Luan Nian drove aimlessly through the streets.

Autumn in Beijing was perhaps the most beautiful time of the year. Fallen leaves carpeted the streets, a lonely bench stood at the bus stop, and elderly people sat at street corners sketching, capturing all these scenes in their artwork. The paintings omitted all the dirt and ugliness, portraying only embellished peace and beauty.

He parked by the roadside, found a chair to sit on, and watched the bustling crowd before him. The trembling Shang Zhitao and the Shang Zhitao under public scrutiny alternated in his mind, eventually transforming into the Shang Zhitao who fought her battles alone.

A Shang Zhitao who never sought his help, who steadfastly adhered to the original purpose of their relationship.

A completely new version of her, or perhaps she had always been this way, and he had simply never noticed.

Luan Nian had never been as shocked and frightened as he was today. The recording had cut a wound in his heart, blood seeping out steadily. His heart ached like never before, and he didn’t know how to handle it.

He wanted to say something to Shang Zhitao, or perhaps say nothing at all—even just hugging her would be enough. So he called her, but no one answered.

After thinking for a long while, Luan Nian dialed Sun Yu’s number. It took a while for the other end to pick up. He said, “Hello, this is Luan Nian. Is Shang Zhitao there?”

“Shang Zhitao is sleeping. She’s exhausted.” Sun Yu glanced at the sleeping Shang Zhitao and said softly, “When she wakes up, I’ll tell her you called.”

“No need. Thank you.” Luan Nian hung up.

He sat by the roadside for a long time. His phone kept ringing, and he finally answered.

It was Tracy.

“The board is in an uproar. They want me to get you online for the meeting.”

“No.”

“I see people starting to discuss it online. The stock price is already going down.”

“Serves them right.”

“So… you’re resigning?”

“Yes.”

Tracy thought for a moment and said, “It’s good to show them what’s what. But resignation wasn’t in our original plan.”

“It’s not about showing them anything. I just want to resign.”

“Are you serious?”

“I am. Get the board to find someone quickly. I’m taking a vacation starting today.”

Luan Nian hung up and tossed his phone into his pocket, continuing to sit by the roadside. Young women passing by would steal glances at him, curious why such a handsome man was sitting there. Luan Nian didn’t notice these looks. He sat there for a long time, until nightfall.

His phone kept ringing incessantly, but he ignored it.

Until Shang Zhitao called. She asked softly, “Sun Yu said you called me?”

“Yes.”

“Where are you?”

“At your doorstep.”

Luan Nian heard the sound of Shang Zhitao’s door opening, followed by her footsteps on the stairs—thump, thump, thump—coming quickly. He finally couldn’t help but tell her, “Slow down, I’m not in a hurry.”

“Oh.” Shang Zhitao responded, but her footsteps didn’t slow down. Each step resonated in Luan Nian’s heart.

“Hi.” Shang Zhitao stood a few meters away from him, the grievances and fear surging up in her heart again. She looked elsewhere, not wanting to cry in front of him. Shang Zhitao thought to herself, I need to be stronger.

“I want to see the moon,” Shang Zhitao told him. “Can I bring Luke and go up the mountain with you to see the moon?” Shang Zhitao loved nights like that, when the moonlight was clear, illuminating hearts with transparency.

“Okay.”

The two people and the dog headed toward the mountain. Luan Nian didn’t say anything the entire way; he didn’t know what to say. The car stopped in front of the bar. As Luan Nian pulled the handbrake, Shang Zhitao’s hand covered his, and she said softly, “Luan Nian, can you say a few words to me?”

“Say what?”

“Anything will do.” Shang Zhitao had anxiety in her heart. She didn’t know being in the public eye could be so painful. Even though Sun Yuanzhu and Sun Yu were both with her, she still went out, wanting to see Luan Nian. She knew that her love for Luan Nian was irreplaceable by anyone else. When she felt particularly sad, she only wanted to stay by his side, even if he might make her feel worse.

“I don’t make small talk. I only know that I’ve asked you countless times if Dony ever harassed you, and you said no.” Luan Nian turned off the car lights, and darkness enveloped them, with only the stars and clouds above able to hear their conversation. “So you never trusted me, did you?” Luan Nian looked at Shang Zhitao. “Or perhaps you have enough people around you whom you trust and rely on, so you do not need to seek my help, not even willing to tell me the truth?”

“I don’t have the position to tell you.”

“Then what position do you have to tell others?”

“Because others are friends.”

“And I’m just your sex partner?” Luan Nian got out of the car. Shang Zhitao and Luke followed behind him. After walking a few steps, Luan Nian turned back. “I thought after sleeping together for several years, we’d be closer than friends.”

“Don’t be so harsh.” Shang Zhitao’s eyes reddened slightly. She wanted Luan Nian to hug her, but she couldn’t bring herself to ask. “I’m not feeling well. I returned home with my friends, originally wanting to get a good night’s sleep, but I only slept for that short while. I wanted to see you, wanted to talk to you a bit, thinking it might make me feel better. So please don’t be so harsh.” Shang Zhitao pressed her lips tightly together. She felt tears welling up, but she held them back. She didn’t want to cry in front of Luan Nian, afraid he might say, “Weren’t you trying to be a hero? Why are you crying now?”

Luan Nian saw that Shang Zhitao’s eyes were glistening in the moonlight, as if filled with tears. He felt he was quite a jerk. She had such a terrible day, yet all he wanted to do was ask why she hadn’t told him. His original intention in finding her was to hug her.

“Are you still afraid?” Luan Nian asked her softly.

Shang Zhitao’s lips trembled, the corners turning downward like a child about to cry.

“Come here,” Luan Nian called to her.

She took two steps forward, and Luan Nian reached out to pull her into his arms, hugging her tightly.

It seemed they had never embraced outside of making love. Luan Nian’s embrace was broad and warm. His hand rested on the back of Shang Zhitao’s head, pressing her face against his chest.

Shang Zhitao’s anxious heart finally settled. She tightly wrapped her arms around Luan Nian’s waist, afraid he would let go soon, so she asked, “Can I stay in your arms a little longer?”

“Yes.” Luan Nian tightened his arms. Shang Zhitao turned back into that obedient girl, quietly nestled in his embrace. Neither of them spoke. Luan Nian felt his heart healing a little, and Shang Zhitao felt today wasn’t quite as terrible.

At least as the day was coming to an end, Luan Nian had hugged her.

“Why did you hit him?”

“Because he bullied you.”

“But you bully me all the time.”

“I’m allowed to.” Luan Nian tightened his arms a bit more. “But I was very angry today too. I’m angry that you don’t tell me anything, like a shady agent.”

“Shang Zhitao, are you going to make me fight for you once every year?”

“Twice is fine too.” Shang Zhitao looked up at him. “The way you fight is damn sexy.”

Her bangs brushed against his chin, tickling him. Luan Nian simply lowered his head and nuzzled his chin in the crook of her neck.

Shang Zhitao giggled, tilting her head to avoid him. “Ticklish.”

Luan Nian wouldn’t let her escape. He cupped her face and rubbed his chin against it. The thin layer of stubble on his face scratched Shang Zhitao’s delicate skin, both painful and ticklish. She reached out to hit him, her hand forming a fist that lightly pounded on his chest. “I give up! I give up!”

Luan Nian’s heart, which had been suffocating and painful all day, seemed to heal a bit more, so he hugged her again. Luke had been waiting for a long time, thinking they were going to enter the bar and eat meat. During the days when Shang Zhitao was away on business trips, Luan Nian often brought it to the bar. Luan Nian had prepared pet food cans and dried meat for it in the bar, which were Luke’s favorites. But these two people just stood there embracing with no intention of entering, which made Luke a bit anxious. It bit Shang Zhitao’s pants and tugged toward the bar, whimpering, “Woo woo.”

Shang Zhitao looked at it suspiciously. “What’s wrong with you?”

Of course, Luan Nian knew what was wrong, but he turned away pretending not to know. Shang Zhitao didn’t let Luke eat too much meat, saying it wasn’t good for dogs. Every day, she either limited it to two eggs or one piece of dried meat. Luan Nian couldn’t stand it. When she wasn’t around, he gave Luke lots of meat.

Luke released her pant leg, ran a couple of steps toward the bar, and seeing her standing still, ran back barking, “Woof… woo…” It turned its neck toward the bar, just short of speaking.

Luan Nian laughed at Luke’s foolish appearance, not forgetting to mock it. “Dogs do resemble their owners.” He strode away.

The bar had just finished an event today, and now there was no one left except the duty manager. Seeing Luan Nian enter, he said, “Why are you here, sir?”

Luan Nian glanced at Shang Zhitao. “Brought Luke’s owner for a drink.”

The manager smiled at Shang Zhitao. “Hello.”

Luke was already very familiar with the manager, standing there calling out to the duty manager, as if saying, “Where’s the meat?”

The duty manager naturally understood Luke’s meaning and waved at it. “Come here.”

Shang Zhitao tilted her head, puzzled. “It comes here often? On what grounds does it come here often? I don’t even come often.”

“Is that any of your business?”

Luan Nian looked at her. “Hungry?”

“Starving!” Shang Zhitao hadn’t eaten much all day and was really about to die of hunger.

“Wait a moment.”

Luan Nian went to the kitchen. In his bar, even the kitchen was spotlessly clean, with steaks, lamb chops, and pasta neatly arranged in the food cabinets, all premium ingredients.

He took out pasta and steak to prepare a simple Western meal.

Shang Zhitao sat on a high stool surveying the bar, thinking about how much money it must be losing. Before she could complete her thought, several cars arrived outside, and men and women disembarked and entered the bar.

As if by magic, two waiters emerged from an invisible door to the side. Luan Nian’s hired waiters were all so handsome, standing there good-looking and dashing, greeting the incoming men and women, “Please, sit anywhere.”

“By the window.” The group sat by the window, and one of them asked the waiter, “Can we turn off the lights later to see the stars?”

The waiter said, “Sure.”

Can they even turn off the lights to see the stars?

Luan Nian brought over two simple meals, placing one in front of Shang Zhitao. The men and women turned to look at them.

Luan Nian smiled at them, took out a knife and fork, handed them to Shang Zhitao, and sat beside her to eat together.

Shang Zhitao heard a girl say, “Should we tell Teacher Gong?”

“Better not.”

“But didn’t they say the owner is Teacher Gong’s partner?”

“That person might not be the owner, right? Even if he is, that might not be his girlfriend, right?”

Shang Zhitao took a bite of pasta, with a bit of sauce on the corner of her mouth. Luan Nian pointed at his mouth, then at Shang Zhitao’s.

Shang Zhitao opened her eyes in confusion, not understanding Luan Nian’s meaning.

Luan Nian pointed again, and Shang Zhitao also pointed at her lips. Luan Nian nodded.

It wouldn’t be proper to kiss openly, right? Luan Nian must be in some kind of trouble, right? Combining with what those people just said, she suddenly understood. Luan Nian probably attracted another girl and now couldn’t extricate himself.

Well, I’ll sacrifice a bit then.

She leaned forward, her lips touching the corner of his mouth, and earnestly asked him, “Is this enough?”

Luan Nian was dumbfounded by Shang Zhitao’s stupidity. He took a napkin and forcefully wiped the corner of her mouth. Shang Zhitao realized she had done something foolish again, sat back blushing, and muttered, “Why didn’t you just say so?”

“Have you ever seen a man asking a woman to wipe her mouth in public?”

“Oh.” Shang Zhitao blushed, but Luan Nian’s lips curled up in a smile.

The bartender was mixing drinks. Shang Zhitao leaned on the bar, watching, thinking bartending looked cool, and the drinks must taste good too. So she asked Luan Nian, “After making drinks for the customers, can he make one for me too?”

“No.”

Luan Nian took away the plates and had the waiter place a small candle in front of the group of men and women. Around the candle were their cocktails. The bar turned off the lights, with only a faint glow by the window, and the rest mostly dark.

Shang Zhitao grabbed Luan Nian’s hand in the darkness, quietly making a request, “I want to drink cocktails and enjoy the moon too.”

“No.”

“Just one glass.”

“Alright.”

Luan Nian didn’t have a stance on this. He walked behind the bar to mix a drink for Shang Zhitao, turning on a small light. He mixed the drink inside the bar while Shang Zhitao watched from outside. After a while, Luan Nian brought out a glass with a heart carved from ice inside.

“What’s this drink called?” Shang Zhitao asked him.

“Brave Heart,” Luan Nian said.