Chapter 361: The Prodigal Son Returns
"Something's off with the bar," a bewildered expression appearing on Bai Xue's face and in her eyes.
Just as Yang Haoran was about to answer, a Night Watcher raised his wine glass.
"Everyone, let's raise a toast to the boss!"
Faced with this situation, Yang Haoran had no choice but to swallow the words he was about to say.
Bai Xue didn't press further. Instead, she poured a glass of wine for Yang Haoran, then filled one for herself.
"Let's drink first, we can talk later."
Bai Xue didn't doubt Yang Haoran's words. Since he said there was a problem with the bar, it must be true. However, judging from Yang Haoran's calm demeanor, the issue shouldn't be too significant.
After a round of drinks, Bai Xue felt a stir of curiosity about Yang Haoran's earlier words. Just as she was about to ask, Guan Hai returned.
She had no intention of questioning Yang Haoran in front of Guan Hai, so she held her tongue, leaving the time for Yang Haoran and Guan Hai. She, herself, joined the other Night Watchers in drinking.
In truth, she knew very well that the Night Watchers had no issues with her entirely because of Yang Haoran. Without him, these very Night Watchers drinking with her now might have looked at her with entirely different eyes, perhaps even treating her with extreme prejudice, just like everyone else.
She sighed inwardly, though Bai Xue didn't dwell on it too much. At the very least, these Night Watchers currently held a quite favorable attitude towards her.
As Bai Xue and the Night Watchers drank happily, Guan Hai and Yang Haoran resumed their conversation.
"I've got some good news, want to hear it? " Guan Hai drained a glass of wine, then asked Yang Haoran.
"What good news? " Yang Haoran asked with a smile.
"I'm getting ready to get married," Guan Hai chuckled.
Yang Haoran's expression subtly changed, a hint of surprise in his eyes.
"Getting married? When, and to whom?"
Guan Hai gave a knowing chuckle, winked at Yang Haoran, then glanced towards the bar counter.
"You mean Xia Mo? " Yang Haoran asked, not quite certain.
Guan Hai nodded, saying, "Yes, it's Xia Mo."
Receiving Guan Hai's confirmation, Yang Haoran suddenly recalled something: when he had first entered the bar, he'd noticed that the smile on Xia Mo's face was different from before.
In the past, Xia Mo's smiles were primarily to cater to customers. For the sake of the bar's business, she had no choice but to greet people with a smiling face. At the time, she wasn't happy, a fact Yang Haoran could discern, as he had been in a similar situation himself and thus deeply understood her feelings.
Tonight, however, Xia Mo's smile was incredibly natural, a pure expression of heartfelt joy. At the time, he hadn't thought much of it, assuming she had simply encountered something happy that day, putting her in a good mood.
Now that he knew Xia Mo was going to marry Guan Hai, Yang Haoran finally understood what was truly happening. Xia Mo's happiness wasn't just for tonight; she must have been delighted for some time, which explained the change in her smile.
"I thought you, this prodigal son of love, would wander for a few more years," Yang Haoran said with a smile. "I didn't expect you'd be getting married already; it truly surprises and intrigues me."
Guan Hai smiled and said, "The old me always lived for tomorrow, overlooking today, and even forgetting yesterday. Looking back now, it feels a little ridiculous, a little regrettable, and a little remorseful."
Speaking of which, Guan Hai raised his glass and clinked it with Yang Haoran's. Then, with a look of emotion, he continued, "I once mistakenly took my foolish ignorance as a source of pride, ignoring the wounds of others and caring only for my own fleeting pleasures. Thinking back on it now, sigh. . ."
Guan Hai shook his head with a smile, not continuing his thought. Instead, he poured a glass of wine for Yang Haoran, then another for himself.
"Come on, let's you and I, brothers, have a drink first!"
Guan Hai raised his glass. Yang Haoran didn't refuse. The two clinked glasses and once again drained their cups.
Putting down his glass, Guan Hai continued, "Some regrets, I'll never be able to make up for in this lifetime. Some guilt, I'll never be able to let go of. All I can do now is change myself, cherish everything that should be cherished today, and strive to leave as few regrets as possible in my life."
"So you've decided to marry Xia Mo? " Yang Haoran asked.
"That's right, Xia Mo beat me black and blue and knocked some sense into me. I don't want her to become my next regret," Guan Hai said with a smile.
Yang Haoran nodded. He offered no comments on the matter, but he was undeniably happy that Guan Hai had finally come to his senses.
"Have you set the wedding date? " Yang Haoran asked.
"Yes, we've decided to get married after the New Year," Guan Hai chuckled.
"Why after the New Year? Isn't the New Year period more lively? " Yang Haoran asked, puzzled.
Guan Hai gave a knowing laugh and said, "Ah, you wouldn't understand. It's precisely because the New Year is so lively that Xia Mo and I decided to set the wedding date for after it."
Seeing Yang Haoran still looking puzzled, Guan Hai continued, "You know I don't have much savings, and getting married costs a huge sum. So Xia Mo and I decided not to close the bar during the New Year; we'll take advantage of the festive atmosphere to earn more money. After all, drinks have a large profit margin, and the income during the New Year period can be quite substantial. Then, we'll figure out a way to borrow a bit more, and it should just about be enough for the wedding."
Speaking of which, Guan Hai said, feeling a little embarrassed, "Xia Mo is more frugal than me; she's saved up some money over the years. But now, I don't want to use a single penny from a woman. Besides, this wedding money is something I should be paying. If I were to use Xia Mo's money, it would sour the whole thing. So, when the time comes, I'm afraid I'll have to ask you for a bit of a loan to tide me over."
Seeing Guan Hai's embarrassed expression, Yang Haoran chuckled and patted his shoulder. Without even a moment's thought, he immediately said, "Don't worry, that's absolutely no problem. Just tell me how much you need when the time comes."
Guan Hai knew Yang Haoran wouldn't refuse him, so no surprise showed on his face upon hearing Yang Haoran's assurance, only gratitude.
After several rounds of drinks, the atmosphere at Yang Haoran's table reached its peak. Watching the group guzzling down bottles with such ferocity, Guan Hai couldn't help but reveal a look of admiration.
"Brother Yang, your friends are truly remarkable," Guan Hai said. "Even the girls can drink so much."
Yang Haoran shook his head and explained, "Like me, they aren't ordinary people, so they have ways to expel the alcohol from their bodies. They only seem intoxicated right now because they haven't fully expelled the alcohol; instead, they're maintaining a balance, keeping themselves in this 'buzzed' state at all times, simply enjoying the process."
"No wonder! " Guan Hai said with a smile. "I was wondering how a twenty-year-old girl could hold her liquor so well. I thought she was a seasoned veteran of the drinking scene."
Yang Haoran smiled, then looked towards another table and asked, "Are those people at that table your friends?"
Following Yang Haoran's gaze, he saw a table of men and women drinking merrily, completely oblivious to their scrutiny.
At this table, the men varied in age, some older, some younger. The older ones were in their dozens, while the younger ones looked to be only around ten.
As for the girls, they were all quite young, the oldest no more than twenty. Though young, they exuded a distinctly worldly, even street-smart, air.
At this moment, Yang Haoran's gaze locked onto a portly middle-aged man. This man was the oldest among them, and judging by how the others treated him, he seemed to be their "Big Brother" figure.
"Ah, them," Guan Hai said. "If you say they aren't friends, they sort of are. But if you say they are, it feels a bit much."
Guan Hai's words were vague, but Yang Haoran understood what he meant.
"Why are you suddenly asking about them? What, do you have some grievance with them? " Guan Hai asked.
Yang Haoran shook his head, responding with a smile, "No grievance. It's just that there's something interesting on him."
As he spoke, Yang Haoran pointed to the portly middle-aged man.
"See the pendant hanging around his neck? " Yang Haoran asked.
At this table, all the men were shirtless, revealing full-body tattoos. In this weather, very few people would drink shirtless, but it wasn't unheard of.
It was precisely because all the men were shirtless that the pendant on the portly man's chest was so noticeable.
"What's wrong with the pendant? " Guan Hai asked, looking puzzled.
"There's something inside his pendant," Yang Haoran said with a smile.
Hearing this, Guan Hai froze for a moment. Then, as if something suddenly occurred to him, his expression immediately changed.
He recalled the scenes from the Wu Family Villa back then, and with a hint of fear in his voice, he whispered, "Brother Yang, do you mean. . . there's a ghost in that pendant?"
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