Reunion at the Bar
Do you know President Shen?
Tian Yi was very efficient; by noon, he had already sent people to move all of Shen Man’s things into his house.
Packages, large and small, were placed neatly in the living room.
“Miss Shen, from now on, this will be your residence.” Tian Yi said with a smile, handing over the keys in his hand. “If you need help with anything, don’t hesitate to ask.”
“Thank you.” Shen Man smiled faintly and accepted the keys.
“Then I’ll be going,” Tian Yi said.
Shen Man politely saw him to the door.
This house of Tian Yi’s looked very new. It had a two-bedroom, one-living-room layout, with a minimalist decor style.
It was a good choice for a place to live while finishing university.
Shen Man stood on the balcony, gazing into the distance.
Her pitch-black, tranquil eyes filled with confusion as she took in the beautiful, unfamiliar scenery, but it quickly turned to determination.
She didn’t know if she would ever have the chance to go back; what she had to do now was live on well.
Whether in the real world or in the book, she had to create and seize her own future.
The phone on the living room table rang, interrupting Shen Man’s thoughts.
She turned and walked toward the living room, saw that it was a call from Xia Ke, and answered it. “Xiao Ke, what’s up?”
“Manman, I’ve already made things clear with her,” Xia Ke said, her voice tinged with a bit of dejection. “This semester ends in a few days, and then I’ll be going abroad.”
“I plan to stay in a hotel for this period.”
“I just moved into a new place, and there’s a spare room here. You should come stay with me,” Shen Man invited. Seeing Xia Ke hesitate, she added, “Living alone is a bit lonely, it’ll be livelier with the two of us.”
When she said the word ‘lonely,’ her heart clenched, as if she had revealed her innermost thoughts.
She wanted to take it back, but after a moment’s pause, she didn’t retract the words.
“Manman, thank you,” Xia Ke said in a small voice, a soft sob coming through the phone.
“You’re welcome.” Shen Man smiled comfortingly and asked, “Where are you now?”
“At the milk tea shop near the school. I’ve already packed my luggage and was about to look for a hotel,” Xia Ke said honestly.
Shen Man gave her the address. “Come on over now.”
“Okay,” Xia Ke replied emphatically.
The milk tea shop was about a ten-minute walk from Shen Man’s new place.
Shen Man stood at the entrance of the residential complex, waiting.
Seeing Xia Ke’s figure, she waved her hand and said, “Xiao Ke, over here.”
Xia Ke looked up, a faint smile on her face.
The space between her brows had lost its usual lively cheerfulness, carrying a lingering gloom that couldn’t be shaken off.
Shen Man led Xia Ke upstairs, opened the door, and pointed to one of the rooms. “You can stay here in peace for this period. No one will come to disturb you.”
Xia Ke understood the second half of that sentence. She nodded and said with a smile, “Manman, you don’t have to worry. It’s already over between her and me. Even if she comes looking for me, I won’t pay her any mind.”
Hearing the bravado and stubbornness in her words, Shen Man just smiled and didn’t pursue the topic.
Final exams were approaching, and Shen Man became busy.
After finishing her last exam, she let out a soft sigh of relief.
“Manman, I booked a flight for tonight. I’ll arrive there early tomorrow morning,” Xia Ke said with a smile, her light blue eyes full of reluctance to part. “After I leave this time, it will probably be a long time before we see each other again.”
“As long as you’re free, we can video chat,” Shen Man comforted her.
“That’s true, and I can come back during winter and summer breaks.” Xia Ke smiled happily, then asked curiously, “Have you been in touch with Lin Shu?”
Shen Man paused for a moment, then smiled. “Shushu must be busy.”
Xia Ke blinked, hesitating for a moment before voicing the doubt in her heart. “Lin Shu left so suddenly. Did you two have a fight?”
The smile on Shen Man’s face froze. She said vaguely, “When friends are far apart, their feelings will naturally fade.”
“Manman, we have to keep in touch,” Xia Ke said earnestly. “We have to be best friends for life!”
Shen Man let out a soft laugh and nodded, accepting the promise.
After dinner, Shen Man took Xia Ke to the airport.
Watching Xia Ke’s departing figure, she was momentarily transported back to the day Lin Shu had left.
Shen Man gave a self-deprecating laugh and rubbed the space between her brows to keep herself clear-headed.
She lowered her fingers, and out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of a figure rushing over.
Even from a distance, Shen Man recognized Yin Ruxu.
She stood where she was, watching Yin Ruxu run toward her.
“Shen Man, where’s Xiao Ke?” Yin Ruxu asked, panting for breath, her small face covered in sweat.
Shen Man didn’t answer, her gaze fixed icily on Yin Ruxu.
“I know I wronged Xiao Ke. I just want to see her off,” Yin Ruxu said, biting her lip.
Before she could finish, tears swirled in her eyes.
Shen Man’s expression didn’t change as she turned to leave.
She didn’t want to meddle and accuse Yin Ruxu, nor did she want to judge who was right or wrong in their relationship.
She was an outsider; she didn’t need to say much, nor should she.
“Shen Man, my feelings for Xiao Ke are real. No one has ever been as good to me as she was, without any reservations…” Yin Ruxu cried as she spoke earnestly, as if wanting to pour out all the feelings in her heart.
Shen Man turned back, a trace of contempt in her eyes. “Your so-called ‘sincerity’ is abandoning the person you like in the face of personal gain?”
Yin Ruxu was instantly silenced. She lowered her head, and a gloomy expression appeared between her soft and weak brows and eyes.
She stared in the direction Xia Ke had left, her gaze gradually becoming resolute, even faintly carrying a kind of madness.
During the summer break, Shen Man joined Tian Yi’s company as the President’s Assistant.
Although many people were unconvinced and questioned her, they also secretly insinuated about her relationship with Tian Yi.
Shen Man had no interest in paying attention to these flowing words and flying speech1.
In two months, she made those who questioned her obediently shut their mouths.
When the summer break ended, she handled company affairs while continuing her studies.
Tian Yi trusted her greatly. He consulted with her on basically all major company matters, and many times, he needed her to make the decisions.
Relying on her business acumen and her eight-sided and exquisite2 way of handling things, Shen Man expanded Tian Yi’s company several dozen times over in three years, carving out a seat of her own in the business world.
In return, Tian Yi made her the company’s President upon her graduation, responsible for all matters big and small.
He also gave her another fifteen percent of the shares. Added to the twenty percent she had before, she was now the company’s second-largest shareholder.
Shen Man’s annual income was good; she bought her own apartment and a car.
She drove to and from work every day and occasionally went to a bar for a drink. This life was almost no different from her life in the real world.
Sometimes, waking from a dream at midnight, she found it hard to tell whether she was in reality or in the book.
After finishing a day’s work, Shen Man wearily rubbed the space between her brows.
Seeing that it was Friday on her phone, she thought for a moment, then grabbed her car keys and stood up.
Shen Man drove to the bar.
At this hour, the bar was already quite crowded.
Shen Man ordered a glass of sake3 and sat in her usual spot.
Listening to the soothing music, she quietly watched the laughing and chatting crowd.
The proprietress, Deng Zhen4, personally brought the drink over.
Placing it on the table, she said with a smile, “President Shen, you’ve been looking for half a year. Have you still not found a beauty who can enter your eyes?”
Shen Man picked up the glass, her long, slender, and pearly-white fingers swirling the cup twice.
The motion was simple, yet when she did it, it was full of charm. Every movement was pleasing to the heart and eye5.
Many people around stole glances at her, their eyes filled with amazement.
Some wanted to approach her, but they hesitated, not daring to go forward.
Shen Man was long accustomed to these gazes.
Staring at the deep red liquid in the glass, she took a light sip, a smile gracing her lips as she slowly said, “Today’s drink is mixed well.”
“Thank you for the compliment, President Shen. This is a new product I spent days researching.” Deng Zhen covered her lips and laughed happily. She glanced around, then leaned in and whispered, “President Shen, many of the beauties here came just for you.”
“Tonight, why not choose one?” she said, raising an eyebrow suggestively.
Shen Man let out a soft laugh.
She savored the rest of the drink without speaking.
Seeing this, Deng Zhen sat down opposite her and teased, “President Shen, what type of beauty do you like?”
“In the past six months, beauties of all types have bought you drinks. How is it that you haven’t taken a liking to a single one?”
Shen Man set down her glass.
The ‘deng’ sound was crisp and pleasant, yet it seemed to strike heavily upon people’s hearts.
She looked up, her clear, cold, and shrewd eyes glinting with a hint of iciness. “I’m just here to drink.”
Hearing this, Deng Zhen tactfully understood that she shouldn’t ask any further.
She stood up and said with a smile, “Enjoy your drink, President Shen. I won’t disturb you any longer.”
Shen Man poured herself another glass of wine.
Her eyes half-closed, she slowly and methodically savored the taste of the alcohol.
The various conversations around her suddenly ceased.
Everyone’s gaze turned toward the entrance.
Shen Man looked up.
Her eyes met a pair of cold, arrogant, and beautiful ones, and her heart stopped for an instant.
A figure in red slowly walked in, like a gorgeous rose that could instantly steal one’s sight and senses.
She was tall and slender, her S-shaped curves perfectly proportioned. The off-the-shoulder design revealed her delicate collarbones and round, fragrant shoulders. Her slender waist looked as if it could be encircled by a single hand, and the knee-length hem of her dress couldn’t hide her fair, slender calves.
Her skin was very fair, like the finest pearls shimmering with luster, and she naturally possessed a hazy, ethereal aura6.
The flamboyant, gorgeous red she wore was imbued with an air of mysterious nobility.
“Who is that? So beautiful, as exquisite and classy as a Barbie doll.”
“Right? So gorgeous. Not a single flaw on her entire body. A true beauty really is beautiful down to every strand of hair.”
“Simply a rare thing in the human world7. I wonder who will be lucky enough to be noticed by this great beauty.”
The crowd grew lively again, buzzing with discussion.
Shen Man retracted her gaze.
Only a few seconds had passed, but for her, it felt like a century.
Her heartbeat restarted, the ‘peng peng’ sound echoing in her ears, so fast it felt like it would leap out of her chest.
“What a beautiful lady, welcome.” Deng Zhen said with a broad smile, her eyes filled with amazement. “What would you like to drink? It’s on the house for you today.”
“No need.” The beauty’s red lips parted slightly, her voice pleasant but carrying a chill. “A glass of your signature drink.”
Hearing her practiced tone, Deng Zhen immediately understood that the beauty before her was no naive newcomer.
She said with a smile, “This is our newly launched drink. It tastes excellent. A customer just gave it a very high rating.”
As she spoke, she glanced in Shen Man’s direction.
The beauty turned her head and shot a look over.
Her round eyes turned gloomy and sunken as she said in a cold voice, “Then I’ll have that one.”
Deng Zhen immediately started mixing the drink.
Observing the beauty’s expression, she asked probingly, “Do you know President Shen?”
The beauty smiled, her eyes becoming obscure and unreadable. “A new star of the business world, the President Shen whose great name rings like a tripod8, Shen Man. Who doesn’t know her?”
The two words ‘Shen Man,’ spoken from those beautiful red lips, seemed to be carved with endless resentment.
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