29 THE LITTLE CLUB (1/2)
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 showboating.
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 glass 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 passed 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 cocked his head to the right.
Lan Haiyang almost sighed. Cheng Jian was obviously still pissed. ”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 amusement.
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 Cheshire-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?”