The dim lighting lent the bar a somewhat ambiguous atmosphere, and the music was soothing and relaxed. Only the area near the bar counter was much brighter, likely to illuminate the bartender and the display case behind him showcasing countless fine wines.
The rotating spotlight swept across everyone’s faces. This was a lounge bar with a wonderful ambiance, and many people were willing to come here to chat, drink, and listen to music.
Shi Yi sat in a booth, bantering with the people next to him and casually tossing out wandering remarks. He wore a black jacket, and his handsome features did not stop him from standing out among the crowd with an overbearing presence, the kind of aristocratic air built on wealth, making him look like the prodigal son of a rich family. He also wore eye-catching long hair that fell just past his shoulders, styled in a way that looked rebellious.
From slightly farther away, it was easy to see that the group centered their conversation around Shi Yi. Several young men and women sipped drinks and laughed together, while Shi Yi remained the focal point of the topic.
He possessed a rare pair of red eyes, which gave people a somewhat unapproachable vibe, yet his unconcerned and cynical attitude dissolved that sense of aggression. Girls passing by would blush upon meeting his gaze, and people kept stepping forward to flirt, fantasizing about having some kind of extraordinary romantic encounter with this young master.
Everyone was the same, doing nothing more than putting on a show.
This was his daily routine, practically identical every day, yet it was still less pleasurable than the slight buzz of intoxication from drinking.
He had not paid attention to any of the guests entering from the entrance, nor did he care to turn back to look, until someone remarkably pale drifted across Shi Yi’s field of vision.
In the dim bar, this person practically glowed. Both his hair and skin were white, making it impossible not to notice him. Even a mere glance was enough to leave a deep impression.
His features were delicate and pretty, yet his temperament was detached and aloof, and his behavior was completely out of touch with the surrounding environment. He glanced briefly at the bar’s layout, then walked straight toward an empty seat at the front counter.
Oh? A beauty, then.
“Young Master Shi, why are you suddenly leaving?”
Shi Yi paid no heed to the confusion his sudden departure caused the others. He walked up beside the person, flashed his signature charming smile, and struck up a conversation. “Hi, I do not think I have seen you around here before. Is this your first time at a bar?”
The beauty turned to look at him, still completely expressionless.
“Let me buy you a drink. I recommend this place’s Martini, the taste is fantastic.”
Shi Yi leaned in closer. The man’s eyelashes were very long, his features exquisite, and he was pretty to the point of blurring gender lines. Especially those eyes, when the light caught them, they looked as dazzling as gemstones.
“I do not drink.” A cold male voice shattered Shi Yi’s fantasy.
A guy? No way, looking this good… Ah?
Shi Yi gave a soft cough to mask his sudden embarrassment. He had genuinely thought it was a stunning woman for a split second. “Cough, coming to a bar without drinking? Are you looking for someone? Need any help?”
“I am merely here to experience life.” The white-haired man’s eyelashes fluttered slightly, seeming lost in thought.
Shi Yi braced his hands on the bar counter right in front of him, instantly closing the distance between them, pushing past normal social boundaries straight into the zone reserved for intimate relationships.
This was Shi Yi’s usual tactic. He simply wanted to see how the person in front of him would react.
“If that is the case, I know plenty of places that can bring you fresh experiences. Would you like to go together?”
As he spoke, their breaths seemed to mingle. They were so close that the tips of their noses almost brushed, yet this feigned intimacy seemed to produce the exact opposite effect.
The white-haired man frowned, deeply displeased by his overstepping remark, and his gaze turned increasingly icy. Before he could voice a refusal, however, his attention was diverted by a voice coming from the direction of the staircase.
“Hey!”
“Senior Yan! Over here, over here!”
Not far away, a brown-haired boy wearing a plaid shirt was waving at him. Seeing the person he was waiting for, the white-haired man stood up from the bar almost instantly and walked toward them, moving with such speed that it looked as if some ferocious beast were nipping at his heels.
“Senior, you finally made it! I told them you were coming, and everyone has been waiting for you.”
The junior did not notice any displeasure on his face, figuring this beauty probably always wore that same expressionless look. Remembering that the senior seemed to be talking to someone at the bar just before walking over, the junior looked toward Shi Yi. “Was that person beside you a friend of yours, Senior? Should we invite him to join us?”
“No, just a stranger.” Cutting ties immediately, the so-called Senior Yan took his junior and headed upstairs without looking back.
Only Shi Yi was left leaning alone against the bar counter, yet the smile on his face never wavered. He downed his newly ordered drink in one gulp, gazed in the direction the other had departed, and let a peculiar gleam flash in his eyes.
So he was here for a gathering.
I hope he turns out to be an interesting person.
When Shi Yi returned to the booth, everyone could tell he was in high spirits. Seeing that the young master of the Shi family was still so cheerful after being rejected, Xu Nan, sitting at the same table, chimed in teasingly, “Young Master Shi, did you find yourself a new target?”
The sight of Young Master Shi getting rejected was a novelty in itself, especially handled in such an unceremonious manner. Everyone began discussing what kind of background that person might have, whether he was playing hard to get, and whether there would be a follow-up, even starting a betting pool over it.
Shi Yi merely smiled without responding, letting them wildly speculate as he pulled out his phone and made a call.
“Yeah, help me check someone out.”
[Private Room Upstairs]
Their arrival was met with an enthusiastic welcome, or more accurately, the white-haired individual named Yan Qianyu received the most attention.
“Senior Yan is here!”
“Woah, Yan Qianyu actually came!”
“Ji Ran! Make room for the senior to sit over here!”
After exchanging greetings with them, Yan Qianyu took a seat beside Ji Ran.
This celebration banquet was held to mark the smooth completion of the project, and everyone planned to party past midnight before leaving. As the person who had contributed the most to the project, Yan Qianyu’s presence was naturally met with roaring applause. Senior Yan had never been fond of participating in group activities, so seeing him show up this time was quite a rare sight.
Ji Ran brought over a glass of wine to persuade him. “Senior stays cooped up in the lab every day. It is only during victory banquets that we can drag you out. You really should join more group activities, even if it’s just to clear your head.”
“Hanging out with you guys just means talking about the exact same things,” Yan Qianyu said helplessly. The whole group ran into each other at school every single day, and hanging out outside was no different in terms of social dynamics. Possessing a reclusive personality, he genuinely had no interest in team-building exercises.
A dozen or so people played various board games, ate, and drank, brimming with energy. Caught up in the excitement, they completely lost track of time.
Although he had made a rare appearance, Yan Qianyu was still the first to leave.
“I am heading out first.” “Have a safe trip, Senior!”
Such behavior might seem a bit unaccommodating to some, but because of his formidable competence, nobody held it against him over such minor details.
Yan Qianyu walked through the corridor and pushed open the front doors of the bar.
At night, the street outside the bar was remarkably quiet. Located away from the bustling downtown area, only the glow of streetlights supported the pitch-black road, with a car passing by only on rare occasions.
Lowering his head to check his phone screen, he had said he would go back early, yet he had stayed for nearly three hours. With it being this late, he wondered if he could even catch a cab.
“Not many cars pass through here at this hour. Would you like me to give you a lift?”
Suddenly, someone kindly answered Yan Qianyu’s unspoken question. Yan Qianyu raised his head to look at the owner of the voice, of course.
Three whole hours had passed, yet why was this person still here? And why was it such a coincidence that they were leaving at the exact same time?
“Are you guarding this place just waiting for me to come out?” Yan Qianyu raised an eyebrow, asking the question that puzzled him.
He did not believe in such a coincidence, but waiting patiently for three hours over a casual pickup attempt with someone he had just met, someone practically a complete stranger, seemed a bit far-fetched.
This person’s behavior was extremely odd, and Yan Qianyu wanted a reasonable explanation.
Shi Yi seemed to be looking at him with a smile, but because the bar entrance was backlit, Yan Qianyu could not make out his expression.
“Ah, would you believe me if I said this was actually a coincidence?”
Yan Qianyu was left completely speechless.
“Standing out here alone is quite dangerous. Are you really not considering a ride in my car?” Shi Yi issued the invitation, his voice low and sexy with a slightly upturned tail end.
His frivolous and casual attitude made it sound as though he genuinely had appeared here by pure coincidence, casually asking the person next to him if they wanted a ride, just as he claimed.
“If I were to get into your car, I would rather keep waiting right here.” Facing such an invitation with unclear motives, Yan Qianyu turned his head away to avoid looking at him.
Shi Yi reached up to brush aside his stray bangs, feeling a tinge of frustration at such blunt rejection. Sigh, I suppose my pickup line back in the bar was a bit too hasty, making the beauty so heavily guarded against me now.
“Rejecting me so flatly, is it because I look that suspicious?”
What else?
Yan Qianyu’s expression remained ice-cold, devoid of any desire to continue conversing.
“Forget it then. I will be heading off first. See you next time.” Shi Yi appeared to give up on pestering him, opening his car door and driving away.
The luxurious sports car highlighted Shi Yi’s extraordinary status, yet Yan Qianyu cared nothing for such things. He did not even recognize the car brand. What caught his attention was Shi Yi’s parting remark.
Next time? Where would there be a next time?
If that statement carried the implicit assumption that they would run into each other at places like bars, then unfortunately the probability was close to zero. He was far too busy. His daily routine was a strict straight line between the laboratory and the dormitory, leaving no spare time for recreational spots.
Being hit on by weirdos like this was not the first time, and it would soon be cast to the back of his mind and entirely forgotten. Today’s incident held nothing worth remembering for him, just a passing traveler in his life whom he would never see again.
Once he got back, he had his research project to handle, and he needed to finalize the research topic for his next experiment as soon as possible. He had no extra energy to waste on irrelevant people.
Right, there was also his internship. What a headache.