Chapter Eight: She Came for the Wine

I mumbled a hesitant "Sister," and Zhao Ke Wen didn't make things difficult for me—she agreed with a smile.

"Good little brother, I still don't know your name," Zhao Ke Wen said, glancing at the waitress who was bringing over the dishes as she spoke.

"My name is Yang Chen." Though I'd somehow ended up calling her my sister, the way she kept calling me "little brother" still felt strange.

"Oh, what's your phone number? I'll write it down," she said, taking out her phone.

I recited my number while opening the cutlery.

A moment later, my phone rang—it was Zhao Ke Wen calling. I pulled out my phone, added "Sister Ke Wen" as a contact note, and put it down.

And so, our relationship began to grow familiar. She asked if I had a girlfriend; I smiled and shook my head. I asked what her boyfriend did for work, and she claimed he worked as a laborer at a construction site. Naturally, I didn't believe her—based on her beauty alone, she must have all kinds of suitors from every social class.

I complained that she wasn't being honest with her little brother, and she gave me a mysterious look, promising to introduce me to her boyfriend in a few days so I could meet him.

"You're so young, why not find a stable job instead of working as a resident singer at a bar?" As we chatted, Zhao Ke Wen suddenly looked puzzled.

"I couldn't find a job, so I could only rely on what I know," I sighed. It was true—in such a fiercely competitive society, with countless graduates from prestigious universities and all sorts of majors, I had no advantage at all. Thinking about this, I remembered my parents at home. I'd been wandering for a year, and except for the occasional phone call, I hadn't been back in nearly twelve months.

Zhao Ke Wen seemed to notice my gloom and didn't press further about work.

Throughout the meal, I ended up finishing almost all the meat dishes, while Zhao Ke Wen only moved her chopsticks symbolically and barely ate.

When I was about to pay, Zhao Ke Wen stepped ahead of me, looking serious. "These simple dishes aren't worth much, so don't fight with your sister over the bill," she said, taking out her wallet and paying.

I happened to glance into her wallet—my god, there must have been at least twenty crimson banknotes. It made a humble guy like me feel utterly outclassed.

"This meal doesn't count. When you have time, your sister will treat you properly," Zhao Ke Wen said, still serious.

"Alright, thank you, Sister." Her words made me a little embarrassed, but I honestly didn't have the means to treat her to a meal right now. I resolved quietly that once I'd saved up a thousand or so, I'd invite her and her boyfriend to a proper dinner.

After the meal, when I returned to my room, it was already nearly five o'clock. I quickly set an alarm and collapsed onto the bed, still dressed.

When I opened my eyes again, it was slightly before the alarm was set to go off. I hurried to the bathroom to wash my face, combed my messy hair until I was satisfied, locked the door, and left.

It was almost eight when I arrived at the bar and asked An Ye about the night's theme and song choices. She told me it would be "Freedom" by Chang Chen Yue and "Boundless Ocean" by Shin Band. These songs posed no real challenge for me; singing at a bar is different from singing on stage—what matters is the atmosphere. Whether you sing well depends on whether you connect with the audience. Even if you're not great at high notes, as long as you convey the emotion, you can still earn lasting applause and whistles.

I've always had an innate yearning for freedom, longing to walk through the world without worries or sorrow—even though that's impossible.

"How did you rest today?" Sister Shi Yu walked up to our band, smiling.

I shook my head, indicating it wasn't ideal.

"What's wrong? Did something happen?"

I looked at her concerned face and shook my head again, instinctively unwilling to mention the events of the day for reasons I couldn't explain.

Shi Yu glanced at me but didn't press further, only telling me not to overthink and to go on stage as usual.

I knew she meant I shouldn't brood over yesterday's events, so I nodded in agreement.

Everything went smoothly afterwards. The bar officially opened, the band took to the stage to tune their instruments, and I stood at the center, ready to sing.

Fenghua Bar wasn't a particularly upscale place, but its ever-changing themes and lively interactive games gave this otherwise ordinary spot a foothold among its peers.

Before the show started, I stood on stage, looking down at the scattered customers chatting or drinking. By chance, I spotted in a corner the beautiful girl in a black, thin trench coat—Luo Qing.

Tonight, she wasn't wearing her signature oversized sunglasses, and I still found it odd that she wore them out at night. At this moment, her cold and mysterious aura was replaced by a vibrant allure. As I looked at her, her gorgeous eyes were also fixed on me from the stage.

For some reason, my heartbeat quickened as our gazes met. To steady myself, I quickly turned my head away and looked elsewhere.

Finally, the familiar drums began to shake the air, and the music surged from all directions.

I followed the rhythm and started singing, imagining the freedom I yearned for: a blue sky, a person, a guitar, a long road to wander—nothing could be better.

As I neared the end, I instinctively glanced at Luo Qing's spot. She was sitting alone, head down, gulping red wine as if nothing around her mattered. She was here just to drink, nothing more.

Seeing her like that, I felt a pang of sadness. Maybe she really was a girl with a story. Was I pitying her?

With complicated emotions, I finished the two opening theme songs.

I turned and greeted An Ye, then, almost involuntarily, walked toward Luo Qing's table.

Sitting across from her, I got a close look at this strange-tempered girl—she was stunning! That was my first thought. I'd known she must be beautiful, even when she wore sunglasses, but I hadn't expected her beauty to be so striking. Even the campus belle from our music academy couldn't compare.

At this moment, Luo Qing seemed lost in a drunken haze, her head swaying, her slender body looking as if she might collapse at any moment. I glanced at the nearly empty bottle of strong red wine on her table and got a clearer impression—she had the looks of a beauty and the heart of a tough guy.

"What's wrong? Are you feeling down?" I asked.

Luo Qing heard my voice and finally raised her head to look at me, her drunken, unfocused eyes staring straight into mine.

Just as her gaze made my skin crawl with goosebumps, she finally spoke, slurring, "Now that you're here, keep me company for a few drinks..."