Chapter 1, Chapter 1: 20 Years Old and 32 Years Old
Old Town.
At the end of the dilapidated commercial street, in a narrow alley, the Royal Bar, which has been open for more than ten years, is still in operation.
The bar's back door was tightly shut, but the intense drumbeats still pierced through the thick glass, striking the heart like a hammer.
Hua Yu leaned wearily against the door, set an alarm for five minutes, and then closed her eyes to rest.
There was a slight conflict between his part-time job schedule these past two days, and as of now, he hasn't slept for almost thirty hours, his head is throbbing as if it's about to explode.
The back door of the bar faces a long alley, dark and gloomy, without even streetlights, like a deep abyss.
It was the height of summer, and although the temperature dropped a few degrees in the early morning compared to the daytime, the rising ground temperature still brought a sense of dryness.
But there are always people who don't mind the heat, crowding into unseen corners to kiss passionately and make suggestive noises that can't be shown in public.
A young man passing by whistled lightly in the direction the sound came from. Laughter and curses soon followed from the corner, and after a few seconds of silence, someone in the distance leaned against the wall and vomited.
The exact same thing happens every day in the alley, as if you're trapped in a maze.
Hua Yu opened her eyes with annoyance, lowered her head, bit down on a cigarette, and pulled out a cheap lighter she had bought from a nearby supermarket from her pocket.
It's really cheap, only one yuan each. The plastic is cloudy, the parts are loose, and it even has an advertisement for a men's health hospital printed on it.
Persevere without giving up, and strive for self-reliance and self-improvement.
Very inspiring.
Unfortunately, the lighter itself, like the target audience of the urology hospital, tried again and again, but couldn't even produce a single spark.
Her head was throbbing more and more, and Hua Yu's patience was wearing thin. She was about to get up when she grabbed her lighter and heard a clear metallic sound.
Click.
A faint blue flame illuminated his face.
Just then, the music changed in the bar, the drumbeats stopped, and a brief silence fell over the air before a ballad began to play.
There is no wind tonight, and the flames leap and blaze fiercely.
After a brief moment of distraction, Hua Yu's gaze fell on the lighter that had appeared out of nowhere.
It's square and about half the size of a cigarette pack, with a nice logo printed on it.
He didn't recognize the brand, but he could tell it was expensive, enough to buy a whole bunch of his men's health lighters.
Her brain, which hadn't rested for too long, was in a state of mechanical numbness. Hua Yu stared at the logo for a few seconds before her gaze slowly slid over the slender fingers holding the lighter, the porcelain-white wrist wearing a black watch, and finally landed on the other person's face.
Hua Yu knew who she was.
These are the bar's most popular customers during this period.
She would appear every night at nine o'clock, sit in the same booth, order the most expensive bottle of wine, but never drink a drop, and leave promptly at three o'clock in the morning.
She was also known as the "rich older sister" by his colleagues.
Mature, beautiful, and generous.
Every waiter who served her received a generous tip and an unopened bottle of wine.
Hua Yu was probably the only person in the bar who had never served her.
The alley was dark, with only the light coming from the bar providing illumination.
The flickering blue flames gently distorted the air, making the already sultry summer night even stickier.
Yun Jin's hand, which was holding the lighter, was getting a little sore. Seeing that Hua Yu was still not moving, she simply raised her hand a little further.
The heat suddenly approached, and even closer than the flames was the fragrance emanating from her fingertips.
Hua Yu works at a bar, surrounded by all kinds of perfumes every day, men's and women's fragrances, all kinds of styles, but none of them are similar to her.
It was so understated, yet it easily enveloped him.
Its all-pervasive and domineering nature sent a sharp warning through his sluggish brain, which had been deprived of sleep for a long time.
Hua Yu is not used to getting too close to people, and instinctively tries to back away.
It's too late.
The cigarette that couldn't be lit just now is now glowing with a scarlet flame.
The smoke was thick, and the five-yuan pack of cigarettes had a slightly pungent taste, but it was the best remedy for a splitting headache.
It is also the best potion to wake you up when you are feeling drowsy.
Hua Yu's expression shifted slightly, and the next second she met her dark eyes.
Over 90% of Asians have brownish pupils, but hers were pure black, like the long alley behind her, so deep that one couldn't see the end.
"Thank you." He nodded slightly, his voice slightly hoarse from staying up all night.
Yun Jin took a step back, maintaining a safe distance, and leisurely observed him through the soft smoke.
At twenty years old, he had already grown tall, but his eyes and brows still revealed a hint of melancholy youthfulness, and he was thin everywhere.
The eyelids are thin, the jawline is thin, and even the muscles are thin, firmly covering the slender bones and outlining smooth lines.
The summer uniforms issued by the bar were slightly frivolous floral shirts made of cheap material with no discernible shape.
But it fit him perfectly; his delicate collarbone was faintly visible through the loose collar.
It's beautiful, and it's perfect for being destroyed.
After looking him up and down, Yun Jin looked up into his eyes and asked, "How should I thank you?"
Hua Yu paused, and in the instant their eyes met, the still-burning cigarette smelled even more pungent and acrid.
Is this another attempt to pick up girls?
He didn't want to make friends, exchange contact information with anyone, or become someone's pastime when they were bored.
But he couldn't refuse outright because he needed the job to support himself.
The person in front of you is the bar owner's lucky charm.
They were unwilling, but they couldn't afford to offend anyone; they were caught in a dilemma.
Hua Yu took the cigarette off her hand, gently placed it between her index and middle fingers, and asked as calmly as possible, "How would you like me to thank you?"
Yun Jin stared at him for a few seconds, a faint smile curving her lips.
He probably thought he was quite calm and collected, but unfortunately he was too young. Even though he put on a composed appearance, his vigilance and hostility were easily revealed in his eyes.
Like a leopard cub that has lost its protection before it has learned how to hunt, it bluffs in a self-righteous way.
That's really interesting.
Yun Jin was in a good mood and took another step back, giving the little leopard some breathing space.
"Do your bar's full-time employees receive a monthly discount that they can choose to use themselves or give to customers they like?" she asked.
Hua Yu paused slightly, then nodded: "Yes."
“I’ve been here for so long, and almost every waiter has served me drinks, but no one has ever given me a discount.” Yun Jin raised her hand to smooth her neat shoulder-length short hair, slowly crossed her arms, and her light V-neck black dress accentuated her beautiful curves.
Hua Yu was speechless for a moment, not expecting her to say this.
The bar does indeed give its employees a certain discount authority each month, usually 15% off, to retain regular customers.
So many people have never given her a discount, probably because she's too easy to talk to and too generous. She'll come to shop even without a discount, so there's no need to win her over.
The commission for discounted purchases is much lower than that for purchases made at the original price.
But he couldn't say that to her. As long as he wanted to continue working there, he couldn't share the bar's marketing techniques with a regular customer.
The air remained heavy, and the cigarette between Hua Yu's fingers had burned to the end, emitting a scorching heat.
Seeing that he refused to speak, Yun Jin didn't press him further, and simply said, "Next time I come, you'll be in charge of the service."
Hua Yu looked at her.
Yun Jin raised the corners of her lips: "Remember to give my employees a discount."
After saying that, she turned and left, quickly disappearing into the alley as dark as her eyes.
A sharp ringing sound suddenly broke the silence that belonged only to the night.
Hua Yu casually stubbed out her cigarette and threw it into the trash can, then took out her phone and turned off the alarm.
The five-minute break time is over. It's 2:30 a.m. now, time to go back to work.
The moment Hua Yu opened the glass door, the ballad was just finishing its last line, and after the song ended, the heart-pounding drumbeats started again.
He glanced back before entering; the alley was deep and dark, and there wasn't a soul in sight.
She left decisively and without the slightest lingering affection, even the faint fragrance on her fingertips vanished completely.
So, suddenly appearing in front of him and lighting his cigarette was really just to get an employee discount.
He was just being delusional.
Hua Yu remained silent for a few seconds, then gave a self-deprecating smile with a sense of relief.
After leaving the bar, Yun Jin went straight home.
What she called her home was actually a rented apartment. The neighborhood was so-so, but the security was good and it was quite quiet.
Because she did not provide accurate identity information, she had to pay double the rent to successfully rent the penthouse.
In the dead of night, Yun Jin didn't turn on the lights. She groped her way through the empty living room and arrived at the French windows on the balcony.
From this angle, you can clearly see the Royal Bar, which is still open for business.
She stood on the balcony, stared at the bar for a moment, then looked at the watch on her left wrist.
The black mechanical watch was unremarkable, with no minute or second hands, only a short hour hand that always pointed to '12'.
Yun Jin took off her watch and walked into the bathroom at a leisurely pace.
The first thing I do after taking a shower is put on my watch, and only after that do I go back to the bedroom and lie down.
Dawn was just a few hours away, and sleepiness was creeping in.
Yun Jin turned the watch clockwise one full circle until the hour hand pointed precisely to '12' again before stopping.
Before closing her eyes, she took one last look at the electronic perpetual calendar hanging on the opposite wall.
A long, black screen, utterly devoid of any aesthetic appeal, displays the time: "July 13, 2013, 3:11:25 AM".
The seconds keep moving, then jump to 0 after 59, and the minutes increment by 1.
She has two of the things that her grandmother's generation liked: one is placed here, and the other is in her bridal bedroom, directly opposite the bed.
Yun Jin soon fell into a deep sleep.
The air conditioner was a bit too cold, so she covered herself up tightly with the blanket and let her consciousness sink endlessly.
At first, I slept quite soundly, but gradually it felt as if I were at sea, being pushed and swayed rhythmically by the waves.
The heat surged upwards from the seabed, and the rising steam gradually covered the whole body, adding an indescribable urgency to the humid heat.
Yun Jin was startled awake when a cold cube accidentally brushed against her calf. Opening her eyes, she saw the electronic perpetual calendar on the opposite wall—
[July 13, 2025, 4:03:17 AM]
That's why she only slept for less than an hour.
Yun Jin let out a soft breath and reached her hand under the covers.
The blankets were stuffy and damp like a tropical rainforest; fingertips brushed against the bobbing Adam's apple, then accurately grabbed someone's collar.
A low laugh came from under the covers. He crawled out, following the force of her hand, and looked at her with a smile.
"Did you miss me?" he asked.
Yun Jin looked at him.
Compared to 20-year-old Hua Yu, 32-year-old Hua Yu has less melancholy and fierceness in his eyes and more composure and steadiness.
The muscles are no longer thin; years of fitness training and a regular diet have made every groove just right, and you can feel the power they contain even through the shirt.
Oh, a shirt.
And shirts.
It wasn't a cheap bar uniform, but a smart and tailored high-end custom-made outfit, which she specially hired a designer to come to her home to take his measurements.
The perfectly pressed black shirt accentuated his aloof and dignified nature.
He was beautiful at 20, like a flower in full bloom.
At 32, he was handsome, like a reserved and unassuming tree.
It's clearly the same person, yet their demeanor is completely different, which shows that time is truly a magical thing.
"Why aren't you saying anything?" The man pressed his forehead against hers, seemingly dissatisfied with her silence.
Yun Jin snapped out of her daze and raised her hand to wipe the water from his lips: "You woke me up."
"I'm so sorry."
The man apologized, but his attitude didn't seem very sincere.
Yun Jin glanced at him, then reached her hand back under the covers and grasped the small cube that had just chilled her.
It was his belt buckle, which had just slid across her calf and was now pressed tightly against her lower abdomen, warmed by her body heat.
Yun Jin: "You're poking me."
"I'm trying to make it up to you."
"Is this your compensation?" Yun Jin asked calmly, tugging at her belt buckle. "Wearing your outer clothes, you climbed into bed?"
"These aren't my outer clothes. I've already showered, and I just changed my clothes." The man kissed her on the lips.
Yun Jin leaned back into the pillows, seemingly not understanding why he did this.
The man grasped her hand that was gripping the belt buckle.
Click.
The belt was pulled out, and on their clasped hands, they wore matching simple wedding rings.
The dampness inside the blankets escaped frantically with their movements, disappearing instantly into the dry air.
"Stop pretending, I know you like it."
As the man spoke, he leaned down and pressed himself close to her, but was suddenly poked by another hard cube.
He paused slightly and took the cube out of Yun Jin's pajama pocket.
These are his collection of lighters, with a logo designed specifically for him by the lighter brand. Since he quit smoking, they've been sitting in his collection room collecting dust.
"How could this thing..."
A rare hint of confusion flickered in the man's handsome eyes.
Yun Jin didn't speak, casually wrapped the belt around his neck and held it, pulling it slowly towards herself as if it were a ring.
The man met her sharp gaze and obediently kissed her lips.
A note from the author:
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The story is starting! I'll be giving away 50 RMB red envelopes~ Updates will begin tomorrow at 9 PM sharp, see you then! [laughing emoji]
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