Chapter 45 : Lin Zheng
Chapter 45: Lin Zheng
Bai Lengci walked into the bar counter area with no expression on her face.
A waiter immediately followed with a thick stack of drink orders, almost enough to drown one corner of the counter.
“Aria, these are all specially requested for you… and these…”
The waiter lowered his voice, pointing at a few orders on the tray that were clearly stuffed with tips.
“These are extra for you.”
Bai Lengci only glanced at that pile of slips, gave a faint “Mm,” and then started washing her hands and preparing her tools.
She was used to this kind of noise surrounding her.
These days, she had been approached in all sorts of ways far more than the sum of the past ten-plus years of her life.
Those who directly asked for her contact information were still polite; the most troublesome were the drunk guests who tried to pester her, especially certain female customers who cried and clung, pretended to be drunk, and threw themselves into her arms.
She could neither hit nor scold them away.
Even when some of them were attractive women with great figures, deliberately tempting her, she still maintained the same cold attitude of “No blessings to accept, please don’t come near.”
Just as she began handling the shaker, preparing to face this wave of orders, her gaze unintentionally swept over to Xiao Ran at one side of the bar counter.
She was sitting alone on a high stool, resting one hand on her chin while her other fingertips lightly tapped the counter.
She was watching everything in the bar with great interest, the corners of her lips carrying a playful smile.
Almost at the same time, another figure suddenly caught sight of Xiao Ran.
Lin Zheng felt that his luck today was incredible.
He had almost given up.
Ever since that day in the bar when he had been played by that woman with a dazzling smile but a devilishly dark heart, he had come back several days in a row.
Eagerly hoping to run into those two stunning beauties again.
Unfortunately, he came up empty every time.
The little streamer girl he had brought along had already begun to complain that hanging around in bars all the time was boring.
Today he had originally decided it would be his last time coming, but just as he thought he would once again return without success, heaven actually opened its eyes!
Only she was here!
In that instant, Lin Zheng’s heart pounded violently, a feeling close to destiny striking him.
He even felt that if this beauty nodded, tomorrow he could immediately dump that little streamer, turn over a new leaf, and go with her to the Civil Affairs Bureau to get a marriage certificate!
Lin Zheng’s family background was actually quite ordinary.
The only reason he could go abroad for a diploma from some no-name university was thanks to his elder sister marrying a man with a bit of money and influence.
His brother-in-law, Wang Li, a middle manager at Jinding Construction, had smoothed over many things for him, including when he hit someone while drunk driving abroad at the end of last year.
In order to escape sky-high compensation and possible prison, it was also his brother-in-law who found a way to secretly get him back home.
He didn’t dare tell his parents the truth, only claiming he had finished his studies early and returned home to develop his career.
After coming back, he used the tuition and living expenses originally meant for his next school year.
With some extra money secretly given to him by his sister, he gritted his teeth and bought a second-hand, low-end Ferrari, along with a few flashy outfits.
With that appearance and that car, he showered gifts on a moderately pretty small-time streamer on a not-so-popular platform, easily getting her WeChat.
After a few dates, a decent dinner, and a ring worth over ten thousand yuan, he “touched” her into tears, and that night she half-reluctantly went to a hotel with him.
Taking her out for drinks with friends did give him some face.
But as time went by, the novelty quickly wore off.
The little streamer’s tricks and narrow vision grew increasingly dull in his eyes.
Compared to Xiao Ran and her friend, whom he had caught a glimpse of last week at Twilight—
Whether it was looks, temperament, or that indescribable aura—she instantly made the little streamer beside him look like trash.
Although he had been played that day, Xiao Ran’s bright yet thorny face and the gentle beauty beside her had already taken root in his heart.
He immediately straightened his expensive shirt, took a deep breath, and plastered on what he thought was the most graceful smile as he walked over to Xiao Ran, who was sitting alone at the bar counter.
“Hi… what, what a coincidence.”
Lin Zheng stood beside Xiao Ran, deliberately softening his voice, carrying just the right touch of surprise.
“Didn’t expect… to run into you again today. Do you still remember me?”
Xiao Ran was lazily watching the bartender’s fluid movements inside the counter.
Hearing his voice, she turned her head slowly.
Seeing that it was Lin Zheng, her pretty eyebrows arched slightly, and a faintly mocking smile appeared on her face.
“Oh~ it’s you.”
She drew out her tone, her attitude neither welcoming nor dismissive.
“That… the brave one who downed two Zombies in a row?”
A flicker of awkwardness passed across Lin Zheng’s face, but his thick skin quickly smoothed it over.
“Hahaha, yes, that was just to show my sincerity! That day… I was only joking with your friend, didn’t expect she’d be so humorous.”
He tried to brush off the incident of being played.
“Mm, she really is humorous.”
Xiao Ran nodded, her gaze shifting back to Bai Lengci inside the counter, her interest clearly less in Lin Zheng than in the bartender.
Lin Zheng grew anxious, quickly searching for a topic.
“Today… just you? Your friend didn’t come?”
Xiao Ran finally glanced at him again, amusement in her eyes.
“What, seeing me alone, makes you think your chance has come?”
Being so bluntly exposed, even Lin Zheng’s thick skin couldn’t hold up.
He forced two dry laughs.
“No, no… I just thought, meeting again must be fate. Last time… we didn’t really get to know each other. My name is Lin Zheng—Lin like forest, Zheng like in ‘towering years.’ Can… I know your name?”
Xiao Ran looked at him, her eyes turning slightly.
“A name… I can tell you. But…”
She extended a slender finger, pointing toward Bai Lengci mixing drinks behind the counter.
“See that bartender girl? Isn’t she especially cool, especially cold?”
Lin Zheng followed her finger, spotting Bai Lengci’s expressionless yet stunning profile, and subconsciously nodded.
“Yes… very beautiful.”
He muttered to himself, not understanding why Xiao Ran suddenly brought her up.
Xiao Ran leaned in slightly, lowering her voice as if sharing a secret.
“I’ll tell you, I’m actually her loyal fan! If you really want to be friends with me… here’s what you do: order the most difficult, most complicated drink she makes. Then, find a way to praise her—praise her until she’s happy. If you can make her smile at you, I’ll tell you my name. How about that?”
Lin Zheng’s eyes immediately lit up.
This didn’t sound hard at all.
Just order a drink and say a few good words!
Much easier than downing two strong cocktails last time!
And if he could actually make that ice beauty smile, wouldn’t it be killing two birds with one stone?
“No problem! Leave it to me! Watch me.”
Lin Zheng patted his chest confidently.
He immediately straightened his back, adjusted his tie, and strode to the bar counter.
Striking what he thought was a suave pose, he leaned on the bar.
He deliberately revealed the shiny watch on his wrist, tapping the counter.
“Hey, give me a… hmm, your most impressive, most complicated drink—the one that best shows your skill!”
Bai Lengci was filtering liquid from the shaker into a chilled martini glass.
Only after finishing did she slowly turn toward Lin Zheng.
“The most complicated?”
“Yes! The kind with lots of steps, lots of bottles, looks super cool when you make it! Of course, money isn’t an issue.”
Lin Zheng gestured dramatically, trying to make himself clear.
Bai Lengci silently looked at him for two seconds, making him feel like a monkey.
She spoke calmly.
“Zombie, or Mai Tai, are both more complex.”
“Then Zombie! That one!”
Lin Zheng responded immediately, secretly pleased—the name sounded cool enough already.
Bai Lengci said no more, turning to gather bottles.
Light, gold, and dark rum, pineapple juice, passionfruit syrup, lime juice, apricot brandy, bitters… one by one, more than a dozen bottles lined up at her side.
Lin Zheng’s eyes widened as he watched her movements.
Soon, a vibrant orange-red cocktail garnished with mint leaves and fruit slices was placed before him.
“Your Zombie.”
Lin Zheng looked at the drink, then at Bai Lengci’s unchanged face, realizing his real task was only beginning.
He picked up the glass, deliberately inhaling.
“Wow! This color! This aroma! Just looking at it, I can tell it’s extraordinary! Beauty, your skills are unmatched! You’re the best bartender I’ve ever seen in Jiangcheng—no, in all of China!”
Bai Lengci was already cleaning the tools she had used, only giving a faint “Mm” in reply.
Lin Zheng felt a little embarrassed, but remembering that Xiao Ran was watching from behind, he had no choice but to press on.
He took a sip, his features immediately contorting.
This drink was strong.
He forced it down, squeezing out a smile.
“Great drink! Truly great! Layers of flavor, lasting aftertaste! Beauty, not only do you look like a fairy, your skills are second to none!
Honestly, with your looks and your craft, working in such a small bar is a waste! Ever thought about moving to a bigger city? Like Shanghai? I know some people there…”
He rambled on, praising everything from her looks to her skills, even fantasizing aloud about her winning international bartending competitions.
Bai Lengci kept her back to him, already working on the next order.
No matter how flashy his compliments, the curve of her lips didn’t change in the slightest.
Lin Zheng grew parched, feeling like he was running out of things to say.
He sneaked a glance at Xiao Ran—she had her hand over her mouth, shoulders shaking slightly, clearly amused.
Frustration welled up.
Lin Zheng decided to play his trump card.
A joke.
“Beauty, beauty, don’t just stay busy—how about I tell you a joke? Guaranteed funny!”
He raised his voice.
Bai Lengci was slicing lemon wedges.
Not caring whether she responded, he started anyway.
“One day, a polar bear got bored, so it started plucking its own fur.
One hair, two hairs, three hairs… it kept plucking until it was bald! Guess what it said at the end?”
He paused dramatically, staring at Bai Lengci.
She set the lemon slices in a dish, wiping her hands with a towel.
With no reaction, Lin Zheng revealed the punchline himself.
“It said, ‘So cold!!’ Hahaha! Isn’t that hilarious?”
He laughed awkwardly, the sound especially jarring in the bar.
Several nearby guests glanced over, their expressions odd.
At last, Bai Lengci turned back to face him.
Lin Zheng’s heart leapt, thinking he had finally gotten through.
She spoke.
“Sir, would you like a refill?”
Lin Zheng: “…”
The smile froze on his face.
He felt like a clown, performing desperately on stage with no applause.
His mouth opened, but not a word came out.
In the end—
He silently shook his head, carrying the Zombie he had only sipped once, and slunk back to his seat without even daring to glance at Xiao Ran again.