Lin Jie was indeed right before.
Perhaps it is human nature to be ungrateful, to fail to cherish what one has until it is lost, only then to reminisce and regret.
Su Jiamu lay on the balcony of her home, the familiar melodies she cherished echoing from the living room behind her. She gazed at the darkening sky, enveloped in silence.
Things should not have turned out this way.
All of it was due to that cursed gathering.
A frown gradually creased Su Jiamu's brow, her gaze shifting to one of annoyance. She lightly tapped her forehead, her expression tinged with sadness.
The gathering had been an invitation from a friend. Although Su Jiamu had not initially considered going to a bar, she ultimately relented under her friend's coaxing.
However, she only agreed to visit a lounge; with the college entrance examination approaching, she felt a fleeting desire to experience a bar for once.
It turned out she was merely a fool easily swayed by alcohol.
They showered her with flattery, but it was all superficial admiration for her looks, nothing more.
Yet, Su Jiamu recognized that under the influence of alcohol, she had inflated in such pretentiousness, ultimately exploding and hurting Lin Jie, who had genuinely cared for her.
Su Jiamu was not oblivious; she understood the kindness Lin Jie had shown her, the feelings he harbored. She simply believed that the timing was not yet right, not giving it much thought.
She took out her phone and effortlessly located Lin Jie's WeChat.
Silently, she stared at his profile picture before opening their chat history.
Their last conversation had been after her return from a trip, when she had asked Lin Jie to meet her at the airport.
Scrolling up revealed Lin Jie's cautious inquiries that night, asking if she was back.
Su Jiamu continued to scroll, noticing how the messages had once flowed freely, albeit mostly initiated by Lin Jie.
Among her acquaintances, some admired Lin Jie, often claiming he was hard to approach due to his reserved nature. But only Su Jiamu knew he was quite talkative when the facade dropped.
Just glance at the messages he had sent her in private.
Su Jiamu straightened her posture, widening her eyes slightly as she brought her phone closer, examining the messages with newfound seriousness, scrutinizing every detail she had once glanced over.
Occasionally, her lips would curl into a smile; at other moments, her brow would furrow.
Some messages from Lin Jie struck her as amusing, prompting her to recall what she had been doing when he had sent them.
In truth, Su Jiamu was not anxious; she had never been in a hurry.
She believed Lin Jie was merely sulking; he still liked her, so all she needed to do was wait patiently.
Eventually, Lin Jie would come looking for her.
...
Lin Jie had come to realize what it meant to be "a paragon of virtue before drinking, and a libertine afterwards."
Seated with five young women at their table, all rather attractive, Lin Jie, along with Mo Jiale, found himself momentarily subdued, even Zhao Yan, usually so playful, adopting a gentlemanly demeanor as he poured drinks for them.
Before drinking, they sang, exchanged pleasantries, discussed national affairs, and current global issues, passionately expressing their visions for the future, stirring Lin Jie's emotions to a simmering intensity.
However, it was unclear who suggested playing dice, for the conversation quickly devolved into something primal.
Though Lin Jie was relatively new to dice games, he played adeptly, managing to drink sparingly while encouraging Zhao Yan and the other young women to indulge more.
"Hey, Jie Ge, what are you drinking?" Zhao Yan exclaimed, watching Lin Jie take a sip of beer alone.
"I'm a bit parched!" Lin Jie replied, looking at Zhao Yan as if he were a simpleton, then leaned in to whisper to Mo Jiale, "Zhao Yan can really hold his liquor?"
"No, he's quite capable," Mo Jiale countered with a shake of his head.
At that moment, a girl leaned in closer to Lin Jie, her hands brushing against him deliberately. She was the one who had just lost a game, looking at him with a feigned pout. "Don't be like that, brother; if you drink, I'll seem weak."
Lin Jie cast her a sidelong glance, thinking to himself that she likely didn't have much on him, yet he found her unabashed confidence somewhat endearing.
"I'm dry; I'll have a drink alone while you all continue to play," Lin Jie replied, maintaining a respectful distance as he smiled.
When a handsome man smiles, it carries an undeniable allure. Even a seasoned flirt like her could soften in the presence of charm, not to mention this young woman, who found herself captivated by Lin Jie's grin.
"Then I'll drink with you; it's no fun to drink alone," she insisted, shaking her head at her friends who beckoned her over. "I'm here to keep the handsome guy company."
Zhao Yan and Mo Jiale paused for a moment but continued their merriment with the other four girls.
Having someone to drink with was acceptable, though Lin Jie preferred not to engage with this group in dice games, as they often dragged their feet when it was their turn, their expressions overly exaggerated and artificial, which irritated him. He had to force a smile despite his annoyance.
"Enough with the theatrics; just play the game," he thought.
As their laughter grew louder and the atmosphere became more raucous, Lin Jie remained confined to polite conversation and drinking.
The girl, eager to engage with Lin Jie, found her attempts met with his serious demeanor, leaving her disillusioned... After all, they were out to have fun; who wanted to engage in serious talk?
As time ticked away, a waitress approached, first whispering something to Mo Jiale. Lin Jie then noticed Mo Jiale standing up, a puzzled expression on his face as he approached him.
"What's up?" Lin Jie asked languidly, reclining comfortably on the sofa.
This was rather pleasant—someone pouring his drink and offering him fruit... he felt well taken care of.
Mo Jiale regarded him with a smile. "You really know how to enjoy yourself… Speaking of which, when did you invite someone else? You could have informed us beforehand."
"What are you talking about? I didn't invite anyone," Lin Jie replied, perplexed. "That must be Zhao Yan's friend; I didn't call anyone."
Mo Jiale shook his head. "They specifically mentioned you as the friend; the waitress asked me first."
Lin Jie was still utterly bewildered.
What friend?
Who could it possibly be?
"Is it your friend? If so, I'll let them in; if not, I won't," Mo Jiale urged.
Lin Jie's thoughts began to churn slowly, his alcohol-fueled haze clearing... His friend?
Who could it be?
"Lin Jie!"