I gathered my emotions, went downstairs and met with Zhao Li. He handed me the car keys and said, “It’s already filled up with gas, you can take it.”

I took the car keys from Zhao Li and laughed, “Then I won’t be polite, I’ll treat you to a meal another day.”

“You have to specify what kind of meal first, don’t be like before, saying you’re treating me to a meal, but then just buying two lamb skewers from a street vendor and sending me off!”

I patted Zhao Li’s shoulder and laughed, “If you think two skewers are too few, I’ll buy you four next time.”

“What a rip-off!”

“I’m just joking. I’ve been busy helping a friend manage a bar recently. When the bar reopens, I’ll invite you over.”

“That’s more like it! …It’s getting late, I have to go home and cook, I’ll be leaving first.”

Before he left, I asked him, “Did you marry Pan Xiaoyun?”

“We did, we got married last month.”

“Zhao Li, you’re really something, marrying Pan Xiaoyun without a word, and not even inviting me to the wedding!”

“I was planning to invite you, but Circle said it wasn’t necessary, he said you were afraid to return to Suzhou.”

Zhao Li’s words reminded me of myself a month ago. At that time, I was immersed in my love for Li Xiaoyun, and I was repulsed by my unbearable past in Suzhou. However, if Zhao Li had invited me, I would have overcome my repulsion to attend the wedding. After all, it was Zhao Li’s first marriage, which was of great significance!

…

After Zhao Li left, I drove the Alto Little Prince he left behind to the bar. The bar was already open for business, but apart from the staff, it was still deserted. This desolation made me realize how arduous the process of renovating the bar was.

I chose a secluded corner to sit down and took out my laptop from my bag, preparing to write a temporary closure notice. I planned to upgrade the bar’s decor within three days.

As it was Saturday, a few people trickled into the bar. After a while, CC and Robben also arrived, and I finally had time to go out and grab something to eat.

Walking on the streets where all the street lights were already lit, I felt a bit lost, feeling like my unaccomplished self was being excluded from this vast city, and I had never felt as inferior as I did now.

I ordered a plate of fried noodles and a bowl of porridge from a roadside snack stall for dinner. I ate without tasting anything, and the luxury cars that occasionally drove by on the street, pressing the unmelted snow with a “creaking” sound, seemed to be grinding my heart like noise. In the pain, I couldn’t help but question, why does this world have to artificially divide people into different classes?

Aren’t all people just a body and a soul? Who dares to be more noble than others? Who should be more noble than others?

…

After finishing this simple dinner, I returned to the bar, only to find Jian Wei’s red CTS parked at the entrance of the bar. I entered the bar in surprise and indeed found Jian Wei and Yan Yan sitting in a corner. The two of them were not chatting, just drinking and listening to CC singing on stage.

Yan Yan saw me first and waved at me, “Zhao Yang, come sit here.”

I nodded and came over to them, instinctively wanting to sit next to Jian Wei. After hesitating for a moment, I sat down next to Yan Yan and asked, “What brings you here?”

Yan Yan said, “I asked Jian Wei to come with me to see how you’re doing, to care about your business and life.”

“Thank you, thank you for caring about me.”

Yan Yan glared at me and said, “Zhao Yang, speak properly, don’t be insincere.”

Jian Wei also chimed in with displeasure, “What, you’re not welcoming me to your bar?”

“Of course, you’re welcome. Once you’re here, you’re a customer…” I very consciously positioned Jian Wei as a customer.

Jian Wei nodded, seemingly very agreeable to the customer identity I gave her, and took a sip of the drink in front of her.

However, Yan Yan seemed to deliberately say to me and Jian Wei, “You two chat, I’m going to the restroom.” Then she left her seat.

Jian Wei and I sat facing each other. To avoid awkwardness, I racked my brains to find a topic, but there was no topic between us that we could chat about, so we repeated the silence in unease.

Finally, it was Jian Wei who spoke first. She looked around the bar and asked me, “Have you paid off your friend’s debts?”

“Yes, I have. Thank you.” I said politely.

Jian Wei ignored my thanks and asked, “Who lent you the other 500,000?”

“Another friend.” I answered perfunctorily.

“Which friend?”

I replied discontentedly, “A friend is a friend, do I have to tell you their full name?”Facing my dissatisfaction, Jian Wei showed no emotional change. She maintained her calm and said, “It’s your ex-girlfriend, isn’t it?”

Upon hearing the term ‘ex-girlfriend’, I subconsciously thought Jian Wei was referring to herself. I stared at her, thinking she was confused, only to realize a moment later that she was talking about Mi Cai. Until now, she only knew that I broke up with Mi Cai when I left Suzhou, but she didn’t know that Mi Cai and I had never actually started.

Since Jian Wei had guessed it, I didn’t hide it and nodded, “Yes, the remaining 500,000 was handled by her.”

After getting the answer, Jian Wei stopped talking and listened to CC singing on the stage with some fascination.

At this time, Yan Yan also came back. She sat down next to me, looked at me, then at Jian Wei, and said, “You two just sit here like fools, not talking?”

“We’ve finished talking, you didn’t hear it.” I replied.

“Oh… It’s a bit boring! Zhao Yang, why don’t you go up and sing a song? It’s been a long time since I heard you sing.” Yan Yan nudged me and said.

“I don’t feel like singing today.”

Jian Wei said to me indifferently, “Are you being a diva?”

Yan Yan chimed in, “Zhao Yang, it’s true that women have a few days a month when they don’t want to do anything, but do men have them too? That’s new!”

I didn’t feel like joking with Yan Yan, so I played the silent card and didn’t mention going up to sing.

Jian Wei glanced at me and said discontentedly, “If you won’t sing, I will.” With that, she got up and walked towards the stage.

After she exchanged a few words with CC, CC handed her the microphone and then went to help her adjust the singing equipment.

Finally, when Jian Wei left, I lit a cigarette for myself, because she doesn’t like me smoking in front of her now.

Jian Wei requested a song, the Wang Fei version of “Thousand Words”, and as soon as she started singing, applause erupted from the audience. I even heard someone say, “This bar is awesome, all the beautiful women come here to sing. I’ll definitely come more often.”

I felt helpless about this. Both Jian Wei and Mi Cai were just here for fun. If they were really the resident singers of this bar, I wouldn’t have to worry so much about promoting the bar, because the effect of beautiful women is the easiest to spread and create a sensation.

Before Jian Wei finished her song, there was a sudden commotion in the crowd. I looked towards the entrance of the bar, and it was Mi Cai.

At noon, she told me she would come or not depending on her mood. It seemed that she was in a good mood today, or perhaps it was because it was the weekend. Anyway, she came, and thus had an unexpected encounter with Jian Wei, who was singing on stage!