Dating My Drama Queen Girlfriend On A Slow-Paced Variety Show - Chapter 35

September, the start of the new semester.

Luo Mingzi sat on the steps, a lollipop dangling from her mouth, staring listlessly at the trees behind the fence. The scorching sun beat down, what was the difference between autumn in September and summer in August? Aside from being hot, it was just… very hot.

As the freshmen marched in formation across the school field, Luo Mingzi let out a long, heavy sigh.

The girl who had dragged her there laughed and said, “Don’t sigh! Didn’t I buy you ice cream? Don’t you feel a sense of joy, enjoying life right in front of the juniors who are stuck in military training?”

Where is the joy?

These people are so strange.

Luo Mingzi rolled the candy from the right side of her mouth to the left with her tongue, her cheek puffing out. Meng Qian patted her leg and added, “Besides, I wanted to show everyone the majesty of our South Sea University Campus Queen!”

She winked, signaling for Luo Mingzi to look at the crowd behind them.

Luo Mingzi didn’t budge. She could guess how many people were sitting in the stands behind her, and her only thought was: They have way too much free time.

Whether it was Meng Qian or the people whose intentions were written clearly on their faces, they were all the same.

Seeing Luo Mingzi’s look of utter boredom, Meng Qian thought for a moment and suggested, “Alright, how about we go somewhere else to play?” Only then did Luo Mingzi deign to look at her, her expression saying: Speak first, and then I’ll consider it.

“I heard a new bar opened on the street behind the school. Want to go check it out?” Meng Qian looked eager.

Luo Mingzi looked at her as if she were insane. “You’re asking me to go to a bar?”

A noisy, chaotic place, who knows what kind of strange people might be there!

“My family is very strict, you know. If my mom finds out I went to a bar, she’d probably make me drop out on the spot,” Luo Mingzi hummed.

Meng Qian burst out laughing. “You’re exaggerating! How could she make you drop out? And I’d never take you anywhere sketchy. The street behind the school is called ‘Haikou Student Street.’ The customers are all students. Plus, it’s a music bar, lots of singers perform there every day. It’s a great place to meet friends or find a date.”

Luo Mingzi glanced at the military squads on the field, then back at Meng Qian. She understood. “You’re thinking about the juniors again, and you want to go ‘hunting’ at the bar?” She stood up and brushed off her clothes. “Go by yourself. Don’t drag me into it.”

“Come on! The juniors are going into the mountains for training tomorrow. I need to get some ‘training’ in too, otherwise, I’ll forget how to flirt by the time they get back!” Meng Qian grabbed Luo Mingzi’s wrist, pleading, “Please, come with me.”

Luo Mingzi’s temple throbbed. She swatted the hand away. “Don’t be so ridiculous!”

Despite her protests, after lunch, the classless Luo Mingzi found herself being dragged to the bar by Meng Qian.

Luo Mingzi was speechless. “Who goes to a bar in the middle of the day?” She looked up warily at the brand-new establishment, which featured a trendy, street-style aesthetic.

Meng Qian, scrolling through her phone, whispered, “You’ll see once we’re inside!”

With a mysterious smile, she pulled Luo Mingzi through the door. As they scanned their codes at the entrance, the girl working the door glanced at the curious, peeking Luo Mingzi and said excitedly, “Is this…?”

“Yes, yes!” Meng Qian nodded quickly.

The girl clapped her hands, her eyes sparkling. “The rumors are true! She’s even better in person!”

Luo Mingzi felt something was off. In a fit of mock rage, she hissed, “Meng Qian!”

“Hahaha! No, I just have a friend who works part time here. I told him I was bringing you. You’re the Campus Queen of Haikou, who wouldn’t want to see you?”

Luo Mingzi was actually a bit annoyed. “If you do this again, I’m not talking to you.”

“I won’t, I promise!” Meng Qian chirped.

The girl at the door smilingly tied two satin ribbons around their wrists. Luo Mingzi looked at hers curiously while Meng Qian dragged her over for a photo. They then followed a dimly lit corridor, climbed a few steps, and suddenly, the space opened up.

Luo Mingzi was surprised to find that it wasn’t noisy at all. Moreover… for broad daylight, there were actually a lot of people!

“Let me see… over here. I had a friend save us a spot.” Meng Qian looked at Luo Mingzi and laughed. “Broadened your horizons, haven’t I?”

Luo Mingzi: “…I guess.”

She was led toward the bar counter. As she looked at the people chatting over drinks, she noticed quite a few who looked more mature, distinct from the young students. Behind them… Luo Mingzi looked curiously at a blue-lit stage where someone had just sat down.

The lighting in the bar was dim, dominated by blue tones. A few spotlights shone on the stage, yet they didn’t seem to quite reach the person sitting there. She wore a black baseball cap pulled low, and her shoulder-length hair fell over a loose, black short-sleeved shirt. Because the shirt was so oversized, the sleeves covered her elbows. A pair of arms, rendered pale by the lights, reached out from the black fabric to tune a guitar.

That person looks tall, Luo Mingzi thought. She stared at the hands resting on the guitar and added another thought: Her hands are beautiful.

“Hey, sit here. My friend saved these seats,” Meng Qian said.

Luo Mingzi gave an absentminded “mm-hmm” and sat down. The bartender walked over and asked with a smile, “What can I get for you two beautiful ladies?”

Meng Qian beamed. “Anything is fine.”

The bartender’s eyes were fixed squarely on Luo Mingzi. Luo Mingzi kept her head turned toward the stage, watching as the person there adjusted their hat, revealing a clean jawline and thin lips.

I’ve heard people with thin lips are quite coldhearted, Luo Mingzi mused. She blinked and said to the bartender, “I’ll have a glass of plain water.”

The bartender thought she was joking. “Hahaha, really?”

Luo Mingzi frowned and looked at him. The bartender’s laughter died down, and he gave an “OK” gesture.

Meng Qian shook her head. “Roses always have thorns!”

Luo Mingzi hummed softly. “Who are you calling a rose? I don’t like roses. They’re cliché.”

Fine, fine. You have thorns, you win. Meng Qian shrugged and tapped Luo Mingzi to look at the stage. She smiled and said, “See? Everyone is here for her. I heard she’s the most famous singer in the local bar scene. Whenever she’s scheduled, the place is packed. Apparently, she’s a student in the Vocal Department here at South Sea University.”

Oh?

So she’s a student too.

Luo Mingzi began to watch the person on stage more openly. She noticed a crowd gathering near the front, some holding up phones to record. The person on stage pulled her cap down again and adjusted the microphone.

Her hand rested on the strings.

She plays well, Luo Mingzi thought, focused on her hands.

The bartender returned with three drinks. He placed one in front of Meng Qian and another, alongside the plain water in front of Luo Mingzi. He smiled and said, “This one’s on me.”

Luo Mingzi: “…”

“No need. I’ll pay for it.”

She. Really. Did. Not. Need. It. Thank you.

Meng Qian laughed loudly. “Our Mingzi is a little heiress, you know.”

The “little heiress” picked up the plain water served in a tall glass. Just as she brought it to her lips, a clear, crisp voice drifted over like a breeze. The entire room suddenly went silent. Luo Mingzi turned her head in surprise.

“The stars fall into the strawberry field, the evening breeze lingers by the shore, her sea washes over my toes…”

Luo Mingzi’s eyes widened, her mouth slightly agape. Listening to the singing, she couldn’t help but rub her ears. It was… so good.

The gentle voice floated through the quiet bar, her aura like a galaxy painted in starlight, glowing in the silent night. Luo Mingzi had been to many concerts and often heard famous singers at banquets and birthday parties, but this was incredible!

She sat frozen as if in a trance until the song ended and the room erupted in applause. Luo Mingzi quickly set her glass down to clap, her eyes sparkling. Meng Qian leaned over and teased, “I didn’t lie, did I?”

Luo Mingzi nodded, impressed. “You’ve finally done something good!”

“Hey! You make it sound like I’ve never been a good person before!” Meng Qian pouted.

The bartender stood before them and smiled. “She charges by the song, and she’s very expensive!”

“Well, she has the talent for it,” Meng Qian said, glancing at the back of Luo Mingzi’s head. Luo Mingzi’s eyes seemed glued to the person on stage.

Meng Qian pointed at Luo Mingzi and shared a look with the bartender.

The bartender asked, “Want me to introduce you?”

Luo Mingzi’s eyes snapped toward him. The bartender paused, cleared his throat, and said, “But she’s not very social. I can barely get a word in myself, hahaha.”

“…Hmph.” Luo Mingzi turned back, her gaze returning to the stage.

The applause and cheers were loud. Luo Mingzi heard many people shouting, “Li Shen! Li Shen!” She wondered which “Li” it was, and if “Shen” meant “God.” What a bold name, is it a stage name?

If it’s the “Li” that means pear, does this ‘Singing God’ just really like pears?

Her mind wandered through these random thoughts as she watched the woman, who remained head down and unmoved by the cheers, begin the next song.

“Hmm.” Luo Mingzi felt a bit puzzled. Li Shen seems a bit gloomy, a bit cold. Is that just her style?

No matter what she guessed, she wouldn’t find an answer. Luo Mingzi dutifully listened to “Li Shen” sing four songs. Amidst the crowd’s reluctant groans, the singer packed her guitar into its bag and stepped off the stage. Some people tried to talk to her on her way down, but they were blocked by others. It seemed everyone knew “Li Shen” wasn’t to be trifled with. Luo Mingzi thought to herself: She must be a very fierce “Pear”!

The crowd parted for Li Shen like the Red Sea. She walked toward the bar counter, and Luo Mingzi’s heart began to thump inexplicably. As the singer approached and stopped at the bar, Luo Mingzi finally caught a clear look at her face beneath the brim of the hat.

The dim light reflected off her lean profile, the exquisite lines forming cold, distant features. The hat cast a shadow over her face, and from beneath dark, raven-like lashes, eyes as cold as a mountain pool flickered briefly toward Luo Mingzi, passing over her as if she were a mere stone on the side of the road.

She took the water handed to her by the bartender, her thin lips parting slightly. As she tilted her head back to drink, her neck formed a sharp, striking line.

Luo Mingzi: “…”

She wasn’t sure if the bar lights were too bright, but she felt her face heating up. Luo Mingzi raised both hands and pressed them against her cheeks.

“Li Shen, here’s the performance fee for today, 1,200. We officially open the night after tomorrow, you have to come!” The bartender said with a grin. “The boss insisted I tell you, whatever the other places are paying, he’ll double it!”

“Mmhmm.”

“Li Shen” hummed in response, set the glass back on the counter, and walked out without looking back, her guitar slung over her shoulder. Luo Mingzi saw several people, both men and women chase after her.

She pursed her lips and looked at Meng Qian.

Meng Qian was tapping away on her phone’s calculator. Luo Mingzi asked curiously, “What are you calculating?”

“I’m calculating her monthly income! 1,200 for four songs. If she plays at three different bars a day, four songs each… in a month, that would be…hiss!” Meng Qian’s eyes went wide.

The bartender chuckled. “A lot, right? But apparently, something happened with her family. Li Shen works way more gigs than you think, and she earns way more than you’d imagine.”

Something happened?

Luo Mingzi turned toward the bar’s entrance, curious. “What’s ‘Li Shen’s’ actual name?”

Bartender: “Li Yue. ‘Li’ as in dawn, ‘Yue’ as in excellence.”

Li Yue.

Luo Mingzi memorized the name.