Chapter 10: I Am Also Somewhat Knowledgeable

Time flew by, and soon the two riding the electric scooter arrived at the entrance of a barbecue restaurant.

“This place serves pretty good barbecue. I used to come here often!” Zhou Yujie casually picked an outdoor table and sat down, smiling as she introduced the spot.

Upon hearing this, Su Chen glanced her up and down before teasing with a smile, “You come here for late-night snacks so often, but how come you never seem to gain weight?”

“I’ve already gained quite a bit!” Zhou Yujie snorted softly. “Back when I was in school, I was just over ninety pounds. Now I’m at one hundred and ten! That’s at least ten pounds heavier. Isn’t that enough?”

“You’re almost 1.7 meters tall now. One hundred and ten pounds isn’t fat at all! Stop talking nonsense!” Su Chen said exasperatedly. “You’re just right as you are—very pretty, not fat at all!”

Zhou Yujie flicked a glance at him and snorted quietly, “Do you compliment every girl you see by calling her pretty?”

“No way. You really misunderstand me. I’m known as the honest young gentleman!” Su Chen said in mock surprise. “Don’t you realize you’re genuinely beautiful? And yet you think that about me!”

“That’s probably true…” Zhou Yujie blushed slightly, feeling a little shy at the compliment.

“See, that’s a bit hypocritical!” Su Chen said disdainfully. “Take me for example—I boldly declare myself to be the most handsome man under the sky!”

Zhou Yujie was speechless.

“Have you always been this shameless?”

“Hey, hey, hey, no personal attacks, please!”

The two laughed and joked for a while before the owner cheerfully approached them.

“Ha ha, is this your boyfriend? What do you want to eat today?”

Su Chen was about to explain, but Zhou Yujie didn’t care and began ordering on her own: “Ten skewers of lamb, one grilled crucian carp, half a dozen oysters, a serving of grilled eggplant, and a double combo of cauliflower and cabbage. If that’s not enough, we’ll order more later!”

“Alright, I’ll get that ready right away!” the owner nodded. “Anything to drink?”

“Orange juice, please,” Su Chen replied with a smile. After all, it was a first outing with a girl; drinking alcohol right away might seem too forward and inappropriate.

“Don’t you drink beer with barbecue?” Zhou Yujie looked at Su Chen with some puzzlement. “Well, alright then, one bottle of orange juice and five bottles of ice-cold beer!”

Su Chen was speechless.

“So you do want beer after all? I thought I’d be considerate. Since that’s the case, bring half a case. I’ll drink with you.”

“Oh? So thoughtful today, huh?” Zhou Yujie smiled brightly and snorted softly. “Don’t underestimate me—I’m pretty good at holding my liquor!”

She wasn’t lying. After three bottles of beer, her cheeks were only slightly flushed.

However, the gaze in her sparkling eyes had unconsciously become a little dreamy and alluring because of the alcohol.

“Why did you suddenly want to drink today?” Su Chen smiled softly, sensing something.

He knew very well that if nothing had happened, Zhou Yujie wouldn’t have asked a semi-acquaintance like him to drink together.

“Chen, do you think your life is happy now?” Zhou Yujie sighed lightly and asked quietly.

Su Chen stroked his chin and smiled, replying, “In the adult world, no one talks about happiness or unhappiness. It’s all about whether life feels comfortable or not.”

Zhou Yujie, whose mood had been a little gloomy, was amused by his answer and lightly tapped his arm. “Stop joking around. I’m serious, no kidding.”

“I’m already quite content,” Su Chen smiled and countered, “What about you? Are you satisfied with your current life?”

“I want to say yes, but I know I can’t lie to myself…”

“What’s wrong? Has someone been bothering you?” Su Chen asked gently.

“Not exactly. It’s just that I feel a bit weary... I don’t know what meaning there is in doing the same live broadcasts day after day, feeling stuck and lost.”

A trace of self-mockery and confusion flickered across Zhou Yujie’s face, then she whispered, “Actually, I want to be a singer.”

Su Chen looked into Zhou Yujie’s eyes, like a lake swelling with tides, and saw the resentment and sadness that subtly appeared on her delicate face. A surge of sympathy welled up in his heart.

Seeing her like this, Su Chen sighed softly and said gently, “Everyone in this world wants everything to go their way, to experience only joy. But what can we do when fate is unpredictable?”

Zhou Yujie looked up at Su Chen’s gentle expression with eyes that seemed small and helpless.

“The path in this world is full of thorns, and true life is to forge ahead despite them. Talented people often go unrecognized—that’s the norm!

I don’t know exactly what you’ve been through lately, but when fate wants you to grow, it will surely arrange for certain people and events to provoke you, even hurt you.”

Taking the opportunity, Su Chen reached out and gently stroked Zhou Yujie’s hair and softly said, “As the Book of Songs says, ‘Like cutting and polishing, like carving and grinding.’

Life is like a rough jade that can only shine after careful cutting and polishing.

I think growing up is more like a pearl. We all start as grains of sand—very ordinary.

Only after enduring the darkness of waiting and the pain of trials can we transform from having nothing into possessing everything.

What we need to do—and what we can do—is just one thing: don’t worry about the end, give it your all!”

Zhou Yujie stared at Su Chen, momentarily lost in thought.

He sat on a cheap plastic chair, beside a small path lined with verdant banyan trees, while outside stretched the pitch-black night sky, which only highlighted the warmth in Su Chen’s face.

Ordinary... yet so gentle it stirred a desire to draw near.

“Yeah, I understand now!” Zhou Yujie nodded obediently like a good student. Though she hadn’t escaped her predicament yet, her heart seemed relieved.

Indeed, as long as one doesn’t concern themselves with the destination and gives their best, that is enough. What meaning is there in wallowing in self-pity as she was now?

“Su Chen, thank you...” Zhou Yujie took a deep breath, composing herself to speak earnestly.

Su Chen, ever mischievous, brought up an old joke again: “No need to thank me. Just give me some credit, I’m very easygoing.”

Zhou Yujie was speechless.

[Received +99 annoyance points from Zhou Yujie]

After they had eaten and drunk their fill, the two slowly pushed the electric scooter, walking side by side down the quiet street.

Occasionally, a gentle breeze blew, scattering the strands of hair across Zhou Yujie’s forehead. Her flushed cheeks were as beautiful as the brilliant sunset on an autumn evening.

“You said you want to be a singer. I haven’t heard you sing yet,” Su Chen turned to look at her, smiling.

Hearing this, Zhou Yujie’s bright eyes glanced at him and then she nodded generously, “Sure. I’ll sing one of my original songs for you.”

“Oh, you write songs too? That’s great—I’m all ears!” Su Chen responded with a laugh.

Zhou Yujie parted her rosy lips slowly, and a soft voice floated gently into the air. Combined with the breeze and the subtle fragrance of her hair, it was like a pot of fine wine, intoxicating and pleasant.

When the song ended, Zhou Yujie looked at Su Chen with her sparkling eyes, waiting for his feedback.

Su Chen smiled and nodded, genuinely impressed: “Not bad at all. Looks like you really mean it when you say you want to be a singer!”

“Of course!” Zhou Yujie said proudly with a soft snort, satisfied with his answer.

“To be honest, I also know a bit about songwriting,” Su Chen said with a smile.

Zhou Yujie’s eyes brightened and she eagerly said, “Ah... then sing something for me!”

Su Chen smiled and nodded. Under Zhou Yujie’s expectant gaze, he began to sing:

“Old driver, take me, I want to go to Kunming. Old driver, take me, I want to go to the provincial capital!”

Zhou Yujie was speechless.

For a moment, she was at a loss for words, choked between laughter and disbelief!