As San San listened to Chen Yunqi's detailed introduction, he tasted each dish that was fed to him. The sea urchin paste made with hyssop, the plum sauce with white wine, the various dishes served in bowls, stir-fried dishes, simmered dishes, grilled dishes, and fresh sashimi—each bite brought a different expression to his face. The fishy taste of the raw food, the saltiness of the broth, the crispiness of the fried fish, and the sweet and sour taste of the pickles all kept his taste buds experiencing a constant change.
As the saying goes, food and sex are human nature, and these are probably the two most important things in life. Although San San doesn't understand, she feels that every day with Chen Yunqi is like this kaiseki meal, simple yet exquisite, with all five flavors.
Meals, tea—everything that had previously made him feel awkward proceeded smoothly thanks to Chen Yunqi's considerate care. After dinner, Chen Yunqi checked the time and said to San San with some guilt, "Honey, I have a friend to meet tonight. I don't want to keep him waiting too long; we might not make it to the movies..."
Before he could finish speaking, San San quickly shook her head and said, "It's okay, it's okay, we'll see next time. You go ahead and do your work, I'll wait for you to come home."
Waiting for you to come home.
Chen Yunqi hadn't heard those words in so many years. The person who used to sit at the bus stop with candy in his pocket, waiting for him to get out of school, had been gone for many years. His elderly grandmother no longer hoped that her children would come home to visit often. In recent years, all he had faced was an empty house, uninvited visits from Yu Xiaosong, and his mother whom he could never see.
"San San, it's so good to have you," he said, his gaze flickering slightly. He took San San's hand and pulled him into a hug. San San nestled against his chest, a little nervous, and whispered, "Brother, so many people are watching..."
“It’s okay, let them look,” Chen Yunqi said without any hesitation, and instead hugged him even tighter, saying, “You’re so wonderful, I really want the whole world to know that you’re mine.”
San San didn't know why he had suddenly fallen in love, so she could only obediently reply, "It's yours, it will always be yours."
Still carrying his things, Chen Yunqi took San San home first, changed into a slightly more formal shirt and trousers, and after thinking for a moment, said to San San, "Are you scared to be home alone? It's not anything important, we might drink a little. If you want, come with me."
San San was hunched over the dining table, examining his new toothbrush, when he heard Chen Yunqi was going out for drinks and immediately became worried. He hadn't fully adjusted to his new environment yet, and facing strangers was still a bit difficult for him. Chen Yunqi didn't force him, showing respect for his decision. Despite feeling somewhat awkward, San San nodded and replied, "Um... okay then. But you should drink less... if you get drunk, I... I don't know how to carry you home..."
Chen Yunqi kissed the corner of his mouth and said with a smile, "I'm henpecked now. With you watching over me, how could I dare to drink too much?"
Chapter Sixty-Seven: Night
At 10:30 p.m., the ring road was still congested. Drivers complained that they hadn't had dinner since they handed over their shift in the afternoon, while ignoring the honking of other vehicles and weaving in and out of lanes, staging a scene of "Crazy Taxi" in the crowded traffic.
The journey of less than 20 kilometers took nearly an hour and they still hadn't arrived. The repeated braking and starting made San San a little carsick. He closed his eyes tightly, frowned slightly, and leaned against Chen Yunqi's chest, trying to suppress the discomfort in his stomach.
Chen Yunqi rolled down the car window to let in some fresh air, gently massaging San San's temples and soothingly saying, "Are you feeling unwell? Hang in there, we'll be there soon. How about we get out and buy you a soda?" As he spoke, he glared disapprovingly at the rearview mirror, startling the driver who was secretly observing them, who quickly looked away. Then he lowered his head and said affectionately, "Once you learn to drive, you won't get carsick anymore."
San San rubbed her face against his chest, adjusting herself to a more comfortable position, and said with her eyes still closed, "Hmm... I rarely ride in cars before, and I always get carsick, but I don't feel uncomfortable at all when you drive."
"I understand," Chen Yunqi said with a smile, patting San San's head. "Then let San San be our personal driver for life."
The city night is devoid of moon and stars; the myriad lights atop skyscrapers dim the true night sky. Roads, illuminated by streetlights and car headlights, resemble a ceaselessly flowing Milky Way, dazzlingly beautiful yet easily leading one astray. Looking out the car window at the dazzling lights, Chen Yunqi thought of that mountain. Compared to the city's brilliance and clamor, the night there was desolate and forlorn. People today, overly reliant on modern civilization, have long forgotten that the sky, adorned only by the moon and stars, is the most primal essence of the night.
In a daze, I thought of San Niang's family again, Huang Yelin and Huang Xiaoya, Tang Yutao and Li Hui. I wonder if they are doing well now, living under the same night sky.
To alleviate San San's motion sickness, Chen Yunqi specifically asked the driver to drop them off a kilometer away from the bar, intending to walk there with San San.
The July evening breeze carried no chill, and their clothes clung to their bodies, damp with sweat. After leaving the convenience store by the roadside, they strolled hand in hand through the central park, hearing street performers singing in the distance from the nearby square.
"The city was so dark that no one could see anyone else."
Unless you cling to each other tightly
"I get myself drunk; I can't sleep without you."
"Wandering around all night long"
...
San San's pale face finally regained color. He held up the soda can in his hand and brought it to Chen Yunqi's lips. Chen Yunqi took several sips through the straw, frowning from the cold carbonation. He asked him, "What song is this? It sounds a little sad, but it's very nice."
"I don't know either," Chen Yunqi said, his back a little tired from bending over. He took the soda and drank it himself, saying as he drank, "But I've memorized the lyrics. I'll go back and look for them. If you like them, download them to your phone. We'll go buy a better pair of headphones later."
San San stared at his lips as he bit his straw and couldn't help but whine, "Sing for me!"
Chen Yunqi was taken aback upon hearing this, then laughed and said, "I'm not a good singer, didn't you hear that on the mountain?"
"It sounds nice, I said it sounded nice last time. That covered structure at home is a piano, right? I want to hear that."
There was indeed a piano in Chen Yunqi's study, but it wasn't his. He had learned to play the piano with Yu Xiaosong when he was young, but unfortunately, he hadn't persisted. Yu Xiaosong played much better than him and had sung countless love songs to him, both openly and secretly, on that piano, but none of them had ever moved him.
Thinking of this, Chen Yunqi said somewhat awkwardly, "I didn't play well...maybe I shouldn't?"
San San pouted, snatched the soda back from his hand, turned her head and said, "I'm ignoring you."
"No, no, no, I'll sing, I'll sing," Chen Yunqi knew that San San wouldn't really be angry, but he enjoyed the feeling of fulfilling all his requests. He liked how San San was spoiled by him, so while coaxing him, he reached out and pinched his waist through the thin T-shirt. Seeing that San San wanted to dodge but was afraid of spilling the soda, he said with a smile, "Our San San is getting more and more temperamental and harder and harder to coax now."
San San could never tell which of Chen Yunqi's words were a joke and which were serious. He thought Chen Yunqi was really blaming him, so he hurriedly tried to explain. Before he could even open his mouth, he heard Chen Yunqi say again, "So cute, I like it so much. I love coaxing San San the most."
Looking at San San's blushing face, Chen Yunqi couldn't help but reach out and pinch his nose, saying gently, "You can always be yourself here, you can have a temper, whether it's real or fake, don't worry about me getting angry, understand?"
San San nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite. Chen Yunqi took out his wallet, took out a few coins, put them into the violin case lying on the ground, smiled and waved to the singer who was lost in his own world, and then led San San toward the bar at the corner of the street.
A huge poster is pasted on the brick wall in front of CityDream. In the poster, a female singer with distinctly oriental features, wearing a black lace cheongsam, is surrounded by band members, holding a pipe and blowing smoke rings at the camera.
Judging from the large number of guests tonight, the crowd included fashionable individuals in various styles, industry elites in suits, as well as many artists and media representatives. A group of band fans, who had come specifically for the event but had been turned away without an invitation, were also gathered at the bar entrance. As soon as Chen Yunqi and San San entered, the manager recognized them and invited them inside.
Recalling his previous drunken incident, Chen Yunqi apologized to the manager again, feeling somewhat embarrassed. The manager responded, "You're too kind, it's my duty," while gesturing to a nearby waiter to bring over drinks. Pointing to a luxurious leather sofa, he said, "This is a seat reserved for you by Ms. Xue. She instructed that your table is on credit tonight. Please feel free to call us if you need anything. The performance starts in half an hour. Have a pleasant evening."
Tonight's party theme is "JAZZNIGHT: Lisa Wu and her band". Chen Yunqi had heard of the band before, only knowing that they were somewhat famous in China, but had never heard them perform live.
After being seated, the waiter quickly brought over a Hakushu cigarette he had ordered last time, along with some snacks. San San sat somewhat awkwardly on the sofa, looking at the decadent scene around him, and timidly asked, "Where is this place? They're all dressed so scantily..."
Upon hearing this, Chen Yunqi couldn't help but burst out laughing. He glanced at the scantily clad women at the next table and saw that they seemed to be watching him and San San and whispering to each other. He then turned to San San and said sternly, "Children are not allowed to look around like that."
Upon hearing this, San San nervously lowered her head, no longer daring to look around. She reached for the cheese on her plate and stuffed it into her mouth, but before she could even chew, she spat it out, saying in a pained voice, "Ugh... what is this? It smells and tastes fishy. Why do I have to eat this...?"
Chen Yunqi suppressed a laugh and threw the small piece of cheese in his hand into the trash can, then pushed another plate of delicate cookies in front of him and said, "Kids, eat this."
San San obediently ate her cookies, watching Chen Yunqi pick a crystal-clear ice ball from the ice bucket and place it in his glass, then pour in a third of a glass of wine. The glass swirled gently in his long, slender hand with its distinct knuckles, the golden liquid making his hand appear as white as jade. He raised the glass to his lips, lowered his thin, narrow eyelids, took a small sip, savored it carefully with his tongue, then swallowed it with a flick of his Adam's apple. He exhaled a breath of wine, the series of movements elegant and graceful, incredibly beautiful. San San secretly blushed, her heart pounding.
Chen Yunqi caught a glimpse of San San's longing expression out of the corner of his eye. Thinking that he also wanted to drink, he hesitated for a moment, then took another cup and said to him, "Want to try it? This wine is easy to drink. San San is an adult now, so it's okay for him to drink a little."
Just as he was about to pour the wine into his glass, San San suddenly blinked, stared at his moist lips, and said, "I want to drink yours..."
Chen Yunqi paused, his raised hand froze. He put down the bottle with a hint of helplessness, handed over his glass, and looked directly into San San's eyes, asking, "Is there anything different about my glass?"
San San blushed and quickly picked up his glass, downing it in one gulp along the edge where Chen Yunqi's lips had touched. He tried to hide his flustered state, but the glass only made his face burn hotter. Chen Yunqi reached out and tugged at his ear, taking the glass from his hand and saying, "Silly boy, you have to drink this slowly, not in a hurry." He picked up the bottle and poured some more for San San, then poured himself another glass and clinked it against San San's, saying, "Try it again. First, smell it, then take a sip and hold it in your mouth to feel it."
San San obediently did as instructed. First, she raised her glass and smelled it with her nose. Then, imitating Chen Yunqi, she took a small sip and held it in her mouth, focusing her attention on her oral cavity. However, she still couldn't taste anything special. She didn't dare to swallow it for a long time and could only look at Chen Yunqi with a somewhat aggrieved expression while holding the wine in her mouth.
Unaware of the danger, Chen Yunqi tentatively asked with anticipation, "How is it? This wine is distilled in the forest plateau and uses spring water from the Oshirakawa River. I especially like the smoky aroma and the taste of ripe fruit in this wine."
San San had never drunk whiskey before. After holding it in her mouth for a while, she found it very bitter. She couldn't hold on any longer and swallowed it with a "gulp". She carefully replied, "Mmm...delicious, I want to drink more."
Chen Yunqi felt the joy of sharing and being affirmed, and enthusiastically poured San San another half glass. Regardless of whether San San understood or not, he began to ramble on about the classification and origin of whisky. San San listened attentively as he drank, and before he knew it, he had downed several glasses of whisky. He increasingly felt that every word and every action of Chen Yunqi was full of charm.
Xue Meng approached with a wine glass in hand, greeting them with a smile.
Good evening, what are you talking about?
Before Chen Yunqi could answer, she spotted San San, who had just looked up, and exclaimed dramatically, "Where did this handsome boy come from? I was wondering why the ladies at the next table were getting restless!"
No sooner had she finished speaking than someone at the next table chimed in, "Yeah, could you buy that handsome young man a drink?"
San San looked at Xue Meng with some confusion and unease. Chen Yunqi first responded with a "Good evening," then stood up to make room for her. After she sat down, he introduced her, "This is San San... she's mine..."
"Hmm?" Seeing his hesitation, Xue Meng waited curiously for him to speak. Chen Yunqi paused for only a few seconds before smiling and saying, "He's my boyfriend."
Upon hearing this, Xue Meng showed only a slight surprise, but quickly extended her hand to San San with a normal expression and said, "Hello, I'm Xue Meng. You can call me Sister Meng, just like Xiao Qi does. Welcome."
Today, Xue Meng was also wearing a uniquely styled and well-tailored modernized cheongsam, which accentuated her shapely figure and made her look incredibly charming. Having grown accustomed to the rough and tumble village women in the mountains, San San was momentarily taken aback by Xue Meng's elegant demeanor. Encouraged by Chen Yunqi's gaze, she shyly extended her hand to shake Xue Meng's, whispering, "Hello, Sister Meng..."
Just as Xue Meng was about to tease him about his shy appearance, Kevin came to the table and asked them curiously, "Good evening, what are you chatting about that makes you so happy? May I, this middle-aged man, join in?"
Kevin had barely sat down when Xue Meng excitedly pointed at Chen Yunqi and San San and said to him, "See that? What a perfect couple! They're so pleasing to the eye. Our daughter will be under a lot of pressure in the future, since all the outstanding and handsome boys already have boyfriends."
Kevin greeted San San while laughing heartily. Chen Yunqi was somewhat surprised by their attitude and said embarrassedly, "I was worried that you would be prejudiced against homosexuals."
"Are you worried?" Xue Meng immediately and ruthlessly exposed him, saying, "You were very calm when you admitted it just now, acting like you didn't care what others thought at all. Don't worry, we are all highly educated people who understand that we are born equal, so what right do we have to exclude others?"
Chen Yunqi was amused by her humor and, relieved, turned to Kevin and said, "Sister Meng said you had something you wanted to ask me?"
Kevin pointed to the spotlight that had come on and said to him, "It's about to start. Let's talk later."
The surrounding noise ceased as the lights suddenly dimmed, and everyone's attention was drawn to Ms. Lisa. She bowed to the guests, lifting her skirt, and without any further introduction, simply gestured to the musicians behind her to begin. As the melodious music started, she held the microphone and sang with deep emotion.
I've seen the mountains
I've seen the breaches
“Distantseas”
Unchartedbreaches
...
The song captivated everyone, leaving them in a state of semi-consciousness. Chen Yunqi recalled the online comments from fans about Lisa: her appearance and voice were extremely incongruous—she looked mature and experienced, yet her voice was as innocent as a young girl's. Compared to other female singers, she lacked some of the richness and depth, but possessed more playfulness and sweetness, making one feel as if they were in a quiet night, with a lazy cat gently scratching their heartstrings in front of a burning fireplace, embracing their lover and slowly falling asleep in a slightly tipsy state, making the most of life.
...
“Lostincity's”
“Soundsandsilence”
"I've been found"
“Onmanygoldenshores”
...
Even though San San knew nothing about jazz, he was moved by the song. He couldn't help but move closer to Chen Yunqi, touching his leg and secretly holding his hand so their fingertips touched. The alcohol in his body was catalyzed by the music into a subtle affection, which flowed between the two of them.
San San had rarely drunk alcohol in front of Chen Yunqi, and on the few occasions he had, he had only drunk very little and had never gotten drunk. Chen Yunqi was unaware of his alcohol tolerance and felt that even if he got drunk, it wouldn't be a big deal with him having Chen Yunqi by his side, so he didn't pay much attention to his condition.
As the song ended, thunderous applause erupted. Kevin raised his glass, inviting everyone to drink together, and then suddenly asked Chen Yunqi, "You graduated from S University? Did you write that article 'Exploration of Financial Risk Prevention and Legal Mechanisms' that was published in a provincial journal last year?"
Chen Yunqi had just snapped out of his reverie from the beautiful music when he was suddenly asked a professional question. He racked his brains for a while before remembering the paper, and then nodded and said, "Yes, it was completed with my supervisor."
“You’re too modest,” Kevin said with a smile. “A mentor can only help you look at it and give you advice. The core parts are all your own.” He raised his glass again and praised with a smile, “It’s very well written. Because of your article, that magazine is still on my office bookshelf.”
"You flatter me," Chen Yunqi replied, raising his glass. "These were just my humble opinions, and I'm surprised you still remember them."
Kevin greatly admired Chen Yunqi's composed demeanor. He took out a cigar from the cigarette case, cut it while smiling with satisfaction, and said, "How could I not remember? I asked HR to contact you for a phone interview, but she only gave feedback a week later, saying that she couldn't reach you by phone for the first three days, and when she finally got through to you for the last three days, you rejected us without any reason."
Xue Meng lit a long match and handed it to Kevin. Kevin lit the cigar he had cut, let the smoke linger in his mouth for a moment, then gently exhaled. He squinted at Chen Yunqi and said, "We are an American investment bank, and we usually only recruit interns. I made an exception and asked to have a phone interview for your article, and I even prepared a few questions for the HR to ask you. I didn't expect that you would ignore an opportunity that others would fight tooth and nail for."
Chen Yunqi's expression froze. He stared blankly at Kevin smoking his cigar, and then Kevin continued, "That day, Xiaomeng mentioned that she met a finance student named Chen Yunqi on the plane. I thought the name sounded familiar, but I didn't expect it to actually be you."
He laughed and said, "You've left a very deep impression on me."
Chapter Sixty-Eight Luck
In the period right after graduation, Chen Yunqi did receive many phone interviews from investment banks, all of which he rejected. He couldn't remember which bank Kevin was referring to, and he was too embarrassed to ask.
Chen Yunqi never expected to run into the person who had once shown him favor by chance. He scratched his head sheepishly and said, "I'm really sorry. I was in a very bad mental state at that time. I felt that I couldn't do the job and missed a lot of good opportunities. I feel particularly regretful now. Thank you so much for your appreciation."