Chapter 46 Quintet: "Want to come to my house?"
After washing up, Liang Yizhi lay down on the bed.
Fearing she wouldn't be able to sleep, she took two melatonin pills beforehand and forced herself to shut down her computer.
Otherwise, the moment she closes her eyes, the huge mirror in the walk-in closet will appear before her, vividly recreating every moment she spent with Gu Yinyan in the past.
She told him everything, from childhood to adulthood, she never hid any secrets about herself from him.
She trusted him so much; besides her parents, Gu Yinyan was the person she listened to most in her life. She regarded him as a solid support and an indispensable part of her life.
So how could he lie to her?
He even lied to her for so long.
Liang Yizhi buried her head in the pillow, covering her mouth and nose.
When exactly did it start?
Judging from the painting in the cabinet, they had known each other for less than a year at that time, which means that everything happened much, much earlier than she thought.
She had been in several relationships, and she told him all the details, even asking him for advice. He was the witness to all her time and all her emotional experiences.
But then she thought about it again: how much did she really know about Gu Yinyan?
She seemed to know nothing about his secret.
She had always stayed safely under his protection, enjoying the sense of security he provided. If she hadn't accidentally opened that door, how long did he intend to keep it a secret?
The melatonin is working.
Her thoughts were a jumbled mess, tossed into the wastebasket of her dreams, keeping her restless all night.
...
Two days have passed.
The small group of Liang Yizhi and the other three gradually fell silent.
There are clearly four people in the group, but only two of them are exchanging words back and forth.
He Man and Jiang Huai both noticed something strange.
Seeing the frequent awkward silences in the group chat, He Man, who knew more or less the reason for Liang Yizhi's distress, couldn't stand it and took the initiative to send Liang Yizhi a private message saying:
[Yizhi, my client gave me some concert tickets yesterday. I'd like to invite you to go!]
Liang Yizhi was sitting at home wiping her violin when she took a moment to reply:
I think I'll pass; I've been quite busy lately.
Ho Man: [You didn't even ask whose concert it was? You're just not going? How can you be so heartless!]
[crying.jpg]
Liang Yizhi, softening her tone, replied: "Alright then. Whose concert is it?"
He Man said: 【It's An Zhiyou's!】
[How about that?! Surprised? Unexpected?]
Liang Yizhi was momentarily stunned upon hearing this name.
She grew up listening to An Zhiyou's songs during her school years. He was a popular singer in her junior and senior high school, and his fan base was basically the same age as Liang Yizhi. He was nicknamed the "first generation king of singers" in the industry at that time.
Liang Yizhi did not reply for a long time.
He Man sent another voice message: "What's wrong! Even An Zhiyou's concert can't cheer you up now?"
"Have you forgotten how you used to ask me to buy you merchandise and bring you autographed photos? What, have you fallen for someone else now?"
Liang Yizhi picked up her phone and typed: "No, I was just thinking about something."
He Man: [So, are you going or not? If you are, I'll bring the ticket to you tonight.]
Liang Yizhi thought for a moment before answering: 【Go.】
She couldn't stay depressed like this forever; she needed some stimulation to help her break free from this suffocating emotional drain.
-
On the day of the concert.
After passing through security, Leung Yik-chi entered the venue. Although she was no longer as enthusiastic as she was when she was chasing stars, she still dressed up in a grand manner to show respect for her youthful memories.
He Man's ticket was in the second-floor stands, not very close to the front, but the view was in the middle and unobstructed.
The large screen was playing An Zhiyou's music videos and advertisements on a loop. Liang Yizhi was so engrossed in watching that she didn't even notice when someone sat down next to her.
"You really like this celebrity?"
When Liang Yizhi turned her head and saw He Xintu, she slightly opened her mouth.
"How...how did you get here?"
He Xintu sat down next to her with a frank smile: "Your friend He Man gave me the ticket. I thought you were all here, but it turns out it's just you."
Liang Yizhi understood.
He Man sent tickets to each of them, hoping to create an opportunity for them to meet.
Liang Yizhi then answered his question: "This is an idol I really liked when I was in school. Do you know him?"
He Xintu rested his chin on his hand, staring at the face on the big screen, and pondered for a few seconds before answering, "Would you be angry if I said I didn't recognize you?"
"Of course not," Liang Yizhi said. "It's just that if you don't recognize me, won't the concert time be a bit difficult to endure?"
He Xintu didn't mind: "A performance is all about the atmosphere; nothing else matters."
Liang Yizhi smiled and said, "I've wanted to say this for a long time. You have such a good attitude."
From her previous conversations with He Xintu, Liang Yizhi had sensed that he was a very easygoing person with no fixed way of dealing with people or any particular preferences; he thought everything he did was good.
Liang Yizhi felt that she should learn from his open-mindedness.
The concert lasted nearly two hours, but it felt like it went by in two minutes.
Even as the years go by, An Zhiyou's singing and dancing skills remain undiminished. The audience was filled with passion, and Liang Yizhi felt completely immersed in the excitement, thoroughly enjoying herself.
Watching her wave her arms and cheer loudly at the singer on stage, He Xintu unconsciously followed suit and smiled slightly.
After the event ended, the two of them walked out of the venue with the crowd.
He Xintu asked, "Are you feeling better now?"
Liang Yizhi was taken aback.
"How...how did you know?"
He Xintu touched his hair and said, "Actually, He Man told me that you were in a bad mood today. She invited you to the concert, but she was worried that you would feel lonely by yourself, so she asked me to come and keep you company."
So that's how it is.
No wonder He Xintu kept glancing at her during the concert today. He was secretly observing her mood.
Liang Yizhi was very touched that her friends did this for her.
She shook her head: "I'm fine now, I'm much better. The concert was a great source of energy, I'm so excited I could run laps around the venue."
He Xintu was amused by her.
"In case you're not satisfied, how about I invite you to HOOK for a bit? It's closed today, so there's no one in the store."
Liang Yizhi readily agreed.
The night wind was bleak.
They took a taxi and headed straight to HOOK.
It's rare to see a HOOK so deserted; the second-floor terrace was completely empty, and the door was locked.
He Xintu took out the key, opened the door, and entered the password.
Liang Yizhi casually found a seat and sat down, while He Xintu went behind the bar to clean the utensils.
He mixed a drink, placed it on the round table in front of Liang Yizhi, and said, "Try it."
Is it a new product? Should I give a very personal review?
He Xintu: "It's a new product. But I'm confident you'll like today's drink."
Liang Yizhi's curiosity was piqued, and she took a sip of the wine.
This drink has a rich flavor. It has a light fruity aroma, and after tasting it, you first experience fruity acidity, then sweetness, and finally a hint of spiciness on the back of your tongue.
Liang Yizhi stuck out her tongue and gave a thumbs up, which was the highest level of feedback she could give.
He Xintu said, "I have a name for a wine that I've already thought of. Do you want to guess what it is?"
Liang Yizhi thought for a moment. The question was too abstract, and the answers were too broad; she really couldn't make up her mind.
He Xintu could see her dilemma, so he announced directly: "It was you who inspired me, so I decided to name it 'Quintet'."
Quintet?
Liang Yizhi thought of the day she would invite him to a chamber music concert.
She smiled with delight and said, "This drink really suits the name perfectly."
The rich texture and the layered flavors couldn't be more perfect.
“This glass of wine was also inspired by you.” He Xintu looked at her, his curly hair brushing against his eyelashes, obscuring the light that should have been in his eyes.
"You seem to be in a bad mood lately."
He Xintu recalled that the last time he was with her, she didn't look well either.
"Can I ask? Who is it that always makes you unhappy?"
Liang Yizhi opened her mouth, only to find her throat parched. The pungent taste of the alcohol lingered.
"It's nothing, I just had a fight with a friend." She twirled the bottom of her glass in her hand and said softly.
"If... if you found out that a friend has been lying to you for a long time, how would you feel?"
He Xintu paused for two seconds, as if considering: "I think it depends on the degree of deception. Is it serious?"
Liang Yizhi shook her head silently: "...It's not very serious. It's just that he's been keeping something from me and hasn't told me yet."
Liang Yizhi is popular and has many friends. Although she likes making friends, she only truly confides in a few people, such as He Man.
She is somewhat idealistic, valuing every relationship in life. She dislikes people who approach her with ulterior motives, as such relationships are too complicated and cannot be maintained once the balance is broken, making the relationship easily destroyed.
It was like a knot in her heart. As long as she knew that the other person had ulterior motives when they met, she could no longer view all his actions objectively.
He Xintu listened to her opinion but did not offer any comment.
Leung Yik-chi asked, "What would you do if your best friend lied to you?"
He Xintu said slowly, "I don't have any best friends."
"No, how could that be?"
"Not only do I not have any contact with them, but I also have very little contact with my parents and relatives."
He Xintu looked at her and said, "You know what? I've always felt that relationships that aren't too close are the best."
"The closer the relationship, the more constrained one becomes. Because of familiarity, one often dares not tell the other person the truth; and because of the good relationship, one has too high expectations of the other person, and is more easily disappointed. Often, a person's bad temper is vented on the closest person. Therefore, the closer the relationship, the easier it is to get hurt."
Liang Yizhi seemed to understand, but not quite.
She recalled the views of He Xintu that she had found fascinating.
He couldn't understand the highly artistic paintings, but he didn't find them boring. On the contrary, he felt that the unknown was a kind of beauty.
He doesn't mind interacting with strangers because strangers are not important to him. He doesn't need to worry about their reactions or what others think.
Even with Liang Yizhi, he always silently practiced this philosophy of life.
He never told her his address or his family background. He never revealed any hobbies other than his profession, and she never saw him with any friends or similar people. They usually even met at his bar.
She found him mysterious and intriguing, simply because she knew absolutely nothing about him.
She believes he has strong boundaries and values privacy because he never wants to form overly close connections with others.
The once bustling bar, filled with soft R&B music, is now only filled with the howling wind on the terrace.
In the quiet, empty corner, only the two of them remained.
He Xintu continued to explain his point of view to her: "Just like if I lied to you, you wouldn't be as hurt as he was if he lied to you, right?"
"Similarly, if I do something, you won't think I'm approaching you with ulterior motives, because I have no reason to do so."
Liang Yizhi pondered his words carefully, but did not notice that the figure sitting next to her was gradually approaching her.
It wasn't until the light red liquid on the table was obscured from her view that she opened her eyes wide and realized that He Xintu's face was so close to hers.
He lowered his head and finally placed a light kiss on her lips.
Liang Yizhi was completely taken aback by this development, and she gripped the edge of the table, holding her breath.
He Xintu tilted his head, a smile playing on his lips as he looked at her, as if he were teasing a frightened little animal.
He asked:
"The wine's finished. What's next..."
"Want to come to my house?"
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