“I’m really sorry, but there’s nothing I can do. This is a bar—troublesome customers are inevitable.”
Qv Si Nan leaned over, resting her arm on the bar counter. Her expression was apologetic, and the fullness of her chest was soft.
Very seductive.
But she was wearing a push-up style.
Jiang Yin’s heart was calm as a still lake. He sipped the liquor in his glass and waved his hand casually.
“It’s fine. Since I’m here, I was mentally prepared.”
Actually, he wasn’t.
His transformation time was too short. Though he was aware of his appearance after gender-swapping, the drastic contrast in identities made it hard to shift his mindset so quickly.
The likelihood of a pretty girl and a middle-aged man encountering trouble in a bar were, of course, worlds apart.
In the past, he dressed in black and wore a baseball cap, looking like Security. Now, she was young and beautiful, her face fresh and resembling some popular idol from somewhere.
Jiang Yin’s only previous experience of being approached in a bar, other than by freeloading girls, was by a 4i female top whose goal was to take his thirty-year-old virginity.
Now, the ones approaching were a bunch of rowdy youths wanting to ** her…
It seemed equally unacceptable to her.
So, it didn’t matter.
“You don’t look like it’s your first time at a bar.”
Qv Si Nan said something obvious, but only to open the conversation and lay the groundwork for getting closer.
“Did you come here for University?”
“Something like that.”
The girl couldn’t answer directly, her eyes wandering as she replied nonchalantly. Then she set down her glass and flashed a mischievous smile.
“Why, does Sister want to check my ID Card?”
“Of course not.”
Qv Si Nan chuckled.
“I’m just a bartender. My job here is to make people happy. Let the Security guys handle the tough stuff with pretty girls.”
“I’m just a little curious about you.”
“Mm?”
Jiang Yin raised an eyebrow, the corner of her lips curling into a smile.
Her beautiful purple eyes, slightly hazy from the drink, glimmered faintly.
With one hand supporting her mask-covered chin, the shiny patches reflected the light, a bit dazzling.
“Curious in what way?”
“Um…taste-wise?”
“I like flavors that are salty with a hint of fruity aroma.”
Qv Si Nan: “….”
Damn, she’s run into a pro.
She had meant to tease this cute little bunny, but instead, the other side’s ambiguous reply deepened the suggestive atmosphere even more.
At this point, who could tell which side was the hunter and which the prey?
Moreover, her heartbeat felt strange, her chest heavy and hard to breathe, as if a bad premonition was growing.
Unconsciously, she scrutinized the white-haired girl’s features, trying to recall if this was one of her hundred-plus one-night girlfriends…
But soon she confirmed it definitely wasn’t.
Although she was sure she couldn’t remember the face and name of every girl she’d slept with, such a beautiful girl would be impossible to forget if she had ever touched her.
Yet, her expression and tone…
Could she be that bastard’s Sister?
‘No, no, that’s impossible. What are the odds of something like this?!’
‘Besides, with his average looks, how could he possibly have such a pretty Sister?’
“Although it’s very forward of me…”
Qv Si Nan gave a helpless smile.
“You really resemble a Friend of mine. Could I ask your name? Perhaps we’ve already been fated to meet, only we haven’t realized it yet.”
“What kind of new pick-up line is this?”
Jiang Yin’s eyes sparkled, the smile beneath the mask growing wider, even her voice laced with amusement.
But the laughter sounded exactly like a pretty girl trying to hold back when approached by someone with a poor pick-up line, so Qv Si Nan didn’t find it odd. She simply explained softly.
“You might not believe it, but you really do resemble my Friend. He’s thirty this year, a Programmer, and used to come here every week for a drink.”
“It’s just recently…”
Qv Si Nan recalled how last week, after noticing Jiang Yin hadn’t come as usual, she had sent a message to ask—only to receive no reply.
“He seems to be very busy.”
The relationship between them wasn’t especially close nor distant. Besides the weekly routine of drowning sorrows, they rarely met privately.
In three years, only twice, and one of those times was when Qv Si Nan asked Jiang Yin to drive and help her move, with the payment being an introduction to a girlfriend.
Though Jiang Yin refused the offer—anyone could guess that the women Qv Si Nan knew weren’t exactly straight!
And since Qv Si Nan wasn’t Jiang Yin’s relative or girlfriend, Jiang Yin’s ‘Death Notification’ wouldn’t be sent to her.
Messages sent on WeChat would, of course, vanish into the void.
“Is that so?”
Jiang Yin was a little dazed.
She hadn’t expected that the old worm would actually worry about her.
She’d always thought their relationship was simply customer and bartender.
A pure financial transaction—with no further connection once you left the seat.
But she quickly regained her composure.
With her index finger, she hooked the mask, pulling it aside to reveal a crack—then let go before Qv Si Nan could get a clear look.
“Haha~ Didn’t see, did you?”
The girl hopped off the stool and waved.
“I’ll come find you again next time!”
She left Qv Si Nan stunned, dazed at the empty glass, feeling as if she’d just been teased by a little white bunny.
It was a long time before she chuckled softly and began wiping the glass Jiang Yin had drunk from.
“The little white bunny can hold her liquor pretty well.”
***
After sweeping through two more Bars, Jiang Yin met up with Ning Rong by the riverside.
“You’ve been drinking?”
“Isn’t it weird to go to a Bar and not drink?”
The girl rested both hands on the railing, gazing at the rippling water reflecting the city’s night lights.
“Don’t worry, just two cups. It’s not enough to get drunk.”
“Magical Girls do have a high alcohol tolerance.”
Ning Rong nodded.
Though drinking on the job wasn’t ideal, Magical Girls had strong constitutions. A little alcohol was quickly metabolized, so it wasn’t a big deal.
“Why do you seem a bit old-fashioned? Not like a Magical Girl at all.”
“Personality.”
Ning Rong didn’t answer directly.
“I’m very serious when I’m working.”
“Fine, fine~”
Jiang Yin waved her hand.
“Then I’ll go check the last two Bars. What about you, Ning Rong-jie?”
“I’ll sweep the alleys nearby again.”
“o~k~!”
The slight buzz didn’t dull Jiang Yin’s mind, but made her more lively.
She stretched the sound, giving an OK gesture, looking adorable.
Actually, she did similar gestures even when she was a man, but the same action looked completely different coming from her current self.
As a man, Jiang Yin doing it was called casual and optimistic—maybe a bit cool, but childish.
On her now, it was just cute.
From the smile in Ning Rong’s eyes, she’d already realized a simple fact.
Her current self…
——Was honestly cute no matter what.
“Sigh, this world really does judge by appearances~”
After turning down two more college students who tried to chat her up, Jiang Yin left the last Bar she needed to patrol, and walked through a small alley toward the Parking Lot where they first parked.
The moon was beautiful.
The pure white girl hummed a song, as if nothing had happened.
It was another peaceful day.
Only…
The Hand Ring on her wrist was growing warm.