Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The Allowance "Or... is it just me?" Nan Shu never expected to run into Xie Zeyan here. Why would Xie Zeyan be at Siji? Nan Shu was puzzled, yet at the same time, a strange sense of reassurance welled up in her heart. Xie Zeyan's lacquered leather shoes treaded unhurriedly across the floor, his tall, dark silhouette pressing down like a heavy shadow. Where the white shirt and black vest met, they outlined the broad, sharp arc of his shoulders. His waist was cinched tight, and the armbands on his sleeves hugged the lines of his muscles, radiating an undeniable sense of power. Seeing that the bespectacled man remained unmoving, Xie Zeyan frowned, his eyes carrying a murky turbulence. "Didn't you hear me?" "I said, stay away from her." Each word was deliberate, his voice so cold it made one shiver. The bespectacled man instinctively took two steps back. His first thought was—could this woman actually have a boyfriend? But the two eyes hidden behind his lenses quietly sized them up, and he found that the two of them didn't really seem like a couple. Probably just some passerby playing hero. He pretended to stay calm: "Brother, you'd better mind your own business. She came to a bar of her own free will, so what's with the whole 'pure and innocent' act..." Before he could finish, Xie Zeyan rolled up his sleeves and strode toward the bespectacled man with heavy, steady steps. "Wh-what are you doing?" The bespectacled man instinctively raised his hand to shield his face. "Bang—" A fist landed. The bespectacled man let out a muffled groan of pain. The watch face on his wrist shattered as well. Flecks of glass sprayed across Xie Zeyan's hand, and beads of bright red blood seeped out. Xie Zeyan wiped the blood off his hand. "Watch your mouth." "Xie Zeyan!" Nan Shu saw the blood dripping from Xie Zeyan's hand, spreading into a shocking patch of red on his cuff, and only then did she snap out of her daze. "You're bleeding. Stop fighting—let me take you to get that treated." She ran to Xie Zeyan, not caring about anything else, and grabbed his injured hand. The girl's palm was as soft as a ball of cotton. The moment she touched him, Xie Zeyan's clenched fist relaxed, and his fingertip unconsciously brushed across her palm. He felt her fingers curl slightly, yet she didn't let go of his hand. A faint curve tugged at the corner of Xie Zeyan's mouth as he said in a low voice, "I'm fine." He'd scared her just now, it seemed. Over on the other side, the man's glasses had been knocked to the ground. Clutching his bruised, swollen cheek, he cursed loudly: "Are you out of your damn mind?! You believe I won't call the cops?!" Nan Shu was already prepared. She raised the hand holding her phone. "Go right ahead. I've been recording since the very beginning. Let the police see who was harassing whom first." The man hadn't expected the girl to be clever enough to keep a card up her sleeve, but he wasn't about to just take a beating and slink off with nothing. Then he noticed the shattered Patek Philippe on his wrist. Of course, it was a knockoff from the Yiwu wholesale market. "Don't think you two are getting off easy! You see this watch on my wrist? A Patek Philippe! A limited edition, no less!" He raised his hand, showing off his watch to the two of them, practically shoving it in Nan Shu's face. Xie Zeyan's brow furrowed even deeper as he pulled Nan Shu behind him. "Millions! Can you even afford to pay that back?!" The man was really getting into his act, looking like he wouldn't let it go until he got his compensation today. Nan Shu fell silent. Her grip on her phone tightened, her knuckles turning white. Now that Xie Zeyan's family had gone bankrupt, if they still had to pay millions for a Patek Philippe, wouldn't that just be adding insult to injury? And no matter how you looked at it, this whole thing had started because of her. If it really came down to compensation, she'd definitely take on most of it herself. But her savings... she still needed to buy a house. Just as Nan Shu was mentally calculating how many roles she'd need to take on to pay it all back, Xie Zeyan beside her slowly wiped the blood from his hand and spoke in a calm, unhurried tone: "Is that so?" This Patek Philippe was a VIP global limited edition—only one men's and one women's piece in existence, and both were sitting in his home. Where would a third one come from? He let out a disdainful scoff. "How about we call the police and have it appraised?" • "Can you believe it was a fake watch? And he still had the nerve to demand millions in compensation." Nan Shu watched the man slink out of the bar with his tail between his legs and silently rolled her eyes. "You're amazing. Thanks to you today." She looked up at Xie Zeyan, her smiling eyes as brilliant as stars. The dim, warm lighting inside the bar traced the smooth, clear contours of the girl's face. Xie Zeyan's eyes flickered slightly. He said nothing, but his fingertip gently traced a line across Nan Shu's palm. Only then did Nan Shu realize the two of them were still holding hands. She let go of Xie Zeyan's hand as if it were a hot potato, her cheeks and neck flushing bright red in an instant. "I'm sorry, I was just too anxious just now, I didn't mean to... Does your hand still hurt?" Xie Zeyan's hand had stopped bleeding, but the dried blood still made one's heart skip a beat. Watching the girl's brow furrow unconsciously as she spoke, Xie Zeyan felt a hint of playfulness rise in him. "It does seem to hurt a little." Nan Shu immediately grew worried. "I'll take you to the hospital." Xie Zeyan looked at his wound, a faint smile hidden in the darkness of his eyes. "No need for the hospital." "Your wound needs to be treated," Nan Shu insisted. "It's too hot out, it could easily get infected. Or find a place, and I'll take care of it for you?" "Then, wait a moment." With that, Xie Zeyan picked up his phone and sent a WeChat message to someone. A minute later, he put his phone away. "Come with me." Nan Shu didn't know where Xie Zeyan was going, she just followed behind him. She quietly studied Xie Zeyan's back, just like in high school, when she only dared to silently search for Xie Zeyan on campus, stealing glances at his back from afar. Xie Zeyan had always been the center of attention in any crowd. Even back then, when everyone wore the same neat uniform, she could still spot him in a crowd at a single glance. Her eyes had traced the outline of his back countless times. Xie Zeyan truly had the best physique she'd ever seen—broad shoulders, a slim waist, forming a perfect inverted triangle. Would his abs feel firm to the touch? And his waist, it would probably be perfect to wrap her legs around, right? Nan Shu's brain began to uncontrollably switch from a pure love channel to an adult one. Until she heard Xie Zeyan call her name. "Nan Shu?" Xie Zeyan stopped in his tracks. "We're here." Nan Shu's face flushed red again, uncontrollably, with a vague sense of guilt. She glanced around flusteredly: "Ah, oh, it's here." This was a lounge. Cheng Jingyan had just heard the story from the staff, asking whether Xie Zeyan's injury was serious, where he was now, and whether a doctor should be called over. Xie Zeyan declined, only asking where the first aid kit was. Cheng Jingyan said there was one in the lounge. Nan Shu followed Xie Zeyan into the lounge. It wasn't big—only about a dozen square meters, with a bed already taking up half the space. With the two of them inside, the small space suddenly felt cramped. Nan Shu gently closed the door, and the music and chatter were shut out. In the small room, all she could hear was the sound of their breathing. Xie Zeyan was searching for something on the shelf. Nan Shu originally wanted to help him look, but then remembered she wasn't familiar with the place, so she stayed quiet. She tugged at the hem of her skirt and sat somewhat nervously on the edge of the bed. The question that had popped into her head when she first saw Xie Zeyan resurfaced. Why was he at a bar? Could it be... He was working here part-time as a bartender? Xie Zeyan seemed very familiar with the staff lounge. Earlier, he had led her past the F-section booths and the singer's stage, all the way here. "What are you thinking about?" Xie Zeyan sat down beside her, the mattress sinking slightly, and the faint scent of cedar wood—distinctly masculine—drifted over. The temperature in the room was much higher than outside. Nan Shu's palms were sweating. She didn't know if it was because of the heat, or because she was nervous. She didn't dare meet Xie Zeyan's gaze. Her eyes lowered, her gaze falling on the first aid kit he had brought. "I was thinking, why are you here?" A low, husky chuckle reached her ears—so light, like a breeze brushing past her ear. Xie Zeyan didn't answer, instead asking, "What do you think the reason is?" Nan Shu voiced her guess honestly: "You work here?" Xie Zeyan's Adam's apple bobbed, a roguish smile curling at his thin lips: "Then when we go out later, I'll mix you a drink." "Really?" "Of course." "Then let me treat your wound first." Nan Shu unscrewed the cap of the iodine bottle and picked out a disinfectant cotton ball. The lighting in the lounge wasn't the warm yellow tone like outside—it was brighter LED lights. Under the white incandescent glow, the faint veins on the back of Xie Zeyan's hand were clearly visible. "Want me to move closer?" Xie Zeyan explained, "To make it easier for you to apply the medicine." "Mhm." Nan Shu pressed her lips together, her voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz. The moment she spoke, the distance between them closed in an instant, and the man's scorching breath pressed down on her. Nan Shu's heartbeat accelerated uncontrollably. Too close—so close that she felt completely enveloped by Xie Zeyan's presence. If her leg moved even slightly, it would brush against him. She stiffened, not daring to move at all, but Xie Zeyan's trousers kept accidentally grazing her leg. The fabric was cool to the touch, a stark contrast to his burning body temperature. Nan Shu tried to focus only on treating the wound, but found it impossible. Her attention kept unconsciously drifting to Xie Zeyan. She didn't know why—she had decided back at graduation not to like him anymore, and over the years she'd only thought of him occasionally. She should have felt little stirring in her heart, but her body's reactions were beyond her control. After finishing the wound treatment, Nan Shu let out a quiet breath of relief. The back of her neck was already damp with sweat. Xie Zeyan probably hadn't noticed how nervous she was, right? Nan Shu stole a glance at Xie Zeyan. The man's expression was as calm as ever—he probably hadn't noticed anything unusual about her. Only then did she feel at ease. Xie Zeyan's thumb brushed over the band-aid she had just applied, seemingly asking casually: "You look pretty skilled at treating wounds?" "Mhm, I often get injured while filming on set, so over time I got pretty good at it." Thinking that Xie Zeyan probably didn't know her profession, Nan Shu added, "You probably don't know this, but I'm an actress now. I just play bit parts, though." Xie Zeyan lowered his gaze to Nan Shu and only spoke after she finished: "I know." He actually knew? Nan Shu found it hard to believe, but then again, they had been classmates for a year—maybe he'd heard about it from one of their former classmates. Xie Zeyan didn't say anything more and put away the medical kit. Nan Shu kept thinking about how Xie Zeyan had offered to make her a drink. As she left the break room, she instinctively looked toward the bar, where three bartenders in black shirts were standing. "Miss, what would you like to drink?" the bartender at the far end asked as Nan Shu walked over. "I'll make it for her." Xie Zeyan's voice came from directly behind her. He blocked the light, casting a deep shadow that completely enveloped Nan Shu's reflection on the bar counter. The bartender at the far end recognized Xie Zeyan—he was a close friend of the two bar owners in the same circle, and he also knew that Xie Zeyan was the renowned current CEO of Mingyu Group. So he addressed him very respectfully: "Mr. Xie—" Before the "—Executive" could come out, the bartender met Xie Zeyan's cold, icy gaze. His instinct told him this wasn't the time to call him Mr. Xie Executive, so the word "Xie" did a little detour on its way out: "—I'll go take a breather. Please, go right ahead." With that, he slipped away as if his shoes were greased. Nan Shu glanced at him in confusion, but by the time she turned back, Xie Zeyan was already on the other side of the bar. He flipped the drink menu open to the page with the lowest-alcohol options and slid it over to Nan Shu. "Anything you'd like?" Nan Shu sat down across from Xie Zeyan. "Let me take a look." She knew very little about alcohol and had no idea which one to order. Xie Zeyan noticed her hesitation. "If you'd like, I can make you a signature cocktail." Nan Shu asked, "What's a signature cocktail?" "A signature cocktail is one that's crafted specifically for you." "Made for you alone." Nan Shu's heart was struck hard. Her speech quickened considerably as she tried to hide the ripples of panic rising within her. "Th-then I'll have a signature cocktail." She closed the menu and held it up to cover half her face, hiding the smile tugging at her lips completely, while her two eyes darted around like a little cat's. Though Nan Shu knew that when Xie Zeyan had made drinks for others before, he must have made signature cocktails too—she wasn't the special one. Her gaze followed Xie Zeyan as he put on black gloves, walked to the liquor cabinet, thought for a few seconds, picked up a few beautiful glass bottles, and returned to the bar counter. Xie Zeyan was very focused when mixing drinks. Nan Shu watched him quietly as a classic R&B song played in the background, with the singer on stage strumming a guitar and singing. Suddenly, Nan Shu picked up her phone and tapped a few times. The next second, Xie Zeyan's phone on the bar buzzed. He casually glanced at the lit screen out of the corner of his eye, and his hand holding the glass froze. "Nan Shu," he looked up and called her name. "What does this mean?" Nan Shu lowered her head like a quail. Just now, watching Xie Zeyan mix drinks so attentively had inexplicably reminded her of the beautiful-but-tragic protagonists she often read about in novels. Family fortune fallen, working odd jobs everywhere just to scrape by. Exactly like Xie Zeyan. First a dog walker, now a bartender—who knows where she might run into him working some other part-time job tomorrow. Although people online often said that feeling sorry for a man was the beginning of your own downfall, seeing Xie Zeyan this down on his luck, Nan Shu couldn't bear to just stand by. So she transferred him a sum of... allowance money. Ah, no, a tip. Nan Shu said in a small voice, "I saw online that Siji has a habit of tipping bartenders. And your hand is injured, yet you're still making me a drink, so I'm really grateful to you, and I just wanted to give you..." By the end, she was stumbling over her words. "I see." Xie Zeyan nodded, looking at the girl before him with interest. Today she was wearing a white halter-neck off-shoulder dress, with her fair, delicate collarbones visible at the neckline. Her long, thick lashes were like butterfly wings, and her clear eyes sparkled as they blinked. He withdrew his gaze, let out a low chuckle, and asked her, "Nan Shu." "Do you tip every bartender you meet?" "Or is it just me?"