James didn't know who Leo Pg was. To him, the bar owner was just an ordinary rich guy.
In terms of wealth, James currently had more than a billion if he converted it all to "lick-spittle coins."
Plus, with his height advantage, he didn't feel intimidated by the short and stout Leo Pg.
So James was confident, acting without reservation. He appeared well-mannered but not overly concerned.
James clinked glasses with Leo Pg in a casual manner.
He took a sip of the drink, smacking his lips as he savored the rich, fragrant taste. It was quite good, but he didn't particularly enjoy it.
James gently placed the glass back on the table and, without a word, picked up another glass and poured some Armand de Brignac instead.
Seeing this, Leo Pg felt a pang of panic, his heart skipping a beat.
Could it be that his fake wine had been exposed? Was this heir's palate really that sharp?
The limited edition Louis XIII Rare Cask was indeed something he'd spent 800,000 yuan to buy at auction.
But he had served it so often that the bottle had been refilled several times.
Whenever Leo Pg had an important guest to impress, he would bring out this bottle to show off.
By now, it had been poured out seven or eight times.
The bottle was genuine, but the wine inside had been professionally mixed by a wine critic to mimic the original.
The taste was close enough that Leo Pg couldn't tell the difference.
But today, it seemed like someone had noticed.
!!!
Leo Pg felt deeply embarrassed.
His face, already flushed from the drinks, turned even redder, making him look even more like a honey-roasted pig.
He hadn't faced such embarrassment in years, and his pride felt deeply wounded.
Just then, one of the girls dancing in the center twisted her ankle and fell.
"Damn it, if you can't dance properly, get the hell out!"
Leo Pg seized the opportunity to shift the focus, hurling the bottle of Louis XIII at the floor near the girl.
"Crash!"
The glass bottle shattered, sending shards and liquid flying everywhere.
The girls screamed in surprise.
At that moment, Jay Johnson, who had been standing outside the booth, rushed in, slipping his hand inside his jacket.
He was carrying pepper spray he'd whimsically purchased that afternoon, thinking it might be useful for his bodyguard dutiesâit would be quite effective in a crowd.
He'd thought about getting a stun baton too, but the local markets didn't carry such items, so he'd ordered one online instead.
Jay Johnson looked intimidating.
With his tall stature and stern face, he reached into his jacket as if about to pull something big.
Instantly, all eyes were on him.
The girls stopped screaming, Leo Pg fell silent, and his men paused in their efforts to expel the dancers.
They thought the bottle smash might've been a signal for a big confrontation.
The room fell eerily quiet.
James reacted first, saying with a laugh:
"Bro Jay, I'm fine. No need to worry."
Jay Johnson glanced at the far-off shattered bottle, then nodded and silently returned to his previous spot.
Leo Pg's doubts about James evaporated.
No wonder he dared to venture out with just a single bodyguardâturns out he was armed.
He himself had some tubular items kept at home, but he didn't dare carry them around.
Back when restrictions weren't so tight, he'd equipped a few of his loyal men with such items, too.
But once, an incident almost led to a police raid, which nearly traced back to him.
It had cost him a fortune and the intervention of influential figures to clear his name.
Nowadays, local authorities were strict...
He didn't want to be the example.
"Mr. King, apologies for my temper. Truly, what a buzzkill. Here, I'll punish myself with a drink," Leo Pg declared, downing a glass of 40-degree brandy in one swift motion.
He puffed up his cheeks, showing James the empty glass as proof.
"Impressive, Mr. Pg," James complimented with a smile.
Watching him puff up his cheeks like a frog was amusing to James, who maintained his grin.
Leo Pg, faced with James's unwavering gaze, waved his towel-wielding subordinate away.
He could handle his liquor pretty well;
The glass he'd just downed was about 150 ml. It wouldn't make him drunk, but it'd definitely give him a buzz.
"Ahh"
Leo Pg sighed after finishing, putting a piece of beef in his mouth to balance the alcohol.
"This foreign liquor is really damn bitter. I need a moment."
With that, Leo leaned back onto the sofa, massaging his forehead.
With his other hand, he discreetly signaled Amanda to persuade James to drink.
A subordinate leaned in and whispered, "Brother Leo, should we head back to retrieve some gear?"
Leo waved him off. "No need."
The subordinate shot a long look at James before retreating.
Amanda had also been shaken by Jay Johnson earlier.
After hesitating for a moment, she decided to give it one last effort.
She picked up two glasses of champagne and, smiling apologetically at James, said:
"Sorry about that, Mr. King. Our boss can get a bit excitable when he drinks. Please don't mind him."
Amanda clinked the two glasses together and handed one to James:
"A toast from me. I'll drink mine in one go; you can take your time."
James wouldn't let a lady drink alone, so he immediately stood up and said, "I'm not the kind of person who stands idle. Here, down the hatch!"
He then downed his glass in one go.
Amanda followed suit, smiling as she continued to encourage him:
"How about we make it double the good luck with another round?"
"Alright,"
James handed over his glass for another refill.
The sparkling wine wasn't very strong, only about 12% alcohol, so a few glasses wouldn't be an issue.
After finishing the second glass,
Amanda grabbed the bottle to pour another.
"For the third toast, here's wishing Mr. King triple prosperity and fortune," she said slyly.
"Amanda, are you trying to get me drunk?" James asked directly.
"..."
Amanda blushed slightly, unsure if it was the alcohol or James's straightforward words making her feel shy.
Avoiding his gaze, she continued to pour.
"Amanda, pour a little less,"
Seeing Amanda ignore him, James got up to take her glass, seizing the hand holding the glass and trying to lift it.
"We'll still have to discuss things later. Let's not rush. We can drink after we talk."
"Good talks only happen after a few rounds. With your tolerance, Mr. King, you'll handle it just fine."
Amanda had developed a slight fondness for this guy who'd brought her drinks,
but she'd already decided to leave her job, so whatever he wanted to say shouldn't concern her.
Moreover, Amanda worried about leaving him any wrong impression and feared he might say something awkward.
So, she persisted, trying to get him tipsy.
Don't let the low alcohol content fool youâthree glasses could still make you dizzy.
James, having something on his mind, was reluctant to drink.
The two of them playfully tussled a bit, and the glass accidentally spilled some wine, wetting James's shirt.
"Oops, sorry, sorry!" Amanda exclaimed, hastily putting the bottle down and reaching for a napkin to help him clean it up.
They were quite close now.
James caught a whiff of her fragrant hair, feeling her gentle touch as she cleaned him up.
When his gaze dropped and caught a glimpse of the soft skin peeking out from her neckline,
he found himself physically reacting just a little bit.