Chapter 51: A Lesson for Naive Young Adults

This is the fixed mindset of society: men must support their families and take responsibility, while women lose value as they age. Continuing the family line is considered the right path. Occasionally, when I look in the mirror, I wonder if I should tone down my bold behavior since I’m not married and have no children. But—” Yu Zhimei opened another bottle of alcohol: “Fuck it, who made these rules? Even if there’s no way out, it doesn’t matter. The time I hold in my hands is mine alone. I may not be married or have kids, but I still have the courage to be任性 (recklessly free).”

Yu Zhimei had hit her first-quarter advertising targets, and with the second quarter about to kick off, she invited Monkey Brother and Xiaolong to celebrate downstairs at a Japanese restaurant. After Xiaolong, eager to get home, excused himself, Yu Zhimei signaled for a bottle of premium sake and said to Monkey Brother, “Let’s drink until we’re satisfied tonight.” Monkey Brother had been her partner for a year, carrying cameras and tripods without complaint, willing to take on any role she created, even if it meant sacrificing his image. As one of the founding members who worked alongside Boss Xing, Monkey Brother was often the target of Boss Xing’s temper tantrums, yet he never held grudges. Gradually, everyone forgot that his real name was Wu Gou. Over eight years in Shanghai, Monkey Brother had moved from Xujing East to Chuansha, then to Century Avenue. His fiancée, after months of ultimatums demanding he return home with her, eventually left him. After much deliberation, Monkey Brother decided to stay in Shanghai and remain single. Everyone at the company knew about this. During his post-breakup period, he stopped shaving, let his hair stand in greasy clumps, and wore T-shirts until they smelled strange. Yu Zhimei had never found the right moment to have a proper conversation with him. Now, reflecting on the video they had just released, she felt a sense of guilt toward Monkey Brother. He pretended to look like someone who’d gotten the better end of a deal: “Sister Mei, there’s no need for Jian Zhaowen to apologize on my behalf. Being handsome is innate; I know I can’t compete.”

“It’s your personality that counts. Those who are attracted to Jian Zhaowen at first sight are shallow animals.”

“Then do you promise you didn’t like him at first sight?”

“At first glance, I was busy helping a friend catch their cheating partner—I didn’t notice.”

Monkey Brother enjoyed engaging in playful banter with her and wouldn’t get upset even if provoked. Staring out the window at the cars passing by, he drained his glass in one gulp: “When I was little, my neighbor had a Mazda M6. Compared to other people’s Santana cars, it was miles ahead. When I grew up and came to Shanghai, I thought, ‘Now that I’m here, my goals must be bigger. I have to surpass the Eastern BMW.’ In 2013, when I started working with Boss Xing, my dream car was the BMW 1M, with the n54b30 engine—the king of mountain roads. Later, when the M2 came out, I always felt its engine lacked something, and I couldn’t forget the 1M. Now, I’ve seen and driven so many cars that I don’t feel anything anymore. I never expected that at this point in my life, I still wouldn’t own a car. Dreaming too big makes me feel like an idiot.”

“Jian Zhaowen rents a license plate and drives himself to work. If you want to drive, you could also rent a license plate.”

“That’s a smart idea. Having a car for commuting is convenient.”

“But he’s about to quit.”

“Oh? Starting another business?”

The image of Jian Zhaowen, drunk to the point of fearing the smell of alcohol, flashed before Yu Zhimei’s eyes. She shook her head: “We’re just starting to figure things out. Oh, and he asked me to help him tune his Audi.”

“He has a Shanghai license plate?”

“Rented.”

Monkey Brother smiled faintly, swirled the alcohol in his mouth, and swallowed: “Jian Zhaowen and I are two completely different types of people. We both work hard, but he always seems full of energy, as if he never considers fallback plans—he acts like he has everything. Meanwhile, I’m pushed along by work, cautious with every step I take. I fear being fired, not saving enough to buy a house, and being looked down upon by so many people. Of course, I know Boss Xing looks down on me but can’t do without me. Yet, I feel like there’s nothing I can do about it.”

“Don’t think like that.” Yu Zhimei pressed down on Monkey Brother’s hand—he shouldn’t drink anymore.

“Sister Mei, don’t stop me. I used to think that if I worked harder, put in more overtime, and persisted for another year, I could get a raise and buy a house, giving my girlfriend a better life. But now, I realize what girls need most might be companionship. The love you women want might be deeper than what we men understand. It was my fault for not making her happy, and I ended up delaying her.”

“This is society’s fixed mindset: men must support their families and take responsibility, while women lose value as they age. Continuing the family line is considered the right path. Occasionally, when I look in the mirror, I wonder if I should tone down my bold behavior since I’m not married and have no children. But—” Yu Zhimei opened another bottle of alcohol: “Fuck it, who made these rules? Even if there’s no way out, it doesn’t matter. The time I hold in my hands is mine alone. I may not be married or have kids, but I still have the courage to be任性 (recklessly free).”

“Sister Mei, you’re number one in my heart.”

Yu Zhimei and Monkey Brother clinked glasses and gazed out the window together. Suddenly, Monkey Brother spoke: “What model of Audi does Jian Zhaowen drive? An R8?”

“A4.”

“His taste isn’t great either…”

Although she could talk about Jian Zhaowen behind Monkey Brother’s back, Yu Zhimei naturally defended him when teased about his poor taste. Late at night, she sent Jian Zhaowen a message: “Do you still want to modify the car? If so, let’s go out tomorrow morning at ten.”

Choosing the top-tier configuration of an Audi within budget constraints wasn’t surprising—BMW interiors looked cheap at the same price, and Mercedes-Benz didn’t suit Jian Zhaowen’s taste. His fear of heavy snow in the north led him to place blind faith in all-wheel drive. Hearing this explanation, Yu Zhimei realized she couldn’t refute Monkey Brother’s earlier comment. Watching Jian Zhaowen finish his explanation with self-satisfaction, she couldn’t resist teasing him: “You might as well say the Audi matches your personality.”

“What?”

“You and your headlights are equally flashy!”

“Damn it. What are you planning to do today? Are you going to replace parts?”

“…Don’t joke around. We can tune the ECU to Stage One for city driving—you’re not particularly interested in performance driving anyway.”

“Don’t skimp on costs for me. Money isn’t an issue.”

Yu Zhimei smiled meaningfully: “Alright.”

The two drove to the auto mall, where they met an old friend of Boss Xing. They spent three hours upstairs discussing cars. After tuning the ECU to Stage One, the full potential of the 2.0T high-power engine and Quattro all-wheel drive system was unleashed. Excited, Jian Zhaowen played DEJAVU: “Now this is a car!”

Yu Zhimei watched him with a mischievous smile. Jian Zhaowen felt uneasy about her expression: “What?”

“Nothing, just thinking how you look like a kid playing a game console for the first time.”

“From today on, I can brag about owning a modified car.”

Yu Zhimei scoffed: “This barely counts as modification.”

“I don’t care.”

“Do you know I made ten thousand yuan off you? I colluded with the shop owner to pocket a ten-thousand-yuan kickback during the software flash.”

“What?”

“You actually think car modifications have transparent pricing?”

“So you scammed me out of ten thousand yuan just like that?”

“A lesson for naive young adults. You didn’t even listen carefully to the explanations—they told you to pay upfront. No wonder people call you a walking money bag.”

“Give me my money back.”

“Never.”

“Do you know this is fraud?”

“Are you saying you didn’t willingly hand over the money?”

The next day, commotion filled the hallway and outside. Yu Zhimei lay on the couch playing with her phone when she heard someone shout in the corridor: “Can’t get in! Use the balcony!” After feeding the cat canned food and playing mobile games, Yu Zhimei leisurely prepared to water her plants. Jian Zhaowen pounded on the door like a drum, but she wasn’t in a rush, waiting for the move-in to finish before heading out. Xiao Ma stood at the doorway, peeking inside: “Brother Zhaowen, that mattress looks nice—isn’t it more expensive than the one I took away before?” Shi Rui, hearing the noise, ran upstairs in surprise: “Brother Zhaowen, such a luxurious mattress for one person to sleep on—it’s extravagant!” Only after Jian Zhaowen saw his guests off did he lean against Yu Zhimei’s doorframe in disbelief: “You scammed me out of ten thousand yuan just to buy me a mattress?”

“No way it was that cheap—I invested in it too. It’s a brand I hesitated over buying when I moved years ago, but with sufficient funds this time, I figured even a startup boss deserves good sleep.”

He knew Vispring, of course—at least five hundred thousand yuan for a fully handmade mattress. Jian Zhaowen’s eyes sparkled with emotion: “Don’t treat me so well.”

“Sleeping on a wooden board every night while staying up late, I was worried your back would break. But I wasn’t confident you’d like it—a guy obsessed with limited-edition shoes might find it unsuitable. If you don’t like it, you can exchange it…”

Before she finished, Jian Zhaowen leaned in and kissed her lips softly. His lips were moist and carried the scent of fruit, but before Yu Zhimei could catch the fragrance, he pulled away. Through the iron railing, Jian Zhaowen gazed into her eyes: “Does our safe distance still apply?”

Of course not. Buying a mattress clearly meant they would play games together, drink together, watch movies lying on it, and melt into each other’s warmth… Just as she was about to respond, Xiao Ma rushed up the stairs in three quick strides: “Brother Zhaowen, Sister He called us to drink—are you coming?” Before Jian Zhaowen could refuse, Xiao Ma stood between them, teasing the cat through the iron railing: “Hurry up! What kind of kung fu are you practicing through the railing? Drinking is the priority.”

Annoyed again by the interruption, Jian Zhaowen slapped Xiao Ma’s shoulder hard: “Let’s go. Why are you still standing here?”

At Miaolin Dessert Shop, Sister He was openly pretending to complain about product features: “It’s an app that explicitly discusses romantic relationships, yet it pretends to be anonymous with those whispered messages?” She conveniently omitted how she secretly acted like customer service, replying to messages under the cover of night and feeling frustrated when she didn’t receive a response from the person she liked.

Her phone rang just in time. Yu Zhimei stood up: “They’re here. Sister He, let me introduce you to a friend.”

As Zheng Zeyan entered the threshold, he glanced around. Seeing Ou Jinghe, he paused for a second, his smile provocative. Ou Jinghe stared at him, her gaze lingering on him, growing tighter with the intensity of his stare. She remembered a broadcast she once posted on DayNight: she missed the feeling of seeing someone and becoming deaf and blind, letting only the pounding of her heart shatter her chest.

And now, it felt like thunder and lightning in her ears.

“Zheng Zeyan.” Zheng Zeyan shook Sister He’s hand, adopting a falsely philosophical tone: “With so much exposed sclera, you must be the boss lady.”

“What do you mean?”

“If you’re so good at putting on a show, how could you not be the boss?”

This opening line stunned everyone. Sister He felt a sting but quickly masked it with a competitive smile, turning to grab the menu: “That’s hurtful. At my age, being told I have too much sclera—should I go to a plastic surgery clinic to sew my eyes shut to keep doing business?”

Zheng Zeyan didn’t intend to continue sparring with Sister He: “Yu Zhimei, where’s that spicy sugar dessert you mentioned last time? I don’t see it.” He leaned close to Yu Zhimei’s ear, whispering the word “dessert” so that it brushed her hair.

“The boss lady changed the menu. She’s seriously trying to make money now—all the specialty dishes have been removed.” As Yu Zhimei spoke, she felt herself being subtly pulled—Jian Zhaowen had hooked her chair and shifted it three inches closer to him.

Sister He was still standing nearby: “Of course. Without money, who cares about specialties?”

“How can I eat it?”

“Recharge a membership card—the price depends on your sincerity.” Sister He laughed and tapped Zheng Zeyan’s shoulder with the menu: “If you recharge today, I’ll give you a complimentary serving.”

“Then I’ll get a membership card. Do I need to recharge? Let’s put in ten thousand yuan.”

Sister He grabbed the POS machine and swiped Zheng Zeyan’s bank card without blinking: “No receipts today—the machine’s broken. I’ll bring it to you in a few days.”

“So professional—even receipts.”

“Of course, I run a legitimate business.”

Zheng Zeyan clenched his fists, the muscles beneath his thin T-shirt visible: “Since that’s the case, deliver it to my house.”

“As you wish, VIP.”

PS: Our male lead #2 is also a bottomless… character. Thank you for reading~ If you like my story, remember to vote QAQ. Today, Little Zhang waits for you all to chat!