emphasizing a sense of "privacy."

The most prominent feature was a huge sofa bed that took up nearly half the room, covered with a dark blanket.

A projection screen hung on the opposite wall, with a low coffee table in the middle and a few half-dead potted plants scattered around. The air was filled with a faint aromatherapy scent similar to a hotel guest room.

"Sir, please wait a moment. I'll go call the Companions."

After saying that, the yellow-haired girl turned and left without waiting for Jiang Ye's response, closing the door behind her.

Jiang Ye glanced around and sat down on the sofa bed to test the bounce—cough, it was quite soft.

He casually took off his down jacket and set it aside, feeling a quiet sense of anticipation.

A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door. The yellow-haired girl walked back in, followed by five young girls who stood in a row in front of Jiang Ye.

He took a deep breath and scanned them one by one.

"..."

How should he put it... To be fair, these girls were all decent-looking, not ugly. Their makeup was on point, and they were dressed quite lightly.

But the key was... even the basic ones were 800 an hour!

Did they believe he'd go to the Consumer Association to report them?

Not a single one could pass 80 points, and they had the nerve to ask for 800 an hour?

He might as well go back to crouching at the school gate.

What a waste of that scrub he specifically went to get!

Jiang Ye was complaining wildly in his head, but his face remained expressionless.

The yellow-haired girl glanced at him. "Sir, these are our 'Companions.' Do any of them catch your eye?"

"..."

Jiang Ye was silent for a few seconds before giving a light cough. "Next batch."

As soon as he said that, the five girls almost simultaneously rolled their eyes, their faces showing an "here comes another difficult customer" expression as they turned and walked out.

The yellow-haired girl didn't seem surprised, simply saying, "Wait a moment."

After another two or three minutes, the door opened again. This time, only three girls entered.

Jiang Ye looked up and sighed in his heart.

This batch... was better than the last, but only by a little bit.

The first girl had long curly hair and wore a beige sweater and jeans; her temperament was okay.

The second girl had long straight black hair and wore a white shirt with a black skirt—a typical office OL style.

The third girl looked quite delicate, with an oval face, large eyes, and a high ponytail. She wore a loose hoodie and shorts, and her legs were quite long.

According to the system's standard that gave Ye Cheng an 87, the highest-scoring one was likely the one on the right in the hoodie, but even she didn't feel like she reached an 80.

Jiang Ye smacked his lips, feeling a bit conflicted.

Since he was already here, should he... just consider it broadening his horizons?

He might as well experience what the process of this 800-an-hour "companionship" was like... He casually pointed at the girl in the hoodie on the right. "You, then."

The other two girls glanced at him and walked out expressionlessly. The chosen girl broke into a smile and sat down right next to Jiang Ye.

"Sir, I'm Diandian."

Her voice was very sweet but sounded a bit cloying. "Which package would you like to choose? We have a promotion right now: top up five thousand and get five hundred for free. It's a great deal. Would you like to open an account?"

The corner of Jiang Ye's mouth twitched.

Good grief, upselling cards right off the bat?

"No need, I'm just here to experience it. Don't you have an eight-hundred-an-hour one? Let's start with that."

Upon hearing this, the smile on Diandian's face faded instantly. She curled her lip and gave a lazy "Oh."

She got up and walked to the projector, asking without turning her head as she fiddled with it, "What do you want to watch?"

Looking at her perfunctory attitude, the bit of curiosity and anticipation in Jiang Ye's heart vanished instantly.

Forget it, who could stand someone pulling a face the moment they realized you weren't going to buy a card?

He didn't bother with further words, grabbing his down jacket and putting it on. "Never mind, I'm leaving."

After saying that, he turned and walked out of the room.

Diandian gave a "Tch" behind him and didn't try to stop him.

As Jiang Ye walked out, the yellow-haired girl was about to bring in some water. Seeing him come out, she was stunned. "Sir, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, it's just not suitable."

Jiang Ye waved his hand and headed straight for the elevator.

The yellow-haired girl followed for a few steps, but seeing he had no intention of turning back, she stopped and gave a soft sigh.

Standing at the elevator, Jiang Ye was fuming, feeling incredibly annoyed.

He had come with great expectations, but it turned out that the "private cinema" he imagined was just a snobbish place full of routines!

It seemed that his dorm Buddy's WeChat note, the "Shengtian Fun Guide (Collector's Edition)," was incredibly exaggerated.

What "high-end private club," "top-notch quality," "you won't regret going"... it was all freaking nonsense!

The most, most, most annoying thing was—

He had freaking taken a bath for this!