The open-air bar nestled beside the dockside beach, surrounded by dim lights and gentle sea breezes. The band on stage played lingering, intimate songs, making even the air feel damp and ambiguous.
Huo Junlin showed a hint of barely noticeable tension as he led Zhu Ran to a small table. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, a server approached with the drink menu, asking what they wanted.
“What do you want to drink?” Huo Junlin turned to ask Zhu Ran.
Zhu Ran ordered a cocktail, and Huo Junlin chose the same.
The surrounding lights were very dim, and the table was small. Huo Junlin, tall and broad-shouldered, had his knees sticking out awkwardly. Zhu Ran had to tilt his body to the side to avoid bumping into him.
But Huo Junlin, whether from nerves or unconsciously, leaned forward again. Zhu Ran spoke up to stop him, and only then did Huo Junlin finally halt. To ease the awkwardness, he glanced back at the band and said to Zhu Ran, “I’ll go up and sing later.”
Zhu Ran: “Mm.”
Huo Junlin added, “Don’t leave, okay?”
Zhu Ran: “I won’t.”
Soon, the server brought two cocktails. Huo Junlin naturally picked up one and handed it to Zhu Ran.
The cocktail glass was small, and Huo Junlin’s hand was large—it filled the glass completely, leaving no room for Zhu Ran to grip.
Zhu Ran glanced at it and directly took a sip.
Huo Junlin froze on the spot, his cheeks flushing red in an instant.
“A bit sour,” Zhu Ran said after swallowing, lifting his head.
“S-Sour?” Huo Junlin tilted his head back for a sip but tasted nothing distinctive. He blurted out, “Yeah, it does seem a bit.”
“Huo Junlin.” Zhu Ran suddenly called his name.
“Here!” Huo Junlin immediately straightened up.
Zhu Ran: “You drank from mine.”
Huo Junlin looked down and finally realized what happened—his neck burned red too.
“Sorry,” he said, handing over the other glass. “I haven’t touched this one. Want to swap? Or should I order you another?”
“No need,” Zhu Ran shook his head. “I’m not drinking anymore.”
Huo Junlin apologized again and downed the other glass to calm himself, looking like a pitiful abandoned puppy. Only when he went on stage to sing did he regain his usual composure.
He put on quite a show—his singing voice was genuinely good. Not only did he sing, but he added dance moves: a few hip thrusts and waves that drew screams from the crowd below. He was clearly the type popular with students.
When the song ended, Huo Junlin gripped the microphone, his eyes sparkling as he looked toward Zhu Ran: “Was it good?”
“Good!!” Several voices rang out one after another.
“One more!!!” Someone shouted.
The crowd started cheering him on, but Huo Junlin tossed the mic aside and bolted off stage.
“Zhu Ran, did you hear that?” He sat back down across from Zhu Ran, clearly eager for an answer.
Zhu Ran shot him a glare: “You know the answer.”
They were so close—how could he not have heard?
Huo Junlin grinned: “That’s because you didn’t answer me earlier.”
Zhu Ran said it was good, and only then did the guy smile in satisfaction.
“Want to try going up?” he asked Zhu Ran.
The night breeze rustled the coconut trees, while white yachts bobbed quietly at the port, their catamaran masts towering high. A crescent moon hung in the night sky.
After a moment, Zhu Ran brushed the stray hairs from his face and looked up: “Sure.”
When that performance ended, Zhu Ran took the microphone and went on stage. He seemed reserved and quiet by nature, but he wasn’t shy about performing in public.
“The evening breeze of a summer night
Blows as you lie in my arms
Your silky hair flutters loosely
Entwining with me in the wind…”
Zhu Ran held the mic with both hands, his white shirt billowing in the night breeze. His expression softened, immersed and relaxed. His singing voice was a bit lower than his speaking voice, and paired with his focused gaze, it came across as especially romantic and tender.
The surroundings gradually quieted, leaving only Zhu Ran’s soft humming, the sound of the sea, and the wind.
Not far away, Huo Boyan leaned casually against the bar with a cocktail in hand. His posture was relaxed, and his gaze on Zhu Ran was calm, but his tall frame and the aura honed in the business world made him impossible to ignore.
It was a vacation island’s nighttime banquet, and Zhu Ran sang under everyone’s gaze—a moment that should have been perfect. Yet, looking at the unfamiliar faces in the crowd, Zhu Ran felt a touch of loneliness.
When the song ended, Zhu Ran returned to his seat amid applause, and Huo Junlin’s eyes shone even brighter.
“Your singing is surprisingly good.”
“It’s okay.”
“Want to do a duet with me?”
For some reason, Zhu Ran instinctively glanced up at Huo Boyan upon hearing this. The latter had turned to talk to a man in a suit and wasn’t looking their way.
“Sure,” Zhu Ran said.
Huo Junlin scrolled through the song list and pulled up a bunch for Zhu Ran to choose from.
Most duets were love songs, which Zhu Ran skipped over. Finally, he pointed at the screen: “This one.”
Huo Junlin looked down—it was JJ Lin’s “When Night Asks Day.”
As they took the stage amid cheers, Huo Boyan finally turned back, seeming a bit surprised, but he quickly regained his composure. He ordered a second drink from the bartender and continued listening.
