Movie: Get Alpha Dog at the start

Chapter 1584 Night Party

In the evening, Qin Hao drove Sun Yumei and Han Ling to the hotel.

This was a mid-range hotel located near Huaqiangbei. The facade wasn't luxurious, but in Shenzhen in 1993, it was considered quite upscale. The lobby had a red carpet, crystal chandeliers cast a soft glow, and the receptionists wore uniforms with professional smiles.

"Two standard rooms," Qin Hao said to the receptionist.

"Wait a minute," Han Ling suddenly spoke, glancing at the prices on the sign: "How much is a standard room?"

"One hundred and eighty," the receptionist replied.

"One hundred and eighty?" Han Ling frowned, then turned to Qin Hao. "Qin Hao, one room is enough for the two of us. Booking two is too wasteful."

Qin Hao was stunned for a moment, and subconsciously glanced at Sun Yumei.

Sun Yumei's smile froze on her face. Originally, Qin Hao had booked two rooms so that he could come over that night, but now Han Ling was asking to stay in one room...

"This..." Qin Hao didn't know what to say for a moment.

"What's wrong?" Han Ling looked at the two of them with some confusion. "Three hundred and sixty for two rooms is too expensive. Our dance troupe's salary is so low, every little bit helps."

Sun Yumei was extremely anxious, but what could she say? Could she tell Han Ling that she was going to meet Qin Hao in secret tonight? That would be too shameless!

"Then... then one room it is." Sun Yumei could only manage a forced smile, while secretly devising a plan in her mind.

Qin Hao glanced at Sun Yumei, looking somewhat helpless, but didn't say anything more.

"Then I'll take a standard room," Qin Hao said to the receptionist, then took out his wallet and paid the room fee.

After getting their room keys, the three of them went upstairs together. In the elevator, Han Ling was still talking about saving money: "One hundred and eighty yuan! That's almost half a month's salary for our dance troupe!"

Sun Yumei answered absentmindedly, her mind preoccupied with what to do that night.

Upon reaching the room door, Qin Hao handed the room key to Sun Yumei: "You two should get some rest."

“Okay.” Sun Yumei took the room key, her eyes lingering on Qin Hao’s face for a second, as if conveying some message.

Qin Hao nodded slightly and turned to leave.

Han Ling entered the room and looked around. The standard room wasn't large, with two single beds placed side by side and a bedside table in the middle. The window faced the street, offering a view of the bustling night scene outside.

Han Ling placed her backpack on one of the beds and said with a smile, "This hotel is much better than the ones we stayed in during our performances."

Sun Yumei sat on another bed, and her mood was not so good.

After putting their luggage away and changing their clothes, the two went downstairs with Qin Hao for dinner. However, Han Ling noticed that Sun Yumei seemed somewhat distracted, glancing at Qin Hao every now and then, while Qin Hao also glanced at Sun Yumei from time to time. Their gazes seemed to be deliberately avoiding her, making Han Ling feel vaguely uneasy, though she couldn't quite put her finger on why.

After the meal, Qin Hao took the two of them back to their hotel.

"Get some rest, we're going to Chung Ying Street tomorrow."

"Okay, you should get some rest too," Han Ling said.

Sun Yumei stood to the side, nodding slightly, but her eyes held a hint of expectation.

Back in her room, Han Ling washed up and quickly fell asleep on the bed. Sun Yumei had brought her to Shenzhen immediately after the arts performance and was already exhausted.

Sun Yumei couldn't fall asleep no matter what. She lay in bed, listening to Han Ling's even breathing next door, her heart pounding with anxiety.

Time passed second by second, and the clock on the wall pointed to eleven o'clock.

Han Ling's breathing became more and more even, indicating that she had clearly entered a deep sleep.

Sun Yumei quietly sat up and tiptoed to Han Ling's bedside. Only after confirming that Han Ling was fast asleep did she breathe a sigh of relief.

She walked to the door, gently opened it, and peeked into the hallway.

The corridor was deserted, with only the dim yellow light from the wall lamps.

Sun Yumei tiptoed out of the room, gently closed the door, and then quickly walked to the door of the next room.

She took a deep breath and gently knocked on the door.

The door opened quickly, and Qin Hao stood in the doorway with a smile on his face.

"Why are you so late?" he asked in a low voice.

"Han Ling just fell asleep, and I've been waiting for her for a long time." Sun Yumei pouted and slipped into the room.

As soon as the door closed, Qin Hao pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

Sun Yumei wrapped her arms around Qin Hao's neck, responding enthusiastically.

Before we knew it, it was one o'clock in the morning.

"I have to go back." Sun Yumei checked the time. "If I don't go back soon, Han Ling will wake up and find I'm not there, and then we'll be exposed."

"You really have the heart to leave me alone in this empty room?" Qin Hao grinned mischievously and put his arm around Sun Yumei's shoulder.

"Stop fooling around, we're going to Chung Ying Street tomorrow." Sun Yumei stood up and straightened her clothes.

Qin Hao smiled and saw her to the door: "See you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow." Sun Yumei tiptoed and gave Qin Hao a light kiss on the lips, then opened the door and quickly walked out.

The corridor was still empty. Sun Yumei tiptoed back to her room, gently pushed open the door, and tiptoed to her bedside.

Fortunately, Han Ling kept her eyes closed and probably didn't notice that she was secretly meeting her lover in the middle of the night.

In fact, Han Ling hadn't fallen asleep at all. She had gotten up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night and was surprised to find that Sun Yumei was gone.

Although she and Xiao Ran hadn't gone that far yet, she still knew a little about those things between men and women.

Han Ling's face flushed red. The thought of Sun Yumei sneaking out in the middle of the night and being with Qin Hao in the next room made her heart race and her face turn bright red.

Sun Yumei is too bold!

Han Ling buried her face in the pillow, trying to calm herself down.

But the more she thought about it, the more images uncontrollably surfaced in her mind.

In the end, she could only force herself to count sheep, trying to banish those chaotic thoughts from her mind.

……

The next morning, when Sun Yumei woke up, she found that Han Ling was still asleep.

In fact, Han Ling had been awake for a while, but she didn't know how to face Sun Yumei, so she pretended to be asleep.

Sun Yumei got up quietly, washed up, and then went to Han Ling's bedside, gently nudging her: "Han Ling, wake up, it's time to get up."

Han Ling pretended to have just woken up, rubbed her eyes, and yawned: "What time is it?"

“It’s eight o’clock. Qin Hao should already be waiting for us downstairs,” Sun Yumei said.

"Okay, I'll get up now." Han Ling sat up, head down, not daring to look Sun Yumei in the eye.

After washing up, the two went downstairs to the hotel restaurant.

Qin Hao was already sitting at a table in the corner, with several plates of snacks and a pot of tea in front of him.

"Good morning." Qin Hao stood up and gestured for the two to sit down.

"Good morning." Han Ling lowered her head and spoke very softly, not daring to meet Qin Hao's gaze.

Sun Yumei sat down next to Qin Hao quite calmly, picked up a steamed bun, took a bite, and said, "This lotus seed paste bun is good. Han Ling, you should try some too."

Han Ling sat opposite, head down, drinking porridge, her eyes fixed on the porridge in her bowl, not daring to look up.

Qin Hao glanced at Han Ling, a slight smile playing on his lips. Judging from Han Ling's unusual behavior, she must have discovered something.

But Qin Hao didn't care. He had never intended to hide his relationship with Sun Yumei. Let Han Ling know if she wants to; it's not something shameful anyway.

"After we finish eating, we'll go to Chung Ying Street," Qin Hao said. "Chung Ying Street is very crowded now; if we go late, we'll have to wait in line for ages."

“Okay.” Sun Yumei nodded.

Han Ling kept her head down and responded softly.

After the three finished breakfast, Qin Hao drove the two to Chung Ying Street.

Throughout the journey, Sun Yumei chattered away, while Han Ling remained silent, sitting in the corner of the back row, watching the scenery outside the window.

She didn't dare to look Qin Hao in the eye at all. Whenever Qin Hao looked at the cars behind them in the rearview mirror, she would subconsciously lower her head and pretend to be looking at something else.

The car quickly entered Sha Tau Kok, where a long queue had already formed at the entrance to Chung Ying Street.

"You two wait here, I'll go get the documents done," Qin Hao said to the two of them.

Chung Ying Street is the border between Shenzhen and Hong Kong, and a permit is required to enter. Qin Hao queued for more than half an hour before he could get permits for the three of them.

The three walked into Chung Ying Street and saw that the narrow street was crowded with people, and the shops on both sides were full of various Hong Kong goods piled up like mountains.

"So this is Chung Ying Street." Sun Yumei looked around curiously. "I heard that everything here is from Hong Kong and is much cheaper than outside."

"It's cheaper, but you still need to know how to bargain," Qin Hao said. "Come on, I'll take you to a few reliable shops."

The three of them walked slowly along the street, stopping occasionally in front of various shops.

Sun Yumei spotted a fashionable dress and held it up against herself, asking, "Does this look good?"

"It looks good." Qin Hao nodded. "Boss, how much?"

"One hundred and fifty." The boss was a middle-aged woman who spoke with a Cantonese accent.

"One hundred and fifty?" Sun Yumei hesitated. "That's a bit expensive..."

"Not expensive at all, this is from Hong Kong, the quality is excellent," the proprietress said warmly.

Qin Hao immediately took out his wallet, pulled out a hundred-yuan bill, and handed it over: "Just one hundred, wrap it up."

The proprietress hesitated for a moment, then quickly wrapped the dress up: "Welcome again, sir!"

Sun Yumei held the dress, a satisfied smile on her face.

Han Ling stood aside, watching this scene with a touch of envy, but quickly adjusted her mindset.

She wasn't a materialistic woman. Although she envied Sun Yumei for having someone pay for her, she didn't want to rely on others. She was capable of doing anything herself and could buy whatever she wanted with her own money.

The three continued walking, and Han Ling stopped in front of a watch counter.

The counter displays various styles of watches, both men's and women's, and the designs are much more novel than those popular in mainland China.

"How much is this?" Han Ling asked, pointing to a men's watch.

"Three hundred and fifty," the shopkeeper said.

"Can you make it cheaper?"

"The lowest price is 320, that's the lowest I can go."

Han Ling thought for a moment, took out some money from her bag, counted out three hundred and twenty yuan, and handed it over: "I'll take it."

Qin Hao stood to the side, watching Han Ling pay for the watch herself, without saying anything. He knew Han Ling's personality; she wouldn't easily accept money from others.

"Who is it for?" Sun Yumei asked curiously.

"Xiao Ran." Han Ling lowered her head and spoke very softly.

Sun Yumei shook her head. In her opinion, Han Ling was at a disadvantage dating Xiao Ran. Not only did she get nothing, but she also had to spend money to buy gifts for Xiao Ran.

The three continued shopping, and Sun Yumei took a liking to several more pieces of clothing and jewelry, all of which Qin Hao paid for. In total, they spent about two or three thousand yuan.

Han Ling bought only a watch and a few small items, which cost her over four hundred yuan.

"It's getting late, let's go back." Qin Hao glanced at his watch; it was already past one o'clock.

“Okay.” Sun Yumei carried the bags and packages, her face full of a satisfied smile.

……

Meanwhile, at the Great Wall Power Plant, Liu Yuan was touring the production line accompanied by Du Heping.

"Mr. Liu, the first batch of goods has already started production, and we expect to deliver them gradually next week." Du Heping said, pointing to the running machines, "Don't worry about the quality; I'll personally oversee it."

"Then I'll have to trouble Director Du." Liu Yuan nodded. "President Qin attaches great importance to this batch of goods and hopes that Director Du can strictly control the quality."

"Don't worry, Mr. Liu. Although our factory does OEM manufacturing, the quality will never be compromised," Du Heping assured him, patting his chest.

The two walked and talked, passing through the workshop and arriving at the administrative office building.

As soon as Liu Yuan entered the office building, he saw a familiar figure.

"Chen Qiming?"

Chen Qiming was organizing documents when he heard someone call his name. He looked up and was immediately stunned.

"Liu Yuan? What brings you here?"

“I’ll keep an eye on the contract manufacturing,” Liu Yuan said as he walked over.

"Yes, in the administration department." Chen Qiming lowered his head, his voice soft.

Du Heping chimed in, "Chen Qiming was recommended by General Manager Liu. I arranged for him to help out in the administrative department; the young man is quite capable."

Liu Yuan nodded: "That's good. By the way, Chen Qiming, let's have lunch together, it's my treat."

Chen Qiming hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded: "Okay."

At noon, Liu Yuan booked a private room at a restaurant near the factory and invited Du Heping and several factory leaders to lunch, and also invited Chen Qiming.

At the dinner table, Du Heping and Liu Yuan chatted and laughed, discussing OEM manufacturing, market prospects, and the development of Shenzhen.

Chen Qiming sat in the corner, eating his meal silently without saying a word.

He felt uneasy watching Liu Yuan and Du Heping chatting and laughing.

Once upon a time, he and Liu Yuan were classmates on equal footing, and he even thought he was better than Liu Yuan. But now? Liu Yuan is the vice president, carrying a mobile phone and chatting and laughing with the factory director; while he is just a lowly administrative clerk, earning a monthly salary of 1,200 yuan and doing odd jobs.

What he found even more unacceptable was that this factory was now doing OEM manufacturing for Qin Hao!

He came to Shenzhen to prove that he was no worse than Qin Hao, but now he has become an employee of Qin Hao's supplier and is indirectly working for Qin Hao!

what is this?

Chen Qiming felt increasingly aggrieved and wanted to smash the bowl and leave immediately. But when he thought about how he only had less than fifty yuan left in his pocket, he had to hold back.

At the very least, I need to get last month's salary first.

After dinner, Du Heping and several factory leaders went back first, while Liu Yuan followed Chen Qiming to his dormitory.

The dormitory is small, only a dozen square meters, with four people, a wardrobe, and a desk. It's simple but relatively clean.

"The conditions are a bit poor, but it's cheaper than renting a place outside," Liu Yuan said, looking around.

"It's alright, much better than our dorm room, at least it has a ceiling fan." Chen Qiming sat on the bed, head down.

Liu Yuan pulled up a chair and sat down, looking at Chen Qiming: "How have you been lately? Still thinking about investing in stocks?"

Chen Qiming shook his head and said with a wry smile, "I'm broke. What's the point of investing in stocks?"

"Then work hard, save some money, and we'll figure out a way later," Liu Yuan advised.

Liu Yuan glanced at him, then suddenly remembered something: "By the way, do you know who I saw yesterday?"

"Who?"

"Sun Yumei".

Chen Qiming's eyes lit up immediately: "Sun Yumei? She's in Shenzhen?"

“Yes, they just arrived a couple of days ago, with Han Ling,” Liu Yuan said. “Qin Hao picked them up at the train station; they should be taking them shopping at Chung Ying Street now.”

"She...she came specifically to find Qin Hao?" Chen Qiming's voice trembled slightly.

Liu Yuan patted Chen Qiming on the shoulder: "Brother, listen to my advice, there are plenty of fish in the sea..."

Chen Qiming's face turned deathly pale instantly.

"Chen Qiming, are you alright?" Liu Yuan asked worriedly when he saw that Chen Qiming's complexion was off.

"It's nothing." Chen Qiming forced a weak smile. "I'm fine."

Liu Yuan sighed and patted Chen Qiming on the shoulder: "Work hard, don't overthink it. I'll help you find a better job later if the opportunity arises."

After saying that, Liu Yuan stood up and left the dormitory.

Chen Qiming sat on the bed, looking out the window with a gloomy expression.

He was unwilling to accept defeat; he was unwilling to admit defeat like this!

But he is penniless and doesn't even have the means to resign, so he can only endure it for now.

……

After returning from Chung Ying Street, Han Ling decided to go back to Beijing the next day.

"Leaving so soon?" Sun Yumei was a little reluctant. "Won't you stay a few more days?"

"No, thank you," Han Ling said. "We've been out for so long, it's time to go back."

Sun Yumei glanced at Qin Hao, her eyes filled with reluctance. She didn't want to leave so soon either, but Han Ling was going back, and it wasn't appropriate for her to stay alone.

"Then I'll take you to the train station tomorrow," Qin Hao said.

The next morning, Qin Hao drove Sun Yumei and Han Ling to Nanshan Railway Station.

"We've arrived." Qin Hao parked the car at the entrance of the train station.

"Thank you." Han Ling opened the car door and slung her bag over her shoulder.

Sun Yumei sat in the passenger seat, turned to look at Qin Hao, her eyes filled with reluctance.

"I'll go back to Beijing once I'm done with this busy period," Qin Hao said softly, squeezing her hand.

“I’ll wait for you,” Sun Yumei said softly.

As the train slowly started moving, Sun Yumei sat by the window, watching the scenery rushing past outside, and made a decision in her heart.

……

Upon returning to Beijing, Han Ling immediately sought out Xiao Ran.

The two had a big fight over the dance costume, but Xiao Ran bought a new one as an apology, and Han Ling forgave him.

"Xiao Ran".

"Han Ling? You're back?" Xiao Ran's eyes lit up when he saw Han Ling.

"Mmm." Han Ling took a box out of her bag and handed it to Xiao Ran: "This is what I bought for you in Shenzhen."

Xiao Ran took the box, opened it, and saw that it contained a watch.

"This..." Xiao Ran was taken aback for a moment: "For me?"

"Yes, I bought it in Chung Ying Street." Han Ling lowered her head. "I heard it's imported from Switzerland. Try it on and see."

Xiao Ran looked at the watch, feeling a touch of emotion. He took Han Ling's hand and said, "I really like this watch, but it's a shame you had to spend so much."

The two smiled at each other, and the previous unpleasantness completely vanished.

……

The first thing Sun Yumei did after returning to the dance troupe was to submit her resignation.

"Resign?" The troupe leader looked at Sun Yumei, his brows furrowed. "Sun Yumei, you're our troupe's second-best performer after Han Ling. What will happen to the troupe's performances if you leave?"

"I have more important things to do."

"What could be more important than working for the dance troupe?" the troupe leader asked, somewhat angrily. "Do you know how many people want to join our troupe but can't? And you actually want to resign?"

"Commander, I've made my decision." Sun Yumei raised her head, her eyes resolute. "Please approve."

The regimental commander looked at Sun Yumei and sighed, "Go back and think it over first, then come back and tell me when you've made up your mind."

"No need to think about it anymore, I've already thought it through very clearly." After saying that, Sun Yumei turned and left the office.

Han Ling was shocked when she learned that Sun Yumei had resigned.

"Sun Yumei, have you gone mad?" Han Ling stormed into Sun Yumei's dormitory and demanded, "Why did you resign when everything was fine?"

Sun Yumei sat on the bed, packing her things. She looked up at Han Ling and said calmly, "I'm going to Shenzhen."

"Go to Shenzhen?" Han Ling was stunned. "Why?"

“I saw a lot during this trip to Shenzhen,” Sun Yumei said. “Shenzhen is developing very rapidly, and there are many opportunities. I don’t want to spend my whole life in a dance troupe, relying on my youth.”

"But..." Han Ling wanted to say something, but was interrupted by Sun Yumei.

“Besides, I’m worried about Qin Hao being alone in Shenzhen.” Sun Yumei’s eyes softened. “Shenzhen is a glamorous place, with all kinds of women. What if he gets snatched away by another woman while I’m not by his side?”

Han Ling looked at Sun Yumei, unsure of what to say.

She recalled those nights in Shenzhen, and the scene of Sun Yumei sneaking out in the middle of the night to meet Qin Hao.

"Are you... serious?" Han Ling asked softly.

Han Ling was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "But Sun Yumei, is it worth it for you to give up everything to go to Shenzhen? What if... what if he changes his mind later?"

Sun Yumei said softly, "Qin Hao treats me very well and is willing to spend money on me. Perhaps this is the only chance in my life I can rise to the top in one step, and I don't want to miss it."

Han Ling looked at Sun Yumei, speechless for a moment.

Sun Yumei looked at Han Ling with a complicated expression: "Han Ling, let me give you a piece of advice: never live apart from your husband. Men are all the same; there's no cat in the world that doesn't steal fish."

“Xiao Ran isn’t that kind of person,” Han Ling said. “I believe him.”

Sun Yumei smiled and said nothing more.

She packed her things, stood up, and took one last look at the dormitory she had lived in for two years.

"Han Ling, from now on no one will compete with you for the lead dance position anymore. Perform well, and maybe I'll come to watch your performance in the future."

Han Ling stood there, watching Sun Yumei's departing figure, her heart filled with mixed emotions. (End of Chapter)