Chapter 31: It’s all for show
AN: So sorry for the delay. Today we will enter VIP. Thank you so much for your support. I appreciate you all.
The man was so terrified that he started singing like a bird. "His Highness loves spicy food. He has been trying to quit smoking for three years but he hasn’t been successful at it. Oh, he hosts parties, but most of the time, he is just sitting in the back playing games with his friend."
"The girls he hangs out with... It’s just for show. I heard he hadn’t even kissed anyone. That orgy place a few streets over, he doesn’t go there to play. He goes to visit this old man. I saw them together twice."
At first, Yu Wen thought the information he had was irrelevant. Thus, he was listening half-heartedly. Why would he want to know about Li Jun’s preferences? It wasn’t like he was trying to date him. But when he heard him say that the girls he hung out with were all for show, he froze.
Every other day, girls were coming out, posting pictures with Li Jun, touching and groping him at times. They would never explicitly claim they were his girlfriend. They kept it ambiguous, leaving others to speculate. One thing he had noticed though, was that each woman he was involved with would suddenly increase their social capital.
Their followers on StarNet would increase and they would get brand deals. If anyone talked shit about Li Jun in their comments, they would block them. The reason he knew so much was because he was looking for dirt on Li Jun, all to force him into a corner and make him tell him what happened the night his father died. But no matter how hard he dug, there were no disgruntled or scorned women. It was as though they got what they wanted from each other and parted ways amicably.
"You said it’s just for show?" he asked and the man was surprised that he would focus on that insignificant detail.
Thinking he had found something the general was interested in, he excitedly spilled all the information he knew. He sat up and said, "I used to believe the rumors. I thought it would be just sexy women walking around in skimpy outfits. They host girls’ night every two days of the week and with his reputation, he must have been smashing all of them. To be honest, that’s why I was excited to work the-." He swallowed the rest of his words because the general’s face had grown colder.
He licked his dry lips while moving back a bit. Yu Wen clenched his jaw tightly. He didn’t appreciate how he was talking about them. He was itching to beat the shit out of him but he restrained himself. The man, seeing that he didn’t make a move, said,
"He would call a girl upstairs to his private lounge whenever he was around. I admired his prowess and stamina. Who has sex that often every day? But I overheard one of the women saying that she did everything to seduce him, but he kicked her out. Her friend said I already told you he doesn’t go down like that. It was all just a transaction. She gets the benefits and all she has to do is take a picture with him and post it. But that woman got greedy, so she paid the price."
Yu Wen was so confused. Why would Li Jun purposefully ruin his reputation? Who was he doing it for? Why draw so much hatred towards himself? He looked at the man who had stopped talking and said, "What of the old man?"
The man said, "That, I followed him to the orgy place because I was curious. When he came out, he wasn’t flustered, or you know... looked like he had just fucke-"
"Watch your words," he interrupted him and the man pursed his lips. This was how he always talked but now he had to restrain himself. It was incredibly frustrating.
He carefully thought about what he was going to say next. "He looked normal and he got into a car with the old man."
"Describe him." The man began his detailed description, and he instantly realized who it was. That was Draco. The fact that he was hiding in an orgy club was puzzling. It’s not like he was a wanted criminal. Neither the grandson or grandfather’s behavior made sense. One was intentionally tarnishing his reputation, and the other was hiding but from whom?
After the man left, Yu Wen looked up the name of the woman who tried to seduce Li Jun. She indeed didn’t benefit like the others. She was still working at a salon and despite posting on StarNet, she didn’t gain any traction. Yu Wen called Alex. Alex picked up and said, "I sent this pervert back. He won’t say anything and if he does, I will deal with him."
"Good. After you are done, I have someone I want you to find. Her name is Juno Murillo. Bring her to the cafe downstairs and be discreet," he said while rubbing his temples.
Alex was silent for a second. He was wondering why Yu Wen was suddenly interested in this, but he didn’t dare ask. He said, "Yes, sir, I will get right on it." He opened his tablet and looked her up. At this time, she had left the salon, heading home.
***
Meanwhile, Li Jun had no idea that the person he thought had let the matter go and he would go back to treating him like an enemy, was busy tearing his facade apart. He was looking at his grandpa, who was fussing over him, getting sick. He kept checking his temperature and asking what he had eaten and if his throat hurt.
He didn’t think all this was necessary but he didn’t stop him. He let the old man fuss all he wanted. "I am really fine. You worry too much," he said but Draco wasn’t convinced.
"Maybe I should have Sauron look at you," he said, about to call her but Li Jun snatched the phone out of his hand when he thought of getting an injection.
He smiled nervously and said, "Grandpa, no need to go that far. I swear I am perfectly healthy." Draco knew what he was really afraid of, but he didn’t expose him.
"Fine, if you say so," he said but he wasn’t going to let the matter go. He had lost his daughter already. He couldn’t lose his grandson, too.
