Chapter 043: Unwritten Rules of the Bar

"That's right! Brother Yan relies on the Fifth Lady every night just to get by—it can't be easy. So when he finally meets a pure and innocent girl, what are you doing, Third Brother?" Zhang Zhilong looked at Lin Yu with a face full of confusion.

"What am I doing?" Lin Yu burst out laughing, then replied, "Nothing much. That girl is an escort—she charges for overnight stays. If you two want your first time to be with an escort, you can just go find her now. As long as you've got the money, anything goes."

"No way! An escort? Impossible! She looks so innocent, obviously a student. You're just jealous that I'm getting more attention than you!" Wang Yan took a deep swig of his drink, his tone disgruntled.

"You're being reckless..." Lin Yu shook his head, took a sip of liquor, and explained, "Generally, in nightclubs, working girls who are available for hire wear a ring on their index finger, no necklace, mostly dresses, and usually order strong liquor. That girl just now fit the profile. And the way she sways her hips when she walks—it's clear she's been around."

"Is that for real?" Wang Yan sat up, doubt in his voice.

"Absolutely. These unwritten rules in bars have been around for years and are the same everywhere." Lin Yu finished speaking, lit a cigarette, and began to smoke.

With a roll of his tongue, he blew out a perfectly oval smoke ring—quite a sight.

"Third Brother, give me two relief sticks. I'm off to the restroom, be right back." Seeing Lin Yu smoking, Zhang Zhilong immediately craved one himself.

"Going to the restroom?" Lin Yu's typically calm expression turned playful at Zhang Zhilong's words.

In his past life, Zhang Zhilong had often been caught peeping on women in the bar restroom, unable to resist his impulses. Was he going there now because his urge had returned?

Voyeurism is classified as a psychological disorder—people with this compulsion go to great lengths to spy on the opposite sex for satisfaction. They don't care about filth, hiding in cesspits, drilling holes in the ladies' room wall, or using mirrors to peek from the men's side. Some even spy on women undressing or bathing in dorms or bathrooms.

Although Zhang Zhilong wouldn't hide in a cesspit, using a small mirror to sneak a glimpse was something he did often.

This peculiar hobby lasted until he was caught spying on their teacher, Tao Bo, and struck up a clandestine relationship with her. Only then, having found some solace, did he gradually give it up.

Seeing Zhang Zhilong about to relapse, Lin Yu shook his head in resignation and thought to himself, "Looks like it's time to help these boys find some girlfriends... What am I going to do with these hormone-fueled rascals!"

By nature, Lin Yu had always disliked men who took advantage of women through unscrupulous means.

So, after handing Zhang Zhilong a cigarette, he spoke up, showing off a little, "Hold on. Let me teach you the unwritten rules of the bar—are you interested?"

"Huh? Bar rules? Go ahead, I'll hold it for now!" Zhang Zhilong was instantly intrigued.

"You're something else, holding it in even now!" Wang Yan was in awe, giving Zhang Zhilong a big thumbs-up.

"Quiet, quiet. Class is in session." Lin Yu cleared his throat and began, "See that woman over there—the one Zhilong was just staring at? Do you know what she's doing?"

"What else? She's lonely, obviously! Even an idiot can see that!" Zhang Zhilong was quick to reply, and Wang Yan nodded in agreement.

"Yes, even an idiot can see that," Lin Yu confirmed, then continued with a smirk, "All you have to do is walk over, tear open a sugar packet, and pour it into her coffee. If she's willing to leave with you tonight, she'll get up and go. If not, she'll just keep stirring her coffee. It's that simple."

"So there's a trick to it after all!" Zhang Zhilong, his eyes glued to the sexy woman, drooled a little as he replied. He looked eager to try.

Wang Yan, not interested in that type, didn't pay much attention. After a sip of his drink, he asked Lin Yu, "Old Three, any other rules? Just tell us all at once so we don't embarrass ourselves in the future."

"Haha, you've already made fools of yourselves. Look around—nobody else is glancing about at all the tables. You two were just now, looking here and there. That's not in line with the discreet bar atmosphere."

Despite his youth, Lin Yu gave a mature, steady smile, took a graceful drag, and continued, "If you want some excitement, never order beer at a bar. Those in the know always order juice or cocktails."

He lifted his glass and took a delicate sip.

Seeing his two brothers looking stunned, Lin Yu's lips curled slightly. "If you see a ring on the right pinky and a lighter pressed beneath a red pack of cigarettes, and the person is ordering lemon juice, odds are eighty percent he's a male escort. If the ring is on the middle finger, they wear baggy clothes and sneakers and order beer, they're probably drug dealers—though the prices here are higher, so most people don't buy."

After explaining, Lin Yu took out his cigarette case and began to teach the two how to pick up women.

"If a man pulls two cigarettes halfway out of his pack, it means he's looking for a fling tonight—essentially asking if any beautiful woman would care to light his cigarette. If a woman interested in him comes over, she’ll take one out and light it for him. That means she's willing to go to a hotel."

"Now that's something new." Wang Yan grinned confidently, tossing his hair in an attempt to look cool. The lighting in the bar was dim, so no one noticed the dandruff he scattered.

As midnight approached, the bar began to fill up; a singer would be performing at midnight.

The resident singer at Phoenix Bar was a minor celebrity named Ye Ruoshui. She was a pretty girl, still a student at Bincheng University, but had already sung a theme song for a TV drama.

The nighttime business at the Phoenix Bar owed much of its popularity to Ye Ruoshui’s performances.

Usually, girls singing in bars attract the attention of lecherous men, making it hard to keep their innocence. However, Ye Ruoshui was protected by Brother Lianjin, the bar’s head bouncer, who had fended off many harassers for her.

Thinking of Ye Ruoshui and Brother Lianjin, Lin Yu felt as if something flickered through his mind, but it vanished before he could grasp it.

Noticing Lin Yu lost in thought, Zhang Zhilong waved a finger in front of his eyes. When Lin Yu came to, Zhang Zhilong grinned, "Third Brother! After all these tips, I’m so moved I could cry a river. But honestly, I really can't hold it anymore—I'm off to the restroom!"

"Still going to the restroom..." Lin Yu sighed helplessly, about to lecture him.

But just as he was about to speak, he spotted a woman approaching from across the room—a professional woman with a figure nine out of ten, poise eight out of ten, and looks seven out of ten.