The car was filled with the soulful voice of Li Zongsheng, deeply expressing the lyrics of "Guilty Heart." Xiang Yang, who was always sharp and a bit nosy, mulled over the meaning of the lyrics, then turned to Chen Jin with a playful grin. "Haven't seen you bring Lin Meimei out in a while. Not playing the protective brother anymore?"
There was no response. After a brief moment, Xiang Yang dropped his grin and, trying to be casual, said, "Spicy food can be exciting, but if you have too much, it'll burn. Chili's a side dish, not the main course."
Only then did Chen Jin, who had been resting his eyes, open them lazily. "Why are you talking about food again? Didn't we just leave the dinner table?"
Xiang Yang froze for a moment, realizing Chen Jin had caught the shift in conversation, but quickly shrugged it off and laughed lightly. "This song is pretty good, though. Really emotional."
Chen Jin seemed to actually listen for a few beats before casually commenting, "Hmm, not bad."
Encouraged by his response, Xiang Yang continued teasing. "Hey, bro, you're acting a little off lately. Not into women, and listening to a song like this? Are you turning into a love guru?"
Chen Jin scoffed. "What should I be listening to then?"
"Hmmm," Xiang Yang pondered, eyes lighting up mischievously. "How about 'The Hungry Wolf Legend'?"
Chen Jin laughed heartily, then called out to the front. "Old Li, did you hear that? Someone thinks you're about to become a love guru!"
Xiang Yang was caught off guard, realizing that the music wasn't his choice. But seeing Chen Jin's expression, it did look like the man was troubled by love. Had he misjudged him?
Meanwhile, Chen Jin's mind drifted. The lyrics "Someone asked me what's so good about you, all these years, I still can't forget" echoed in his thoughts. He couldn't help but reflect on his past, realizing that there was no woman he had ever remembered for long. Faces, once vivid and alluring, had faded into blurry silhouettes, becoming one word—women. Women he had once known.
He recalled the bet he had made with Lin Wen. At the time, he had brushed it off as a joke, but it had stayed with him. He still didn't believe someone like her could truly exist, yet he couldn't shake the idea. He wondered if, years down the road, Lin Wen would ever remember him, the man who had been her first.
He was almost certain she would. Even if she forgot his touch, the moments they had shared, she would never forget that she had once tried to kill him, and conspired against him. Those two things alone made her unforgettable. As this thought passed through his mind, a rare feeling of melancholy overtook him. He shook his head, but couldn't help but wonder, would she remember him in the years to come?
She probably would, because he was her first man. He had even caused her to break her bones... With that thought, a strange sense of satisfaction filled him. He sighed bitterly. "Men, always showing their worst sides... and I'm the worst of them all."
Meanwhile, Old Li had been feeling like a character from a song—Uneasy. Lately, the boss's mood had been like dry tinder—one spark, and he'd blow up. Old Li had been scolded a few times for minor things.
One time, when the boss was rushing to a meeting, Old Li ran a red light, only to be reprimanded: "You want to die? Drag me down with you?"
Shocked, Old Li swore to himself that he'd be a law-abiding citizen from now on. The next day, when waiting for the light, with hardly any cars around, he hesitated but decided to wait. Once again, he was scolded: "There aren't even ten cars on the road, don't you know I'm in a rush to get to the airport?"
Previously, the boss never listened to music in the car. He was either busy with calls or documents or resting his eyes. But recently, the boss seemed distracted, and Old Li often had to play music to fill the silence.
Having worked as a driver for so many years, Old Li had learned to pick up on subtle cues. He noticed the boss furrowing his brow the day before, so the next day, when they were in the car, he switched the song. He avoided Guilty Heart and picked something instrumental.
Lately, Old Li had been enjoying the theme song from Soldier Assault, "Conquering Heaven," thinking it would suit the boss's ambitious nature. However, as the powerful melody played, the boss still frowned. His tone was calmer when he asked, "Can you switch to something more soothing?"
"Okay," Old Li quickly changed the track to a softer, more romantic piece—Für Elise. Finally, he saw the boss close his eyes and relax a little. Old Li breathed a sigh of relief, thinking, "Being a subordinate is tough—it's like walking on eggshells."
But halfway through the song, the boss suddenly opened his eyes and, without expression, said, "You were told to switch to something soothing, not something that sounds like a sissy. Change it again."
Old Li was flustered. He fumbled through the controls, trying to find something that wasn't too masculine or too feminine. Finally, after careful consideration, he settled on The Street Where the Wind Lives, thinking, "If this doesn't work, I might as well quit."
Fortunately, this time, the boss didn't complain. The mood in the car lightened as the boss seemed to drift off to sleep. Old Li relaxed, but not for long. They had arrived.
The boss opened his sleepy eyes, glanced out at the scenery, and casually said, "Take me to the villa."
The car sped off, heading toward a villa in the suburbs, while Old Li, under the accompaniment of piano and erhu, found the situation almost too fitting.
When they arrived, Chen Jin hurried inside, brushing past the flustered Old Zhou and his wife, who were quick to offer greetings. He waved them off and headed straight for the second floor. After searching for a while, he finally spotted Lin Wen on the third floor in the media room. The low, soft piano music played in the background as she leaned back on a beige carpet, bathed in the soft glow of the sunset. This rare, gentle side of her seemed precious to him.
He suddenly realized how much he missed her face. It had been over ten days since they last saw each other. Yet, he didn't approach her immediately. Instead, he paused as he heard a female singer's voice: "When I was young, noisy and willful, my grandmother would sing to me, in the summer afternoons, the old song would comfort me, and I think it went like this…"
It could have been a random song, but something told him this song had special meaning for Lin Wen. He remembered that she had spent a long time living with her grandmother. This song might remind her of that time.
As the song continued, Chen Jin sensed something odd in the air. His usually sharp senses seemed dull today. Frowning, he walked toward her and called out loudly, "Lin Wen…"