"A few hundred? Who are you looking down on? I start at ten thousand minimum." Cheng Zhu said with a smile, establishing expectations first.
Jiang Wanzhou didn't take it seriously, purely treating it as a joke, and continued struggling to control the Mercedes G-Class's steering wheel with his small arms.
Only now did Cheng Zhu notice the watch on Jiang Wanzhou's wrist.
It was a Vacheron Constantin.
If it were the previous Cheng Zhu who hadn't seen the world, he wouldn't know this watch's value at all and would think it was fucking ugly, couldn't compare to his digital watch.
You, just a poser secretly wearing your parents' watch.
While me? A trendsetter at the forefront of campus fashion.
Actually, this watch was a eighteenth birthday gift from Jiang Wanzhou's mother. As for his dad, he gave him a Porsche 911, but he didn't like driving it, felt it didn't match his domineering CEO temperament and would make him look more like a rich young master.
Later, after Cheng Zhu became successful, the first luxury watch he bought for himself happened to also be a Vacheron Constantin, because he liked that watch's name and also liked that special shade of blue on its dial. This series was called—Overseas.
Jiang Wanzhou's cousin's bar was named Wine Hidden, a homophone of "wine addiction."
His cousin thought opening it in an expensive location but with the character for "hidden" was very classy.
After Jiang Wanzhou parked, he led Cheng Zhu inside with practiced ease, then sat at the bar.
During the World Cup, bar business was indeed booming.
And now it was July 13th—at 3 AM on July 14th would be the 2014 World Cup finals.
So Wine Hidden already had quite a few customers.
Cheng Zhu heard the discussion sounds behind them—many people were talking about soccer.
Of course, quite a few were complaining bitterly about how much money they'd lost betting on the World Cup this year.
After the two sat down, a female bartender from inside the bar came over and greeted Jiang Wanzhou: "Young President Jiang."
She wore a bartender's uniform, a fitted style that accentuated certain elevated features.
Cheng Zhu glanced at her and roughly knew this female bartender should be the bar's biggest selling point.
She obviously recognized Jiang Wanzhou, the boss's cousin, and actively chatted with him. At the same time, she didn't neglect Cheng Zhu, introducing herself as Ye Zi.
When chatting with people, Ye Zi liked to half-lean her upper body on the bar, her torso also slightly tilted forward.
Women like her who mixed in nightlife knew how to radiate charm.
Cheng Zhu knew many bartenders earned commissions, so they also liked interacting with customers.
Of course, if some customers were wealthy enough, then besides interacting in the bar... they could also... interact in other ways.
Jiang Wanzhou had thought Cheng Zhu coming to a bar for the first time would be a bit timid.
But unexpectedly, this kid was quite at ease, casually saying a few sentences that made Ye Zi laugh continuously, her uniform buttons in critical danger.
Since Jiang Wanzhou was treating today, Cheng Zhu didn't even look at the drink menu. He deliberately teased by pointing to the most prominently displayed row of "Hibiki 21" on the liquor shelf, asking if he could open a bottle.
This liquor looked ordinary just from the bottle, but the price was quite high.
For a moment Jiang Wanzhou couldn't tell if Cheng Zhu really knew this liquor was expensive or was just pointing randomly.
He was about to agree when he saw Cheng Zhu casually pick up the drink menu and order a cocktail with a suggestive name, not mentioning it again.
"I was just kidding. Even if you really opened a bottle, wait until I start working here first so I can earn the commission." Cheng Zhu said with a cheeky smile.
Jiang Wanzhou rolled his eyes at him irritably: "Dream on. I'll just bring a bottle back from the wine cabinet at home tomorrow. Don't even think about earning that money."
Cheng Zhu gave him a thumbs up: "Brilliant! You're really brilliant! How can a 37-degree mouth say such cold words?"
Ye Zi watched from the side, always feeling like they were flirting with each other, feeling herself developing fujoshi tendencies, even wanting to ship them.
"The boss's cousin is handsome and refined, while his friend has a roguish charm—they seem really compatible." Ye Zi thought.
"Campus rich good student and school bully, ahhhhh!" She was already screaming internally.
Cheng Zhu had no idea what this Sister Ye Zi was actually thinking. If he knew, he'd probably use every means to win her over, then put on a show of:
"I'll teach you to see BL everywhere! I'll teach you to see BL everywhere! I'll teach you to see BL everywhere! Hmm?"
The cocktail was quickly mixed. Ye Zi slowly pushed the cocktail, which cost only a few yuan to make but could sell for dozens, in front of the two.
Then she looked up toward the entrance and smiled: "Young President Jiang, your cousin and cousin are here."
At first Cheng Zhu didn't think much of it, but after hearing Ye Zi say "cousin," he couldn't help but pause slightly.
The university he attended later was Hangzhou Tech, and Jiang Wanzhou's cousin was Cheng Zhu's senior, one grade above him. She was very famous at the university, countless people's campus goddess, definitely a rich beauty.
When Jiang Wanzhou came to Tech to find him, he conveniently invited his cousin along for a meal.
He didn't know if Jiang was serious or deliberate, but he privately told Cheng Zhu that this cousin had never dated anyone—how about it, want to try pursuing her?
But Cheng Zhu thought someone of her class probably spent more on a random piece of clothing than his monthly living expenses—he simply couldn't afford to date or support her.
Thinking back now, he just felt he'd been hasty.
Hilarious—only poor people need you to support them. Rich ones support you. What the hell was he worrying about, playing macho man?
As the saying goes: Meet a good person, start a family first; meet a benefactor, establish career first.
—Meet a rich woman, start family and establish career.
"Damn, wasn't my thinking too small?" Cheng Zhu teased himself internally.
Back then, he'd brushed it off with "What, you want me to call you brother-in-law?"
He'd thought it was an immature idea.
As for now, he often had some... overly mature ideas.
Of course, Cheng Zhu was clear in his heart that with his level during university in his past life, relying on this somewhat roguish face and physique comparable to an athlete's, picking up ordinary pretty girls was definitely no problem. But for someone of Jiang Wanzhou's cousin's level, the chances were still slim.
At this moment, he turned to look toward the bar entrance and found quite a few male customers in the bar all looking uniformly toward the door.
Some of them were acquainted with this bar owner Shen Minglang. Another portion had their gazes attracted by the woman beside Shen Minglang.
Her name was Shen Qingning. She was at least 168cm tall, wearing a black knee-length dress that revealed a pair of fair, well-proportioned calves.
The neckline of the dress was inlaid with a small semi-circle of tiny pearls, but the white of the pearls couldn't compare to the alluring fairness of her skin.
She was the typical cool pale-skinned type. Under the bar's lighting, she appeared even more fair and delicate.
More importantly, her temperament also leaned toward the aloof type, giving off a "stay away from me" feeling.
Cheng Zhu noticed a detail at this moment.
When many pretty girls were being looked at by men, some would pretend not to notice, others would avoid eye contact.
But Shen Qingning was different.
She directly swept her gaze across the bar.
And as this cool beauty's gaze swept across, several men who'd been sizing her up actually averted their gazes one after another.
"Strong presence, consistently cool as always." Cheng Zhu sighed internally.
In his concept, this type of woman not only slayed men but also women.
Actually, Shen Qingning was also very popular among girls at Tech—Ah! Sister, kill me!
As for Shen Minglang, physical description—omitted.
At this moment, Shen Minglang and Shen Qingning walked toward Jiang Wanzhou and greeted him: "Yo, if it isn't Young President Jiang."
"Get lost, get lost! Annoying!" Jiang Wanzhou rolled his eyes at him.
When friends called him Young President Jiang, he'd be happy. But when family cousins called him that, he found it annoying.
But you could tell their family relationship was pretty good.
In Cheng Zhu's family, relationships between relatives were quite ordinary.
His family had that typical class-based relative dynamic.
They didn't look at generational hierarchy, only at economic conditions and social status.
And actually, many ordinary families, or even struggling families, were especially like this.
Shen Minglang glanced at Cheng Zhu and asked Jiang Wanzhou: "Is this the good friend you mentioned to me on WeChat?"
After Jiang Wanzhou nodded, Shen Minglang raised his left hand, revealing his watch known as the "Steel King"—a Patek Philippe Nautilus, and shook hands with Cheng Zhu, saying showily: "Shen Minglang, Jiang Wanzhou's most revered cousin."
When he said this, he seemed to completely forget that just seconds ago Jiang Wanzhou was telling him to get lost.
"You're his good friend, just call me cousin too."
"Cousin, I'm Cheng Zhu." Cheng Zhu didn't care and called him that, stating his own name.
"Alright, little cousin." Shen Minglang was too lazy to remember names anyway. Tonight he'd just call Cheng Zhu little cousin.
At drinking gatherings, having a form of address was enough—they might not even stay in contact afterward.
However, Shen Minglang was still quite hospitable and enthusiastic, smiling: "High school graduate, you smoke now right? Ye Zi, cut me two cigars."
The bar did sell cigars—some customers would specifically order them.
Some people were used to smoking them, others thought smoking cigars made them look badass.
As soon as he finished speaking, Shen Qingning's gaze remained fixed on Shen Minglang's face.
She clearly hadn't said a word, but as her older brother, Shen Minglang coughed lightly and changed his tune, saying to Ye Zi again: "Ye Zi, send the cigars to table A03, those are my friends, ahem."
Only after feeling the gaze on his face move away did Shen Minglang smile cheekily and pat Cheng Zhu's shoulder: "Thought too much, huh? Thought I was treating you to cigars? Little cousin, don't smoke at such a young age, got it?"
"Got it." Cheng Zhu smiled and cooperated with his performance.
Cheng Zhu looked at the left hand resting on his shoulder, deliberately taking a few more glances at the watch on Shen Minglang's wrist.
He suddenly remembered—luxury watch prices were still cheap these days, not like later when popular Patek Philippe and Rolex models basically all exceeded retail price, some even multiplying several times in value on the secondary market!
This was also a way to make money.
Why do some rich people get richer and richer?
Look at Shen Minglang—he just spent money to buy a watch to show off, but after wearing it for a few years, he'd discover: "Hey! If I sold it now, I'd actually fucking profit!"
"What's up?" At this moment, Shen Minglang directly raised his wrist: "Checking the time?"
"No, it's handsome." Cheng Zhu directly complimented the watch.
Shen Minglang's face immediately lit up with joy.
It was strange—because the other party was a student who'd just graduated high school, his compliment felt especially sincere.
When people in his circle complimented it, Shen Minglang felt they were acknowledging the watch's price. When a high schooler complimented it, what he was acknowledging was this old man's taste and class!
Jiang Wanzhou was shocked on the side: "How do I feel like cousin is being easily handled by him?"
Feeling that his taste had been affirmed by a student, Shen Minglang smiled and waved his hand broadly: "Don't sit at the bar, come with me to A01, that's my reserved seat. Hey Ye Zi, put little cousin's drinks on my tab today."
"You pay for your own." He didn't forget to point at Jiang Wanzhou.
This made Jiang Wanzhou roll his eyes hard.
Just like that, the four came to sit at table A01 together.
Jiang Wanzhou and Shen Minglang sat on either side of Cheng Zhu.
Future cool senior Shen Qingning sat directly across from him.
Taking advantage of the bar's dim lighting, he just felt this future senior was definitely campus goddess-level, affirming her beauty.
"Jiang Wanzhou seems to have said his cousin is multi-talented, knows piano, and can do ballet."
Already a goddess, already long-legged, and fucking capable of doing splits—a long-legged goddess.
And sporting an aloof face on top of it all.
This made his mood tonight increasingly good. Who would like their table to be full of ugly girls when coming to a bar? He thought to himself:
"Mom and Dad always wanted me to become a very outstanding person. Clearly, I've already completed four-fifths of it—I've become a very horny person."
...