Or perhaps it was an escape, an avoidance of emotions he couldn't control. He'd never experienced anything like it before, and Wei Jingzhou's first reaction was bewilderment.
He didn't know how to face Shen Yue.
Shen Yue wouldn't allow Wei Jingzhou to keep avoiding her. In situations like these, it was best to strike while the iron was hot and probe the man's depths. Once he calmed down, it would be much harder to do so.
It seemed as though everything had returned to the starting point.
Shen Yue still had a candy in her mouth, and the system coaxed her, "[Eat this one, and you can't have any more. You've already had several today; you'll get cavities.]"
Shen Yue patted the candy in her pocket. Though a little reluctant, she softly agreed, "[Okay.]"
System: ...So obedient!
The temperature in winter had already dropped below freezing, and it had started snowing again. Soft snowflakes drifted down gently. Gradually, the snowflakes grew larger and thicker, falling densely.
Shen Yue ordered takeout and was slowly eating. Before she had taken more than a couple of bites, her phone rang. Upon seeing the caller ID, she surprisingly put down her chopsticks.
She tapped to answer.
"Wei Jingzhou," Shen Yue called out.
It was noisy on the other end of the line. Without a response, Shen Yue called out again.
"Shen Yue, come over here. Come over and explain things clearly."
Wei Jingzhou's voice was somewhat muffled. Shen Yue couldn't hear him very clearly. After listening for a while, she finally understood.
She pursed her lips. "Where are you now?"
Shen Yue detected something amiss in the man's voice, and his speech was a bit incoherent.
Furthermore, the environment around him was so noisy. It sounded like he was at a bar or club.
"I'm... I'm..." Someone beside him reminded him before he said, "I'm at Green Island."
As expected, he was at a bar.
Shen Yue quickly instructed, "Tell me your exact location so I can find you."
The man became impatient. "I told you to come, so just come. Why so many questions? Come if you want, don't if you don't."
With that, he hung up before Shen Yue could speak.
Staring at the disconnected phone, Shen Yue sighed, put on her clothes, fastened her scarf, and hurried out.
Outside, heavy snow was falling, making the streetlights appear dim.
Shen Yue stood by the roadside for more than ten minutes before managing to flag down a taxi. The weather was too cold, and not many taxis were out and about.
The car was heated, and Shen Yue exhaled a puff of white air, rubbing her frozen hands.
Green Island was the most popular bar, with security guards at the entrance.
This was also Shen Yue's first time at a bar.
The brightly colored liquors, the deafening music, the mingled air thick with the smell of smoke and alcohol. The music was turned up to the maximum, almost deafening. Men and women writhed their waists and hips wildly on the dance floor, and the air was instantly filled with a sense of ambiguous intimacy.
Brilliant lights illuminated the glasses, casting colorful glows.
Shen Yue curiously took a few more glances.
She, alone, was out of place in this decadent and intoxicating bar.
Snowflakes that hadn't melted yet clung to her padded jacket. A white scarf obscured a large part of her face, leaving only her picturesque eyes and eyebrows exceptionally striking.
The aura of cleanliness and obedience emanating from her made her even more noticeable.
Shen Yue, dressed warmly, didn't feel anything was amiss.
Following the system's instructions, Shen Yue found the great villain without much effort.
Under the dim lights, the man was playing cards with a few people. The crystal ashtray was filled with many cigarette butts, and a cigarette dangled from his lips. His handsome profile was lazily relaxed.
Shen Yue stood there watching for a while before walking up to the man.
She softly called out, "Wei Jingzhou."
Her voice was easily drowned out by the music, and the man clearly didn't hear her. The cigarette in his mouth trembled as he spoke.
"Er Hui, it's your turn to play."
The young man called Er Hui chuckled and played two cards – a royal flush.
Wei Jingzhou scratched his head. He had pairs in his hand and couldn't play.
Just as he was contemplating how to make a comeback, the cards in his hand were suddenly snatched away by a hand as white as scallion.
Wei Jingzhou froze for two seconds. His expression instantly darkened. He took the cigarette from his mouth, turned his head, and glared fiercely, "Which bastard dares to take your grandpa's cards? Are you tired of living?"
The girl stood with her back to the light, her figure appearing increasingly slender and frail. The scarf obscured most of her face, making it difficult to see clearly.
Wei Jingzhou found her somewhat familiar, but the drunkenness quickly took over.
His jaw, hard and handsome, lifted slightly. The man's tone was cold, "Who are you?"
The gazes of those around him fell upon her.
Shen Yue threw the cards aside. "It's me, Shen Yue."
Hearing those two words, his chaotic mind cleared for a moment. The gloom and anger on his face froze. He then realized that he had lost the game and the penalty was to call a person of the opposite sex and say, "I miss you."
But when he heard Shen Yue's voice, he involuntarily said something else, which annoyed him. A surge of frustration blocked his chest, making him uncomfortable all over.
He hadn't expected the girl to actually rush over foolishly.
With his mind still hazy, the man let out a mocking laugh. "You actually came."
Shen Yue saw the man's flushed cheeks and knew he was quite drunk. She stepped forward and took his arm. "It's late. I'll take you home."
Her soft body pressed against his arm, causing Wei Jingzhou to jolt. He reacted strongly, pulling his arm away. Shen Yue, caught off guard, was pushed and fell onto the sofa.
Wei Jingzhou's heart pounded, and his mouth went dry. He yelled defensively, "What's your relationship with me? Why can you touch me? Why do you want to take me home?"
With so many eyes watching like an audience, Shen Yue pursed her pale pink lips and adjusted her scarf to cover the lower half of her face.
Her voice was a little wronged. "Wei Jingzhou, didn't you call to clarify things?"
Wei Jingzhou took a drag of his cigarette, and white smoke rose lazily. He said nonchalantly, "Say it here."
With so many people watching, Shen Yue couldn't possibly say it. She stepped forward and took the man's hand, her eyes like a richly colored ink painting, her eyelashes trembling slightly. "Wei Jingzhou, can we go outside to talk?"
She spoke softly, as if coquettishly. The sound made the man's bones go soft. His face flushed even more, and even the fingers holding the cigarette trembled.
Yet, he pretended to be unfazed, raising his chin arrogantly, and said indifferently, "No, say it here so everyone can hear."
Shen Yue was both angry and ashamed. The man's heartless teasing made her feel wronged. Her eyes reddened, her eye tails looking as if they were painted with the finest rouge, pitifully fragile, making one want to shatter her.
Wei Jingzhou suddenly wanted to see her cry, the more pitiful the better.
Thus, he spoke without thinking.