A leisurely life starting in a bar after being reborn

After Fu Jianguo and Liu Meilan settled into the courtyard house, Xu Wenshu moved back to her own apartment.

It wasn't that she didn't want to live in a courtyard house—it was mainly because living in the same courtyard as her future in-laws made her feel somewhat uncomfortable. Especially Liu Meilan, whose eyes were like searchlights, staring at her and Fu Yan all day long, making her feel extremely uneasy.

"I think I'll go back to my place first," Xu Wenshu said as she packed her luggage. "We'll talk about it when your parents go back to their hometown. Everyone in Taiwan is busy with the Olympics right now, so I don't have time to spend with you."

"It's so hot outside, I'm a little worried about you living alone."

"Get lost! I'm not a child. Stop spouting nonsense all the time, hmph!" Xu Wenshu rolled her eyes at him. "If you miss me, you can come find me."

So Fu Yan began living the life of a "cowherd".

During the day, I stay with my parents in the courtyard house. At night, I ride my electric scooter to Xu Wenshu's apartment to stay overnight, and then ride back early the next morning. Sometimes, when I'm busy, I don't see her for several days in a row, and I can only relieve my longing by sending text messages.

"miss you."

"Me too."

"Do you need me to go tonight?"

"Don't come anymore, I'm so tired."

"Then tomorrow?"

"We'll see."

After living like this for a long time, Fu Yan felt like a prison visitor—no, like a errand boy.

……

With the Olympics approaching, the "Homecoming" bar is doing incredibly well.

There were many more tourists at Houhai Lake than in previous years. The bar street was packed every day. Even Fu Yan's Land Rover Defender's parking space was taken over and turned into an open-air barbecue stall.

"Home" bar has become one of the most popular bars in Houhai thanks to its good location, stylish decor, great music, and excellent drinks.

The opening time was also temporarily adjusted, starting at 3 pm. The closing time was initially subject to constant changes, but customers kept postponing it – from 2 am to 3 am, and now to 5 am.

It's not that Fu Yan doesn't want his employees to rest, it's just that he simply can't close the door. Customers outside are lining up to squeeze in, and if you don't let them in, they stand at the door singing "The Song of Houhai Bar Street," and the whole street can hear it.

"Let's add more people," Fu Yan said to Qiu Kai.

"We're already hiring," Qiu Kai said, wiping his sweat. "We've added four more waiters and a supervisor, but we're still struggling to keep up."

"Recruit again."

"Okay, then let's hire more. That way we can also have three shifts."

"Yes, we could also hire two part-time or hourly workers."

Qiu Kai glanced at Fu Yan, then hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but didn't.

"What's wrong?"

"Mr. Fu, are you planning to host the Olympics season only?"

"Oh well, let's deal with it first."

……

One evening in mid-to-late July, Fu Yan, as usual, sat in his usual spot in the corner of the bar, drinking a glass of whiskey mixed with cola.

This was his designated spot—not in the center of the bar, but a high stool against the wall in the corner. Sitting here, he could see everything happening in the bar without being too conspicuous, which suited someone like him who didn't like crowds.

It was past 11 p.m., and the bar was already packed. On the stage, the Black Cat Band was playing Pu Shu's "Those Flowers," the melody melodious and tinged with a touch of sadness.

Fu Yan was listening with his eyes closed when he suddenly heard a commotion at the door.

He opened his eyes and looked towards the doorway.

Two girls stood at the door, looking lost.

Both were quite tall, probably not much shorter than 1.7 meters. But when they stood together, the contrast was striking—one was slender and thin, like a graceful bamboo pole; the other was voluptuous and alluring, with exquisite curves.

One of them wore a white shirt and jeans, exuding a cool and refreshing beauty; the other wore a black suspender dress and bright red lips, a charming and gorgeous beauty.

Both women were very beautiful.

She wasn't just ordinary pretty; she was the kind of pretty that made you want to keep looking, so pretty you couldn't take your eyes off her. Fu Yan silently gave her a score in her mind—at least 92 points or higher; she'd be a school beauty in any school.

The other patrons in the bar also noticed the two girls who entered.

Whistling, shouting, and yelling "Hey beautiful, sit over here!"—all sorts of sounds rose and fell. The two girls were clearly taken aback by the commotion and stood at the door, somewhat at a loss.

Fu Yan frowned.

He waved to the waiter and whispered a few words.

The waiter nodded, walked over to the two girls, and said politely, "Ladies, our boss would like to invite you to sit in a private room on the second floor. It's quiet there and you won't be disturbed."

The two girls exchanged a glance.

"Your boss?" the one in the white shirt asked.

"Yes, that's the one in the corner." The waiter pointed to Fu Yan.

The two girls looked in the direction the waiter was pointing.

Fu Yanchong and the others raised their glasses and nodded slightly.

The girl in the black dress smiled, said something to her companion, and the two of them walked upstairs together. As they passed Fu Yan, the girl in the black dress deliberately stopped and tilted her head to look at him.

"Are you the bar owner?"

"Yes."

"Thank you for your kindness," she smiled, "but we'd like to talk to you about something else—is that convenient?"

The man in the white shirt spoke up, his voice calm and indifferent: "May we buy you, our boss, a drink?"

Fu Yan glanced at the two girls.

A cold beauty, a little enchantress. Standing before him, one was like an ice queen, the other like a fox spirit reincarnated.

"Let's go." He stood up and followed him up to the second floor.

-

The private rooms on the second floor are much quieter than those on the first floor. Not only can you see the entire first floor through the glass windows, but they also offer a high degree of privacy.

The lights in the private room were dimmed to a warm yellow, a fruit platter and snacks were laid out on the coffee table, and soft jazz music played from the speakers. The three people sat in a small triangle, so no one felt cramped.

"My name is Zhang Biying," the one in the white shirt spoke first. "I'm from Taiwan, China."

"Liu Fangping," the woman in the black dress continued, "is also from Taiwan."

"Fu Yan," Fu Yan leaned back on the sofa, "My hometown is Bincheng in Northeast China, but now I'm a new Yanjing resident."

"A new Yanjing resident?" Zhang Biying's eyes flickered. "He certainly doesn't sound like a native of Yanjing."

"Where is it different? Our Northeastern dialect and Beijing dialect are most similar to Mandarin."

"Your accent is a bit mixed," she said, "a bit like a northerner, but with a touch of southern accent."

"Maybe it's because I studied and lived in the US for a few years that my accent got mixed up."

In his previous life, Fu Yan was somewhat of a southerner, and after spending many years in Shanghai after graduation, his accent became increasingly mixed. In this life, thankfully he spent several years abroad, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to explain himself to his relatives and friends with his accent.

"The United States?" Liu Fangping's interest was piqued. "Which school?"

Stanford.