“Why do you need his WeChat?”
“I think I should formally apologize to him about today.”
“I’ll go to the office and apologize myself on Monday, no need for you to do it personally.”
“I have something else I want to discuss with him.”
“? Where are you going with this??? No, I’m not interested in him!! It’s common for him to treat!! He’s not interested in me either!! I’m not a middle schooler anymore!! Can you stop misunderstanding? It’s embarrassing!!”
The volume of her roar was conveyed by the exclamation marks almost breaking through the screen, causing Liang Su to rub his temples, feeling a headache coming on.
Liang Hui’s accusations were not without basis, but that was a long time ago.
Back then, Liang Su was just a high school student, prone to impulsiveness, which led him to confront a boy from Liang Hui’s neighboring class in middle school just to “talk.” That was all, just a talk, just a few questions.
Later on, it turned out his concerns were not unfounded. While studying abroad, Liang Hui had a memorable and intense international romance with that boy, which ended, of course, heartbreakingly and without illness.
As he matured over the years, Liang Su’s protective instincts had waned, at least he believed so. And in matters of the heart, he didn’t see himself as qualified to be a mentor.
“I’ve got an ad campaign coming up and wanted to get some insights.”
“Man, even during the holiday you’re still thinking about work.”
“Do you even know what your magazine charges for ads?”
Ding—
A message recommending a contact card popped up.
“I don’t know why you’re talking to him, but if this deal happens, remember the commission is on me.”
Liang Su smiled and sent a small red packet.
“Goodnight, the best big brother in the world.”
Holding his phone, Liang Su paced in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, then sent a friend request. He looked out at the city night lights, his mood fluctuating with the flickering lights.
Soon, the friend request was accepted, and before Liang Su could think of a conversation starter, a message came from the other side, short and to the point.
“Coming over?”
Followed by the location of a certain bar.
Normally, one would start with a bit of small talk, but clearly, Liang Su wasn’t in a normal state of mind.
After parking and turning off the engine, Liang Su realized he had rushed over without any plan. What to do upon arriving, what to say—all unplanned.
He unfastened his seatbelt, hesitated for a moment in his seat, then opened the message.
“Where are you?”
“Don’t you have GPS on your phone?”
His earlier guess about arrogance seemed somewhat justified.
“Specific location.”
“Already here? Didn’t see you.”
“Still parking.”
“Just come in, I’ll recognize you.”
Liang Su got out of the car, checked around it once, and headed towards the brightly lit sign.
“Need me to come out and get you?”
Liang Su smiled subtly and turned off his phone screen.
Reaching the entrance, he realized it was a quiet bar with no live singers—a detail that would have saved him several minutes of hesitation if he had known sooner.
As he entered, a long arm waved at him. Liang Su followed it to a booth with seven people, seemingly with no space for him.
Ai Siyuan nudged the person next to him and said, “Make some room, make some room.”
The lively group instantly turned their eyes on the new face. It was unclear what they had been discussing, but the teasing shifted to Liang Su.
“Hey, who’s this new face?”
“Don’t worry about it, he’s not yours.”
“He’s not yours either. A handsome guy like that should be considered a public benefit.”
Squeezing to the space made by Ai Siyuan, Liang Su estimated his calves had been rubbed eight times and his butt had been covertly grabbed twice.
Such enthusiasm.
Even the usually stern Ai Siyuan was now smiling at him.
“Not easy, huh?”
“What do you mean?”
Ai Siyuan barely holding back a laugh, took out his phone and scanned a QR code on the table: “What would you like to drink?”
“Are you treating?”
“Not this time. But I can swipe away your tab.”
Liang Su scrolled directly to the soft drinks and randomly picked one. Ai Siyuan took back his phone and asked, “Want anything to eat?”
Liang Su shook his head.
“Wise choice,” Ai Siyuan commented. “You can tell from the heaps of platters on the table how terrible the food here is.”
For most of the evening, Ai Siyuan and Liang Su played the role of listeners.
The center of conversation was undoubtedly the two individuals who, whether in their dress or manner of speaking, brought a theatrical flair, clearly not straight in their mannerisms.
Their stories—sensational, vulgar, or so exaggerated that even ghosts wouldn’t believe—were appropriate for killing time. Liang Su found himself drawn in several times, nearly raising his hand to ask questions but managed to hold back.
Around two o’clock, the bar closed, and the group stumbled out, slightly tipsy, pairing off to catch cabs.
Someone shouted, “Ai Siyuan, coming with us?”
Another chimed in, “Are you blind? Can’t you see he’s got a ride?”
Ai Siyuan just smiled and waved goodbye.
Sitting in the passenger seat, Ai Siyuan gave his residential address, half-closing his eyes and yawning.
Liang Su set the navigation and played some soft music. After driving for a bit, he spoke, “Actually, our company has an ad campaign we want to run, and I was wondering about your magazine…”
Ai Siyuan chuckled, “I’m not petty enough to give your sister trouble at work over a few bad words she said about me in private.”
“Oh, that’s good.”
After an awkward silence.
Ai Siyuan tapped on the car window and asked, “Seriously though, are you not trying to hit on me but actually asking for your sister?”
“Um… not entirely,” Liang Su struggled to respond, “You’re not quite as my sister described.”
“Because I’m schizophrenic,” Ai Siyuan joked. “One personality for work, another after hours. I clock in and out precisely on workdays,” he explained, “And, by the way, you better not tell your sister about this side of me.”
“Sure,” Liang Su agreed. “I won’t say anything.”
Definitive and natural. Ai Siyuan keenly asked, “She doesn’t know?”
“No, she doesn’t.” Liang Su thought about all the gifts he had helped pick out, supposedly for a “girlfriend.”
Ai Siyuan took a deep breath, “Now we both have dirt on each other. Keeping secrets shouldn’t be hard.”
When the car stopped in front of the residential complex, Ai Siyuan showed no signs of extending an invitation.
He unbuckled his seatbelt, looking like he was about to get out, which was the only action left to take. One leg already outside, he suddenly turned back, scrutinizing Liang Su, “Can I ask how much older you are than your sister?”
Liang Su, puzzled, still answered truthfully, “Five years by nominal age.”
“Oh,” Ai Siyuan nodded, remembering Liang Hui was twenty-three or twenty-four, then asked, “Are your glasses from Lotos?”
Liang Su, confused, pinched his glasses frame, nodding. A pair of glasses that could be exchanged for a small car, but necessary for his severe myopia.
Ai Siyuan frowned slightly, giving a reserved smile, “Consider changing them, you look at least thirty-five with those.”
After Ai Siyuan left, Liang Su’s car remained parked for a long time. All the car lights were on; Liang Su adjusted the rearview mirror, turned on his phone’s front camera, and finally took off his glasses to inspect them closely.
Very puzzled.
He opened Liang Hui’s chat.
“Does my glasses look old-fashioned?”
“Who told you that, my dear big brother, oh my God, I can’t believe something like that happened.”
“So, you think so too?”
“Do you remember the last time at home, after dad came out of the shower, he mistook your spare glasses for his reading glasses?”
