Chapter 2: If You’re Looking for a Young Lady, You Gotta Pay

Hearing the praise, Qiangwei’s face flushed slightly. She nibbled on her plump, smooth lips, pouting with a hint of exasperation as she muttered, “You’re a smooth talker. Certain people rarely show up once in a blue moon, and on someone’s birthday, they have to show up this late too.”

Facing such a charming woman right in front of him, Yang Chen felt a spark of desire surge in his chest. Especially when she looked at him with those bewitching eyes, showing not the slightest hint of hesitation or refusal. However, his strong psychological composure allowed him to suppress that frantic heartbeat, keeping his calm smile as he replied, “I won’t drink. I’m not good at saying sweet things to make women happy, and plus, running my stall every day means I really don’t have much free time.”

Qiangwei gave Yang Chen a look filled with hidden resentment. “Don’t feed me that nonsense about your stall. What’s so great about a broken mutton skewer cart on the street? You work yourself half-to-death and barely make any money. Why work yourself to the bone like that? Come be my manager instead—the wages I’d pay you for one month would be a hundred times higher than what you make selling skewers.”

Yang Chen gave a bitter smile. “Sister Qiangwei, where have you ever heard of a man being a maid?”

“How many times have I told you to just call me Qiangwei, or drop the ‘Elder Sister’—am I really that old?” Qiangwei stared at him with almond-shaped eyes, acting a little spoiled.

Yang Chen had no choice but to compromise. “Fine, fine. Qiangwei, my bad. But I really like my current life; I don’t plan on changing jobs anytime soon.”

Qiangwei didn’t give up. “If not a manager, how about working as my bodyguard? Or you can just be the bar manager—I only drop by to manage things occasionally anyway, I’m usually hands-off.”

Hearing this, Yang Chen felt a slight pang in his heart. He knew full well that this woman genuinely cared about him. But he had his own boundaries. From the very first day he laid eyes on Qiangwei at that establishment, he had decided he couldn’t get too close to her.

“Forget it, Qiangwei. I still think selling mutton skewers is fine, and hanging out with the folks around the market is good too.” Yang Chen lowered his head to drink his water, unwilling to dwell on the topic.

Seeing Yang Chen’s stubbornness, Qiangwei wrinkled her delicate nose at him in frustration, nearly hissing under her breath, “I should just tie you down and make you my man…”

She assumed her murmurs were too soft to be heard, but Yang Chen caught every single word clearly. Yet, he knew he had to pretend he heard nothing.

Even though Qiangwei’s appearance and figure inside the bar—even under the dim lighting—exuded an irresistible grace and charm, whenever she was around, even if people cast longing glances, nobody ever dared to harbor inappropriate thoughts. Some curious guests had asked around about who was backing Qiangwei, and the standard reply was always: “Drink your liquor and stop courting death.”

Having experienced some setbacks in the past, Qiangwei strolled over and sat right next to Yang Chen. She reached out to hand him her own glass of whiskey, giving him a sideways glance. “Old blockhead, I know you’re stubborn, but you refuse to stay by my side. Today is my birthday—won’t you make an exception and have a glass with me?”

Yang Chen hesitated. It wasn’t that he couldn’t drink; it was just that whenever he did, the alcohol would trigger a chaotic storm of memories and thoughts he desperately wanted to avoid. He needed his calm. To him, alcohol was practically a poison…

“Fine. But just this one cup.” Feeling guilty and unwilling to let Qiangwei down too much, Yang Chen finally relented. He figured a glass this small couldn’t possibly do any harm.

Qiangwei beamed with a bright, genuine smile, like a blossoming flower clearing after the snow. Under the dim lights, her skin glowed with an ivory sheen, making Yang Chen’s heart skip a beat.

“Cheers!”

With a flick of their glasses, Yang Chen raised his head and drained the ice-cold liquid without hesitation.

Qiangwei let out a chuckle, suddenly leaning forward so that her body pressed directly against Yang Chen’s chest. She breathed softly near his ear, “You know… it’s been more than ten years since I last celebrated a birthday. Even though there’s no cake, no candles, no gifts, and no well-wishes… having a man with such an aloof character share a drink with me is enough to make me truly happy…”

No matter the angle, her voluptuous figure looked utterly mouth-watering. At that moment, Yang Chen could distinctly feel two soft, elastic curves brushing against his thigh, sending a pleasant, thrilling sensation straight through him. Lowering his gaze slightly, through the high slit of Qiangwei’s cheongsam, her tender, snow-white skin was faintly visible next to a pair of fiery red high heels. The intense visual impact instantly stirred up his male hormones.

When a man looks at an attractive woman, the response of his hormones and adrenaline is the most direct gauge of her appeal—and clearly, Qiangwei scored exceptionally high.

Just as Yang Chen was struggling to suppress his fierce physiological reaction, Qiangwei slowly straightened back up. She smiled at him cunningly, like a little fox whose scheme had succeeded. “Well, my little man… it seems your physical capital is still very strong…”

Yang Chen forced a smile. Naturally, he knew what she was referring to—this woman had actually been testing him right under his nose!

“I figured you couldn’t sit still for long anyway. I’ve got guests to attend to. If you really find it boring, feel free to walk around,” Qiangwei said gracefully, leaving her seat to head toward the other patrons.

The guests in the bar already knew who the proprietress was. Even though she was alluring, nobody dared step out of line. After all, word had it early on that this woman had a very formidable background. Thus, when Qiangwei went to greet the tables, the atmosphere remained relaxed. In truth, although Qiangwei wore a warm and happy expression, her extraordinary presence caused most men to feel a sense of awe—they could only look from afar, never daring to harbor any disrespectful thoughts. As a result, nobody ever crossed the line.

Seeing Qiangwei walk away, Yang Chen felt both relieved and amused. Reflecting on his half-year back in this city, he seemed to have changed completely. If it were his old self, facing a bewitching woman like Qiangwei trying to entice him, he would have dragged her straight to bed without a second thought, completely unbothered by the consequences before walking away. But now? He couldn’t do that. Especially since Qiangwei was essentially his first real friend in Zhonghai City, holding a very important place in his heart.

Although he only drank a single small cup, his body’s old demons were beginning to stir. Yang Chen felt his alcohol tolerance acting up as if a switch had been flipped. He knew better than to push his luck—once he started drinking, the agonizing, runaway thoughts that followed were something only he understood.

Still, looking at the stubborn “tent” forming in his lower body, Yang Chen knew he needed to vent his frustrations somehow, otherwise those wild thoughts would only fester. Sticking around Qiangwei was definitely out of the question; once things got complicated with her, pulling back would be impossible.

After finishing a glass of water, Yang Chen quietly slipped out of Rose Bar. As he left, he noticed Qiangwei glancing his way, a fleeting look of loss flashing across her eyes.

Once outside the bar, Yang Chen looked around his surroundings. Eventually, he began walking toward a nearby nightlife venue. While upscale bars were everywhere, the cash in Yang Chen’s pocket definitely wasn’t enough to cover them. Since he had chosen to live the life of an ordinary person, if he wanted to find a young lady, he naturally had to pay for it.