Bar

Near the Central Conservatory of Music.

Four young men sat on small stools around a table beneath an open-air food stall, with two cases of beer beside them.

The table was piled high with freshly served barbecue.

"Brother Dao, want a big kidney?"

"I don't think he needs that!"

"Fuck, just because Brother Dao got famous doesn't mean you can stab him wherever you want. Maybe he's still nursing a broken heart?"

"Broken heart, my ass. Tons of pretty, fresh-faced junior sisters are thinking about him now. So many people have asked me for his contact info!"

The roommates teased one another amid laughter.

Song Dao was a little speechless.

He wore a baseball cap pulled low over his face, not wanting to be recognized.

After all, this place was close to the Central Conservatory of Music, school was still in session, and nearly everyone who came here to eat was a student.

In fact, someone might have already recognized him, judging by the frequent glances sent his way.

"You two, watch it. We haven't gotten together in ages. Don't let a whole bunch of junior sisters come over to add Brother Dao on Carrier Pigeon and ruin our drinking. Besides, it's fucking annoying to watch."

Kang Peng, who had invited Song Dao out, laughed as he cursed at them.

He was the oldest among them and a Beijing local.

He had been on good terms with the original Song Dao, but he couldn't stand the way the original had acted like a simp around Miao Xiu.

Still, adults all had their own choices, and he couldn't say too much. Now that the two had finally broken up and Song Dao had unexpectedly become famous, Kang Peng was the happiest out of all the brothers in their dorm.

Song Dao raised his glass and said softly, "You guys have been worried about me. I won't say much else—come on, bottoms up!"

Emotionally, he did not actually feel much attachment to these roommates.

After all, he only possessed the original owner's memories.

It was the same with Miao Xiu. He only felt disgust and dislike from a third-party perspective; he could hardly say he hated her that deeply.

Still, they were roommates in the end, and he couldn't keep avoiding them forever.

Even setting aside how they had exposed information online and spoken up for him, if he never interacted with them, people might easily think the bastard had gotten famous and forgotten everyone else.

With the original owner's complete memories, communicating with them was not difficult.

The first decent meal he had eaten after coming to this world had been at Yan Yu's place, but the first truly satisfying drinking session had been here.

Now that his basic survival pressures had mostly been resolved, Song Dao was in a much more relaxed mood.

Having a few drinks to unwind was nice too.

Song Dao had indeed been recognized. After all, he had become incredibly popular at the Central Conservatory of Music lately.

Kong Xi was famous, but she only had one signature song.

Yet in just over half a month, he had released two songs in succession, both of quite impressive quality.

Even quite a few Central Conservatory of Music teachers could not help sighing during class that love was a catalyst for creativity—and heartbreak even more so.

College students tended to be relatively thin-skinned.

But that did not include art students.

Faced with a senior brother with such strong songwriting ability, who wouldn't want to get to know him?

If they built a good relationship and managed to get a song from Song Dao someday, they might just make it big from then on.

So after the four had been drinking for a while and were just starting to get into the mood, people began coming over one after another to greet Song Dao.

Song Dao politely returned every greeting, but he waved off every request to add him on Carrier Pigeon.

What they feared came true.

Kang Peng and the others were getting annoyed as well, so they simply called it an early night.

"Come on, brothers. Let's head to a bar and keep drinking. If we stay here much longer, I'm afraid people will say Brother Dao is putting on a cold, aloof act."

Kang Peng stood to pay the bill, then waved his hand. A luxury business van parked by the roadside not far away slowly pulled over.

Not just Song Dao—even Zhu Xiao and Sun Weiyi were slightly stunned when they saw the vehicle.

"I'm saying, Brother Peng, you're done pretending now? You're laying your cards on the table?" Zhu Xiao clicked his tongue as he looked the van up and down.

Everyone knew that if someone's family had a business van, it probably was not their first car.

"It's just a domestic business van. Who doesn't have a car at home?" Kang Peng said indifferently as he ushered them aboard.

Song Dao did not really want to go. He was afraid it would be too noisy.

Kang Peng grabbed him and said, "It's not that noisy there. Zhu Xiao and Weiyi are going back to their hometowns in a few days, and it won't be easy for us brothers to get together again. Feels like you haven't had enough to drink tonight either. Let's go have a little more."

"The place from a couple days ago?" Sun Weiyi asked from the side.

Kang Peng nodded.

Sun Weiyi looked at Song Dao and urged, "Go on, Brother Dao. There's a surprise waiting!"

Song Dao could not refuse again, so he followed them over.

Kang Peng headed for the front passenger seat. Sun Weiyi voluntarily sat in the back, leaving the two middle seats for Zhu Xiao and Song Dao.

"You two good sons really know how to behave!" Zhu Xiao chuckled, lifting his chin to signal Song Dao to get in first.

Standing by the front passenger door, Kang Peng frowned almost imperceptibly, but said nothing.

Once the power door had closed, he signaled the designated driver to start the car.

Anyway, after today, they would all be going their separate ways. As long as there was no issue between him and Song Dao, that was enough.

Any dorm room could have its own internal problems. Many people said girls' dorms were worse.

In reality, they were about the same.

It was just that guys felt embarrassed to go around telling people about these things, so they could not be bothered to talk about them.

With the four of them, plenty of issues had become apparent over the course of a single meal.

For instance, when Sun Weiyi had first teased Song Dao about whether he wanted a big kidney skewer, Zhu Xiao's answer had been somewhat hurtful, with a trace of jealousy in his tone.

And just now, Kang Peng taking the front passenger seat on his own had been a gesture of respect toward his friends.

Sun Weiyi, the youngest one, choosing the relatively cramped back seat had been for the same reason.

If Zhu Xiao had any manners, he should have gotten in first and left the nearest seat for Song Dao.

After all, they had arranged this meal under the pretext of congratulating Song Dao on becoming single again—on no longer being a simp.

The entire evening's conversation had revolved around him as well.

Naturally, Song Dao was the guest of honor at tonight's gathering.

Yet Zhu Xiao had carelessly kept the convenient seat for himself.

Song Dao was not stupid.

He had felt Kang Peng's generosity and courtesy, as well as Sun Weiyi's initiative in yielding.

Zhu Xiao said congratulations out loud, but Song Dao could see perfectly clearly that inwardly, Zhu Xiao was dismissive, while also a little envious and jealous.

Although no one had said who had made that post tonight, Song Dao had already guessed by now.

It had to be Kang Peng!

As for Zhu Xiao, it would have counted as him being a good person if he had not secretly mocked the original owner after the breakup.

Song Dao did not mind.

Even Kang Peng, who lived in Beijing, would most likely drift further and further apart from him in the future unless they ended up working in the same industry.

"Brother Dao, the bar we're heading to later is insanely awesome!" Sun Weiyi said with a smile from behind Song Dao.

Kang Peng, in the front passenger seat, laughed and cursed, "Shut that damn mouth of yours. I was still trying to give Brother Dao a surprise..."

Before he could finish, Zhu Xiao lazily chimed in, "You think Song Dao won't figure it out if you don't say it? Isn't it just that someone at that bar sings his two songs?"

Kang Peng immediately fell silent. Sun Weiyi was also a little embarrassed, regretting why he had brought it up.

Only Zhu Xiao remained completely unconcerned as he continued, "Song Dao really has become popular, but what does that have to do with us? Him getting famous is his business. Is he supposed to make us famous too?"

Kang Peng's mouth opened slightly in the front passenger seat, but in the end, he said nothing. In the back, Sun Weiyi could only give an awkward little laugh.

Zhu Xiao looked at Song Dao. "I'm right, aren't I, Brother Dao?"

Song Dao smiled. "Right."

The four of them did not speak again for the rest of the ride to the bar.

After getting out of the car, Kang Peng looked as though he had taken a nap. He rubbed his eyes and yawned.

"Come on, let's keep drinking our farewell booze!"

Sun Weiyi said, "Tonight, we're not going home until we're drunk. Who knows when we'll meet up again after this?"

The wind sobered Zhu Xiao up a little, and he probably realized that what he had said earlier had not been very well received.

So he said, "Let's see who gets married first. If it's me, Brother Dao, you have to come show your support. You absolutely have to get onstage and sing a song!"

"Whether Brother Dao will even have time by then is another matter. And even if he can come, forget about singing onstage..." Kang Peng jabbed at him with a cheerful smile. "Maybe by then, one of his songs will cost hundreds of thousands. How could he just casually grace us with his voice?"

Zhu Xiao's eyes widened. "What kind of joke is that?"

Kang Peng merely chuckled and did not continue the conversation.

Song Dao now saw Kang Peng in a different light. This Beijing-born guy was a clear-headed, intelligent man.

As they were heading inside, a familiar figure in the darkness not far away suddenly caught Song Dao's attention.

"You guys go in first. I'm going to buy something nearby. Brother Peng, send me the location later," Song Dao said, then headed toward a convenience store off to the side.

Kang Peng and the others did not think much of it and walked into the bar.

Song Dao entered the convenience store and bought a bottle of water. After coming back out, he unscrewed the cap, gulped down two mouthfuls, and slowly walked in that direction.

Only when he got closer did he see there was someone else there, so he stopped beneath an old tree four or five meters away.

The tree was thick enough to conceal him completely. Combined with the dim streetlights, the two people over there never noticed him.

"Hu Wei, is this really interesting to you?"

"This is even less interesting to me." Hu Wei's husky, magnetic voice rang out.

"We haven't done it in two years. Don't you miss me?" With no one nearby, the woman spoke without restraint.

Song Dao froze. Is this really something I should be hearing?

He had originally spotted Hu Wei smoking there and thought it was a coincidence, so he had wanted to come over and say hello.

Instead, he had stumbled onto such an explosive topic.

Feeling a little awkward, he was about to turn and leave when Hu Wei's slightly angry voice rang out again.

"Zhang Qian, do you even hear what you're saying?"

"Tch, who are you trying to fool? You think I don't know what kind of work environment you have?"

Her voice was full of disdain. "Don't pretend to be some righteous gentleman. You sing here—there must be little sluts throwing themselves at you every day, right?

"So the reason you're rejecting me is that you're not lacking options, isn't that it?

"But how could any of them compare to me?

"My fiancé is a vice president at Starry Sky Film and Television. You know Starry Sky Film and Television, right? A publicly listed company. He owns shares in it.

"Don't you want to try a noble rich woman?"

"Zhang Qian, have you had too much to drink? Go home already. I still have a performance soon..." Hu Wei said patiently.

"Hehehe, performance? How interesting. Since when did singing for tips in a bar become something so grand? Honestly, Hu Wei, I'm pretty surprised you actually ended up singing in bars—and kept at it for over two years. What, your music dream still hasn't shattered?"

Perhaps after being rejected repeatedly, the woman had gotten angry as well.

Her sarcasm turned increasingly venomous.

"A big stage is a performance, and a small theater is also a performance. My music dream has always been there."

Hu Wei's voice lowered slightly. "Also, Zhang Qian, if you still have any regard for what we once had, then please respect me. And respect yourself, as well as that... man you're about to marry!"

"Ha! You're getting more fucking ridiculous by the second. You think you can control me?" Zhang Qian's voice sharpened. "You don't sleep with women? What are you acting so high and mighty for?"

"I do, but I'm single! And I never sleep around. You're about to get married, Zhang Qian..."

"Hahaha, this is fucking hilarious. A Central Conservatory of Music prodigy who sings for tips in a bar is lecturing me now?"

Zhang Qian cut Hu Wei off and sneered. "Enough. I gave you a chance, but you were too useless to take it. Get lost.

"Remember this: I'm the highest-status woman you'll ever sleep with in your life!

"A guy like you won't even be able to afford four dishes for the rest of your life!

"Go sell your songs!

"Useless trash!"

With that, she left directly, walking toward an expensive imported sports car parked by the roadside.

"Don't drive drunk..." Hu Wei hurried after her.

"None of your business."

After a pause, Zhang Qian turned back and sneered at Hu Wei. "I didn't drink at all! I was just pretending earlier. Too bad you're such a worthless loser!"

Bang!

Vroom!

The sports car sped away.

Hu Wei stood desolately by the roadside. After a long while, he let out a deep sigh and took out a cigarette, lighting it.

Shaking his head, he turned and headed back toward the bar.

Not bad, this guy.

At least when it came to character, he was genuinely decent.

Song Dao watched Hu Wei's back disappear through the side entrance of the bar. Carrying that bottle of water, he sauntered in through the front entrance.

Onstage.

Hu Wei was singing "See Through Love, See Through You."

After that, he sang "Sad City."

His husky voice and overflowing emotion brought both songs vividly to life.

Enthusiastic applause, cheers, and whistles kept erupting from below the stage.

Someone even sent flower baskets onto the stage.

"What do you think, Brother Dao? Isn't he fucking amazing?" Kang Peng asked with a grin.

"Feels like this guy absolutely killed it tonight! I saw some people get sung to tears!" Sun Weiyi said.

"When we came a few days ago, I don't think he performed as well as he did tonight, right?" Zhu Xiao said, looking at Song Dao. "It feels like he's even more emotionally invested than you!"

Song Dao smiled and didn't take it to heart.

He'd just been viciously humiliated by his ex-girlfriend, stabbed over and over again. Of course his emotions were running high.

He hadn't expected the bar Kang Peng brought him to would be the very place where Hu Wei sang.

This Senior Brother had sent him the bar's location before, but he hadn't paid much attention to the English name.

If they hadn't run into each other outside just now, he wouldn't have known even after coming in that this was where Hu Wei performed regularly.

"We came here once a few days ago. This guy seems to be a Senior Brother who graduated from our school. His voice is really distinctive, and he's the main attraction of this bar! It's just a shame he doesn't have Brother Dao's songwriting talent. Otherwise, he might've had a chance to make it big too." Kang Peng lifted a glass of iced liquor and grinned at Song Dao.

Zhu Xiao said from the side, "I think Brother Dao's success had more to do with luck, though his talent is real too. Come on, a toast to Brother Dao—may you really be making hundreds of thousands per song someday!"

Sun Weiyi raised his glass too. "To our future A-lister!"

Song Dao lifted his glass.

Hundreds of thousands?

A-lister?

Who were they insulting?