What to do if I've locked myself in a book! - Chapter 36

That evening at seven, she arrived at BLUE Bar on time. The rain poured without stopping. Bai Yiyan had driven her close, and she walked the rest of the way under an umbrella.

She didn’t want Bai Yiyan to know she was coming to a place like this. She only said she would stay at a hotel first and sort out housing later. Bai Yiyan, citing her salary, gave her plenty of money—enough to cover expenses for a while. The bar looked upscale and imposing; the pay probably wouldn’t be low, so her living costs would be covered.

As she stepped into the bar lobby, she was still preoccupied with the two sets of prompts. One thing was certain: the first prompt carried real authority, while the second could only advise. If she ignored the first prompt, the weather could turn violent, and a worse disaster might follow. So even if it was a dangerous gamble, she had to go. Besides, she had hands and feet; if things went wrong, she could always run. She had also bought a phone beforehand, just in case.

She lowered her head to close her umbrella, raindrops dripping onto the textured stone steps at the entrance. A young man, looking like a bartender, quickly approached, took her umbrella, and placed it on a nearby rack.

“Thank you.” She looked up and froze. This face was the same as the waiter who had handed her a card at the ball and also the same as the clerk at her downstairs convenience store.

A chill ran up her spine. The bartender maintained a professional smile, as if he had expected her arrival. “Miss Ling, welcome to BLUEBERRY. Our boss is waiting for you in the office at the end of the corridor on the second floor.”

“BLUEBERRY? Isn’t this supposed to be BLUE?”

Before coming, she had double-checked; the only bar in the area was called BLUE.

Confused and about to step out to check the sign, the bartender added, “Some guests prefer to call it BLUE for short.”

He gestured as if to lead the way. “Miss Ling, please, this way.”

“Okay, thanks.” She shook off the raindrops from her dress and followed him inside, curious to see what kind of situation awaited her.

The bar was stylishly decorated. DJ music blared, but at this time, the dance floor was mostly empty. Most people were at the bar or sitting at tables chatting and drinking. Passing the dance floor, she noticed several private rooms next to the VIP area.

She had never liked noisy places. Working here would probably be hard to get used to, but since this was the book world, she didn’t need to adapt—finishing the mission and returning to reality was her ultimate goal.

As she crossed the dance floor, she noticed something strange: men and women alike were dressed lightly. On such a cold day, not a single person wore long sleeves.

The bartender led Ling Qianqian to the spiral staircase and stopped. “Miss Ling, you can go up by yourself. The boss is waiting for you in the office.”

She nodded and climbed the stairs to the second floor.

The second-floor corridor was long, with several closed doors. At the end, she reached one office door. Taking a deep breath, she reached to knock, but the door opened from the inside.

“Come in.” A tall, attractive man gave her a lazy smile. His slightly wavy, messy bangs partially covered his brows, and a hint of tiredness curled at the corners of his eyes along with the smile. “Make yourself comfortable. Sit wherever you like.”

After opening the door, he walked inside with his hands behind his back, casual as if inviting a friend over.

He had a short ponytail at the back and was wearing a three-quarter-sleeve brown and gray patterned casual suit. His back was like a model’s: broad shoulders, narrow hips, straight posture, long legs—very eye-catching.

The office smelled fresh with a faint fruity note. Soft classical music played. The warm gray, minimalist space felt more like a living room with office function than a traditional office. The environment was relaxing and reflected the owner’s taste—a stark contrast to the first-floor bar.

“Hello, boss. It seems you already know why I’m here?” she asked tentatively, sitting on the leather sofa. On the side table were fresh blueberries glistening with droplets, and the office desk had a stack as well. She couldn’t help but wonder if the bar’s name, BLUEBERRY, came from the boss liking blueberries.

“Mm,” he lowered the music and leisurely sat back in the chair behind the desk, crossing his long legs, popping a blueberry into his mouth. “The agency recommended you. We’re short-handed, so I wanted to meet you first.”

“I don’t know if they told you, but I have no ID or work history.”

Ling Qianqian spoke frankly, but the man’s expression didn’t change at all, as if he had anticipated this. “That doesn’t matter. I just need someone who can help me.”

“What does the job entail?”

“You probably noticed the private rooms next to the VIP area when you came in. We handle offline reservations, so we need someone to greet guests wanting to book, record their info, and arrange accordingly. Of course, those guests also have certain screening criteria. That’s the job. If you’re fine with it, we can start the interview.”

“I have no problem.”

He smiled, popped another blueberry in his mouth, stood, and strode over to the self-service bar.

She followed his movements, watching as he took a glass from the rack and expertly prepared a drink.

Soon, a drink appeared on the coffee table in front of her, along with three face-down playing cards stacked together.

The drink was a layered cocktail: dark red at the bottom and bright orange on top.

She felt she had seen this drink before but couldn’t recall where.

“The interview is a drinking game? I don’t know how to play.”

“Don’t worry,” he said from the single sofa across from her, with a teasing interest. “You have two options: first, drink this blood orange cocktail; second, take a test. The three cards correspond to three rounds of tests. You need to complete all three successfully for the interview to pass.”

She picked up the glass, smelling a strong alcohol scent mingled with orange. “Blood orange? What kind of drink is this?”

“Simply put, it’s an orange-flavored blended whiskey. Strong.”

She swirled it lightly, frowning. She wasn’t afraid of strong drinks—her tolerance was decent—but she worried there might be something else in it, especially with that second prompt warning her not to come.

Sensing her concern, the man extended his hand, took the glass, and drank in front of her, then returned it to the table with a smile. “Relax. No drugs.”

Seeing him drink calmed her nerves. “I wasn’t doubting you. I just wondered how this test relates to the job.”

“Actually, it’s very relevant. I run a bar. In the future, there may be situations requiring drinking. I don’t want staff who pass out after a sip. But if someone can’t drink yet is highly capable, they must pass stricter tests to be kept.”

“I see.”

Understanding his reasoning, she picked up the blood orange cocktail. “Then I’ll choose this drink.”

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you. It’s strong.”

The glass was barely half-full, and he had just sipped from it. Thinking of past experiences with fruit-flavored whiskey, she knew she could handle it. Courage surged. “No problem.”

She raised the glass and drank it all in one go.

The drink was indeed strong but smooth, with a rich orange flavor. It also felt familiar, like something she had tasted before.

“Tastes good. Not too strong.”

She smiled and tried to place the empty glass on the table, but her hand felt heavy and clumsy. The glass hit the table with a loud “clink.”

Immediately, warmth swept through her body, unprepared for the aftereffect. Her face flushed, and she felt dizzy.

“Didn’t I warn you it’s strong? Feeling it now? ”

Her hearing muffled, and in the haze, she saw his figure approaching. Her body went weak, and she toppled back into his arms.

Her eyelids grew heavy. Straining to see, she vaguely noticed his smirk and downward gaze. Her chest vibrated with the resonance of his voice. “You always make the same choice. No surprises, my little mischievous one.”

He seemed to say more, but she couldn’t make it out. Instinctively, she reached for the face-down cards on the coffee table. They scattered, revealing three blank cards.

Her vision blurred, her head went heavy, and suddenly she blacked out from intoxication.