Chapter 5

Chapter 5

After several back-and-forth encounters, there always seemed to be a reason to talk. By the time I realized what was happening, Zhou Huaian had already barged into my life.

The first time I met his friends was at a famous nightlife spot in Beijing City.

I had dressed up meticulously that night, wanting to make a good impression on his friends. When Zhou Huaian saw me, he looked momentarily surprised.

It wasn’t until we arrived that I understood why he was surprised.

At the venue, the men were all his friends, and the women were the companions they had brought along.

His friends treated my presence by Zhou Huaian’s side as something entirely ordinary. They only glanced up once before greeting him.

You’ll often find that making someone feel sensitive and insecure in a crowd doesn’t require overt hatred or suppression. Neglect and indifference are the most powerful weapons. That casual glance from a different social class is enough to make your scalp tingle.

Clearly, Zhou Huaian hadn’t intended to introduce me. Whether in the eyes of others or his own, my role for the night was likely nothing more than a companion for amusement.

When I was young, I was proud. If he didn’t take me seriously, I would make enough of a scene to ensure he noticed me.

As his friend shook the dice cup, I casually toyed with my wine glass. “One cup. Seven sixes. Open it.”

The other man downed the drink, and the game grew more spirited.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Zhou Huaian lighting a cigarette, his gaze frequently drifting toward us.

I remained nonchalant, skillfully holding my own against my opponent.

After a while, the seat beside me sank. Zhou Huaian wrapped his arm around my waist in a possessive gesture. “What are you playing that’s got you so excited?”

I was a bit tipsy. Propping one hand on the sofa’s armrest, I looked at him with a curved, smiling gaze.

The first time I saw the flag-raising ceremony at Tiananmen in Beijing, Zhou Huaian was the one who accompanied me.

When I said I wanted to see the flag being raised, he couldn’t understand it for the life of him. He laughed as he asked me what was so special about it.

But I had never been to Beijing before; starting university was my first time in the city, and everything felt fresh and new.

To see the ceremony that night, we stayed up until dawn. He leaned against the railing, watching me as I looked up at the red flag.

Later, word began to spread among that Beijing Circle Second Generation crowd that Zhou Huaian had found himself a real ‘ancestor’ this time.

It all started at a card table. He was halfway through a game and losing miserably.

At the time, I was sitting next to Zhou Huaian. He was holding one of my hands, so I had no choice but to watch his cards seriously.

Zhou Huaian clicked his tongue, stood up, and tucked me into his seat at the table. “This is boring. Let our little ancestor play.”

I reached for the cards, eager to try. Zhou Huaian stepped aside to smoke, patting my head before he left. “Play however you want. If you lose, you lose.”

The young man across the table glanced at me and asked with a smile, “What’s your name?”

I looked up at him. My peach-blossom eyes were full of charm. I knew his name was Song Yao. This circle believed heavily in feng shui. Zhou Huaian had told me that when he was born, a feng shui master said his five elements lacked earth, so he was named ‘Yao’-a name composed of three ‘earth’ characters.

I discarded a card and smiled. “Shen Nian. And you?”

“Song Yao. Just call me Ah Yao. You should come play with us more often.”

That night, I didn’t just win back all the money Zhou Huaian had lost; I became the biggest winner at the table. Song Yao insisted on playing against me until dawn, earning him a laughing scolding from Zhou Huaian.