After hearing Zhu Ziyu’s description of how Hui Che broke his bead bracelet, Xia Xia spent an entire week on pins and needles, expecting that with Hui Che’s temperament, he would come to confront her at any moment.

Every day she anxiously wondered how to explain things to Hui Che, while also secretly hoping he would appear before her the next second.

But a week passed, and Hui Che showed no reaction.

Since she arrived at Ocean University, Hui Che would chat with her every few days, though the content was usually meaningless – asking if she had eaten, saying goodnight – but every time Xia Xia received his messages, she would hold her phone and smile foolishly for a long time.

From when Hui Che’s bracelet broke until now, it had been one week and three days since he had sent her any messages.

Xia Xia’s previous anxiety disappeared, and she spent each day listlessly waiting in her dorm for Hui Che’s message. Even if he were to scold her, she would jump with joy.

But Hui Che deliberately ignored her.

She angrily went to berate Zhu Ziyu.

Zhu Ziyu admitted her fault and let her vent: “Yes, yes, you’re right, it’s my fault. But why don’t you just go talk to him directly? Tell him you don’t mind his situation, and that you’re willing to help him pay off the debt. Wouldn’t that solve everything?”

“If I could change his mind with just a few words, he wouldn’t be Hui Che. Nothing I say will matter – he needs to figure it out himself.”

Xia Xia lay on her dorm bed, staring at the energy-saving light on the ceiling: “I asked Senior Jing Zhou. Hui Che’s mother was almost gang-raped by loan sharks before. He’s probably afraid that if we’re together and he can’t pay back the money, those people will come after me.”

“That sounds dangerous,” Zhu Ziyu said. “Why don’t you move on? It’s not like there aren’t other guys who like you.”

Xia Xia said: “Yes, other guys like me, but there’s only one Hui Che.”

After hanging up, Xia Xia hugged her phone lost in thought.

After thinking for a long time, she took the initiative to send him a message.

[Brother Hui, I miss you a bit.]

Hui Che didn’t reply.

At the club’s private room.

Hui Che sat on the sofa farthest from the crowd. Three or four meters away, a group of middle-aged men had removed their suit jackets and were lounging lazily against the sofa backs, surrounded by over a dozen glamorous women holding wine glasses and calling them affectionate names.

“Little Che, come join us,” one man called.

Xu Dalong quickly said: “Little Che’s girlfriend at home keeps him on a tight leash, he usually doesn’t touch these things.”

Hui Che remained silent, pouring himself half a glass of wine.

“Home flowers can’t compare to wild ones. There’s no shame in a man being romantic,” the man casually pointed at two scantily dressed women. “It’s no fun drinking alone, you two go keep him company.”

In the private room, six or seven men, all over fifty except for Hui Che, were uniformly balding with beer bellies and breath reeking of tobacco and alcohol. Yet they still couldn’t keep, grabbing women and going in for kisses and nibbles. Though the women smiled, their hearts were resistant.

From the moment they entered, they had noticed Hui Che, but his cold face had driven away anyone who dared approach him with just one glare.

The two women obediently surrounded him, their delicate arms linking with his: “What’s your name, handsome?”

Hui Che finished his drink, and the woman very perceptively refilled his glass. Hui Che pulled his arm away and continued drinking.

“That’s not how you drink,” the woman said with seductive eyes, taking his glass and lightly sipping from the edge. Then she moved in close, holding his shoulders, intending to feed him the wine mouth-to-mouth.

Hui Che grabbed her arm and pushed her away. He was somewhat drunk and didn’t control his strength. The woman fell directly to the floor, the wine glass shattering on impact.

The man who had been singing stopped the music and turned around: “Little Che, what’s wrong with you?”

Hui Che stood up, his steps unsteady: “Manager Li, I’ve had too much to drink and don’t feel well. I’ll head back first today.”

Manager Li frowned: “Little Che’s not in high spirits today. Is it that you’re not satisfied with the place I chose? You can’t just leave like this, the second half hasn’t even started.”

Seeing the atmosphere turn awkward, Xu Dalong came to smooth things over: “How could that be, Manager Li? You’ve known Little Che for a while now, isn’t he always like this? Just drinks alone when he comes, when have you ever seen him touch a woman?”

Hearing his words, Manager Li’s expression softened slightly.

Xu Dalong went to pull Hui Che: “Sit down, where are you going? Why are you causing trouble in this nice atmosphere?”

He called back the two women beside Hui Che: “Don’t try to tempt him. If you accidentally get perfume or lipstick marks on him, he’ll be in trouble when he gets home.”

The woman smiled coyly: “Boss, men shouldn’t be afraid of their wives.”

Hui Che was pressed into his seat by Xu Dalong. He had drunk far too much today, his mind was in a fog.

He dozed against the sofa for a while. After some time, someone took his arm and helped him up. He opened his eyes to see it was a male server from the club.

The server took him to the hotel upstairs, helped him remove his jacket, and let him rest.

Hui Che slept drunkenly for a while, and in his dreams, he couldn’t help but see Xia Xia’s shadow.

This wasn’t the first time he had dreamed of her. In the six months since Xia Xia left, he would anticipate the girl’s appearance every night before sleep, but whether he dreamed or not wasn’t something he could control. Hui Che had a moment of clarity in his dream, seeing Xia Xia standing before him, wearing clothes like the women at the club.

— A thin tube top that barely covered anything, white lace edges holding her soft curves, mixed with her fair delicate skin, dazzling to the eye.

She wore a very short skirt, barely past her thighs. As she walked toward Hui Che, each step revealed the color of her shorts beneath.

He frowned: “Why are you dressed like this?”

Xia Xia hugged him, breathing softly in his ear: “Brother Hui.”

Almost instantly, Hui Che’s questioning was suppressed. His voice hoarse, he asked: “You have a senior now, why come looking for me?”

Xia Xia didn’t speak, just held him tightly.

Hui Che inhaled her scent, the sea salt body lotion sweet and fresh.

Just as he was about to embrace her, a pair of hands appeared behind her, pulling the girl away without explanation.

Hui Che caught her fingers, but the girl’s fingertips slipped from his palm.

Hui Che looked up to see a man standing behind Xia Xia, his face unclear, his gaze full of hostility.

Hui Che woke with a start.

He was mostly sober now, the room’s air conditioning was too high, and sweat beaded on his forehead.

A woman sat beside the bed, the one from the private room earlier.

She had changed into black stockings and a leather skirt, resting her chin as she quietly watched Hui Che: “Boss, you’re awake?”

She moved closer, reaching for Hui Che’s pants: “Manager Li sent me over. I’m called Xiao Fei.”

Hui Che slapped her hand away, saying impatiently: “Get out.”

“Manager Li has already paid, and our club isn’t cheap,” Xiao Fei smiled. “Three thousand eight hundred for the night, are you sure you want me to leave?”

As she spoke, she moved closer to Hui Che again. Hui Che raised his voice coldly: “Get out.”

Xiao Fei was stunned.

She had been in this business for several years and had seen all types of men – those burning with desire, those consumed by lust – but this was the first time she’d met someone like Hui Che who immediately drove people away.

It was also the first time she’d seen such a handsome man. Those who came here were usually either older men drinking for business or salesmen playing around, or those who couldn’t find girlfriends due to their poor conditions and came just to release their desires, or those with performance issues coming to regain confidence… and so on.

When Manager Li called her to accompany them for the night, besides handling work, she felt a hint of anticipation.

She had provided services to countless men, but this was her first time serving someone both young and handsome like Hui Che.

She didn’t want to leave just like this.

Xiao Fei made up her mind, her body soft as she gently pressed against Hui Che. Her lips parted, releasing a sweet fruity fragrance. She held something up before Hui Che – a box of condoms and sensual jelly.

“Handsome, let me teach you some new tricks.”

Just as she was about to tear open the packaging, Hui Che took it from her.

When Hui Che spoke, every word was laced with frost: “Can’t you understand what I’m saying? If I have to repeat myself, I won’t just be using words.”

Without blinking, he threw the box heavily into the trash: “Get out.”

Though he had the handsome features of a youth, his stern expression sent chills down one’s spine.

His eyes were deep black, like a profound cold pool, staring until she trembled.

The woman quickly got up and left.

Hui Che turned down the air conditioning and opened the room’s window.

In December, South City’s temperature was around ten degrees. A gust of fresh wind blew in, restoring some rationality to his alcohol-filled mind.

He remembered when he first met Xia Xia last summer.

That was also at a club.

The girl had just broken up with her boyfriend, failed her college entrance exam, and been bullied – her face covered in tears.

On many nights since then, when Hui Che couldn’t sleep, he would think of Xia Xia crying before him that day. Each time he thought of it, his heart would ache as if convulsing.

If only he had met her earlier – this thought had crossed his mind countless times.

If he had met her earlier when he was still a carefree young master when everyone called him Young Master – back then he could have plucked the stars from the sky for her, could have held her in his palm and never let her suffer, could have used the money to create any life she wanted.

Even if he couldn’t meet her earlier, meeting her later would have been better.

Hui Che’s thoughts wandered. A few years later, after he had cleared his debts and saved enough money, even if he couldn’t spend freely like before, at least he could let her live without worries, without having to be constantly anxious and impoverished with him.

But he met her at precisely this age when he had nothing and was powerless.

Hui Che let the cold wind blow on him half the night, his face numbed by the breeze.

At two in the morning, everything was silent except for the street lights.

A motorcycle passed by, driven by a scruffy middle-aged man wearing a worn cotton jacket and a deerskin hat. On the back of his bike were tied a small speaker and amplifier, with colorful flags attached to the horn.

Hui Che had seen this man many times in the university town. Students whispered that he wasn’t quite right in the head, spending his days riding around playing music from his speakers.

The man passed by the brightly lit club turned on his speaker, and stirring music floated out.

“You and I are mortals, living in this world

Toiling day after day, not a moment’s rest

Since we’re not immortals, we can’t avoid earthly thoughts

Putting righteousness aside, focusing on profit

…

How many brave men, enraged for beautiful women

How many birds of the same forest, now flying separate ways

Life is so short, why suffer in love

When loved ones are gone, who can you complain to…”

The motorcycle meandered slowly as if pushed forward by the evening breeze.

The colorful flags at the back of the bike flew up, covering the speaker, and making the music intermittent.

“…Life is so short, why suffer in love

When loved ones are gone, who can you complain to

When have you seen this world change for people

Even with your dream appearance, is it truly springtime…”

Something stirred in Hui Che’s heart.

He took out his phone to check the time and saw that Xia Xia had sent him a message several hours ago.

[Brother Hui, I miss you a bit.]

At that moment, he felt the winter night breeze seemed to carry the scent of wine, making his just-cleared mind foggy again.

The next second he realized, that perhaps what was intoxicating wasn’t the night breeze, but Xia Xia’s words.

He searched his pockets and found his ID card.

Hui Che barely needed time to think. He took out his phone and bought a ticket to Hai City for two hours later.