The Bar

When Fu Liangxia regained consciousness, nearly two hours had passed since she fainted. Her body felt fine, aside from a slight itch and a terrible thirst.

The decor around her made it clear she was still at the Bai residence, but the soft bed beneath her had replaced the carpet.

Sheer curtains draped both sides, leaving only a view of the footstool at the bed's end.

She had come to model, only to faint at her employer's home—it was hard to justify.

A flicker of guilt passed through her. She propped herself up with one arm and struggled to sit up. As she moved, her dark hair cascaded over her shoulders, making her exposed arms look even paler.

But something was wrong.

Fu Liangxia frowned slightly. She remembered wearing her school uniform before fainting, so why was she now in a slip dress?

Before she could figure it out, she felt the curtain beside her move, and someone yanked it open hurriedly.

"You're awake!" Fu Haoyao's collar was slightly undone, his face full of barely contained worry.

He glanced at her complexion, then his gaze dropped, and as if stung by something, he quickly looked away, fixing his eyes on the curtain beside her. Muttering, he said, "I'm sorry. I didn't know you couldn't eat seafood."

As he spoke, the corners of his eyes drooped, and even his hair seemed to sag. He looked inexplicably like a puppy afraid of being abandoned, and he added dejectedly, "It's all my fault. Even if you're angry with me, it's only right."

After saying that, he stood still, as if awaiting her verdict.

But before Fu Liangxia could answer, a flippant voice chimed in from behind: "You should feel guilty. If you hadn't insisted on taking my crab, Little Xia might not have been so put out."

Bai Yan stood nearby, arms crossed, doing his usual best to annoy people to death.

But Fu Haoyao wasn't provoked. He turned to him, even circling around to avoid looking at Fu Liangxia on the bed: "If you hadn't asked the maid to make it, I wouldn't have taken it."

He wasn't falling for Bai Yan's trick. That king crab was the most expensive thing on the table; of course he'd go for it.

And what was this "Little Xia"? Were they that close?

Seeing Bai Yan staring openly at the girl on the bed, Fu Haoyao even thought he caught a hint of admiration in that gaze, and an inexplicable irritation rose in his chest.

Expressionless, he shoved Bai Yan away: "Alright, Fu Liangxia just woke up. Stop making a racket and go get the doctor."

Always getting in the way, just staring at her—what a pervert.

Bai Yan: "..."

Didn't he remember whose house this was? How come Fu Haoyao seemed to think he owned the place?

Their exchange was so quick that Fu Liangxia barely had a chance to speak. Seeing Fu Haoyao pushing Bai Yan out, as if trying to escape her answer, she said, "I'm not angry, and I won't hate you."

The figure pushing Bai Yan out froze at that, then, no longer in a hurry to shove anyone, took two quick strides and rushed out the door, tossing back without looking: "Good. Not that I cared much anyway."

His tone was deliberately calm, but his fleeing back and red ears betrayed his true feelings.

【Fu Haoyao Affinity +6, current Affinity 52.】

The moment he stepped out, Fu Haoyao slid down against the wall. He covered his face weakly with one hand, his entire face flushed, long lashes lowered, silently protesting that Fu Liangxia was too cunning.

If she wasn't angry, then why say "I won't hate you"...

As if it were some solemn promise.

Who cared, anyway?

...

Since Fu Haoyao had gone out, Bai Yan saw no hurry to leave. He wasn't as naive as Fu Haoyao, who had grown up with only male friends and blushed at the sight of a girl's arm.

Of course, it couldn't be denied that Fu Liangxia wasn't an ordinary girl. Her slender, jade-like arm, half-hidden among her dark hair, carried an unintentional allure that even Bai Yan couldn't help but steal a second glance at.

—He wasn't like Fu Haoyao, being shy where shyness wasn't needed.

Beautiful things were meant to be appreciated. If one's mind conjured impure thoughts, it wasn't the object's fault, but the viewer's own.

Though Bai Yan had said that about Fu Haoyao, as the host, he knew he bore some blame too.

Fu Liangxia was thin, and now, in his mother's unworn nightgown, she looked fragile and pitiable.

Remembering something, he cleared his throat: "Earlier, you broke out in red welts and had trouble breathing. The doctor, worried you might choke, did emergency treatment and had the maid change your clothes."

Fu Liangxia blinked, realizing he was explaining to avoid any misunderstanding.

She smiled. "Thank you. Sorry for the trouble."

"It's nothing. The doctor said it might be an allergy, but the symptoms don't fully match. You..."

Bai Yan thought of his family doctor's grave expression after the diagnosis, concluding she had some other medical history that made the episode so sudden and severe. He hesitated to continue.

Fu Liangxia seemed to understand his reluctance. "I'm fine. It's just a minor illness; I'll get better soon."

After all, once the task was complete and she was no longer rejected by the World's Will, she'd naturally recover.

But her optimism only made Bai Yan feel worse.

"You... forget it." Seeing Bai Xin bring in the family doctor, Bai Yan dropped the subject.

The check-up went well. Fortunately, Fu Liangxia hadn't eaten much, and by now, no symptoms could be detected. Still, after such an incident, she couldn't model today, and it was already past nine, so she excused herself.

Bai Xin hung up from calling the driver and said, "I'll have the driver take you home."

At that, Fu Haoyao muttered something about how he could drive her.

Bai Xin ignored him, not about to let a guest ride off in another guest's car. That wasn't their way.

"Uncle, drop Fu Haoyao off first," he instructed.

And so, Fu Haoyao perked up again.

*

Maybe because too much had happened this week, Fu Liangxia enjoyed a rare peaceful Friday, with no troublesome students, no F4 appearing out of nowhere, just quiet study life.

If only it could stay like this.

Closing her textbook after school, Fu Liangxia sighed with genuine feeling.

But things didn't go as she hoped. Xu Cai came looking for her again.

"Want to come unwind with us after school?" she asked cheerfully, miming a drink.

After being invited so many times, it would be rude for Fu Liangxia to keep refusing. Besides, Xu Cai and her friends, though a bit snobbish and fun-loving, seemed decent at heart, and could maybe become ordinary friends.

Plus, with the other girl now mistakenly thinking she and Fu Haoyao were close, and eager to get closer, Fu Liangxia was happy to go along—she could even pick up some business gossip from Xu Cai's big mouth.

The Xu family was wealthy. Any hint of inside info from Xu Cai could earn her a tidy sum.

So Fu Liangxia agreed readily, never expecting that this decision would nearly ruin everything.

"Sis, you're not coming home?" At the school gate, Fu Liedong called out. She turned to see him trailing behind Su Xingshu, lugging a box, sweaty, shouting at her.

Fu Liedong never bothered about where she went. Why today was he suddenly concerned about whether she came home?

A flicker of doubt crossed her mind, but before she could respond, Xu Cai, who was clinging to her arm, said loudly, "Not today! We're taking your sister to experience the adult world."

She dragged out the word "adult" suggestively.

Fu Liedong's face reddened, then went pale. He said angrily, "What adult world? Xu Cai, don't drag my sister into your nonsense."

"You're the one talking nonsense, you little brat." Xu Cai shot him a look, then with a humph, dragged Fu Liangxia into her family's car. "Come on, let me show you what they call 'heaven on earth.'"

Heaven on earth...

Fu Liangxia wondered if this was one of those places with that name. "What heaven on earth, where?" she asked cautiously.

Xu Cai looked at her like she was hopelessly out of date. "Queens District, of course. Where else?"

Relieved to hear it was Queens District, Fu Liangxia relaxed.

As an upscale area, even its entertainment venues didn't flaunt anything too shady.

After all, those with status still had to hide their excesses from the public.

The bar Xu Cai brought her to looked fancy from the outside. The bouncers in suits checking IDs all looked like male models from a runway.

"Is Little A here?" Xu Cai, clearly a regular, flashed her VIP card and pulled aside a waiter.

The waiter thought for a moment and shook his head. "Fifteen minutes ago, a guest in Box 21 requested him. If he's free later, I'll have him come find you."

Xu Cai nodded casually. "Fine, just bring a few for now. Tall ones, a bit cocky if possible."

Fu Liangxia found the description oddly familiar, almost like Fu Haoyao, save for the platinum hair.

"Oh, by the way, did Little A touch up his roots? Light colors like platinum look awful if the roots aren't dyed properly."

The waiter nodded eagerly. "Of course. With you, anything's like a royal decree. Already done, looks natural."

Xu Cai was satisfied. "Good."