BL - One Night In Pingjing 29 The Little Club

When Cheng Jian had first heard of The Little Club, he didn't know what to expect. Working for Big Boss for years,  if there was something he had learnt about Big Boss, it was that Big Boss didn't do anything little; the man was always all about extravagance and s...o...b..ating.

When he walked through the door of The Little Club, he didn't know how to feel. The Little Club was neither little, nor was it a club. The Little Club was seven times bigger than any place you'd dare call little. It wasn't however smaller than what Big Boss would usually go for. Perhaps, that's why it was called little. The bar was splattered with half-moon-shaped, tomato-colored booths that added an extravagant flair to it. The gla.s.s coffee table reflected as lights bounced off them. 

It was almost getting to peak hours and although Cheng Jian wanted to see how The Little Club operated, he had no desire to seat close to so many straight people by choice.

He walked up to the counter and ordered a fruit punch. The bartender gave him a quick queer look before proceeding to mix the drink. Cheng Jian rolled his eyes and pulled out his phone. He hated straight bars. Lazily, he typed a few words. "Here now. Look for me in one of the funny-looking booths."

When the bartender pa.s.sed him his drink, he went to one of the booths closest to the wall and took a seat.

Soon Lan Haiyang appeared in front of him, and slid into a seat close to him, wearing a big, dimpled smile. "I've missed big brother so much."

Cheng Jian didn't even look in his direction. He just muttered a dissatisfied, "I hate this place."

"Why?" Lan Haiyang asked with a frown.

"One, why is it called little when it's big? Two, why is it called a club when it is a bar? Three, why am I in a straight bar? Four, the stupid bartender looked at me oddly when I ordered a fruit punch."

Lan Haiyang raised a brow at Cheng Jian, "You're always quite the drama queen. Are you sure the bartender looked at you strangely when you ordered a fruit punch?"

"Positive. I almost ran out of here."

Lan Haiyang rolled his eyes. Cheng Jian was a mighty drama queen and would use this as an excuse to never come to The Little Club again; he knew what he had to do to satisfy his disgruntled friend. He raised two fingers in the air and the bartender hurried to his side and bowed swiftly.

Cheng Jian raised a brow in interest and stared at the duo. He wouldn't have pegged the bartender for someone who could bow courteously.

"Why did you give my friend a strange look when he ordered a fruit punch?" Lan Haiyang questioned the bartender who had started trembling.

"I... I didn't... I didn't give him a strange look, sir," the bartender mumbled.

Cheng Jian c.o.c.ked his head to the right.

Lan Haiyang almost sighed. Cheng Jian was obviously still p.i.s.sed. "Are you calling my friend a liar?"

"No... No, Sir."

"I want you to apologize to him right now."

"I'm... I'm sorry, Sir," the bartender bowed profusely.

Cheng Jian only stared at him, then looked away.

Lan Haiyang looked at the bartender pitifully. "You can return to the counter. Don't judge people by what they order, that's not your job. Your job is to serve drinks. And the next time I hear this kind of complaint about you, you're fired."

The bartender bowed again and turned to walk away.

"Psst," Lan Haiyang called the bartender again who hurriedly returned to his side. "And please do make sure you give my friend special treatment the next time you see him here."

"If I come here again," Cheng Jian muttered.

Both Lan Haiyang and the bartender stared at Cheng Jian. The bartender bowed and took his leave while Lan Haiyang shook his head in amus.e.m.e.nt.

As soon as the bartender returned to the counter, Cheng Jian burst out laughing. Then he tapped Lan Haiyang on the shoulder. "That was so cool. How can you do that?"

Lan Haiyang smiled broadly and shrugged to feign humility. "You know Boss helps Big Boss manage this place. Well, I'm Boss' right-hand man so I basically have the same status as him. I can hire and fire anyone I like, Boss never questions my decisions, so everyone respects me around here."

Cheng Jian grinned like a Ches.h.i.+re-cat, "That's so cool."

"I know," Lan Haiyang nodded.

"Wow," Cheng Jian shook his head lightly. "I thought the reason you came here was that you were still holding on to that stupid dream of finding the right girl for you. I didn't know it was because you wanted to show off."

"Don't call it a stupid dream..."

"Oh! You're not over that yet," Cheng Jian took a sip from his drink.

"Seriously. I imagine I'm going to meet a girl one day, fall in love and have children. What's wrong with that?"

"Does it necessarily have to be a girl?"

Lan Haiyang shrugged. "Probably not. But in all the good love stories, it's usually a girl and a boy. There's no Romeo and Romeo, just Romeo and Juliet. I just usually imagine it's a girl."

"So the love you're looking for is a tragic romance where you and the girl commit suicide in the end?"

Lan Haiyang shook his head, "Of course not. That's just an example. My whole life is a tragedy already, so of course, I want a happy ending."

"You just scolded a bartender because he eyed me. Isn't that a good enough happy ending for you?"

"No. I want that kind of feeling they describe in romance books. When I see that person, I want to have sweaty palms, I want to be unable to bring myself to talk in their presence because I'm  too nervous. I want to feel a s.h.i.+ver run down my spine when she touches my hands... You understand what I'm getting at, right?"

"No," Cheng Jian shook his head. "All you've done is describe a degree of uneasiness and discomfort no one should be subjected to."

Lan Haiyang shook his head in dismay. He then teased, "You're a case. But I bet that's what "your boyfriend" feels for you."

At the mention of Hua Zhendan, Cheng Jian put his drink down and swirled his straw in it comically.

Lan Haiyang looked from the straw to Cheng Jian, "How's he, by the way?" Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click for visiting.

Cheng Jian shrugged and said, "I don't know. I haven't heard from him in months."

Lan Haiyang smiled knowingly, "You're missing him, aren't you?"

Cheng Jian glared at him, appalled. "Miss what?"

Lan Haiyang laughed, "How many years have I known you, Cheng Jian? You never call me unless you have a big problem. This time, not only did you call me, but you also agreed to meet me up here. In a straight bar. Your problem is so big it has to be related to your feelings."

Cheng Jian took a quick sip from his drink. "Look, I'm just worried about him, okay? The last time we saw, he wasn't doing so good. He normally always calls me. Now, he doesn't. Not even to say hi."

"You're worried about him and you miss him. The only person you ever worry about is yourself."

"I don't miss him."

"But you're very uneasy because you haven't seen or heard from him in a long time, right? And you very much wish he'd call."

Cheng Jian nodded, "Is that what missing someone is?"

Lan Haiyang laughed, then nodded, "Yes, it is."

"s.h.i.+t!" Cheng Jian cursed. "Does this mean I'm in love with him?"

Lan Haiyang shook his head, "I can't answer that question for you. Do you have good feelings for him?"

"I don't know, I've always been so mean to him."

"G.o.d! Why don't you call him?"

"Why would I?"

"Because you miss him and you're probably in love with him?"

Cheng Jian rolled his eyes, "Calling him is desperate. I never call him, he always calls me."

"And how's that working for you?"

"But I don't feel any of those things you described before. The uneasiness and discomfort you feel around those people you're in love with."

"I don't know how it works, I've never been in love myself."

"Aren't you a blind man leading another blind man?" Cheng Jian pouted.

"Hey, you were the one who came to me for advice."

Cheng Jian shrugged his shoulders. He couldn't argue with that.

"But maybe since you've known each other for long, you skipped the beginning part and are now at the part where you're just comfortable with him."

"That makes sense."

"Call him, Cheng Jian."

"I won't."

Lan Haiyang rolled his eyes.

"I'll go visit him."

Lan Haiyang scoffed. Cheng Jian had to say it that way. He was indeed such a drama queen.