At noon, when it was time for lunch, Fei Wen indeed ordered a meal from a nearby hotel. There were about four or five female zergs in their group, and their appetites were far from small. The large table in the center of the second floor was laden with exquisite dishes, which, at the very least, must have cost several thousand star coins. Such extravagance was unheard of in this impoverished little town.
Sanya was curled up on the innermost sofa, his gaze lowered, lost in thought. He appeared somewhat absent-minded. The others, however, were unfazed; they had long grown accustomed to his aloof nature.
It wasn’t until Fei Wen tapped the table beside him as a reminder, “Sanya, it’s time to eat,” that he was brought back to the present.
Hearing this, Sanya finally snapped out of his thoughts. He stood up from the sofa a beat slower than usual but didn’t head straight to the table. Instead, he walked over to the railing and called out to the male zerg sitting downstairs:
“You Que, come up and eat.”
His voice was calm and light, distinctly recognizable.
You Que felt that freeloading on his first day of work didn’t seem appropriate. After all, the contract didn’t include meals or accommodations. He looked up toward the second floor and politely declined, “It’s fine, I’ll just eat outside.”
Sanya frowned. “I said come up, so come up.”
Fei Wen, sitting nearby, clicked his tongue at the sight. He knew Sanya couldn’t keep up the pretense for long. Just a couple of days ago, it was all “Your Excellency” and “Sir,” as if he were some kind of upstanding citizen. Any zerg unaware of the truth might have actually believed it. But no matter how much a wolf tries to act like a rabbit, an zerg thrown into Blackstone Prison will always be a predator at heart.
Whether that male zerg had been singled out as fortunate or unlucky, it was hard to say.
Left with no other choice, You Que made his way upstairs.
Sanya casually pulled out a chair and placed it by the table. “Sit here,” he said.
Fei Wen chimed in as well, “Don’t be shy, sit down and eat. We don’t mistreat our employees here.”
The other female zergs remained silent, their gazes fixed on You Que as faint blushes crept up their faces. Each of them delicately held their lunch boxes, eating with exaggerated grace, a stark contrast to their usual ravenous behavior.
You Que thought this job wasn’t too bad—definitely better than being a driver back in the village. After saying a quick “thank you”, he sat down. Sanya opened a lunch box and placed it in front of him, then handed him a set of utensils. “Take whatever you’d like to eat,” he said.
You Que had just started today and wasn’t very familiar with them yet. He picked a few symbolic bites of food and then quietly focused on eating. Fei Wen, whether intentionally or not, gave You Que a once-over before suddenly asking, “Your Excellency, have you married a female monarch yet?”
For some reason, You Que felt Fei Wen’s gaze was no different from that of a matchmaking agency investigator. He replied concisely, “No.”
Fei Wen found it odd. You Que was so handsome, yet he hadn’t even married a female monarch? If this were the capital, he’d probably have rolled in the sheets countless times by now. “What about a female consort?”
You Que: “Also no.”
Fei Wen laughed, thinking to himself that this kid wasn’t lying, was he? “Your Excellency, the investigators from the matchmaking agency wouldn’t let an eligible male zerg like you slip by. Didn’t they arrange any blind dates for you?”
Fei Wen was being a bit too talkative, and Sanya immediately kicked him under the table. “Eat your food.”
Fei Wen thought to himself, Great, all my efforts were in vain. I was just trying to help Sanya gather some information, and he doesn’t even appreciate it. He picked up a large piece of meat with his chopsticks and, deciding to just let it go, took his bowl to the side to eat. With a meaningful look, he muttered, “Fine, I won’t say anything. Watching StarNet programs is fine, right?”
You Que observed this scene and couldn’t shake the feeling that Sanya didn’t really seem like an employee. In fact, he seemed more like the boss than Fei Wen. But then again, since they were relatives, it made sense that there was no clear distinction between senior and junior.
You Que was lost in thought when suddenly a large piece of meat appeared in his bowl, followed by a heap of vegetables. He heard Sanya’s familiar voice above him, “Can you fill up on just rice?”
Instinctively, You Que looked up, only to find Sanya frowning as he stared at him. Coming to his senses, he quickly replied, “It’s fine, the rice is good enough.”
You Que’s stepmother had a difficult, sharp-tongued nature. In the past, if he took more than a few bites of pickled vegetables at home, she would complain for hours. To keep his ears in peace, You Que would always rush through his meals, eating just enough to fill his stomach.
Sanya, however, assumed that You Que was too shy to serve himself and kept his eyes on his bowl the whole time. Every time the food ran low, he would add more. Eventually, You Que found it odd and turned his head to glance at him. “Why do you keep putting food in my bowl?”
Sanya paused with his chopsticks. “You don’t like it?”
You Que remained silent.
Seeing this, Sanya took it as a tacit agreement. His expression shifted slightly for a moment. “Then you can serve yourself… I’m full. I’ll go downstairs to work first.”
He likely thought You Que was being ungrateful. After saying this, he really pulled out his chair and got up to head downstairs, his ponytail swaying behind him, giving off a cold, crisp aura.
Kevin and the others quickly sensed that something was off. They all stopped eating and looked at You Que, who, in turn, placed his bowl on the table and wiped his mouth with a napkin. “I’m full too. May I ask where I can change into my work clothes?”
Kevin instinctively pointed downstairs. “Oh, you can just go to the first floor. There’s an employee changing room inside.”
Bartenders had uniforms, consisting of a white top and black pants, simple in design. After going downstairs and changing into his uniform, You Que came out, adjusting the length of his sleeves with a sleeve garter. Only then did he open the cabinet door and step behind the bar.
At that moment, Sanya was standing by the sink, washing glasses. When he heard You Que enter, he didn’t look up and continued with his work, not sure if it was due to the earlier conversation that he seemed a bit irritated.
You Que walked up behind him and asked, “How about I help you wash them?”
Sanya’s voice sounded somewhat cold. “No need.”
You Que pressed, “Really no need?”
Sanya repeated, “No need.”
You Que noticed Sanya’s braid hanging down and quietly reached out to tug at it. However, as if his back had eyes, Sanya didn’t even turn around but quickly grabbed You Que’s hand, his voice sharp with caution. “What are you doing?”
You Que didn’t struggle, letting Sanya hold his hand. His normally indifferent face showed little expression, but for some reason, he suddenly smiled. “I thought you weren’t going to talk to me anymore… Don’t be mad, I was just asking casually earlier. I didn’t mean to say I disliked you serving me food.”
Sanya replied coldly, “It’s none of my business.”
You Que leaned against the edge of the sink and, unusually, made a joke. “How is it not your business? I’m too shy to take food myself. If you don’t help me next time, I’ll just have to eat plain rice.”
Sanya replied, “Then just eat plain rice.”
Though his words sounded dismissive, it seemed he wasn’t actually angry anymore. Even the grip on You Que’s hand loosened slightly. However, You Que suddenly seemed to notice something. He reversed the hold, grabbing Sanya’s hand instead, and frowned. “Why do you have so many old scars on your hand?”
Sanya had once been a soldier, his hands covered in thick calluses and scars, a stark contrast to You Que’s long, clean hands.
Southern females had always been unable to resist beautiful things, and Sanya had admired You Que’s hands for a long time. But before, they weren’t familiar enough for him to linger on them, and he would only glance at them occasionally. Now, with You Que holding his hand tightly, Sanya found himself at a loss—he couldn’t struggle, but at the same time, he didn’t want to just let it be.
Sanya didn’t want to bring up his past, so he casually made up an excuse. “I accidentally bumped them while moving things before.”
“Is that so?” You Que’s tone was serious, though it was unclear whether he believed it or not. “Next time, let me help you move things.”
Those words, laced with an unmistakable bias and closeness, left Sanya momentarily unsure how to respond. He raised his eyes to look at You Que and suddenly realized how close they were. He could even catch the faint scent of the male zerg’s pheromones. A strange heat crept over his body, and he frowned, asking, “Why? Do you think these scars are ugly?”
You Que replied, “Not ugly, they’re quite nice.”
After saying this, he glanced at the wall clock. Noticing it was getting late, he finally let go of Sanya’s hand and said, “It’s two o’clock. Let’s open for business.”
The bar opened at two in the afternoon, and it didn’t take long for the first floor to fill with customers. As Sanya stood by the sink with a dark expression, cleaning what seemed like an endless stream of glasses and bottles, he couldn’t help but think he must have lost his mind—
You Que was the one working. Why the hell was he staying to keep him company?
“Your Excellency, are you the new bartender? My name is Pan Qi. If there’s anything you don’t understand, feel free to ask me. I’d be more than happy to help.”
Besides the servers, the bar had several female bartenders as well. One of them, a round-faced, delicate-looking female named Pan Qi, lit up the moment he saw You Que as he arrived for his shift. His eyes sparkled, and his face flushed as he shyly struck up a quiet conversation with You Que. Anyone watching could clearly see the budding infatuation in his expression.
You Que might not know much about other things, but he was well-versed in the art of leisure and entertainment. Noticing Pan Qi standing a little too close, he subtly shifted to the side. “Thank you. I’ll ask if there’s anything I don’t understand.”
But Pan Qi wasn’t ready to back off just yet and continued the conversation. “Did you use to live in this town? I don’t think I’ve seen you before.”
You Que replied calmly, “I didn’t live here before. It’s normal you haven’t seen me.”
In reality, You Que had been to this bar with Gu Yigu and the others at least ten, if not twenty, times. However, he always wore a mask on those occasions, and his clothes were plain, nothing flashy. Pan Qi must have seen him before but clearly forgot about it, leaving no impression whatsoever.
All it took was showing his face once, and the treatment flipped completely. Was there really such a drastic difference?
Pan Qi was about to ask something else when Sanya, who had been silently washing glasses with his back to them, suddenly turned around. His tone was flat as he asked, “Did the boss hire you to chat?”
Even if other females were interested in You Que, they were mindful of the workplace setting and didn’t dare overstep. But Pan Qi blatantly sticking close to You Que—was it purely because he was dazzled by good looks, or did he simply not care about the boss’s authority?
Pan Qi’s face turned pale at Sanya’s words, clearly intimidated by him. He shot a timid glance at You Que before lowering his voice. “Sorry, I’ll get to work right away.”
With that, he obediently went back to making drinks.
You Que had been flipping through the bartending manual, but when he saw Pan Qi retreating to work, he set the book aside. He didn’t pay attention to Pan Qi’s obvious discomfort, instead walking over to Sanya and asking, “How about I help you wash the glasses?”
Sanya’s fingers had been cut by a blade the day before. After soaking in cold water for two hours, the disinfectant bandages had started to peel off. In front of You Que, he ripped off the nearly detached bandage, revealing the injury on his index finger, which had turned white from being soaked, and now appeared slightly bloodshot and unsettling.
Sanya didn’t say anything, simply exposing the wound to You Que, his silver eyes watching the male zerg with a hint of curiosity, as if eager to see what he would do.
Seeing this, You Que was indeed affected by a flicker of emotion. He unconsciously frowned. “I forgot. You have a wound on your hand. Do you want to go to the clinic to get it treated?”
Sanya shook his head. “It’ll heal in a few days.”
You Que took Sanya’s cold hand and inspected the wound, ensuring there was no serious issue before letting go. He didn’t ask any further, simply pushing Sanya away from the sink. “Take a break. I’ll wash the glasses.”
Pan Qi, unable to resist, glanced over at the noise. He saw You Que bent over the sink, focused on washing the few remaining glasses, while Sanya leaned lazily against the edge of the sink, his head lowered as he gently sucked on his injured fingertip. His silver-gray eyes were slightly lowered, and his high ponytail cascaded over his shoulder like an elegant, proud snow leopard.
Pan Qi froze for a moment, realizing that Sanya was almost standing directly next to You Que.
As if sensing Pan Qi’s gaze, Sanya turned his head slightly, his eyes holding a faint glimmer of pride, and something else… a sharpness.
Pan Qi was chilled to the bone by Sanya’s stare and quickly averted his gaze, burying his head in his work in a hurry, almost knocking over a glass in his fluster.
As evening approached, more and more customers filled the bar. Since You Que was new and had a three-day familiarization period, he didn’t need to bartend immediately. However, when he sat by the bar to assist, he still found himself being approached by quite a few patrons.
“Your Excellency, don’t you find it too boring to be a bartender here? How about coming to check out my hotel? We happen to be looking for a manager.”
“Your Excellency, I wonder if I could have the honor of tasting a drink made by you? I’m sure it would be more wonderful than anything I’ve ever drunk in my life.”
“What a handsome male zerg, who could be so heartless to make you work so hard here?”
The bar was, after all, a place where all kinds of zergs gathered, and no one could expect much in terms of manners from a crowd of drunks. You Que had only been standing in a corner, helping to tidy up the tables, but almost immediately, a group of customers had gathered around him. Some threw flirtatious glances, others slipped tips into his pocket, and some even asked for his contact number.
As expected, just as Sanya had guessed, offers for cars, rooms, and companionship started to surface.
“Sorry, I’m still in my probation period. I won’t be able to mix drinks for a few more days.”
You Que smiled politely, sticking to the principle of customer service, while discreetly pocketing the tips. Just as he was about to find a place to avoid the persistent drunks, he turned around and realized that Sanya was also being surrounded.
It was the busiest time of night at the bar, with the bartenders all running around frantically. The only one with a relatively relaxed shift was Sanya, who was contentedly sitting to the side, taking it easy. A drunken male zerg, taken by his beauty, specifically requested Sanya to mix a drink, and no amount of persuasion could change his mind.
In the end, Sanya threw together a drink haphazardly. Needless to say, not all males had a stomach as strong as You Que’s. The drunken male took a sip and immediately spat it out, slamming his hands on the table as he started complaining, “Ugh, what the hell is this?! It tastes worse than urine!”
Sanya stood with his arms crossed behind the bar, raising an eyebrow indifferently at the angry customer. “I already said I’m not a bartender. You insisted that I make it.”
The drunk male, hearing this, slammed his hand on the table angrily. “Is this how your bar treats its customers? If you don’t come out and apologize properly, believe me, I’ll have your bar shut down! That drink tasted like piss—how dare you even serve it?!”
Sanya didn’t care at all about his threat. He sneered and said, “It tastes like piss because it’s perfect for you to use as a mirror.”[mfn]implying that it suits the customer well, as if it’s a reflection of the customer’s own character[/mfn]
“You—!”
The drunken male, enraged, picked up a freshly made drink from the table and threw it at Sanya. The bartop was too narrow to dodge, but just in time, You Que swiftly pulled Sanya aside while simultaneously turning to shield him.
“Splash!”
The drink hit You Que square in the face, the amber liquid dripping down his chiseled jawline in steady drops. Half of his previously clean shirt was now soaked. He closed his eyes for a moment, fearing the liquid might sting, and only slowly opened them again. Frowning, he turned his gaze to the male who had thrown the drink.
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