NOVEL NEXT Ch. 39
Chapter 39: Conflict
“I was talking nonsense? Then why were you winking when ordering drinks?”
Xiao Ran pressed forward step by step, her logic sharp and her aura overwhelming.
She turned her head and spoke to the little girl.
“Little sister! Don’t believe him! He and this bartender are working together! They just want to get you drunk and then take advantage of you! Wake up!”
The scene instantly fell into chaos.
The middle-aged man was left speechless, shaking with rage.
Just as he was about to forcefully defend himself, his savior appeared.
Bai Lengci, who had been at the bar counter, walked out and stepped in between Xiao Ran and the little girl.
“This lady, the tip was given voluntarily, it was not a forced charge. As for your request to me, it exceeded the scope of my service. I could not comply, so please stop making trouble here at Twilight, tarnishing the reputation of both the bar and its guests.”
As soon as those words came out, the noisy bar instantly erupted into a stir.
All the onlookers’ gazes focused on Bai Lengci and Xiao Ran, full of speculation and amusement.
Xiao Ran was stunned for several seconds by this brazen reversal, her pretty face full of disbelief.
It was as if she had heard the world’s biggest joke.
Enraged, she let out a laugh of disbelief.
Just as she opened her mouth to scold back—
Bai Lengci spoke again, cutting her off.
Her tone even carried a trace of helpless indulgence.
Her voice was not loud, yet enough for everyone nearby to hear clearly:
“Miss, I really am not a lesbian. I don’t like women. How about this…”
She spoke as if making a huge compromise and sacrifice.
“I’ll agree to go on a date with you, watch a movie with you, but I can’t spend the night with you. Please stop making a scene here, alright?”
The entire bar fell silent as if someone had pressed a mute button.
Even the background soft jazz seemed to vanish.
All the customers’ expressions: (⊙?⊙) !!!
“What the hell?! What’s going on?!”
“So it’s a case of love turning into hate?!”
“That beauty chased this bartender all the way here? And now she’s smashing the place out of spite?”
“No wonder she picked a fight earlier and spent so much money…”
“This bartender’s charm is unreal, appealing to both men and women?”
“Good looks really let you do whatever you want, huh…”
The onlookers’ eyes glowed with excitement.
Tonight’s drama was full of twists and turns, too entertaining!
Xiao Ran’s entire body went stiff.
She could even feel all those looks cast at her—
Full of “Ah, so that’s how it is,” with clicks of tongues, sympathy, and understanding, all mixed emotions!
A few seconds later, Xiao Ran’s cheeks flushed scarlet at a speed visible to the naked eye, from the roots of her ears down to her neck.
“You—you’re spouting nonsense! Who—who’s a lesbian?! I like men! I like muscular men! Who wants to go on a date and watch a movie with you! Stop being so narcissistic! You shameless, greedy, lying scoundrel!!!”
She was so angry that her words were incoherent, her whole body trembling.
In shame and fury, she suddenly raised her hand, swinging it straight at Bai Lengci’s calm face!
However, that jade-like wrist was firmly caught mid-air by Bai Lengci.
“Let go of me!”
Xiao Ran struggled with all her strength, but to her shock, the seemingly weak Bai Lengci possessed astonishing strength.
No matter how hard she fought, she could not shake free.
“I think we can go somewhere quieter to talk.”
Bai Lengci’s voice remained level.
“What’s there to talk about! You’re finished! I’m telling you, you’re absolutely finished!”
Xiao Ran quickly pulled her phone out of her bag with her other hand, ready to make a call.
Bai Lengci said nothing more.
She only tightened her grip slightly, pulling Xiao Ran towards the emergency exit at the side of the bar.
As they passed the middle-aged man, Bai Lengci casually lifted her foot and tapped his shin with the tip of her shoe.
It seemed light, but in truth the man nearly cried out from the pain.
Just as he was about to flare up—
He remembered this beautiful bartender’s great “sacrifice,” claiming to be a lesbian for the bar’s reputation.
His anger instantly turned into understanding and even gratitude.
What a good employee!
Willing to sacrifice herself for the bar’s name!
He decided that in the future, whenever he wanted to hit on girls—no, entertain clients—he would come to Twilight and order this Aria!
Xiao Ran, of course, refused to be dragged away so easily.
Struggling, she looked back—only to see the middle-aged man taking advantage of the chaos, supporting the little girl as he tried to sneak out of the bar!
“Zhu Zhu! Stop them! Don’t let that bastard take her away!”
Xiao Ran urgently shouted at Yan Junzhu.
Seeing this, Yan Junzhu immediately stepped forward, ready to intercept.
“Don’t interfere. Let them go.”
Bai Lengci’s voice came.
Yan Junzhu froze, looking at Bai Lengci.
In the shadow of the emergency exit, Bai Lengci’s gaze swept across her.
Her eyes were calm, yet carried an indescribable penetrating force.
Clear, but shrouded in mist—unfathomable, yet instinctively making others want to believe.
Yan Junzhu hesitated.
In that moment of hesitation, the middle-aged man had already half-dragged, half-carried the little girl, quickly squeezing out of the bar’s doors and disappearing into the night.
“Zhu Zhu! Chase them!”
Xiao Ran cried out anxiously.
Yan Junzhu looked at the now-empty doorway, then at Xiao Ran being forcefully pulled toward the emergency exit by Bai Lengci.
Her steps faltered.
“Don’t chase. If something happens, I’ll take responsibility.”
Bai Lengci’s voice came again.
“You’ll take responsibility? My ass you will! You’re an accomplice! Scum!”
Xiao Ran cursed at Bai Lengci furiously.
Bai Lengci retorted calmly.
“Still better than some big-breasted, brainless person who ruins everything by acting on impulse.”
“You…!”
Xiao Ran nearly fainted from anger.
At that moment, a male voice cut in.
“Junzhu? Ranran? What happened here? Why’s it so noisy?”
Bei Ningrui squeezed through the crowd, arriving at Yan Junzhu’s side.
Yan Junzhu saw Bei Ningrui, her brows twitching almost imperceptibly.
Her tone was cold.
“Nothing.”
Xiao Ran, still fuming, saw Bei Ningrui and immediately clung to him as someone she could confide in.
She quickly told him what had just happened.
After listening, Bei Ningrui showed an expression of slight awkwardness and understanding.
“This… Miss Aria, right? Working in a bar, it’s inevitable to encounter all kinds of customers. But assisting them in something like this… indeed doesn’t seem appropriate. Could you explain? Perhaps there’s some misunderstanding?”
His attitude remained gentle, trying to mediate.
Bai Lengci was silent for a few seconds, then her eyes once again locked onto Xiao Ran.
“We can’t make things clear here. Let’s go to the security room.”
Then she instructed a waiter to notify Zhou Zheng, before pulling Xiao Ran towards the security room.
“Let go of me! Who wants to go to the security room with you! I’m calling the police!”
Xiao Ran struggled, her other hand still trying to dial.
Seeing this, Bei Ningrui quickly stepped forward.
“Miss Aria, let’s talk properly. Please let go of Ranran first, alright? Going to the security room is fine, but dragging her like this doesn’t look good.”