Ye Shaohua’s demeanor was icy, a stark contrast to the lively and vibrant atmosphere of a bartender.
Moreover, bartending was a skill that even wealthy young heirs with a keen interest might struggle to master. Yan Xu, An Tingjun, and the others never expected that Ye Shaohua, who came from an ordinary background, could mix drinks with such finesse.
And not just mix drinks—she was drawing an overwhelming crowd. The audience had already filled the bar, spilling out to the entrance, and yet more people kept trying to squeeze in.
Ye Shaohua remained unfazed by the bustling crowd. With her right hand, she tossed a glass filled with a tea-colored liquid into the air. Just as the crowd gasped in surprise, her now-free right hand picked up another glass, while her left hand poured a deep red liquid into it. The tea-colored glass spun in the air above her head before landing perfectly in her right hand, which then passed it to her left.
Though the description sounds complex, the entire sequence took only a few seconds. The audience was so captivated that they seemed to forget to breathe.
The colorful lights of the bar reflected off the glasses, casting a glow on her smooth chin. Her long, slender fingers moved like a magician’s, weaving an enchanting performance.
No wonder the bar used that tagline: When this person stands behind the bar and picks up a glass, she truly becomes the king of the bar.
This was a visual feast.
The five minutes felt like a fleeting moment. By the time the audience snapped out of their trance, Ye Shaohua had already set the glass down with a crisp clink. Before anyone could react, she adjusted her cap and slipped out through the back door.
An Tongtong instinctively glanced at Yan Xu and, unsurprisingly, saw a look of deep admiration in his eyes—a raw, undisguised appreciation she had never seen before.
Meanwhile, the bar manager, who had significant connections, was bowing and scraping as he escorted Ye Shaohua out. Unlike others, An Tongtong could sense the thoughts of those around her. Their inner excitement far surpassed their outward expressions.
Asia’s top prodigy, the number one female mixologist. When An Tongtong saw these titles, she felt a wave of absurdity. Were they really talking about the unremarkable Ye Shaohua?
Ye Shaohua had been back for several days, but this was the first time An Tongtong felt a sense of crisis.
Outside the Bar
Ye Shaohua exited through the back door, only to find Mo Yunchen’s car parked nearby. He seemed to be watching a video on his phone, his reactions slightly delayed today.
“You waited for me again?” Ye Shaohua removed her baseball cap.
Mo Yunchen calmly put his phone away and nodded. “Yeah, Grandpa said it’s not safe to be out at night.”
“Grandpa Mo?” Ye Shaohua sighed, feeling a headache coming on. “I’ve told him I’m not really skilled at Go.”
When she had taken her grandmother to visit the Forbidden City, her grandmother had been fascinated by a group of elderly men playing Go. Her grandmother, a former educated youth who had married a rural man, had a fighting spirit that had paved the way for her parents’ current success. She had always been interested in Go, but in their small town, most elderly folks played cards or drank tea—Go was a rarity.
Seeing her grandmother’s interest, Ye Shaohua had sat down and played a couple of games with her, offering some guidance along the way. Among the onlookers were professional Go players, but to Ye Shaohua, they were no different from amateurs. They lost to her grandmother without even realizing how it had happened.
What she hadn’t expected was that Grandpa Mo, who had also been watching, would take such an interest in her. Later, when Grandpa Mo was nearly hit by an out-of-control motorcycle, Ye Shaohua had saved him. Since then, the old man had become somewhat of a playful nuisance, insisting she join the World Go Championship.
Ye Shaohua remembered her mission in this world: she was here to study medicine. Why would she waste time on a Go competition?
Mo Yunchen, aware of her aspirations, nodded but didn’t mention that there were only 24 spots worldwide for the championship, with just five allocated to China. An Tongtong was currently competing with 50 others for one of those spots.
Back Home
When Ye Shaohua returned home, her adoptive parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ye, had already finished dinner and were sitting on the couch watching a recorded broadcast of An Tongtong’s competition. Seeing their biological daughter take first place in the group stage, their faces were filled with pride.
During a commercial break, they finally noticed Ye Shaohua’s return.
“Your aunt called earlier to ask what you’re studying at Jing University,” Mr. Ye said, recalling his sister’s request.
The Ye family relatives were simple and kind-hearted. Unlike Mr. and Mrs. Ye, they had no idea Ye Shaohua wasn’t their biological child. Even Grandma Ye treated her as her own granddaughter. When they heard she had topped the college entrance exams, they bought a bunch of candies to celebrate, spreading the joy to neighboring villages.
In their rural community, it wasn’t uncommon for families to adopt children. After raising them for twenty years, there was little difference between adopted and biological children.
“The An family hopes you’ll study economics,” Mrs. Ye said, glancing at Ye Shaohua. “But you’ve never been involved in the An family’s business. Studying economics would be a waste of your talent. You’re not planning to study economics, are you?”
“When I filled out my college application, I chose medicine,” Ye Shaohua replied, her gaze making Mrs. Ye feel somewhat guilty. “I’m studying medicine, not economics. Don’t worry.”
“Medicine…” Mr. Ye repeated, taking a moment to process this. “Medicine is good.”
They had expected Ye Shaohua to resist, to insist on studying economics or management. But instead, she had quietly chosen medicine—a demanding and less lucrative field.
Suddenly, Mr. Ye remembered when Ye Shaohua was five years old, during a time when their father-daughter bond was at its strongest. He had held her in his arms after work, pointing to a row of medical experts’ posters at the hospital, and said, “When Shaohua grows up and becomes a doctor, she’ll be even more amazing than these people!”
As Ye Shaohua headed toward her room, Mr. Ye suddenly felt uneasy, though he couldn’t quite explain why. “Wait!” he called out.
“What is it?” Ye Shaohua turned, narrowing her eyes.
“Your room… it’s a bit messy. I’ll help you tidy it up. Why don’t you go take a shower first?” Mr. Ye stammered.
“What are you talking about?” Mrs. Ye shot him a look before turning to Ye Shaohua. “It’s just that Tongtong occasionally stays over. She’s used to larger rooms at the An residence, and the guest room is small with no floor-to-ceiling windows. We thought she might not feel comfortable, so we moved your things to the guest room. You’ve lived in this room for eighteen years, while Tongtong hasn’t spent a single day here. You’ve had it for long enough.”
Mrs. Ye continued proudly, “She’ll be staying for a couple of days tomorrow. Mrs. An mentioned that she’s about to compete in the Datong Cup. You probably don’t know about it, but it’s a Go competition with only 24 spots worldwide. China has five, and Tongtong is competing for one of them. During this time, it’s important to keep her in good spirits. So, you don’t mind letting her have the room, do you?”