Can following the rules be called rebirth?

Chapter 181, Page 179: A Single's Song
The small private room was dimly lit, with colorful light bulbs projected onto the walls, creating a constantly changing illusion.

Gu Caiwei nestled in the middle of the sofa, gulping down a large mouthful of ice-cold beer. She only looked up when she heard the song title, her bright eyes reflecting the light.

"That's right, that's right~"

She giggled and said in a sweet, cloying voice.

"Today we have to sing these kinds of sad love songs!"

Li Zhi lightly tapped the screen to confirm, her back to Zhou Mingyuan and her best friend, her expression unchanged, but her other hand unconsciously clenched the corner of her shirt.

The short-haired girl handed the microphone to Zhou Mingyuan and took another one for herself.

Before the song started, Li Zhi looked down at the screen, secretly glancing at the profile of the man beside her.

The accompaniment begins, with the familiar guitar strumming in the intro.

Are you surprised and speechless?
Yes, I mean, do you want to break up?

You once tamed me, like a sheep.

Why might they turn around and bite you back? Do you know that?

"Good Hearted Breakup" is an extremely classic pop song, and it's also a rare Mandarin and Cantonese duet, making it perfect for this occasion.

The female voice in the Cantonese section spoke first.

Li Zhi put away the crazy and silly attitude she had just shared with her best friend, sat quietly on the edge of the sofa, raised the microphone to the beat, and began to sing earnestly.

She took a deep breath, her voice clear and resonant, yet there was a softness that seemed to have been inadvertently revealed in the low volume.

Perhaps I should reflect on my words and stop speaking.
Should I, who was abandoned, receive this retribution?

If I had been a bad shepherd
Can I try again?

Give me a hug~

Don't be fooled by the song title, "Break Up with Good Intentions."

However, as most people understand it, as long as the male and female parts are separated, this song is a proper love duet.

When it was Zhou Mingyuan's turn to speak in Mandarin, his voice carried a touch of nonchalant sexiness.

Every time she sang a short verse, the man would turn his head and glance at her.

Even if Moulin Rouge is just a chain karaoke bar, who says chain karaoke bars can't have fun?
When singing love songs as a duet, eye contact is essential!

Looking back, I'll be with you.
I've never been happy~

Li Zhi's face flushed red instantly.

Her palms were a little sweaty when she held the microphone.

The short-haired girl could feel that her throat was tighter than usual when she spoke.

It's as if every word has to linger in the throat for a moment before it obediently comes out.

She stared at the big screen, pretending to be focused on the flowing lyrics, but her peripheral vision kept drifting to Zhou Mingyuan's shoulder.

The two were very close.

She was so close that she could see the outline of his profile and the slight tightening of his jawline when he sang low notes, with just a slight tilt of her head.

When she looked up again, her gaze met Zhou Mingyuan's.

What are you doing!
If you're going to sing, just sing. Why are you staring at people like that?
"You kindly let me go this morning"

Even starting from scratch was fraught with difficulties.

"None of them will have an easy time!"

Fortunately, it was just a private karaoke room.

The lighting was dim, the ambiguity was subtle, and even the exchange of glances was not very noticeable.

So Li Zhi quietly changed her sitting posture and angle, held the microphone and straightened her back. When she sang the climax of each person's line, she also interacted with Zhou Mingyuan in the same way.

Turn back, don't go.
Don't leave me like this~

It was Zhou Mingyuan's turn again.

The man's voice was very steady, his eyes were bright, and his gaze was filled with deep affection.

it's wired.

He looked at himself like this.
It doesn't feel like a sad breakup song at all!
Li Zhi's mind was in complete chaos, the lyrics jumping around incessantly, just like her little thoughts, as if someone had accidentally poked at them and they could never be taken back.

So, she subconsciously brought the microphone a little closer to her mouth.

This way, the reaction can be hidden, and the facial expression in the dim light cannot be seen, nor can the slight upturn of the lips be seen.

People in Shanghai don't understand Cantonese.

Gu Caiwei sat in a corner of the sofa, her left hand supporting her chin, her right hand holding a beer can with a little white foam on the mouth of the can, which slowly slid down her slender fingers.

Despite the cool, refreshing sensation, the usually clean little princess didn't touch it.

Her gaze never left her best friend and Zhou Mingyuan.

Singing breakup-themed songs on Singles' Day is definitely a way to add a sense of ritual.

but
But how could the two of them...
Gu Caiwei subconsciously rubbed her eyes.

Despite having enjoyed a good time drinking beer tonight, the little princess hasn't lost her thoughtful and meticulous nature.

She didn't know why, but she felt that Zhou Mingyuan was different tonight.

I've seen him act all nonchalant and carefree all the time, but tonight was different.

Although it's just a simple pop song, it's not like I haven't heard it before.

But the two of them, speaking both Mandarin and Cantonese, tossed a sentence back and forth between each other, and it sounded like they had a natural and unspoken understanding.

Gu Caiwei leaned back on the sofa and looked over, and surprisingly felt that they were quite a good match.

She took another sip of wine, the foam and bubbles hitting her tongue with a slightly bitter taste, but nothing compared to the inexplicable astringency in her heart.

But they're just singing, so I can't reveal my true feelings.

So Gu Caiwei could only sit there, maintaining a smiling demeanor, pretending she hadn't noticed anything.

They would also secretly sing along with Li Zhi's last words during the pauses in the lyrics, as if they were simply drinking and supporting each other.

Just as she sang the line "For the rest of my life, I'll stay with you," Li Zhi turned her head and glanced at Zhou Mingyuan.

Zhou Mingyuan happened to be looking at her too, and returned her a bright smile.

I rely on!

They even started exchanging glances.
In that instant, the beer can between Gu Caiwei's fingers clicked softly, like someone gently scratching her heart with their fingernail.

A small piece of the round can was crushed.

Fortunately, both of them were so engrossed in singing that no one noticed the strange noise.

"It sounds so good, so good, so good~~~"

"But you guys sang it way too seriously, it sounded like a real breakup, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry~"

After the song ended, Gu Caiwei finally breathed a sigh of relief and stood up to applaud and cheer.

She raised her hand, picked up the little bell, and shook it back and forth. Then she tapped the table, her soft, sweet voice unconsciously drawing out, with a hint of teasing at the end.

"Weiwei is talking nonsense again. If they really broke up, how could they still sing together?"

Li Zhi put down the microphone, stood up and sat down next to Gu Caiwei, smiling as she put her arm around her best friend's shoulder.

"What if? Some people can remain friends after breaking up."

Gu Caiwei chuckled, realizing that her words were somewhat untenable, so she simply picked up a beer can to change the subject and gestured for everyone to join in.

Cheers! Cheers!

"This toast is to everlasting happiness and freedom, and a happy holiday!"

The three of them clinked glasses, laughing and joking, and drank it all in one gulp.

"Weiwei has a strong sense of ritual; she can even find a way to celebrate freedom and unbridled spirit on Singles' Day."

Zhou Mingyuan took out another bottle of wine and joked with a smile.

"I used to think the lyrics in 'Happy Breakup' that 'If you love the right person, every holiday is a celebration' were nonsense, but I don't think so now."

"Stop flattering!"

Gu Caiwei rolled her eyes, then simply refilled her glass, raised it to clink with Li Zhi's glass, and then clinked it with Zhou Mingyuan's as well.

"If we really want to celebrate, there are plenty of angles! Business has been booming lately, come on over~"

"This cup of coffee is a toast to our worries-relieving coffee, may our fortunes rise higher and higher like sesame flowers blooming!"

"Cheers~"

Before Zhou Mingyuan arrived at the private room, Gu Caiwei and Li Zhi hadn't actually consumed much of the beer on the table.

The two sisters mainly maintained a happy atmosphere by singing, and drinking was just a way to keep themselves slightly tipsy.

But once my dining companion arrived, the situation changed without me even realizing it.

He only sang one song with Li Zhi before Gu Caiwei pulled him to sit on the sofa, and they drank together, talking about one topic after another.

Unfortunately, we are all very good friends, so we never lack topics to talk about.

Enjoy a drink and have some fun, no problem.

A coffee app is launching and causing a huge sensation – grab a cup, no problem!

I bought some clothes I liked last night, and I'd like to have a drink too. Until Li Zhi was completely drawn into the atmosphere.

"This toast is to fairness and justice!"

"Weiwei, you don't know yet, do you?"

"Remember when I borrowed your photos to pretend to be a rich woman?"

"Uh-huh."

Gu Caiwei nodded blankly.

"He actually created a rich woman persona and managed to swindle the money back from the scammer!"

The light bulb spun slowly, casting a purplish-red light on Li Zhi's short hair, as if giving it a subtle gleam.

"Huh? You can do that?"

Gu Caiwei stared wide-eyed, her curiosity piqued.

"That's right! Don't let Zhou Mingyuan's refined appearance fool you; he's a master of deception."

"How did you trick me? Tell me quickly!"

"That's it, blablabla."

The short-haired girl, holding her best friend's arm, stood in the third person and described exactly what she had seen and heard at Mingli Company that morning, including the long lenses and microphones of the reporters.

Gu Caiwei kept covering her mouth as she listened, her thoughts racing, her eyes filled with complex emotions.

Working in law is so interesting!
His Mingli Legal Consulting Company, though not long established, is by no means small in scale.

With so many media outlets interviewing them, doesn't that mean it has official endorsement?
This is what real entrepreneurship looks like; it's about to take off!

After achieving success, does he still have the time and inclination to spend time with me in a coffee shop?

But without the comforting coffee as a bond, could she still share endless common topics with him like Little Lychee?

Gu Caiwei bit her lip, her eyes reflecting the flickering light above her head.

dong dong dong.

As everyone was chatting, there was a sudden knock on the door of the private room.

"Hello, here is the microphone you requested."

The waiter stepped halfway in and handed Gu Caiwei a brand new microphone.

As we all know, regardless of whether it's a large, small, or medium-sized room, most KTV rooms are equipped with two microphones.

So, while Gu Caiwei was in the restroom, she secretly asked the waiter for another one.

How about another love song duet?

Bring it on!

Gu Caiwei's subtle schemes are all hidden in the details.

On the surface, her kindness in giving everyone their own microphones seemed to allow for a three-person sing-along.

But she had given it careful consideration.

Given Li Zhi's personality, if someone requests a love song duet, she definitely won't take the initiative to speak up and grab the microphone if someone else is holding it.

Unless Zhou Mingyuan does what he just did, choosing a Mandarin/Cantonese bilingual song that no one else can sing and specifically requesting Li Zhi to sing it.

But would he really do that?

This is no different from openly revealing one's feelings and wanting to sing love songs with Li Zhi.

Zhou Mingyuan was not fooled as expected.

The three of them then switched from drinking to singing.

A sad love song, changing venues.

Just as Gu Caiwei had anticipated, as long as she picked up the microphone, many songs naturally turned into duets between her and Zhou Mingyuan.

Zhou Mingyuan's singing wasn't professional, but the lazy yet slightly ambiguous quality in his voice made it seem like he wasn't just casually singing each word.

"call"

Li Zhi, now back to being a listener, was a little dizzy, her cheeks flushed with a slightly tipsy pink.

She leaned back on the sofa and yawned widely.

"Baby, are you sleepy?"

Gu Caiwei put the microphone back on the table, sat down next to her best friend, leaned closer, and squinted at the time: "Oh!"

"It is indeed a bit late."

"How about we sing one last song together and then go back?"

"."

Li Zhi was amused by her and looked up at Gu Caiwei: "Haven't you sung enough yet?"

"I've never seen you enjoy singing this much before."

"No~"

Gu Caiwei pursed her lips, her eyebrows curved, and two small dimples were faintly visible in the dim light: "The main thing is that if I don't sing this song, it'll be a waste of my trip!"

Which song?

The short-haired girl sat up straight, but didn't push it away in this atmosphere. She took the microphone from Gu Caiwei and rubbed her stiff neck.

"Single! Love! Song!"

Zhou Mingyuan and Gu Caiwei said in unison.

Li Zhi couldn't help but burst out laughing, then wrinkled her nose in feigned disgust: "Are you guys serious?"

"How outdated!"

"Even the rustic songs will be sung!"

Zhou Mingyuan casually turned up the volume, ran to the song selection console, pressed a couple of buttons, and said with a smile.

"That's right, it wouldn't feel right if we didn't sing this song every year!"

Gu Caiwei picked up the conversation, laughing heartily.

Soon the accompaniment started, and the familiar melody echoed in the private room.

"Find someone you love most, someone you deeply love, someone you mutually love, and say goodbye to being single~"

"A passionate, devoted, ruthless, and heartless person came to leave me with scars."

The voices of the three people were mixed together in the microphone.

The disco ball cast a dim, yellowish light onto the wall, creating overlapping shadows that nestled together yet left gaps between them.

Throughout the song, from the verses to the chorus, Zhou Mingyuan held the microphone and sang along with the two sisters, creating a joyful and peaceful atmosphere.

Midway through the song, Gu Caiwei held up the microphone and deliberately inserted a few off-key "lalala" notes during the interlude. Her clear and melodious laughter was amplified, as if it were about to break through the entire dome.

"Oh~"

The unchanging theme of single life, the ever-changing mood of celebration.

Honestly, I'm so happy to be with you guys~~~

Just as a song was coming to an end, Gu Caiwei suddenly raised her voice and spoke while the microphone was still on.

"Me too!"

Zhou Mingyuan immediately took over the conversation.

"If we're still single, how about we sing this song together every year from now on?"

"."

What are you saying, bro?
A subtle silence fell over the noisy private room.

Gu Caiwei glanced at her silent best friend beside her, and then caught a glimpse of Zhou Mingyuan's ambiguous smile.

No, no, no!

It took her several seconds to realize what was happening.

"Ahem. Okay~"

Gu Caiwei cleared her throat, tucked her brown hair behind her ear, responded generously, and smiled as she raised her glass to lean closer to her.

"Whoever finds a partner first is a dog!"

"I think it's okay."

Li Zhi was jolted by Gu Caiwei's collision and then realized what had happened.

Zhou Mingyuan's words sound flawless and eloquent at first glance, but upon closer examination...
That's utter nonsense!

Pay the bill, settle the account, and go downstairs.

The colored lights spun around, stretching the shadows of the three people long, as if they were drawn together by something.

As the bustling KTV entrance gradually quieted down, Zhou Mingyuan stood between two women and walked out side by side.

On Singles' Day, the sentimental love songs for singles still linger.

(End of this chapter)