Blue Cocktail chapter 36

At an unknown time, Aru stood beside Cheng Shuo and said, “The boss is gone, and I don’t know when he’ll be back. It’s your first time bartending today. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me.”

Cheng Shuo snapped back to reality and replied, “Thank you.”

Aru continued, “You look really good in this outfit.”

Cheng Shuo modestly smiled, “Thank you.”

Aru was the supervisor, in charge of the bartenders working that night. Considering Cheng Shuo’s lack of familiarity with cocktail varieties and flavors, he decided not to let Cheng Shuo handle the drink orders. If a customer asked, Cheng Shuo might not know, and it could be awkward. Aru also needed to intervene.

So, he assigned Cheng Shuo to deliver the cocktails made by Zhao Ge. It was a relatively simple task as long as Cheng Shuo didn’t mix up the orders.

Being young and agile, Cheng Shuo’s movements saved Aru some trouble and coordination with the team.

Aru had encountered many newcomers, some more challenging than Cheng Shuo. As he watched Cheng Shuo’s busy figure, he found himself increasingly pleased. However, no matter how pleased he was, it didn’t change the fact that he couldn’t compete with the boss for Cheng Shuo unless he gave up his job.

The slight flutter he felt at their first meeting had long been extinguished. Aru could live without love, but he couldn’t live without a job. Having a job meant having a salary, and having a salary meant survival.

But Cheng Shuo appeared in the bar again, not as a customer but as a colleague, rapidly bridging the gap between them.

Aru, amidst his busy schedule, found his gaze unintentionally drawn to Cheng Shuo.

At one point, a regular customer across the bar glued his lecherous gaze to Cheng Shuo’s waist, slowly moving downward, reaching his crotch, and whistled, seemingly asking something. Cheng Shuo froze in place, reluctantly answering the customer’s questions.

Aru’s expression turned serious. He walked directly over, greeted with a smile, “It’s been a while since you came for a drink. I’ll go get your drink menu, Mr. Cao.”

As he spoke, he subtly grabbed Cheng Shuo’s wrist and pulled him behind.

Mr. Cao, with a portly belly, first looked puzzled, then waved his hand, laughing with creases forming on his face, “No need, no need, I’ve already ordered.”

“Then I’ll quickly go remind Zhao Ge to prepare your drinks as soon as possible.” Aru turned around and urged Cheng Shuo, “Hurry up and find Zhao Ge. This is Mr. Cao, and we can’t afford to delay.”

Cheng Shuo knew Aru was helping him and quickly slipped toward the bar.

On the way, he still felt a lingering fear. If Aru had come a moment later, Mr. Cao might have already made inappropriate advances. Customers are gods, and he would be caught in a dilemma if he resisted.

Mr. Cao glanced a few times in the direction Cheng Shuo left, withdrew his gaze, and couldn’t help but click his tongue, “Is this your new waiter? He looks strangely good. What’s his name?”

Aru awkwardly smiled, “Mr. Cao, I’m not sure. He was brought by Boss Lu today, working here for the first time. I’ll ask later.”

“Alright, alright.” Mr. Cao chuckled, revealing two gold teeth, his narrow eyes narrowing even more, “Thanks, Aru.”

“Not a problem.” Aru replied with a raised smile.

Back at the bar, he secretly pulled Cheng Shuo into the changing room.

Lowering his voice, Aru said, “I feel like Mr. Cao has set his eyes on you. Just consider yourself as someone hired by Boss Lu to help, with no obligation to be at his beck and call. With the connection to Lu Huaiqian, he won’t dare to do anything too outrageous for now. If he asks when you’ll be at the bar, just say you don’t know. Say you’ll come if you’re free, and won’t if you’re not. Whatever you do, don’t tell the truth.”

Cheng Shuo frowned, “I haven’t done anything. He’s eyeing me just because I passed by him?”

Ayu shook his head, “He’s a well-known playboy in the circle, enjoying pursuing young boys everywhere. He has supported countless little stars, and when he gets tired, he moves on to the next one, usually around your age.”

Cheng Shuo’s face twisted, “My goodness, fooling around everywhere, won’t he catch something?”

Aru chuckled. “He’s a wealthy man. Wealth provides prevention and treatment. The unfortunate ones are those helpless and penniless little stars. He kicks them out, they contract diseases, and then have to use their savings for treatment.”

Cheng Shuo fell silent.

“But don’t worry. It’s a rule-of-law society now. There are surveillance cameras everywhere in the bar. In public, if he dares to do anything, Zhao Ge and I will definitely help you. Just be careful when you’re alone on the way home. You’re good-looking; someone might follow you.”

Aru finished speaking, hearing Zhao Ge calling him from outside, “I’m leaving. Stay here and don’t come out until Mr. Cao leaves. I’ll send you a WeChat later—did I forget to add you on WeChat?”

Cheng Shuo opened his QR code card and presented it to Aru.

Aru quickly scanned the code and then hurriedly left.

After accepting the friend request, Cheng Shuo unconsciously glanced at the changing room. Before six o’clock, the empty paper bag and the empty gift box he left behind were quietly lying there, making the room look a bit messy.

He started to tidy up, closing the box and putting it back into the paper bag. Wait a minute, why was there a letter in the paper bag? Could it be from Lu Huaiqian?

Cheng Shuo, puzzled, took out the letter.

On the envelope was beautifully written English script.

“To Mr. Lu”

For Mr. Lu.

Cheng Shuo’s expression paused for a moment. After a moment of contemplation, he suddenly realized that Lu Huaiqian had mentioned that the uniform was custom-made. Perhaps the tailor assumed it was Lu Huaiqian who would wear it and wrote this letter.

Although slightly curious, he couldn’t open it.

Cheng Shuo tucked the envelope into his pants pocket, thinking he would remember to hand the letter over when Lu Huaiqian returned.

After a while, he finally received a message from Aru.

​1​

When Cheng Shuo returned to the bar, it was already 9:30 at night, half an hour before the end of the shift.

At this time, those who lived far away and didn’t want to stay overnight in nearby hotels had mostly left. Aru, taking advantage of a brief break, sat behind the bar and took the initiative to talk to Cheng Shuo, “Your uniform is so exquisite, much more than mine.”

Cheng Shuo hadn’t observed it. “Why do you say that?”

Aru replied, “Leaving aside the fabric and craftsmanship, just look at the vest. The logo of Mo Blue Bar on your chest is embroidered with silver thread, while mine is printed.”

Cheng Shuo turned his head and looked closely. “Indeed.”

“So, how much did Lu Huaiqian charge you for this uniform?”

Cheng Shuo subconsciously wanted to say he hadn’t paid, but then he remembered Lu Huaiqian’s advice. Afraid Aru would feel uneasy, and considering Aru had just helped him, he hesitated for a moment and didn’t say anything.

Aru immediately caught on, “Don’t tell me you didn’t pay?”

Before Cheng Shuo could respond, Aru already had an answer in mind. “Well, Lu Huaiqian wouldn’t charge you.”

Aru stared at the embroidered logo on Cheng Shuo’s chest for a few moments and couldn’t help saying, “The embroidery, Can I… touch it?”

Considering they were colleagues, it wasn’t an unreasonable request. Cheng Shuo nodded, “Sure.”

Aru’s fingertips gently touched the raised embroidery. The embroidery, illuminated by the side light, flickered like a flowing galaxy. He couldn’t help but sigh softly, “Playing double standards to the extreme.”

The words were vague, without specifying the subject. Cheng Shuo didn’t understand for a moment, “What?”

Suddenly, the glass door directly opposite the bar was pulled open, and Lu Huaiqian walked in, taking large strides, with his clothes trailing in the night breeze.

Aru immediately retracted his hand, jumping back.

The reaction made Cheng Shuo inexplicably feel as if he had done something guilty behind Lu Huaiqian’s back with Aru.

After a few seconds of calm thinking, realizing that he hadn’t actually done anything, but feeling a bit guilty for some reason, he dared not make eye contact. Perhaps because he had been slacking off and chatting during work and got caught by the boss.

Cheng Shuo lowered his eyes for a while before sneakily raising them, looking at Lu Huaiqian—

Lu Huaiqian was looking at him.

Their gazes connected through the hazy bar lights.

Lu Huaiqian’s eyes were profound, like the thick night outside the window.

Then, for the first time, he was the first to shift his gaze.

The connection was abruptly cut off, as if Lu Huaiqian didn’t want to give him another glance. Cheng Shuo clenched his fingertips.

He watched Lu Huaiqian walk past him without a smiling greeting, without any expression as if he were an unnoticed background, a stranger, transparent and unworthy of attention.

Cheng Shuo followed his back unconsciously until the stairs leading to the second floor. Without Lu Huaiqian’s permission, no one could go up. He could only stop his steps.

Silently returning to the bar, someone was talking to him, and he responded absentmindedly, his mind elsewhere.

Half an hour passed like a flash.

At ten o’clock, Cheng Shuo went to the changing room. Only then did he start turning the metal pieces to lock when suddenly a knocking sound came from outside the door.

Cheng Shuo opened the door and was slightly surprised, “…Boss.”

Lu Huaiqian nodded, “I’m coming in to change.”

He took a few steps inside, then suddenly remembered something, “Are you changing too?”

“Yes,” Cheng Shuo whispered, “So, could you please—?”

Avoid a misunderstanding.

He didn’t say it all, but just like before, he thought Lu Huaiqian should understand his meaning. However, unlike before, Lu Huaiqian didn’t politely leave the changing room.

But no, upon hearing this, Lu Huaiqian’s brow slightly furrowed. He stood still, his gaze deep and inscrutable, looking into Cheng Shuo’s eyes.

His lips tightened into a line, and he remained silent for a long time.

Long enough for Cheng Shuo, after repeatedly hesitating, to finally gather the courage to speak. But just as he was about to explain—

“Why did you let Aru touch you?”

Lu Huaiqian suddenly asked in a low voice.

Cheng Shuo was startled, then quickly understood.

He hurriedly explained, “Aru said he wanted to see the embroidery on my chest.”

“He wanted to see, so you let him?”

For the first time, Cheng Shuo heard Lu Huaiqian speak to him in such a tone, unfamiliar, and his heart seemed to contract for a moment.

He was dumbfounded for a moment.

Lu Huaiqian’s eyebrows gradually furrowed, “You’ve always said you dislike physical contact, always said you dislike physical contact. I actually believed it.”

“You’re willing to let Aru touch you.” He paused, self-mockingly laughed, “So you just purely dislike me touching you, right?”