My Wife Is Going To Great Lengths/Putting In A Lot Of Effort To Turn Me Gay - Chapter 12

Chapter 12: “Surprise”

The “Secret Crush” cocktail uses gin as its base, mixed with absinthe and soda water. The resulting liquid is light green, decorated with a curled yellow lemon slice, visually representing the naive and beautiful secret crush of youth.

It was a new item at the bar.

Many customers ordered this cocktail tonight.

Xu Zhi stood behind the bar. Her long, beautiful fingers, covered by a disposable glove, deftly pinched a lemon slice. She skillfully used a paring knife to carve the peel into a continuous spiral, leaving only the tail attached to the fruit. The peel was curled into a delicate garnish and inserted into the fruit, which was then sliced and placed on the rim of the glass.

Once finished, Xu Zhi removed the disposable glove and pushed the cocktail across the bar to the customer. “Your ‘Secret Crush,’ please enjoy.”

The female customer said thank you, took the pale green cocktail, and left.

This was the last customer to place an order for the moment.

Xu Zhi had a moment of free time, but she didn’t waste it. During work hours, she needed to be busy to deserve the raise the boss gave her.

She took two fresh lemons, squeezed a little fruit and vegetable detergent on them, and went to the sink to wash them.

Qi Yaoyao, who had promised a “surprise” last night, hadn’t shown up.

Xu Zhi thought: Maybe she’ll be late.

Thinking this, she looked at her wrist. It was 8:06 PM.

WeChat was also unusually quiet today.

Clearly, she was a bored young lady who could spam an entire page with emojis even if nothing was happening.

“Yo~~ Let me see, who is this washing lemons here?”

Speak of the devil, and she shall appear.

Hearing that familiar, meandering tone, Xu Zhi secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but then realized that her reaction was inappropriate. An emotion flashed through her, but it vanished before she could catch it.

Xu Zhi looked up at her.

The young lady’s attire had changed again tonight: a light purple strapless long evening gown, different and more refined makeup, and an exquisitely pinned hairstyle that exposed her long, white swan-like neck and a particularly beautiful necklace resting above her collarbone.

She blinked her deep-set eyes, which were innocent and yet contained a beautiful, hidden smile.

She looked just like a pure little princess who had accidentally stumbled into a place of ill repute.

Provided, of course, that she didn’t speak with that affected, sarcastic tone.

She was truly someone whose appearance could be very deceptive.

Xu Zhi only glanced at her, said nothing, thoroughly washed the two lemons with plenty of water, and placed them in a small fruit basket to drain.

Qi Yaoyao saw that she was being ignored but didn’t get angry. Instead, she continued using her signature way of speaking: “Oh, so it’s our bartender Miss KnowKnow from the bar~!”

Xu Zhi had already returned behind the bar. She grabbed a glass, scooped ice from the machine, and placed it in the cup. “What would you like to drink?”

“Don’t want to drink, don’t want to drink.” Qi Yaoyao smiled mischievously. “There are no customers right now. I want you to chat with me~”

“I don’t chat during work hours.”

“Well, you don’t chat with me after work hours either.”

Xu Zhi thought: You’re not even a customer after work, why should I chat with you? But then she thought, When did I not chat with you? Your WeChat is full of your messages, and I replied, didn’t I?

After thinking it over, Xu Zhi finally remained silent.

Qi Yaoyao placed her small handbag on the bar counter. Her beautifully manicured fingers lightly tapped the bar surface, while the other hand propped up her chin. She stared openly and unashamedly at Xu Zhi’s face.

Xu Zhi was actually used to this kind of scrutiny; many people often looked at her this way in the bar.

But other people were other people, and Qi Yaoyao was Qi Yaoyao. It was different.

How was it different?

Xu Zhi looked up at Qi Yaoyao. She felt that her eyes tonight held an extra malicious intent, as if a gourmet was holding a knife and fork, swallowing saliva, mentally debating where to take the first bite.

Xu Zhi: “…”

A strange feeling.

“You’re a high school senior,” Xu Zhi said. “Is it appropriate to run to a bar every day after school?”

“Wow~” Qi Yaoyao feigned astonishment. The prey is actively walking into the trap!

She blinked her bright, innocent eyes, looking pure and harmless. “Sister KnowKnow, are you trying to manage me for my mother?”

Xu Zhi was momentarily stunned, wondering how the conversation had turned this way. She explained, “No. It’s just that students should prioritize their studies.”

Qi Yaoyao’s voice became excessively sweet: “I think Sister KnowKnow is absolutely right!”

Xu Zhi: “…”

That’s strange. Is she drunk tonight? Her cheeks are rosy, but is that makeup or slight intoxication?

Xu Zhi couldn’t tell. She leaned forward slightly to sniff, wanting to check if Qi Yaoyao smelled of alcohol.

She only smelled a pleasant perfume.

Qi Yaoyao, however, broke character instantly. She stopped the sweet act. “Xu Zhizhi, what are you doing? Are you smelling me?”

Xu Zhi straightened up, unfazed by being exposed. “You seem unusual tonight. Did you drink?”

“You’re the one who’s unusual!” Qi Yaoyao immediately retorted, then added, “It’s perfectly normal for me, an eighteen-year-old adult, to drink at a dinner party, right?”

As Qi Yaoyao said this, her beautiful eyes suddenly curved again. Her mood stabilized. She lifted her hand to brush back a curled strand of hair near her cheek, looking seductive and charming. She then looked at Xu Zhi. “But some people are different, aren’t they? An underage person working in a bar, yet pretending to be an older sister, right?”

Xu Zhi: “…Who are you talking about?”

Qi Yaoyao smirked, raising an eyebrow proudly. “Of course, I’m talking about a certain person who is still attending school, is a high school student, but comes to the bar to work as child labor~”

“‘Child labor’?”

Xu Zhi chuckled softly. “Legally, only those under sixteen are considered child labor. Do I look that young? I am eighteen years old.”

“Bullshit!!” Qi Yaoyao exposed her without hesitation. “The oldest you can be is the same as me, a high school senior, but your birthday is on October 2nd. That’s still five or six months away. How could you possibly be eighteen?”

Xu Zhi: “I took a gap year.”

Qi Yaoyao didn’t believe it. “You say you took a gap year? Anyway, I’m going to report you. Report the bar for employing a minor as a bartender~ I’m also going to report you to your school for being a student who doesn’t study properly, spending every night working part-time in a place like this.”

Xu Zhi: “Do you know which school I attend?”

Qi Yaoyao raised her finely curved eyebrows. “Of course~” Not yet.

But she would know soon!

The light was dim last night, and by the time she saw Xu Zhi, she only saw her back and didn’t see the school’s logo or name.

But that ugly, unremarkable school uniform clearly indicated it wasn’t some aristocratic high school.

Wouldn’t it be enough to check all the public high schools in Lihai City?

Alternatively, she could have someone stake out the complex and take pictures of Xu Zhi.

She was only unable to arrange that today because she had to attend a very important business banquet with her mother.

But within three days, she would definitely figure it out!

Xu Zhi saw Qi Yaoyao’s triumphant expression and knew she definitely hadn’t found out yet.

Otherwise, given her previous disdain for No. 1 High School, she would definitely have used this topic to mock the “bookworms” and their obsessive studying.

However, given the family background and financial status Qi Yaoyao had revealed, it was only a matter of time before she found out.

Xu Zhi couldn’t let the school know she was working part-time at a bar, because the school would surely notify her mother.

She didn’t want to worry her mother.

“How about it?” Qi Yaoyao didn’t know what Xu Zhi was thinking. Seeing her silent, her beautiful and delicate little face was full of smugness. “Xu Zhizhi, do you like this ‘surprise’ I gave you~?”

Xu Zhi was silent for a moment, then asked, “What do you want?”

Wow!

Success!!

Qi Yaoyao was overjoyed inside. Although her expression couldn’t entirely hide it, she managed to contain it somewhat.

Qi Yaoyao pretended to be innocent. “Oh dear, what do I want? I’m doing this for your own good, shouldn’t students prioritize their studies?”

Xu Zhi: “I can resign from the boss tonight.”

Qi Yaoyao was taken aback and immediately said, “Then where are you going?”

“To study properly.”

“…” Bullshit, no one would believe that!

Seeing the initiative about to slip back to Xu Zhi, Qi Yaoyao pulled the conversation back. “Whether you resign or not, you’ve been working at the bar for a few months—that’s a fact. If I report it, the accusation will stick.”

Xu Zhi: “So, I’m asking what you want? Is my resignation not enough?”

“Of course not! I also want you to treat me very, very nicely, to agree with everything I say. When I’m unhappy, you have to comfort me and take me out to eat delicious food and do fun things.”

“That’s what your boyfriend should do.”

“I don’t have a boyfriend.” Qi Yaoyao blinked her big, glittering eyes. “Are you refusing?”

“I’m a high school senior; I need to focus on reviewing.”

“Heh, heh. Are you reviewing at the bar?” Qi Yaoyao immediately said, “Since you’re not sincerely cooperating, don’t blame me for being ruthless. I can’t help it; I’m just such an upright person!”

After saying this, Qi Yaoyao picked up her small handbag, pretending to leave. “Alright, goodbye. Wait for the school to notify your mother about this, Sister KnowKnow.”

Xu Zhi watched her stand up and start to walk away. Feeling a throbbing pain in her temple, she raised her hand to press it. “Is that all?”

Qi Yaoyao, whose back was to Xu Zhi, suddenly curved her eyes in a smile. Got! Her! When she turned back around, she adopted a reserved, innocent demeanor toward Xu Zhi. “I’ll add more conditions later, depending on the situation~”

Xu Zhi: “…” She’s completely latched onto me.

Qi Yaoyao took her phone out of her bag, opened the camera, and happily said to Xu Zhi, “First, let’s take a photo for evidence. Come on, Zhizhi, say cheese~”

Xu Zhi looked at the phone case covered with various shiny rhinestones. “.”

Zhao Chuchu saw that there weren’t many customers at the bar counter. She came and went several times delivering fruit plates and drinks and saw Sister Know chatting with a beautiful girl in a strapless dress.

Sister Know never chatted with customers.

Zhao Chuchu couldn’t find a chance to walk towards the bar, but her heart was restless. Finally, she deliberately took a detour and jogged over, adjusting her angle to clearly see who the beautiful girl was.

It turned out to be the young lady who Sister Know had saved, who had delivered compensation to the boss, and who had made them move the heavy solid wood tables back that day.

Zhao Chuchu saw Xu Zhi give a faint smile toward the girl’s phone camera, cooperating with the photo, and unconsciously clenched the serving tray in her hand fiercely.

“Heh heh.” Qi Yaoyao looked at the photo she had taken of Xu Zhi on her phone.

In the picture, the tall girl looked helpless but cooperative. Her features were already delicate and attractive, and paired with the white shirt and black vest uniform, and her long straight black hair, she looked sharp, cool, and very photogenic.

Qi Yaoyao felt an inner surge of excitement, like a successful conquest. She also thought: Xu Zhi looks so good in this uniform!!

I wonder what it feels like to take it off with my own hands (massive hint).