Chapter 40 Enemies Meet on a Narrow Road, Their Ghosts Never Cease

Yu Yan has always been a well-behaved child since childhood and has never done anything out of line.

So when Shao Muyan said the words "go to a bar," she got excited, feeling like she was going on an adventure.

Shao Muyan took Yu Yan to Sucheng Road, the old town of Shangzhou, which is also a famous bar street, where cafes, restaurants and all kinds of bars are gathered.

Yu Yan, a native of Shangzhou, had always known about this place, but had never been here before.

The driver dropped them off along the street, and Shao Muyan led Yu Yan out of the car and walked a few steps to a bar called "Mirror".

This is a music-themed bar, decorated in a stylish way, and not noisy.

Even though they were in a quiet bar, Yu Yan's big eyes were still full of excitement, and Shao Muyan saw this and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.

"Oh, Third Master is here."

Yu Yan had just found a seat and sat down when a thin man walked over. When she looked up, the first thing she saw was a mirror tattoo on the back of his neck.

The mirror was a round bronze mirror, and even the tattoo wasn't scary; instead, it gave off a cute vibe.

"This is the bar owner, Li Jing," Shao Muyan introduced.

Yu Yan blurted out, "The 'mirror' in 'mirror'?"

"No." The boss grinned, perhaps finding Yu Yan's serious demeanor amusing. "Respectful. And how should I address you, Miss?"

He has handsome single eyelids, and you can't tell his age from his appearance, but he gives off a very cultured and gentlemanly vibe.

“Yu Yan, the Yan in research.”

Yu Yan took the initiative to shake hands with Li Jing.

Li Jing smiled and said, "Is this my first time here? Would you like to try my homemade cocktail? Can I drink alcohol?"

Yu Yan nodded readily, "I can drink it."

Li Jing looked at Shao Muyan again, and Shao Muyan nodded. Only then was he relieved, and asked, "Is Third Master still the same as before?"

“Yes.” Shao Muyan’s voice was low.

Li Jing waved to the waiter to bring a fruit platter and some pastries. He also specially brought Yu Yan a mousse cake. Yu Yan blinked and looked around. She didn't see any other tables doing the same thing.

She moved closer to Shao Muyan and asked in a low voice, "Am I dressed too childishly today?"

Because it was a last-minute decision, Yu Yan didn't change her clothes. She wore her usual white shirt and black trousers, which she thought looked quite business-like.

“Not childish,” Shao Muyan said. “You just look young.”

"..." Yu Yan glanced at him lightly, and Shao Muyan was amused by her dissatisfied look.

Having come over without eating, Yu Yan was now hungry, so she simply picked up the cake and started eating. She wanted to share it with Shao Muyan, but Shao Muyan said, "I don't want any, you eat it."

The band is taking a break, and the bar is quite quiet right now.

While eating cake, Yu Yan listened to Shao Muyan explain his relationship with the bar owner. They met while hiking together years ago. Later, Li Jing's investment failed, leaving him heavily in debt and so worried that he wanted to jump off a cliff. When he reached the edge of the cliff, Shao Muyan pulled him out, invested some money in him, and became a shareholder in his bar. The two are now considered partners.

Knowing that this was Shao Muyan's own shop, Yu Yan felt more at ease and asked, "Do you come here often?"

"Occasionally," Shao Muyan said, "When I feel stressed and want a drink, I come over and sit down."

Yu Yan couldn't help but look up at him.

The bar was lit with colorful lights, and one would expect people's faces to be stained with color, but Uncle Yan's face still looked so handsome and clean in Yu Yan's eyes, black and white.

She wasn't surprised that Uncle Yan said he was under a lot of pressure. We're all just ordinary people, and even geniuses experience pressure in this world. In fact, the greater the ability, the heavier the responsibility and pressure.

She was surprised that Uncle Yan would tell her these things.

It was as if at this moment, he wasn't treating her as a junior, but rather as an equal, communicating with her as a peer.

This little discovery made Yu Yan quite happy, giving her a feeling that it could help share his burden.

When the drinks were served, Yu Yan was presented with a cocktail called "Mirror Lake," a beautiful reflection of a blue lake.

The wine tasted very sweet. She took a sip and gave Li Jing a thumbs up.

Shao Muyan was drinking the wine stored here; Yu Yan was worried that the whiskey would burn his throat.

The band came back on stage, the drummer took his place and adjusted the equipment, and the drum kit was struck with a "thud," not too loudly. Someone exclaimed in praise, "Oh my, that scared me to death!"

The voice was so familiar that Yu Yan froze. The next second, she heard the owner of the voice say, "Jing Heng, let's sit here."

The world seems so vast that when Xiang Jingheng was away on business trips all over the country, Yu Yan couldn't see him for ten days or half a month.

The world is so small that after the divorce, Xiang Jingheng and his childhood sweetheart would appear in front of her every few days to show off their affection.

Enemies meet on a narrow road, and their lingering spirits never cease.

Shao Muyan and Yu Yan were seated in a booth surrounded by walls, directly facing the stage, offering a high degree of privacy.

People outside can't see them unless they specifically look for them.

Yu Yan didn't need to look back to know that Gan Xiaoxing and Xiang Jingheng were sitting at a round table not far from them.

Gan Xiaoxing ordered drinks, and Xiang Jingheng only gave a faint "hmm," but Yu Yan recognized his voice.

After all, they were people she had lived with; she could recognize their voices even if they turned to ashes.

Shao Muyan also recognized their voices, and as he watched the light in Yu Yan's eyes disappear, his brows furrowed slightly.

“Shall we leave? Or, could we ask them to leave?” His voice was calm.

Yu Yan looked at him, her expression momentarily stunned.

Shao Muyan said seriously, "This is our family's bar."

They have the right to kick out customers they don't like; the idea that "the customer is God" doesn't exist in Shao Muyan's world.

Or rather, there is no such statement regarding Xiang Jingheng and Gan Xiaoxing.

Yu Yan came back to her senses, the light in her eyes returned, and even a slight smile appeared on her face.

The music had started, and amidst the noise, she leaned close to his ear and said, "No need. We didn't come for them. Let's finish our drinks and watch the show before we leave."

A warm current swept over his ear, and he could no longer hear the music. Only her lowered eyelashes and slightly hoarse voice touched a nerve in him.

—

The band performs regularly in bars, has their own original songs, and their style leans towards rock, exuding youthful passion and the spirit of young people daring to explore the world.

Yu Yan is already twenty-eight years old and feels she is no longer young, otherwise why wouldn't she get excited listening to such an energetic song?

Instead of venturing out into the world during the prime of her youth, she got married, had children, and stayed at home.

Her bloated body and tedious housework were eroding her mental well-being.

At that time, the only thing that allowed her to catch her breath was the science forum. Whenever she saw what new achievements scientists at home and abroad had made, her heart would race.

Sometimes, when I think about it, it seems like her life has been divided into two parts.

Often in the middle of the night, Yu Yan would hear her child crying and her mother-in-law scolding, which would wake her up in a cold sweat before she belatedly realized that she was already divorced.

For her, divorce was a kind of rebirth.

The round table behind them ordered drinks several times. Yu Yan heard Gan Xiaoxing advising Xiang Jingheng not to drink anymore, but Xiang Jingheng didn't respond; he remained silent.

The performance was over, and the drinks were all finished.

Yu Yan said to Shao Muyan, "Uncle Yan, let's go."

"Tired?" Shao Muyan looked at her slightly heavy eyelids, and Yu Yan nodded, "A little."

As Yu Yan stood up from her booth, knowing she couldn't avoid the two people behind her, she prepared herself for the awkwardness of greeting them. But before she could even get up, she saw the two of them kissing.

Gan Xiaoxing and Xiang Jingheng were both lying on the table. Xiang Jingheng had his back to her, so Yu Yan could only see the back of his head.

Face to face, Gan Xiaoxing closed her eyes in bliss, immersed in a sweet world.

Let's go.

Shao Muyan gently put his arm around Yu Yan's and walked past the two people who were kissing.

It wasn't until they left the bar that Gan Xiaoxing slowly opened her eyes, turned her head to look at the door, and a contemptuous smile appeared on her lips.

Turning around, I caught a glimpse of the bar owner looking this way, his eyes full of mockery.

Gan Xiaoxing turned her face away awkwardly, looking down at Xiang Jingheng, who was already drunk, a dark glint flashing in her eyes.