Because She's Fiery, She Doesn't Hold Back

"After a woman has been intimate with a man, when that man stands with her again, her expression is completely different. It's quite obvious, even a fool could see it."

Whether it was the alcohol hitting him fast or Zhen Dongjun's sudden urge to confide, the man who hadn't said much in their few meetings suddenly opened up.

"Actually, I treated her well. Although I didn't love her, I didn't really wrong her in any significant way."

"Men don't care that much about being cuckolded; it depends on how the cuckolding happens." Zhen Dongjun glanced at Bai Youlou. "With some petty hoodlum like that, it's worse than being with you."

Bai Youlou raised his glass. "You flatter me, brother."

But he didn't interrupt, because Zhen Dongjun, after taking another swig of wine, had a lot more to say.

"I have many complaints about Dong Lu. For example, she doesn't like sports. Outdoor sports aside, she doesn't even like the best indoor sport between couples. I did my duty, but I've genuinely lost interest in her."

"When I pursued her, she was a young woman. Later, she even lost that youthful charm. She became a very dull woman in front of me."

The mineral water bottle was empty.

Bai Youlou poured half of his "white tea" into it, making the bottle full again.

Then he casually asked, "Why did you pursue her back then? I heard it was quite a grand affair, pursuing her for years and confessing your love at an awards ceremony."

Zhen Dongjun's face turned red, unsure if it was from memory or drunkenness. He closed his eyes. "Because she was passionate, uninhibited."

This drunken confession after a misunderstanding seemed to finally come to a close after the two bottles of wine were drained.

Zhen Dongjun was like a loser who, after being cuckolded, tried his best to express that he "didn't care," his words seemingly conveying "I don't love her," so it didn't matter.

Long Ziqiang felt a pang of emotion. Men...

He couldn't help but ask again, "Then why did you stop loving her later?"

The question seemed redundant, as Zhen Dongjun had actually stated his "reasons" earlier.

But then again, the reasons people vocalize are usually to convince themselves.

There was no answer; Zhen Dongjun seemed to have fallen asleep.

However, he seemed to have answered the real reason before.

"Because, she was passionate, uninhibited," Bai Youlou repeated for him.

Long Ziqiang was speechless.

It was a shame there was no more wine.

"How interesting! She's his white moonlight and his cinnabar mole."

"Brother Lou, he's drunk here, what should we do? Should we notify the production crew?"

"No need. I quite enjoyed his performance. I'll practice the song for the next recording. It's not like I listened to his story for nothing; this whole mess has a beginning and an end. One song for each of them."

Long Ziqiang was a bit surprised. The song for the next recording? Hadn't he practiced it before? It was called "The You of the Past."

The piano in the practice room wasn't particularly fancy, but Bai Youlou didn't mind, lightly touching the keys.

Melancholy, gentle notes flowed out~

"The dream I can't wake from in my dream Confined by a red thread, the red All stimulation leaves only weary pain No longer moved at all When I hold you from behind It's her face I expect to see It's ironic, I don't quite understand But I long for you to understand"

"..."

Although the singing started, an eerie silence seemed to fall over the practice room.

Yes, silence.

Besides the piano melody and Bai Youlou's voice, it was as if all sounds had ceased.

Zhen Dongjun's drunken ramblings, Long Ziqiang's previously smiling, expectant fidgeting all disappeared.

Looking at Zhen Dongjun, who seemed to still be fast asleep, and smelling the alcohol in the air, Long Ziqiang felt that everything at this moment was exceptionally full of story.

It was just a pity that only he was the audience at this moment.

He felt that even if Bai Youlou sang it again during the recording, even with a more complex accompaniment than the simple one now, it would be difficult to capture the feeling of this moment.

But songs seemed to be like that; they always needed extra emotion to enhance the experience.

Human beings, most of the time, are probably not that deeply affectionate; their emotions are simply amplified by the song.

"What's unobtainable is always restless The favored are always emboldened The red of the rose, a fragile dream"

Slipping through my fingers even though I held it in my hand.

"Lost again~"

A song ended.

Plink.

Opening the window, Long Ziqiang lit a cigarette.

"Ah Qiang~"

"Whoa, my eyes got something in them."

"You should say the smoke got in your eyes. Where did Zhen Dongjun go?"

"Huh?"

Long Ziqiang turned his head. Zhen Dongjun, who had been "sleeping" just moments ago, had actually vanished.

He rubbed his bald head vigorously, wondering if he was hallucinating.

"Didn't he get drunk?" After asking, Long Ziqiang suddenly realized, "He wasn't drunk, was he?!"

"I told you I really liked his performance," Bai Youlou said, spreading his hands.

"So, what he was saying was just to fool us?"

"He meant what he said, but that guy, he thinks too much, it's really boring."

The two exchanged a look and suddenly burst out laughing.

"Serves him right!"

Cleaning up the trash, ready to leave.

Everyone knows that eating hot pot at home is the cheapest, but many people still prefer to eat at hot pot restaurants.

The main reason is not wanting to clean up.

Anyone who has cleaned up knows how messy hot pot broth is after eating.

It's as annoying to clean up as it is enjoyable to eat.

Fortunately, Bai Youlou found a reason not to clean up.

"Teacher Bai!"

When a girl with slightly red eyes suddenly appeared before you late at night, there was no need for many words; a gentle hug was enough.

The reason Bai Youlou didn't do that was mainly the smell on him.

Hot pot, smoke, alcohol... these mixed smells were enough to dampen most passion.

He knew with his backside that this little girl must have "witnessed" what happened in the practice room.

Glancing at the still-operating camera, he wondered if the production team would dare to air that segment.

They probably wouldn't.

He just didn't know how they would edit it.

And the person standing in front of him was naturally Bai Youlou's only connection at Zhejiang Blue TV.

Xiao Liu, the host.

Her appearance here tonight was actually normal, as she had work to do recording the footage from the practice room.

For example, chiming in when the mentors were giving lessons to the trainees.

She had been to Bai Youlou's place before and saw the two of them eating hot pot. She couldn't just sit down and join them.

In the end, she went over to the director's team and kept watching the "live broadcast" of them.

As a result, the director's team had almost all left, but she hadn't.

"Why are you crying?"

"Teacher Bai, I don't know..."

"Why haven't you gone home yet?"

Xiao Liu the host shook her head and stopped answering, just staring intently at Bai Youlou.

Her eyes were like a flame rising in the dark night.

What hot pot smell, what smoke and alcohol smell.

None of it mattered at this moment.

There was a perfectly charming allure, but it couldn't be called love.

Bai Youlou frankly admitted that lust had gotten the better of him. It seemed the visiting monk was about to strike the local bell today.

Long Ziqiang stared dumbfounded as Bai Youlou walked away with the girl, not looking back.

Then he looked at the mess in the practice room and suddenly understood.

Damn it, he was probably going to have to clean it up by himself.