“A glass of plain water, please.”
Who in the world came to a bar just to order plain water?
Ji Shenwen was puzzled, though on the surface he smiled: “I’m sorry, sir, we don’t have plain water.”
Zuo Shihuan frowned slightly, giving him a troubled look—as if to say, you don’t even have water, what kind of bar are you running?
“Do you have anything non-alcoholic?”
Ji Shenwen drew in a deep breath, still smiling: “How about I make you some lemonade?”
Zuo Shihuan nodded, took two sips, puckered his brows at the sourness, and immediately set it down—then stared straight at Ji Shenwen.
Ji Shenwen: “…”
By rights, as a bartender, Ji Shenwen was used to chatting with customers who came to drink away their sorrows—both because it was part of the job, and because it was a good way to gather information.
But this time—Ji Shenwen simply did not want to!
He had this gut feeling that if he so much as humored this customer, something terrible would follow.
So he quietly turned his back, resigned to wiping down the already-clean cocktail shaker again.
But Zuo Shihuan took the initiative: “Bartender.”
Nowhere to hide, Ji Shenwen forced a stiff smile and turned back: “What is it, sir?”
Zuo Shihuan frowned in thought for a moment, as if straining to find something to say, then awkwardly asked: “Bartender, your lemonade is pretty good. May I ask your name? So I can come back to you next time.”
Ji Shenwen: “…”
This was the first time he hadn’t wanted a compliment. What was there to praise in lemonade?!
Ice, water, lemon—that’s all.
And this guy had barely taken two sips before grimacing at how sour it was!
Now he was forcing small talk, wearing a calm, detached expression, asking his name. Clearly the prelude to hitting on him.
This was hitting on him, wasn’t it?!
Before, whenever customers sitting at the bar asked his name, it always marked the start of flirtation. Normally Ji Shenwen handled that with ease—
But it had to be said, this calm-faced guest’s attempt at striking up conversation gave Ji Shenwen a chill like falling into Antarctica while being told a hundred cold jokes.
For the first time, Ji Shenwen wished he had guessed wrong.
However—
The next second, Zuo Shihuan lifted his bored eyes and asked: “Bartender, why aren’t you talking? Oh right, where are you from? Do you have a boyfriend or girlfriend?”
Ji Shenwen: “…”
This wasn’t just small talk flirting anymore—this was a full-on household registry interrogation.
To avoid being entangled by this bizarre customer, Ji Shenwen forced a fake smile: “Oh, I’m from a little planet, been working in the big city for quite a while. I already have a girlfriend back home.”
He might as well have engraved across his forehead: Do Not Disturb. Hardworking laborer. Already taken.
A flicker of surprise crossed Zuo Shihuan’s eyes. He scrutinized the bartender with a complicated look.
Friendly-looking, always smiling, with soft golden-brown curls. His light-colored eyes appeared gentle, and his features leaned toward the gentle-handsome type. Dressed in trendy fashion, he even gave off the impression of being a tender yet flirtatious playboy type.
But it turned out Zuo Shihuan had misjudged.
The one with the problem wasn’t the bartender at all—it was his own fiancée, whose moral baseline kept sinking lower, even setting her sights on a man who already had a girlfriend.
Zuo Shihuan secretly shook his head, and looked at Ji Shenwen with a gaze full of appreciation and approval.
Which left Ji Shenwen completely baffled, unable to stand this strange customer’s behavior.
With a stiff smile, he politely tried to shoo him off: “Sir, did you come alone? Why don’t you go enjoy the dance floor?”
Zuo Shihuan: “No, I came with someone.”
Ji Shenwen was surprised. This guy actually has friends?
Oh no, wait—that’s perfect. Great! Hurry and get his friend to take him away!
Having to make awkward small talk with this customer was like standing by an open window with wet hair in the cold air, listening to bad jokes while chewing on ice cubes—shivering all over.
His tone brightened in excitement: “Then sir, why don’t you go find your friend and have some fun!” And stop bothering me already.
Zuo Shihuan: “Wait. I’ll leave once I take care of something.”
He pulled out his communicator, expression serious, and sent a message:
【Zuo: I refuse to help you. This is wrong.】
Hiding behind a bar pillar and secretly peeking out, Yu Lizhu was confused. She cautiously stuck her head out and saw Zuo Shihuan looking at her with an expression of disapproval and disdain.
Yu Lizhu: “???”
【Yu: What’s wrong?】
【Zuo: The bartender you like—he said he already has a girlfriend.】
Yu Lizhu froze when she read that line.
She had only been away a few days, and Ji Shenwen already liked someone else.
【Zuo: What do you plan to do?】
【Yu: Is it true? I’ve only been gone a few days. (bitter smile)】
【Zuo: He said it to me himself.】
Ji Shenwen suddenly sneezed twice, puzzled. How could a strong Alpha like him be catching a cold?
When he looked up again, Zuo Shihuan was still sitting at the bar, face shifting with complex emotions—finally not wearing that perpetual iceberg calm.
Curious, Ji Shenwen asked: “Sir, what’s the matter with you?”
【Yu: …Let me think about it. But I’ve only been gone a few days.】
Zuo Shihuan replied aloud: “Oh, a friend of mine just had their crush fail.”
Ji Shenwen: “The same friend who asked you to the bar?”
Zuo Shihuan lifted his eyes, gave a soft “Mm,” and sent another message.
【Zuo: So, will you continue?】
Leaning against the pillar, Yu Lizhu stared at the bluish glow of her screen. Her eyes blurred with tears as she read that line. Finally, with heavy heart, she tapped out a cold reply:
【Yu: No. I’ll give up.】
【Yu: From now on, I’ll just settle down and be your fiancée.】
Zuo Shihuan wasn’t usually sensitive to others’ emotions, but something about that text felt off.
He frowned, ready to get up.
Seeing this, Ji Shenwen smiled in relief, sincerely: “Sir, are you leaving now?”
Zuo Shihuan gave him a long, deep look, then said: “Mm. If nothing unexpected happens, I won’t be coming here again.”
Ji Shenwen, still clueless, grinned brightly, not knowing what had transpired behind the scenes: “Then I wish you a safe trip, sir.”
Zuo Shihuan nodded: “I also wish you and your girlfriend happiness.”
Ji Shenwen froze, only then remembering the lie he had told earlier: “Thank you. Same to you, sir.”
Zuo Shihuan’s eyes held a complicated glint: “Perhaps.”
After all, the Zuo and Yu families had already reached a preliminary agreement. If nothing unexpected occurred, he and Yu Lizhu would soon be engaged.
But one doubt still lingered in Zuo Shihuan’s heart.
“What’s your girlfriend’s name?”
Ji Shenwen froze, and blurted out: “Yu Lizhu.”
Only then did he realize what he’d said. His cheeks flushed red, hand scratching his head, wanting to explain—but then, to a stranger he might never meet again, there seemed no need.
Carrying a faintly hidden emotion of admiration, or perhaps simply because he might never get another chance to speak this aloud—
Ji Shenwen’s cheeks burned, his eyes firm: “Yes. My girlfriend’s name is Yu Lizhu.”
“So there’s no need for you to ask me anything more. The one I like is my girlfriend. She’s wonderful, and to me she’s a special girl…”
“I’m not interested in anyone else.”
Zuo Shihuan’s pupils widened slightly in shock, then after a moment the corners of his lips curved in a watching smile: “Oh? Is that so?”
He pressed send.
【Ji Shenwen said his girlfriend’s name is Yu Lizhu.】
At that moment, Yu Lizhu was still drowning in the atmosphere of heartbreak. Eyes red, exhausted and lonely, she didn’t want to look at any more messages—or anything at all.
She only wanted to go home quickly, to forget this day.
But Zuo Shihuan’s text lit up her screen.
No matter what, she had to look.
After all, she had troubled him enough today.
But the very next second after opening the message, Yu Lizhu’s whole expression changed, her fingers trembling with excitement as she typed.
【!!!】
【What’s going on?!】
【Zuo: I don’t think there’s a second person named Yu Lizhu by Ji Shenwen’s side.】
【Yu: Aaaah—Zuo Shihuan, I love love love you!!! Wait for me, the plan continues, I’m coming right now!】
Zuo Shihuan switched off the screen, so the barrage of texts wouldn’t hurt his eyes.
He calmly sat back down at the bar counter.
Under Ji Shenwen’s bewildered gaze, he reached out and knocked over the glass of lemon water on the table.
Zuo Shihuan’s expression remained cool, yet his behavior was brazen: “Oh, I accidentally knocked over the glass. Bartender, could you wipe it up?”
Ji Shenwen was utterly confused: “Sir, what exactly are you trying to do?” Are you here to make trouble?
But duty was duty.
So Ji Shenwen could only silently take out a clean cloth, set the fallen cup aside, his fist clenching tighter and tighter around the rag.
Face dark, he wiped the spilled water off the counter.
Meanwhile, the culprit just sat there serenely at the bar, watching him clean!
Just as Ji Shenwen was feeling both aggrieved and furious, a familiar female voice suddenly rang out above the noisy bar.
“Zuo Shihuan, help me catch him!”
Through the crowd, he seemed to see Yu Lizhu’s face.
Ji Shenwen’s pupils contracted. A nameless panic made him want to run away immediately, the farther the better.
He dropped the rag and tried to bolt.
But from right in front of him, the cool male voice of the bar customer spoke: “I understand.”
Zuo Shihuan acted decisively, grabbing Ji Shenwen’s hand as he tried to flee. He muttered a quiet “sorry,” though his calm, spectator’s gaze held not a shred of apology.
And suddenly, Ji Shenwen understood everything.
“So that ‘friend’ of yours was Yu Lizhu. You two teamed up to make a fool out of me!”
Ji Shenwen’s eyes widened, his face flushing crimson with anxiety.
He recalled how he had thought he was just casually chatting with a stranger, letting slip his true feelings without restraint—only to find this annoying customer was Yu Lizhu’s planted undercover.
He had been tricked!
Zuo Shihuan raised a brow and clarified: “We didn’t trick you. Everything was said by your own mouth. We had actually planned to leave.”
But Ji Shenwen didn’t want to hear the detestable man’s excuses. Seeing Yu Lizhu about to reach him, his scalp tingled at the thought of what was coming next.
Yet his arm was pinned tightly by Zuo Shihuan, and in his panic, he couldn’t resort to force.
Helpless and indignant, Ji Shenwen shouted desperately for help: “Gu Heng! Come save me!!!”
