One-way Passage

iled and said, “Apologies sir.
Qin Palace is a members-only club.
We only receive alpha members and omega patrons.”

Xia Wennan listened to him explain with mild confusion.
“What do you mean by alpha members and omega patrons?”

The waiter patiently explained, “There’s a membership system implemented for alphas.
Omega patrons may enter without a membership.”  

“What about betas then?”

“We’re utterly sorry sir, we don’t receive beta patrons,” said the waiter. 

Xia Wennan froze for a beat.
Although he was well aware that betas were at the lowest rung of society’s gender hierarchy, the superficial appearance of fairness still had to be maintained.
This was the first time he’d encountered something so blatantly sexist against betas. 

“Aren’t you also a beta?” Xia Wennan said to the waiter, not particularly pleased.

The waiter’s smile didn’t diminish in the least.
“I’m just a service staff, of course I’m a beta.”

“Excuse me,” someone behind Xia Wennan suddenly extended a hand and inserted himself between them, handing the waiter a business card.

Xia Wennan turned his head and saw that it was Ming Luchuan’s driver.
The driver nodded to Xia Wennan in greeting, “Mr.
Xia.” Afterwards, he addressed the waiter, who had gotten a good look at the business card by then, “This is President Ming’s partner.”

The waiter began to bow repeatedly.
“My apologies.”

Xia Wennan waved a hand; he didn’t have time to bother with him.
“How did you know I was here?” he asked the driver.

The driver pointed to the side, and with his half-smoked cigarette sandwiched between his fingers, he said, “I was waiting for President Ming over there.
I came over after Assistant Xu called.” 

“Oh, thank you,” said Xia Wennan.

The driver said, “Please give me a call when President Ming is finished here.” 

Xia Wennan made an OK gesture with his fingers. 

The waiter was waiting for him with a bow.
“Please come in, sir.”

Xia Wennan followed him inside.

The club dubbed as Qin Palace’s façade and interior were designed in light tones and surrounded by grandeur.
The long corridor was lined with bamboo partitions, the floor a vast stretch of fine, pale yellow carpeting; the tread of leather shoes made not the faintest sound.  

Xia Wennan looked at the waiter in front of him and couldn’t help but say, “Weren’t you firmly against receiving betas?”

The waiter turned back with a smile.
“Apologies sir, for making you misunderstand.
Qin Palace does not receive beta patrons who come alone.
If they come along as friends or partners of alpha members of the club, we would naturally receive them.”

It felt as if Xia Wennan’s breath was suddenly stuck in his throat.
He asked, “If it were a big-time boss, or a superstar, or scientists, or world champions—if these people were all betas and wanted to sign up as a member, would your club refuse them too?”

The waiter bowed.
“Apologies.
These are the boss’s rules.” Afterwards, he continued to maintain a polite smile as he led the way.

Xia Wennan didn’t ask any more questions.
The person in front of him was only a waiter anyway, and he was also part of the same beta group that was discriminated against.
There was no point in making things difficult for him. 

The waiter came to a halt in front of a wooden sliding door in the midst of the bamboo wall, saying, “This is the private room Mr.
Ming and his friends are dining in.”

Xia Wennan immediately remembered hearing someone cry out “Duan Ning,” and the flurry of rage he’d previously suppressed erupted.
He envisioned himself kicking open the sliding door before him and bellowing, “Way to go, Ming Luchuan! And you still won’t admit that you have a white moonlight?!”

In reality, he merely stood soundlessly in front of the door, watching as the waiter knocked, then gently pulled open the door to the private room for him.

There were seven to eight people in the private room.
Only two or three of them were omegas, with the remainder being alphas.
At this very moment, all of them were looking Xia Wennan’s way. 

However, the crux of the matter was that Ming Luchuan and Duan Ning were not inside, and what was even stranger was the fact that He Yufeng was actually present.
The man got up from the cushion he was sitting on, and uttered with slight surprise, “Little junior?”