Host! I told you to do a task! I didn't tell you to bbb.

Liu Yunshu applied the last dab of lip gloss to the center of her lips, gently pursed them, and the woman in the mirror instantly became even more captivatingly beautiful.

She tilted her head slightly, and the pearl earrings shimmered softly under the light, creating a wonderful harmony with her outfit tonight.

The black slip dress accentuated her perfect shoulder and neck lines, while the off-white suit jacket subtly toned down the sexiness, adding a touch of sophistication.

The phone rang abruptly, and the three characters "Liu Yunfan" flashed on the screen.

Liu Yunshu pressed the answer button and turned on speakerphone.

"Sis! I have something to tell you!" The younger brother's loud voice immediately filled the room.

"Go ahead and say it, I'm listening," Liu Yunshu replied casually, her fingers gently smoothing out an almost invisible crease on her skirt.

"We're having a club gathering today, and they said we're going to a bar." Liu Yunfan's voice was filled with the excitement typical of young people.

"It's that new 'Rosemary' restaurant that opened near the school; I heard the atmosphere is nice!"

Liu Yunshu paused in mid-air as she drew her eyebrows. In the mirror, her eyes slightly upturned, a smile hidden beneath her thick eyelashes: "Coincidentally, I'm going to a bar tonight too."

"Really?" Liu Yunfan's voice immediately rose eight octaves. "Which house are you going to, sis? Maybe we can bump into each other!"

"Rosemary." Liu Yunshu put down her lip gloss, her fingertips lightly brushing against the pearl earring on her earlobe. "What time will you arrive?"

"Around eight o'clock!" Liu Yunfan said excitedly. "Sis, if you get there first, wait for me! I'll introduce you to my roommates! They all say they want to meet my legendary beautiful sister!"

Liu Yunshu chuckled softly, "We'll see."

She hung up the phone, turned around, and picked up her handbag from the bed.

Just as she was about to leave, the doorbell rang.

Liu Yunshu raised an eyebrow and saw Zhou Mingyu, the owner of the coffee shop across the street, standing outside the door with a steaming cup of coffee in his hand.

She opened the door, and Zhou Mingyu's gentle and refined face immediately came into view.

He wore a simple white shirt today, with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing his well-defined forearms.

However, a small coffee stain on the right cuff ruined the overall clean and neat look.

"Yunshu, here's some freshly roasted coffee beans for you." Zhou Mingyu smiled and held up his latte. In the rising steam, his eyes and brows looked especially gentle.

Liu Yunshu stepped aside to let him in, her gaze falling on the coffee stain, a hint of a smile flashing in her eyes: "Boss Zhou personally delivered the coffee again? Aren't you afraid your staff will say you're biased?"

Zhou Mingyu placed the latte on the bar, his gaze inadvertently sweeping over her outfit for the evening.

Her collarbone, visible beneath the black slip dress, was as beautiful as a meticulously sculpted work of art, while the off-white suit jacket added a touch of sophistication.

She was completely different from the gentle and graceful Liu Yunshu he usually saw, always dressed in a cheongsam.

"Judging from your outfit, are you going out?" Zhou Mingyu tapped his fingertips lightly on the rim of his cup, his voice a few decibels deeper than usual.

Liu Yunshu picked up the latte and took a sip. The warm liquid slid down her throat, carrying Zhou Mingyu's unique baking style—slightly bitter with a hint of sweetness.

"Um, something came up." She put down her cup, a little milk foam on her lips, the red lips contrasting sharply with the white foam.

Zhou Mingyu's gaze lingered on her lips for a second, his Adam's apple bobbing almost imperceptibly. "If you need any help, feel free to call me anytime."

"Okay." Liu Yunshu smiled, her eyes crinkling, and handed him the empty glass. "Then I'll be going now."

Zhou Mingyu only looked away after her figure disappeared around the street corner.

He looked down at the empty glass in his hand, his fingertips gently tracing the faint lip print on the rim, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

The bar was dimly lit and the music was deafening.

Lu Yan sat in the corner of the VIP room on the second floor, his slender fingers holding a glass of whiskey, the ice cubes gently clinking in the amber liquid.

He remained indifferent, ignoring the playful banter of his friends.

Why do these people always choose such disreputable places like bars to hold their gatherings?

Bar: How am I being indecent?! Ծ‸ Ծ

If she finds out I'm always going to bars, what will she think...?

Tsk, she already has a boyfriend, why would she care if I go to a bar or not?

"Brother Lu, why are you so distracted today?" His friend Shen Yi leaned over, holding a wine glass, and teased, "Are you thinking about some girl?"

Lu Yan glanced at him, said nothing, and tilted his head back to drink the wine in his glass in one gulp.

Shen Yu raised an eyebrow: "Oh, looks like something really has happened?"

Lu Yan put down his wine glass, his voice low and deep: "It's nothing."

Shen Yu smiled meaningfully: "Alright, but there are quite a few pretty girls at the bar tonight, if you're interested..."

"Not interested," Lu Yan interrupted him, her tone indifferent.

Those who are interested ignore me! (ㅎ‸ㅎ)

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

The neon sign of the "Rosemary" bar stands out against the night sky, and the purple lights give the alley in front of it a dreamy feel.

Liu Yunshu pushed open the heavy glass door, and deafening music immediately rushed in like a tidal wave, the drumbeats seeming to strike directly on her heart.

She attracted everyone's attention as soon as she entered the room.

The black slip dress gleamed subtly under the changing lights of the bar, while the off-white suit jacket added an air of unapproachability to her.

The pearl earrings swayed gently with her steps, shimmering softly under the light.

Liu Yunshu seemed oblivious to the amazed or inquisitive glances around her, and walked straight to the bar.

The bartender, a young man in his early twenties, saw her and his eyes lit up. Just as he was about to ask her a question, Liu Yunshu lightly tapped the table with her fingertips.

"A mojito, with extra lime." Her voice wasn't loud, but it strangely pierced through the noisy music.

The bartender paused for a moment, then gave a professional smile: "Coming right away, ma'am."

He deftly began mixing the ingredients, the tartness of the lime mingling with the fresh scent of mint leaves filling the air.

"Xiao Ba, where is Lu Yan?"

"A private room on the second floor!" Xiao Ba immediately located it. "Shall we go up now?"

"No rush, let's wait for my mojito."

Liu Yunshu twirled her pearl earring between her fingers, her posture as languid as a cat basking in the sun.

The bartender quickly pushed the prepared cocktail in front of her. Liu Yunshu picked up the glass, her fingertips lightly tracing circles on the condensation droplets on the glass, but she didn't drink it immediately.

Just then, a burst of laughter and noise came from behind. Liu Yunshu didn't need to turn around to know who it was; Liu Yunfan's signature loud voice could be clearly heard even amidst the deafening music.

"Sister! You're really here!" Liu Yunfan squeezed through the crowded people, her face flushed with excitement.

He was followed by three boys, all of whom looked like college students.

"These are my roommates; they're both in the computer science department."

Liu Yunfan proudly introduced it, as if introducing his sister to friends was such a remarkable thing.

The three boys greeted each other in unison, but their eyes couldn't help but linger on Liu Yunshu.

One of the boys wearing glasses muttered under his breath, "Yunfan, your sister is even prettier than you said..."

Liu Yunfan proudly raised his head: "Of course! My sister is..."

"Yunfan." Liu Yunshu interrupted her younger brother's boasting and smiled at his roommates.

"Hello, I'm Yunfan's older sister, Liu Yunshu." Her gaze swept over the group of people, finally settling on the boy with glasses.

"Computer science? Then you guys must be really good at programming."

The bespectacled man's face immediately turned red, and he stammered, "It's...it's alright..."

Sister Yunshu is so beautiful...

"You guys play first, I'm going to the restroom." Liu Yunshu smiled at them and walked towards the restroom.

"Yunfan, your sister is so beautiful!"

The bespectacled boy pushed up his glasses, his tone full of amazement, and his other two roommates nodded in agreement.

Liu Yunfan was so flattered by the praise that he almost wagged his tail, but he pretended to be calm: "That's right, don't you know whose sister she is?"

He raised his chin smugly, then lowered his voice, "But don't you dare try anything with my sister!"

"Tch! That's not very brotherly!" another said.

"Everything else is negotiable, but this is non-negotiable!"

When Liu Yunshu came out of the restroom, she saw her younger brother arguing with someone.

"You accidentally stepped on my shoes and ruined them! They're a limited edition, you can't afford to pay for them!"

A fat man with big ears, wearing gold and silver jewelry, was pointing at Liu Yunfan's shoes and shouting arrogantly.

Liu Yunfan's face flushed red, and he clenched his fists: "I already apologized! You were walking blind and bumped into me, why is it all my fault?"

"Oh, you dare talk back?" The man's henchman immediately chimed in, "Do you know who my brother is? Nobody in this area dares to talk to him like that!"

Liu Yunshu walked over and gently pulled her younger brother behind her. Her gaze fell on the man's shiny leather shoes. There was indeed a shallow scratch on the toe of the shoe, but it wasn't too serious.

"Sir," she said calmly, yet with an undeniable air of authority, "I'll pay for the shoes. But you frightened my brother, shouldn't you apologize as well?"

The man sized Liu Yunshu up and down, his gaze fixed on her, unable to look away. His tone became flirtatious: "Compensate? How about we compensate? Drink this glass of wine, and we'll call it even, how about that?"

He then handed over the glass of wine he was holding. Clearly, this was premeditated.

"Host, don't drink it! This wine has been spiked!" Xiao Ba said urgently.