418. The Bar
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Tu Junhui’s unexpected sass left the group feeling quite nauseous.
Lin Nan was at a loss with him; she had originally thought about dressing him up in white stockings to transform him into an adorable 200-pound tank. But with the current level of discomfort, she couldn’t even bear to start.
As night deepened and the ruckus in their rental apartment subsided, Tu Junhui changed into his usual loose white tee and khaki shorts, looking brooding as he occasionally rubbed his prickly arms.
After all, a razor is no hair removal cream; the stubble it left behind felt rather unpleasant to the touch.
He was no longer the lush man he used to be.
Without arm and leg hair, he felt like he was losing a lot of his manly charm.
“Anyone up for a night out?” he lifted his head to ask the group.
It was Friday, and they had no roll call that night, so as long as they didn’t come home too late, climbing a wall wouldn’t be too big of a deal.
“What are we doing? Dinner’s off the table,” Lin Nan leaned against the threshold of the bedroom, watching Chen Yao, who was gagging while editing a video inside.
Chen Yao was having the worst time today. Not only did he have to deal with his eyes burning from the spicy food, but now he had to rewatch the footage to edit for the sake of annoying the vast internet audience. Dinner was probably the last thing on his mind.
“How about a quadruple whammy at the internet café?” Tu Junhui lowered his head to check his chunky legs, noticing some leg hair that hadn’t been properly shaved. The fuzzy bits sticking out made him feel the urge to shave again.
“Not interested.”
Xiong Da had been staring at his cardboard-cutout girlfriend for quite some time before finally erasing the image of Tu Junhui in women’s clothing from his mind. He then looked up and suggested, “How about we hit the bar? Isn’t there a new quiet bar that just opened nearby?”
“A quiet bar?”
Lin Nan’s curiosity was piqued. She had never been to a bar before, and the portrayal of bars in TV dramas had led her to stereotype them as places with thumping DJ music, dancing girls on stage, and a throng of patrons losing their minds on the dance floor.
Moreover, with the plethora of negative news surrounding bars, she strongly felt they were just breeding grounds for chaos.
“It’s just a place to drink and listen to music, way quieter than a regular bar,” Xiong Da weighed his words carefully, explaining in terms Lin Nan could understand. “Just think of it as a barbecue joint with a nice ambiance, good tunes, and someone mixing drinks for you.”
That sparked Lin Nan’s interest. She turned to Chen Yao in the bedroom and asked, “Should we go check out the quiet bar?”
“Quiet bar? A bar, huh?” Chen Yao looked up, frowning. “Let’s not go; it’s not a good place, super sketchy.”
“But Xiong Da said it’s right downstairs, just a barbecue and booze spot.” Lin Nan edged closer, smiling sweetly at him. “Plus, I’ve never been to one, and I’ve never even tried a cocktail. So sad, right?”
Chen Yao turned to Lin Nan, about to protest some more when he saw her holding up a finger: “I promise it’s just for curiosity this one time!”
Being young, the group had their fair share of curiosity about the unfamiliar scene. After a moment of thought, Chen Yao reluctantly nodded. “Alright, but you can’t go out of my sight, and you can only have a little drink, just to taste.”
“You think I’m a pet?”
“Your IQ must’ve been mugged, and you’re still counting the money for them.” Chen Yao shot her a glare as he stretched, saving the edited files. “If we go, you’ll follow my lead.”
“Fine by me.” Lin Nan agreed without hesitation.
So, the four of them tidied up a bit and eagerly headed out.
The new quiet bar was actually quite a distance away; although it was on the same street, walking there took about a kilometer.
Once they reached a dimly lit area with few people around, Lin Nan vaguely heard some singing.
None of them had ever been to this quiet bar before, but they followed the sound of the singing and easily found the bar tucked away on the second floor.
It was a small establishment with a bar counter, five tables, and a cozy little stage where a middle-aged man with long hair was strumming a guitar and singing.
The lighting was dim and dreamy, with warm yellow tones illuminating a primarily wooden decor. Only three tables were occupied, with a couple sitting at the bar.
The atmosphere, illuminated by the lighting, seemed a bit romantic, perfect for couples on a date.
It wasn’t noisy; aside from the raspy voice of the long-haired singer, there was hardly any excess noise to be heard. Patrons sipped their drinks and chatted, their voices drowned out by the music.
Lin Nan’s first impression of the bar was quite good.
“Welcome!” The singer-turned-bartender stood up and set down his guitar, cheerfully approaching the quartet. “You look new; what would you like to drink?”
This singer seemed to own the place.
Lin Nan wasn’t keen on chatting with strangers, but Tu Junhui confidently walked up to the owner and struck up a conversation, “Why is this place so hidden? Took us ages to find it.”
“Good spots don’t come cheap,” the friendly owner noted, quickly sensing their awkwardness as they awkwardly stood about. He led them to a table. “Take a seat; whatever you want to eat or drink, just let me know.”
After ordering some barbecue and each a glass of the house’s signature beer, Lin Nan began looking around curiously at the other tables.
It seemed that most patrons were locals; a few looked like students.
And then… Wait, isn’t that Dong An?!
He quickly noticed Lin Nan and Chen Yao as they locked eyes.
“What a coincidence!” Dong An exclaimed, standing up exaggeratedly to rush over to Lin Nan. “Hey, Lin Nan, why are you dressed like a girl?!”
“I always knew you had potential for Thailand! Should I start a fundraiser?” He teased Lin Nan and grabbed a few drinks from his own table.
Lin Nan couldn’t be bothered to respond, rolling her eyes and slightly blushing.
Running into an old friend while dressed like this, especially one who constantly teased her about being a girl, was a bit mortifying for her.
Although, technically, she was a girl now.
Dong An had met Tu Junhui and Xiong Da during last semester’s eSports competition, and they exchanged greetings before clinking glasses, instantly boosting the mood.
“Why do you turn red after just one drink? This beer can’t be that strong!” Dong An boldly tried to throw an arm around Lin Nan’s shoulder, but as soon as he reached out, Chen Yao rushed forward and looped his arm around Lin Nan instead.
Oblivious, he continued teasing, “You really can’t handle your alcohol — you’re not much different from a girl!”
Tu Junhui and Xiong Da, seated on the other side, exchanged bewildered looks at Dong An, completely failing to realize that Lin Nan was indeed in women’s clothing now.
