“Yingying, Uncle Huo has a small favor to ask of you.”
After some small talk, Huo Ting steered the conversation toward the real topic. “You know, that kid Jueyue is still in his rebellious phase doesn’t do anything right.”
Eighteen and still rebellious that’s one long rebellious phase.
Wen Ying silently grumbled to herself but listened quietly.
“Lately, the kid’s gotten obsessed with some party, and he’s been distracted even at home.”
Huo Ting let out a heavy sigh. “We old folks don’t understand it. Kids this age are full of defiance can’t hit them, can’t lock them up, and can’t talk sense into them either.”
“But places like bars or clubs it’s not safe going alone.”
At that point, Huo Ting stopped.
Wen Ying had already guessed what he was about to say, and her heart sank.
“What are you suggesting?”
“I was thinking could you go with him?”
“At least you two can look out for each other, and if anything happens, you can notify the family right away.”
Huo Ting’s tone grew even more genial.
“If you’re willing to go, Uncle Huo will raise your allowance.”
Huo Ting spoke with sincerity, but Wen Ying only wanted to sneer.
The Huo family was both open-minded and not.
Open-minded enough to let their son raise a fuss and go to a bar, but not open-minded enough to let him go without a chaperone.
Huo Ting didn’t want to play the villain in front of Huo Jueyue and risk pushing him further against the family, so he shifted the conflict onto her, an outsider.
If the school bully Huo Jueyue going to a bar wasn’t safe, then how was it safe for her, who had never been to one?
“Uncle Huo, you’re too kind.” Wen Ying’s attitude was even more sincere than Huo Ting’s.
“This is simply my duty.”
“But my relationship with Young Master Huo isn’t exactly good. Perhaps it’d be more fitting for the butler to accompany him?”
“Don’t be modest, Yingying. That brat has mentioned you many times at home.”
Huo Ting sighed again. “Cutting his cards and grounding him won’t hold him back. I figured you two young people who get along could hang out together.”
With the words put that way, there was no room for Wen Ying to refuse.
Wen Ying agreed readily. “I understand. Please rest assured, Uncle Huo.”
“Good, good, good.”
Huo Ting was very satisfied. “Then it’s settled. If anything comes up, contact Butler Wang directly.”
“Oh, and remember to come try on the new dress next month when you have time.”
Wen Ying:
Was she never going to get past this dress thing?
“I’ll make time if I can.”
She put on a fake smile.
Definitely not going!
“Remember to rest well.” Huo Ting said with concern.
“Your voice is quite hoarse really just like a boy’s.”
Actually, that was her natural voice.
Wen Ying’s voice was on the softer side for a male, but still much deeper than a girl’s.
Once the dial tone sounded from the other end, not a trace of smile remained on Wen Ying’s face.
Her mood was as gloomy as the rainy day outside.
Having her go along was Huo Ting’s own decision given Huo Jueyue’s personality, he would never make such a request to his family.
That meant she couldn’t mention Huo Ting’s request in front of Huo Jueyue, nor could she refuse through him.
The situation was a bit tricky.
But having her be Huo Jueyue’s plus-one to sneak him in? Not a chance.
She just needed to keep an eye on Huo Jueyue, that was all.
With that in mind, Wen Ying opened GooseGoose and sent a message to the Huo family’s Butler Wang.
This Butler Wang was also like a fixed-respawn NPC.
He would always reply within 3–5 minutes of receiving a message, and end every sentence with a smiley emoji.
Four minutes later.
Seeing Butler Wang’s reply, Wen Ying felt at ease.
Scrolling through her phone screen, she found the contact buried under a pile of spam messages.
Qu Huo’s contact info was added the day Wen Ying visited his house. His nickname was a string of meaningless characters, and Wen Ying had labeled him “Qu Huo” herself.
Qu Huo wouldn’t be back at school until next week. The chat still showed yesterday’s exchange the notes Wen Ying had photographed for him and Qu Huo’s reply of “Thanks.”
Wen Ying’s fingers flew across the screen.
After thinking it over, she decided to save Qu Huo’s dangerously exposed collar.
Ying: [You there?]
Qu Huo: [Yeah.]
He replied quickly.
Ying: [Do you have a shift at Ying Lane this Sunday?]
Qu Huo: [Yeah, at the café.]
Ying: [You should cancel it. Don’t go to Ying Lane these two days.]
The other side showed “typing.” for a long while before replying.
Qu Huo: [Ying Lane’s short-staffed on weekends. I can’t get away.]
Wen Ying frowned and typed a line.
Ying: [Fine. Then stay away from the Red Lantern Bar.]
Whether Qu Huo listened or not was up to him she’d done her part in warning him.
Qu Huo: [Okay.]
Qu Huo replied without hesitation.
To Wen Ying’s surprise, he didn’t ask why or what was going on he just agreed easily.
Was his grandmother feeling better?
Wen Ying wanted to ask Qu Huo, but in the end, she didn’t.
It was getting late. Time to head home.
The phone screen went dark, and the youth propped open the not-so-large umbrella, stepping into the hazy evening rain.
Time, dragged down by the rain, seemed to stretch even longer.
The masquerade party ran for two days.
Combining the plot from the book with the clues Butler Wang had given her, Wen Ying confirmed that Huo Jueyue wanted to go on the second day.
The weather forecast said Sunday would be cloudy, but in reality, Sunday turned out to be an inconvenient rainy day.
The cherry alley in the rain remained bustling, with most people heading toward the neon-lit bar.
Students gathered in groups, expensive backpacks concealing all manner of custom-made masks.
They looked forward to the fall of night.
Compared to the lively neon bar, the coffee shop at the street corner drew few visitors, its damp French name appearing blurred in the thin mist.
A hand dotted with water droplets grasped the door handle, feeble drops sliding down along the wrist bone.
The youth wore a black hooded short-sleeve shirt, its chest emblazoned with a round, chubby kitten pattern.
Over the short sleeves, he had on a long transparent raincoat.
The raincoat was clearly chosen in haste its oversized, overly wide brim drooped down, making him look from a distance like a mushroom stealthily sprouting in the autumn rain.
“Welcome”
Amid the melodious country music, Qu Huo, who was wiping a coffee cup, looked up, the well-rehearsed greeting caught in his throat.
“Wen Ying?”
Most of the students who came to Cherry Alley today were there for the party at the neon bar. Boss Qiao knew his own shop would have little business, so he simply took the chance to slack off and didn’t come in.
Unlike them, Wen Ying didn’t seem like he was here for a party.
His deflated backpack couldn’t hold fine clothes or masks, only able to squeeze in thin exercise books and some candy and snacks.
Wen Ying took off his raincoat and set it by the wall, the ends of his hanging hair damp and dripping, looking somewhat forlorn.
“Came to Cherry Alley to take care of some business, and it started raining on the way.”
He said it flatly, a barely perceptible hint of complaint in his tone.
The youth slipped a hair tie off his wrist and casually tied up his disheveled hair.
“You’re still open, right?”
Huo Jueyue moved especially slowly on rainy days and wouldn’t arrive for a while. He disliked the sticky, damp atmosphere outdoors when it rained, so he needed to find a place to rest.
As he walked, he found this spot still the most suitable.
“What would you like to drink?”
Qu Huo unconsciously softened his voice.
“Anything’s fine.” Wen Ying shook the water droplets off his clothes in the corner before stepping up to the counter.
The card given by the Huo family lay untouched in his wallet. He glanced at the remaining money in it, the part that was entirely his own.
“I want something sweet to drink.”
Having inhaled too much moisture, his voice came out a bit muffled.
It sounded a lot like acting spoiled.