CH 1

Su Li hated waiting for the bus.

The temperature had been dropping in the past few days. Su Li just put her coats away a few days ago and now had to take them out again. The freezing wind violently swept across the empty road at night, not to mention the people, even the trees were frozen and shivering.

Su Li sat waiting for the bus at the cold bus stop, hands in her pockets and her fingers repeatedly stretched. A silver car passed by, disappearing in a blink of an eye.

She wore dark green leather shoes, revealing long black stockings, which highlighted her pale legs. The top was a long black double-layered skirt, warm and cozy but not enough to make up for the thin, sticky socks underneath.

Su Li crossed her legs, looking helplessly at the phone screen, and called the taxi again, but no one answered. The night wind was frigid, constantly blowing from under her skirt.

After waiting for nearly ten minutes, the bus still had not come, and not even the taxi was there. Su Li sighed in frustration, covering her skirt, and stared at the big parasol tree not far away.

Eleven minutes.

Feeling hopeless.

Her leather shoes impatiently tapped the ground. Cluck— Cluck— Cluck— 

Fourteen minutes.

Wanting to smash the car now.

Sixteen and a half minutes.

“Su Li?”

A female voice came from not far away, and it sounded like Xu Hui, a colleague who came to take over the shift. In Su Li’s memory, they had only met three times, face-to-face in an instant. Su Li thought to herself, Xu Hui is probably a tall and slim young woman?

The billboard next to her blocked the owner of that voice, so Su Li had to lean back and the upper half of her body skimmed over the billboard to greet Xu Hui.

Suddenly, a cold wind blew over her body, causing Su Li to lose her balance. Her legs lifted off the ground, and her whole body fell backwards.

The next moment, all she could hear was Xu Hui screaming, “Oh my!”

Done.

Straight to death.

Either dead or disabled.

Her body was no longer healthy!

Fortunately, a large hand caught her back in time. Su Li was still immersed in the feeling of lightheadedness, but her body was stretched, and her chin was raised while the top of her head was facing the ground. Using a strange posture, she slowly glanced down at the person in front of her.

Wow, how handsome, even the nose is so beautiful.

As soon as the man let go, Su Li almost fell back again. He then grabbed the back of her neck, holding the backpack strap with his other hand, “Drinking too much? Were all your bones removed or something?”

Su Li grinned, “Try smelling me and see?”

Of course, he would not smell her. Clearing his throat, he said, “Sit up straight.”

“Okay,” Su Li listened to him and obediently sat up straight, her long legs crossed over the seat in front of him, “I’m sitting up straight now.”

“Oh gosh,” Xu Hui sighed and walked over with an exhausted expression as if she had just come out of the apocalypse, “You scared me to death. Fortunately, Mr. Chen caught you in time.”

“I’m fine,” Su Li did not want to say much to her, so she urged, “You’re going to be late.”

“Yeah, I’m leaving now,” Xu Hui waved at the two of them as she walked away, “Goodbye Su Li, goodbye Mr. Chen.”

“Bye.” Su Li waved back.

Chen Jiu only gave a cold “Hm”. Just as he was about to leave, Su Li quickly grabbed his arm. Chen Jiu lowered his eyes to look at her, “What’s wrong?”

“My back hurts, it’s all your fault.”

“Are you making a fuss now?” Chen Jiu tried not to laugh and said seriously, “Who taught you this?”

Su Li grabbed him tightly with both hands, “Anyway, I can’t go, even the last bus is gone.”

“I’ll call you a taxi,” he shook his hand, trying to push her away, “Let go.”

“No, I’m so poor, where can I get money for a taxi? I’m just a poor and pitiful student,” Su Li peeked at him and continued to make up stories, “A taxi is enough for several meals for me.”

“I’ll pay for you.”

“No need,” Su Li smiled innocently, “Not to mention, I’ve waited forever and never saw a taxi pass by.”

“Then what do you want?”

Su Li did not respond, and countless thoughts quickly popped into her mind.

“Where do you want to go?”

“Liston… Academy of Fine Arts.”

“Go to another bus stop. There are still buses on Route 46.”

“I can’t find it.” Su Li shamelessly blinked, “I have a poor sense of direction.”

“I’ll take you there then,” he raised his hand and saw that she still did not move, “Let’s go.”

Suddenly, Su Li pressed close to him and hugged his arm tightly, insisting, “I’m stuck. I can’t get out.”

She peeked at him and said, “My back hurts, and my legs hurt too.”

“Do your hands hurt?”

Su Li pursed her lips, and with her upper lip touching the tip of her nose, she playfully looked at him while stretching her voice, “They also hurt ah.”

“Even gossipy old ladies don’t talk as much as you,” Chen Jiu threw his backpack to her and squatted down with his back facing her, “Get on.”

Su Li was stunned for a moment, then put on his backpack and quickly climbed onto his back, “Is the sun rising in the west?”

[T/N: “Is the sun rising in the west?” is slang often used when people don’t expect something to happen.]

“Hold on tight, stop talking nonsense.”

She happily hugged his neck, “Don’t worry, I won’t fall.”

“Let’s go.”

“Okie~”

Su Li hugged his neck tightly, admiring his beautiful side profile. Under the night, his eyelashes were long, deep sharp monolid eyes, and slightly drooping eyelids, adding a bit of tenderness.

“Do you want to squeeze my neck harder?”

“Yes?”

“Squeeze a little more, strangle me to death.”

Su Li immediately loosened her arm, “I’m sorry, so sorry.”

Under the bright street lights, she called his name, “Chen Jiu.”

“Hm?”

“Chen Jiu.”

“Hm?”

“Chen Jiu.”

“What?”

“Nothing, I just want to call your name.”

“…”

“Why don’t you also call my name?”

“Nonsense.”

“Chen Jiu, Chen Jiu, Chen Jiu,” she shook her legs, “I want to chase you.”

“Learn to make coffee first.”

“Does that mean if I can make coffee, I can chase you?”

Chen Jiu did not answer.

“Hey, you’re a man, so you have to keep your word, Chen Jiu.”

He still did not say anything.

…

At the bus stop, Chen Jiu put down Su Li, “It’s here.”

Just as the No. 46 bus arrived, it stopped in front of them.

“Get on the bus.”

Su Li slowly got onto the bus, found a seat by the window, and blew a kiss at him, “See you tomorrow.”

The bus quickly drove away. After that, Chen Jiu sighed softly and walked back.

“Silly girl.”

…

Ten days ago.

It was Shan Li’s birthday today, and just after the party ended, most girls dragged each other to the bar as they were all drunk. As soon as they saw the door, they hurriedly rushed in, found an empty table, and immediately fell all over on the sofa.

The boss was a middle-aged man with silver hair and black-rimmed glasses, leisurely sitting in the corner of the bar looking at pictures of desserts while holding a cigarette. He briefly squinted at them, then lowered his eyes to the computer screen again.

A young lady with a menu walked over. Her name was Li Guo, a waitress here. She had big eyes, small lips and was quite chubby, “What would you like to order?”

“Wine, wine!”

Li Guo handed them the wine menu but saw everyone lying around, and it seemed they could not read anything on the menu. She bent down and asked again, “What would you like to drink?”

Shan Li sat up straight, and less than two seconds later, she collapsed on the table again, “Four, four bottles, four bottles of Corona, and one plate, one fruit plate.”

[T/N: Corona is a beer brand produced by Mexican brewery Cervecería Modelo and owned by Belgian company AB InBev. It is the top-selling brand of imported beer in the United States.]

“Yes, what else would you like to order?”

No response.

Li Guo straightened up and said, “I’ll confirm with you here, four bottles of Corona and one fruit plate, right?”

No response again.

Li Guo sighed helplessly, “Please wait a moment.” 

Just as she turned around, a scream came from behind all of a sudden, making her hand holding the menu tremble.

“40 bottles!”

Li Guo turned around and saw a beautiful girl in a red dress raising her hand, like a student raising her hand to answer the teacher’s questions in class, “40 bottles!”

“Yes, please wait a moment.” Li Guo took a deep breath before walking to the bar counter to place their orders and quietly said to the bartender wearing a black mask, “40 bottles of Corona, yet those four people are already so drunk. Do they still want to live?”

Chen Jiu also saw it and calmly took out a few glasses, “Can you bring me some fresh lemons?”

“Sure.”

…

Half an hour later.

“Let us live in a dashing and unrestrained life as companions in this world, riding horses to share the prosperity of the world…”

“Ah, Ah, Ah~”

“Ah, Ah, Ah~”

…

Li Guo leaned against the bar counter and stared at those girls expressionlessly while covering her ears, then looked at Chen Jiu in pain, “I’m going crazy.”

Chen Jiu, “I’m going deaf.”

Li Guo sighed, “As expected, beautiful women’s friends are also beautiful women.”

Chen Jiu did not bother to raise his eyes to look, still lowering his eyes and carefully preparing his wine.

“Especially the girl in the red dress. Tsk, if I could be that pretty, I would go around showing off my beauty every day.”

Chen Jiu cut the mint leaves, gently inserted them into the crushed ice layer, and finally, put two curly pieces of lemon on top to decorate. Done.

“Hey, the red dress girl is coming.”

Chen Jiu did not care what she said but put the wine glass on the bar and lowered his head to take out his phone, wanting to take a photo. When he just raised his head, he unexpectedly saw a sophisticated makeup face drinking his freshly prepared cocktail.

He put down his phone, rested his hands on the cold bar counter, and looked at the girl in front of him with cold eyes.

She sipped the whole cocktail glass in one gulp without even taking a breath. After finishing the cocktail, she raised her chin in satisfaction and slammed her arm on the bar aggressively, “Delicious!”

Li Guo looked at him, looked at her, then looked at the wine glass again. Taking a deep breath, she thought, This girl’s alcohol tolerance is indeed good ah.

“Give me one more glass.”

Chen Jiu did not speak, and his eyes remained the same. Next, he stood up straight and looked down at her.

Su Li leaned on the bar, and her long slender fingers lightly tapped the base of the glass as she looked up at him maliciously. This man’s eyelashes are so long? Even longer than mine? Is he even a human? Damn, what did he eat to have such long eyelashes?

Chen Jiu quickly mixed a new glass of wine, completely ignoring the drunkard staring at him in front of him.

“Hey.”

“Hey.”

“Handsome guy.”

As soon as Chen Jiu raised his head, he suddenly saw a slender and long finger reaching toward him, and the sharp nail poked his face, carrying a bit of icy coldness.

Su Li was so drunk that she wobbled. Twirling his mask in her hand, she smugly glanced at him, “Why are you wearing a mask this late at night? Are you a dark knight, huh? Or a city hunter?”

She suddenly knelt on the chair and pointed at him, “Hatake Kakashi!”

[T/N: Hatake Kakashi is a fictional character in the Naruto manga and anime series created by Kishimoto Masashi.]

Li Guo pursed her lips and tried not to laugh.

“Why are you laughing?” Su Li leaned forward, and with her chin on her hand, she tilted her small face to look at him, “Isn’t Kakashi handsome?”

“Give it back,” Chen Jiu stretched out his hand, “My mask.”

Su Li stared at him for a few seconds, then snorted and put the mask on her face, “I bought it.”

“…”

“I’ll… I’ll pay you later.” Su Li jumped off the high stool, and her two fingers grasped the base of the wine glass as she turned to walk back to her group of friends. Her body seemed to be boneless, as soft as cotton. When she gracefully turned around, her red dress floated like waves, incredibly seductive.

Su Li staggered onto the stage and snatched the mic from her friend, “Come on, play ‘Lover’, music on!”

[T/N: ‘Lover’ is a song by the rock band Beyond in Hong Kong, famous around the 80s of the last century.]

The music sounded, and Su Li drunkenly howled without the slightest tune.

“I hope you don’t cry silently for me again.

I don’t want to leave your heart empty.

I hope you don’t make me feel so guilty.

My heart is like endless water, so don’t fall for me.

Woo~ Do you know who is willing to come back…”

All the girls held up beer bottles and swayed to applaud, “Wow, woohoo!”

“Let’s go~ Su Li!”

“Is it fate, love, innocence, or surprise?

There are tears, guilt, dedication, and patience.

People are the walls, the cold winter, hidden deep in the eyes.

There are days and nights with illusions that can’t wait…”

The boss who heard the singing walked over with a cigarette in his mouth. After seeing the girls on the stage, he laughed lightly, “What is this girl howling? ‘Lover’?”

“Yes.”

“The tone is alright, quite interesting, but the scream is a bit loud. Hey, Xiao Chen, isn’t that your mask?”

Chen Jiu replied, “Yes.”

“He was robbed,” Li Guo burst out laughing, “Hahahaha.”

“Young people these days are so bold huh,” the boss narrowed his eyes and let out a puff of smoke, “How many beers did they order?”

Li Guo answered, “40 bottles.”

“Was there enough fresh lemons?”

Chen Jiu responded, “Yes.”

“Okay,” the boss nodded and reminded them before going outside, “Pay attention to them.”

Li Guo said, “Understood.”

On the stage, Su Li was still immersed in singing.

“Is it fate, love, innocence, or surprise?

There are tears, guilt, dedication, and patience.

People are the walls, the cold winter, hidden deep in the eyes.

There are days and nights with illusions that can’t wait…”

Chen Jiu held the ice crusher, stirring the freshly filled ice cubes, and looked at Su Li singing. Then his gaze moved from the cocktail spilled on the ground to the black mask that she was wearing on her face.

“Silly.”