Study System: I'm a 38-Year-Old Student-Chapter 362 - 243: Not Yet...

At the first few reunions, classmates would usually attend with great enthusiasm, but as time went on, fewer and fewer people showed up.

Gradually, these reunions faded away, which is an inevitable pattern—because as we get older, most of our social circles start to shrink.

Right now, Shen Yanran probably hasn’t realized yet that those high school classmates she thought she’d always be close to—years later, she might not even remember some of their names.

But at her age, she still really values these friendships.

They entered the tavern.

Shen Yanran led the two of them behind the bar counter.

At that moment, Xu Pipa was busy mixing drinks. She knew Luo Yao, of course, but she was also aware that because of Shen Yixiao, Shen Yanran and Luo Yao didn’t keep in touch anymore.

So when she saw Luo Yao now, she was surprised but still greeted her politely.

"Pipa, you know how to mix drinks?"

Luo Yao looked genuinely shocked.

In her mind, Xu Pipa was a quiet, introverted girl who kept to herself.

She never would’ve connected the idea of bartending with Xu Pipa.

"Only the simple ones."

Xu Pipa replied modestly.

"Pipa, do you still remember me?"

Liu Meiyu definitely knew about Xu Pipa, the school’s top student, but the two of them hadn’t really interacted back in high school.

"Yeah, you’re Liu Meiyu."

As one of the school’s core performers, Liu Meiyu regularly appeared at all sorts of events, so Xu Pipa remembered her too.

"Haha, looks like all those activities I joined back in high school weren’t for nothing."

Liu Meiyu laughed.

Xu Pipa nodded a little and got back to what she was working on.

"Yanran, I saw a sign at the tavern entrance recruiting resident singers. What do you think? Should I try?"

Liu Meiyu turned to Shen Yanran again.

Now that winter break was coming, a lot of the Pop Music Club members were heading home.

So during the daytime slots, there weren’t many singers around. That’s why Hu Tingting wrote a job ad for resident singers on the bar’s chalkboard out front.

"You want to work part-time?"

Shen Yanran looked at Liu Meiyu in surprise.

"Did you forget? I study at Sanjiang Music College!"

"I’m half a professional singer, you know!"

Actually, Liu Meiyu hadn’t thought about working part-time before she got here.

But after seeing the job posting at the Red Rose Tavern’s door, she started considering it.

First, it’d be a way to gain performance experience and keep polishing her singing skills.

Second, the Red Rose Tavern was super popular. She could ride that buzz and get some exposure.

And most importantly: taking the job might give her a chance to interact with Shen Qiushan.

To most people, Shen Qiushan had the label "famous novelist."

But for people in music circles, Shen Qiushan was a well-known musician.

Although he’d only written three songs so far, all three were major hits.

And each song had its own unique style—calling him a musical genius wouldn’t be an exaggeration!

For a music student like Liu Meiyu, the ultimate goal, of course, was to become a well-known singer.

And what’s the best way to do that? Get your hands on a signature song.

But getting that kind of song is all about luck. If you’re lucky enough to get a song from Shen Qiushan, that’d be perfect.

"You should give it a try later!"

Shen Yanran pointed to the stage. It wasn’t the evening crowd yet—right now, Cheng Yuanyuan and Yao Shutong from the Pop Music Club were performing.

Both were core members, blessed with great looks and singing skill, and after all this time performing at the Red Rose Tavern, they’d become solid and mature onstage.

At the moment, they were doing a duet of a classic old song, and the tavern’s atmosphere was amazing.

"Sure!"

Liu Meiyu had been performing since she was a kid, so nerves were never a problem for her. She agreed without hesitation.

"I’ll tell Aunt Tingting."

Shen Yanran picked up the radio from under the bar and explained things to Hu Tingting, who was busy in the tavern.

"Alrighty!"

Liu Meiyu replied with a cheerful grin—she hadn’t expected to get a happy surprise out of tonight’s visit.

So when the next performance slot started, Liu Meiyu really did take the stage.

Music college student, half a professional singer—Liu Meiyu’s performance was excellent, every bit as good as Cheng Yuanyuan’s and Yao Shutong’s before her.

"Meiyu sings so well!"

Luo Yao commented, trying to find something to say.

Shen Yanran stayed quiet—even now, she still felt a bit awkward around someone who used to be her close friend.

"Yanran, I really know I was wrong."

"Can we still be friends?"

Hidden under the cover of music, Luo Yao turned to Shen Yanran.

"Honestly, with the whole situation between you and Shen Yixiao, as his sister, I can’t really take your side."

Shen Yanran shook her head first. "But I don’t want us to be total strangers, either."

"Let’s just stay classmates."

"That kind of relationship is probably better."

The truth was, Shen Yanran really didn’t know how to handle all this.

Her thinking was, they’d definitely run into each other again in the future, so at least they could treat each other decently—no need to let things get too tense.

"Okay."

Luo Yao nodded. She knew it was impossible to just fix things with Shen Yanran all at once—it would take time.

Still, this was a good start.

So after hearing what Shen Yanran said, Luo Yao was actually in pretty good spirits.

"I heard Shen Yixiao is seeing someone new?"

Luo Yao asked again.

"Yeah, he is."

Shen Yanran didn’t hide it. When Shen Yixiao and Lin Yufei made things official, Shen Yixiao had posted about it on his feed.

All his high school classmates knew—it wouldn’t have escaped Luo Yao’s ear.

"How are they?"

"Are they happy?"

Luo Yao pressed further.

"They seem happy!"

Shen Yanran nodded. "As soon as break started, Shen Yixiao went to meet her parents."

"Luo Yao, I think since you and Shen Yixiao broke up, it’s better not to tangle things up anymore."

"After all, you both have your own lives now."

"Yeah, I know."

Luo Yao’s face fell, but she added, "Still, I have to say—I really regret breaking up with Shen Yixiao."

"It might be the stupidest thing I’ve ever done in my life."

"Sigh..."

Luo Yao let out a long sigh, as if she wanted to say something more.

But Shen Yanran just waved her hand. "Let what’s in the past stay in the past."

As the two were talking, Xiao Sinian came over to the bar with a tray. "Pipa, two Blue Impressions."

Because he worked all the time, Xiao Sinian had adapted quickly to the tavern’s rhythm—he was now a very capable waiter.

And as soon as she saw Xiao Sinian, Shen Yanran’s eyes lit up. "Senior Xiao, how’s it going?"

"Are you settling in alright?"

Shen Yanran started to chat with him.

"Yeah, I’m adapting—it’s way easier than I expected."

Xiao Sinian may have looked like a cold, distant guy, but that wasn’t true at all.

His situation was a lot like Xu Pipa’s: a tough family background had made him "introverted."

But once you got to know him, Xiao Sinian was actually quite talkative—and at this point, he still didn’t know about Shen Yanran’s feelings. He did kind of like her, though—after all, she was a pretty junior who just happened to be the owner’s daughter.

"Glad to hear it!"

Shen Yanran smiled and nodded, then whispered, "Senior Xiao, you’re allowed to slack off a little, you know."

"Uh..."

Xiao Sinian looked at Shen Yanran in surprise, thinking, Isn’t this your family’s business?

Shen Yanran giggled, "Just kidding!"

"You almost had me taking it seriously."

Xiao Sinian shrugged, and that’s when Xu Pipa put the two finished drinks on his tray.

"I’d better get back to it."

He nodded at Shen Yanran, then headed off to deliver the drinks.

"Yanran, that guy wouldn’t be your boyfriend, would he?"

Luo Yao, sharp as ever, had picked up on the way Shen Yanran acted around him.

"Not yet..."

Shen Yanran blurted out.