Chapter 49 : A Good Person 2
Chapter 49: A Good Person 2
Bai Lengci did not know what drug Lin Zheng had used, but if it could make the person who took it lose the ability to resist, become confused, and could dissolve in water without color or taste—
It could only be one of those common drugs.
GHB (γ-hydroxybutyric acid), Flunitrazepam (Rohypnol), Triazolam… it had to be one of these types.
Judging from Lin Zheng’s cowardly yet anxious look, it was probably one that worked relatively quickly but wasn’t too strong in potency.
The likelihood of it being GHB was high. It usually took effect in about twenty minutes, with symptoms such as dizziness, drowsiness, and muscle weakness.
Punish Lin Zheng?
Bai Lengci did not want to invite trouble upon herself.
The optimal solution, naturally, was to let the victim herself know, and then…
Sit back and watch the two sides tear each other apart.
This way, it would both achieve the effect of punishment and satisfy her little twisted pleasure of observing the ugliness of human nature.
Bai Lengci felt this plan was completely logical, even a little enjoyable.
After a while, Xiao Ran was gently swirling the remaining Louis XIII in her glass, wondering whether to sit a little longer.
Then.
A brand new White Lady was pushed in front of her.
Xiao Ran froze, looking up at Bai Lengci behind the bar.
Bai Lengci lightly tapped the coaster under the new drink.
Puzzled, Xiao Ran picked up the glass and found a torn slip of paper from an order note pressed under the coaster.
On it was written:
There is GHB in the drink, it takes effect in about 20 minutes. Don’t panic, inform someone you trust.
GHB!
Xiao Ran froze for a moment.
She studied medicine, how could she not know what that was!
γ-hydroxybutyric acid, a central nervous system depressant, colorless and tasteless, easily soluble in water and alcohol—the main component of the drug!
After ingestion, it caused confusion, compliance, drowsiness, even coma, accompanied by short-term anterograde amnesia!
Xiao Ran instantly understood!
It was that idiot Lin Zheng just now!
She had really not expected that the man who only looked a little dumb would dare to be so bold!
To actually drug her.
To be honest, she had been well-protected since childhood.
Though lively and even a bit willful in personality, she had never truly come into contact with the darker side of society.
Drugging was something she had only seen in social news and TV dramas, never taken seriously.
Who would have thought that the first time she went out drinking alone, she would almost fall into such a trap!
This could only be called her bad luck.
But Xiao Ran was not stupid. She knew that making a scene now would only let that idiot Lin Zheng escape.
Thinking quickly, she opened WeChat and found the chat windows of her most trusted aunt Bai Zhu and her best friend Yan Junzhu.
Bai Zhu: Auntie!! I’m at Twilight! Someone drugged me! Seems like GHB! Come quickly! Don’t tell my parents!
Yan Junzhu: Zhu Zhu! Help! Some idiot drugged me! I’m at the bar in Twilight! Hurry!
Not long after sending the messages, she felt a wave of dizziness hit, and her limbs began to weaken.
The drug was taking effect faster than the expected 20 minutes!
Was it because she had been drinking on an empty stomach, or because the drug itself wasn’t pure?
She knew she had to drink lots of water to accelerate metabolism.
Fighting against the spreading weakness and dizziness, she steadied herself against the bar and stood up.
She tried to make her steps look natural as she walked toward the restroom.
There was cold water there, which could help her stay a little clearer.
In the distance, Lin Zheng, who had been secretly observing, immediately noticed Xiao Ran’s abnormality.
Her walking posture was clearly unsteady, not as lively as before.
“Wasn’t it supposed to be 20 minutes? Why so fast?”
Lin Zheng muttered inwardly, a mix of delight and nervousness.
He absolutely could not let her out of his sight. What if she realized something was wrong and ran?
He immediately stood up, pretending he also needed the restroom, following at just the right distance.
At the same time, Bai Lengci observed the distance between the two.
She put down her glass and walked over to the busy bartender Ah Ken.
“Brother Ken, it looked like someone just spiked a guest’s drink at the bar. Tell Manager Zhou to keep an eye out.”
Ah Ken was shaking a cocktail when his hand trembled at her words, almost dropping the shaker.
He looked at Bai Lengci in shock.
“Spiking?! Who? Which guest?”
When he wanted to ask further, he found that Bai Lengci was no longer there.
Ah Ken dared not neglect this.
He quickly used the intercom to call Zhou Zheng.
“Brother Zheng, Brother Zheng! Aria said someone spiked a drink at the bar! Yeah! Not sure of the details, she left right after saying it!”
……
The restroom lighting had a deliberately dimmed yellow tint.
Making everything seem somewhat unreal.
Xiao Ran supported herself against the cold sink, trying to use cold water to stay awake.
She already felt stiffness in her thighs.
She shook her increasingly heavy head with force and leaned forward to drink some tap water.
The water flowed into her mouth but carried an indescribable mix of rust and disinfectant, churning her stomach until she vomited violently.
No, she had to drink water to dilute the drug!
She thought in her blurred consciousness, staggering to turn around, wanting to find bottled water or just leave.
Her steps wavered as she left the stalls, almost bumping into a woman coming in.
“Hey! Watch where you’re going!”
The woman complained unhappily as she avoided her.
“So… sorry…”
Xiao Ran’s voice was so faint it was almost inaudible.
She struggled to stay upright, but still bumped into the doorframe.
Her head was heavy and dazed.
And then, she saw him.
That man in the flashy shirt, leaning against the wall not far from the women’s restroom entrance.
He really followed!
Fear wrapped her instantly.
She regretted it.
She thought she should have stayed obediently at the bar, where it was relatively safer.
At least… at least that bartender called Aria was still there.
She wanted to shout, but her throat felt blocked, letting out only a helpless gasp.
She wanted to run, but her legs were as soft as noodles, refusing to move.
She could only watch as Lin Zheng’s face revealed a disgusting smile, slowly walking toward her.
The desire in his eyes was naked and filthy, like a bottomless abyss that wanted to devour her completely.
Xiao Ran wished someone, anyone, would save her and take her away from this despair.
……
Just then, the restroom door opened again, and two stylishly dressed women walked out, chatting and laughing.
They seemed to have just finished touching up their makeup, in a cheerful mood.
Xiao Ran saw them like a drowning person grasping a lifeline. With her last bit of clarity, she suddenly reached out and grabbed the arm of the nearest woman.
Her movement, weak as it was, appeared abrupt and clumsy.
“Help…”
She tried to make a sound, but only muffled syllables came out.
The woman whose arm was grabbed was startled, frowning as she tried to shake Xiao Ran off.
“What are you doing?”
But her companion suddenly gasped in surprise, her gaze moving past Xiao Ran to the end of the corridor.
“Wow! Look! Isn’t that the super gorgeous bartender Aria from the bar? What’s she doing here? Wow, she looks even better up close! Let’s get a picture with her!”
Xiao Ran froze, following the woman’s gaze with difficulty, turning her head.
There stood Bai Lengci in the corridor, not far away.
She was still dressed in her fitted bartender vest and white shirt, standing straight, arms casually crossed, leaning against the wall.
But in Xiao Ran’s eyes, Bai Lengci was like a divine statue descending suddenly into this chaotic world.
Carrying a holiness and coldness that could never be tainted by the mundane.
At that moment, Xiao Ran almost cried.
So this was the happiness of not being abandoned.
Somehow gathering strength from nowhere, Xiao Ran shoved away the two women still discussing photos.
She stumbled and rushed toward Bai Lengci.
Bai Lengci saw clearly the sudden charge toward her.
She had only intended to watch, not let Lin Zheng take Xiao Ran away. Who knew the drug would act so fast?
Variables… could never be fully predicted.
Behind her was the door to the fire escape leading to the first floor.
If she sidestepped now, with Xiao Ran’s current uncontrollable momentum and weakness, she would likely crash through the door and tumble down the stairs—dead or crippled.
So she did not move.
The next second, a warm body carrying a mix of sweet perfume and alcohol slammed into her arms.
The impact made Bai Lengci sway slightly, but she quickly steadied her balance.
Then, a pair of weak arms wrapped around her neck, hot breath brushing against her ear and neck.
Such close physical contact instantly made Bai Lengci’s body stiffen.
The unprecedented warmth and softness pressing against her, and the mingled fragrance lingering at her nose.
(High-end perfume, alcohol, and a trace of Xiao Ran’s own sweet scent…)
Her mind went blank.
On her usually expressionless face, an extremely rare blush appeared.
“I~ am scared~”
Xiao Ran buried her burning cheek against Bai Lengci’s cool neck, her voice laced with tears and heavy nasal tone, as faint as a whisper.
“Help me~ Bai Lengci~”
Hearing her real name spill from Xiao Ran’s lips, Bai Lengci’s blank thoughts began to function again.
Right, she was a regular at the school clinic, and Xiao Ran was the school medic. If Xiao Ran couldn’t recognize her, that would be strange.
Lin Zheng, who had been staring at his prey, was shocked to see Bai Lengci appear and catch Xiao Ran. His guilty conscience almost made him run.
But seeing Bai Lengci was only a slender female bartender, he mustered courage again.
He forced himself to stay calm, putting on a twisted smile as he stepped forward.
“Aria, right? No worries, no worries, my friend just drank too much, she’s a little unwell. I’ll take care of her, no need to trouble you.”
As he spoke, he reached to pull Xiao Ran from Bai Lengci’s arms.
But Bai Lengci, holding Xiao Ran, shifted her body just enough to block Lin Zheng’s hand.
Her movement was neither forceful nor rushed, almost casual, but precise enough to make him grasp at empty air.
Bai Lengci lifted her eyes, looking at Lin Zheng. There was no emotion in her gaze, yet it made him feel a chill for no reason.
Her voice rang clear in the quiet corridor.
“She doesn’t look like she wants you to take care of her.”
Lin Zheng was at a loss for words, his face stiffening, tone turning irritable.
“You’re just a bartender, why meddle so much? She’s my friend! Everyone acts like this when drunk! Hand her over!”
“Oh?”
Bai Lengci’s tone carried a faint trace of mockery.
“Don’t you know what vile thing you’ve done? And you still speak so righteously, how surprising.”
His face instantly went pale, his eyes flickering with panic.
She knew!
How did she know?!
Did she see it?!
It was over! Exposed! If this blew up…
He dared not think further.
Forget Xiao Ran, his only thought was to escape immediately!
He spun around to run toward the bar hall.
But after just two steps, he was blocked by Ah Ken and two tall security guards rushing over.
Ah Ken’s face was stern as he pointed at Lin Zheng, telling the guards: “It’s him! Brother Zheng said, don’t let him escape!”
Lin Zheng saw the towering security guards in front of him. His legs weakened, almost collapsing, his face drained of hope and despair.
Bai Lengci did not look at the chaos on that side again.
She lowered her head, gazing at the nearly unconscious Xiao Ran in her arms, who only stayed upright because of her support.
She frowned slightly.
Adjusting her posture, she steadied Xiao Ran against her more securely.