TL: Griseo | PR: Sakura
Chapter 3: Come In
Xin Rong left the manager’s office and made his way back to the restaurant from the office area. Tabletop candles, fresh flowers and the restaurant’s menus were all already arranged neatly on the hundreds of tables; everything was already set in stone.
Everyone had their own business to mind in the restaurant to keep themselves busy. Xin Rong stood next to the bar counter to catch his breath from the sudden chaos that had dawned upon him earlier with his face slightly pale. The conversations from a couple minutes ago in the manager’s office flashed through his mind, and the more he thought about it, the more he was convinced that he had offended a superior. He was afraid that his actions may cost him his job on the cruise.
Meng Donglin was crouched down behind the counter arranging the bottles of liquor on the shelves and a spaced out Xin Rong standing beside him was the first thing he noticed, so he spoke, “You’re back? What did Manager Zhu need you for?”
The call that reached the restaurant’s phone earlier was coincidentally answered by Meng Donglin. Summoning Xin Rong to his office was definitely something out of the ordinary, but Xin Rong had been more than capable at his job, and Meng Donglin was well aware of that.
They both grew up in an orphanage together and Meng Donglin was a couple years older than Xin Rong, so he has been always looking out for the latter. During Xin Rong’s freshman year in college, he encountered problems that troubled him, so he stopped pursuing his studies. Xin Rong’s current job on the cruise was one that Meng Donglin introduced him to. It was hard for him to think of anything that Xin Rong might have done to deserve being picked on by a higher-up like Manager Zhu.
A waitress passed by Xin Rong, waving while giving him a small nod. Xin Rong’s visuals were out of this world, and there were many other female employees working in the restaurant that also harbored feelings for him. The girl from earlier was just one of them.
Xin Rong nodded back and finally snapped back to reality. “Nothing.” He replied to Meng Donglin nonchalantly.
“Nothing?” There was no way Meng Donglin was believing that. He leaned over the countertop to close the distance between him and Xin Rong. “What’s the point of him purposely calling you over to his office then?”
Xin Rong didn’t tell him the truth, and instead gave him a perfunctory response. “He just gave me a few words of advice. Please continue with what you were doing, Brother Dong.”
Meng Donglin still had things he wanted to say, but Xin Rong was already in work mode, arranging the folded tissues that were stacked into something intended to resemble a lobster at a table opposite from the countertop.
Meng Donglin’s eyes traced the back of Xin Rong’s figure for a while more. His assumption that Xin Rong was met with trouble grew heavier and heavier by the second, but he decided to stop pressing further since he planned to poke around when he sees Manager Zhu later.
Without bringing a single luggage along with him, Shao Chengyun decided that he would live on the cruise.
After hearing the instruction to inform Xin Rong to go to Shao Chengyun’s own suite, Manager Zhu’s face was overwritten with pure shock and was even left speechless for a few seconds before he finally spoke. “President Shao, you’re joking right? How did he manage to capture your interest as well…”
Shao Chengyun sensed that there was more to what Manager Zhu had said, so he raised his eyebrow and asked without answering the manager’s question, “Why? Are other people interested in him too?”
Manager Zhu had dug a hole for himself at this point and there was no way to take his words back. “Just look at that face of his. It’s hard for passengers to resist him.” He stuttered. “The cruise vacation usually only lasts a couple days and even the longest duration is just more or less a week. Xin Rong is very capable, and sets his priorities straight. He has never gotten into trouble before.” He added quickly after noticing Shao Chengyun’s unnerving reaction to his previous statement.
“What you said earlier… If he makes any mistakes, I will repent for them on his behalf.”
The majority of employees working at the restaurant were youngsters, and although Zhu Yuan was their boss on paper, he had always been secretly looking out for these ‘kiddish’ adults in their 20s. He thought Shao Chengyun had malicious intentions towards Xin Rong, so he was trying to think of ways to get him out of the unknown predicament.
In addition, Shao Chengyun’s silence further provoked Manager Zhu’s thought process.
Of course he didn’t have to know about the contractual marriage that was proposed between Shao Chengyun and Xin Rong. What he said earlier was actually an indication for Xin Rong to quit his job because no matter what, he must bring Xin Rong away with him. If Zhu Yuan were to start some rumors about how Xin Rong couldn’t bear working on the cruise anymore, it would save Shao Chengyun a whole lot of trouble.
Shao Chengyun chuckled but in contrast to that, his eyes remained unwavering which wasn’t a denial nor confirmation to any of Manager Zhu’s suspicions. “Alright then, have him come to suite 902 and say it to my face.”
So after everything, he still wants Xin Rong to visit his suite.
He felt embarrassed when seeing Shao Chengyun out of his office because after all that passive-aggressiveness, he still couldn’t get Xin Rong out of trouble.
“Get me a table at the restaurant on the highest floor, I’ll dine there tonight.” Shao Chengyun said before he left the office. Furthermore, that restaurant in particular just so happened to be the area Xin Rong was in-charge of.
Manager Zhu, although feeling helpless, still put on a professional facade as he replied, “The restaurant will be open at 6 o’clock in the evening. Will a table next to the window be alright with you, sir?”
Shao Chengyun didn’t make it any harder for him. “Just give me a table that is vacant and doesn’t have a passenger reservation.”
Manager Zhu held the door for him and sent him off courteously until his figure was no longer in sight. Just thinking about passing on Shao Chengyun’s message to Xin Rong gave him a headache because how exactly was he supposed to say it? In the end, he decided to delay the task until after dinner.
Shao Chengyun showed up at the restaurant’s entrance at half past 6 o’ clock.
The receptionist at the front desk was not aware of his visit so after checking his suite number, he was brought to a table located near the indoor spiraling staircases.
A figure promptly approached his table right after he sat down before pouring him a glass of water.
“President Shao,” Xin Rong addressed in a hushed voice, lowering his gaze so that his eyes wouldn’t meet Shao Chengyun’s while handing him the menu. “Please take a look and let us know what you’d like to have. The kitchen recommends salmon and deep-fried duck.”
As he finished his sentence, he took out the beverage menu from his uniform’s pocket and placed it on the table next to Shao Chengyun’s hand.
Shao Chengyun scanned through the menu once and placed orders for his appetizer and main course without much hesitation. He was never a fan of dessert so he skipped ordering anything from that course. Xin Rong proceeded to ask him what he wanted for a drink and Shao Chengyun requested for a cocktail with a higher alcohol percentage.
Xin Rong served Shao Chengyun meticulously. Although he was keeping a safe distance between the both of them, he still tried to provide his best service to him. He quickly typed Shao Chengyun’s order into the tablet he was holding and bowed. “Please wait, I’ll be back with your before-meal bread shortly.”
Minutes after he left the table, he came back with a plate of steaming hot wholewheat bun rolls along with a small plate of olive oil to go with it before placing them on Shao Chengyun’s table.
Shao Chengyun thanked him in a calm manner as if he was like every other average customer, as if the conversation in the manager’s office from a couple hours ago didn’t even happen.
Xin Rong was expecting Shao Chengyun to give him a hard time before he came to serve him, but he decided to let his guard down slightly seeing as Shao Chengyun was acting rationally. If it were a normal customer, Xin Rong would’ve asked if they still needed anything else. But in front of Shao Chengyun, he couldn’t help but feel a bit iffy, so he left after delivering the bread.
Even though there wasn’t any seaside scenery to be admired, the good thing about his spot was that it was in a quiet and discreet corner which left him undisturbed from the rowdiness of other customers.
Recently, he had been busy burying himself with the company’s affairs without catching a break, so today’s sudden leave came as a huge relief to him and the weight on his shoulders were finally lifted. The tables around him were mostly occupied by couples, married and unmarried alike, while some were settled by families that consisted of up to three or four members. The overall atmosphere in the restaurant was lively, and brimming with indistinct chatters. With one look, you could tell that Shao Chengyun was the odd one out as he was the only one sitting alone.
Half a year after Shao Chengyun’s return back to the country, he’d been doing nothing but suck up to client after client. Being able to sit down and enjoy a nice meal like this was something he hadn’t gotten the pleasure of doing upon his return.
He tore off a small piece of bread, dipped it in the olive oil provided, and began chewing on it. All while his line of sight trailed Xin Rong’s every move as the latter carried out his waiter duties.
Xin Rong kicked off with full focus on his work, but eventually, he felt the gaze of a certain someone named Shao Chengyun which made him uncomfortable.
As compared to the other customers he’s served before, Shao Chengyun was on a whole other level, literally. It was as if he was born with a natural intimidating aura which exuded authority that forced the people around him into obligation. Though it didn’t seem to be intentional, it was hard for people to just disregard it.
Xin Rong felt like he was being preyed on by an experienced hunter and Shao Chengyun’s mere existence made him feel uneasy. He would avoid going near the perimeter of Shao Chengyun’s table at all cost if he wasn’t required to serve any dishes. But somehow, he found himself glancing in that direction more often than he preferred.
Shao Chengyun dined for about an hour and throughout his entire dinner duration, he only called Xin Rong over once. After finishing his cocktail, he craved a long drink in which he asked Xin Rong for recommendations after browsing through the beverage menu.
The bar was considered one of the hotspots and specialty of the restaurant. With Meng Donglin working as a specially employed bartender on the cruise, he is exceptionally well-known in the world of flair bartenders. He had been crowned the champion of flair bartending for two consecutive years; his creativity and techniques were proven to be superior to the other bartenders. Dong Menglin was an all-rounder in bartending. A couple of cocktails on the menu were ones that he specially mixed for the passengers of Lixing Cruise.
After hearing Shao Chengyun’s request, Xin Rong pointed to two of those specialty cocktails and explained, “You can try ‘Sunset by the Beach’ or ‘Dreamy Pina Colada’, both of them are long drinks with a slight sweetness. The alcohol percentage of those two cocktails aren’t too high and they go well with seafood.”
As Xin Rong was talking, Shao Chengyun propped one of his arms up on the back of his chair while locking his gaze on Xin Rong.
Xin Rong continued to avoid eye contact with Shao Chengyun as he lowered his gaze to look at the menu. His avoidance wasn’t out of fear, nor for the sake of evasion; rather, it was his way of a tacit rejection towards Shao Chengyun.
Shao Chengyun went along with Xin Rong’s recommendation and said, “I’ll get a ‘Sunset by the Beach’ then.”
Xin Rong nodded his head. His eyelashes shielding half of his eyes and his voice was clear as he replied, “Alright, please wait.”
After Xin Rong left the table, Shao Chengyun’s eyes lingered on the back of his figure for a long time without looking away.
The employee uniform either looked too loose on the shoulders, or too long at the sleeves when worn by other workers but it was more than fitting on Xin Rong. Broad shoulders, slender waist, curvy figure and long legs — it was as if he was born as a clothes rack to fit perfectly into any outfit that adorned that body of his, and being a waiter at a restaurant wasn’t doing him justice.
Shao Chengyun left the restaurant at 8 o’clock and by then, the atmosphere in the restaurant had gotten even rowdier. A few customers who have had too much to drink lost their composure after being intoxicated with alcohol. Shao Chengyun watched as customers tipped Xin Rong while some even reached out to touch him, but Xin Rong was quick to react and avoided it.
Thankfully, nothing worse than that happened since they were in a proper setting with people around, and authorities would jump into action at any given time to prevent further inappropriate behavior. Judging from Xin Rong’s unwavering reaction, it seemed like it wasn’t the first time he’s encountered this type of harassment.
Shao Chengyun watched the commotion from the sidelines with a chilly gaze in his eyes, his face emotionless.
He took the opportunity to leave the restaurant when Xin Rong went to serve another table. Accommodation and meals were all inclusive on the cruise but fees for additional consumption such as drinks were transferred directly from passengers’ credit cards, and customers did not need to pay after their meals.
Shao Chengyun walked to the door of the restaurant and bumped into Manager Zhu who was relaying things to two employees. As soon as Manager Zhu saw Shao Chengyun passing by, his expression became nervous. Just by judging from his reaction, Shao Chengyun knew that the matter which he had instructed him to do earlier had not been completed.
Manager Zhu left the two employees and went to greet Shao Chengyun quickly while Shao Chengyun stood still in place. Manager Zhu walked up to him, lowered his voice, and asked with a smile, “Mr. Shao, did you enjoy your meal?””
Shao Chengyun didn’t want other employees to know about his boarding and Manager Zhu didn’t dare to run his mouth about it either.
“Not bad.” Shao Chengyun said.
“Xin Rong didn’t make any mistakes, did he?” Manager Zhu asked again in an attempt to figure out Shao Chengyun’s mood at the moment.
This time, Shao Chengyun didn’t even give a verbal response as he just nodded his head slightly.
Manager Zhu’s heart sank. Knowing that there was no room for compromise, he could only send Shao Chengyun away respectfully.
Actually, it didn’t matter if Xin Rong came to his suite or not. Shao Chengyun was not planning to rush things.
Lin Ying had already dug out everything regarding Xin Rong’s background down to the last detail. Shao Chengyun had read the information about him and he knew how powerless Xin Rong was. If Shao Chengyun really wanted to do something to him, he would have nowhere to escape.
Shao Chengyun returned to his room to finish up some work, and then went to the gym on the cruise for an hour. When he walked back to his suite slowly with no sense of urgency and his duffel bag slung over his shoulder, he saw a figure sitting curled up by the door of Room 902 from a distance, as if looking at his phone.
Xin Rong still showed up in the end. The corners of Shao Chengyun’s mouth hooked upwards unconsciously at the sight of him.
Before he could go closer, the boy sitting on the ground turned his head and noticed his arrival. He put his phone away immediately and stood up.
The restaurant on the top floor closed at 10 o’clock. Before Xin Rong came, he changed out of his oil-stained uniform into a loose T-shirt and sweatpants.
The clothes he was wearing seemed a bit shabby, as if they had been washed many times with their bright colors faded. However, the uptight aura brought about by his uniform had disappeared from him and been replaced with a more kiddish and innocent image.
Shao Chengyun walked towards him slowly. There was no one else in the corridor and this time, Xin Rong did not avoid Shao Chengyun’s gaze anymore.
But Xin Rong didn’t call out to Shao Chengyun until the latter walked up to him.
—— Of course he’d still have a temper. Although Xin Rong was forced to make this visit, Shao Chengyun would’ve expected him to be more submissive at the very least.
Shao Chengyun looked into the boy’s eyes, his gaze piercing all the way through his pupil before saying, “Come in.”
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