:: Soulless Bar ::
Three months later (Lu Shengyi)
The examinations are around the corner now, but I am not worried at all. I lead every day of my life without a single concern, only striving to achieve the best since the day I was reborn. During the day I am a student, after classes end, I am at Shengyi's new office studying the market trends and discovering what field I plan to diversify in when the chance comes. I recall that there is a recession in 2012, and I am well-prepared for it.
My new business partner, Dewey, is a no-nonsense fellow. I try not to judge him for his older age and his habits that often make me feel awkward, but sometimes, I feel he is just trying to control me too much. I feel his eyes follow me around the entire place, and even when I leave for the bathroom, I feel uncomfortable. It's not like he is perverted or anything, but I feel spied on like he is a surveillance camera monitoring my very movements.
Albeit my current situation, I still study for the modules I am taking for this year, but the overall process I go through when revising is not like before. My brain has never been clearer in my life, and it takes me much less effort to remember something I have learned, even though it is a completely new theory to me. (Strange, I never encountered this case study or topic before in my past life even though it is during the same year.)
After the weird encounter the other day, I have not run into Cullen Fu again. I have read some unreliable news online that he has now begun dating a famous entrepreneur, a single woman by the name of Marcelia Dunn. I chuckle to myself, wondering what will be the outcome of this relationship this time. In all the news I have heard about Cullen Fu, he never stays in a relationship for more than three months. Let's hope that this time, it will be interesting enough to keep me reading about his endeavours.
Xiaoxian seems to have drifted further away from me, as I am too occupied nowadays with building up business dealings along with Dewey and approaching potential investors. I cannot wait till the day Shengyi becomes a major market player in electronics again. Perhaps once everything is settled on my side, I shall find some time to accompany her again.
My mother would have been proud of me. I never knew who she was, or why I was brought up in a single-parent family. My father has never spoken of my mother. But tonight when I called home, my father is in high spirits. He exclaims to me on how he has now found the love of his life, his secondary school sweetheart. Hearing the melodious voice of his female partner gives me an uncomfortable feeling in my bones.
What in the world? This didn't happen in my past life, I tell myself.
And the worse part is that I now have a half-sister that my father didn't know of. This is going to complicate matters, isn't it? That didn't sound good news to me. I picture the common scenario from television dramas where the protagonist's half-sister starts stealing her boyfriend or husband and causes her 'death', only for her to come back and wreak vengeance. Is drama about to happen?
She is much older than I am, and 25 years old to be exact. My heart lurches to know that she is a psychiatrist with notable achievements at her young age. From my father's description, she is sweet and lovely like her mother and has a flawless appearance.
It makes me lose all the self-esteem I have built in my new life with this discovery. All my life in my past life, I have been the apple of my father's eyes until he passed of last-stage cancer in 2015. Nevertheless, I am thankful to know that cancer never occurred to him in my current life.
The only thing I am worried about now is that I have lost my position in my father's eyes. Now, I will always be number two in his life, after my half-sister.
I am unable to sleep, so I prepare to count sheep until I manage to fall asleep.
Out of the blue, there is a drunken voice message from Shan Hanyu. Grudgingly I pick up the phone and call Xiaoxian.
............….
Uncle Dou stops the BMW outside the Soulless Bar. We alight and I tell him through the slightly open window that I will call him if I need him later. This is where Shan Hanyu has been drinking, and as cold as I am towards him, I am not heartless to leave a drunken man in the lurch. However it confuses me; if he is with Xiaoxian as she so alleges, why has he called me and not her?
Men will always be complicated to me. They tend to say one thing and mean another in their heart. Since Xiaoxian is his girlfriend, I shall pass on the duty of handling the intoxicated man to her. This she accepts and thanks me. I call Uncle Dou and let him take them to where Xiaoxian sees fit. Their affairs are not my concern.
Now that I am here, why not try the popular Soulless cocktail? I have heard that it will drive one out of his senses, and make that person forget his pain and worries for an indefinite amount of time. In my past life, I was one who held my drinks very well. I hope this has not changed.
I plop my backpack on the high seat beside me at the bar and order the cocktail. The bartender, a tall man with a tanned complexion and alluring eyes entertains me. We exchange glances, to which I shove towards him an amorous stare. But as soon as the bartender's back is turned while he is mixing the drinks, I feel someone grasp my wrist suddenly and whisper in a sensual voice near my ear, "I think you shouldn't be doing this. He is into men."
My sharp reflexes kick in, and I rotate myself with the round seat to find out for myself who is speaking. As smartly dressed as he can ever be, a man smiles back at me. His smile is very charismatic and confident, and the way he stares at me makes me feel lost.
Cullen Fu. In all the times I have seen him, I have never anticipated anything from him, and neither have I realised that up close, he could be that good-looking.
Suddenly, like at the university months back, I feel that unexpected surge of power in me, and I feel inclined to bring my body closer to Cullen Fu.
No, this cannot be! I try to pull myself out of this sick behaviour. After all, Cullen Fu is a demon with women, treating them as his plaything. I do not want to be with a man like that, even if I still have a chance at loving again. But his seduction is too strong, and I have difficulty pulling myself out of this daze.
But then, a listless voice interrupts the silence, bringing me out of my trance.
"Miss...your cocktail."
I heave a sigh of relief and take the drink from the unsuspecting bartender. He winks at Cullen and goes about with his duties. I feel my freedom once more, then smirk at Cullen without engaging his stare.
"I'm surprised you are here without your little entourage and cheerleaders. What happened, they got bored?"
Cullen's face is filled with disdain by my crude remarks, but the next second, he smiles deviously.
"Arrogant aren't you, Miss Lu Shengyi."
"How do you know my name?" I almost choke on my cocktail. I seriously didn't expect him to remember my name out of the few thousand students who had attended his little speech the other day.
He doesn't answer but just takes my hand and leads me towards the dance floor. His hand is surprisingly cold and stings me with its chill. I am even more bewildered by the effect he has on me. I bite my lip.
"What are you up to, Mr Fu? Do you want to dance?"
If it's a mere dance, I am up to it, even if it's with the mysterious Mr Fu. I have been taking dance lessons for some time now, out of my interest. I just hope the paparazzi or MIB agents don't start following me around after this dance.
"Yes, I want to dance," he laughs coldly. "Are you daft? What else do you want to be doing on the dance floor?"
Out of the blue, I feel completely at ease with him. It is just as if he has turned into a different person, no longer the rumoured playboy I have heard him be, and he feels very warm to me, even though he is icy on the outside. The way he talks to me makes me laugh, even if he is trying to be sarcastic.
His hand perches itself on my waist, but I don't feel distracted by it. Something makes me attracted to him, in a way that I have never felt before, and not even in my past life.
Even though I am supposedly dancing with him, it appears that he is leading me in his dance steps and I am compelled to adhere to his pace. I feel that with every breath of his on me, he is sucking me inside. I cannot help but feel seduced by our proximity and how he enamours me with his fascinating stares.
And that is all that I recall in my memory because when I wake up the next morning, I am lying on my bed still wearing my clubbing clothes, wondering if everything has just been another dream.
Ugh, I didn't just dream of dancing with Cullen Fu, did I?