Even with the seasoned eye that Lily had honed over twelve years in the nightlife scene, it was impossible to tell at a glance what type of women Jason Reed and his brothers preferred. To be fully prepared, she simply brought along the most attractive group she had, including the passionate and uninhibited type, the pure and sweet type, the classical and elegant type, the exotic type, the shy and delicate type... Each one was different, each with her own unique charm, and from their outfits to their demeanor, they were sure to catch any man's eye.

After all, being a hostess isn’t a job that relies on looks alone. The nightlife scene is perhaps the best place to witness human nature. Men come here for nothing more than “pleasure”—they want a hostess to sit with them, drink, and sing, not a wooden post. No matter how beautiful, if she lacks a unique aura and engaging conversation, she’ll always be third-rate.

Take the group of hostesses Lily brought tonight: each one could be the top girl at another venue. They had both looks and presence, able to make the most of their strengths.

When these twenty or so girls saw that tonight’s guests were five young boys, many of them secretly thought, “Pick me! I’ve accompanied all kinds of men, but never a young, fresh-faced boy…”

The one who drew the most attention from the girls was, of course, the strikingly handsome and proud-looking Eric Carter. It was lucky for him—if it had been the late teenager Brian Cooper, he’d probably have wanted to crawl into a hole right now.

Jason Reed cheerfully picked a blonde beauty, who, according to Lily, was from an ethnic minority. The rest of the group made their choices as well, leaving only Eric Carter still calmly drinking alone, as if none of this concerned him.

“Xiao Yi, hurry up and pick one.” Jason Reed had just turned sixteen a month ago, and tonight’s event was specially arranged by his father as a belated “coming-of-age” celebration. The kid was certainly uninhibited—no sooner had the blonde girl sat down than his hand started to wander. While flirting with her, he urged his friend on.

Eric Carter had always abstained from love, but not from desire. To be honest, in his six years in the world thirty years ago, he’d been with plenty of women. Having a hostess sit with him now was nothing. Hearing Jason Reed’s urging, he chuckled, pointed to a long-haired girl near the door, and said, “You look familiar. I’ll take you.”

The girl who sat beside Eric Carter looked to be just over twenty at most. Her fair, dewy skin set off her delicate, pretty face, and her shoulder-length, jet-black hair framed her features. She wore two crescent-moon-shaped silver earrings, her light makeup perfectly applied. Sitting next to Eric Carter, she looked nervous and shy, the very picture of a sheltered beauty.

Seeing Eric Carter make his choice, Lily seemed a bit worried. She sat down next to Jason Reed, who was playing drinking games with the blonde wildcat, and whispered in his ear, “Young master, the girl your friend picked just started a few days ago. This is her first time accompanying a guest. If her service isn’t up to par, please be understanding.”

Jason Reed waved her off. “No problem, my friend’s a gentleman, not like the rest of us. Go take care of your business.”

Lily acknowledged and left the private room with her girls. Meanwhile, the boys had all loosened up. After a few shots of pure Chivas, they were in high spirits—some playing drinking games, some shaking dice, all having a great time.

“What’s your name?” Eric Carter was happy to see Jason Reed and the others enjoying themselves, sparing him from being dragged into their antics. After drinking alone for a while, he found the girl beside him increasingly familiar, but still couldn’t place her. He finally asked softly.

It was the girl’s first day on the job. At twenty, in the prime of her youth, she had always dreamed of a bright future. But among all her beautiful dreams, she had never imagined her first job would be as a “hostess.” Life is full of helplessness… There are so many things in this world we can’t choose for ourselves…

She unclenched her hands, which had turned pale from nervousness, and tried to steady herself as she replied, “My name is Sophie.”

Looking at the handsome boy in front of her, clearly younger than herself, the girl suddenly felt a bit relieved that her first client was someone like him. It felt a little strange, but it was still much better than having to accompany some old man reeking of money.

“Sophie… Your name isn’t really Sweet Sweet, is it? I’d like to know your surname.” Wanting to confirm his suspicion, Eric Carter smiled and asked again.

Gazing into Eric Carter’s deep, dark eyes, the girl suddenly found it impossible to see him as a child. There seemed to be countless stories hidden in those eyes—a transcendent look. Though the feeling passed in a flash, she still instinctively gave her full name: “My name is Sophie Baker.”

“I knew it…” Eric Carter couldn’t help but frown slightly, falling silent for a moment. He poured himself three glasses of Chivas and downed them all before finally setting down his glass and saying calmly, “Do you remember what I said when I picked you?”

“You mean when you said you recognized me, or that you’d seen me before…” Sophie Baker’s expression grew flustered and uneasy.