Sun Beibei gave Ji Tiancheng a meaningful look after speaking. Ji Tiancheng, receiving Sun Beibei’s hint, glanced at An Ran and revealed a cryptic smile.
Ji Tiancheng clearly appeared to be an experienced bar-goer; he didn’t even look at the menu before ordering several expensive liquors. An Ran meticulously noted down the order and left the private room. Shortly, she returned with a basket full of drinks.
An Ran opened a bottle, and just as she was about to open a second one, Ji Tiancheng stopped her with the bottle opener: "Hey, Miss, you ought to know the rules at the bar, right?"
An Ran looked up, somewhat puzzled, staring at him.
Ji Tiancheng laughed, grabbed an empty glass, and picked up the bottle that had been opened, pouring it while he said, "Hacker Bar has a rule: for each bottle opened, the hostess must accompany the drink. Miss An Ran, you surely understand this rule, right?"
Saying this, he raised the filled glass in front of An Ran.
An Ran had indeed heard about this rule before, but Wang Xiaoyi mentioned it was up to the customers. Moreover, she had never encountered such situations in the public area. Seeing the drink before her now, she hesitated.
These were all foreign liquors; besides wine, there was brandy and whiskey. If she drank one glass per bottle, she might not be able to continue working.
"Ji Tiancheng, this is our classmate. Don’t make things difficult for her." Lu Yi spoke up with a furrowed brow.
"How am I making things difficult? It’s the bar’s rule, not one set by Tiancheng, don’t you think?" Wu Lei joined in the teasing, "Could it be that our Young Master Lu is feeling tender-hearted?"
"Exactly, Lu Yi, don’t worry. Since An Ran took this job, she surely has the capacity for drinking. It wouldn’t be fair to drink with others and not with our classmates, right? Moreover, today is your birthday; An Ran has to drink for this occasion." Sun Beibei chimed in as well.
An Ran felt Guo Xinyi’s sinister gaze from beside her. Seeing Lu Yi about to say something, she spoke first, "Alright, today I’ll drink this to toast the class monitor. Happy birthday!"
Finished, she took the glass and drank it down in one go.
"Alright, keep opening the bottles."
Ji Tiancheng stood by, and as An Ran opened a bottle, he poured a glass, and with each glass he filled, An Ran drank it.
Reflecting on the call An Sijia made today, it’s obvious who made things difficult for her without needing to think. Guo Xinyi had the power. If I want to settle in Nan’an, I can’t offend her.
Lu Yi is the root of Guo Xinyi’s discontent towards me. Although I have no improper intentions towards him, Lu Yi treats me differently, which I can feel.
I can’t reciprocate Lu Yi’s feelings and can only make him disappointed and give up on me.
Guo Xinyi watched with glee as An Ran drank glass after glass amidst the crowd’s cheers, feeling as if she were a lowly being trying hard to please everyone.
She brought Lu Yi here today because she knew An Ran sold drinks here. On purpose, she had Sun Beibei find their acquaintance, Angel, to occupy the bar space, forcing An Ran to sell drinks in the private room.
She wanted Lu Yi to see what kind of person An Ran really was, to see her drinking with customers for a bit of money. How could such a woman be worthy of the Lu Family? She wanted him to know that only she was deserving of his status.
Elsewhere, at Longteng Xinyuan, Mu Xingfeng paced the room for an hour after being hung up on, still unable to figure out how he offended this little girl. Not only did she hang up on him, but she told him not to contact her anymore. This couldn’t be tolerated.