The staff, photographers, lighting technicians...etc....it seems like they're all women!
Seriously, there wasn't a single man in this group!
"You... could you be...?" I looked at Aze.
“That’s right.” The young man snapped his fingers. “I’m the art consultant for their announcement. Have you forgotten? I’m a painter!” Then he sighed, “Is there anything better than coming to such a beautiful tourist destination with a bunch of beautiful women?”
Seeing that I seemed a little absent-minded, Aze smiled even more slyly. He lowered his voice and said, "Oh. By the way, although you're a little disappointed that Qiaoqiao isn't here... well, maybe there's a pleasant surprise!"
"Surprise? What surprise?" I asked, bewildered.
"Um, Yan Di, you beautiful lady." Aze shouted loudly without restraint, making Yan Di's pretty face immediately turn red. Aze continued loudly, "Um, I need to borrow your man for a while so we can have a long chat about our great friendship that we haven't seen for so long! You don't mind, do you?"
Yan Di paused for a moment, then smiled sweetly and said, "It's okay." Then she looked at me and said softly, "You two finish your conversation, I'll have Hammer accompany me to find Xiao Hu and Xiao Ya Tou."
She was very considerate, probably knowing that I hadn't seen my good friend Aze for more than half a year.
I gave Yan Di an apologetic look, then watched as Hammer followed her away.
At this moment, Aze sighed, "I say, Xiao Wu, you're really being all lovey-dovey right now... um. But you're pretty dense, still can't guess what that surprise I was talking about is?"
As he spoke, he took out a blue, embossed plastic name tag from his bag. It was exactly the same as the one worn by the staff member who had stopped us outside the photography area earlier, though I hadn't noticed it before.
Now, Aze held it in his hand and showed it to me. The four big characters on it immediately stunned me!
Deep Blue Entertainment!!!
etc……
Deep Blue Entertainment?
A company made entirely of girls, producing TV commercials, and linked to the entertainment industry… Deep Blue Entertainment? How could I forget that name?!
Fang Nan's company?!
Looking at Aze's cunning smile, like a weasel that had just stolen a hen, I was immediately shocked!
What are you doing at Deep Blue Entertainment?
Aze scratched his head and laughed, "When you were on the run, Fang Nan, that beautiful woman, helped you a lot, right? Well, later, Yan Di and the others were taken care of by Fang Nan for a while before being transferred to Qiao Qiao's care. That's how we got to know Fang Nan."
"That woman Fang Nan... Hehe, don't sigh! Xiao Wu, you're quite something... This woman, it seems your relationship isn't simple either, right? But Qiao Qiao doesn't seem to like her much, so she doesn't want to contact her much. As for Mu Tou, needless to say, he probably wouldn't even bother to speak to the UN Secretary-General. I don't care, Fang Nan often contacts me, probably thinking she might get some information about you from me."
A very complex feeling welled up inside me...
Fang Nan? ...Fang Nan!
To be honest, over this long period of time, I've almost completely forgotten about this woman who once had such a complicated relationship with me! After all, after struggling on the brink of life and death for so long, and being thousands of miles away from home, with Yan Di and Qiao Qiao by my side to comfort me... it's really hard for me to spare any more thoughts for anything else.
And at this moment, suddenly hearing Fang Nan's name, everything from the past seemed to flash through my mind in an instant...
That beautiful boss who once treated me as a substitute for another man. That fragile, mature woman who once cried drunkenly in front of me. That Fang Nan who once slept soundly in my arms…
I shook my head vigorously, but Aze ignored my reaction and continued to laugh, "Did you guess the surprise I was talking about...? Let me tell you, Fang Nan took this announcement shoot very seriously. She personally brought the team here, and she personally negotiated the rental of the local scenic spot... She's probably resting in her makeup truck right now. Do you want to go check on her?"
This is another shock to me!
Is Fang Nan here?
My expression turned serious. I looked at Aze intently, hesitated for a moment, and asked, "She...she's really here?"
"Do you think I'm joking?" Aze rolled his eyes.
I suddenly felt my legs go weak... and my heart started racing. My mouth also felt dry. Aze whispered, "Otherwise, why do you think I sent Yan Di away?"
I thought about it for a long time, not even knowing how long I stood there in a daze, before finally sighing. I gritted my teeth and said, "Forget it, I'd better not go see her."
"What?" Aze was somewhat surprised.
"It's gone." I took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, as if to release all the sorrow in my heart.
So what if we see each other?
Back in China, the complicated relationship between us already put so much pressure on both of us! It seemed she just wanted me to stay by her side, no matter what.
But what about me? Do I really have the right to make a woman squander the rest of her precious youth for me?
Besides, after everything we've been through, my feelings for Yan Di are much stronger than they were back in mainland China! My instinct is that I don't want to do anything to hurt Yan Di's feelings.
Currently, Qiaoqiao's problem has placed me at the most awkward crossroads of my life... If Fang Nan is added to the mix... it's no longer a crossroads, it's practically a maze!!
In this situation, rather than hurting others and myself, it's better to just let that relationship fade away! Anyway, almost two years have passed... Back then, Fang Nan and I only had a very short-lived relationship... I suppose she should have gradually forgotten me by now... Perhaps, this is better for everyone.
It's as if we never met!
Seeing that my hesitant expression gradually calmed down, Aze understood my feelings. He sighed and asked, "Have you made up your mind?"
I countered, "Do you think I have the energy to deal with another relationship right now? It would be better for both of us. Besides, if she already has no feelings for me, then there's even less reason to meet... to avoid awkwardness."
Having said all that, I forced myself to stop thinking about these issues and immediately changed the subject, saying, "But how did you end up at Deep Blue Entertainment? I remember that company doesn't hire male employees."
"I'm just here to help out temporarily." Aze smiled faintly, then said matter-of-factly, "Besides, in a place like this where there are so many beautiful women, of course I'd fight tooth and nail to get in! I'm Aze! Have you forgotten?"
Then he grabbed me and said, "Come on, let's find a place to drink!"
"Drinking? Now?" I looked at the sun in the sky: "It seems like it's broad daylight. It's not even time to eat yet."
Aze stopped, glanced at me, and then solemnly held up two fingers: "In my opinion, there are two things in this world that transcend day and night. One of them is drinking!"
"Uh... what about the other one?"
"Make love!" Aze answered me righteously and firmly.
Part Two: The Road to Success, Chapter 127: How a Casanova is Made
In a place like Lijiang Old Town, finding a place to drink is incredibly easy.
We easily found a small tavern run by a local Naxi person. It wasn't mealtime, and when we entered the tavern, the owner, a dark-skinned man with long hair, was dozing off at the counter.
"Two bottles of barley wine," Aze greeted familiarly, clearly indicating that this wasn't his first time drinking at this place.
The barley wine brewed at home by the Naxi people is very intoxicating; after just two cups, I felt a warm sensation rising in my chest and abdomen. However, my recent travels have left me quite tired, significantly reducing my alcohol tolerance.
Aze calmly poured the wine into his mouth little by little, and we all fell silent at first.
"Actually, Fang Nan is quite good." That was the first thing he said to me: "Why don't you reconsider?"
“You know my current situation,” I replied simply.
"Tch..." Aze scoffed at my statement: "Men like you and me would never have only one woman..."
"Alright, stop." I smiled and looked at Aze: "You didn't hear Qiaoqiao's dad's theories about men and are planning to pass them on to me, did you? If so, forget it, because I've already heard them before you."
"Okay, then. Fang Nan is actually quite pitiful, have you thought about that?" Aze changed his approach, but he was still harping on this issue.
"Damn it, you playboy. You have no right to say such things." I made a contemptuous gesture at him: "The girls who were fooled by you, this heartbreaker, are the ones who are more pitiful."
“Different,” Aze said coldly. “I’m different from you… I only play with those girls’ bodies. We each get what we want. Those girls like vanity, they like my good looks, they like my big wallet… And I like their young and beautiful bodies, that’s all. But there’s one thing… I absolutely do not play with other people’s feelings. In the games I play with those girls… there are absolutely no real feelings involved.”
"But I didn't play with anyone's feelings." I was a little annoyed.
"Can you say that Fang Nan didn't have real feelings for you?" Aze looked at me leisurely.
I was speechless, and took a big gulp of wine. Then I stuffed two peanuts into my mouth.
"Actually, I shouldn't have said these things... I feel like I'm encouraging you to get together with Fang Nan... If Qiao Qiao finds out, she'll probably castrate me with a knife, haha!" Aze still had a carefree smile on his face: "Even Yan Di is my friend. So, it seems that instigating someone else's man to cheat on me is a very immoral act."
I glared at him: "Then why are you saying all this to me!"
“Because…” Aze straightened up and smiled, looking at me: “Fang Nan is truly a pitiful woman. Have you heard her story?”
"...I know a little bit, but not completely."
"Hmm." Aze thought for a moment, then smiled at me and said, "Then I'd better not tell you. Let her tell you herself in the future."
I had just nodded when I realized I'd fallen for Aze's trick.
If I nod, wouldn't that mean I'm admitting that deep down I still believe Fang Nan and I have a "future"?
Seeing Aze's sneaky grin, I tossed him a peanut, which landed right in his mouth. He choked and coughed repeatedly, pointing at me and yelling, "Damn it! Don't you know that can kill someone?!"
Watching my good friends laugh and tease each other in their familiar tones, I suddenly felt a pang of nostalgia.
"Aze, have you... thought about your future?" I looked at him.
"What?"
“The future. The future… your life, women. Love.” I sighed. Talking to an old friend, I didn't need to hide anything. I raised my hands in surrender: “Okay, I admit it, my relationship with Qiaoqiao has changed. We can't go back to being good friends. Of the four of us, Qiaoqiao and I are a couple… That blockhead guy is probably still a long way from being enlightened. I even suspect he's still a virgin!” We both laughed maliciously at the same time, then I looked at him: “And what about you? You've been with so many women, why don't you find a girl you truly like and settle down properly?”
"Tch... How could I give up an entire forest for the sake of one tree!" Aze said, striking a pose of high spirits.
"That's such an old line." I curled my lip. "Are you really not planning on finding a relationship?" I looked at him and deliberately teased him with a laugh, "Please, you're not young anymore... You can still go out and show off now, but in two years, a new generation of young Casanovas will grow up and compete with you. By then, you'll be old. Men, especially men like you who indulge in excessive drinking and womanizing, start to decline in health after thirty. They'll develop a big belly, and even their sexual function will begin to decline. And with your frequent nightlife and staying up late, you'll probably go bald by forty... Do you think beautiful women would like an 'old handsome guy' with a big belly, bald head, and declining sexual function?"
"..." Aze stared at me for a long time, as if a flower had suddenly grown on my nose.
"What are you looking at? Am I wrong?" I laughed.
"You...you really are Xiao Wu?" Aze even seemed to be trying to pinch the skin on my face: "Aren't you really Qiao Qiao in disguise? Only a female bandit like Qiao Qiao could say such vicious things just now!"
I shook my head, ignoring his nonsense, and continued, "Stop talking nonsense. I guess I touched on your sore spot?"
"Tch!" He gave me the middle finger. Then, with a disdainful expression, he said, "If we're talking about other things, I might not be able to argue with you... but talking to me about women... you're not up to the task! Even though you've managed to handle something as difficult as Qiao Qiao... when it comes to basic theory, you're way too far behind."
We seemed to have returned to the days when we hung out in Nanjing with a bunch of cronies, drinking, fooling around, and talking nonsense. He was already slumped on the table, holding a bottle of liquor in one hand, and then laughed and said, "Let me ask you a question first... In this day and age, what is it about women that's lovable?"
After saying all that, he sighed helplessly: "To be honest, I've always admired your incredible luck... Seriously, almost every woman you've met has been exceptional! Yan Di, that truly pure and kind girl, is practically the perfect classical wife and mother! Girls like that are extinct now! And yet you stumbled upon her! Damn! As for Qiao Qiao, most girls these days are hypocritical and vain, but you can't see any of those flaws in her. Although she can be a bit reckless at times, she's genuine enough to be considered a rare breed, like a panda. And Fang Nan..."
"Stop, there's no need to talk about Fang Nan, right?" I shook my head.
“Okay! Let’s not talk about Fang Nan.” Aze: “Then let’s talk about the young girls in this world now.” He pointed out the window, where the sun was shining on the ancient town’s streets. There were many tourists from all over the world, both men and women, and naturally, there were plenty of young women.
"Generally speaking, most girls these days suffer from two fatal flaws: shallowness and vanity," Aze said casually. "Shallowness goes without saying. These girls only care about horoscopes and blood types. They only read celebrity gossip online, and the prettier ones are always thinking about how to hook up with rich guys or find a husband to be their meal ticket. They can recite the names of various cosmetic brands perfectly, but most of them can't even recite the periodic table of elements for middle school chemistry, let alone know that many lipsticks used by women are actually made with lard. They can at least recite dozens of world-famous clothing brands! But if you ask them who the national leaders are... hehe, if you ask ten girls to name the current heads of state of the United States, China, the United Kingdom, and Russia... I bet less than 0.5% can answer. Okay, what about those so-called sophisticated bourgeois women? They're even more laughable... They've just read a few sentimental articles, wallowing in self-pity, and think they're sophisticated. They're always talking about Haruki Murakami or Milan Kundera... But I guarantee that these so-called sophisticated white-collar women..." Children, they probably rarely manage to seriously read a book to recharge themselves even in a year… It's laughable that they always think they have such good taste. They'd be lucky to name ten of the most famous modern authors. And vanity is even more terrifying… Women claim to be emotional creatures, preferring romance to worldly gains… but that's vanity. In reality, women want men who are not only romantic but also wealthy… Why do women call their ideal man a 'Prince Charming'? A white horse represents taste and style, romance… that's certainly important! But in fact, the word 'prince' is the most crucial element! A prince is a symbol of status, a symbol of wealth and power! So have you noticed a strange phenomenon? Even if occasionally a woman's standards for romance subtly change—for example, Prince Charming becomes a black horse prince, or even a frog prince… but regardless of white horse, black horse, or frog… women still require him to be a 'prince'! See? Economic interests come first!! In other words, no matter how it changes, wealth and power are the primary criteria!
After saying this, Aze casually flicked a speck of dust off his shoulder, as if it were nothing. Then, with a smile, he added, "Of course, I'm not saying all women are like this, but it seems most women are. So, women are such a strange group, do you think I would truly fall in love with a woman like that?"
I was speechless!
To my surprise, Aze, who claims to be a Casanova, is actually a person who is fundamentally sexist and even hates women!
"What? Surprised? Speechless?" Aze sighed, took another sip of his drink, and chuckled, "I told you, you're a complete novice when it comes to women."
"But if you look down on women so much and don't like them, why do you still date so many women?"
“It’s very simple… because I like girls’ beautiful bodies.” Aze said calmly, “It’s just an equal exchange. They are shallow, so I can tolerate their shallowness. They are vain, so I can satisfy their vanity. And what they give up is their beautiful bodies… You see, it’s that simple.”