A leisurely life starting in a bar after being reborn

Xu Wenshu's car was a silver-gray Passat, parked on the underground level of the airport parking lot.

When Fu Yan saw the car, he was a little surprised: "You're a CCTV host, and you drive this?"

"What's wrong? Is this car bad?" Xu Wenshu pressed the remote, and the car door unlocked with a "beep." "It's a government-issued car, not one I bought."

"I thought your station would at least have an Audi or something."

"You think everyone's like you, always driving a luxury car?" Xu Wenshu opened the driver's side door. "Get in, Mr. Fu."

"Don't call me General Manager Fu." Fu Yan stuffed his suitcase into the trunk. "It sounds like calling me 'boss,' it's awkward."

"So what's your name? Brother Fu?"

"...You're five years younger than me, so calling me 'brother' isn't a bad deal."

"Who says someone younger has to call you 'brother'?" Xu Wenshu fastened his seatbelt and started the car. "My new intern at the station is several years younger than me, but they all call me Little Xu."

Fu Yan got into the passenger seat, fastened his seatbelt, and leaned back: "Fine, whatever makes you happy."

The car drove out of the parking lot and merged into the traffic flow on the airport expressway.

The night view outside the window was bright, with streetlights and car headlights blending together. In late December in Yanjing, it was already pitch black, but the city never slept.

Fu Yan didn't say anything, just stared out the window.

Xu Wenshu glanced at him out of the corner of her eye: "What's wrong? Feeling sentimental?"

"I haven't been back for seven years."

"Seven years?" Xu Wenshu calculated for a moment. "You left the country in 01?"

"Yes, I did my undergraduate studies at Yanli University for four years, and then went to the United States after graduation."

"Yanli University? That's a 985 university." Xu Wenshu glanced at him. "No wonder you're so smart."

"It has nothing to do with the school; it's purely because I'm smart."

"...You're really not modest."

"Humility won't put food on the table," Fu Yan said casually. "But this place has definitely changed; I don't even recognize some of the roads anymore."

"Seven years is a long time; it's normal for things to change a lot."

The car was stuck in traffic on the Third Ring Road for a while. Beijing's evening rush hour never disappoints; it took almost fifty minutes to drive from the airport to Houhai.

Fu Yan wasn't in a hurry; he leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes to rest. Jet lag was starting to kick in, and his eyelids felt heavy.

"Don't sleep." Xu Wenshu patted his arm. "If you sleep, you'll be even more exhausted tonight."

"I'll just close my eyes and rest for a bit."

"You just said it yourself, the best way to adjust to jet lag is to keep yourself busy."

"That was for you; I don't have any demands on myself."

"Say your words!"

"Okay, okay, I won't sleep." He opened his eyes, sat up straight, and asked, "Where are you planning to take me to eat?"

"There's a hot pot place near Yinding Bridge that I frequent; it's an old, well-established restaurant."

"You, with your southern palate, can eat hot pot with mutton?"

"Who says I have a southern palate? I've been in Yanjing for almost four years, I'm completely assimilated." Xu Wenshu turned the steering wheel, changed lanes to overtake, "Besides, you just got back, you need something hot to eat, hot pot is the perfect choice."

Fu Yan didn't say anything more, but a slight smile appeared on his lips.

-

Yinding Bridge, Houhai Lake.

The car was parked at the entrance of an alley, and the two people walked in.

Houhai Lake was bitterly cold at the end of December, but its popularity remained undiminished. The lake was frozen over, and people were ice skating on Shichahai Lake in the distance, their laughter audible from afar. The bars along the lake were brightly lit, and the voices of resident singers drifted out, performing old songs.

Fu Yan stopped and listened for a while.

"This place is nice," he said.

"Houhai is like this, it's even more charming in winter." Xu Wenshu rubbed her hands together. "Let's go, we'll freeze if we stand here any longer."

The hot pot restaurant wasn't big; an old lantern hung at the entrance with the words "Old Liu's Hot Pot" written on it. Pushing open the door, you were greeted by a wave of warmth, mixed with the aroma of copper pots and sesame sauce.

The boss was a chubby middle-aged man who chuckled as soon as he saw Xu Wenshu: "Little Xu's here! Same old seat?"

"Yes, Uncle Zhang, you two."

"Alright, alright, please come in!"

My usual seat is by the window, where I can see the lights of the alleyways outside.

Xu Wenshu ordered hot pot with pork and a few cold dishes. Fu Yan looked at the prices on the menu but didn't say anything.

"What's wrong? You think it's too cheap?" Xu Wenshu closed the menu and handed it to the owner.

"No, I was wondering how much the rent is around here." Fu Yan picked up his teacup and took a sip. "Are there any shops for rent around here?"

Xu Wenshu paused for a moment: "You don't mean to..."

"Hmm, I'd like to open a bar here."

Are you serious?

"I spent a lot of time in Houhai during my four years of university. Back then, I was a poor student, and I could only sit on the steps outside listening to people sing. I couldn't even afford a beer," Fu Yan smiled. "Later, I went abroad, made money, and I lost that feeling. Now that I'm back, I want to open my own place here, a quiet place where I can sit down, have a drink, and listen to music, without having to shout."

Xu Wenshu looked at him but didn't reply.

She suddenly realized that Fu Yan wasn't joking. This man, who could turn the tide in Silicon Valley, was thinking about opening a bar in Houhai during his first meal back in China.

"You have hundreds of billions of dollars, and you're planning to do this?" she asked.

"Enough money to get by." Fu Yan picked up a slice of mutton, dipped it in sesame sauce, and said, "Mmm, delicious."

"Are you serious?"

"I'm serious about how delicious lamb is."

"I said I wanted to open a bar."

"Seriously too." Fu Yan put down his chopsticks, looked at her, and said, "Wen Shu, in my past life... I mean, I used to work myself to the bone to make money, to the point that I almost died. This time I'm back, I just want to do something that makes me happy. Open a bar, have a few drinks, listen to music, and stroll around Houhai in the winter—how wonderful!"

He paused when he said "past life," as if he had made a slip of the tongue, but he didn't correct it.

Xu Wenshu didn't press the matter. She had known Fu Yan for three years and knew that he would occasionally say some strange things, but they were never unfounded.

"Alright then." She picked up a piece of pickled garlic with her chopsticks. "If you really open a bar, I'll be your opening ceremony host for free."

"You, a host from a state-run media outlet, are giving me a job hosting a bar opening? If word gets out, won't your boss give you a talking-to?"

"I'd like to."

Fu Yan smiled and picked up his teacup: "Then thank you in advance, Mr. Xu, for hosting."

"Don't thank me too soon," Xu Wenshu said, clinking her glass against his. "My appearance fee is very high."

"How much?"

"A hot pot meal of mutton."

"make a deal."

The soup in the copper pot was bubbling away, and fine snowflakes were falling in the alley outside the window.

This was Fu Yan's first meal back in Yanjing: hot pot with mutton, Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor), old friends, and the night view of Houhai Lake outside the window.

Seven years have passed.

They're finally back.

-

After having a good meal, the two of them came out of the restaurant and strolled slowly along the lake.

The snow was falling heavier and heavier, and the swirling snowflakes could be seen under the streetlights. There were still quite a few people on the bar street in Houhai. Some tourists were taking pictures, some couples were walking arm in arm, and a few foreigners were gesturing on the roadside, trying to buy candied hawthorns.

Fu Yan suddenly stopped.