"William, you say you can drink and talk, but that's just talk for now," Maria said, eyeing him with a half-smile. "I haven't seen what you can actually do. So, there'll be a three-day trial period. If you impress me, I'll promote you to sales manager."
She wasn't buying his claims just yet. Maria had seen all kinds in the nightlife scene. Guys like William? Plenty. Most of them burned out after a week of heavy drinking.
William nodded. "So my job is to sell drinks and keep the customers company? Get them to spend?"
The moment he asked, he understood exactly what kind of work this was.
Basically… he was a male hostess.
Same gig as the girls who used to pour drinks and flirt with customers—just flipped.
It was definitely a challenge.
And something he'd never done before.
Maria's eyes narrowed with amusement. "That's one way to look at it. Your monthly pay depends on how good you are. But if your tolerance sucks and one of the ladies drinks you under the table and drags you off to a hotel, that's on you."
Evelyn, standing nearby, looked stunned.
She'd taken this job just to earn a little extra while studying. Sure, she knew bars could be messy places, but she'd assumed this one was at least halfway legit.
Listening to Maria and William talk, she realized—this place might be a lot messier than she thought.
Not just unsafe for girls…
Apparently, guys weren't safe either.
"Maria, I…" Evelyn started, clearly uneasy.
Maria cut her off gently. "Evelyn, don't worry. We have rules here. You applied to be a server, and that's all you'll be. No one's going to make you drink with customers, and no one's going to mess with you. I told you—I'll look out for you."
She could see exactly what Evelyn was worried about.
"Different jobs, different responsibilities," Maria added. "You'll just be opening bottles and serving drinks. Or, if you'd rather, you can work the front as a greeter."
"…Okay." Evelyn finally relaxed. Maria's confidence and clarity were oddly reassuring.
Maria turned back to William. "I've got a few friends coming in tonight. Their table's already reserved. You'll be taking care of them. Sound good?"
She smiled. "Think of it as a test run. Don't worry—even if you can't keep up, they won't give you a hard time."
William didn't hesitate. "Sure."
He was here to adapt to this new life, after all. Though, he did wonder—what if the women tonight were… not easy on the eyes?
Well, he'd just have to deal with it.
Like the girls in brothels—did they get to pick their clients?
But even in a brothel, there were top courtesans who did get to choose. If he was good enough, even in this line of work, he could earn that right.
This was his first real job in this world. If he was going to do it, he'd do it right.
"Maria," William asked seriously, "what do I have to do to be allowed to choose my own clients?"
Maria stared at him for a moment, then said, "If you can get that table of mine tonight to drink, laugh, and leave happy, I'll let you pick one table per night from then on."
Already thinking about picking clients, huh?
Maria found it amusing. She didn't take his question too seriously.
The women coming tonight were seasoned regulars—wealthy cougars who practically lived in the nightlife scene. When they partied, they could down dozens of beers like water, mix whiskey and wine without blinking. If William wasn't careful, they'd drink him under the table before midnight.
"Go get changed," Maria said, stepping out from behind the bar and leading them toward the back.
She handed Evelyn a simple staff qipao, and gave William a fitted black suit.
"Change in the break room," she said, then left them to it.
By now, other staff members were starting to arrive, filtering into the bar one by one.
William stepped out of the break room in a fitted black suit, and Maria couldn't help but give him a slow once-over.
Damn, she thought. This kid's way too good-looking.
With that face alone, he could probably drive those rich cougars absolutely wild.
He looked like he was only twenty, but there was something about him—an aura that didn't match his age. It wasn't just confidence. It was like he'd seen too much, lived through too much. Like a man who'd already weathered a lifetime.
And those eyes… they held something deep, like stars buried in a night sky. Hard to look away from. His features were flawless, not a single weak angle.
Maria actually felt her heart skip a beat.
I really hit the jackpot today.
Two new hires—one quiet and elegant like a fairy out of a painting, the other handsome and refined enough to outshine any man she'd ever seen.
Maria was already thinking long-term. If William really could drink like he claimed, he might just become the bar's golden goose.
She'd been in this business long enough to know one thing: men chased women for the thrill, the novelty. Once they got what they wanted, the interest usually faded.
But women? When a woman got hooked on a man, it was like she lost her mind. And Maria knew a lot of rich women. If they got obsessed with William—and he kept playing hard to get? Refused to sleep with them?
They'd only want him more.
And women with money?
They were the most dangerous kind of customers.
"Maria, where'd you find this little heartthrob?" one of the other girls working at the bar asked, eyeing William with open interest.
"Hi there," William said with a polite smile. "I'm William. First day on the job—please take care of me."
He'd picked up that line online earlier today. Figured it'd come in handy.
The girl giggled. "Oh, don't worry, William. Big sis will definitely take care of you."
"Don't scare him off," Maria said, rolling her eyes. Then she turned to William. "You hang out at bars a lot before this?"
William shook his head. "Nope. This is only my second time in a bar. First time was yesterday."
Maria's mouth twitched. "You serious?"
"Dead serious."
"…Alright then," she said, trying to keep a straight face. "What about games? Dice, cards, Beer Pong—you know how to play?"
William thought for a second. "I'm pretty good with dice. I can roll whatever I want. As for cards, I'm not sure how you guys play here. And Beer Pong—I've never tried it."
"But you can teach me. I'll pick it up fast."
He wasn't bluffing. Back in his old life, he'd run a casino. Dice games were second nature. Cards, though—different era, different rules. He'd need to learn the local style.
Maria raised an eyebrow. "You can roll whatever you want, huh?"
William nodded seriously. "It's been a while, but yeah. Shouldn't be a problem."
"Sure it's not." Maria snorted. "You're full of it, but I'll give you points for confidence."
She grabbed a dice cup from a nearby table and slammed it down in front of him. "Alright, hotshot. Show me five ones. Right now. You pull that off, I'll double your salary."