Today, a band known in Xifu City was performing at the bar. Outside, the noise of laughter and screams never ceased, but inside the booth, it was relatively quiet, allowing for phone calls to be taken.

Chen Yu used a straw to swirl the mint leaves in his drink, circling them four times before the person opposite him hung up the phone. “Sorry, I had some business to attend to.”

Chen Yu shook his head, indicating it was no problem.

Wang Yaozhen put down his phone. “Mr. Chen, let me confirm, you said that your criteria for a partner are a stable source of income, clear future plans, absolute loyalty, and the willingness to buy and renovate a house together, with the intention of spending the rest of your life together?”

He crossed his legs, leaning back, with a hint of condescension in his slightly raised eyebrows.

He was likely surprised that someone in this circle would use such standards to find a partner.

“Yes.”

“Leaving other things aside, absolute loyalty… Mr. Chen, have you never played around?”

“No.” Not only had he never played around, Chen Yu had never even been in a relationship.

Wang Yaozhen neither confirmed nor denied, instead taking a cigarette and placing it between his lips. “I heard from Mr. Ning that you’ve been in bars since you were young?”

“Eighteen.”

“Eighteen.” Wang Yaozhen lit his cigarette, exhaling a cloud of smoke, his expression obscured by the light mist. He smiled, holding the cigarette. “You’re thirty-one now.”

With such a good-looking face, starting to mix in bars at eighteen, who would believe he had never played around? However, being too blunt would ruin the atmosphere, so Wang Yaozhen only chuckled.

In any case, he didn’t care about such things. Everyone had their past, and what mattered was that they were clean and healthy. These days, even college students weren’t necessarily clean, so if he cared about such things, he wouldn’t have approached Chen Yu.

With a light tap, he placed the car key on the table, pushing it towards Chen Yu.

“Got it last month, should suit you well.”

In the dim light of the bar, Chen Yu glanced at the car logo. It started at 500,000, and from the way Mr. Wang was acting, it was likely closer to 1.5 million.

Introduced by Ning Qianjin, it was clear that this young Wang had no shortage of money.

Chen Yu shook his head. “Mr. Wang, I think we’re not a good match.”

Wang Yaozhen looked at Chen Yu, assuming the issue was with the terms. After thinking about Chen Yu’s words, he understood the problem. Although he didn’t take Chen Yu’s words seriously, there was some useful information in his pickiness. Chen Yu seemed genuinely interested in buying a house.

“Here’s a deal: you want a house, I have a 120-square-meter duplex in Xiaojing Lake. Stay with me for two years, and the house will be transferred to your name.” He gestured towards the car key. “You can drive the car in the meantime.”

People in this circle usually bought cars before houses. The car could be driven out, showing off, while the house was for living. Besides, if he were to spend money on someone, a car was a reasonable start. Wang Yaozhen had expected to pay this price.

Today, sitting face-to-face, Chen Yu seemed even more appealing than he had imagined. That face, one that made people willing to spend money, Wang Yaozhen wasn’t short of money, so why not give more if Chen Yu wanted it?

“Sorry.” Chen Yu directly stood up, making his stance clear.

To Wang Yaozhen, Chen Yu’s refusal seemed somewhat ungrateful. Two years, a house, and a car—Wang Yaozhen considered himself generous, and Chen Yu might not find anyone better.

The cigarette butt was crushed in the ashtray.

“Let me be frank, Mr. Chen, people get old.”

Chen Yu was beautiful but not young anymore.

Being evaluated and indirectly told that his value would decrease, Chen Yu remained calm. “You’re right, people do get old. I’m getting older and just want to find someone to settle down with, not waste time on relationships that are destined to be short-lived.”

“You’re not seriously looking for someone to settle down with?”

Wang Yaozhen wanted to say “marry,” but in the context of a same-sex relationship, marriage didn’t exist. The idea of settling down, a down-to-earth concept, sounded out of place coming from him.

“Yes.”

Wang Yaozhen finally realized that Chen Yu wasn’t playing hard to get but genuinely refusing. His expression turned to surprise, mixed with a hint of disdain, and he sarcastically said, “You shouldn’t be looking for someone in a bar, you should be going to matchmaking events.”

At the bar counter, Chen Yu was cleaning the bartending equipment, while Ning Qianjin, propping his chin on his arms, watched him.

“He really said that?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Damn.” Ning Qianjin stood up, slamming the table. “I told him your requirements long ago, and he seemed to agree.”

“Human nature.”

Chen Yu wasn’t surprised. These rich second-generation kids felt superior to people like him. To young Mr. Wang, Chen Yu was just a toy, a pretty one worth spending more money on. So when Ning Qianjin relayed Chen Yu’s requirements, he nodded without a second thought, not taking it seriously.

“I told you those rich kids would likely look down on you, and even this high-educated, overseas elite is no exception.”

Ning Qianjin enjoyed playing matchmaker. If it didn’t work out with Chen Yu, there would be others. Chen Yu put down the glass he was holding, reminding him, “Young Mr. Wang probably has marriage on his mind.”

“Marriage scam?” Ning Qianjin cursed a few more times, calling him hypocritical and inhumane, then said, “I wonder which poor girl will run into such a person.”

Remembering that the person in front of him was also a victim, Ning Qianjin felt guilty and continued to curse, “He seemed so proper when he asked me to introduce you, saying he couldn’t stop thinking about you after seeing you once, and wanted to pursue you, even…”

Ning Qianjin coughed dryly, indignant, “Next time he comes, I’ll give him a piece of my mind.”

Ning Qianjin must have received some benefit, but to say he was selling out for that little would be an exaggeration. Chen Yu understood and could accept it, smiling, “Business is business, it’s not that serious.”

Ning Qianjin was just venting. As a bar owner, he couldn’t really drive away customers, especially someone as generous as young Mr. Wang. But that didn’t stop him from cursing a bit more, and then hesitantly said, “Although his words were harsh, he had a point, right… Your requirements do sound a bit like a matchmaking event.”

Chen Yu smiled. “Maybe.”

Chen Yu’s smile was beautiful, and despite being in his early thirties, he looked like a college student working part-time in a bar. He was even more handsome.

People say beauty is in the bones, and Chen Yu had both good looks and a good bone structure. His features were very delicate, but the lines were sharp. He had a full forehead, a high nose bridge, prominent cheekbones, and deep-set eyes. His eyes were long but not narrow, with thick, curled lashes that extended outward, creating a captivating line.

The temperature in the bar wasn’t low, so he had taken off his coat, wearing a light beige sweater that looked very gentle. His eyebrows were slightly lowered as he peeled grapes.

Although Chen Yu had a face that could cause trouble, his eyes were clear and innocent. When he was quiet and focused, there was a gentle and serene quality to him.

Ning Qianjin admired him for a while before remembering the main issue. “So, have you really thought about the share issue?”

Chen Yu nodded.

“Alright, give me half a month. I’ll sell my Porsche, and it should be enough.”

Chen Yu remembered that the car key young Mr. Wang had given him also had a Porsche logo. He was a bit curious about what kind of car would suit him, but since the person wasn’t right, looking at the car was pointless.

“Your car is only half a year old, isn’t it?” Cars depreciate as soon as they’re bought, making them the worst item to sell in a hurry. “I’m not in a rush.”

“Ah, that’s different. Business is business. This price is already low. If I delay, I’ll be in your debt. But you, are you going to live off your coffee shop from now on?”

Ning Qianjin looked disapproving. The bar had become one of the best in Xifu City, and Chen Yu had put in a lot of effort. He could finally make money without much effort, but he wanted to sell his shares.

Chen Yu smiled and pushed the drink he had just prepared over to him. “Do you think my coffee shop makes less than the bar?”

“Really? Your place, I never see it full.” Ning Qianjin didn’t believe it. There were only about twenty tables, and they were never all occupied. How much business could it be?

“Full means it’s not peaceful anymore.” The coffee shop sold not just coffee but also the environment. The takeout prices were much lower than dining in, and Chen Yu revealed the numbers.

Ning Qianjin: “Damn.”

The numbers indeed matched the bar’s annual dividends, but this reason seemed a bit weak.

“Too much money burns your hands?”

“I’m planning to buy a house, I need to save up.”

“Why the sudden urge to buy a house?”

“The landlord wants to turn it into a mahjong parlor and won’t renew the lease.”

“Wait, you’re still living in Plum Village?”

Ning Qianjin was incredulous. That was where Chen Yu used to live, a resettlement house where he rented a single room with a bathroom, no kitchen. Chen Yu wasn’t the type to bring people home, and Ning Qianjin had only stayed there for a week during a tough time.

They had long since moved to places with monthly rents in the thousands or even tens of thousands, but Chen Yu was still living there?

“Uh-huh,” Chen Yu nodded. “Since I have to move anyway, and my savings are almost enough, I want to buy a house.”

The house prices in Xifu were high, but Chen Yu had saved for so many years, and it was almost enough for a full payment. For now, he was staying in the coffee shop’s lounge, where employees would laughingly say their boss was pitiful.

Chen Yu didn’t feel pitiful, but he was indeed alone. Perhaps houses were always associated with homes, or maybe it was his age, but Chen Yu had never felt such a strong desire to change his life.

He wanted to find someone to look at houses with and spend the rest of his life together.

“Buying a house, selling the bar,” Ning Qianjin drawled. “You’re going straight, will you still come around?”

Chen Yu said he couldn’t expect anything better from him: “Can you speak properly?”

Ning Qianjin laughed. “I’m wrong, I’m wrong. We’ve come this far, and now you want to settle down. That leaves me all alone, huh?”

“I might not find anyone.”

Ning Qianjin took a sip of his drink and said casually, “If you can’t find anyone, go to a matchmaking event.”

“Find a man through a matchmaking event?” Chen Yu thought he was joking.

Ning Qianjin laughed. “You’re so naive. There are matchmaking events for same-sex couples. There’s even a matchmaking corner by Jing Lake. I’ve done the research, but it’s not useful for us. It’s more about parents meeting parents.”

Chen Yu shook his head. “We’ll see.”

Chen Yu had no high hopes. He had never experienced love, but had experienced betrayal in family and friendship. He was always pessimistic about relationships. To be honest, whether through introductions or matchmaking, he didn’t think he could find such a person.

It was just a surface-level effort to deceive others and himself.