A leisurely life starting in a bar after being reborn

Fu Yan was awakened by a beam of light.

It wasn't sunlight, but Xu Wenshu's phone screen—she had set an alarm for 6:30, and before the alarm even went off, the screen lit up, a white light flashing across his face.

Fu Yan squinted and turned his head, only to find that Xu Wenshu was already awake.

She lay on her side on the bed, propping her head up with one hand, looking at him.

The two looked at each other and paused for a second.

Then Xu Wenshu smiled.

It wasn't an awkward laugh, nor a shy laugh, but a very natural and relaxed laugh—like an early-rising couple who don't need to say anything, just a glance is enough.

"What are you laughing at?" Fu Yan's voice was still hoarse from just waking up.

"You snore when you sleep."

"Nonsense, I never snore."

"You're hitting it, and the sound is quite loud, like a tractor."

"Don't talk nonsense, or I'll sue you for defamation."

"I'm talking nonsense? You can go ask the neighbors next door. They must have thought someone started a motorcycle in the yard last night."

Fu Yan reached out to pinch her cheek, but Xu Wenshu laughed and dodged. The two of them played around on the bed for a few minutes before stopping at the same time and looking at each other.

"Are you hungry?" Fu Yan asked.

"Um."

"Then get up."

"Um."

No one mentioned what happened last night, but everyone knew in their hearts that some things had changed, yet it seemed that nothing had changed at all.

It's as if their relationship was always like this, only it was officially confirmed today.

……

Fu Yan put on her sportswear and went out for a morning run, while Xu Wenshu went to the kitchen.

When he returned after running around Houhai Lake, the kitchen was already filled with delicious aromas—fried eggs, toasted bread, hot milk, and a small dish of chopped fruit.

Xu Wenshu, wearing an apron, stood in front of the stove, scooping fried eggs onto a plate.

"When did you buy the bread and fruit?" Fu Yan asked.

"It's all in the fridge. Your assistant prepared it, right? There's even bread. She's very thoughtful."

"Lin Xiaochen is good; she takes everything she does very seriously." Fu Yan sat down, looking at the breakfast on the table. "But I only guessed that you could cook; I didn't expect you to be so good."

"What, you think the host can't cook?"

"Yeah, I think the host only eats takeout."

Xu Wenshu placed the fried egg in front of him and flicked him on the forehead: "Eat yours!"

The two sat facing each other eating breakfast, with the quiet morning air of Yandaixie Street outside the window—occasionally a bicycle would pass by, its bell ringing once before disappearing into the distance.

Fu Yan took a sip of milk and looked up at Xu Wenshu—she was eating a fried egg with her head down. Sunlight shone through the gap in the curtains, falling on her profile and outlining her features with a fuzzy edge.

"What are you looking at?" Xu Wenshu sensed his gaze.

"It's up to you."

"What's so interesting about it?"

"It feels quite unreal." Fu Yan put down her cup. "Back in the US, I used to eat cereal by myself every morning for years. Now that someone's frying eggs for me, it just doesn't feel right."

Xu Wenshu glanced at him but didn't reply.

She knew that Fu Yan's years in America weren't as glamorous as they seemed on the surface—he was indeed wealthy, but so was he. A person struggling to make money in a foreign land, no matter how many people came and went around him, had not a single person he could sit down and have breakfast with.

"I'll make it for you from now on," Xu Wenshu said softly.

"Then my stomach is in luck."

"Stop being so cheeky." Xu Wenshu glared at him, but couldn't suppress the smile on her lips.

……

After finishing breakfast, Fu Yan got up and went to the bedroom, taking a paper bag from the closet.

"This is for you."

Xu Wenshu took it, opened it, and saw—

That burgundy cashmere coat.

She was stunned.

When did you buy it?

"That day," Fu Yan said matter-of-factly, "I secretly bought it while you were changing."

"You..." Xu Wenshu held the coat, recalling the scene from yesterday in the mall when she said "It's too expensive" and then put it back. "Did you plan this all along?"

"I told you, I'm always well-prepared for everything."

"You..." Xu Wenshu hugged the coat to her chest, lowered her head and touched the soft cashmere fabric. She wanted to say something, but in the end she only said, "Thank you."

This time, I didn't refuse.

It's not that I don't want to refuse, but I feel that—in front of someone, you don't need to pretend you don't need to.

Xu Wenshu changed her clothes, put on the burgundy coat, and looked at herself in the dressing mirror in the entryway.

The burgundy color complemented her fair skin, and with the belt tied around her waist, her slender figure and overall demeanor changed completely—from a "CCTV host" to an "elegant lady with money and leisure."

"Is it pretty?" she asked Fu Yan, turning around.

"You look beautiful." Fu Yan leaned against the door frame, looking at her. "You look even better than you did at the mall that day."

"loquacious."

Xu Wenshu walked to the door, glanced back at the courtyard house, then at Fu Yan leaning against the doorframe, and suddenly felt—

If every day were like this, it wouldn't be so bad.

"I'm going to work," she said.

"I send you."

"Riding an electric bike?"

"Riding an electric bike."

Xu Wenshu laughed, a genuine laugh that couldn't be hidden.

"Let's go."

……

When Fu Yan dropped Xu Wenshu off at the entrance of the Central Government building, he deliberately paused for two extra seconds to make sure no of her colleagues were around before letting her out of the car.

"The bar opens tomorrow night, are you coming?"

"What time is it?"

"Seven o'clock."

"I'm working the night shift tomorrow, so I might not be able to make it in time for the opening, but I can go over after I finish work."

"Okay, I'll save you a seat."

Xu Wenshu nodded, turned, and walked towards the gate. After taking a couple of steps, she turned back, quickly walked up to him—

She quickly kissed him on the lips.

Then he turned and ran.

Fu Yan sat on the electric scooter, watching her jog into the gate in her Chelsea boots. Her burgundy coat fluttered in the wind like a small flag.

He touched his lips and grinned foolishly for two seconds.

Then I twisted the accelerator, and with a "whoosh," it headed towards the north bank of Houhai.

……

The bar was bustling with activity.

Qiu Kai is directing his staff to conduct the final full-process rehearsal before the opening – from greeting guests and seating them to taking orders and serving food, from bartending to settling the bill and seeing guests off, every step has to be done, and any mistakes are corrected on the spot.

When Fu Yan pushed open the door, bartender Zhou Lei was practicing flair bartending. His bottle-throwing motion was a bit stiff, and the bottle almost hit the head of the waiter next to him.

"Watch out!" Qiu Kai shouted. "Are you mixing drinks or performing acrobatics? A broken bottle is considered damage, and an injury is a work-related injury!"

"Manager Qiu, I'm just nervous..."

"Nervous? You'll be even more nervous facing customers every day after opening! Let's do it again!"

Fu Yan stood at the door for a while without saying a word. Qiu Kai was truly a professional, watching every detail meticulously—the angle of the wine glasses, the way the napkins were folded, the order in which the dishes were served, and even the posture and smile of the waiters were all standardized.

"Fu Yan's here!" Qiu Kai saw him and quickly walked over. "How did it go? Is the opening tomorrow alright?"

"You decide, why are you asking me?"

"Then I meant no problem." Qiu Kai patted his chest. "All the drinks arrived yesterday. Your batch of Scottish liquor is absolutely amazing—I've been in the bar business for so many years, and this is the first time I've ever seen a Macallan of this vintage. I almost knelt down when I opened the bottle."

"Why are you kneeling? This isn't for you to drink; it's for the guests."

"I just feel sorry for... such good wine, sold to people who don't understand it, it's such a waste..."

"Qiu Kai, if you're still worried about the cost, I'll replace that batch of liquor with Erguotou."

Qiu Kai immediately shut up.

……