After the divorce, he went on a motorcycle trip, and his ex-wife and daughter were filled with regre

"Did the wind blow the frog inside?!"

Xia Yu was so angry at this absurd excuse that she laughed out loud.

"Jiang Ye, do you think I'm a three-year-old?! The wind can blow frogs into the bed and then conveniently cover them up, right?!"

Xia Yu stepped forward, extended two fair fingers, and accurately pinched a small piece of soft flesh on the inside of Jiang Ye's arm.

Then, twist it hard!

A 360-degree rotation!

"Holy crap!"

Jiang Ye gasped in pain, nearly dropping his teacup, and sprang up from the sofa.

"Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Let go! Let go now!"

Jiang Ye called out while trying to pry Xia Yu's hand off.

"Mr. Xia, are you a lobster?! Your grip is incredibly strong!"

Xia Yu not only didn't loosen her grip, but instead increased the pressure, cursing through gritted teeth:

"Who told you to be born like a mantis shrimp!"

"All you do all day is cause trouble, you're full of bad ideas! Get over there right now and get that disgusting thing away from me! Otherwise, I'm not letting you off the hook today!"

Seeing Xia Yu's angry and scared expression, with tears welling up in her eyes, Jiang Ye knew that the time was right. If he continued to make a scene, this woman would probably really lose her temper.

"Okay, okay, I'll do it, I'll do it, alright?"

Jiang Ye rubbed his arm, which had been pinched red, and took the opportunity to start negotiating terms.

"But since I helped you catch the frog, you should at least offer something in return, right?"

Jiang Ye raised an eyebrow and said with a grin, "How about we go to the rooftop for barbecue tonight? I've been craving barbecue for ages, and it's no fun eating alone in this desolate place!"

Xia Yu glared at him fiercely, her chest heaving violently.

All she wanted to do was get that horrible frog off her bed; she had no time to haggle.

"Okay! I promise you!"

Xia Yu gritted her teeth, complaining resentfully, "I must have had the worst luck imaginable! I finally got a year off, and of all places I had to go on vacation with you! Nothing good ever comes of running into you!"

Xia Yu agreed.

Jiang Ye felt a surge of joy.

He patted his chest, walked into Xia Yu's room with an air of righteous indignation, and quickly caught the innocent frog, then casually tossed it into the bushes downstairs.

……

Night falls.

The nights in the mountains are purer and quieter than those in the city.

Jiang Ye had informed the innkeeper in advance, asking him to set up a charcoal grill on the rooftop terrace and prepare a generous amount of meat skewers and vegetables.

The rooftop terrace is very spacious.

Apart from Jiang Ye, only a few scattered young backpackers were chatting in the corner.

The night breeze was cool, dispelling the daytime heat.

Looking up, there is a brilliant starry sky that is not obscured by urban light pollution, with countless stars that seem within reach.

The distant lake, shimmering under the moonlight, contrasted beautifully with the dark, looming mountains, creating a stunning scene.

The charcoal fire glowed red-hot, and the sizzling sound of the grilled meat dripping onto it released an enticing aroma of cumin and chili powder.

Jiang Ye sat at a small wooden table next to the grill, holding a bottle of chilled local beer.

The table was already covered with his grilled lamb skewers, pork belly, and grilled chives.

However, Jiang Ye was somewhat disappointed.

He raised his wrist to look at his watch; it was already past nine o'clock at night.

Xia Yu still didn't come.

"This woman, could she have changed her mind? Or is she still angry about that frog from this afternoon?"

Jiang Ye muttered to himself, feeling a strange sense of loss.

He didn't urge her.

He just sat there quietly, drinking beer one sip after another.

Before I knew it, I'd downed several bottles of beer.

Jiang Ye drank some wine, his eyes became somewhat hazy, and he entered a slightly tipsy state.

In the quiet and beautiful night, alcohol always tends to amplify people's emotions.

Jiang Ye suddenly felt a void in his heart and wanted to vent something.

He stood up, staggered downstairs, and retrieved the wooden guitar he had brought on his motorcycle trip from the lobby on the first floor.

Back on the rooftop terrace.

Jiang Ye didn't sit back down at the table. Instead, he picked up his guitar and walked to the railing at the very edge of the terrace.

He sat astride a high stool, facing the dark lake and the starry sky in the distance.

He gently plucked the strings with his fingers.

"Zheng—"

The crisp sound of a guitar echoed through the night sky.

Jiang Ye took a deep breath of the cool night breeze, closed his eyes, and his mind was filled with memories of the past seven years in Hanzhou, including Shen Qinghan's indifferent face and Xia Yu's proud yet genuine smile.

His fingers flew across the strings, sweeping out a slightly melancholic chord.

Then, he leaned closer to the microphone in front of him and began to sing and play music towards the distant lake in a slightly hoarse yet soulful voice.

"Calling your name..."

"I imagine you're right in front of me..."

But you're not here with me...

Jiang Ye sang an old song, "Blue Tears".

His voice, though lacking in technique, is filled with an irresistible sincerity and a sense of vulnerability.

"I can't find a reason to cry..."

"But you give me a thousand excuses to hurt my feelings..."

"Blue tears, are my sorrow..."

As the chorus approached, Jiang Ye's voice suddenly rose, and the guitar strumming became more intense.

The song seemed to contain all of a man's grievances, relief, loneliness, and longing.

Under this vast starry sky, on this quiet lakeside, this song sounds especially moving.

The young people who were chatting in the corner all stopped.

The young man on the rooftop was stunned.

Holding beer bottles, they stared blankly at the man sitting by the railing, his back to them, playing and singing, their eyes filled with shock and emotion.

The song ended.

The guitar's last notes faded away in the night breeze.

The terrace was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Several seconds later, the young people seemed to snap out of their daze and began to clap enthusiastically.

"Dude! That was an amazing performance!"

"That's so good! One more song!"

Jiang Ye ignored the young people's commotion.

He put down his guitar, exhaled a long breath of alcohol, and pulled himself out of his immersive emotions.

He turned his head, preparing to return to his seat and continue drinking.

But, in the instant he turned around...

Jiang Ye was stunned.

He discovered that Xia Yu had somehow arrived at the top floor and was now standing quietly not far from him.

She changed into a soft beige knitted cardigan, her long hair casually draped over her shoulders.

Bathed in the dim light of the terrace and the glow of countless stars.

Xia Yu's eyes were covered with a layer of glistening mist.

She stared intently at Jiang Ye, her eyes filled with complex emotions—surprise, emotion, and a hint of something she herself was unaware of.

In the darkness, her already exquisite face appeared even more beautiful and captivating thanks to the misty veil.

Jiang Ye looked at her, his heart skipped a beat.