Transmigration; Married to My Ex-Fiancé's Uncle-Chapter 142; Night out (h)

Didn’t know that Lin Shuyin had one billion yuan in her bank account? She was obscenely rich, but more importantly, she looked approachable. Fun. Like someone who wouldn’t look down on service staff.

"Woohoo! Beautiful lady!" Shuyin let go of Tank and Razor’s shoulders and reached out, gently flickering the tip of the waitress’s nose in a gesture that was playful, almost flirtatious.

The waitress blushed immediately, cheeks turning pink under the club lights.

"I... thank you! Um, would you ladies like to take a seat? I can get you one of our VIP booths...."

"Lead the way," Shuyin said with a grin, gesturing grandly.

The waitress led them through the crowd, which parted naturally. People watched openly now, phones already coming out to take discreet photos. Lin Shuyin at Club Exodus. Lin Shuyin is celebrating her freedom. Tomorrow’s social media content was being created in real-time.

They were shown to a secluded booth elevated slightly above the main floor, giving them a perfect view while maintaining privacy. The seating was plush velvet, the table polished to a mirror shine.

"This is perfect," Blade declared, immediately sprawling across a corner like she owned the place.

Razor slid in more gracefully, eyes already scanning with professional assessment, exits, security, potential problems.

Tank took the other corner, her presence alone probably enough to deter unwanted attention.

Shuyin settled in the middle, her dress pooling around her like liquid emerald, and looked up at the waitress with that same bright smile.

"So! What can I get you ladies to drink?" the waitress asked, pulling out a tablet. "We have an extensive cocktail menu, top-shelf liquor, champagne...."

"Anything you think is for ladies," Shuyin said sweetly, waving her hand with casual generosity. "Surprise us. Make it fun, make it pretty, and make it strong enough that we remember tonight but not so strong we regret it tomorrow."

The waitress’s smile widened. "I have just the thing. Trust me?"

"Completely," Shuyin said, and she meant it.

From her entrance, she’d already garnered a significant audience. People kept glancing over, trying not to be obvious but failing because how could you not look at a woman who’d dominated the news cycle and was now here, looking like she was about to own the night?

This was the first time Shuyin, either version of her, had stepped into a place like this. The original Lin Shuyin had been too focused on supporting Lu Zeyan, on being the perfect fiancée. She’d attended charity galas and business dinners, but never places like this, loud, chaotic, full of people seeking pleasure for pleasure’s sake.

And the mermaid wearing her face? Mermaids didn’t have clubhouses in the ocean. This was entirely new territory.

She’d never taken alcohol before, didn’t know what half the bottles contained, didn’t know what would taste good or knock her flat. So she did what any smart predator did when entering unfamiliar territory, she trusted the guide.

"Perfect!" the waitress chirped, tapping notes into her tablet. "I’ll be right back with something absolutely amazing."

She disappeared into the crowd with practiced efficiency.

Blade leaned over, grinning. "Did you just flirt with the waitress?"

"I was being friendly," Shuyin protested, but her smile suggested she knew exactly what she’d been doing.

"You flickered her nose," Razor pointed out dryly. "That’s not just friendly. That’s testing boundaries."

"She had a cute nose," Shuyin said with a shrug. "And she blushed. Which means she liked it. Which means I made her night slightly more interesting. You’re welcome."

Tank snorted. "You’re going to cause chaos in here, aren’t you?"

"Absolutely," Shuyin confirmed, jade eyes sparkling with mischief. "I have a billion yuan, I’m legally free for the first time in over a year, and I’m in a place specifically designed for people to lose their inhibitions. Why wouldn’t I cause chaos?"

"Fair point," Blade conceded, already scanning the crowd for potential targets. "So what’s the plan? Besides drinking whatever mystery cocktails our cute waitress brings back."

"The plan," Shuyin said, leaning back and surveying the club like a queen surveying her kingdom, "is simple. We drink. We dance. We flirt with whoever looks interesting. We spend ridiculous amounts of money on ridiculous things. We remind everyone in this city that Lin Shuyin didn’t just survive, she thrived."

She turned to her friends, her expression shifting to something more genuine.

"And we celebrate," she added quietly. "Because you three kept me sane in that hell. Because we all made it out. Because we’re here, alive and free and together. Tonight isn’t just about me. It’s about us."

Blade’s expression softened. "Princess....."

"Don’t," Shuyin interrupted gently. "Don’t get sentimental yet. We have all night for that. Right now...."

She straightened as the waitress appeared with a tray of the most elaborate cocktails any of them had ever seen.

"...right now, we drink."

The cocktails were works of art, layered colors that shouldn’t exist in nature, garnishes that looked like they belonged in botanical gardens, dry ice creating dramatic fog effects, and one that actually had sparklers.

"Oh my God," Blade breathed. "These are gorgeous."

"These are going to destroy us," Razor predicted, but she was smiling.

"Probably," the waitress agreed cheerfully, setting down the drinks with care. "But you’ll have fun doing it. The purple one is a Midnight Kiss, vodka base, very smooth, tastes like berries. The blue one is an Electric Dream, gin and blue curaçao, a little stronger. The pink one with the sparkler is a Dragon’s Breath, rum-based, fruity but dangerous. And the green one....."

She set it in front of Shuyin with a knowing smile.

".....is a Jade Empress. I made it special for you. It’s our bartender’s signature creation."

Shuyin picked up the green cocktail, holding it up to catch the light. It glowed softly, the color almost exactly matching her eyes.

"A Jade Empress," she repeated, amused. "How appropriate."

The first sip hit her system like liquid fire wrapped in velvet.

Shuyin’s fingers loosened around the champagne flute as warmth bloomed through her chest, spreading outward in waves that made her skin tingle.