On a weekend night in New York, in the Chelsea district, neon lights stained the sky a sultry violet-red.

A fiery red Lamborghini Aventador pulled up to the entrance of 1OAK Nightclub, its scissor doors slowly rising.

Sebastian, dressed in a flamboyant Givenchy print shirt, stepped out of the car like a peacock fanning its tail. He casually tossed the keys to the valet, stuffing a hundred-USD bill into his hand as a tip.

"Fack!" he said. "It’s so fucking cold."

"No shit," Li Wei said, practically tumbling out of the passenger seat. A car like the Lamborghini Aventador was built for smaller frames and was not kind to his height and broad shoulders. "You’re wearing a print shirt in New York in March. Of course you’re cold."

"This is French romance," Sebastian said, shivering. "Hurry, we won’t be cold once we squeeze into the crowd."

He slung an arm around Li Wei’s shoulder. He looked like a good friend putting an arm around his buddy, but in reality, he was just using Li Wei for warmth.

Walking past the line at the entrance, which was long enough for a concert, he said, "See? This is 1OAK, the hottest nightclub in New York right now. A favorite of celebrities, athletes, and rappers. But when you’re with me, this place is our personal playground."

And as it turned out, Sebastian really was a VVVIP here. The bouncer at the door, whose neck was thicker than Li Wei’s thigh, broke into a fawning, sycophantic grin the moment he saw him. He pulled back the red velvet rope before Sebastian even had a chance to speak.

"Mr. Sebastian! Long time no see!" the bouncer said with a bow, shouting into his radio, "Notify the manager, Mr. Sebastian has arrived!"

"Hey, handsome! Take me with you!" a girl in heavy makeup yelled from the line, flashing her chest at them. "I’m an F-cup!"

"Oh really?" Sebastian walked over and took out a 100-USD bill. "Then can you hold this between them?"

"I can!" The girl showed no hesitation, taking off her bra in full view of the crowd. She puffed out her chest. "Stick it in!"

After all, she’d seen Sebastian arrive in the Lamborghini.

"Well, I’ll be," Sebastian said as he reached out to give them a squeeze. "Pity they’re fake. You can keep the money, but I don’t feel like taking you inside."

"Fuck you!" the girl said with a laugh, putting her bra back on and stuffing the cash in her pocket. The girls next to her watched with envious eyes.

Sebastian walked back to Li Wei’s side, sniffing his hand as he went.

"That bold, huh?" Li Wei took two steps back. "I could never do something like that."

"Oh, you will," Sebastian said with a smile. "Because in the future, you’re going to have ten, a hundred, a thousand times more money than me. You just haven’t gotten a taste of what money can do yet."

"Ever see Batman v Superman?" he asked as he and Li Wei walked into the club. They could already faintly hear the thumping of the subwoofers inside. "In this world, there are no superpowers—"

’Hard to say,’ Li Wei thought.

"—money is the only superpower," Sebastian said. "The Flash asks Batman, ’What’s your superpower?’ Guess what Batman says?"

"What?" Li Wei asked. The thumping of the subwoofers was deafening.

"I’m rich!" Sebastian roared with laughter. "Welcome to 1OAK!"

The deafening bass instantly assaulted their eardrums. The air was thick with the mixed scent of expensive perfume, alcohol, and hormones.

With practiced ease, Sebastian slid into the most prominent central booth. With a wave of his hand, servers immediately descended, delivering a champagne tower, fruit platters, and bottles of Ace of Spades.

"To freedom!" Sebastian raised his glass.

"To superpowers," Li Wei said, raising his glass as well.

"A pity I don’t have freedom," Sebastian said. "And you don’t have superpowers."

Li Wei shrugged.

"This damn internship is killing me," Sebastian continued to grumble. "I have to work six hours every day, and I can’t leave until I’ve clocked out. Plus, there are hardly any holidays. You know, this would be illegal in Europe."

Li Wei didn’t say anything. ’Let them eat cake,’ he thought.

To Sebastian, it was probably a genuine belief that people shouldn’t have to work that long.

Another ten minutes or so passed. Without Sebastian having to say a word, a flock of models with stunning figures and of all different ethnicities drifted over to get some free drinks. Sebastian turned no one away.

But the situation quickly turned strange. Sebastian realized the women weren’t looking at him. Instead, their eyes went right past him, fixated on Li Wei, who was quietly drinking by his side.

"Are you an influencer?" A blonde beauty in a sequined miniskirt finally couldn’t take it anymore and squealed in delight. "Wait... I know you! You’re Li Wei!"

That shriek was like a drop of water hitting a pan of hot oil.

"Li Wei! Can we get a picture?"

"Li Wei, what do you want to drink? My treat!"

"Li Wei, I heard you don’t have a girlfriend. Mind if I add you on Snapchat?"

In an instant, Li Wei was swarmed by women, some even shoving each other to get closer to him.

Meanwhile, Sebastian, the one who had dropped tens of thousands of USD on drinks, was now squeezed into a corner of the sofa, holding an untouched glass of champagne, looking completely dumbfounded.

"Hey! I’m rich too! I’m French!" Sebastian yelled in frustration, but his voice was completely drowned out by the squealing women.

Li Wei, however, wanted nothing to do with them. He politely but distantly refused the request of a model who wanted him to feel her perky ass, which she claimed could handle a 100-kilogram squat.

Just then, a sudden commotion erupted from the neighboring booth.