Chapter 5: A Chance Encounter with the Boss

Little Solitude Bar.

Xu Ze and Fatty were standing at the entrance of the bar.

As he watched the stream of scantily clad young women coming and going, Fatty’s eyes nearly glazed over.

Xu Ze patted Fatty on the shoulder and strode in first.

Fatty glanced around at the decor, feeling a little uneasy—was drinking here expensive or not?

He hesitated for a while, then berated himself inwardly. “Fatty, oh Fatty, your brother just had his heart broken and you’re worried about the prices? Are you even human?”

With that, he wiggled his plump behind and followed Xu Ze inside.

The bar was fairly spacious, with a small stage in the center, where a young woman was singing. She wasn’t very old.

She was performing one of Zhang Yingjing’s songs.

Xu Ze approached the front desk and addressed the receptionist, a striking beauty with a knife scar across her chest. “Hello, is your boss here?”

“The boss is in the restroom.” She glanced at Xu Ze, a hint of flirtation in her voice.

This guy is actually pretty handsome. If it were anyone else, she wouldn’t bother responding. Looking for the boss? Who do you think you are?

At that moment, Fatty leaned in and whispered, “Xu Ze, why do you want to see the boss?”

Xu Ze shook his head. “Nothing, just something to discuss. Let’s wait here.”

Fatty didn’t quite understand but didn’t press further. There were simply too many attractive women in the bar—he was practically dazzled.

That one’s nice… and that one over there’s pretty good too… this one’s not so great, her legs are a bit thick…

Fatty’s gaze roamed until it suddenly stopped at a certain spot.

“Zhao Xiaofei?”

He blinked in surprise. Why was Zhao Xiaofei here too?

Beside Zhao Xiaofei sat another girl and a boy. The girl was probably her best friend, Ren Qiu—Fatty knew her too, she was a classmate. As for the boy, he seemed unfamiliar, probably not from their class.

Wait a minute. Fatty took out his phone and scrolled through Zhao Xiaofei’s social media.

“What the… that scumbag?”

“What scumbag?” Xu Ze looked over, puzzled by Fatty’s muttering.

“Nothing, nothing.” Fatty played it off, but then caught Zhao Xiaofei and her friend glancing in their direction.

Immediately, he tugged Xu Ze’s arm. “Xu Ze, come with me to the restroom.”

On the other side, Zhao Xiaofei and Ren Qiu had also noticed Xu Ze and Fatty.

Zhao Xiaofei frowned and discreetly texted Ren Qiu: “Xu Ze followed us here, did you see?”

“Yeah, I see him.”

“What should I do? This is so annoying, he keeps pestering me. If he comes over, what if Shi Wenjie gets the wrong idea?”

She’d finally managed to hook a rich second-generation heir, who drove a car worth over a million; she couldn’t let Xu Ze ruin it.

Ren Qiu sighed inwardly. If you hadn’t kept stringing along the naive Xu Ze, why would he chase you all the way to a bar?

“I’ll go talk to Xu Ze and try to convince them to leave.”

“Alright, thank you, Qiuqiu. It’s all up to you.”

…

Outside the restroom.

“Xu Ze!”

Ren Qiu called out to Xu Ze just as he walked out.

“What do you want, Ren Qiu?” Fatty immediately stepped forward, shielding Xu Ze behind him.

“What do I want? Did you really have to chase us all the way to a bar?” Ren Qiu folded her arms, frowning.

Xu Ze looked at the two of them, completely lost. “What are you two talking about?”

“Don’t worry about it, Xu Ze. They’re pushing it too far!” Fatty said without turning his head.

“Who’s pushing it too far, Fatty? Speak clearly.”

“I mean you two!”

Bickering as they went, the two of them ended up pulling and shoving their way toward the bar’s entrance.

Leaving Xu Ze standing there, baffled. “???”

“Hey, handsome, we meet again.” A voice called from behind.

Xu Ze turned to see a beautiful woman in a black dress that hugged every curve, a playful smile on her lips.

“And you are?”

“Forgot already? You just came by my studio to record, didn’t you?” She brushed her bangs aside as she spoke.

“Oh, it’s you—the recording studio owner?” Xu Ze was genuinely surprised. This woman looked completely different when dressed up.

“Owner? I’m not just the owner’s wife—I am the boss,” she teased.

Xu Ze scratched his head. “Boss, did you close up shop to come drink at the bar?”

“I don’t drink, but this bar is mine too,” she replied, winking at Xu Ze.

Xu Ze was speechless.

Boss, you’re really industrious.

“So, are you here for a drink?” she joked. “Since fate brought us together, I’ll give you a discount. How about twenty percent off? Even regular members only get ten.”

Xu Ze shook his head. “I’m not here to drink. As a singer, I can’t.”

She laughed. “Right, I forgot you’re a little singer, aren’t you?”

Xu Ze pointed at the resident singer on the stage. “Can I go up and sing?”

“Oh?” Her interest was piqued. “Are you sure? Without some real talent, most people don’t last two lines up there.”

Xu Ze patted his chest. “Professional.”

“Which song do you want to sing? I’ll tell them to prepare the backing track,” she said with a smile.

Normally, any singer wanting to perform would have to audition first. After all, the standard of live music can make or break a bar.

But something about this confident, refined young man made her trust him instinctively.

Xu Ze shook his head. “No need for backing. I just need a guitar.”

“We have guitars—there are two at the front desk. I’ll take you to pick one.”

At the front desk, she smiled and said, “Amei, let this handsome guy choose a guitar.”

Xu Ze picked one at random, strummed it a few times, then asked, “Boss, how much do you usually pay for a song?”

She grinned. “Depends on your skill.”

Xu Ze returned her smile. “Alright, see what you think after you hear me.”

Meanwhile, Zhao Xiaofei kept glancing around, looking for her friend.

She’d seen Ren Qiu and Fatty leave together, but Xu Ze was nowhere in sight.

A moment later, she spotted Xu Ze at the front desk, chatting with a provocatively dressed woman.

What is Ren Qiu doing? Why is Xu Ze still here?

“Xiaofei, what’s the matter? Something on your mind?” Shi Wenjie, the young heir, asked with concern.

“Oh, nothing. I was just wondering why Ren Qiu’s been gone so long.”

“It’s fine, she’ll be back soon,” he said, smiling as he handed her a glass of Baileys.

“Wenjie, how strong is this? I can’t hold my liquor.”

“Don’t worry, it’s about as strong as beer, just tastes much better.”

…

By then, the resident singer had finished her song, and seeing the boss beckon, she stepped offstage.

“Miaomiao, my little brother wants to sing a song. Take a break; you can go back up after,” the boss explained.

Miaomiao wore a white cap, a loose jacket, skinny jeans, and green canvas shoes. Despite the casual clothes, her slender figure was evident.

At that moment, Xu Ze suddenly asked, “Excuse me, may I borrow your hat? I’ll return it after I sing.”

Miaomiao looked him over, hesitated, then took off her hat and handed it to him.

As soon as she removed the cap, a cascade of jet-black wavy hair spilled out.

Her face, once hidden, was revealed.

My goodness, she’s beautiful.

Xu Ze was momentarily stunned. Even though he’d met plenty of celebrities in his previous life, he still couldn’t help but marvel at this girl’s beauty.

Her features were elegant and fresh, her complexion porcelain white, her eyes clear as crystal, bright as a starry night.

But he quickly regained his composure—making money was more important.

He put on the cap, pulled the brim low, slung the guitar over his shoulder, and walked onto the stage.