Global Film Emperor

Chapter 336

"Hello, what can I do for you?"

After the chubby young man pushed open the door, his steps were slightly slow, and his gaze was fixed on Lu Ze. He rubbed his hands together slightly along the seam of his trousers, and Lu Ze could clearly see his Adam's apple gurgle. He wondered where all that saliva came from.

"Hello, Lu Ze, I really like your acting. I'd like to buy some beer, could you tell me who the owner is?"

"Oh, that's me. Do you drink craft beer often? Need me to recommend one?"

Lu Ze got up and walked to the man's side to have a formal conversation with him. Seeing that the man was a little nervous, he didn't know how to ease the atmosphere. Fame always brings more trouble than benefits once you return to an ordinary life.

If Lu Ze were to rally his fans to support his business now, his income would definitely be much higher than it is now. But if he were to become some kind of internet celebrity, it wouldn't be very interesting. Lu Ze is unwilling to do the kind of thing that involves selling his face. He doesn't touch any of those popular short videos or micro-businesses. He only runs an online store on a food delivery app, delivering goods to customers in the same city, without mentioning whose store it is.

You could say that Lu Ze hasn't been forced to that point yet; otherwise, even if you asked him to shovel manure, he would have to do it to survive. That's true, but he hasn't reached that point yet.

"Is this your shop? What's up? I've only been into craft beer for about six months, and I haven't tried many kinds. I'm just a beginner. I'm thinking of stocking up at home and also trying to improve. I've heard there's a hierarchy in craft beer, and I'm not sure how to choose. I just don't want to embarrass myself by taking it out."

The man swallowed his questions, which made Lu Ze feel much more at ease. He no longer had to explain why he opened the beer house, and it would undoubtedly be more comfortable to be around him. Hearing what the man said next, Lu Ze just shook his head and smiled, then stepped aside and walked behind the bar.

He actually dislikes the idea that drinking a bottle of beer has to be divided into beginner and advanced levels. What does it prove if you've advanced? Does it prove how big your beer belly is?

It's simply a matter of personal financial strength. If you have money, you certainly wouldn't mind trying Anchorage, which costs several thousand dollars a can. To outsiders, if you've drunk an IPA of Anchorage's caliber, you must be a connoisseur.

But if you don't have enough money and can only afford a seven-dollar bottle of Godfather, in other people's eyes you might just be a newbie who's just starting out with craft beer. So what's the difference between a beginner and an enthusiast? It's money, of course. As for the taste, anyone with a good palate can tell the difference.
As for the hierarchy of contempt, the idea that people who drink sour beer look down on people who drink stout, people who drink stout look down on people who drink IPA, people who drink IPA look down on people who drink wheat beer, and people who drink wheat beer look down on people who drink soft beer—aren't you tired of this? Can you control everything people do, even what they do when they poop or fart? It's none of your business what people choose to drink. To put it bluntly, those who have a craft beer hierarchy are people with a strong sense of superiority who like to follow trends they've heard about from who-knows-where.

Lu Ze had always scoffed at both of these arguments, but since the other person was a guest who came to buy alcohol, not to be lectured, Lu Ze wouldn't say such things. He simply sat behind the bar, crossed his hands to support his chin, and asked the next question.

"What's your budget? Do you like strong flavors?"

"Under twenty yuan, the taste is alright, not too heavy."

Have you driven yet?

"No, my home is nearby. I came here while taking a walk. It's the weekend, so I'm not working."

Nodding, Lu Ze picked up two wine glasses, turned around and took a brown bottle with a skull pattern on the cover from the wine rack. Someone who didn't know better might mistake it for pesticide. He opened it with the push-button bottle opener with a soft bang.

I tilted the glass and watched the slightly cloudy liquor flow down the side of the glass, gradually forming a layer of bubbles. The bubbles were much smaller than those on a large green bottle, and they looked like a layer of cream—white, smooth, and with a faint aroma of wheat.

Stop when there's a quarter of the beer left in the bottle, shake the remaining beer clockwise to remove the sediment at the bottom of the bottle—that's the essence of a beer—and then pour it into two glasses, waving to the man.

"Dead souls, have a taste."

The foam on this beer dissipates quickly, so the man didn't hesitate and took a small sip. It had only a faint taste of wheat and cocoa. Then, the first sip of the beer brought out the flavors of citrus and cocoa. The hop flavor was quite different from the beer he had drunk before, and it was more bitter. However, the aftertaste was very fragrant and the taste was very rich. The balance of flavors was also very well done, and he liked it instantly.

The man was quietly sipping his beer, but Lu Ze noticed three men and two women peering through the window. After making eye contact with the five people, Lu Ze didn't greet them, but simply nodded, then turned his gaze back to the man.

"Is it here?"

"Yes, yes, yes! Isn't Da Hai sitting inside? Oh my god! I saw Lu Ze! He made eye contact with me! It really is Lu Ze! Shall we go in?"

"Why don't you go in! You need an autograph. The ocean is right there in there, what are you afraid of? Hurry up and go in."

The doorbell rang again. Gao Peiling saw that Lu Ze was chatting with guests, so she got up and went over to greet him, giving a smile to the five people who seemed a bit helpless.

"We've come to find our friend, the sea! The sea!"

"You're here? Have a seat. Would you like something to drink? Old Yang, would you like to try some? I think it's pretty good. I was planning to buy some to take home. Do you like it?"

None of the five refused the suggestion to drink; they simply wanted to stay a little longer and see the celebrities. The bar was too small, only seating four people, so they had no choice but to move to the tables. Lu Ze picked out several bottles of beer for them, then brought out some potato chips and nuts. Accompanied by music playing from the record player, he chatted with the six of them on and off.

"Lu Ze, can I get your autograph? I really love your movies, I've watched them over and over again, I'm a die-hard fan. I don't even know what to say right now, I'm just so excited!"

One of the girls spoke first, and it was clear she was genuinely excited. She had only taken two sips of beer when her face turned very red, which obviously had nothing to do with the alcohol.

"Let's skip the autographs. I'm not an artist anymore, and autographs aren't that valuable. Now that I own my own shop, you can see me anytime. Come over often, chat, and have some fun."

This was the first time Lu Ze had refused a request for an autograph, but it didn't disappoint them. On the contrary, they were even happier. Being able to make friends with their idol was much better than just getting an autograph! If they went to Lu Ze's shop for a drink today, they might be able to invite Lu Ze fishing tomorrow. Wouldn't that be awesome?
Lu Ze didn't mind making friends with them. Now that he was in the beer business, he couldn't rely on new customers to make a profit. To maintain his income, he had to rely on repeat customers.

As the alcohol wore off, the atmosphere gradually warmed up. The six men, no longer feeling restrained, went to the refrigerator to find their favorite drinks when they were in high spirits. They turned off the record player, turned on the TV, and started playing a movie on the set-top box. It wasn't until night fell, the yellow ambient lights came on, and the fairy lights began to flash that the six men got up to say goodbye. Each of them carried a dozen of their favorite beers and some leftover takeout trash, and said a warm farewell to Lu Ze.

After seeing the six people off, Lu Ze sat down and lit a cigarette. Gao Peiling rushed to wipe the table, fed the cripple dinner, and turned to see Lu Ze deep in thought. Perhaps influenced by the ambient lighting and alcohol, she sat down next to Lu Ze, became bolder, pulled Lu Ze's shoulder, and put her arm around his shoulder.

"It's getting late, let me take you home." Lu Ze said something that dampened her spirits, making her feel a little unhappy. This kind of environment is perfect for romance, and you're telling me to get lost? What does that mean?

She didn't believe Lu Ze was a blockhead; on the contrary, he should be exceptionally shrewd. Either Lu Ze was truly that upright, refusing to do anything to her even though she was willing, or he had something on his mind or someone else. That's why she asked a question that all women would ask.

"Ze-ge, how many girlfriends have you had before?"

"Me? It seems I don't."

"What? You're still playing the 'no exes online, but deny it even if you have them' game?"

"How can you talk so eloquently? If it were true, I'm already in my thirties, would I still be hiding it? I think it's shameful to have never had a girlfriend in your thirties."

Indeed, Lu Ze spent the first twenty-four years of his life struggling to turn his life around, and the last seven years busy with his future. Some women left a deep mark on his life, but none of them could truly become his passersby. Even the woman who helped him lose his virginity, the two didn't seem to have much emotional exchange. She never even said "I like you," allowing Lu Ze to enjoy her for free for half a year.

Every day, the only communication was "Are you filming today?" and "I have work today." We ate together from the same pot and slept together in the same bed, nothing more.

But who could believe those words coming from Lu Ze's mouth? At least Gao Peiling didn't. There were no arguments or petty squabbles. First, the two hadn't been dating long enough to have many reasons to quarrel. Second, she didn't need to force Lu Ze to portray her as a woman who had been with him, making her jealous of a loser.

But now that the atmosphere has cooled down, she feels that the matter of exchanging fluids should be postponed.

"It's getting late, I need to go home. I have work tomorrow. Ze-ge, can you give me a ride?"

"it is good."

Carrying her bag, the two went outside and hailed a taxi. He helped her into the car and remembered the license plate number. Watching the taxi slowly drive away, he lit a cigarette, kicked a snowdrift that had frozen again in the middle of the night, and returned to the shop.

Lu Ze set the closing time at 10 p.m. every night because people would still be having late-night snacks and drinks after 10 p.m., and as for the rest of the night, whoever wanted to wait could wait; he couldn't keep up with that.

A bill was printed out, the beer was put into a plastic bag, the bill was stapled to the plastic bag, two extra glasses were given as a bonus, and he sat behind the bar teasing the cripple. The deliveryman came to pick up the goods, and another order was sold. The first day's business was better than Lu Ze had expected.

"Ring ring ring, Sister Gao, I need to trouble you again to top up my phone credit."

Hello, welcome.

After closing the match-3 game and putting his phone in his pocket, Lu Ze stood up and watched as a girl struggled to push open the door, her cane tapping loudly on the ground. Upon hearing Lu Ze's voice, she stopped in her tracks, somewhat puzzled, and her ears twitched twice.

"Hello, is this Xi'an Cafe?"

"The coffee shop has been sold and closed; now it's a beer house."

"I'm sorry to bother you."

Lu Ze could see her grip on the cane tighten, then loosen it in frustration. She bowed slightly to Lu Ze, turned to leave, but struggled to push the door open, let alone pull it open. The cripple jumped onto the bar, tilted his head, and lay down, staring intently at the girl.

Lu Ze sighed, came out from behind the bar, reminded her first, then opened the sliding door and waited for her to leave. But he suddenly felt a little soft-hearted and closed the door again, which startled her. She leaned against the corner, gripped her cane tightly, and stood there blankly.

"You want to top up your phone credit? Let me do it for you. How much?"

"Oh? Thank you, boss. Thank you so much. Just top up 100 yuan."

"One hundred, right? What's your phone number?"

After topping up, the WeChat recharge still required a short wait. Lu Ze brought her a stool to sit on, and after she thanked him, the two stopped communicating until she received a text message. Lu Ze saw her pull out a green, brick-like old-fashioned mobile phone from her pocket, with the letters on the buttons worn away.

“1/0/0/8/6，固话、IPTV、移动端、宽带资费查询请按1您好，您当前话费为一百二十五元，话费余额为九十三元五角六分.”

"Thank you, boss. Here's the money, thank you."

After thanking her repeatedly, Lu Ze opened the door for her. He glanced at the streetlights and saw that it was snowing lightly again. She slowly walked out, and the crisp sound of her cane hitting the ground reached Lu Ze's ears once more.

"It's snowing outside, please be careful."

"Okay, thank you boss."

He closed the door, returned to his seat, took out the two fifty-yuan bills the girl had given him, glanced at them under the light, tore them to shreds without expression, threw them into the trash can, took out his phone again, and opened the game.

"Crazy! Unbelievable!."

"."

(End of this chapter)