Meanwhile, at Athena.
Ouyang Chen sat in the lounge, fiddling with a rolling coin in his left hand, the coin flipping back and forth between his fingertips. The server had knocked on the door three times already.
"Brother Yunchen, why are you still here? Hurry up and make a choice!" The server, Amin, stood anxiously at the doorway, urging Ouyang Chen.
Ouyang Chen finally looked up at the server. He unhurriedly retracted his legs from the table.
"I know, you can go ahead and attend to other matters."
— Ouyang Chen's Recollection —
A long time ago, Ouyang Chen had asked Sister Hong a question.
What should one do if multiple guests were waiting simultaneously?
"If you are already a top bartender, you don't need to make a choice; that would devalue you."
"But I can't just ignore both of them?"
"You need to learn to control people's hearts, unless they only want to be ordinary customers."
— End of Ouyang Chen's Recollection —
At that time, Ouyang Chen couldn't fully grasp Sister Hong's teaching. He only knew that here at Athena, becoming the top bartender granted him the right to choose better clients.
But now, as it had truly happened, he understood that having the choice didn't mean one had to pick. If choosing either side wasn't the right decision, then one should wait, because the person who needed it most would persist until the very last second, no matter what.
An hour had already passed, with both Jin Youli and Mrs. Su waiting concurrently. Tonight, they both had unshakeable reasons to see him and only him to mix their drinks.
Jin Youli looked at the roses and champagne displayed on the table. She placed an Earl watch in the center, a gift she intended for Ouyang Chen.
Jin Youli craned her neck, peering towards Ouyang Chen's usual corner, "When will Yunchen be here?"
Server: "Soon, please be patient for a little longer."
The guests were all waiting. Athena had an opening ceremony where the most popular bartender had to greet VIP guests before starting work, a gesture of gratitude for their patronage.
Thus, those who wished to have the first cocktail of the business were secretly competing, constantly adding money!
Jin Youli picked up her makeup bag and said, "I'm going to the restroom."
On the other side, Mrs. Su was also waiting for Ouyang Chen's arrival in her private room.
Sister Hong leaned against the doorframe and teased, "Look, no woman can resist Ouyang Chen's charm."
Mrs. Su chuckled softly, "Is he busy? I don't insist on having the first drink he mixes; I just wanted to say hello."
"You want to see him looking like this?" Sister Hong gestured towards Mrs. Su's face.
Mrs. Su looked a little embarrassed, touching the gauze on her face.
"It's rare to find such a young man to talk with."
"A young man, you mean?!"
Mrs. Su smiled shyly.
As Sister Hong accompanied Mrs. Su in waiting, a dispute erupted outside. Sister Hong was the first to rise and investigate.
Jin Youli was scolding Mo Qingyun, who stood by the wall. She spoke loudly, drawing the attention of onlookers who were unaware of the situation.
"Don't think you can get away with it just because you're pretending to be mute. I saw you coming out of my private room with my own eyes."
Mo Qingyun held a large black garbage bag in her hand, already filled with trash. She kept waving her hands and shaking her head.
Jin Youli pointed at Mo Qingyun's nose and roared, "Take it out, or I'll call the police to arrest you!"
Sister Hong walked over and looked at the wronged Mo Qingyun.
Sister Hong: "What's going on?"