Chapter 33: Picking up girls at the bar
The taxi zipped through the dazzling city, the neon signs outside the window blurred into blurred streaks of light. Chu Yan leaned back in the back seat, tilting his head slightly to look out the window. The window glass blurredly reflected his deep-set profile and his now-melancholy eyes.
The scene from not long ago flashed through his mind uncontrollably again—Chu Yu's stern face flushed with lust, his usually sharp eyes blurred by moisture and lust, his taut body lines held explosive power, and every suppressed gasp seemed to carry a hook...
Chu Yan's Adam's apple rolled unconsciously, and he tugged at his loosened collar in frustration, as if that would dispel the nameless heat within him. His ability to remain calm and professional in handling everything was already a testament to his willpower. A gentleman? That was merely a disguise, after weighing the pros and cons. The forcibly suppressed physiological reactions and more primal impulses within him were now clamoring for a resurgence.
"Master, is there a bar nearby that's good and lively?" He spoke, his voice a little deeper and hoarse than usual.
The driver glanced at him in the rearview mirror and smiled knowingly: "Okay, I know one, it has a good atmosphere and is not far from here."
Ten minutes later, the taxi pulled up at a neon-lit street corner. The deafening blast of music could be faintly heard even through the car door. Chu Yan paid and got out, instantly enveloped in a completely different kind of clamor.
Pushing open the heavy door, the sound waves hit me like a physical presence, the subwoofer pounding out a heartbeat, the dazzling, blurry lights slicing through the dim space, and the air was filled with a dizzying, restless atmosphere. The dance floor was packed with men and women swaying wildly to the music, and in the booths, drinks were clinking, mixed with ambiguous laughter and glances.
The bustle here has a straightforward and lustful quality, which is completely different from the secretive and dangerous atmosphere in Chu Yu's luxurious suite.
Chu Yan's face was expressionless as he swept his gaze through the bustling crowd before heading straight for a seat in the far corner of the bar. He was tall and straight, with a calm demeanor that was even a bit aloof and cold, forming a subtle contrast with the indulgent surroundings. This contradiction attracted quite a few cryptic glances the moment he entered.
"A glass of whiskey, on the rocks." The amber liquid poured into the glass, the ice clinking. Chu Yan took the glass, feeling the coolness of the glass with his fingertips. He leaned against the bar, his long legs casually crossed. This position allowed him to clearly observe the entire place while appearing less aggressive.
Chu Yan slowly shook his wine glass, his eyes aimlessly sweeping across the dance floor. He was undoubtedly one of the most eye-catching people in the place. Even if he deliberately stayed in a corner, his outstanding appearance and hard-to-ignore aura were like fireflies in the dark, attracting moths towards the light.
Soon, the testers came one after another.
The first person to come over was a charming woman in a sexy sundress, a slender cigarette between her fingers, and a confident and bold smile. "Brother, drinking alone is so boring, buy me a drink?" She leaned forward slightly, showing off her impressive assets.
Chu Yan raised his eyes and put on a standard smile at the corner of his lips: "Thank you, but no thanks. I want to be alone for a while." The refusal was decisive and clear, leaving no room for imagination.
The woman curled her lips and walked away in boredom.
Next came a rather astute-looking young man, his wristwatch gleaming in the light. "Hey, you don't come here often? Wanna hang out? I have some friends over there," he said, trying to create a familiar atmosphere.
Chu Yan simply glanced at him indifferently, not even smiling, and shook his head. The indifference in his eyes made the visitor subconsciously swallow his subsequent words and leave in embarrassment.
The third wave, the fourth wave... men and women approached with bold or tentative smiles, but all were defeated by him.
The surrounding gazes were still glued to him, either overtly or covertly, with undisguised admiration, covetousness, and eagerness. Chu Yan was accustomed to all this. He swirled his glass, the ice gradually melting and diluting the liquor. His mind had long since drifted away from the bustling bar.
He called up the translucent task panel in his mind, visible only to him. Gu Ye would only turn eighteen next month. For a high school student, no matter how gifted or precocious he was, it was simply unrealistic to expect him to quickly take over a massive, complex enterprise like the Gu Corporation.
At least he had to wait until he graduated from college, had enough connections, experience, capital accumulation, and had gone through enough hardships before he could talk about controlling Gu's company.
Five years… Chu Yan silently repeated the minimum time limit estimated by the system. He would have to stay in this world for at least five more years.
Five years is not a short time. It's enough time for many things to happen and for many people to change. He couldn't be like an ascetic monk, wholeheartedly guarding Gu Ye and acting as his guardian or mentor around the clock. That would not only be unrealistic, but also likely to backfire.
He needed life, fun, his own rhythm and space, and some simpler, more direct pastimes. He pondered endlessly about his "life plan" for the next five years, weighing various possible approaches and boundaries.
Just as he was thinking about it, a pleasant voice with obvious youthfulness and nervousness sounded timidly in his ears, almost drowned out by the music:
"Um...excuse me..."
Chu Yan's thoughts were interrupted, and he came back to his senses from his detached state of being a bystander. He tilted his head slightly and looked up.
A very young boy stood before him, about eighteen or nineteen, like a college student. His features were clean and delicate, his hair was soft, and he was wearing a simple white T-shirt and jeans, which seemed out of place in the bar.
His cheeks flushed unnaturally, his eyes avoided, and he clenched his fingers nervously. He seemed to have exhausted a lot of courage before walking forward to talk, and his eyes subconsciously and quickly glanced at a booth not far away as if seeking help.
Chu Yan followed his gaze and saw several equally young, student-like men and women huddled together, looking over here excitedly and nervously. When they saw Chu Yan's gaze sweeping over, they immediately burst into suppressed, booing laughter and pushed each other.
Got it, the unlucky victim of Truth or Dare.
A flicker of understanding flashed across Chu Yan's eyes, followed by a subtle hint of amusement. The evil element within him was slightly activated by this unexpected incident.
He adjusted his sitting position slightly, which was originally leaning on the bar, becoming more relaxed and leaning back on the chair, forming a more oppressive and lazy posture.
The corners of his lips curled up in a subtle arc, and his eyes deliberately fell on the boy's ear tip that was already red enough to be bleeding. His voice was not loud, but it carried a kind of magnetism soaked in alcohol: "Huh? What's the matter?" He asked knowingly.
The boy felt uncomfortable under his scrutinizing gaze. His voice was low and quick, stumbling as if he was reciting a text: "I, I was playing Dare... I lost and am now accepting the punishment." He spoke quickly, just wanting to complete this shameful task quickly and escape.
Chu Yan said "Oh" softly, with the ending tone slightly rising, with an obvious mischievous smile: "Punishment? Is it so unbearable for you to come to me? Oh, it's really sad." He even made a slightly exaggerated hurt expression and winked at the boy, and the mockery in his eyes was more obvious.
"No! No!" The boy was indeed anxious. He quickly waved his hands to deny it, his face getting even redder. "It's just... I just want to ask a question. It's very simple. I'll leave after I finish asking." He was eager to clarify, fearing that the other party would misunderstand that he disliked him, and then the task would be even more impossible to complete.
"Alright," Chu Yan decided to stop teasing him, lest he really scare him away. He put down his glass and leaned forward slightly, closing the distance between them.
The distance was enough for the boy to feel his presence and hear his lowered voice, which was even more magnetic, with a bewitching gentleness. "Then tell me, what is the punishment? Do you need me to act out a scene with you? Or..." He paused deliberately, his eyes sweeping across the boy's delicate features meaningfully. "...Do you need me to have a drink with you to give you some courage?"
The boy's heartbeat was pounding, his ears buzzing, and he was practically paralyzed by his sudden approach and low voice. He hurriedly took a small step back, waving his hands. "No... no need to drink. Just one question! Just one question!" He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and quickly recited the task his companion had assigned him: "What kind of person do you like?!"
A cliché question used in places like bars to pick up girls, flirt, or play truth or dare.
Chu Yan, far from feeling bored or perfunctory, laughed softly. His chest vibrated slightly, and the laughter, mixed in with the noisy music, penetrated the boy's ears with exceptional clarity.
He leaned back in his chair, one arm casually draped over the edge of the bar, his slender fingers tapping the cool glass from time to time. His eyes held a glint of interest, as he slowly scanned the boy before him from head to toe, as if appreciating something new and interesting.
Just when the boy was about to collapse, Chu Yan finally spoke. His voice was not loud, with a nonchalant and slightly seductive tone:
"What kind of person do you like..." He deliberately dragged out the tone, as if he was thinking seriously, but his eyes were always locked on the boy's flushed cheeks, and the corners of his lips curved into an ambiguous arc, "Maybe, it's someone like you?"
The boy froze in his tracks, his eyes widening as if he had heard something unbelievable. His mind seemed to be completely formatted by these words, a blank.
The next second, shame and bewilderment completely overwhelmed him. He snapped out of his daze, his cheeks flushed red, unable to even muster the utmost in words like "goodbye" or "thank you." He spun around, practically using his hands and knees to plunge into the throng of people behind him, fleeing back to his own booth.
As soon as he returned, there was an unrestrained burst of laughter, whistles and table-thumping. His friends had obviously witnessed the whole process and were very satisfied with his reaction.
Chu Yan looked at the young man's back as he fled in panic, and finally couldn't help but chuckle softly. He felt inexplicably more cheerful.
He lifted the remaining whiskey in the glass and drank it all in one gulp. The icy liquid became warm, sliding down his throat with a spicy aftertaste, and seemed to completely wash away the last trace of the indescribable heat and tension caused by Chu Yu.
Putting down the empty glass, the bottom of the glass made a crisp sound when it hit the marble countertop. Chu Yan stood up swiftly, pulled out a few banknotes and placed them on the bottom of the glass, thus settling the bill.
He no longer looked at the various gazes still fixed on him, and walked straight through the noisy and crowded crowd. The music gradually faded behind him, and he pushed the door open and left the bar without looking back.
The night breeze, tinged with moisture, blew across my face, dispelling the stench of alcohol and cigarettes from the bar and bringing a sense of clarity. The city's neon lights were still dazzling, but compared to the dazzling brilliance of the bar, they seemed much quieter.
He did not go far, but returned to the top hotel he had left before. On the same floor as Chu Yu's suite, he opened another suite.
[System: You're leaving now? That boy seems to have a crush on you, and his type seems to suit your taste.] The system's electronic voice rang in his mind.
Chu Yan pulled off his tie and threw it on the entrance cabinet, sneering when he heard that.
Chu Yan: Hmm. We just met by chance, so let's just joke and leave it at that. Are you really going to stay and develop a fleeting romance?
[System: You? That's enough? Based on my data records and analysis of your behavior patterns in previous mission worlds, your reputation in the tasker database is...]
[Chu Yan: Okay, stop. You're still an artificial idiot, I won't bother with you.] He interrupted the system lazily, unbuttoning the top two buttons of his shirt as he walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the bustling and dazzling night scene of City A below, the lights stretching to the end of his vision.
His voice deepened, as if he was speaking to the system, or perhaps reminding himself, "You still have to stay in this world for at least five years. Be more restrained, understand? Don't cause any more trouble."
He wasn't afraid of anything; he simply felt it was unnecessary. The subsequent entanglements and potential drama that might ensue from a spur-of-the-moment pursuit of love ran counter to his ideal of a "leisurely" life. At least for now, he preferred simpler, more manageable relationships.
[System: Database comparison analysis shows that the credibility of this statement is less than 10%. It is recommended to re-evaluate the consistency of behavior.]
Chu Yan raised his eyebrows and didn't care about the system's sabotage.
Chu Yan: Whatever you think. Go to sleep. We'll be busy tomorrow.
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