Spending some time at the hotel together, time is approaching six o'clock unknowingly.
Walking to different place all days during this scorchingly hot weather is physically demanding, so at this moment, Arthur is already hungry.
"It's almost evening. Shall we go and eat?"
Feng Yang was also hungry so he nodded and asked, "Where shall we eat?"
Arthur suggested: "Let's just eat at the restaurant in the hotel. It's a one-Michelin star restaurant. It's worth a try."
After deciding, the two of them rushed all the way to the restaurant on the second floor.
The two ordered a total of five dishes and waited for nearly an hour before all the dishes were served.
Fortunately, there are self-service dim sums in the restaurant that can temporarily fill up your stomach.
After finishing the meal, Arthur turned to the Feng Yang: "Let's set off to the bar now!"
"Well, okay?" Feng Yang hesitated but still nodded in the end.
In the evening, the scorching sun has finally set down, and the whole area instantly became much cooler.
Sitting in the taxi while waiting til the destination, Feng Yang asked: "Arthur, do you often go to nigh clubs before?"
Arthur shook his head and laughed: "Not everyone is into feasting and having a lavish nightclub life. There are so many other interesting things in the world besides nightclubs. To be honest, I have never been to one before. Besides, I have your accompaniment today, so I want to go there and experience it."
Hearing this, Feng Yang felt infinitely much better, and no longer reluctant to that kind of place.
In fact, the Four Seasons Hotel is not far from The Open-air Bar. It is only one to two kilometers away.
But the two of them took a taxi and took them half an hour before they finally arrived.
This is the case for Shanghai City transportation…
"I feel that if we have walked, we should have arrived here long ago." Arthur said in a low voice.
Feng Yang smiled and conducted a little science popularization "This is actually normal for Shanghai transportation. It seems that you have not experienced being stuck in traffic on an elevated highway for more than five hours."
After getting off the taxi, the couple strolled along the streets.
Looking at the crowd of people nearly rubbing their shoulders, Arthur tightly held Feng Yang's hands and shuttled among the crowd quickly.
After escaping from the stream of people, Arthur smiled slightly and then put his hands in his pocket. He then looked at the night scenes on both sides of the street with interest.
...
Both of them strolled on the street, silently yet harmoniously. This silence did not dampen the atmosphere, instead brought an even more romantic element to it. The two boys walked without saying a words. Noise surrounding them seems to be automatically cancelled out. They are now in the world of their own.
Suddenly, Arthur smiled and said: "Hey, before getting drunk, do you have anything to say, Feng Yang?"
"What? I have nothing to say." Feng Yang looked at Arthur suspiciously.
Arthur did not speak and just looked at Feng Yang quietly.
But Feng Yang is a little observant and alert and said with caution, "What do you want?"
"Feng Yang, do you like me?" Arthur asked suddenly and in a serious tone.
The sudden question caused Feng Yang to be out of breath.
Though his heart is beating crazily, Feng Yang still successfully maintain his facade as if having facial paralysis. Only after a long moment of silence did he reply with such low tremors that could be hardly noticed: "Ho…How could it be that I like you! Sorry, but I only treat you as a friend."
"Sigh!"
Arthur heaved a sigh of relief and remained silent.
Just when Feng Yang intended to try diverting the topic to ease this delicate atmosphere, Arthur suddenly spoke blandly: "Then I am relieved."
'What? What do you mean you can be at peace?!'
Feng Yang was stunned, his face looking all dull.
To be honest, this is the first time that Arthur has witnessed such an expression on Feng Yang's face, even in their three years of high school. The big man with his usual aloof appearance now looked like a stunned abandoned puppy.
If it's usual, Arthur would not hesitate a second to coax him. But not at this time. Arthur only spoke.
"Go! Let's get drunk tonight to celebrate our bachelorship!"
He then dragged the unmoving, Feng Yang, who was constantly emitting low temperature, towards the bar.
...
Along the way, Feng Yang kept his head down.
Arthur obviously noticed this but pretended to have no clues. Truth to be told, he felt like he should be the one sulking right now.
He has definitely taken the initiative but got turned down. This is not the one and only time. In fact, he felt that he almost took the initiative all the time.
Arthur is not stupid. He could also see that Feng Yang is also interested in him. The confession earlier was the chance given by him to Feng Yang to actively expose his true feelings.
Did Arthur not expect the situation might turn out this way?
The answer is yes. The truth is he speculated that there would be high likelihood that Feng Yang would deny his feeling for him.
One could argue that for Feng Yang, a person who put on an arrogant, aloof Mr. Perfect facade, forcing him to confess his true feelings with another in the first attempt might be too hard on him.
Arthur could psychologically understand that logic, but he could not force himself to acknowledge that. Arthur is just a human-being. He is also impulsive sometimes. He is also greedy. He also wants to receive more tokens of emotions rather than always being the one actively delivering the relationship.
Despite the failure, Arthur, though a little depressed, is not hopeless. He had also prepared an escape route, or one must say, the plan B in case of failure.
He of course would not let go of Feng Yang.
He has had enough of loneliness.
The confession earlier was because he wanted them to confirm the relationship while both of them were sobered. But Feng Yang did not take that chance, so he again had to take the matters into his own hands
And now, these two boys are here, intending to get drunk in this Open-air Bar.
...
Although the Open-air Bar is open to the public, non-hotel guests who want to go in need to pay an admission fee of 150 per person.
For just 150 yuan, you get to enjoy the night view of the entire street, which Arthur thinks is very worth it.
The fee for two people totaled 600 yuan. After paying the admission fees, the two of them took the elevator all the way to the topmost floor, the 30th floor.
When they walked out of the elevator, they felt the night breeze blowing, which was extremely cool.
Due to their early arrival, there are not many guests yet in the bar.
It was said to be a bar, but Arthur felt that it was more like a coffee shop. There is no DJ, no flashing lights, and no hot dances. There are only guests in groups of two's or three's enjoying some little drinks and chatting.
Walking to the deck in the corner, Arthur looked at the night view. Opposite to them was the Oriental Pearl TV Tower with brilliant lights and below was the quietly flowing Huangpu River. Several colorful yachts sailed slowly in the river. On the streets of the river were city lights connected together like two long dragons, winding and circling each other.
The night view of Shanghai is really beautiful.
At this time, a waiter walked slowly forward and handed over the wine list, and asked: "What would you like to drink?"
Arthur glanced roughly at the wine list and asked: "Is there any sparkling wine?"
"Sorry sir, our bar doesn't have sparkling wine, but there are various types of champagne you can choose from." The waiter said apologetically.
"Please give sone recommendations!"
Arthur rarely drinks. The only foreign wine he had was sparkling wine so he was thankful for the waiter's recommendations.
The waiter smiled and said: "If you want to drink champagne, of course, the black version of the Ace of Spades is the first choice, it is dry and creamy with fruity flavor. Cristal Louis Roederer and Krug Clos du Mesnil Blanc de Blancs Brut are also good."
As a waiter in the bar, the salary is linked to their customers' consumption, based on commission.
The waiter only habitually promoted the most expensive champagnes, but what he didn't expect was that the boy in front of him dressed in ordinary clothes nodded and said: "Okay, give us a bottle of the Ace of Spades first!"
The waiter once again looked at Arthur and cautioned: "Sir, just a reminder, a bottle of the black version of the Ace of Spades is 8,800 yuan each."
Arthur's expression did not change and said calmly: "Okay, give us a bottle first!"
…
After confirming that Arthur was not joking, the waiter hurriedly bowed and said: "Sir, you ordered a bottle of Ace of Spades Black Edition totaling 8,800 yuan. Is it through credit card or cash?"
"Swipe the card!"
Arthur took out his bank card and handed it over. The light shone on Arthur's watch and the royal blue dial suddenly reflected ripples like that of the water in the sea.
"Okay. Please wait for a moment." The waiter took the bank card and then turned to leave.
...
The pale golden wine constantly exudes bubbles in the tulip wine glass.
Arthur picked up the wine glass and smelled it, and a faint fruity fragrance immediately filled up the tip of his nose.
It is strange that the raw material for champagne is grapes, but this wine smells with several fruity aromas.
Upon the entrance of the wine in the mouth, there is a sourness and astringent taste to it, followed by bitterness. The bitterness doesn't last for long until the whole mouth is full of sweetness.
Coupled with the bubbles in the wine, it gives a very refreshing feeling.
The wine is expensive and there is actually a reason behind it. It is indeed better than sparkling wine.
Arthur feels very calm enjoying the evening breeze and the fine wine, watching the night view. Turning his head and slowly squinting his eyes at Feng Yang, this big guy has been quiet since earlier.
The experience here would have been perfect if it had not been for the stiff atmosphere between the two of them.
Arthur suddenly spoke not specifically to Feng Yang: "Forget it! Let just get drunk!"
Having said that, he actively clicked his glass with the unmoving Feng Yang.
It was only at this moment that Feng Yang lifted his head. His lost eyes looked up, making direct contact to Arthur's. It was as if in just single moment, his world was narrowed down to a single shape of this person.
In Feng Yang's view right now, the amber glow of the bar accentuated the golden strands of hair framing Arthur's face. Through the reflection of the glass, the light glinted off his blond locks, momentarily turning them into a halo.
Such a mesmerizing sight now gave rise to a sense of remorse and urgency in his heart.
Glass after glass, a faint flush crept up Arthur's neck, blooming across his cheekbones. The smooth lines of his face, initially sharp and defined, softened. His handsomeness simply transformed from a polished facade to a disarming allure.
...
That night, Arthur followed his original intentions. Be totally drunk and get dragged back to the hotel by Feng Yang.
/////
@Feng Yang: You played me!!!
@Arthur: Yes, I am unreasonable.