Chapter 34: Bar

Gu Liuguang definitely had to leave, but not right now.

She and Xiao Yao took a cab together to the newly opened restaurant. By the time they arrived, night had already fallen. It was an intimate restaurant with a small tavern vibe, featuring a large outdoor area.

As they walked along, they could hear all sorts of music drifting out from different bars. They also spotted people holding cameras and snapping photos. With the dim lighting and greenery obstructing the view, the atmosphere felt even more flirtatious.

Gu Liuguang took a couple extra glances, and Xiao Yao explained, “They’re probably store explorers. It’s pretty common.”

She had heard Xiao Yao and the others talk about store exploring before. The pay wasn’t much—it was mostly about having fun at new spots, with no real expectation of making money from it.

When another flash went off, Gu Liuguang didn’t pay it much mind.

The restaurant’s opening ceremony had long since ended, and by evening, the place was buzzing with clinking glasses. A bunch of people stood around outside in twos and threes, dressed to the nines, looking more like group live streamers.

They arrived late and didn’t have a spot. Just as they thought they’d have to wait, someone inside waved at them through the glass door. Xiao Yao, standing next to Gu Liuguang, immediately waved back and dragged her inside. “It’s Su Zhi and the others! My friends—come on, let’s go in.”

They squeezed their way through the crowd. Tiantian suddenly remembered something and asked Xiao Yao, “Aren’t they not that close to us? Why are they calling us over…”

“A couple drinks and we’ll be buddies,” Xiao Yao said, not slowing down as she pulled her along.

This was how it worked at these dinner gatherings with friends—you bring along friends of friends, and your social circle expanded like that. That was basically how everyone in the industry connected.

Su Zhi was clearly there for a company gathering with her agency’s artists. Two tables were filled with familiar faces. Gu Liuguang and Xiao Yao squeezed into seats. She had just set her bag down when Xiao Xia, sitting next to her, started elbowing her frantically.

Gu Liuguang blinked in confusion. “What’s up?”

It was more bar than restaurant. The music blared loudly inside, with people wandering around clutching drinks. Some even carried skewers of grilled meat over to slice off pieces.

You had to lean in super close to talk, or all you’d hear drilling into your ears was the music. Xiao Xia pressed close to Gu Liuguang’s ear, pitching her voice loud but hushed, her hot breath puffing against Gu Liuguang’s skin. It took a few tries before Gu Liuguang caught what she said.

“The next table over is Black Tail.” Only then did she remember—Su Zhi and Black Tail were from the same agency, so it made sense they’d be out together.

They sat down and immediately got poured a couple glasses. Gu Liuguang’s head started spinning a bit. She didn’t react at first when she heard that.

By the time she snapped out of it, Xiao Xia had been dragged off to play finger-guessing. Gu Liuguang pressed her hand to her forehead and took a moment to steady herself. No wonder they said alcohol emboldens the timid—she didn’t seem quite so scared hearing about Black Tail now.

She glanced around. No one up front. When she looked back, her eyes met those of a gloomy girl with long black straight hair and neat bangs, surrounded like a moon among stars. The girl stared straight at her, only slowly shifting her gaze away when she noticed.

Was that Black Tail?

She didn’t quite match the videos Xiao Yao had shown her. The Black Tail in her live streams was a bubbly, energetic sunshine girl. The real-life version seemed more subdued.

Sitting in the shadows, she was like a blooming poppy flower, exuding a touch of demonic allure.

Could someone have such a huge gap between their online and offline personas? Gu Liuguang looked away. Xiao Xia came back flushed red in the face. With the heated atmosphere among the group of guys and girls, an undercurrent of flirtation flowed between them.

Xiao Xia was pretty buzzed too. She sat back down and tried to cool off, but when she turned and saw Gu Liuguang, she started chatting away—dropping hints about the sweet new girl from Su Zhi’s agency next door.

She looked cute and sweet, but her personality was super bold. She’d even grabbed Xiao Xia for finger-guessing across the group.

Who would’ve thought she seemed straight but was actually gay.

Once they got chummy with Xiao Yao and the others, they started trying to pour Gu Liuguang drinks. In no time, people crowded around her. They first tried dragging her into games. She refused a few times to no avail, and only backed off when she went cold-faced.

No games meant no dodging the drinks. Gu Liuguang downed nearly a bottle and felt dizzy. She hung her head and rested in the corner. With Xiao Yao and the others there, she wasn’t too worried.

She vaguely sensed people sitting down next to her and leaving again. After a bit more rest, the noise around her seemed to quiet down. Her alcohol-fogged brain cleared a little. Just as Gu Liuguang turned to look, a clear, sweet voice sounded right beside her.

“You’re Grape’s Light Cub, right? You’ve been pretty popular lately.”

Gu Liuguang followed the voice and saw that Black Tail from the back table next door had somehow ended up sitting beside her. The scattered people around craned their necks to watch.

Xiao Xia, closest by, dropped her game and rushed back over.

Gu Liuguang was in the corner, with Black Tail occupying the spot next to her. Xiao Xia could only squeeze in across from Gu Liuguang. The bar switched to a mellow track—not so loud you couldn’t chat.

“Black Tail-jie, wanna join us for games?”

No matter how close they were, you didn’t snub a smiling face. The priority was getting her away from Gu Liuguang first.

Black Tail had entered the industry early. She’d blown up doing group lives, then transitioned to solo streams. With her fanbase, she started posting vlogs, which got a good response.

Everyone there had to call her “senior.” She might not know them, but they still had to make nice if they wanted to keep working.

Black Tail toyed with her glass, her red lips curving as she glanced at Xiao Xia. It wasn’t overly aggressive, but that smile didn’t look friendly.

Noticing the eyes on her, she spread her hands with a teasing lilt. “You guys didn’t seriously think I’d go after Little Light, did you? It was just for stream effects.”

Everyone relaxed at that, and the vibe heated up again.

Yeah, if Black Tail really wanted trouble with Gu Liuguang, she’d have blown up the second they sat down—not waited till now.

Even if they wanted to stick around and watch, with the atmosphere and someone calling her, Xiao Xia got fidgety. She told Gu Liuguang she was heading off and took her drink to another table.

Gu Liuguang hadn’t said much. Seeing Black Tail next to her had sobered her up a third—she’d thought Black Tail was about to tear into her.

With the tension eased, her head swam again. She couldn’t tell if it was her own glass or Black Tail’s pressing to her lips.

In her haze, Black Tail’s long hair brushed coolly over her shoulder. She leaned in close to her ear, voice coaxing seductively. “I had someone mix this special for you. Have some?”

Cool liquid slid down her throat. Gu Liuguang choked a bit, clear fluid spilling from the corner of her mouth, trickling down her chin to her collarbone.

Someone wiped it with something soft. In her daze, she opened her eyes to see Black Tail dabbing at her with a silk handkerchief, fingers lingering on her collarbone.

Seeing her eyes open, Black Tail gently covered them. Gu Liuguang closed her eyes. Her long lashes fluttered against Black Tail’s palm. Then Black Tail moved her hand to press Gu Liuguang’s head down. “If you’re sleepy, just crash.”

Her sluggish brain couldn’t process. Gu Liuguang puzzled over Black Tail’s attitude before someone pulled her along out the door.

Her whole body went limp, leaning on someone. Someone patted her face and called her stage name. “Little Light, you still with us?”

She was exhausted, just wanting to shut her eyes and sleep. She burrowed deeper into the crook of their neck.

“What do we do if she’s drunk? I should take her back first.”

“I only know where her place is, not the exact building or floor… We can’t just leave her alone like this.”

“The girl who dropped her off this morning… Anyone know her? Call her friend.”

They stood outside for a few minutes. In the end, Xiao Yao called Zhang Ze to ask if he knew Gu Liuguang’s address. Meanwhile, Tiantian kept calling Gu Liuguang’s name, trying to rouse her enough to call someone herself.

Their persistence finally got Gu Liuguang to open her eyes. She sobered up a bit and drank the lemon water handed to her.

After a while, she grabbed her phone and, at everyone’s urging, called Su Tian.

She still hadn’t fully clocked why she was calling Su Tian. Mainly, Xiao Yao kept insisting she call the girl who’d brought her that morning. It took her a while to remember it was Su Tian, so she dialed.

No answer. She set the phone down, more sober now. She wobbled to her feet, her breath still carrying a whiff of booze. “I can cab it home myself.”

With her cheeks flushed and eyes hazy with a drunken allure, no one was letting her go alone.

Xiao Yao hung up—Zhang Ze didn’t know Gu Liuguang’s address either. Seeing her clearer-headed, Xiao Yao offered to take her back.

Black Tail, who had been holding Gu Liuguang the whole time, suddenly spoke up. “Have her come with us to Pure Color. She can sober up there.”

Pure Color was a famous bar in A City, known for its wild vibes and top DJs. The name got plenty of jokes, and artists from nearby media companies loved hitting it up.

The others hadn’t partied enough and wanted to keep going. Few objected to Black Tail’s suggestion. Xiao Yao still wanted to get Gu Liuguang home first—she didn’t usually go to bars.

But Black Tail’s agency folks persuaded her a bit. Buzzed herself, Xiao Yao didn’t push back. In the end, Gu Liuguang got swept along to Pure Color in a daze.

Anyone else trying to help Gu Liuguang got blocked by Black Tail. Gu Liuguang finally registered it was Black Tail holding her.

She had a babyface, but she was quite a bit taller than Gu Liuguang, and stronger too.

Drunk and weak, Gu Liuguang’s full weight pressed into her. Yet Black Tail’s supporting hand didn’t tremble once.

Buzzed, Gu Liuguang’s thoughts showed straight on her face. She kept turning her head to stare blatantly at Black Tail.

Black Tail trailed the group coolly. Others glanced back now and then, but soon got caught up chatting and forgot about them.

Stared at long enough, Black Tail finally looked down at Gu Liuguang, her voice sober and flat. “Why keep staring at me?”

Gu Liuguang drawled slowly, her warm breath puffing right at Black Tail’s chin. “You’re… not like in your videos.”

Black Tail’s expression didn’t change. She swept Gu Liuguang a cool glance and spat two words. “Drunkard.”

Gu Liuguang didn’t talk more after that. Regaining some strength, the neck-straining stare made her shift her gaze forward.

The second she did, Black Tail’s voice came from above. “Why’d you stop staring?”

Gu Liuguang: “Neck hurts.”

She could’ve sworn she heard Black Tail chuckle softly.

Black Tail: “Pretty face, but terrible taste.”

Gu Liuguang finally processed that Black Tail was carrying her. She jolted in shock, but it was fleeting—hard to stay sharp drunk. She mulled Black Tail’s words, then replied sincerely.

“Yeah, your taste is pretty bad.”

Black Tail’s face darkened instantly. The arm around Gu Liuguang tightened hard on her waist.

It was so soft, Gu Liuguang hissed. Her boneless hand grabbed at the one on her waist, voice trembling. “Hurts…”

They entered Pure Color, another crowd of familiar faces. Black Tail half-hugged, half-carried her inside.

Crowded as it was, bumping was normal. Gu Liuguang felt someone grope her hand. Before she could react, a sharp “slap” rang out. Black Tail pulled her closer into her embrace, her cool voice cutting through the pumping music. “Get lost.”

In the end, she got taken upstairs. The second floor was packed too, just a tad quieter than downstairs. Xiao Yao and the others soon followed another group down to the dance floor. Bills and props fluttered amid the strobe lights over the stage, raining down on young, writhing bodies.

Gu Liuguang was mostly sober by then. She sat on the sofa a bit before standing. That’s when she realized why it was calmer up here—these folks were already tangled up together, piled on laps.

French kissing was tame. The lap-sitters made you wonder what exactly they were up to. Hard to tell if this was a bar or a hotel.

Gu Liuguang hadn’t been up long when someone came over with two drinks to hit on her. She frowned and turned him down. He kept pressing, even reaching for her shoulder.

Black Tail, coming up from downstairs, stepped in to shut him down. For guys who didn’t get hints, she just slung an arm around Gu Liuguang’s shoulders, voice icy. “Clear enough? We’re together. Go hit on someone else.”

He finally backed off, drink in hand, looking back every step. A few paces in, he turned again. “What about a threesome?”

Black Tail’s face went pitch black. As she geared up to snap, he slunk away.

Black Tail returned to her seat with a sour face and looked up at Gu Liuguang. She discovered that she was already sober. “Wanna head back?”

Gu Liuguang felt a bit conflicted at that moment. She had been a little afraid of Black Tail earlier, and after sobering up, she still remembered what had happened before. She also knew that Black Tail had been the one to bring her here the whole way.

She wasn’t familiar with Black Tail, and her impression from the journey made it hard to match her up with the rumored Black Tail who couldn’t let go of scumbag women.

Instead, she thought what Xiao Yao and the others had said made more sense. Maybe Black Tail had some dirt on her that Ji Jia was holding over her head, forcing her to serve as Ji Jia’s walking wallet.

She didn’t say anything for a long time. Black Tail thought she hadn’t heard and asked again.

Only then did Gu Liuguang slowly speak up, all the while observing Black Tail’s expression. “I want to play a bit longer.”

Back when she had first come to A City, people had dragged her to all sorts of bars plenty of times. There was always a big crowd surrounding her, coming up with all kinds of games where losing meant downing a drink.

Every time, someone would try to get her drunk. Even if she didn’t want to drink, someone would always step in and drink for her instead. She’d end up wasted and get dragged to the dance floor—into this person’s arms one moment, that person’s the next.

No matter how she got there, she’d always leave the same way.

The people who brought her to bars never took her a second time anyway, and they weren’t thrilled about letting her go back. Next thing she knew, they’d be confessing and wanting to date her.

After too many fights over it, Gu Liuguang stopped wanting to go to bars. Not every experience had been a good one, after all.

She had been to Pure Color before too. Some guy she could tolerate had brought her, but the experience hadn’t been great. He’d spent the whole time bragging about how rich he was and how much he spent each time.

In the end, he’d tried to get handsy. Gu Liuguang had instinctively slapped him across the face.

Afterward, she’d regretted it, afraid he’d hit her back. Instead, he pressed his tongue against his cheek, turned to her with a cheeky grin, and said, “This side too.”

It had scared her half to death. Without thinking, she’d grabbed her bag and bolted.

This was her second time at Pure Color. The place was bigger than most bars, with great sound quality. By this hour, it was packed.

She had already checked—the second floor was full too, except for their spot, which was empty. Just as she was thinking that, a group of girls wanted to come over and drink with them.

Black Tail seemed to recognize one of them and nodded in agreement. The group of girls crowded in next to Black Tail and sat down. Their eyes kept drifting toward Gu Liuguang. It was obvious they wanted Black Tail to introduce her.

Black Tail acted like she didn’t notice. She sat in the middle, drinking nonstop without saying a word.

Gu Liuguang started feeling bored. She simply got up and walked to the middle railing, leaning on the glass to look down. The music was pumping. A sexy DJ up top was dancing her ass off, sweat making her body glisten as she whipped her hair back and forth.

It took Gu Liuguang half a day of scanning the dance floor to spot Xiao Yao and the others. They were grinding up close with some people, but soon Xiao Yao was making out with a strange girl.

There were too many people, so she could only see their upper bodies. Gu Liuguang’s sharp eyes caught Xiao Yao’s hand down below somewhere—maybe on her waist, maybe not. She didn’t dare look any longer.

The music hit a climax, and gold foil rained down from above, scattering toward the center of the dance floor. Gu Liuguang shifted her gaze to the other booths. The front rows had small round tables, but farther back they got bigger, about the same size as the ones on the second floor—big enough for seven or eight people.

Every booth was packed. Tables overflowed with drinks. Every now and then, a couple of people would get up and go chat up another booth.

Of course, there were also pairs who started making out halfway through, then headed off to darker corners or the bathrooms—or maybe the dance floor.

She was just about to look away when she noticed the booth right in the center. In that huge booth sat only two women, looking totally out of place amid the surroundings—almost aloof. Everywhere else was crammed with people lost in the heat of the moment.

It was pretty strange. Gu Liuguang couldn’t help but stare for a couple extra seconds. Then she realized these two women were surprisingly “beautiful,” in a way that was different from the superficial hotness of the group live streamers.

Both of them were dressed very… properly. They didn’t look like they were here to hook up.

Maybe she’d stared too long, because one of the women noticed her gaze. Without even looking around, she locked eyes straight with Gu Liuguang.

The woman took off her hat and blew her a kiss. Gu Liuguang felt like she looked a little familiar. Then the other woman turned to look at her too, and Gu Liuguang froze—she seemed familiar as well.

The one who’d blown the kiss beckoned her down.

In a flash, Gu Liuguang finally remembered why the woman who’d blown her the kiss looked familiar—she looked just like Ye Qingying.

Once she made that connection, she realized why the one next to her seemed familiar too. She looked like Lin Shixia.