C31 Looking for Trouble

Gu Qinian remained silent, merely lifting his head slightly to gaze through the dimly lit room. His eyes were dark, his expression unreadable.

Ye Ziyan quickly broke his stare, taking his arm in a gesture of affection and smiling at Ye Tian. "Yesterday, I was here with a friend and saw someone who looked just like you. But she was dressed so provocatively that I thought it couldn't possibly be you. Imagine my surprise to find out it was actually my sister!"

She paused, her voice taking on a suggestive tone, "Sister, I feel I must warn you. Dressing so provocatively, people might think you're trying to seduce them."

Ye Tian's mind raced back to the previous day, and a scornful smile played on her lips. The thugs who had come to cause trouble must have been sent by Ye Ziyan. How ironic that she should be thanking her for inadvertently pointing her toward a lucrative opportunity.

"Thanks for the heads-up. I just didn't have the right clothes for my first day at work yesterday. But you should be the one to be careful."

Her tone was casual, her eyebrows arching with an air of ease. There was none of the embarrassment Ye Ziyan had expected; her words were sharp yet somehow pleasing to hear. But the message was anything but kind.

"I recall you're known for your revealing outfits. Among all the celebrities, it's your low-cut tops and short skirts that are hard to look at. Anyone would think you have nothing else to wear."

"You..." Ye Ziyan was fuming but held back her anger in Qinian's presence. She managed only a single word before turning on a facade of fragility, looking to Qinian with feigned hurt.

Disgusted, Ye Tian scoffed, "What's with this 'you' and 'me'? Are you here to drink or not? If not, the door is that way—turn left. This is a bar, not a park. You might have time to waste, but I have work to do."

Her disdain was palpable. Qinian's brow furrowed, a shadow passing over his features.

"Is this how you treat your job? Are all the employees here as lacking in professionalism as you?"

"Ha!" Ye Tian couldn't help but let out a more scornful laugh upon hearing his deep, dissatisfied mockery. "I'll concede that my attitude might be poor, but to say I lack manners? That would mean you're blind."

She spoke with a cold smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth, her chin slightly raised, exuding a combative air reminiscent of a prickly little hedgehog.

"The person lacking manners and decency is sitting right next to you. She's the one who pulled out my grandfather's oxygen tube. What kind of attitude do you think I should have towards her? Not dousing her with wine was already generous of me."

"You, you..." Ye Ziyan was taken aback by the sudden mention of the incident, struggling to find words, and instead, she cast an anxious glance at Gu Qinian.

Ye Tian checked the time, her impatience growing. She said in a cold voice, "If you two aren't in the mood to drink, then please leave."

With that, she turned to walk away, but Gu Qinian's resonant voice stopped her. "Who said I didn't want to drink? Bring the wine."

Ye Tian half-turned, locking eyes with his inscrutable gaze, then casually lifted the corner of her eye and strode away.

Bring the wine? Simple enough.

He had made the request, and she was not one to miss an opportunity to fleece him.

She entered the wine cabinet, quickly selected the priciest bottle, and with a sly smile, she made her way back to where Gu Qinian was seated.

"Here you go, the finest wine our bar has to offer. Enjoy," she said.

With her piece said, she was ready to leave; it was nearly time for her to take the stage and sing.

Ye Ziyan, somewhat reassured that Gu Qinian hadn't questioned her, grew fidgety once more.

"What's the rush? Sit down and join us for a drink. You've probably never had the chance to taste such fine wine before!"

At that, Ye Tian scoffed dismissively, "I sell drinks, I don't drink with customers. Unlike you, I don't exhaust myself entertaining and fawning over others."

Having delivered her sharp retort, Ye Tian turned on her heel and walked away.

Ye Ziyan's face flushed with anger, then paled, a cycle of emotions that was mercifully obscured by the dim lighting of the room.

She withdrew her glare, quickly masking her face with an expression of innocence, and turned to Gu Qinian, hoping to offer some explanation.

Yet, she could see that Qinian's attention was fixed on Ye Tian, his dark eyes seemingly concealing something that inexplicably unsettled her.

"Qinian..." she murmured, her voice a soft blend of hurt and sorrow as she bit her lip.

At the sound of her voice, Qinian looked away, his gaze impassive as he glanced at her. Without a word, he smoothly withdrew his arm from her grasp.

Startled, Ziyan struggled to read his thoughts, fearing that she had truly angered him.

She hesitated, her mind racing to find the right words to defuse the situation.

But before she could speak, Qinian's expression shifted, his eyes looking past her, focusing intently on the stage.

In an instant, the bar was filled with the clear, lilting sound of a voice accompanied by the strumming of a guitar.

Ziyan turned to see Ye Tian taking the stage by storm.

There, Ye Tian stood, microphone in hand, her presence commanding the center stage with a resilience that was both defiant and radiant.

Her performance, in harmony with the guitar, was effortless and poised, her body moving subtly to the beat.

The lyrics flowed from her lips, casting a spell over the audience, captivating their ears and seizing their hearts.

With a slight opening of her eyes, Ye Tian's gaze swept across the crowd, her clear, bright eyes taking in the audience, now thoroughly entranced by her song, which only added to her natural, relaxed performance.

In that moment, she was like a beacon of light, her brilliance illuminating the eyes of all who watched.

As the song concluded, the room erupted in a roar of applause and cheers.

Ye Tian's eyes, alight with the reflection of the stage's dazzling lights, shone with a vibrant energy, and she smiled, radiant as a blossoming daffodil.

Even the bar manager couldn't help but nod in approval, his choice vindicated; she was indeed a talent not to be underestimated—a veritable goldmine.

Amidst the excitement, only two people stood apart: Ziyan and Qinian, each wearing a distinct expression as they watched the figure on the stage.

Ziyan was seething, nearly beside herself with rage. She had intended for Qinian to witness her embarrassment today, to deepen his disdain for her, but her plan had backfired spectacularly.

She couldn't help but notice that Gu Qinian's gaze had never strayed from Ye Tian. His intense stare was so profound that it drove her to the brink of jealousy.

Gu Qinian's face, however, was contorted with displeasure. He had never before seen her radiate in such a way, and he was unwittingly captivated by her, only snapping back to reality amidst the applause.

The thought of her thriving here, charming countless men, filled him with rage.

Caught up in these unfamiliar feelings, the usually reserved Gu Qinian unexpectedly lashed out, "With a voice like that, you dare to take the stage? Is this bar looking to go out of business?"

His words cast a wave of shock across the room, and Ye Ziyan, standing next to him, was taken aback. A gleeful light quickly filled her previously sullen eyes.

She had thought... Ha! Of course, Gu Qinian would never be interested in that woman!

Onstage, Ye Tian glanced down at him with an air of superiority. His rudeness didn't surprise her; instead, a mocking smile played across her features.

She was about to grab the microphone to respond when a crisp voice cut through the tension.

"In my opinion, this voice is akin to a celestial melody, just slightly unripe. With a bit more polish, it's not to be taken lightly."

The crowd paused, taken aback. Ye Tian turned in search of the voice, feeling a sense of familiarity.

And when her eyes landed on Lu Jingyue, all smiles and as warm as a spring day in the opposite booth, her expression was one of sheer astonishment.