chapter 37 Serve the wine as he said

The group proceeded to Ark Bar, one of the largest nightclubs in Jefpombert City. Due to her age, Rubert chose not to accompany them. "Carver, I initially reserved a regular VIP seat. But I felt it's too far back and too narrow. Should we switch to a VIP booth?" With Rubert absent, Rex began to act a bit more extravagantly, calling Carver over and occasionally trying to catch the attention of Hedy. Carver couldn't be oblivious to Rex's subtle intentions. Pointing ahead, he said, "Sure, let's arrange that. What do you think?" Rex's mouth twitched slightly as he followed Carver's gaze. It was the best position in the entire Ark Bar, starting from a minimum spending of ten thousand. Though Cornelia had never been to a bar, her basic judgment was still intact. She quickly pulled Carver and whispered, "Brother, just arrange any seat. There's no need for such a good one." Initially hesitant, Rex understood Carver was trying to assert dominance. Worried Carver might change his mind, Rex quickly called the waiter, "Cancel the previous booth. Arrange the VIP booth next to the stage for us!" As he asked, he added a sarcastic inquiry, "Your family's compensation from the demolition probably only covers the down payment. Is this arrangement fine?" Carver had a more amusing plan in mind. He smiled and said, "No problem. Tonight is for celebration; money doesn't matter." "Great! I like straightforward people like you. Let's go," Rex said, leading the way. The group reached the VIP booth beside the stage. The spotlight swept across the area, showcasing the seated guests to the entire venue, feeding the vanity of the students who pretended to be high-profile. However, when Hedy refused to join and openly mentioned that the expenses would be shared between Rita and Cornelia's brother, it left everyone embarrassed. With only one person expressing gratitude, Nancy Summer, the atmosphere turned awkward. Rubert's absence didn't help the situation. The bar was now setting the mood with a couple of curvy, attractive women lighting candles and lamps on the tables. The supervisor-like woman approached, holding the drinks menu. "Excuse me, who will be placing the order?" With a minimum spending of ten thousand, Rex casually waved his hand, appearing dominant. "No need for that. Just bring two bottles of Louis XIII, a fruit platter, and a few crates of beer." A bottle of Louis XIII cost over 10,000 dollars in this bar. Two bottles amounted to over 20,000 dollars, plus the fruit platter and beer, the total was already over 21,000 dollars. However, Carver, lifting his hand leisurely, interrupted, "Wait!" Rex froze, thinking Carver was going to back out. "This was agreed upon earlier. If you change your mind after we're already seated, it's not fun anymore." "Who said I'm changing my mind?" Carver smiled mysteriously. "I just think it's better to stick to one type of liquor. Mixing drinks might get us too drunk." Rex, thinking Carver was backing out, mocked, "Are you considering ordering all beer? That might get us all drunk, and we won't even reach ten thousand." Carver, with a meaningful smile, replied, "Miss, please follow the headcount. Start with one bottle of Louis XIII for each person. And bring us your best appetizers and snacks, three servings!" Rex, looking high and mighty while holding up his water glass, twitched his mouth. When it was confirmed that Carver had ordered like that, his face turned as pale as a pig's liver: "Carver, the Ark Bar belongs to Mr. Long in Jefpombert City, and you can't just order individual items." The Louis XIII Supreme he just ordered was even more expensive, costing over 11,000 dollars per bottle, even with a discount. There were a total of nineteen people here, not counting other expenses, and the total cost amounted to over 200,000 dollars. The key is, the drinks are expensive and not enjoyable. If we continue ordering, who knows how much it will cost? Carver smiled and said, "If you can't afford it, I can treat you. You don't need to contribute a penny!" How could Rita accept such a situation? She quickly pulled Rex and said, "Brother!" Rex, also provoked, said with a strained neck, "How can one bottle per person be enough? Just get two bottles for each person!" He thought Carver was trying to show dominance again, and he couldn't afford to lose in terms of momentum. Regardless, the bill needs confirmation when the drinks arrive, and there is still a chance to change their minds. Cornelia, however, was anxious, "Brother Rex, let's just order some beer." Seeing this, Rex became more convinced that Carver was pretending, as why else would Cornelia be so nervous? "I don't mind, it's up to you, Brother." Carver, with a faint smile, told the waitress, "As he said, bring on the drinks!" Unexpectedly, Carver really dared to order the drinks. Rex's heart skipped a beat. However, on the surface, he remained calm, thinking that Carver was just pretending. Once the drinks arrived, he would back down. Soon, 38 bottles of Louis XIII Supreme were delivered. The waitress asked enthusiastically, "May I ask, are you all settling the entire bill? Considering your consumption tonight, other snacks are complimentary. The total payment is 380,000 dollars." Cornelia couldn't sit still, "Brother, don't joke!" This further boosted Rex's confidence. He pointed at Carver and told the waitress, "We'll share the bill. Let him pay for half first." As long as Carver doesn't buy, he also has a reason not to buy, and the one losing face won't be himself. Carver smiled faintly and handed out his card: "Credit card!" Ah? No one expected this move. Rex's eyelids kept twitching. Wasn't he just pretending? How could he dare? Others were also shocked by Carver's direct credit card move. After all, buying half of the bill meant 190,000 dollars! Amidst the complex and astonished expressions of the crowd, a beep indicated a successful card swipe, and the receipt was printed. The woman politely returned the card to Carver, saying, "Esteemed guest, please keep your card. Additionally, we will be presenting you with Ark's premium gold card, offering you an 80% discount on all future expenses!" She then turned to Rex and extended her hand, saying, "Sir, this gentleman has already paid for half. The remaining half of the expenses will be covered by you." This outcome completely exceeded Rex's expectations, and his face turned red. Because he only had around 50,000 dollars in total. However, he didn't dare to refuse to pay the bill; otherwise, it wouldn't just be a matter of losing face—it could be life-threatening. After all, this establishment was part of the underworld empire of Jefpombert City's underground king, Jesiah! "Spare me a moment to confirm, Rita and I have something to discuss."