Under the serene night, the dim light from the lamp post beside the gravel path cast a soft glow into the old-fashioned pavilion. Gao Chen couldn’t clearly see Mo Ming’s face; the dim yellow light only revealed his thin, delicate silhouette, blending into the cold and quiet night.
After a long pause, Gao Chen finally heard Mo Ming speak.
“Almost, but not quite…”
His voice was so soft, it seemed more like a murmur to the night wind, yet Gao Chen was startled.
So, his guess had been correct.
That summer night, the boy who had drunk too much and was being carried out of the hot pot restaurant on Zhou Xu’s back—his face flushed and murmuring “Zhou Ge” into Zhou Xu’s ear—had been Mo Ming. At the time, Gao Chen had just finished dining with friends at the restaurant next door. Seeing Zhou Xu carrying the boy out, Gao Chen had learned that this was a student Zhou Xu was sponsoring, who had just been accepted into C University in Chuanhai. Zhou Xu had said the boy had over-celebrated and drunk too much, prompting Zhou Xu to come and pick him up out of concern.
It was just a sponsored student, so why did Zhou Xu take such care? Gao Chen had understood but hadn’t pried further, as he wasn’t one to be interested in the private lives and gossip of those around him.
But he hadn’t expected that after Zhou Xu’s passing, he would encounter that boy again…
“Aren’t you supposed to let me listen to your new song?”
Mo Ming’s sudden words broke the somber mood, his earlier sadness seemingly dissipated. He turned to Gao Chen and smiled lightly. “You can start now. As agreed, whether it’s good or not, I’ll only speak for myself.”
“Alright.” Gao Chen nodded.
He didn’t press further about Mo Ming’s past with Zhou Xu, as it was clearly a chapter closed with regret—something personal to Mo Ming.
In the gentle night breeze, Gao Chen began to strum his guitar and sing softly. Over the past three years, both his music and his life had lost their shine. He had even considered giving up music to go into business… The love he had once fought so hard to keep had not only slipped away but had also drained much of his passion for life in the process.
But at least his love for music remained as steadfast as ever.
Just one person and one guitar—perhaps that was all he needed for the rest of his life.
The song was a simple, refreshing tune about life’s small joys discovered in the gaps of darker times. There was no flashy technique, just straightforward lyrics and a lighthearted rhythm.
When he finished, Gao Chen looked up at Mo Ming. “So, what do you think?”
Instead of giving an evaluation, Mo Ming asked curiously, “What’s the title?”
“I haven’t thought of one yet.”
Mo Ming nodded. “I can’t give a professional critique, but I will say this: It’s the kind of song I could see myself listening to on repeat.”
The streetlight’s glow reflected in Gao Chen’s amber eyes. “You’re serious?”
Mo Ming turned his gaze to Gao Chen.
Gao Chen’s brows furrowed, but his eyes sparkled with a mix of apprehension and joy.
“How did you come up with this song?” Mo Ming asked.
“After we parted ways at the Da Shang Theater, I went on a solo trip. I wrote it during that journey.” Gao Chen explained. “I used to travel often for inspiration, but carrying around a heavy heart made it hard to truly enjoy anything. This time, though, I felt like I was starting over…”
Pausing, Gao Chen then asked, “But… really, is it good?”
Mo Ming stood up and began walking out of the pavilion. Turning back, he motioned for Gao Chen to follow. “Put your mask on properly and come with me.”
Gao Chen quickly packed his guitar into its case, adjusted his mask, and slung the guitar over his shoulder before hurrying after Mo Ming.
“Where are we going?” Gao Chen asked.
“Just follow me.”
As they walked away, the bushes beside the pavilion rustled as a camera lens was retracted. The two men with cameras excitedly high-fived as they reviewed the photos.
“It was worth staking out Gao Chen for so long. We finally caught a big scoop. Hey, did you get clear shots?”
“Yeah, I had night mode on. Their faces are crystal clear.”
“Good… I can’t believe we managed to capture these two on a secret rendezvous. One is Wen Ci’s ex-husband, and the other is Han Shao Zhou’s ex. Damn, this is some juicy drama. This scoop alone will cover our KPIs for the whole year.”
“And Gao Chen was even serenading Mo Ming. If that’s not true love, I don’t know what is. He only ever did that for Wen Ci before, right?”
“Stop daydreaming. Let’s keep following them. If we can catch them kissing, we’re golden.”
In the brightly lit plaza with its colorful fountains, people bustled around…
Gao Chen silently followed Mo Ming, his brow slightly furrowed.
When they reached a flower bed, Mo Ming turned to Gao Chen and said, “Sing your new song here, to the passersby.”
Gao Chen was taken aback. “Here?”
“Yes, these people are also the listeners you want, aren’t they?” Mo Ming didn’t offer further explanation, his gaze calm as he looked at Gao Chen. If Gao Chen was unwilling, Mo Ming wouldn’t press the matter.
Meeting Mo Ming’s clear and transparent gaze, Gao Chen felt his hesitation give way to a sense of clarity and calm. Finally, he smiled lightly and said, “Thank you, Mo Ming.”
The last two words were spoken softly, with genuine sincerity.
Gao Chen took out his guitar, attached a black strap, and slung it over his shoulder. He adjusted his mask and pulled the brim of his bucket hat lower.
Mo Ming watched as Gao Chen strummed his guitar, unable to resist reaching out to gently touch the strings.
Gao Chen was adjusting his hat when he noticed Mo Ming’s hand lightly resting on the guitar, the fingers long and pale, the joints delicate… the touch seemed almost reverent.
Gao Chen looked away, his gaze settling on the ground.
He knew why Mo Ming was so attached to this guitar—it had belonged to Zhou Xu.
Mo Ming quickly withdrew his hand, smiled warmly at Gao Chen, and said, “Start whenever you’re ready.”
In the night breeze, Gao Chen began to play and sing. He followed Mo Ming’s suggestion, first performing “On the Road.” As the crowd gathered around them, he transitioned into his new song.
The crowd grew larger…
“Wow, this is so good! What’s this song called? Why haven’t I heard it before?”
“It’s amazing! Does anyone know the name of the song?”
“His voice is incredible—so magnetic and clean. He must be really handsome too. Ah, can he take off his mask and hat? I want to see his face.”
“Who is this guy? I’ve never seen him perform in this square before. With a voice like that, he should be a star.”
“This video is going to blow up online!”
As Gao Chen played and sang, he looked up at the semi-circular crowd gathered around him, his gaze briefly resting on Mo Ming before he returned his focus to the guitar.
Mo Ming’s phone buzzed in his pocket. Taking it out, he saw that it was a call from Han Shao Zhou.
He squeezed through the crowd to answer the call.
Han Shao Zhou had just returned to his apartment after a day of meetings and dinner and was asking why Mo Ming hadn’t come home yet. Mo Ming honestly replied that he was taking a walk in the park behind their apartment complex.
“If you’re back, Shao Ge, I’ll head home now.” Mo Ming said.
“Never mind, I’ll come to you.” Han Shao Zhou said. “I’ve been in meetings all day and just finished dinner, so I could use a walk.”
“Alright.”
After hanging up, Mo Ming looked back at the crowd and smiled slightly before walking away.
He and Han Shao Zhou had agreed to meet on a road outside the park.
Mo Ming squatted by the roadside, resting his chin on his arms, and idly poked at the gravel with a stick.
Suddenly, a pair of feet appeared in his view, and a shadow fell over him.
“Waiting for someone?”
A sticky laugh came from above. Mo Ming looked up to see a man in his forties standing in front of him, his face plastered with a smile so friendly it seemed utterly fake.
The man’s eyes lit up with glee as he took in Mo Ming’s young, pretty face. He said softly, “Isn’t it cold squatting here, kid? There’s a little restaurant up ahead. Let Uncle buy you something to eat, okay?”
Mo Ming tilted his head slightly.
The man, smiling even more broadly, added, “How about you have dinner with Uncle? I’ll give you two thousand yuan.”
Mo Ming looked at him and asked, “Are you trying to have sex with me?”
The man was taken aback, not expecting such bluntness from this young man. He quickly realized this was just a cheap, easy streetwalker and dropped any pretense, laughing as he said, “You’re really tempting, kid. Spend the night with Uncle, and I’ll give you five thousand—no, eight thousand.”
Mo Ming shook his head, replying seriously, “No, you’re too ugly.”
The man’s face darkened. “You ungrateful little… You’re nothing but a streetwalker, and you dare to call me ugly? Eight thousand is more than generous!”
Mo Ming frowned tightly. “But you really are ugly.”
Thinking the young man was just a streetwalker, the man dropped his gentlemanly act. He grabbed Mo Ming’s arm and yanked him up from the ground, ready to unleash a torrent of curses—only to be met with a powerful kick to his back!
The force of the kick was so strong that it sent the man flying past Mo Ming, landing headfirst in the bushes.
Han Shao Zhou, one hand in his pocket, slowly lowered his leg. His expression was cold as he looked at the man’s legs thrashing in the bushes. “Eight thousand?” Han Shao Zhou said coldly. “You think you can touch someone I spend eighty million on with just eight thousand? You must really be itching for a beating.”
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