A leisurely life starting in a bar after being reborn

At 6 p.m., Fu Yan drove his Audi A8 to the gate of Yanshi University.

He had originally wanted to drive a Land Rover, but then he thought about it—a dark green rugged SUV parked in front of the school would be too conspicuous. The Audi was much more understated; although car enthusiasts knew it wasn't cheap, most people just thought it was a black sedan.

He picked up these two cars just a few days ago.

Yang Yi called last Sunday to say that all the formalities were completed. Fu Yan thought it was just a formality, but he didn't expect that the bank would send someone to transport the car from Tanggu Port back to Yanjing and park it in the underground garage of his hotel. He asked the front desk to hand over the keys.

When Fu Yan went downstairs to get his car, the two cars were parked side by side.

The one on the left is a Land Rover Defender, dark green, boxy, looking like a moving brick, incredibly rugged. The one on the right is an Audi A8L, black, understated and composed, not showing off at all.

Fu Yan first opened the door of the Land Rover, got in, started the engine, and nodded in satisfaction as he listened to the deep roar of the engine.

Then he noticed the paperwork on the passenger side of the car, opened it, and glanced at the license plate number written on it.

Land Rover: Beijing A·FY1205. Audi: Beijing A·FY1206.

FY, the initials of Fu Yan's name. 1205 and 1206—Fu Yan paused for a moment; December 5th was his birthday.

Yang Yi and her bank are really thoughtful.

He didn't want any auspicious numbers like 88888 or 66666, feeling it was unnecessary. But the bank still put in the effort, creating a number using his name and birthday, which was both understated and easily recognizable.

"Okay, it looks pretty good." Fu Yan put the note away and got out of the car.

-

When he arrived at the school gate, Fu Xiao was already waiting there with her three roommates.

The four girls stood under the streetlights, looking like a row of little lanterns. Fu Xiao was wearing a pink down jacket, and the other three were also dressed better than usual—Zhao Yu had changed into a short leather jacket, Lin Xiaoxi had a new scarf, and Chen Shiwen was wearing a white wool coat, looking much more refined than when they were in the cafeteria last time.

Fu Yan knew perfectly well that these girls had reached the age where they wanted to outshine each other, and it was perfectly normal for them to dress up.

"Brother!" Fu Xiao ran over first, her eyes lighting up when she saw the A8. "Is this your car? It's so cool!"

"Get in the car, don't stand on the side of the road."

The four girls squeezed into the back seat—the A8L's back space was large enough for four people. However, traffic regulations didn't allow it, so Fu Yan eventually pulled Fu Xiao into the front passenger seat.

"Brother Fu Yan, where should we eat?" Zhao Yu asked, leaning over from the back row.

"What would you like to eat?"

"hot pot!"

"Japanese food!"

"Roast Duck!"

Three voices rang out simultaneously, then they glanced at each other, none willing to yield.

Fu Yan glanced at them in the rearview mirror, and Chen Shi silently raised her hand: "I... I'm fine with anything."

"Then let's have Peking duck," Fu Yan decided. "Coming to Yanjing and not eating Peking duck is a wasted trip."

"Brother, you just want to eat roast duck, don't you?" Fu Xiao exposed him.

"Yes, you're right."

"...You're so honest."

……

Quanjude, private room.

Two plates of roast duck were sliced, served with scallions, cucumbers, and sweet bean sauce, all rolled up in thin pancakes. The four girls ate with great relish.

Fu Yan ordered a bottle of Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor) and poured himself a drink. Fu Xiao wanted to try a sip, but he glared at her and stopped her.

"You're still young, why are you drinking?"

"I'm already twenty-one!"

"In my eyes, you're just a little kid."

Zhao Yu laughed from the side, "Xiaoxiao, your brother is acting like a typical Northeastern big brother."

"Our Bincheng isn't in the Northeast!" Fu Xiao corrected.

"Isn't it all the same area?"

"It's different! Bincheng is a coastal city, it's all about seafood and sea breeze, it's not the same as the Northeastern dialect!"

Fu Yan listened from the side without saying a word, but the corners of his mouth were turned up.

That's one good thing about his sister; she never suffers a loss in front of anyone, she's sharp-tongued and never keeps quiet. She got that from him.

The meal was lively and chattering, with the four girls talking non-stop from beginning to end. They talked about everything from final exams to the Korean dramas they were watching, from the spicy hot pot in the cafeteria to the handsome guy in the next class. Fu Yan barely spoke, mostly just eating and listening. Occasionally, she would be called on to answer a question, but most of the time she would just smile and shake her head.

After a few rounds of drinks, Zhao Yu put down her chopsticks and suddenly said, "We've finished eating, shouldn't we move on to the next activity?"

"What part?" Fu Xiao asked.

"Sing!" Zhao Yu slammed her hand on the table. "We're all out having fun, how can we not sing?"

"Singing?" Lin Xiaoxi hesitated for a moment, "But we have class tomorrow..."

"Tomorrow's Friday, only two elective classes, so what if I skip them?" Zhao Yu said matter-of-factly. "Brother Fu Yan, why don't you take us to karaoke!"

Fu Yan glanced at Fu Xiao, who nodded vigorously, her eyes sparkling.

"Alright then." He sighed helplessly. "Let's go to my hotel. There's a karaoke bar there, and it's safe."

"A hotel karaoke room!" Zhao Yu exclaimed even more excitedly, "The high-end kind?"

"It's alright."

"Let's go, let's go!"

The four girls packed their things in a flurry and rushed out. Fu Yan paid the bill behind them, shaking his head and smiling wryly.

He felt less like a brother and more like a homeroom teacher leading a school field trip.

-

The hotel's KTV is on the third floor; the decor is nice, and the sound system is acceptable.

Fu Yan booked a large private room and ordered a bunch of snacks and drinks. The four girls completely let loose as soon as they entered.

Zhao Yu was the atmosphere maker. He immediately ordered "Super Star," grabbed the microphone, stood on the sofa, and belted out a song. Although he was completely off-key, his confidence was undeniable, and he sang with great emotion.

Lin Xiaoxi is the artistic representative, specializing in slow songs. Her songs like "Encounter," "Later," and "Red Bean" are all gentler than the last. Her voice is not loud, but it has a lot of charm.

Fu Xiao is the quirky one, daring to request any song—Cantonese, English, Japanese—there's nothing she won't sing, and nothing she sings correctly. She holds the microphone with utmost seriousness, but the tune she sings soars to the heavens, completely oblivious to her own reverie.

Chen Shiwen was the quiet one, huddled in a corner eating snacks, occasionally humming along, her voice so soft it was like a mosquito's buzz.

Fu Yan sat on the sofa in the corner, holding a glass of whiskey, watching them make a scene.

He doesn't usually drink much, but for some reason, he wanted a little today. The hotel's whiskey wasn't great, but it was alright; one sip and it warmed him up nicely.

After Zhao Yu finished singing, she rushed over and grabbed his cup: "Brother Fu Yan, I want to drink too!"

"You drink your beverage."

"So stingy!" Zhao Yu pouted, then turned to Fu Xiao and said, "Xiao Xiao, your brother is so boring!"

Fu Xiao came over and reached out for a drink, but Fu Yan grabbed her head and pushed her away.

"Neither of you are allowed to drink."

"What about Chen Shiwen?" Fu Xiao pointed to the corner.

Chen Shiwen was so frightened that she quickly shook her head.

Looking at her like that, Fu Yan couldn't help but chuckle: "Don't worry, no one's forcing you to drink."

-

Two hours later, the atmosphere in the private room changed drastically.

Zhao Yu drank quite a bit—not from Fu Yan, but from beer she secretly took from the bar. This girl looked thin, but her alcohol tolerance was surprisingly high; she downed three or four bottles without her face turning red or her heart skipping a beat. She just became more talkative, holding Lin Xiaoxi's hand and saying, "You sing so well, we'll be best friends forever."

Lin Xiaoxi's eyes reddened as she listened to Zhao Yu, unsure whether it was from being touched or from drinking too much. She didn't usually drink much, but today Zhao Yu had made her drink two glasses of red wine, and she was starting to feel dizzy, leaning back on the sofa and giggling foolishly.

Fu Xiao was the worst off. She didn't know when she'd secretly drunk a glass of Fu Yan's whiskey. It tasted sweet, so she thought it was a soft drink and gulped it down. And then—

"Brother... I feel so dizzy..."

She lay on Fu Yan's lap, rolled over, her eyes half-open and half-closed, muttering to herself.

"Brother, brother...why do you have two heads...?"

Fu Yan looked down at her and sighed.

Chen Shiwen was the only one still conscious. She had only drunk juice the whole time, and now she sat in the corner, watching her three roommates stagger around, looking helplessly at Fu Yan.

"Brother Fu Yan...are they alright?"

"It's alright, she'll be fine after a nap." Fu Yan stood up, helped Fu Xiao off his lap and placed her on the sofa. "You sit for a while and watch over them. I'll go upstairs and book a few rooms."

He went out and found the front desk, booked two twin rooms, and then came back to take them out one by one.

Zhao Yu could still walk, but not straight; she swayed from side to side, laughing and joking all the way. Fu Yan asked Chen Shiwen to help her upstairs first.

Lin Xiaoxi couldn't stand up anymore, so Fu Yan carried her to the elevator, and Chen Shiwen helped press the floor button. Lin Xiaoxi lay on his back, still singing "Encounter," the tune wavering.

Fu Xiao was the most troublesome; she had completely blacked out, her whole body limp like noodles. Fu Yan picked her up horizontally and carried her into the elevator. Fu Xiao, still half-asleep, wrapped her arms around his neck and mumbled something.

"Brother...you're so warm..."

"Don't speak."

"hey-hey……"