Blue Cocktail chapter 40
As soon as the words fell, Zhao Ge laughed again, gleefully and somewhat indecently.
Cheng Shuo could understand this laughter at first, but as it continued, he couldn’t comprehend. “Are you so happy that Lu Huaiqian is going on a blind date?”
“Of course,” Zhao Ge confessed, “I can say that I am the person in this world who most hopes he can find a landlady soon.”
“Why?”
“Think about it. The bar is a service industry, and it has to be open 365 days a year. If it’s closed for one day, customers might think the bar is losing money and can’t continue. If it’s closed for two days, customers might think the bar is about to close down. So in the future, if boss Lu has a partner, and he goes on a honeymoon or something, then the bar can only be managed by me. As long as the money is enough, it’s all good.” Zhao Ge spoke frankly.
“Oh,” Cheng Shuo nodded.
Zhao Ge continued on his own, “I wonder what kind of people the three blind dates before today were.”
He looked at Cheng Shuo, suddenly smiling in a flattering manner, “Hey, you have a good relationship with him. Ask him for me. I’ve been lonely lately and need some romantic encounters. People who can go on blind dates with boss Lu must have a beauty score of at least eight or more. If he doesn’t like them, I might.”
“I won’t ask.” Cheng Shuo refused, “Asking on behalf of someone else is too weird. If you want to know, ask him yourself.”
“Alright, alright,” Zhao Ge laughed, “You really don’t leave any face when rejecting.”
After thinking for a moment, he added, “I wonder if this blind date today will be successful.”
“Actually, I once introduced him to many people before. Pianists, ballet dancers, business people, researchers—there were people from all walks of life. But he didn’t like any of them. Damn, he’s too picky. In the end, I was just busy for nothing.” Zhao Ge sighed.
Cheng Shuo thought for a moment and said, “If you really want to facilitate a connection, you should first figure out what Lu Huaiqian likes. Cater to his preferences. Personally, I think the strategy of casting a wide net is not very efficient. With so many blind dates, they always end in failure. I guess he loses interest in the end.”
“But what he likes is too abstract.”
Cheng Shuo was a bit puzzled, “What do you mean?”
Zhao Ge explained, “For example, like me, what I like is very straightforward. I like someone who looks good and has a good figure, someone wild and passionate in bed.”
He paused and couldn’t help but complain, “But do you know what boss Lu told me before?”
“What?”
“He said people are attracted to those who are similar to themselves because similarity leads to mutual understanding. So he likes people who are like him, brave, sharp, free-spirited, creative, and rebellious. Not constrained by rules. I remember when I heard this, my only thought was that he’s too narcissistic!”
“This shouldn’t be considered narcissism,” Cheng Shuo said, “I think Lu Huaiqian probably wants to find someone with a high degree of alignment in values.”
Zhao Ge became interested, “Then you tell me.”
“Like many things, there are actually no absolute rights or wrongs in the collision of two different concepts.”
“For example, some people care a lot about the existing social evaluation system. So they pursue things widely recognized in society—having these things makes them successful in the eyes of the majority, such as luxury cars, yachts, luxury goods, or even rights within the system, or academic achievements published in top journals. But in the eyes of other people, like mine, I feel that this is trapping me in a set of rules. It’s the constraints of society’s evaluation system on me. Because success can also be diversified, it shouldn’t be limited to this small piece of land.”
“As long as I approve of my own life, I think I am successful. I am successful even if others see me as a failure or success. I don’t care.”
Cheng Shuo talked a lot and suddenly realized, “Do you find it too abstract?”
Nodding vigorously, Zhao Ge said, “I only understood you said something about success or failure.”
“Let me give you a specific example,” Cheng Shuo thought for a moment, “Like me, my junior high school grades were actually quite good, always in the top ten in the whole school. Everyone around me thought that if I studied literature or science normally, I should be able to get into a good 985 or 211 university. But I chose the path of fine arts because I like painting. Many people felt sorry for me at the time, but I didn’t care because my choice was what I wanted.”
“In the existing social evaluation system, it seems that cultural students are generally valued, and art students are looked down upon. It always feels like art students are taking a shortcut. In fact, we art students have suffered just as much in the college entrance examination as cultural students. I have met many cultural students who look down on me. I don’t care about them. I don’t care about their opinions because I don’t need their approval. I am enough with my own approval. This is what I understand as a rebellious spirit.”
Zhao Ge first looked stunned, then couldn’t help but laugh, “What you just said is really similar to what boss Lu told me back then.”
Cheng Shuo was curious, “Why do you say that?”
“Ah, maybe you still don’t know the story behind the bar?”
“I don’t know.”
“Let me tell you then,” Zhao Ge cleared his throat, “Boss Lu studied finance in college, and his grades were just passing because, during his university life, he did everything except study. It was truly colorful.”
He began to reminisce, “For example, he formed a band on campus, where he played guitar and gained some fame. Also, he learned racing. Of course, the school didn’t allow racing, but no problem, he would ride an electric scooter around the campus. It was just an ordinary little electric scooter, but he managed to give it the feeling of a road motorcycle, which fascinated a lot of girls.”
“At that time, he was both rascally and showy, but now he has toned it down.” Zhao Ge couldn’t resist making a teasing remark.
“In his junior year, his parents were already hinting that he should come back to inherit the family business and become a prominent chairman. Their family owned an internet company that launched many games, and they had earned a lot. Even if he made mistakes in decision-making and lost money, the family wealth would be enough for a long time. But boss Lu said he had no interest in being a chairman. If he went back, his life would be over.”
Zhao Ge laughed aloud, “Quite sensational, right?”
Cheng Shuo nodded, his expression serious, seemingly involuntarily drawn into the story’s protagonist.
“So, he began secretly advancing the idea of going abroad. First, he handled all the procedures for studying abroad, then, before leaving, he confessed that he loved finance and wanted to further his studies. His parents thought it wouldn’t hurt for him to learn more, so they let him go.”
“Who would have thought that during that time abroad, he became friends with the owner of a certain cocktail bar, quietly saved some money, and used it as startup capital for the bar. When he came back, he had a direct confrontation with his parents, saying he wouldn’t inherit the family business and wanted to open a bar.”
“Did his parents agree?”
“Of course not. They had raised him to be the heir. How could they agree?” Zhao Ge said, “But boss Lu was determined. Unable to convince his parents, he ran away from home, cutting off all financial ties with the family. It was a clean break, and I think he had been planning it for a long time.”
“Running away from home,” Cheng Shuo chuckled, “sounds like something he would do.”
“Later, as the bar operated for a long time, he earned a good amount of money. He then went back and reconciled with his parents, and family relations were somewhat restored. Since that incident, his parents knew they couldn’t easily control him, so they turned to control his younger brother, Lu Huaixuan, who has now taken on the position of chairman.”
Cheng Shuo smirked, “His younger brother should be really thankful to him.”
Zhao Ge also shrugged and chuckled.
“So,” Cheng Shuo pondered for a moment, “you can think about it. In your description, most people would probably feel that the chairman of an internet company holds a higher social status than a bar owner. But Lu Huaiqian chose the latter. I think this is what he meant by liking a lifestyle that is both brave and rebellious, more free, not constrained by rules.”
In the end, he added in a low voice, “I’m quite yearning for such a life.”
“Wow.”
“What’s wrong?”
“What you just said is exactly the same as what he said to me back then. No wonder—”
Zhao Ge hesitated.
No wonder he liked Cheng Shuo. Two independent-minded people had come together.
Cheng Shuo waited for half a minute and didn’t get the continuation, “Are you also learning to speak halfway like Lu Huaiqian?”
Zhao Ge bluntly said, “I slipped up just now. Let’s pretend you didn’t hear it. If I tell you directly, he’ll fire me tomorrow.”
“Okay.”
Although he couldn’t be explicit, helping to give Lu Huaiqian a little nudge was still possible. After all, Zhao Ge also hoped that Lu Huaiqian would start dating soon.
So he said, “However, boss Lu mentioned to me a while ago that he seems to have someone he likes.”
Cheng Shuo suddenly froze.
The smile on his face instantly dissipated, and his mood seemed to drop inexplicably. Perhaps it was because he had laughed too happily at Lu Huaiqian’s story just now.
He stood still in place for a while, only reluctantly moved his lips, asking in a nonchalant tone, “Who does he like?”
Zhao Ge had already prepared an answer, “How would I know? He only told me that there’s someone he likes. If you’re interested, go ask him yourself.”
“I’m not that interested,” Cheng Shuo lowered his eyes, silent for a few seconds, and then, using a casual tone that tried not to sound too deliberate, he asked, “Why measure the depth of friendship by the length of time? You and him have been friends for over ten years, and I’ve only known him for a few months. If there’s something he doesn’t want to tell you, would he tell me?”
“Why use the length of time to measure the depth of friendship?” Zhao Ge feigned mystery. “You can give it a try. What if he’s willing to tell you? Isn’t it said that in life, you should be brave, have a rebellious spirit, and be willing to try new possibilities?”
“By the way, help me ask why he didn’t like those three blind date candidates. I’m really curious. If you manage to ask him, I’ll treat you to a cocktail. You can pick any drink from the menu, and I’ll make it for you.”
“No need, thanks,” Cheng Shuo added after a pause, “I’m not really a fan of drinking.”
Zhao Ge stared at Cheng Shuo’s face for a few seconds and then laughed, “Why, Lu Huaiqian’s gift of wine is worth accepting, but mine isn’t? You’ll take the wine he gives you, but you’ll disdain mine?”
Cheng Shuo was taken aback, then turned his head, his gaze somewhat evasive. “That’s not the case. I just don’t want to drink today.”
“If you don’t want to drink today, then drink later. Whenever you feel like it, I’ll make it for you.”
Cheng Shuo vaguely agreed with a sound, somewhat absent-minded, “Let’s talk about it later.”
Internally, he involuntarily clenched his fingertips. Clearly, if Lu Huaiqian already liked someone, why would he still go on blind dates?