If Yu Nian were given another chance to go back to when he was eighteen, he would definitely not run away from home, not come to City C, and definitely not apply to work at that restaurant called “Morning Ten”.

Then he wouldn’t have fallen into that unreliable first love.

Nor would he have spent the next seven or eight years gritting his teeth at the mention of someone’s name.

But at that moment, he knew nothing about the future.

He stood in front of the boss, feeling nervous, hoping to be hired.

He had come to apply for a job as a pianist, having just played a piece for the boss on the spot.

He was quite confident in his abilities. Compared to his classmates in the arts who would soon be on stage, playing for a small restaurant was more than enough.

But he also knew he was too young, and he didn’t know if the boss would agree.

Thinking about it, Yu Nian straightened his back a bit more, his fingers crossed quietly, praying for a little luck from above.

No choice, even heroes are helpless without money.

As a spirited young man, he had just had a major showdown with his sister a few days ago due to family issues.

The two argued fiercely, neither giving in, with his weak-looking brother trying to mediate on the side, persuading one and then the other, but not only did it not work, in the end, even his face was almost scratched.

And after this battle, he returned to his room, getting angrier the more he thought about it.

A teenage tantrum, full of hot-bloodedness, he packed his bags and ran away from home.

Throughout history, many talents and heroes had wandered far and wide.

But they were either naturally gifted or had ample family wealth.

Yu Nian had neither.

He hadn’t even graduated from high school yet, and when he ran away from home, he left with nothing, stubbornly not taking the card his siblings gave him, only taking his scholarship.

Now, he was in trouble. After half a month out, he didn’t have much sense of saving money and soon spent most of it.

If he couldn’t find a job soon, he’d either be left with nothing to eat or sneak back home, surrendering to his sister.

Thinking of this, Yu Nian felt a pang of sorrow in his heart.

If he were to go back like this, it would be too embarrassing.

He didn’t expect to climb to the top with bare hands, but at least he couldn’t fail to survive for a few months.

It was embarrassing on one hand.

On the other hand, he really was quite incompetent.

Song Yunchun crossed her arms, leisurely surveying the young man in front of her.

She had seen Yu Nian’s ID, only eighteen years old, as fresh and tender as a bud waiting to bloom.

His appearance was also exceptionally handsome, but in her small family restaurant, it seemed to be wasted.

She smiled, leaning back in her chair, and asked, “Why do you want to work here? You must have seen the job postings outside. Our wages aren’t high, only 3500 a month, and at least five days a week, but the working hours are relatively flexible.”

Of course, Yu Nian had seen them.

To be honest, if he could find a better job, he wouldn’t be here.

But he had never worked before, didn’t even have a high school diploma, had no connections, and no channels. Only these simplest jobs were within his reach.

So he honestly replied, “I really need a job right now. I saw your job posting, and I happened to meet the requirements, so I want to give it a try.”

The only flaw was his age.

The job requirement was 18 years old and above, and he happened to be on the edge of that.

But he earnestly said, “I know I’m a bit young, but if you can hire me, I will definitely work hard.”

Song Yunchun chuckled.

She looked at Yu Nian. After all, she had been in society for so long, and she could tell that Yu Nian wasn’t a troublemaker. His eyes were clear and bright.

But Yu Nian was indeed too young, with a trace of childishness on his face, and his temperament was either rich or noble, really not like someone who needed to work here…

Her gaze shifted, and she always felt that this person should either be sitting in a private school attending classes or lying on the beach on vacation.

She had several thoughts in her mind for a moment, but in the end, she spoke, “Alright, starting tomorrow, you can come to work, try it out for a week first.”

Yu Nian was taken aback for a moment, then he was overjoyed, “Thank you.” He was really surprised.

He had thought Song Yunchun wouldn’t hire him.

He hurriedly assured, “I will work hard.”

Song Yunchun smiled again, shaking her head. Clearly, he looked quite smart, but why did he seem a bit silly?

With a job in hand, Yu Nian felt relieved for the most part. It was still early, so Song Yunchun invited him for a cup of coffee to let him familiarize himself with the future work environment.

This family restaurant was not large, specializing in coffee drinks and simple meals.

Including Yu Nian, there were a total of nine employees: two in the kitchen, two baristas, and four waiters.

Yu Nian’s working hours would be from four in the afternoon to eight in the evening.

Most of the staff were present in the restaurant. Yu Nian greeted each one, but he was a bit face-blind, and after trying hard for a while, he only remembered half of them. There was a tall chef sister named Shao Wanli and a college student working part-time named Chu Hejun.

These people were also quite curious about Yu Nian.

That day, Yu Nian was wearing a light gray shirt. Regardless of his past mischievousness, his face was absolutely obedient and beautiful. His pupils and hair were both on the lighter side, naturally brown, with long and dense eyelashes. His eyes were like clear water, and when he smiled, they sparkled like stars, making him very likable.

Especially when he was sitting at the piano playing, with his back straight, his shoulders slender, and the sunlight casting a faint golden glow on him from the tree shadows, he resembled the gentle and quiet little prince in fairy tales.

The waiter, Xiao Gu, was trimming the fresh flowers to be used in the evening. She was the most lively in character and the most talkative, with her hair tied up in a bun.

Yu Nian sat next to her, and she curiously asked him, “Are you only eighteen years old? You’re so young. Are you in your last year of high school or your first year of college? Are you here for a part-time job like Chu Hejun?”

Chu Hejun was another waiter in the store, a nearby college student, a bit of a homebody, and when there were no customers in the store, he secretly wore a single earphone.

Hearing his name, he looked up, then immediately lost interest and lowered his head again.

Yu Nian didn’t know how to respond.

He had nothing else to do at the moment, so he helped Xiao Gu put the trimmed flowers into glass bottles one by one.

He dryly smiled, “Well, I’m just taking a part-time job before going to college.”

Xiao Gu subconsciously wanted to ask, aren’t you busy with your senior year? How can you find the time to work? But before she spoke, she suddenly remembered something and stopped herself.

Well, if you could sit in the classroom and attend classes smoothly, which senior student would come out to work?

Feeling a bit embarrassed, she didn’t ask anymore. Instead, she honestly cut the lemons and took out another lollipop from her pocket, stuffing it into Yu Nian’s hand.

Yu Nian didn’t mind.

After all, he didn’t really have any tragic past.

He chatted with Xiao Gu, gradually becoming familiar with her.

Xiao Gu chattered on, “The atmosphere in our restaurant has always been good, and Boss Song has a good temper. She never scolds anyone for no reason. The people here are also easy to get along with, you’ll know later. Oh, that’s not right, except for one…”

Xiao Gu suddenly smiled, turning to ask Yu Nian, “Have you noticed that there are only seven employees here now, no baristas?”

Yu Nian glanced around, and it was indeed true.

“Has someone not come?” he asked vaguely, munching on his lollipop.

Xiao Gu arranged the glass flower vases one by one, smiling as she whispered, “We have two baristas, and the one who’s supposed to work today hasn’t shown up yet. His name is Qi Wang, and he’s the most difficult one to get along with.”

Yu Nian was curious, “Why is that?”

Xiao Gu said, “There’s not really a reason. It’s just that he’s a bit cold in temperament and doesn’t like to talk. He doesn’t mingle much with us. But he’s not a bad person, quite nice actually. Last time when there was trouble in the restaurant, it was thanks to him helping out.”

Xiao Gu paused for a moment, adding with a sigh in her voice.

“Most importantly, he’s really handsome. Just looking at him makes me want to eat three more bowls of rice.”

Yu Nian burst into laughter.

He didn’t quite believe it. Leaving aside the fact that he himself was handsome enough, he had grown up surrounded by beauties. Both his brother and sister were talented and good-looking, and even his childhood friend who grew up with him naked had a decent appearance.

So he had strong doubts about what others considered handsome.

Seeing Yu Nian’s disbelief, Xiao Gu couldn’t accept it. “Oh, you’ll know when you see him…”

Yu Nian just smiled and responded amiably, “We’ll have to wait until he arrives then.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the doorbell in the restaurant rang.

Yu Nian subconsciously looked up and saw several delivery boxes first, cradled in a pair of slender and powerful hands. The hands were clearly defined, fair and slender, strong but not rough, as if they had been meticulously sculpted by an artist, with even the details being very exquisite. The only flaw was a shallow scar on the back of the hand.

Yu Nian always liked to look at beautiful hands, but those that met his aesthetic standards were few.

He suddenly saw such a pair of hands, unfortunately marred by a scar, and couldn’t help but sigh with regret.

But before he could think more about it, the person hidden behind the boxes appeared.

Very tall, with broad shoulders and long legs, wearing a casual black T-shirt that couldn’t hide his naturally good figure. When he bent down, a black chain around his neck hung slightly, with a silver cross pendant in the middle.

And above that was a handsome and sharp face, very young, only a few years older than him, but with a naturally cold and proud demeanor. His eyes were deep black, like a night without stars and moonlight.

The wind chimes on the door were still swinging.

Clang clang, stirred up by the passing breeze, restless and uneasy.

Yu Nian’s fingers unconsciously pressed a key on the piano, feeling his heart also beating wildly with a clang.

Xiao Gu wasn’t wrong.

This handsome guy was indeed worthy of making people want to eat three more bowls of rice.

---

Outside, it was hot, and Qi Wang returned to the restaurant and grabbed a glass of ice water first.

He immediately noticed Yu Nian sitting beside the piano.

“Who is this?” he asked Xiao Gu.

“He is Yu Nian, the pianist that the boss just hired,” Xiao Gu replied.

Qi Wang’s gaze fell on Yu Nian. Yu Nian stood up and greeted him friendly, “Hello. I’m Yu Nian.”

However, Qi Wang just nodded in response, turned around, went to the bar, grabbed his work uniform, and started working without paying any further attention to Yu Nian.

Yu Nian was dumbfounded.

He turned to Xiao Gu, somewhat unsure, “Is he always like this, or did I do something wrong? Does he not like me?”

He’s too indifferent.

He was clearly smiling warmly just now.

Xiao Gu looked at him sympathetically, “Just get used to it, that’s how Qi Wang is. I’ve told you, he doesn’t interact much with others, only a bit with the boss.”

Yu Nian pouted in frustration but didn’t say anything more.

But he pondered in his heart, Qi Wang, which Qi, which Wang?

---

Because it was his first day of work, Yu Nian didn’t play many pieces. He finished work at around six o’clock.

Before leaving, the boss kindly gave him a bag of cake to take home as a snack.

Yu Nian walked out of the door with the bag of cake and glanced back.

In the dim night, the lights of this small roadside restaurant were warm. Xiao Gu, whom he had already become familiar with, was ordering by the window. When she saw him looking over, she waved to him discreetly.

Yu Nian couldn’t help but smile and waved back at her as he left.

Back at the hotel, after taking a shower, Yu Nian took out a butter cake and started browsing rental information on a webpage while nibbling on it.

Just as he was eating the second piece, his phone rang.

Glancing at it, he found it was a video call from his childhood friend, Ying Quanshen, in the UK.

He casually answered it, as it was afternoon over there. Ying Quanshen appeared on the screen, with a background indicating he was somewhere having fun, with a large pool behind him and leggy beauties walking and laughing in the background.

“Tsk.”

Yu Nian looked at his phone disdainfully and chuckled, “Where are you indulging in luxury again? Aren’t you going to school today? Does your brother know you’re fooling around outside like this?”

Ying Quanshen took a sip of his cocktail and shrugged, “No classes this afternoon. My brother has been busy with a big project lately and doesn’t have time to bother with me.”

As expected.

Yu Nian took another bite of the cake, “What do you want from me?”

“Just checking if you’re still alive,” Ying Quanshen said earnestly, “It’s been eighteen days since you ran away from home, Young Master Yu, are you planning to go back?”

Ying Quanshen and Yu Nian grew up together, practically sharing the same pair of pants. Although Yu Nian moved away later, it didn’t affect their friendship over the past ten-plus years.

Since knowing that his dear childhood friend had run away from home, Ying Quanshen had been very worried.

Yu Nian proudly told Ying Quanshen, “I forgot to tell you, I found a job.”

He had mentioned a few days ago that he was thinking of finding a job, but Ying Quanshen had strongly opposed it, arguing from various angles that it was not feasible and urged him to give up resistance and return home soon.

But now, he had found one.

Yu Nian looked at Ying Quanshen with great pride, feeling proud.

Ying Quanshen exclaimed, “Huh?”

“What job did you find? Where is it? Is the boss a scammer? How much is the salary? What do you do?” Ying Quanshen’s questions shot out like bullets.

Yu Nian rubbed his ears and rolled his eyes, “Where did you get so many questions from.”

But he still answered honestly, “I found a job playing piano in a restaurant. The pay isn’t much, only three to four thousand a month. I’ll work for now and see. Later, I’ll find other part-time jobs. The boss is nice, it’s a regular restaurant, right at the intersection, the business license is displayed.”

Ying Quanshen’s expression was difficult to describe.

Three to four thousand.

It’s not that he looked down on it, but what could Yu Nian do with this little money? This young master might spend more than this on just one meal.

But now, he had gone to work in a restaurant for others.

“Why bother?” Ying Quanshen couldn’t understand, “Why did you quarrel with your sister anyway? Is there something big going on? Your sister cares about you. Just go back and admit your mistake. Why do you really have to work outside? Playing the piano, you’re really something, your piano teacher performs in the concert hall, and here you are, playing background music for people in a small restaurant.”

He only knew that Yu Nian had quarreled with his family but didn’t know the specific reason, so he was completely puzzled.

But he knew that Yu Nian hadn’t been happy at school before, and a group of hooligans bullied him every day. If Yu Nian hadn’t stopped him, he would have flown back from abroad to support Yu Nian.

He speculated, “Did you tell your sister you want to transfer schools, and she disagreed? It’s not a big deal, just talk to her nicely. Worst case, you come to the UK to find me…”

Yu Nian frowned and his face suddenly darkened.

“It’s not that,” he said, still stubborn, looking at Ying Quanshen with some irritation, “It’s none of your business. Stop undermining my confidence. Why can’t I work? I’m quite satisfied with this job. I don’t find life outside difficult at all, I’m quite happy.”

At least happier than at school.

Definitely happier than going back home to have dinner alone in the empty house.

Ying Quanshen also knew Yu Nian’s stubborn temper. Seeing that persuasion didn’t work, he crossed his arms and grumbled, “Let’s see how long you can hold on. Maybe you’ll cry and quit in a few days.”

Yu Nian sneered.

“Screw you.”

Although the little boat of friendship was sturdy, it could still capsize.

The phone call didn’t even last for ten minutes. Yu Nian, annoyed, was about to hang up, leaving a sentence for Ying Quanshen before ending the call.

“Just you wait.”

Ying Quanshen also snorted, “I’ll wait.”

With a bit of competitive spirit, Yu Nian took this temporary job very seriously. In just a few days, he had completely adapted to the work.

Although he had no intention of pursuing an artistic path, he had practiced piano under the guidance of renowned teachers since childhood. Dealing with customers in a small restaurant was more than manageable for him.

Moreover, to his surprise, there weren’t many people actually listening to him play the piano in this family restaurant.

Unexpectedly, there were a lot of young people among the customers, especially in the afternoon, where many young couples came here for dates.

Young men and women, immersed in each other, chatting over coffee, with eyes only for each other, hardly paying attention to whether the pianist was playing Debussy or Liszt.

Nevertheless, Yu Nian didn’t slack off. During breaks, he would slip to the bar counter and accept the glass of lemonade Xiao Gu offered him.

Actually, he could have asked for coffee.

But Qi Wang was the one making coffee. Although his technique was skilled and the coffee tasted good, Yu Nian never once asked for it.

Who would have thought that just last week, he had praised Qi Wang’s face as a masterpiece of heaven?

However, within a couple of days, he had a conflict with Qi Wang.

The masterpiece didn’t matter anymore.

Yu Nian sipped on his lemonade, sitting on a high stool, swinging his legs lightly, and firmly turned his neck to completely avoid seeing Qi Wang.

Xiao Gu, cutting the cake brought over, chuckled as she glanced at him. “Are you still cold-shouldering Qi Wang?”

Yu Nian grumbled, “What do you mean cold-shouldering? You’re making it sound like I’m picking a fight for no reason.”

Xiao Gu thought, but aren’t you?

But she shrugged and put the sliced cake in the freezer, then went back to deliver orders.

She patted Yu Nian’s shoulder, “Alright, stop acting like a child. Just because he scolded you once doesn’t mean it’s intentional. Don’t take it to heart.”

Yu Nian pursed his lips, not responding.

He had a disagreement with Qi Wang, which, in hindsight, was over a trivial matter.

He had always been sociable, able to chat with anyone. Growing up, he had good relationships all the way. If not for the sudden setback in high school, encountering an inexplicable group of people, his track record would have remained consistent.

Upon arriving at this restaurant, naturally, he wanted to get along with everyone.

With a sunny disposition and pleasing piano skills, never late nor absent, able to chat with anyone, and often bringing snacks to share, he quickly became acquainted with almost everyone.

Everyone in the shop was older than him, so they all treated him a bit like a child. Even the most socially anxious Chu Hejun became familiar with him and talked more to him than others, even inviting him to play games.

Yu Nian found himself fitting in easily for a while, going to work every day happily and with more vigor.

But the only person among this group who remained indifferent to him was Qi Wang.

At first, Yu Nian didn’t realize how much of an iceberg Qi Wang was.

Approaching everyone with the intention of fostering good relations, he even deliberately sat next to Qi Wang during lunch, holding his lunchbox.

But Qi Wang didn’t pay him any attention.

When he said a few more words, Qi Wang just gave him a cold glance and walked away with his tray.

The next time Yu Nian tried to approach, Qi Wang straightforwardly said, “I don’t like talking to people.”

Fine.

Yu Nian took the hint and didn’t bother further. Some people were indeed more introverted. Even handsome guys could be aloof, and he understood.

Up to this point, although Yu Nian and Qi Wang weren’t particularly close, they were just ordinary colleagues in Yu Nian’s eyes. At most, Yu Nian felt that Qi Wang wasn’t easy to get along with, but he didn’t have any other opinions.

But a few days ago, Yu Nian had just started working and another conflict arose with Qi Wang.

Besides playing the piano, during breaks, he would help with odd jobs around the shop, like moving things or cutting fruit. It wasn’t even four o’clock yet, and the shop was crowded with customers. Seeing Xiao Gu overwhelmed, Yu Nian helped by making a few yogurt fruit cups.

Meanwhile, Qi Wang was making coffee beside him.

Yu Nian swore he had no intention of prying into Qi Wang’s privacy at that moment. It was completely unintentional.

But some things were just unlucky.

Qi Wang usually wore long sleeves, but when making coffee, his hands moved around, revealing his skin from beneath the sleeves.

Yu Nian just glanced casually and saw a faint black line under Qi Wang’s sleeve.

Winding and twisting, it seemed to have fine tendrils.

Yu Nian was startled, subconsciously thinking that there was a bug crawling on Qi Wang.

It wasn’t late autumn yet, and the weather was still very hot. Although the restaurant had been regularly sprayed for insects, mosquitoes were still present.

He reflexively reached out and grabbed Qi Wang’s hand.

“Don’t move,” he said, then forcefully pulled up Qi Wang’s sleeve. “There’s a bug in your sleeve…”

He hadn’t even finished the last word before he froze.

He pulled a bit too hard, pulling up Qi Wang’s sleeve entirely, exposing half of his arm to the light.

On this half arm, there were numerous mottled scars, presumably from being cut by some sharp blade. The scars were old, lined up one after another, almost countless, stacked together, making this arm look terrifying.

As if to cover up these scars, there was a tattoo on Qi Wang’s left arm, a black heart with a long bloodstain trailing behind it.

What Yu Nian thought was a black bug was just a small corner of the tattoo at the bottom.

Yu Nian was completely stunned.

Such an arm didn’t fit at all with Qi Wang’s clear and handsome face.

He immediately let go.

But it was too late. Xiao Gu, who was cutting fruit next to him, and Chu Hejun, who was taking the cake, both saw it. Xiao Gu even made a soft gasp.

Qi Wang’s face immediately turned ugly.

Yu Nian’s action just now was too sudden, and he didn’t react in time.

The fabric of the sleeve floated down lightly, covering up the scarred arm.

“Seen enough?” Qi Wang looked over coldly, his eyes mocking, the first time real anger appeared in them.

“I… I’m sorry,” Yu Nian became nervous, feeling at a loss for words to apologize, “I didn’t mean to.”

But Qi Wang didn’t want to hear it at all.

He dumped the coffee, which was now wasted, into the nearby sink, splashing hot coffee onto Yu Nian’s arm.

“Once you’ve seen enough, get lost, stop annoying me here,” Qi Wang’s voice was low, suppressing his anger, as if he didn’t want to attract more attention, but it was piercing and filled with undisguised disgust.

After saying that, he didn’t look at Yu Nian again, remade a cup of coffee, and served it to the customers himself.

Yu Nian was left standing aside, feeling extremely embarrassed.

He knew Qi Wang had misunderstood, thinking he had done it intentionally, curiosity getting the best of him.

After all, he had been hovering around Qi Wang for no reason, out of curiosity and a bit of admiration for Qi Wang’s face, asking him where he was from, how old he was, and what he liked.

But Qi Wang hardly answered.

But today he really didn’t mean to.

He really just thought there might be a bug in Qi Wang’s sleeve, his hand acted faster than his brain, forgetting that it wasn’t Chu Hejun or Xiao Gu, or any other familiar colleague, and just reached out.

In the end, it was him being meddlesome, being thoughtless, and getting scolded was deserved.

Yu Nian wanted to explain a few words, but as soon as his gaze met Qi Wang’s disgusted eyes, he shrank back.

In the end, he gritted his teeth, didn’t try to explain to Qi Wang anymore, and took the yogurt fruit cup he made and left.

But the whole afternoon, his mood was very low, and he almost played the piano out of tune.

The way Qi Wang looked at him just now reminded him of those few people who isolated him in high school.

He didn’t know where things went wrong. Obviously, he was quite friendly with those people at first, but one day, for no reason, they started targeting him.

He still remembered standing by the playground, hit squarely in the shoulder by a basketball.

It hurt so much he almost bit his tongue. When he looked up, the one who threw the ball at him, standing high up on the steps, looked at him coldly and disdainfully, as if he were looking at a useless obstacle.

That face, those eyes, for a moment, almost overlapped with Qi Wang just now.

Sitting in front of the piano, his fingers on the keys curled slightly.

That afternoon, he didn’t play Liszt’s “Liebesträume,” but rather Liszt’s “Rage.”

If it weren’t for the protests from the customers who were looking at their partners lovingly, he might have played another section.