In the dark room, Ivy and Dave already began drinking, while Chloe was talking with Xenia during her performanceâs break.
As long as there was no hostility between women, it was actually easy to find a topic. You could even discuss what nail polish you used on your fingers for a long time. The men were extremely bored, but they were full of interest.
There were things men wouldnât understand about womenâs world. Just like in menâs world, there were things women didnât understand.
Olive and Alan entered. Dave still had the same personality, a rough man with loud voice. âWe said to meet on half past seven and itâs almost eight now. President Hoyle, shouldnât you be punished with a glass of beer?â
Alan laughed and sat down next to Olive, undoubtedly leaning a bit to block someoneâs sight from his wife.
âI thought you would ask me to drink for congratulation first.â
Dave laughed out loud. He was overjoyed at the mention of that. âThereâll be your share too. Itâll be on the early date next month. Sorry that I skip you. You have to gift me and Xenia one large red envelope.
I wonât accept it if itâs any less.â
Alan smiled, âDoesnât matter. When itâs my and Oliveâs wedding day, you have to give it back anyway.
You can give me more, but not lesser. So, either way, I donât have loss.â
Dave deeply glared at him, âThank goodness youâre a big boss. Do you have to act so stingy towards unimportant people like us? Iâll tell you, when itâs the day of your wedding with Olive, Iâll bring my wife and son to eat a lot. You canât get poor anyway.â
Xenia glared at him, âDaughter.â
Dave surrendered, âOkay, okay. Itâs a daughter, a daughter. Donât get angry.â
Actually, he didnât care about the gender. He just wanted an older brother first, so that he could protect his little sister later. What a good thing to have both son and daughter. But the pregnant woman had a weird temper. No matter how he explained, she believed that he only loved sons and not daughters.
Dave pulled Alan aside and whispered in a low voice, âHoyle, youâre so lucky. You can avoid just like day on the days women are difficult to please. Not like me, Iâm like in a hell.â
âWhy do I think that youâre pretty happy in hell?â He knew the joy of being a father, but unfortunately, he missed Oliveâs hardship in pregnancy.
Dave grinned bitterly, âIâm having fun in hardship. You donât how miserable I am treated by her. I had wanted to ask you if your woman was so brutal and unreasonable too when she was pregnant. But you didnât experienced that time so itâs useless to ask you.â
Alan finally understood that this man didnât come for him to complain, but to show off.
Dave said these words very quietly, but somehow they were heard clearly by Xenia. She twisted Daveâs ear and said, âWho is being unreasonable?â
Dave immediately raised his hand and surrendered, âI am, I am. Iâm unreasonable. Honey, be gentle.
You canât be this violent. You have to set a good example for the kid in your belly.â
Olive chuckled, âEvery dog has its day, doesn't it?â
âThis can also be called someoneâs retribution,â Chloe said.
Dave rubbed his red ears and glared at them angrily, âYou old hags. Itâs no wonder our ancestors would say that itâs better to offend a villain than a woman.â
âDonât forget that your wife is a woman,â Olive laughed and reminded him.
Sure enough, Dave immediately turned around to coax, âHoney, youâre different from them. We donât follow their bad examples.â
At this moment, the door was opened and Colbertâs head poked inside, âChloe, thereâs someone outside claims to be your friend and is looking for you.â
âWho?â Chloe asked.
Colbert answered, âI donât know. Itâs a guest of waitting bar. A woman with yellow skin, dark eyes, and curly hair, but she has a foreign accent.â
âSusan.â Both Chloe and Olive unconsciously said out the name. Apart from this person, they couldnât think of anyone else.
Dave said, âSince sheâs a friend, let her come in and join us.â
Chloe laughed and got up, wiggling her eyebrows on purpose. âSheâs a beautiful woman. Youâre not afraid Xenia will get jealous?â
Dave snorted, âAnnoying brat. Iâm an upright man. Others women are nothing in my eyes.â
âXenia isnât the only one who hears that. We all hear it clearly. If one day you dare to do something sorry to Xenia, be careful of us from cutting your life.â Chloe made a knife gesture, then walked out of the private room.
Dave sighed, âHow is she a woman? Sheâs a devil. President Hoyle, I think you have to remind your little brother to be careful. Such a fierce lady. Can your brother control her?â
âYouâre not allowed to say bad words at Chloe,â Xenia snorted and then kicked him.
Dave rubbed his calf, âIâm just saying the truth.â
Alan chuckled, âItâs not about who controls who in a man and womanâs relationship, but in the bond between their hearts.â
Xenia kicked Dave again, âLook at him. Heâs much wiser than you.â
Susan was sitting at a place closest to the stage. Chloe saw her presence in a glance.
Ever since Olive said that she might be a fake, she looked at this woman with a layer of complicated scrutiny. But Olive said that it wasnât suitable to alarm her right now, so she had to keep quiet.
âSusan, you came.â
âChloe, your band members are all handsome.â Susanâs eyes released a light of seeing beautiful things.
âHa, who catches your eyes? If youâre interested in younger man, I can introduce you guys. Theyâre all single teenagers who are in their prime,â Chloe said brashly.
âDonât tease me. Iâm not interested with younger man. Iâm here for you not for you to be a matchmaker.
I came to cheer for you.â Susan came because of Chloeâs invitation.
âDonât worry. Thereâll be opportunities in the future. Let me introduce you to my friends first,â Chloe said and pulled her hand.
Susan was slightly surprised seeing Olive and Alan. âAlan, Olive, you guys are here too.â
âI wonât introduce you guys anymore because you guys already knew each other. This melancholic handsome guy is Ivy Aldington, the owner of this bar. This dark-skinned rough man is Dave Chou. Next to him is his baby wife, Xenia,â Chloe introduced her one by one.
âHello, my name is Susan. I just arrived in Luo City. Please take care of me,â Susan introduced herself.
Dave squinted his eyes and examined her, âI just heard from Hoyle, that what? Oliveâs boss, Norton Geveâs daughter who just be found. Seriously? You flew across the sea, huh.â
Susan smiled and said, âI was also very surprised. I didnât expect that this time I came to Luo City would meet my biological parents. Maybe this is Godâs plan.â
âHey, Olive. Youâve run to some places too. Why arenât you as lucky as her meeting your biological parents?â
Daveâs words surprised Susan. âOlive, are you also an adopted child?â
âWhatâs there to be fuss about? Itâs not a secret anymore in our small circle.â With clinging noise, Dave arranged few of the glasses and grabbed several beers from the cabinet. He poured each glass full.
âCome. Weâve introduced ourselves and are friends now. Letâs drink together.â
âBut I donât know how to drink.â Susah looked frightened.
âNo one is born knowing how to drink. Donât worry, no one will bully you if youâre drunk in this place.â
Chloe took a glass and shoved it into her hand, secretly winking at Olive.
Olive smiled, âYes. Itâs okay to drink a little. Weâre all heavy drinkers, but you can drink as little as you can so long youâre happy.â
âAnd you should try our handsome bossâs specialty.â Chloe put her arm around Ivyâs shoulders.
âWhat?â Susan asked curiously, looking at the man who was sitting in the corner and didnât talk much. It was like she hadnât seen him speak since she came in.
âYouâll know soon.â Chloe pushed the bartending utensils, ingredients, and ice to Ivy.
Ivyâs hands were very fast with some stunts juggling. Susan was dizzy for a moment, only seeing as if the bottle had its own hands and feet, coming alive.
Before she could snap out of it, a five-color cocktail with red flame was pushed to her.
âWow. This is beautiful,â Susan couldnât help exclaiming. She didnât know if it was his skill or the cocktail itself, but either way, it showed her amazement at the moment.
Ivy faintly smiled, âIf thereâs something youâre not satisfied it, just mention it.â
âYouâre amazing.â Susan gave him a thumb up. When the flame went out, she touched the rim of the cup and thought it would be hot, but found that it was cold. She took a sip, âItâs a bit sweet and it smells good.â
But shortly after drinking such a small glass, she felt herself floating and leaned on the sofa, wanting to sleep.
Chloe stared at her face flushed and drunk. She laughed, âSeriously? Itâs just one glass. Not that serious, right?â
Olive went over and patted Susan on the back. Her fingers lightly twirled at his hair. âAre you okay?â
âA bit dizzy.â Susan rubbed her temples with her hands, trying to wake herself up.
âDonât worry. Weâll send you back later.â