Chapter Forty-Nine: The Arrival of the Queen

Amid the bustling flurry of so many people, time slipped by swiftly, and before I knew it, the day of the bar’s grand opening had arrived. For me, it marked not only the end of those sleepless nights and early mornings—days that began before the rooster crowed and ended later than the dogs retired—but also the moment when all my efforts would finally be put to the test, to see whether they had been worthwhile.

Overcome with excitement, I rose early, washed up, and dressed in a hurry. Despite nearly sleepless hours the night before, this morning found me uncommonly alert. I kept telling myself it was just another ordinary day, not to set my hopes too high, lest I be utterly disappointed. Yet, my mind no longer obeyed me; it kept replaying the final rehearsal of the previous night, scrutinizing every detail for flaws that might need correcting.

Leaving my room, I noticed Zhao Kewen’s door was still tightly shut, but I was certain she had already rushed to the bar at dawn to prepare for tonight’s opening and take care of all the tedious and chaotic tasks. This period had truly worn her out. She had handled almost every aspect of the bar’s resources and staffing personally; after observing her these past days, I was convinced that Zhao Kewen would make a competent boss and a leader close to the people.

After a simple breakfast, I wandered aimlessly through the streets alone, hoping that by sticking to my usual routine, I could dull my overexcited nerves. When I returned home, I called Sister Shi Yu and An Ye to let them know about the bar’s opening that evening, hoping they would come and witness my debut at this themed event.

I had intended to tell Luo Qing as well, but after searching my phone and realizing I didn’t have her number, I let it go. The day seemed to pass faster than any before, yet inwardly I felt impatient, wishing time would move even more quickly.

At last, after hours of restless waiting, night fell. With two hours to go before opening, I arrived early at the bar. Inside, several young men and women, already made up, sat chatting and laughing in the booths. Zhao Kewen had hired several professional makeup artists for the event, hoping to enhance the overall experience with attention to these finer details.

“Chen!”

I spotted Zhang Tongtong at the bar’s front counter, perched on a high stool, waving at me with a bright smile. I returned her smile, nodded, and walked over.

“You’re looking prettier than ever, Tongtong. Give it your all tonight and let everyone see your beauty!” I encouraged her, admiring her youthful, delicately made-up face.

“I will! I won’t let you down!” she replied earnestly, nodding vigorously.

I smiled and left her to her preparations. Soon, Tao Yueran, You Qin, and the others finished their makeup and settled in a booth in the corner. From where I stood, I could see that Tao Yueran seemed especially interested in You Qin, seeking her out for conversation. With her outgoing nature, the two soon grew familiar, chatting and laughing together.

The bar’s layout was vastly different from a formal stage—most notably, there was no backstage area for the performers. This meant that all singers and entertainers had to wait in the audience area, and their preparation time was limited, risking imperfections in the acts. To address this, Zhao Kewen and I devised several solutions, finally deciding to use lighting to cover transitions, allowing all performers to find their places in the dark. Even so, rehearsals met with many challenges, especially for the opening musical number, which involved many people and scattered positions—chaos always hovered on the brink. Still, the handsome young men and beautiful women had worked hard, and by the final rehearsals, they were nearly flawless.

Now, all I could do was watch and pray. Small mistakes could be forgiven, but I hoped desperately there would be no major mishaps.

Time ticked away, with just an hour left before the scheduled opening at eight o’clock. At that moment, Zhao Kewen finally appeared, and she looked less composed than usual; clearly, even she was nervous when the moment arrived.

Guests were already trickling in, most of them owners and assistants from other bars and entertainment venues—prominent figures in Yichun’s nightlife whom Zhao Kewen had invited. After all, with the bar just opening, one never knew whose favor might be needed in the future, and it was better to establish these relationships early than to scramble later.

Sitting on a high stool at the front, I watched Zhao Kewen greet everyone with warmth and laughter. The sight left me uneasy, but there was nothing I could do.

Some of these people I recognized from my singing days at the Fenghua Bar, though I couldn’t recall their names; the rest were strangers. I had no idea how Kewen had come to know them all.

Then I spotted Li Jia, the owner of Fenghua Bar, entering with someone unexpected—my most respected Sister Shi Yu. The two of them, chatting and laughing, followed Zhao Kewen to a prime booth near the front, where Shi Yu greeted the other owners with her usual elegance.

An Ye arrived late. As soon as he walked in, he scanned the room, finally spotting me at the front.

“Not bad, Chen! Your sister really is something—a bar this grand, and she just opens it like that?” he exclaimed, grinning as he took in the spacious, meticulously decorated venue.

“I didn’t call you here just to see the bar,” I replied mysteriously, “but to finally introduce you to the guitar girl I’ve mentioned. Let you, with your lofty ambitions, see what a true soul singer is.”

“Where? Where?” An Ye, excited, started looking around.

I quickly gave him a playful punch. “Don’t get carried away—she might be watching you right now!”

“Why didn’t you say so earlier?” he muttered, instantly straightening his posture like a soldier in training, sitting rigid and not daring to look around.

I laughed. “Alright, enough pretending. Go find a seat and wait.”

He really was a piece of work—never serious for a moment.

Just as I had shooed An Ye away, the bar’s main doors swung open again. A red high heel stepped inside, and my heart skipped a beat.

From beneath a fiery red, low-cut evening gown, a pair of slim, fair legs extended, the figure slender and almost perfect in proportion, radiating a magnetism that drew every eye in the room. Waves of golden hair framed her stunning face—flawless features, enticing eyes, lips curved in a faint smile. In that instant, she outshone every other woman present, her beauty so dazzling that a few inexperienced male students blushed, their hearts pounding, eyes fixed on her.

Luo Qing’s sudden appearance captured the attention of everyone in the bar, and I, too, was entranced by her extraordinary splendor, staring in dazed amazement.

She appeared more elegant than usual, gliding gracefully to the center of the bar, as if deciding where to sit. The male students with empty seats beside them blushed and looked away under her gaze, while the seasoned bar owners mustered their most affable smiles to greet her.

After surveying all the booths, Luo Qing seemed a little disappointed, hesitating and making no move to sit. Zhao Kewen hurried over to welcome her, and in the moment their eyes met, my mind snapped back to life—damn, this could be trouble!

Yet, to my astonishment, the confrontation I had feared did not erupt. By rights, neither Luo Qing nor Zhao Kewen was the type to let grudges go with a smile. But reality unfolded before my eyes: Luo Qing merely paused for a second, then offered a faint smile and whispered something in Zhao Kewen’s ear.

Kewen quickly waved her hand and, smiling, motioned in my direction. As her hand pointed toward me, my heart began to race—what did this have to do with me?

Following Zhao Kewen’s gesture, Luo Qing’s eyes found me. She fixed me with a cold smile, then pointed at me with her delicate hand and beckoned.

I didn’t know what she meant—was she asking me to go over? Impossible! With that frosty look, I had no desire to seek out trouble. I quickly pretended not to see her, turning my head away and whistling nonchalantly.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Luo Qing glaring at me, her raised hand trembling with anger, as if she might rush over to grab and thrash me at any moment.

But in the end, she restrained herself, turned, and strode towards a booth where more women sat. Her steps no longer held the elegance from before; now she moved with the bearing of a strong-willed woman, fists clenched tightly at her sides, as if waiting for an opportunity to unleash her fury.

“How did she end up here…” I muttered, suddenly realizing that somehow, Zhao Kewen and Luo Qing had resolved their differences. Considering Luo Qing’s prominent background, a possibility dawned on me.

Luo Qing’s connections were far greater than I had ever imagined.