Night fell, and the city's clamor gradually gave way to the flicker of neon lights.
Fu Yanci looked up at the letters overhead and nodded approvingly. "Karmi, Kaming. This bar's owner knows how to pick a name."
"Want to open a franchise?" Chi An raised a hand to adjust his wristwatch and walked inside beside Fu Yanci.
Fu Yanci said, "Forget it. I don't want to make that much work for myself yet."
The moment they stepped inside, music filled their ears. The voice sounded somewhat familiar; it was one of Song Wenjing's songs.
Behind the counter, the bartender expertly shook a cocktail shaker. Ice clinked crisply against glass, his movements smooth and elegant, as though he were giving a silent performance.
Rows of bottles gleamed enticingly beneath the lights on the counter, offering everything from expensive whiskey to colorful cocktails.
"Song Wenjing's concert should be coming up soon." Chi An thought back to what Song Wenjing had told him before they came. It seemed to be in August.
After glaring at a man approaching Chi An, Fu Yanci silently pulled Chi An into his arms, staking his claim before everyone around them. "Did he bring it up himself?"
"He was pretty busy for a while, so I asked in passing." Noticing Fu Yanci's movement, Chi An said nothing about it. His gaze fell on the other side of the bar, a relatively quiet area with round tables and sofas scattered about for guests who wanted to get away from the noise.
At a glance, nothing seemed wrong, but to Chi An, who had lived here for over twenty years, the looks in those men's eyes were all too familiar. Tonight definitely wouldn't be peaceful.
Chi An said, "The private room's upstairs. Let's hurry up." He didn't want trouble tonight