Outside the café, the sudden sound of various musical instruments pierced the night like a stone thrown into a tranquil lake. We all turned our eyes toward the window. Luoben, already with a cigarette in his mouth, had already seated himself at the drum set, harmonizing with other musicians in preparation for the concert.
CC rested her chin on her hand, watching Luoben absentmindedly. In fact, everyone sitting inside the café understood that she was still infatuated with Luoben in the least conspicuous way possible. Perhaps some might not understand such unwavering devotion, but those who truly knew Luoben understood that he was not a man to be judged by appearances. He possessed a certain charm that fascinated women, especially when he sat before musical instruments. At that moment, he was an artist, and more importantly, one of the few soulful singers in the realm of music.
After the first trial performance ended, CC smiled at us and said, “Next month, Luoben’s first personal concert will be held in Beijing. I’m genuinely happy for him. Although his music caters to a niche audience, it has finally gained market recognition.”
Upon hearing this news, everyone nodded in agreement, genuinely happy for Luoben because his efforts over the years had finally paid off. When the day came for him to stand on the stage and scream with the last vestiges of his youth, no one should forget the countless sleepless nights of pain and the shattered emotions he had endured to compose each expressive and cathartic song!
CC continued to Leyao, “Actually, Luoben should be most grateful to Yaomei. Although the previous original music talent show helped him gain some popularity, what truly made him known to the public was the theme song he composed last year for that TV drama series. Recently, the drama has been airing nationwide, and Luoben’s song, ‘Regretful Freedom,’ has become popular for echoing the sentiments of many young people. Following this, his previously published musical works on other platforms were also unearthed and received high praise from both within and outside the industry.”
Leyao smiled and replied, “I merely facilitated the introduction for Luoben. The key is that he genuinely possesses musical talent. When he is willing to write songs to cater to the market, he will definitely have the opportunity to become famous. Actually, he understands very well what the market needs, but he is just too stubborn… Hehe, he is now referred to as an intellectual by a specific group. However, being an intellectual is no easy task. If done well, he becomes a master; if done poorly, he becomes a public enemy!”
Luoben’s talent would inevitably make him a master, but his sharp personality might also turn him into the public enemy Leyao mentioned. Yet, this would not hinder the achievements he was about to attain in the future.
Looking at myself, I suddenly felt lost about what I had been doing all these years. Once, I had played in a band with Luoben, written songs, and even passively drifted through my career, but ultimately I had achieved nothing. What people fear most is comparison, and now I had been left far behind by Luoben, Xiangchen, and even Fangyuan. Even worse was the fact that I currently had no clear direction in life… The mere thought of Lukoo Company and Zhaoyang’s name filled me with anxiety. At this moment, I felt like a child with no one to talk to, lost and confused in life.
Luoben, with a cigarette in his mouth, turned his gaze back into the café and then waved at us, signaling us to come out, presumably because all the preparations before the opening had already been completed.
Mica, dressed in a business suit, originally had no intention of joining the performance on stage, but CC insisted strongly. Eventually, after discussing with Leyao, who was wearing casual clothes, they exchanged outfits and shoes. Mica put on Leyao’s casual clothes and went to the front stage, while Leyao wore Mica’s business suit and stayed in the café, enjoying this idle evening in the manner of a career-oriented woman.
However, the sizes of their clothes surprisingly matched almost perfectly, which surprised me greatly. Perhaps this was the so-called compatibility between two refined women. Don’t get me wrong; this compatibility refers solely to their figures, as their personalities had absolutely nothing in common.
Thus, this open-air concert began, and this “West of the Old City” café became a temporary lounge for the performers without receiving any audience, which is why Leyao could sit here safely in her celebrity status, and I was sitting with her. I had no intention of participating in today’s performance because my desire for music had already faded, a feeling that had subtly surfaced during the previous performance at A Feng’s bar.
Xia Fanye was still preparing drinks at the bar counter for those participating in the performance, while I smoked and looked outside. Leyao, apparently quite interested in the business suit she had exchanged with Mica, suddenly lifted her legs in front of me and said, “Zhaoyang, there’s no logo on these shoes. Can you guess the brand?”
“Can’t you be less bored!” I said, instinctively glancing at her, but because of her overly bold and open leg-raising posture, I caught a glimpse under her black high-waisted skirt, instantly feeling an awkward sense of impropriety…
Leyao, however, was completely oblivious and, like a child, swung her foot in front of me again, saying, “I’m just bored!… Come on, guess! After all, you used to work in planning at a high-end department store. You should at least have some eye for these things, right!”
I gentlemanly shifted my gaze and then said, “Miss, before you lift your legs so arrogantly like that, have you ever thought about exposing yourself?”
Leyao looked down at her legs, blushed, quickly put her legs down, and after a while, softly said, “Oh my… I forgot that I had also changed clothes with her! Well… Did Boss Xia just see that?… How embarrassing!”
I knew that her action just now was entirely due to her being too relaxed and unguarded in front of me. After a while, I told her, “Knowing it’s embarrassing, don’t randomly lift your legs next time… Also, can you change that careless personality of yours? If you act like this at some award ceremony, you’ll become a laughingstock for the entire nation!!”
“Aren’t award ceremonies just for female celebrities to show off their bodies!…”
“Can’t you think in a more normal way?”
“Did I say anything wrong? Then tell me, why do all those wardrobe malfunctions in the entertainment industry happen at award ceremonies?”
I was at a loss for words, and Leyao took advantage of the silence to quickly adjust her clothes and sat properly, no longer asking me about the brand of Mica’s shoes.
In our silence, a sudden roar erupted outside the café. I quickly looked in that direction and saw that CC and Luoben had taken the stage together. Since the two had participated in that original music talent show, fans had regarded them as a couple perfectly matched in talent and appearance, and the two had never publicly denied it. Perhaps in Luoben’s emotionless eyes, this was not even an issue worth explaining. But the uninformed audience was incredibly eager to see their every collaboration… However, those of us who knew the truth viewed them with a sense of sadness, especially for CC. Although in the eyes of the public, they were the couple most destined to be together, love ultimately does not sprout and grow for the sake of others’ gazes. In Luoben’s heart, Wei Manwen was the only woman!
At this moment, Luoben and CC were performing the song “If You Want Me,” which I had once sung for Mica at the plaza. I must admit that this song was more suitable for a woman to sing, so CC was the lead vocalist while Luoben provided the harmonies. During the performance, a classic version was born. Even sitting inside the café separated by glass windows, I couldn’t help but applaud their rendition.
This concert themed “Black Taboo” was Luoben’s solo performance. After finishing the duet with CC, Mica then joined them on stage. This time, the two sang a song called “Dim Night” together, with CC playing the bass.
At this point, Leyao, who had embarrassed herself earlier, finally spoke again, asking, “Zhaoyang, the atmosphere here is so lively. Why don’t you go out and have some fun? I almost forgot that you used to consider yourself a singer.”
“Singing is something you have to do with desire.”
“Oh, so you’re saying you don’t have the desire today… Strange, I’ve noticed your mood has been low lately. What’s wrong with you?”
I picked up my coffee and took a sip, watching Mica and Luoben outside the window. After a long time, I replied, “So many years have passed, and I find myself still stuck in the same place without much growth. This feeling is quite depressing!”
“I don’t think so. On the contrary, I think you’ve flown too far.”
“Really? But I don’t feel like I’ve broken free…”
“You wouldn’t feel like you’ve broken free because you’re flying aimlessly without a clear destination. So now you’re living strangely, seemingly having everything and lacking nothing, yet feeling so empty that you want to die!”
I stared at Leyao in disbelief, as she had actually voiced my innermost feelings, and quickly asked her, “How do you know how I’m feeling right now?”
Leyao replied with a half-smile, “Because I’m the woman most willing to spend time understanding you… You’re a unique person, worth studying!”
I sighed deeply, yearning in my heart to find the right direction suitable for my own flight. At this moment, I really didn’t know whether giving up Lukoo Company was a wise decision or not, or rather, this might be an issue without right or wrong, waiting only for the person involved to find a reason to resolve the inner burdens.
At this moment, the café door opened again. I thought it was either Mica or CC, but to my surprise, it was a young couple I had never seen before. The man was holding an infant with a pacifier in its mouth, while the woman was carrying a large bouquet of flowers. They stood in front of Xia Fanye, looking at him with gratitude.
Both Leyao and I looked at them in confusion because the café was not open for business at this time, and several security guards had been specially hired to stand at the door to prevent outsiders from entering. So why were they able to come in, and why were they holding flowers, not presenting them to Luoben who was singing on stage, but instead coming to stand in front of Xia Fanye?
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