Chapter 35

Shen Mu hadn’t expected Ding Ya to request this song either.

The atmosphere in the entire bar seemed to stall for a few seconds, followed by hushed whispers directed towards Ding Ya’s direction.

It seemed people found requesting this song here quite novel and couldn’t help but glance at Ding Ya a few more times.

The resident singer wasn’t surprised. She sat on stage, the dim, sweeping light passing over her. She sang looking at Ding Ya, and it sounded quite emotional.

The clear female voice wasn’t exactly sweet, but it had a unique flavor. She just didn’t remember the lyrics well and sang a few lines wrong.

Ding Ya didn’t mind. She swirled her wine glass in the ambient light, reached up to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, and said to Shen Mu with a smile, “Doesn’t it make the atmosphere even livelier?”

Shen Mu sighed, “Only you could pull this off.”

She had long harbored a deep misunderstanding about Ding Ya’s family’s financial situation. In earlier years, she had almost thought Ding Ya was some rich heiress mistakenly swapped at birth.

After all, she spent money so freely. Even with her own part-time income, it was hard to balance that level of consumption.

Online shopping and splurging in games—Shen Mu’s own family gave her a decent living allowance, but she still felt Ding Ya came from money.

When she asked later, she found out it wasn’t the case.

Her family just doted on her, and she had no real pressure. Her parents always said it didn’t matter. Ding Ya herself believed in the consumerism of ‘buy early, enjoy early.’ After graduating and starting her official job, she spent even more, a maximalist moonlighter.

Back in the nightly dorm chats, whenever Ding Ya was mentioned, everyone agreed she’d need to find a partner with similar spending habits, or else it’d be a disaster.

Ding Ya would probably never learn to be frugal. The partner she’d fancy was likely a rich tycoon anyway.

Who knew that dorm prediction would only be half right? The one Ding Ya fancied, Shu Chi, was indeed considered a rich tycoon—her car was flashy, she was a homeowner in the local area.

But she was the self-made type. Shen Mu had met Shu Chi a few times and simply couldn’t imagine her splurging. She even felt this person might be very stingy with emotions too.

Shen Mu was naturally on Ding Ya’s side and could see Ding Ya’s current seriousness. But the foundation of this seriousness was built on deception and went against her own understanding of relationships.

No matter how close they were, Shen Mu didn’t know how to tell Ding Ya that perhaps honesty was more important than concealment.

But feelings were ultimately the tangled emotions of the two involved. No matter how much outsiders watched the whole process, they were still outsiders. As Shen Mu sipped her wine and listened to the music, she lamented, “If you weren’t still chasing the Second Boss, I’d think you were interested in this singer.”

Ding Ya withdrew her gaze and checked the new updates on WeChat Moments.

She wasn’t actually very close to the stage, and the lighting was haphazard. She could only get a vague impression of the singer’s appearance.

The singer wore very loose clothes, completely shapeless. She had cropped hair with an eight-two part, curly except for the bangs.

Ding Ya tapped the screen with her finger as she commented, “Nice voice. Not that kind of interest.”

All her attention was focused on Shu Chi now. Even when looking at other women, she compared them to Shu Chi.

Shu Chi had a better figure. People who have done physical labor are built differently. Collapsing onto her felt amazing; she wished she could have lain there longer.

Besides, it wasn’t just any woman she was interested in.

In all these years, Shu Chi was the only one Ding Ya had ever felt desire for.

Shen Mu said, “Oh,” and replied, “I thought you were going to…”

“Ding Ya.”

A male voice cut in. Before Ding Ya even looked up, the man greeted Shen Mu as well, “Shen Mu, you’re here too.”

Shen Mu instinctively glanced at Ding Ya. Ding Ya didn’t even lift her eyes; she just nodded, incredibly aloof.

In this dim environment, people were seen in flickers. Shen Mu’s impression of Ding Ya’s ex was still from university. Now, just seeing his silhouette, she found he hadn’t changed much.

Her impression of this guy was that, after breaking up with Ding Ya, whenever they ran into him at the cafeteria, he always wore a mournful expression, as if he’d been the one dumped and it was Ding Ya’s fault.

Although, given Ding Ya’s attitude towards dating, there probably was a problem on her end too.

But while Shen Mu occasionally felt pity, she wouldn’t actually speak up for this guy.

“What a coincidence.”

Shen Mu didn’t have much to say, thinking it was just a greeting in passing. Unexpectedly, the man sat down.

The booth wasn’t large. Not daring to sit next to Ding Ya, the ex-boyfriend had no choice but to sit beside Shen Mu.

Ding Ya lifted her eyelids slightly. The screen’s light cast a cold sheen on her face, and her expression showed intense impatience. “Where’s your girlfriend?”

Men could be very presumptuous at times. He interpreted this as Ding Ya minding that he had a girlfriend and replied, “Still soaking in the hot spring.”

Ding Ya said, “Oh,” and went back to scrolling WeChat Moments.

She came across a new video posted by Zhang Xi. Clicking on it, she saw that it had panned over her direction, but only a quick sweep. Given the darkness plus the noisy sounds, Zhang Xi probably hadn’t recognized her.

She left a like.

Shen Mu felt awkward. She cursed inwardly: Doesn’t this guy know how to read the room? Can’t he see Ding Ya isn’t interested at all?

On the other hand, she felt her tendency to feel awkward had kicked in too quickly; sitting there was truly unbearable. Finally, she kicked Ding Ya under the table.

Ding Ya looked up. “Shall we go?”

She was asking Shen Mu. Originally, it was just to have a drink and see a friend. Now that an unwelcome guest had shown up, she naturally couldn’t sit still either.

Before Shen Mu could say ‘Sure’, the ex-boyfriend reached out his hand.

He might have been trying to grab Ding Ya’s hand, but Ding Ya just happened to move her hand away.

Even more awkward now!!!

Shen Mu wished she could just run away.

Yet this guy was incredibly thick-skinned. “Shen Mu, I have something to say to Ding Ya, could you…”

The booths were all along the edges. Two men and two women were chatting and laughing nearby. The singer on stage had switched; it was a man now, his voice a bit hoarse.

“No.”

Ding Ya put her phone aside and said to the ex—who barely counted as having dated her—”I have nothing to say to you.”

Just then, a rotating light swept by. The momentary white light illuminated Ding Ya’s face, making it seem as if shrouded in a layer of moonlight. In the eyes of someone nursing suppressed resentment, it felt like sand grinding against a wound.

Gritty and irritating.

The man suddenly grabbed for Ding Ya’s hand, but she pulled back quickly. However, the peach blossom bead bracelet she had wrapped around her wrist was torn. Beads clattered and scattered all over the floor.

Ding Ya’s anger instantly flared. “What’s your problem?”

The man didn’t insist on grabbing her again. Shen Mu was picking up the beads and heard the man ask, “Did you ever like me?”

Ding Ya was completely unfazed. She tilted her head back and downed the rest of her wine in one go, then said a very direct, “No.”

They were from the same department but different classes. Even after the breakup, they couldn’t avoid seeing each other.

Ding Ya was very annoyed. She hated this kind of interrogation. Adults should part on good terms. Besides, whatever they had was never really love or a relationship; it was, at best, a bet they went along with.

She retorted, “Weren’t you the one who dumped me? It’s been so many years. You already have a girlfriend. Why are you still asking this?”

Ding Ya’s voice itself was naturally coquettish. Her sweet talk could melt hearts like sugar; even when arguing, it still sounded delicate and charming.

But if you listened closely, you could still tell the difference.

Right now, she was just completely speechless, utterly cold.

The man stared intently at her—at her palm-sized face, her slender shoulders, the pearl-white sweater collar that made her appear even more petite.

Her black skirt was like an open umbrella. Colorful lights drifted and flickered. Ding Ya seemed like scattered duckweed, adrift in all directions. Even having had the empty title of being together, he had never truly possessed her.

His gaze was somewhat shadowed, sending a jolt of alarm through Shen Mu for a split second.

But Ding Ya was completely fearless. She put down her glass and picked up her coat to stand. Even though she wasn’t tall, she possessed a commanding presence.

Especially since she was no longer wearing the girly, youthful dresses from her university days. The light, mature OL style suppressed her normally buoyant aura, and in this naturally flickering, shadowy setting, she exuded an enticing fragrance.

Shen Mu: “Well, we’ll be going first. And you, buddy, even if you’re taking separate baths, you should still wait outside for your girlfriend a bit.”

The ex-boyfriend didn’t even look at Shen Mu. “I came here with friends. I already told her.”

He seemed to be explaining to Ding Ya.

What was there to explain? It was just wrong.

Shen Mu felt the pity she’d had for him back then was wasted on a dog. Truly normal men were so rare; this one only seemed normal on the surface—his brain seemed to have a few screws loose too.

Feelings are about mutual consent. If it’s not right, you break up. It’s been so many years. Why drag up the past?

Ding Ya still nodded. She started to walk sideways past the man, thinking it was better to just go back.

What a downer.

But before she could step out of the booth, she was yanked hard. Caught completely off guard, she stumbled and fell onto the booth seat.

The smell of alcohol on him hit her full in the face, along with his furious accusation: “Ding Ya, you heartless…”

In the next second, Ding Ya was pulled up, accompanied by the man’s grunt of pain.

Shen Mu let out a “Whoa!” A security guard nearby had swiftly pinned the wailing man. The whole sequence of actions was smooth and fluid, not even disturbing the patrons in the adjacent booth.

All that could be felt was the decorative tassels separating the booths fluttering up like drifting willow catkins.

The hand placed on Ding Ya’s shoulder released. Ding Ya said, “Thank you.”

The resident singer who had accepted her song request earlier smiled, so brightly her eyes crinkled. Her sparkling earring briefly stung Ding Ya’s eyes.

She said, “Don’t mention it. After all, I took your money.”

She said it as if she were a hired bodyguard Ding Ya had paid for.

Shen Mu was stunned. Ding Ya shook her wrist; it hurt a bit from being pulled earlier.

This tall, slender woman took Ding Ya’s hand and very naturally helped rub it. “That person seemed drunk.”

“Should we call the police?”

Ding Ya: “No need. Just a clingy ex-boyfriend.”

Her good mood was completely ruined, and she was especially cold right now.

Shen Mu hugged Ding Ya’s arm. “Let’s go get some fresh air. It’s all my fault for calling you out here, only to run into a dumbass.”

“Can I come with you guys?”

A clear female voice sounded from behind. Shen Mu thought: Is this a serendipitous encounter? This singer didn’t stand out much from afar, but up close, her face is really quite nice.

Second Boss, I’m sorry, but I’m a little swayed.

Ding Ya turned her head. “Are you asking me?”

The woman nodded vigorously, her hair curled as if she’d failed a perm. But she radiated an aura of joy from head to toe, making her hard to refuse.

Ding Ya thought of how she had paid to request her song.

And nodded.

Shen Mu stood beside her and whispered, “Let’s go to the semi-open tea room.”

Ding Ya understood instantly.

This overly friendly resident singer was also unpretentious. She gladly accepted the flower tea Ding Ya bought, sitting by the floor-to-ceiling window, resting her chin on her hand as she looked at the person across from her.

Ding Ya was restringing her bracelet.

It was a pink love crystal, bought casually at a roadside stall a while ago.

Ding Ya had never believed in these things before. Recently, because there was someone she wanted to win over, she had become a bit superstitious.

Shen Mu was chatting with the resident singer.

Shen Mu asked, “How old are you?”

The singer answered with a smile, “Twenty-three.”

Shen Mu said, “Oh,” back. “Graduated from university already?”

The other woman hummed twice in confirmation.

Shen Mu asked again, “Is this a part-time job or full-time?”

The singer was quite candid. “I’m an unknown musician.”

She smiled radiantly. From afar, Shen Mu had noticed the color difference in her bangs.

Now, in normal lighting and a normal setting,

Shen Mu thought: As expected, people in music are all a bit bohemian. Her bangs are even dyed blonde separately.

Ding Ya hadn’t spoken. She was seriously stringing the beads, unfortunately without the proper tools.

Shen Mu felt the scene was awkward. She could only continue chatting. “What’s your name?”

The singer’s clothes were layered, and she wore only one earring. Plus, being good-looking, Shen Mu couldn’t help but glance at her a few more times.

The woman tilted her head to look at her. “My name is Su Dinghun.” [T/N: Dinghun sounds like “engagement” (订婚) or “losing one’s soul/head” (丢魂)]

Shen Mu laughed. “A stage name?”

Su Dinghun shook her head. “My real name.”

Ding Ya gave up on restringing the bracelet herself and casually interjected, “Can I see your ID?”

The woman actually took it out, offering it with both hands to the older sisters across from her to see.

Shen Mu: “It’s real, huh.”

Su Dinghun smiled. “Sounds very abnormal, right?”

Shen Mu nodded hard. “Sounds like you really want to get married.”

Su Dinghun scratched her head. “It’s more like I’m destined to lose my head… I’ve been questioned about it being a fake name since I was little.”

After speaking, she reached over and took the beads from Ding Ya’s table. “Let me help you string them, Sister.”

She called them both ‘Sister.’ That voice was a gift from the heavens.

Shen Mu had heard live performances from some underground musicians or minor idols before. This little singer’s voice was actually quite professional.

The woman, a few years younger than them, had delicate features and long, slender hands. Her rings were very individualistic, and she strung the beads quickly. Without needing any tools, she was able to restore Ding Ya’s bracelet to its original state in no time.

Shen Mu exclaimed, “Whoa! You’re that good at this?”

The blonde-banged little resident singer smiled sheepishly. “I used to restring beads for my ex-girlfriend a lot.”

Shen Mu: …

Are there any straight girls left in this world?

I guess it’s me.

Ding Ya chuckled and said, “Thanks.” Just as she was about to put it on, Su Dinghun reached out her hand. “Let me help you. It’s still not secured well this way. I suggest you find a professional to make a new cord when you get back.”

The blonde-banged little singer held Ding Ya’s hand gently and meticulously slipped the bracelet onto her wrist.

At that moment, Shen Mu looked out the window and just happened to see two women walking slowly across the lawn.

Jing Yuqi and Shu Chi.

Jing Yuqi was utterly exasperated with Shu Chi. She had set things up to this extent, yet Shu Chi could still just stay by herself.

Did she have any idea how expensive this hotel was?!

She closed her eyes, pained, and said, “According to my reliable intel, Ding Ya is having tea over there.”

Shu Chi was incredibly speechless. The reason this person had dragged her out was supposedly to pick out a gift for the child—fruit tea. But the whole way, she’d been chattering non-stop. It was clearly a case of having ulterior motives.

The Hot Spring Manor was huge and sold many things. Shu Chi had immediately sensed Jing Yuqi’s intentions were impure. Sure enough, halfway there, this person had exposed herself.

Shu Chi: “Impossible. She’s at the bar.”

Jing Yuqi was silent for a long moment. When Shu Chi looked up, Jing Yuqi was staring straight ahead at the people through the glass window in front of them.

Shu Chi froze too. The windowpane was exceptionally clean. The booth table by the window was a long, thin strip. The people sitting opposite each other had no sense of personal space whatsoever.

A woman dressed in trendy streetwear was holding Ding Ya’s hand. No one knew what she had said, but it made Ding Ya laugh.

Jing Yuqi’s voice sounded particularly sarcastic at this moment—

“Some people, before they’ve even started, have already been robbed of their home base.”