After dropping off the shirt at the laundry, Shen Xi Fan left the hotel and walked home alone.
The bustling city glowed with Christmas lights, casting a kaleidoscope of colors. Smiles adorned everyone’s faces. Young women clung to their boyfriends, parents carried their children, and kids clamored for candy from Santa Claus. A flower vendor weaved through the crowd.
Suddenly, her phone rang. The number was unfamiliar, but the voice was not.
“Shen Xi Fan, guess who this is?”
Curious, she replied, “Li Jie. How did you get my number?”
On the other end, he sighed dramatically. “Not fun. You guessed too quickly. Anyway, what are you doing now?”
“On my way home.”
“How boring!” Li Jie exclaimed. “No plans tonight? Want to join us? My senior brother and I are hanging out at a tea bar on Guangyuan Road called ‘Erya.’”
He Su Ye is there? Shen Xi Fan’s heart skipped a beat, but she hesitated, thinking of the others who would be there. Before she could respond, Li Jie added, “There are other people too, but don’t worry. I’ll introduce you. Everyone’s easygoing. Don’t overthink it—my senior brother will be so surprised to see you!”
That convinced her. She agreed, though moments later she began to second-guess herself. Would it be too abrupt to show up uninvited? But deep down, she wanted to go.
* * *
“Erya” was a quaint and elegant bar, a favorite among white-collar workers and young professionals.
As soon as she walked in, she spotted a lively group sitting around a carved wooden table in the back. Her eyes were immediately drawn to He Su Ye. Handsome and refined, his crescent-moon smile revealed a deep dimple on one side, making him stand out effortlessly.
Li Jie noticed her and waved. “Over here! Over here!”
As she approached, he introduced everyone. “These are my senior brother’s junior apprentices. And this,” he gestured, “is our only junior sister.”
The woman stood up, stunningly beautiful with an audacious charm. “I’m Fang Ke Xin, the only junior sister here. I’m studying imaging and currently interning as a doctor.”
Seated next to Li Jie, Shen Xi Fan quickly adapted. Her work in the hospitality industry had made her naturally sociable, balancing humor with politeness. It wasn’t long before she felt comfortable with the group.
He Su Ye didn’t deliberately engage her in conversation, but his gaze never left her.
A short guy in the group suggested, “Let’s play a game! How about word association?”
Another chimed in, “Great idea! Let’s do it with medical formulas. Losers take a shot—Chivas Regal, 12 years. Top-shelf stuff!”
Shen Xi Fan froze. Medical formulas? She’d never even heard of such a thing. Helpless, she turned to He Su Ye for rescue.
He Su Ye stood up, motioning for Li Jie to move aside so he could sit next to her. In a low voice, he reassured her, “Don’t worry. I’ll help you.”
Li Jie grinned slyly, while Fang Ke Xin’s expression shifted subtly, as if lost in thought.
“Four strokes to start,” someone said. “Senior Brother, you go first!”
“Wu Ling San—Guizhi, Baizhu, Fuling, Zhuling, Zexie. Zhang Ming, next with six strokes,” announced one of the players.
“Shaoyao Gancao Tang—Baishao, Zhigancao. Seven strokes. Shen Xi Fan, your turn!”
All eyes turned to Shen Xi Fan. She stammered, “Liang Fu Wan—Gaoliangjiang, Xiangfu.”
Laughter erupted immediately. “Senior Brother, you’re helping her cheat! That’s not fair—you need to drink a penalty shot!”
Li Jie waved his hand dismissively. “Let him help her! Senior Brother, you’ll have to name two formulas each turn to make up for it. And Shen Xi Fan, you better memorize them fast. Everyone, let’s work harder to knock Senior Brother down!”
Shen Xi Fan hadn’t realized there were so many Chinese medicinal formulas, and some of the names were so strange and tongue-twisting. She fumbled through her next turn: “Chen Xiang Jiang Qi San—Chenxiang, Gancao, Sharen, Xiangfu… and… I can’t remember the rest…”
She turned to He Su Ye with a helpless look, blinking at him pleadingly. He remained calm, smiling at her.
The group burst out laughing. Li Jie pushed a small glass of liquor in front of her. Shen Xi Fan frowned, but before she could react, someone reached out and drank it in one gulp.
She gasped. “He Su Ye, I’m the one who lost!”
Everyone caught on quickly, teasing, “Senior Brother is showing favoritism!” Fang Ke Xin, however, looked uncomfortable, turning away to sip her water.
Shen Xi Fan felt both flustered and grateful. He Su Ye acted as though nothing had happened and gently reassured her, “Looks like I need to pick simpler names for you. The long, complicated ones are too hard to remember.”
She could only smile awkwardly.
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