Chapter 14

Not long after, the mainstay of the electric buttocks PUB, who was performing on stage, finished a song and stepped down. The manager, holding a microphone, came on stage and said, "I'm truly sorry, everyone, but Miss Sophia's voice is very uncomfortable today. To ensure she can still bring you beautiful songs tomorrow, we kindly ask for your understanding and allow her a night to rest."

Although there was some unrest in the audience, it didn't escalate too much... In fact, many people didn't necessarily enjoy listening to Sophia's songs; rather, it was because she fit the theme of the bar... She had a pair of full, plump electric buttocks that would shake wildly when she sang and danced.

After all, most people came to the PUB for this kind of atmosphere. Changing the singer wasn't a big deal, and the manager was well aware of this: "So, let's welcome our newly hired singer, Ye Yun, to perform a song for everyone."

The drummer and others were removed from the stage, and a young man carrying an acoustic guitar walked up. After a brief adjustment, he spoke into the microphone: "I'll sing 'The Ordinary Road' for everyone."

The young man had a very good appearance, and his voice wasn't unpleasant, which was enough for most people.

With a somewhat perfunctory attitude, the guests unexpectedly found that this young man could actually sing quite well.

Although "The Ordinary Road" is an old song, not many singers are willing to cover it, mainly because it's difficult to convey the沧桑感 (sense of沧桑, which can be translated as 'sense of vicissitudes' or 'sense of the passage of time')... Pretending to be沧桑 (沧桑, which can be translated as 'weathered' or 'worldly') would make the song sound murky and unpleasant.

On the contrary, the young man's voice wasn't hoarse or deep, but the rhythm he brought out with his tone and emotion was very fitting for the lyrics of the song.

Especially when he sang the chorus, the originally quiet bar suddenly burst into a wave of excitement!

"I once destroyed everything, just to leave forever. I once fell into endless darkness, unable to extricate myself. I once was like you, like him, like the wild grass and wildflowers, in despair, yet yearning, crying and laughing, and being ordinary..."

The young man's tone suddenly became passionate, not just the usual high pitch of a chorus, but as if he was shouting with pride from the depths of his soul!

The lyrics, when sung by him, lost the loneliness of a wanderer and instead became a proud and solitary pride.

He was using his emotions to interpret the song, telling everyone who was listening: Even if I once destroyed everything, even if I once fell into darkness, I never gave up hope! Even in the mire, I was struggling with all my might! I will never give up!

A singer's genuine emotions always easily resonate with others. The young man's song, like dandelion seeds, scattered into everyone's heart, taking root and sprouting.

People recalled everything they had experienced in their most desperate moments... even if it was just the most ordinary failure.

Then they thought, if I hadn't given up at that time, what would the result have been?

They couldn't help but applaud enthusiastically, rising to their feet to clap in time with the young man's song until the end of the song, when the applause became as surging and chaotic as a tide.

Xu Yanan sat on the sofa, unable to move for a long time. Even without any musical talent, she could hear the heartfelt shout in his voice.

That passion, that defiance, that indomitable spirit... all deeply moved her.

Even though the young man sang three more songs before going to rest, she was still immersed in the first song.

She was a pampered daughter, living in a honey pot since childhood, never encountering any setbacks. But just one song made her personally experience the despair of facing setbacks and see the young man's powerful spirit of struggle and perseverance even in despair!

She had a feeling that she might... be in love?

This word, which she had always despised and found the most contemptible, she never thought she would use it to describe herself.

Suppressing the emotion in her heart, Xu Yanan knew that the stronger her sense of falling, the faster she needed to conduct the final investigation of this young man.

She summoned the manager and asked arrogantly, "What's the name of the singer who just sang?"

The fat manager, naturally knowing the preferences of this young lady, immediately replied, "I guess the scene was a bit chaotic just now, so it's normal that Miss Xu didn't hear clearly. His name is Ye Yun, and he's from the mainland."

Xu Yanan asked, "Did he come to you on his own to ask for a residency?"

The fat manager smiled bitterly and said, "I don't have that kind of luck. Since our mainstay, Sophia, had a bad voice today, I wanted to borrow someone from the nearby salon PUB. I happened to hear him auditioning there. You don't know the boss of the salon; that guy is too stubborn and doesn't show any favor. He insisted that the mainland guy sing for a month, paying him monthly, but the mainland guy refused, so I brought him here."

Knowing that the young man wasn't deliberately creating a chance encounter with her at Wu's and the electric buttocks PUB, Xu Yanan's last bit of doubt disappeared, and love surged in her heart: "Is he singing again tonight?"

"He should take a break and then sing again. We agreed on ten songs for five hundred Hong Kong dollars, and we settle daily."

"So that's why he said he would go to Wu's to deliver the money tomorrow?" Xu Yanan was very satisfied. "I understand."

In the backstage dressing room, only Ye Yun (no need to say, you can guess) and the plump-hipped Sophia were there.

Putting three stacks of large red bills into her handbag, Sophia giggled and hooked Ye Yun's chin with one finger, her voice seductive: "Little handsome, you gave me money to make my voice 'bad' tonight, but you went to the nearby salon PUB to apply for a singing job. What's the game? If you had come here directly, Manager Zhang would definitely have kept you."

Ye Yun pushed her hand away, his voice cold: "Don't ask what you shouldn't."

"Oh, you have quite a temper, little brother!"

Sophia lowered her head, her lips brushing Ye Yun's ear with a hint of fragrance: "Do you really think I don't understand you guys? Tell me, what would happen if I told that Miss Xu outside about the ten thousand you paid me to make my voice 'bad'? What would happen then..."

A cold, hard object pressed against the junction of her neck and chin, slowly pushing up.

Sophia's body tensed, her eyes straining to look down at the old-style hunting rifle that appeared in Ye Yun's hand, her forehead and exposed white chest damp with sweat.

Ye Yun's voice grew even colder: "As far as I know, a hitman's price is only a few hundred thousand. I'm asking you, would anyone care if I spent ten thousand to hire a hitman to take out a singer like you?"

"No... no..."

"I spent ten thousand, and I'm not afraid to spend another ten thousand. Even if I run out of money, I still have this."

Ye Yun slowly raised his head, his eyes showing no emotion: "Do you understand?"

"I understand."

Ye Yun sneered, and the M1887 hunting rifle disappeared as if by magic. He said coolly, "You're tired, go back and rest. Don't worry, as long as you don't do anything unnecessary, I won't harm you. And I'll be leaving in at most two days, so I won't be a threat to you then."

Sophia nodded quickly and hurried away.

Ye Yun looked at his reflection in the mirror, wiping away a cold sweat... Just now, he had triggered a random mission called "Heaven Knows, Earth Knows, You Know, I Know, She Knows, She Must Die," which required him to ruthlessly kill Sophia, but he refused.

Given Ye Yun's current fear of the game, if it weren't for the critical moment, he might have accepted the mission. But now was the key time to build a 'relationship' with Xu Yanan, and any problem could prevent him from participating in the 'major event.' To ensure the subsequent mainline mission, Ye Yun could only tremble with fear and refuse the random mission.

He was on edge until he finished singing ten songs and left, with no more random missions triggered. The system seemed to be considerate, thinking that Ye Yun's refusal of the random mission was justified, so it didn't make things harder for him.

But the word 'considerate'... just thinking about applying it to the game made Ye Yun's face turn green.

Exiting the bar through the back door, Ye Yun's body paused for a moment before continuing forward.

At the entrance of the alley, Xu Yanan, dressed in a fiery, sexy black leather outfit, suddenly said, "Stop."

Ye Yun stopped without turning his head and asked, "What's up?"

Xu Yanan didn't show the usual demeanor of someone trying to seduce a man; instead, she spoke in a tone even colder than Ye Yun's: "Isn't it a bit rude to just walk away after owing me a favor?"

Ye Yun replied, "I don't remember owing you a favor."

Xu Yanan's eyes flashed with excitement, but her expression turned mocking: "Do I need to remind you?"

Ye Yun said, "At Wu's, you offered to pay for me, but it didn't succeed. At most, you just opened your mouth like a good person."

Xu Yanan's eyes sparkled with excitement, but her expression turned mocking: "I thought you were a wooden man without emotions, but it turns out you're a pervert."

Ye Yun snorted, "Unreasonable." He then strode away.

"Why are you a pervert if you noticed me!? My clothes and hairstyle are completely different now, and my hair is covering my forehead. If you hadn't been secretly watching me at Wu's, how could you have recognized me just now?"

Xu Yanan shouted from behind.

Ye Yun paused for a moment and continued walking.

Xu Yanan chuckled to herself, got on a black Kawasaki Ninja ZX motorcycle, started it, and followed Ye Yun's walking pace, saying by his side, "Afraid to answer? Tell me, how long have you been watching me?"

"Is this woman still suspicious of me?" Ye Yun, being a novice, couldn't be sure if his plan was perfect enough, so he could only silently curse and not answer.

His 'indifference' made Xu Yanan even more attracted to him. She also acted coldly: "I suspect you have ulterior motives. Otherwise, why would we meet twice in one night? And you recognized me just by brushing past me. Don't tell me you fell in love with me at first sight."

Her words actually relieved Ye Yun, and he replied, "Voice, scent."