Chapter 2663: South City Tonight Has Rain 25

Someone in the booth curiously whispered, "Huh? Why are there two bosses?"

Yuan Qiu's gaze seemed glued by a magnet, firmly stuck on Jin Chen, and without turning his head he explained, "I heard there really are two bosses here, but the one wearing the floral shirt isn't; he seems to be the boss's friend, surnamed Huo."

The other boss, Xie Linzhou, listened to their discussion; his usual composure seemed somewhat strained. He recalled that Jin Chen had mentioned this friend, Huo Feng.

If they hadn't broken up, they would have met after the bar opened.

If they hadn't broken up……

Xie Linzhou felt a heaviness in his chest, as if his mouth and nose were covered, making breathing difficult and very uncomfortable.

At the bar, Jin Chen walked straight to the main mixing station and took over from the bartender who had been there.

Yuan Qiu let out a low exclamation, his tone excited: "So he came down to mix drinks himself! I'll go over and order a glass—make way, make way."

The person beside him laughed and made way, saying, "I heard this boss doesn't often stay at the bar; he only comes down to mix drinks a limited number of times each night, and you even need to reserve in advance with the manager."

"Yuan Qiu really went all out for this confession."

Xiang Wenqing was baffled, he moved closer to Xie Linzhou and nudged him with his elbow, lowering his voice: "Boss, aren't you going to go up and assert your claim?"

Xie Linzhou: "……"

His chest ached again.

Xie Linzhou gently shook his head at Xiang Wenqing, but his gaze did not shift from that distant figure.

Xiang Wenqing misunderstood, thinking Xie Linzhou felt it was unnecessary—after all, a cool guy like him would never fall for anyone else—so he smiled knowingly and also looked toward the mixing station with a mindset of watching the show.

Xie Linzhou gazed at that area; under the hazy, flickering lights, many people's eyes boldly and openly followed Jin Chen, mixed with appreciative curiosity, and there was no shortage of those genuinely attracted.

Just as Yuan Qiu had said earlier, many people wanted to confess to Jin Chen.

Even if they didn't truly know him, they were willing to pay for a momentary flutter of the heart or attraction.

Xie Linzhou hadn't seen Jin Chen for half a month; the decisive words he spoke at their breakup still felt painfully clear to this day.

At this moment, though not far away, Xie Linzhou gazed from afar at Jin Chen skillfully shaking the shaker; what he thought of, however, was the scene in their apartment when Jin Chen mixed drinks just for him—warm lighting, his eyes smiling.

That exclusive drink menu still only has a few items to this day.

Suddenly, regret and bitterness welled up, lodging in his throat, but in the end it was all his own doing.

Thinking about it made him feel even worse; Xie Linzhou, somewhat self-destructive, lifted the glass before him and gulped down several mouthfuls.

Just then, a burst of cheers and clamor came from near the mixing station.

It was Yuan Qiu; he had indeed mustered the courage to confess.

The lighting technician seemed to join in the fun, the spotlight hitting Jin Chen just right, accentuating his tall, slender figure and making him even more attractive.

Yuan Qiu even borrowed the DJ's microphone: "Jin… Boss Jin! I… I like…"

"Sorry."

Jin Chen didn't even let him finish the full confession, pushing the freshly made drink onto the bar in front of Yuan Qiu and standing up straight in one smooth motion.

"Your drink is ready."

Yuan Qiu: "……"

He stood there holding the microphone, a bit unwilling, "But I haven't finished yet……

The manager standing nearby also looked puzzled; she recalled that Boss Jin had specifically instructed earlier to recommend that Yuan Qiu's group hold their gathering here.

She also thought the boss might treat this young man a little specially.

Why did Boss Jin go out of his way to arrange this?

After being bluntly rejected in public, Yuan Qiu could only settle for second best; this time he didn't dare use the microphone again, and moved closer.

"Then can I sleep with you?"

Jin Chen was startled, "……No."

He glanced at Huo Feng beside him, who was watching the commotion with glee, smiling like a flower butterfly.

Huo Feng caught his glance, immediately understood, and walked over grinning, slinging an arm around the dejected Yuan Qiu's shoulders and steering him toward the booth.

"Oh dear, little Yuan classmate, why pine for a single flower… wait, not a flower, but an iceberg pine? Come on, let's go drink—have fun tonight!"

Xie Linzhou's tense back finally relaxed, and he leaned lightly against the sofa back.

He quietly inhaled, slowly suppressing the sourness that had risen.

Yuan Qiu sat down in the booth, dazed; the person beside him patted his shoulder to comfort him, "Haven't you already braced yourself for rejection? Or… should you try again?"

"No no no……" Yuan Qiu shook his head like a rattle-drum, patting his chest with lingering fear.

"Forget it, I'll just drink honestly from now on; you didn't see it, but when Boss Jin rejected me just now, tsk, I was so scared my legs almost gave out."

"Boss Jin really isn't a man us ordinary folks can handle." Yuan Qiu sighed.

"Hahaha, alright alright, let's not talk about this—let's drink, drink!"

After finishing the few drinks reserved for tonight, Jin Chen set down the bartender's towel, his gaze seemingly unintentionally sweeping over the booth in the corner.

He saw a few people in the neighboring booth restless, wanting to crowd over to Xie Linzhou's side, while Xie Linzhou, lost in thought, kept his head down, oblivious.

Jin Chen frowned slightly and waved to summon the manager.

"Upgrade booth number 15 and arrange it in private room number 2 on the second floor."

Manager: "???"

She glanced blankly at this inscrutable boss, then at the group of Yuan Qiu who had just been rejected over there.

Just now he'd rejected so bluntly—what's this new act?

A man's mind is truly hard to fathom.

The people who suddenly got the upgrade to a private room were also bewildered, and even after sitting in the spacious, private room they still hadn't quite reacted.

Everyone looked at each other, and finally their gazes settled again on Yuan Qiu.

"No way? You get this treatment even after a failed confession? That's a lot of face."

"I'm saying… maybe the boss actually has a little bit of interest in you, Yuan Qiu? Playing hard to get?"

Yuan Qiu himself couldn't figure it out either, scratching his head, "So... should I just try harder?"

Only Xiang Wenqing laughed happily; hearing their guesses grow wilder, he finally couldn't help but wave his hand.

"What are you all thinking! It's because of Zhou Ge!"

Everyone turned to look at her in unison, faces full of question marks: "Huh?"

The person sitting next to Yuan Qiu laughed and teased: "What joke is this? Linzhou isn't here for the first time, right? I bet they've only just figured out what the boss looks like—how could the boss upgrade our private room just because of him?"

Yuan Qiu also turned his head to look at Xie Linzhou: "Yeah, I stared for a long time on the opening day, but I didn't see Zhou Ge come."

Xie Linzhou felt a sting.

His fingers gripping the glass tightened, he lowered his gaze, waiting for that faint pang in his heart to subside.

Xiang Wenqing, however, didn't notice his oddness: "But they're a couple!"

"What?!" Yuan Qiu almost let out a whistle from shock.

Everyone's gaze in the private room focused on Xie Linzhou, unable to tell whether this was a joke or they'd just been hit with a big surprise.