At 3 a.m., the landmines in front of the station

"A new era of honey trap?"

"Then what?"

The girl didn't say anything about what happened, which at least covered up her behavior, and in Su Che's eyes, it meant she was beyond redemption.

"I'll drink with you, but please don't suddenly start touching me like that again. I'm only responsible for keeping you company, not for providing any other services."

He prepared himself in advance, saying, "Of course, if you insist on complaining to the boss's wife, you can try and see whose side she will take."

"...!"

The girl wasn't stupid; she could tell that Su Che wasn't joking.

With a quick glance, he immediately changed tactics.

"Hmph, fine then, let's roll the dice and drink today. You or I have to drink one of our drinks, or we'll both drink it!"

"Okay."

Su Che accepted all comers.

"I've already had three drinks, so you have to have three more first, otherwise it's not fair, and it would be like you're really bullying me!"

The girl pointed to the three empty glasses on the table and started to act spoiled.

"Really? Did I bully you again?"

Su Che chuckled, took the tequila from the girl's hand, and downed the tequila in one gulp.

"Ha, ordering more new wine costs money. I'll drink three of these six glasses of tequlia on the table first, as a way of making up for the wine I owe you, and it'll also save you money. How about it?"

The alcohol burned down his throat like fire, but Su Che simply smiled and said those words.

"You...you...I don't need you to help me save money! I'm not short of money!"

Feeling his kindness, the girl's face turned red, whether from deliberate bravado or for some other reason was unclear.

"Really? Do you come to bars often?"

Su Che put down his wine glass and asked with a smile.

To him, a customer is just a customer.

They may not even have the "qualification" to source material.

Because most of the people who come to this kind of place are women, some of whom are married and some of whom have partners, but no matter what, those who go to the proprietress's shop every day are either those who drown their sorrows in alcohol or those who have indulged in all sorts of vices, including drinking, gambling, and prostitution.

"Of course not! This is my first time here! I'm just unhappy, so I need to find someone I like to keep me company! You look alright!"

"is it?"

Seeing that the girl's expression didn't seem to be lying, Su Che continued to smile, secretly thinking:

[As expected, the obedient and well-behaved An Qing is still the best.]

[He doesn't go anywhere, as quiet as a cat.]

He didn't say much, but changed the subject and asked, "So, what's your name?"

"You go first!"

The girl seemed to have a very competitive mentality. Even after drinking quite a bit, she still made sure she wouldn't suffer any loss and could throw tantrums anytime, anywhere.

"My name is Su Che."

"Su Che?"

"The 'Su' in 'soda' and the 'Che' in 'clear'."

He spoke patiently.

"Huh? I'm not a primary school student! I know how to write it! I don't need you to teach me!"

The girl pursed her lips, paused, took a deep breath, and said, "Listen carefully, my... my name is Yuan Xiao!"

"Lantern Festival?"

Su Che was taken aback upon hearing this, and managed to suppress his laughter.

"It sounds delicious."

"Ah, it's not about food! It's the 'carefree' kind of carefree! Carefree! Get it!?"

"Good good."

After exchanging names, she seemed much more relaxed and no longer argued over every single sentence.

"I'm asking you, are you a male escort or not? You have a different vibe from those other guys! Tell me the truth."

She took a sip of Asahi, then suddenly moved closer, so close that their arms were touching.

"What's different?"

Su Che drank a cup, owing her nothing, and asked with narrowed eyes.

"Because they're lifeless and uninteresting!"

"Not interesting?"

"Correct!"

“I’m lifeless too,” Su Che said.

"No!"

"How to say?"

"You're like...you're like an Abi!"

"..."

Su Che uttered a "Huh?" sound, then hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but stopped himself.

"Su Che, tell me, are you sick?"

Are you insulting me?

"No, I was just asking!"

Yuan Xiao chattered on and on, and once she started talking, she seemed to have no boundaries whatsoever.

Not only does he speak incredibly fast, like an anxious child, but he also throws a punch at the slightest provocation while asking questions.

It was soft and fluffy, like it had been pounded by a marshmallow.

Su Che was indifferent to such physical contact and said whatever came to mind.

Whether I'm sick or not is irrelevant. What's important is you. Why are you drinking here tonight?

He changed the subject.

"Because...because I'm unhappy!"

"Why are you unhappy? I can try to cheer you up. Of course, it's also fine if you don't want to talk about it."

Su Che respected the girl's privacy and was completely relaxed when communicating with her, giving her a feeling of being able to do whatever she wanted.

Seeing his expression, the girl softened and decided to stick to what she could say:

"I...all my good friends have left me! I...I have no friends anymore!"

"what?"

Su Che sensed that she was about to cry after saying those words, so he immediately raised his glass, gesturing for her to drink.

"What kind of friend? Is it someone very important?"

Even though it was a child's problem, he was still willing to listen with all his professionalism.

"Yeah! They're all incredibly charming! But... but tonight... we... we parted ways!"

Yuan Xiao gulped down another shot of strong liquor, her face flushing even more, and she said in a wobbly voice:

"At this rate, it's like I've lost three good friends in one day! I didn't have many friends to begin with! Now I have nothing, absolutely nothing!"

"..."

Su Che thought for a moment, wondering what could have caused the child to cut ties with three friends in an instant.

I was quite curious, but I didn't ask any further questions.

"Out with the old, in with the new. In a society driven by self-interest, most friendships and classmates are built on various shady relationships. You'll understand this better when you're older."

He offered a word of comfort.

I picked up a toothpick from the fruit plate and pierced a piece of watermelon to quench my thirst.

"Awoo!"

Yuan Xiao, like a fierce cat, suddenly attacked, biting it without warning. Before even swallowing it, he muttered:

"Hmph! You wouldn't understand even if I told you. You don't understand the feelings between us, and you would never understand me."

"is it?"

Su Che looked at the empty wooden stick in his hand, at its sharp tip, and nodded slightly.

"Perhaps."

He nodded: "There are indeed many things I don't understand, because I don't have as many friends as you."

Talking,

A hint of helplessness appeared on his face.

He paused for a few seconds, then continued drinking.

At this point, Yuan Xiao was already quite drunk, and it was difficult for him to even sit up straight.

The music in the bar was deafening. As the night drew to a close, the other booths gradually filled up. A scantily clad female DJ arrived, and neon lights shone brightly on the stage.

"Ugh, it's so noisy. Speak closer to me, I can't hear you."

Yuan Xiao exhaled a breath of alcohol and beckoned Su Che to come closer.

"it is good."

Su Che leaned closer, wondering what she was going to say next.