Night had fallen. The streetlights were aglow, and the neon signs flickered in a kaleidoscope of colors—glamorous, dazzling, and enchanting, dressing up the bustling night of Nanning City. Early summer was approaching, and the evening breeze was crisp and pleasant. For this beautiful southern metropolis, ten o’clock was just the prelude to nightlife. The sidewalks still bustled with groups of pedestrians, and the flow of cars on the road seemed endless.
Southern University, located not far from the heart of Nanning City, was even livelier at night. The area around Southern University was packed with colleges, making it a hotspot for businesses catering to students, many of which stayed open late into the night. The entire university district buzzed with energy.
Not far from the back gate of Southern University was a street called 'Nanshan Street'—lined mostly with hair salons and parlors. The street wasn’t very long, just over three hundred meters, shaded by green trees, but it was famous throughout Nanning City. That reputation came from the fact that most of the salons and parlors here dealt in 'flesh trade.' Locals called it 'Chicken Alley.' As night fell, every salon and parlor lit up with hazy pink lights, bathing the street in a powdery, seductive glow. Everyone knew the businesses here were fronts for something else…
At the corner of Nanshan Street, four oddly dressed young men stood furtively by the roadside, watching the passersby and the occasional cars. It was nearly half past ten, yet all four wore pitch-black sunglasses and dark clothes, glancing awkwardly at the salons along the street.
One of the young men grew impatient. He yanked off his sunglasses and, annoyed, said to another in the group, 'Jake! You made us dress up like this—neither human nor ghost—just for 'disguise'? We’re only here for some fun, why all the mystery? I can barely see where I’m going!'
Jake Jewel glanced around nervously, then waved his hand and said, 'Hey, Alex! We all know you’re a seasoned player, but keep it down! Besides you, the rest of us are newbies here—it’s our first time out, you know? It’s natural to feel a little awkward. Gotta save face, right?'
The biggest guy in the group, a chubby fellow wearing a wig, shuffled over nervously. He pulled out a pack of soft Zhonghua cigarettes, handed one to each of them, and lit up with trembling hands. After a deep drag to steady himself, he barked at Alex Easton: 'Alex! I’m ready—no hang-ups here. Just tell me what to do! Damn, I’ve been holding back for years. Forget Jake’s talk about saving face. Tonight, I’m going all in!'
Alex Easton casually put his sunglasses back on, grinning as he turned to the young man fiddling with his glasses and smoking behind the group. 'Hey, Shawn, relax! Don’t act so scared, okay? We’re all in this together. Look at the big guy—chill and ready to go. Learn from him, bro!'
Shawn Young protested, 'Me? Nervous? I’m just fixing my contacts, okay? Plus… I spent a whole month’s allowance on this! I don’t even know how I’ll survive next month.'
Alex Easton scoffed, 'Please… When have you ever not survived? You think we’d let you starve? Stop worrying and loosen up. Tonight’s your big night—the three of you are finally losing your virginity. It’s supposed to be fun, so quit acting like it’s the end of the world.'
Fatty checked everyone’s gear again, looking satisfied. 'Jake, your disguise actually works. In this light, no one can recognize us…'
Just as he finished, a young man walked up, looked at the group in surprise, then at Fatty, and said, 'Danny Dean, can I bum a smoke?'
'How… how did you recognize me?' Danny Dean asked, looking frustrated.
'Honestly, I wasn’t sure at first, but with your build and that vibe, it’s impossible not to recognize you! So, what’s up tonight—some kind of costume party? You guys look straight out of The Matrix.' The young man joked, while the four guilty-looking guys just nodded along.
Unexpectedly, the guy leaned in and whispered, laughing, 'Heh… You four aren’t here for some wild action, are you? Am I right?'
Danny Dean’s heart skipped a beat. He quickly handed the guy a cigarette and mumbled, 'Nonsense! Do we look like that kind of people? Forget me—look at those three, especially Jake Jewel. He’s got tons of girls chasing him! Why would he need to come here?' Thinking fast, Danny threw Jake under the bus.
The guy took the cigarette and didn’t bother with them anymore. Puffing away, he called out, 'Just curious! Why are you guys dressed like this so late at night…'
'We’re rehearsing street performance art. You know, art? Never mind… Clearly, art means nothing to you. Enough—stop hanging around here, get lost.' With that, they shooed him away.
The guy just laughed and left, disappearing around the corner.
Once he was gone, Danny Dean ripped off his wig, took off his sunglasses, and yelled at Jake Jewel, 'Damn it, Beauty! What kind of crappy disguise is this? Forget it—Alex, let’s get started!'
Alex Easton agreed and told the other two, 'Exactly! You two need to learn from Danny. Remember, tonight you must lose that shameful 'virgin' label—no matter what! Let’s go… The wild flowers ahead are waiting for us to pick.'
Alex Easton and the already sex-crazed Danny Dean led the way, while Jake Jewel and Shawn Young nervously followed behind. The four of them headed toward the row of salons lining Nanshan Street.
They stopped in front of a salon called 'Phoenix Parlor.' Through the large glass window, they could clearly see inside—several scantily clad, provocatively dressed women lounged about, striking seductive poses and tossing flirtatious glances at the men passing by. Any male who glanced inside was immediately greeted by enthusiastic responses from the women, who would dramatically cross their bare thighs, letting their short skirts ride up and shamelessly flaunt their charms for all to see.