Chapter 317: The Bar
“Su Peng, Su Peng~ Are bars full of people dancing, with loud bass going boom-boom-boom?”
“That’s a nightclub.”
“Su Peng, Su Peng! Do bars really have drinks that cost thousands for one bottle?”
“On Taobao they’re only one or two thousand.”
“And is it true that people get ‘picked up’ outside bars?”
“I’ve never seen it.”
Since she was young, An Han had always been very curious about bars. But compared to internet cafés, bars were even more demonized by her parents. On online forums, she often saw people criticizing bars.
But that only made her even more curious.
After eating hotpot and cake in the evening and spending her birthday with friends, it was only 8 p.m. Relying on the fact that it was her birthday, and that she had a group of friends earlier so she wasn’t worried about danger, she suddenly wanted to go to a bar and experience it.
But no one responded to her idea, so she ended up dragging Su Peng, and the two of them went to a nearby bar.
“I thought you were just curious. I didn’t think you really wanted to go.” Su Peng sighed. “You should know the difference between a bar and a nightclub. But you shouldn’t go to these places alone.”
“It’s my birthday today~”
Under the night sky and streetlights, An Han was short, and her legs were a bit shorter than Su Peng’s. She had to walk faster with small quick steps to keep up, her eyes full of curiosity.
“I definitely wouldn’t dare go alone. I never drink when I’m outside.”
“I just want to try a cocktail and feel the atmosphere.”
She gave herself excuses and reasons, then reminded Su Peng, “You shouldn’t drink. I’ll only taste a little.”
“I know.”
Su Peng was long used to how she acted on impulse. He habitually reached out to rub her head, smiling helplessly but gently.
“I thought Brother Long and Junjie would come too. That would be safer.”
“It’s not that chaotic, especially this place you chose.”
The bar An Han picked was close to the school and only a short walk from her rented room.
She was confused by Su Peng’s words at first, but when she looked up at the tiny storefront in front of them, she froze.
Calling it a “bar”… it looked more like a milk tea shop…
Su Peng pushed open the glass door and led the curious, slightly timid An Han into the bar.
“Welcome.”
From behind the long counter, a young man, maybe the owner or a staff member, greeted them without even lifting his head.
An Han looked around the interior, a big question mark forming in her mind.
The place was tiny. A counter and three long tables filled the whole bar. The lighting was dim, giving a little of the atmosphere she imagined, but the music was soft and gentle, nothing that made people feel excited.
There were only two customers, chatting while eating skewers.
“It’s more like a small quiet bar,” Su Peng explained as he brought her to the counter. “Let’s order two drinks, taste them, and go back?”
“Mm…”
She had expected a big dance floor, people partying, pretty girls dancing, something like the scene in the movie.
But this place was more like a mix between a milk tea shop and a barbecue shop. The menu on the counter had cocktails but also snacks and grilled food.
“I heard the owner graduated a few years ago. During the World Cup, I came here to watch. It was so full you couldn’t even walk.”
The young man behind the counter looked up and added, “During the S Championship and Formula 1, a lot of people came too. Thirty yuan per person, with one drink and a snack plate.”
A large screen hung from the ceiling. An Han could easily imagine the bar packed with people watching games together, cheering loudly when their favorite team won.
She casually ordered two drinks, then sat on the high bar chair, tiptoeing with some effort. The chair was too tall, and even her toes couldn’t touch the floor. Her face tensed up as she sat carefully, afraid she might fall.
Su Peng sat beside her, resting his chin on one hand against the bar counter, looking at An Han with gentle eyes as she stared around with curiosity.
She was pretty cute, like a little kitten that just crawled out of its nest, walking unsteadily and looking up at the new world.
“Want to order some barbecue too?”
“No, thanks. The hotpot and cake already made me full…”
An Han shook her head, but her eyes were drawn to the bartender mixing drinks.
Back in middle school, she had seen videos of bartenders online and was shocked by how cool it looked. She felt it was the coolest job in the world.
She even thought about taking a bartending course after graduating middle school to get a license and become a bartender herself. But in the end, she still obediently went to high school and then university.
But now An Han realized the bartender’s skills weren’t cool at all…
And the so-called “cocktail” was just some strong alcohol she didn’t recognize mixed with cola and shaken a bit.
“It’s done.”
She took the glass with a bit of disappointment, took a small sip, and her eyes lit up. She could barely taste any alcohol. It had soft cola bubbles, and it tasted more like a nice drink.
So she gulped it down in a few big sips.
Su Peng’s eyelid twitched. “Drink slower, don’t get drunk.”
“This is just a soft drink! And I can handle alcohol really well.”
An Han took a breath, but her face was already turning red. She didn’t notice her own condition. When the second drink arrived, she took another small sip, and again finished it in a few quick gulps.
“Oh no… I need to use the bathroom…”
“You’re going to get drunk like this.”
“I can handle alcohol, okay? This is probably weaker than beer.”
She paused, then excitedly started trying to order another drink.
“Didn’t we agree to just buy two drinks to try?” Su Peng pressed down her excited little hand.
“It’s rare to come here! And it’s my birthday! Can’t you let me drink happily?”
Su Peng already guessed what would happen. He wanted to stop her, but seeing how happy she looked, he couldn’t help but smile helplessly.
“Fine, drink then.”
Trying to stop her was useless anyway. It was better to let her get drunk and confused now, she would understand when she woke up tomorrow with a terrible headache.
Su Peng already understood An Han’s personality well.
…………………
“Su Peng~ I feel so dizzy…”
“Ugh… I suddenly started feeling dizzy… hic!”
The little glutton pressed her face against Su Peng’s chest, holding onto his shoulders, moving her head slightly while making strange mumbling sounds.
“So silly… A girl like this could be tricked into bed twice.”
“You really have zero guard against me.”
Su Peng complained quietly. One arm supported An Han’s body while the other scanned the QR code to pay.
He looked at the other customers in the shop, then at the bartender’s eyes that looked at him like he was some kind of scumbag. His expression froze.
“I’m her boyfriend,” Su Peng explained casually, so it wouldn’t hurt his reputation if rumors spread.
He then started worrying about how to bring An Han home. Seeing how weak she was, she probably couldn’t even stand. He would have to carry her.
Luckily, he wasn’t carrying a gas cylinder. He was carrying a small, cute girl.
Suddenly, he felt boundless strength.