pjbooks Chapter 4 Muse Bar
Chapter 4 Muse Bar
Chen Mo put down his phone, took the Long Island Iced Tea from the bartender, and took a sip. It tasted sweet and sour, with a mild alcohol flavor, but it had a strong aftertaste.
He drank his wine while observing the customers in the bar.
A group of young men and women, who looked like college students, sat in a booth in the lobby. They were dressed smartly and laughing loudly. In the corner sat a middle-aged man in his forties, drinking whiskey alone. He was wearing a suit and tie, but his tie was loose, and his face was flushed from drinking.
Besides, a woman was sitting three seats away from the bar.
A red, form-fitting dress clung to her body, the stretchy knit fabric perfectly accentuating her curves. The deep V-neckline offered glimpses of her collarbone and below. The hemline just past her thighs, and black stockings clung to her long, straight legs, adorned with matching stiletto heels.
Her long, wavy hair cascaded over her shoulders, her profile was sharp, her nose was high and straight, and the deep red on her lips stood out in the dim light.
She held a slender cigarette between her fingers, the burgundy nail polish on her fingertips shimmering. Her smoking was unhurried, and with each exhale, she tilted her head back slightly, revealing a glimpse of her fair neck.
Chen Mo glanced at it a couple more times.
I didn't mean anything by it; everyone takes a second look at something beautiful.
The woman seemed to notice his gaze and turned her head.
She had a pair of alluring eyes, slightly upturned at the corners, with deep brown pupils that resembled two bottomless pools under the light. She looked at Chen Mo, the corners of her mouth slightly upturned, revealing a half-smile.
"Have you seen enough?" The voice was lazy and deep, with a hint of husky magnetism.
Chen Mo remained calm and didn't look away. He simply smiled and said, "Isn't being good-looking meant to be looked at?"
The woman raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised by his directness. She stubbed out her cigarette, picked up her wine glass, and gracefully walked over in her high heels, sitting down beside him.
Up close, her features were even more exquisite. Her skin was so fair it was almost translucent, and a faint blush clung to her cheeks, making it hard to tell if it was makeup or just a little tipsy. The lipstick on her lips had smudged slightly, leaving the edges blurred.
"Alone?" she asked.
"Waiting for someone."
"Waiting for whom?" she asked with a hint of curiosity. "Your girlfriend?"
"No," Chen Mo shook his head. "A friend."
The woman smiled meaningfully and didn't press further. She picked up her glass and gently touched Chen Mo's glass to hers: "Then I wish the person you're waiting for arrives soon."
They each took a sip, and the atmosphere wasn't awkward at all.
"My name is Shen Jiayi."
"Chen Mo."
"Chen Mo..." Shen Jiayi repeated it, as if savoring something, "The silence of 'silence is golden'?"
"almost."
"Interesting." Shen Jiayi smiled, a smile possessing a unique charm characteristic of mature women. "What do you do?"
"Freelancing"
Shen Jiayi's smile deepened, and two shallow crow's feet appeared at the corners of her eyes. Far from making her look old, they added a touch of charm.
"Freelancing is great, it's so liberating." She raised her glass. "Come on, cheers to freedom!"
The two chatted casually. Chen Mo learned that Shen Jiayi was thirty-one years old and ran a small public relations company in Jiangcheng, which was doing fairly well. She had just finished meeting with a client tonight and wanted to have a couple of drinks to relax.
"The person you're waiting for hasn't arrived yet?" Shen Jiayi glanced at her watch.
Chen Mo also glanced at his phone; Su Wan hadn't sent any new messages.
"It should be soon."
No sooner had he finished speaking than the bar door was pushed open.
A young woman walked in.
A black spaghetti strap mini dress, its cheap, shiny fabric gleaming under the light. A denim jacket was open, revealing a slender figure whose collarbones were clearly visible. Her legs were long, and the heels of her high heels were worn, with patches of patent leather peeling off.
Chen recognized her.
Lin Shiyu.
Compared to the photos on her social media, she had lost a lot of weight. Her once rounded features were gone; her cheekbones were prominent, and her chin was sharper. Her eyes were still big, but they were sunken in their sockets, with a faint bluish tint underneath—the weariness that no amount of sleepless nights could make up for.
Her makeup was heavy, her eyeliner long and drawn out, her false eyelashes thick and dense, and her lips painted a deep purple. But all these colors seemed to float on her face, unable to conceal the weariness and blankness beneath.
She didn't look at anyone when she entered; she went straight to the staff passage behind the bar and pushed the door open.
Shen Jiayi followed Chen Mo's gaze, then turned back, her eyes filled with inquiry.
"Is she the one you're waiting for?"
Chen Mo nodded.
Shen Jiayi was silent for a few seconds, then sighed softly: "That girl... hasn't been working here for long, maybe two or three months. She says she's in marketing, which means she drinks and chats with customers and promotes drinks. She's a pretty good girl, but she's too thin, it's heartbreaking to see her like that."
She paused for a moment: "Who are you to her?"
"College classmate".
"Oh..." Shen Jiayi nodded thoughtfully, downed her drink in one gulp, "Then I won't bother you any longer. Chen Mo, it's a pleasure to meet you."
She stood up, picked up her Chanel bag from the bar, nodded to Chen Mo, and turned to walk towards the door. Her red skirt swayed gently with each step, graceful and elegant. Two security guards respectfully opened the door for her, and she disappeared into the night without looking back.
Chen Mo looked away and took another sip of wine.
A few minutes later, the door to the employee entrance opened, and Lin Shiyu walked out.
She changed her outfit. A tight-fitting pencil skirt, low-cut and backless, a common look in this line of work. Though thin, her figure carried the outfit perfectly, standing there like a taut bowstring. She wore new stockings, which gleamed slightly under the lights. She still wore her worn-out high heels, but her posture was excellent; she stood ramrod straight.
She took a deep breath, a professional smile appeared on her face, and walked towards the booth area in the lobby.
Chen Mo did not immediately step forward, but sat quietly at the bar and observed.
Lin Shiyu walked up to a table of guests, bent down and said a few words, her smile sweet and ingratiating. The table was occupied by three middle-aged men, and several bottles of foreign liquor were on the table.
One of the bald men looked her up and down, then patted the seat next to him, gesturing for her to sit down.
Lin Shiyu hesitated for a moment, but still sat down.
The bald man immediately put his hand on her shoulder, his fingers rubbing against hers. Lin Shiyu's body stiffened slightly, but she didn't pull away. She maintained her smile and picked up the wine bottle to pour drinks for the three of them.
As she was pouring drinks, another man patted her leg and said with a smile, "Xiao Lin has really long legs. Did you used to train in dance?"
"I learned it in college." Lin Shiyu's voice was very soft and gentle, with a deliberate sweetness.
"No wonder, that figure is amazing." A third man also joined in. "Come on, have a drink with me."
Lin Shiyu raised her glass, clinked it with each of the three men, and then tilted her head back to drink it all in one gulp.
Her slender neck looked particularly delicate under the light.
Chen Mo sat at the bar, his Long Island Iced Tea empty. He watched Lin Shiyu force a smile amidst the three men, watched that hand wander over her shoulder and back, and watched her drink one glass of wine after another.
His fingers tapped lightly on the bar counter, the rhythm quickening.
[Ding! The system has detected a fluctuation in the host's emotions, triggering a hidden mission: Hero Saves the Beauty. Mission Reward: 200,000 yuan!]
Chen Mo's lips curled up slightly.
Two hundred thousand?
interesting.
He put down his cup, stood up, and strode towards the booth.
His steps were neither hurried nor slow, but each step carried an undeniable sense of pressure.
The three men in the booth were still groping Lin Shiyu. The bald man's hand had slid from her shoulder to her waist, his fingers restlessly caressing her side. Lin Shiyu's bodycon dress was made of thin fabric, and she could clearly feel the warmth of that hand. Her body stiffened slightly, but the smile on her lips remained.
"Miss Lin, your skin is so beautiful. What skincare products do you use?" Another man wearing glasses smiled and leaned closer, his breath reeking of alcohol, almost smothering her face.
"No...nothing special." Lin Shiyu's voice grew softer and softer, as if all her strength had been drained away.