After leaving the meeting, A Jin was once again thrust into a day of monotonous work at the company. Finally, when he finished, he received a call from Fang Zheng asking to meet. A Jin had originally planned to head back to the apartment, still feeling uneasy about Lin Wan after her near-suicide, but when he heard the seriousness in Fang Zheng's voice, he weighed his options and decided to prioritize his brother over his concerns for a woman.
Arriving at the designated private room in the club, A Jin was surprised to find only one person sitting inside. It was unusual for Fang Zheng, who loved music and lively surroundings, to be so quiet. A Jin walked over and sat on the sofa opposite Fang Zheng. Fang Zheng picked up a bottle of white liquor and poured him a glass, handing it to him. "I found some good liquor. Try it."
A Jin looked at the full glass of white liquor, then glanced at the label on the bottle. He chuckled, "Erguotou, now that's a good drink." He took a sip.
Fang Zheng glanced at the remaining half of the glass and said with some dissatisfaction, "If you're really close, you'll finish it in one go. If not, just sip it slowly." He held up his thumb and index finger, gesturing at the glass. "From this level of closeness, I guess we're only 'okay' friends."
A Jin leaned back, propping his legs up lazily, and said nonchalantly, "I drove here. If I drink it all in one go, the traffic police will definitely stop me on my way back."
Fang Zheng laughed lightly, then said slowly, "How could they stop you? Aren't you all from the same family?"
A Jin raised an eyebrow, narrowing his eyes without responding. Fang Zheng asked again, "Bro, how's the liquor? Good?"
"It's okay, but it'd be better in winter."
"Yeah, Erguotou is great. Whether the liquor is good or not doesn't depend on the price, just like how a person's character isn't tied to their wealth," Fang Zheng commented, leisurely opening another bottle and pouring himself some.
A Jin gave him a sidelong glance, crossing his arms. "Cut the nonsense. Just say what you want to say."
Fang Zheng reclined back in his seat, lazily sizing up A Jin for a while before speaking, "A Jin, you really surprised me. I didn't expect you to deal with a woman like this."
A Jin raised his hand to loosen his tie, expressionless as he said, "I've been doing this for more than just one or two days."
"But the people you've dealt with before—none of them were good people, and they deserved what they got. Lin Wan isn't like that. She's just a weak woman with no power or influence. You might have done that to other people, but as a brother, you can't just watch your little brother get sentenced. If she had to deal with someone like us, she'd be unlucky, but how could you do this to her?" Fang Zheng, who had already drunk half a bottle of liquor, was getting emotional. "You're just..." He gritted his teeth, "Shameless."
A Jin didn't react much. He calmly said, "I admit I went too far with her. It's inexcusable. You could even use the most vicious words to describe me, and it wouldn't be too much. But you didn't call me out here just to scold me, did you?"
Fang Zheng stared at him for a while, sighed, and said, "A Jin, let her go. You have to give her a chance to live, don't you?"
A Jin didn't say anything. He lifted his glass and downed it in one go, then sneered, "Let her go, and then what?"
Fang Zheng snorted. "You really underestimated your buddy. Even though we're not perfect and have done things that would disappoint our parents, we still have some sense of honor. We're not trying to be heroes, but seeing her suffer for no reason—it's not right. What did she do wrong? Being involved with you is already unlucky enough. You don't have to pile on more suffering. Why make it harder for her to live?"
A Jin took another sip of his drink, muttering to himself, "Honor? Honor is for brothers, not for women."
"Hmph, so you think women are just something to be taken? What's the difference between you and the bullies of the old days who oppressed women? Your grandfather fought against those kinds of people, and now his grandson has become one of them?" Fang Zheng said, getting more agitated.
A Jin shook his glass, then lifted it and drank it all in one go. "Fang Zheng, don't try to provoke me. It's not that I'm rejecting you, but this is something I can't agree with." He stood up. "It's late, I need to go. Thanks for the drink. I'll treat you next time."
Fang Zheng also stood up and stopped him. "A Jin, are you really serious about this?"
A Jin paused and turned back, asking, "Do you know what it feels like to be serious?"
Fang Zheng froze for a moment, then shook his head.
A Jin laughed, "Even you, the self-proclaimed ladies' man, don't know. So how would I know?"
"A Jin," Fang Zheng quickly caught up with him, his tone urgent, "You need to let go, while it's still easy. You're playing with fire now. Lin Wan is not suitable for you. How can she marry anyone after being with you for years? Even if you're serious, I don't see any possibility for you two, whether it's because of your family background or personal grudges."
A Jin hesitated for a moment, then patted Fang Zheng's arm and said, "Thanks for the advice." He turned and walked out. Fang Zheng grabbed his sleeve and said, "A Jin, think carefully. This isn't something you can just follow your instincts with. You'll ruin her life."
A Jin shrugged off Fang Zheng's hand and said, "Stop wasting your breath. You know my temper."
Fang Zheng scratched his head and gritted his teeth. "You'll regret it."
"I'll accept it." A Jin walked to the door, then turned back and asked, "How are you getting home? You drank a lot."
Fang Zheng, defeated, wiped his face and waved his hand. "Don't worry about me. If it gets bad, I can always get a room here. Everything is better than going home."
As A Jin walked out, he suddenly felt a bitter taste in his mouth, as though he hadn't just drunk Erguotou but black coffee. But his stomach was burning, too hot and uncomfortable. He had dealt with countless negotiations and difficult opponents, but none had been as draining as what had just happened. He quickened his pace, passing by one private room after another, through the flashing lights and neon signs, trying to avoid thinking about anything. He just wanted to leave this hollow, flashy world behind.
When he stepped outside and looked up at the starry sky, something inside him calmed. He remembered a song lyric he had once heard: "Stars are the pearls of the poor." He had scoffed at the time, dismissing it as a comforting cliché. Who could ever wear stars as a necklace? There was no comparison. But now, looking up at the sky, he suddenly felt filled. It was as though all the stars in the sky belonged to him, each one shining brightly or mischievously. They weren't pearls—they were diamonds.
Someone walked by and accidentally bumped into him, releasing a waft of perfume mixed with alcohol. A Jin instinctively stepped aside, but his eyes caught the woman's diamond necklace. She threw him a flirtatious glance and sweetly said, "Sorry, sir."
A Jin quickly turned his gaze away, ignoring her. He walked briskly toward the parking lot. Just before getting into his car, he couldn't resist looking up at the night sky again. Suddenly, he understood why he found the stars so beautiful—they resembled Lin Wan's eyes, especially the brightest ones. Though there was no real comparison.
As A Jin drove, he thought about how women were truly different. When Lin Wan had been drunk, he had been annoyed, but at the same time, he had thought about getting her home and waking her up. But women like the one he had just encountered only made him want to avoid them, to not get involved at all. Even though this woman seemed to surpass Lin Wan in looks and figure, A Jin had no desire to engage with her.
Tonight, Fang Zheng had taught him a valuable lesson: no matter what the drink was, if it suited your taste, it was good. But when it came to good things, who could ever let go?