The Cinnabar Mole of a Beijing Circle Tycoon

Shen Qingyao's fame at "Night Tide" spread quietly through the nightlife circles of Beijing, like the aroma of wine that dissipates with the wind.

At first, it was just word of mouth among regular customers: "The drinks made by the new bartender at Night Tide are so beautiful that you don't want to drink them."

The taste was absolutely amazing, especially the "Snow-Topped Red Plum" drink; one sip felt like savoring the poetry of an entire winter in your mouth.

Later, someone filmed her mixing drinks and posted the video on social media.

In the video, Shen Qingyao is wearing a simple black uniform, staring intently at the shaker. With a slight twist of her wrist, the wine makes a soft, rustling sound as it is poured into a glass. She then plucks a freeze-dried flower petal from her fingertips and adorns it with her movements, which are fluid and graceful, exuding a quiet beauty.

This video unexpectedly went viral.

The comments section exploded. Some asked for the bar's address, some praised her for her "beautiful hands and meticulous heart," and others discovered that she was a student at Beijing University.

The news of Shen Qingyao's student status was quickly hidden, and the online focus shifted to her bartending skills.

The business at "Night Tide" is visibly booming.

The venue, which used to be full by 9 p.m., would start queuing as early as 7 p.m.

The bar, which was originally only well-known in the neighborhood, suddenly became a popular spot for internet celebrities to take photos, with people crowding the entrance with their phones.

What surprised the boss the most was that even the arrogant second-generation rich kids from Beijing's elite circles came after hearing about it.

These people, who were used to frequenting high-end clubs and private bars, were extremely picky about ordinary drinks, but they were attracted by the drinks mixed by Shen Qingyao.

They wore trendy clothes, drove luxury cars, and sat in twos and threes at the bar, spending the whole night with just one drink, their eyes occasionally glancing at Shen Qingyao.

"Qingyao, you're truly my lucky star!" The boss beamed as he watched the daily turnover double, and gave Shen Qingyao another raise. "From now on, you're the star of this bar!"

Shen Qingyao just smiled faintly and continued to go to work on time every day, carefully mixing each glass of wine.

Fame means nothing to her; what she cares more about is whether the shaker in her hand is steady, whether the ratio of alcohol is accurate, and whether the smiles on the faces of her customers when they drink the alcohol are genuine.

Her rise to fame naturally caught the attention of other bar owners.

A high-end bar in the CBD sent someone with double the salary, promising her a private bartending station and even the possibility of equity participation and profit sharing.

"Thank you for your kindness, but I'm doing very well at 'Night Tide'," Shen Qingyao said to the boss who offered her double pay. "The boss here trusts me, and the customers respect me. I don't want to leave."

Later, a bar owner who focused on the influencer style came over in person with a thick contract, saying he would package her as a "top influencer in the bartending world" and have her appear on variety shows and get endorsements.

"Forget about the packaging," she smiled at the owner of the trendy bar. "I just want to mix my drinks properly and don't want so many people staring at me."

Her refusal was crisp and gentle, without any hesitation or embarrassment.

The bosses who came to poach her were met with a cold shoulder, but they had no choice. This girl may look gentle, but she is as clear-headed as a mirror and knows exactly what she wants.

When Xiang Yu saw Shen Qingyao's video back home, she excitedly sent dozens of messages in the dorm group chat: "Qingyao! You're famous! You're now a popular bartender in Beijing! My god, the drinks you make look so good! I'm definitely going to go and drink my fill when school starts!"

Xu Huihui chimed in, "Qingyao is amazing! When I get back to school, I want to drink too!"

"Okay, when you get back to school, I'll personally mix you drinks."

Lu Ying messaged her privately: "Be careful. Those second-generation rich kids in Beijing's elite circles aren't as simple as they seem. Don't get entangled with them."

Shen Qingyao felt a warm feeling in her heart as she read the message.

She replied to Lu Ying, "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. It's just mixing drinks; they won't affect me."

She certainly knows what she's doing.

Despite the subtle attempts by the wealthy second-generation heirs to curry favor, she maintained a polite distance, only talking about alcohol and nothing else.

A rich second-generation guy who had been coming for a week wanted to add her on WeChat, but she smiled and waved her hand: "Sorry, I don't check my phone much during work hours. If you want to drink, just come to the bar and order."

Another person offered her an expensive gift, which she had the waiter return unopened, with a message: "Thank you for your kind offer, but I'm just a bartender, and mixing good drinks is my duty. I can't accept these things."

Over time, some of the more cultured second-generation rich kids also came to know her personality. Most of them put away their frivolous thoughts and treated her only as a highly skilled bartender. They quietly drank the drinks she made and occasionally chatted about alcohol.

Shen Qingyao still stands behind the bar every night, shaking the pot, pouring wine, and garnishing, repeating seemingly tedious actions, but she feels very at ease.

She believes her current fame is not due to luck, but rather to the techniques she practiced repeatedly through countless nights.

This sense of security gives her more peace of mind than any empty fame or high salary.

On the 22nd day of the twelfth lunar month, it was finally time to leave work. Shen Qingyao walked on the same route she took every day after get off work.

Every step I take after get off work feels light and brisk. Tomorrow is the last day, and I can go home the day after tomorrow.

Unbeknownst to her, at that moment, Meng Jiangyu was sitting in the car opposite "Night Tide," watching her figure.

The assistant handed over a cup of hot coffee: "Mr. Meng, Ms. Shen declined all the bar invitations, saying she'll come back next semester."

Meng Jiangyu took the coffee, feeling its warmth on his fingertips, a faint smile appearing in his eyes. "Follow them!"

He knew she wouldn't let him down.

This seemingly delicate southern girl possesses a resilient spirit, much like a plum blossom in the cold winter—pure and aloof, yet persistent, knowing where she wants to bloom and on what kind of branch.

On the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, Shen Qingyao got her period. Because it was the first day, her stomach hurt especially badly.

But she always sees things through to the end, and she stood firm at her post until the very end.

A regular customer noticed that she looked unwell and asked with concern, "Are you alright?"

She just smiled and shook her head, saying, "It's okay, I'm just a little cold."

The boss probably sensed something was wrong. Around midnight, before she could say anything, he waved her away, saying, "Young lady, don't push yourself too hard. Let Lao Zhang take over the rest. Come back after the New Year and we'll work hard together."

Shen Qingyao finished her winter break part-time job at "Night Tide".

The boss gave her a thick red envelope and said with a smile, "Come back early after the New Year, and I'll prepare a new shaker for you."

"Definitely." Shen Qingyao accepted the red envelope and bowed deeply. "Thank you for taking care of me during this time, boss."

When I stepped out of the bar, the snow had stopped, the sky had cleared, the moon hung in the branches, and its bright light shone on the snow, dazzlingly bright.

She looked up at the moon and suddenly remembered the snow at Fenghua Palace and the man standing in front of the bar.

I wonder what he's doing now.

The thought only flashed through my mind and was quickly replaced by the anticipation of going home.

She wrapped her scarf tighter around herself and walked briskly towards the school.

A cold wind blew across the street corner, swirling up the snowflakes on the ground and hitting Shen Qingyao's face, bringing a bone-chilling cold.

She subconsciously shrank her neck and wrapped the scarf tighter around herself, but her hand involuntarily pressed against her lower abdomen.

That familiar, throbbing pain was still lingering, like an invisible hand twisting inside her, making every step she took feel somewhat strenuous.

Walking on the empty streets now, without the noise and warmth of the bars, that feeling of discomfort becomes even more pronounced.

Shen Qingyao took a deep breath and quickened her pace, wanting nothing more than to get back to her dorm, soak her feet in hot water, and snuggle into her warm bed.

The streetlights cast long shadows on the snow, stretching her shadow crookedly, like a staggering little animal.

Passing by a convenience store, she hesitated for a moment, but still went in and bought a bag of hand warmers.

I opened the package and placed it on my lower abdomen. The slight warmth slowly seeped in, finally relieving some of the pain.