Chapter 1 Prologue

  "I was worried that you guys hadn't arrived yet, and I was just about to go out and give you a call. Last night, I told you I would come pick you up, but you refused and said you would be coming with Shino instead. I thought for sure you guys had arrived and couldn't find the place."

  "Hehe, I was just about to call you." Jin Xiaoan said dully.

  "Alright then, Xiao An, Shi Nuo, I'll take you in."

  "By the way, I've got a birthday gift for you. Happy birthday! I didn't know what to get you, but I hope you'll like it." Qian Shi Nu politely handed over the bag in her hand.

  "Thank you."

  "That's also for you." Jin Xiaoan placed a large bag of snacks in front of Luo Chi, "Happy birthday," she said with a blush.

  Qian Shi Nu was shocked, Xiao An, you don't have to show off everywhere that you're a foodie, who sends gifts and sends a big bag of snacks.

  "Hehe, Xiaoan, I'll savor it carefully." Lu Chi happily accepted the snack and said with a smile: "Then let's go in." On this birthday, what he was most looking forward to was the gift that Jin Xiaoan gave him. In fact, he had also thought about it - Jin Xiaoan, being a foodie, would definitely give a gift related to eating, so he was more joyful than surprised.

  After turning a few corners, Luo Chi stopped in front of room 707 and said, "This is it."

  "It's good that you're here to pick me up, otherwise we would definitely get lost with all the turns." Qian Shi Nuo said without hiding her navigational ineptness.

  "That's okay, as long as you know it's room 707, just call the service staff here and they will send you to the right place."

  Chisato felt embarrassed, just now she said something very stupid, "Oh yeah, how could I not have thought of that." Originally Chisato wanted to ease the dull atmosphere on this trip, but unexpectedly she made a fool of herself.

  "Come on in, Xiao An, Shi Nuo." The door was pushed open with a crisp sound, and the dazzling lights inside suddenly made it hard for the two of them to open their eyes.

  "Hey, Shouxing, you've brought two beauties with you!" A man holding a Rio, swaying back and forth, walked up to Qian Shi Nu and the others, saying with abandon.

  "Kai Mu, retract your wolf-like nature, this is my friend."

  "Oh? Fallen into the pool, there's such a beautiful girl, why don't you introduce her to us brothers? What do you guys think?"

  "Yes." Because of Kaimu's one sentence, almost 20 people in the 707 compartment looked over here and said in unison.

  "Xiao An, Shi Nuo, you two go sit inside first, that's just how my friend is, don't mind him."

  "Good."

  Qian Shi Nu walked into the 707 private room with Jin Xiao An's arm in hers. Earlier, she hadn't gotten used to the flashing lights and hadn't taken a good look around. Now that they were inside, she took in the scene - there weren't many people attending the birthday party, but this private room was just too big. Qian Shi Nu estimated it was about twice as large as her own home. It was too extravagant, too extravagant, and she couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache.

  "Wow, Shino, there's so much food!" Jin Xiaoan's eyes lit up at the sight of food and she shook off Qian Shino's hand, rushing towards the food.

  Qian Shi Nuo's forehead stood three black lines...

  "Come on, Shouxing, you haven't had a drink yet today, hurry up and have one with us brothers." Kaimu had his arm around Luochi's neck, but he wasn't as tall as Luochi, so the gesture looked a bit strained, and Luochi was bent forward at the waist.

  "I can't drink much." Luochi refused.

  "Hmm, don't I know you? In high school, you could drink more than anyone else, how come you're being so reserved now?" Kaimu furrowed his brow, looking puzzled. "Don't make it difficult for your brothers, today's your birthday, how can you say no?"

  "Right, Luo Chi, stop pretending, just drink it." The men and women around them all stood in a line, ridiculing him.

  "Everyone else have fun drinking, I really can't drink."

  "You really won't drink?" Kaito said with a sly smile.

  "Sorry about that."

  Kai Mu took a bottle of blue Rio and walked towards Jin Xiaoan and the others, "Well, in that case, I can only let your friends drink it."

  "Xiao An, that guy named Kai Mu is walking towards us." Qian Shi Nu pulled on the sleeve of Jin Xiao An who was sitting beside him.

  Jin Xiaoan was only focused on eating, and with a very satisfied expression, said: "Shino, these things are really delicious, eat more, I can eat back all the things I sent to Rakku."

  Qian Shi Nu rolled her eyes at Jin Xiao An, she was thoroughly defeated by her.

  "Hey beautiful, would you do me a favor and drink this bottle?" Kai Mu asked with a teasing tone.

  Jin Xiao'an stopped her mouth that was searching for food, lifted her head, and saw that Kaimu was talking to her. She refused in surprise, "I... I won't."

  "This wine isn't strong, how do you know you won't like it if you haven't tried?"

  "I..."

  "Sorry about this, but our Xiao An really can't drink," Qian Shi Nuo intervened.

  "It's your birthday and none of you are drinking, this is also too much." Kaimu went all out.

  "I'll drink it." Luo Chi walked up to Jin Xiao An's side, picked up the bottle of Rio and downed it in one gulp without stopping. "Is that okay now?" Luo Chi asked, looking at a slightly stunned Kaito.

  "You little brat, I knew you were pretending, had to push you a bit before you'd come around."

  "Haha, isn't this because you're bullying a woman? I couldn't bear to watch it anymore?" Luo Chi said jokingly.

  "Thank you, Luo Chi." Qian Shi Nu stood up and said thank you to Luo Chi. "Since we can't drink alcohol with you on your birthday, let's use drinks as a substitute for wine instead." Qian Shi Nu pulled at Jin Xiao An who was still sitting down.

  Jin Xiaoan stood up consciously, picked up a bottle of Coke, and thought for a moment.

  "I know, it's better for you girls not to drink outside." Luo Chi said with a understanding tone.

  "Now let me sing a song for today's birthday star, Mr. Lak Choi." A girl with heavy makeup and a sultry appearance stood in front of the microphone and said.

  The scene suddenly became hot, with whistles blowing and cheers cheering.

  Luo Chi also heard this sudden abnormal atmosphere, and his eyes involuntarily looked back.

  A rendition of "Happy Birthday" brought a sentimental atmosphere, the woman gazed at Luo Chi with deep affection, and Luo Chi also smiled back at her in coordination, but it was clear that his smile was very pure.

  "Are you saying that she and Luo Chi haven't even consummated their relationship yet?" a girl on the platform whispered to her boyfriend beside her.

  "It's impossible now, this love thing requires both parties to have a heart, but neither of them likes the other, how can they be together?"

  "Hey, this girl is really devoted, she's been chasing after Luo Chi for two years now, starting from high school. How can Luo Chi be so heartless?" The woman started to feel a bit indignant.

  "It can't be said like that, you say if Luo Chi really didn't like Xiao Yun, he agreed to be with her, isn't that even more cruel? This thing, it's not good to say." The boy next to him shook his head helplessly.

  "You're the one who understands the most."

  "What's wrong, your mouth is itching again?" The man quickly grabbed the woman's waist.

  "Oh dear, stop it." The woman cried out in a spoiled tone.

  The song ended with a handshake from everyone in unison, in chorus...

  "Be quiet for a moment, I have a proposal." Kaimu came up with a new idea and said into the microphone: "Why don't we let today's birthday star sing a song?"

  "Wow, Da Shou Xing sings a song." With one order from Kaimu, the surroundings started to stir up trouble.

  "Alright, sing a song." Luo Chi didn't hesitate and readily agreed, because singing was his strong suit. He gave Jin Xiaoan a warm smile, then walked up to the front with big strides. "Thank you all for taking time out of your busy lives to attend my birthday party, and thank you also for your blessings and the thoughtful gifts. Next, I hope you'll enjoy this song I'm about to sing." As he spoke, his eyes flirtatiously gazed at Jin Xiaoan sitting on the sofa to his right.

  "In a Lifetime of Love" falls into the pool, using that rich and magnetic voice, paired with fluent Cantonese, bringing out the warmth and emotion that this song should have, word by word, sentence by sentence, as if every note is sung from his heart. His eyes are fixed firmly on Jin Xiaoan, revealing subtle emotions, shining brightly under the changing lights.

  Qian Shi Nu saw something unusual in this and was deep in thought...

  After the song ended, the applause was very warm, and it was indeed a great performance. The singer's voice moved everyone's heart, even for a moment, Jin Xiaoan was also touched by Luo Chi.

  Then one by one, the 'microphone tyrants' couldn't bear it anymore and started volunteering to sing, the scene became chaotic, the big private room began to have people jumping up and down, all fighting for the microphone.

  Fell into the pool and came to Jin Xiaoan's side, anxiously asking: "Xiaoan, sing a song?"

  "I won't, I can't." Jin Xiao'an embarrassedly refused, saying that she couldn't sing was a lie. In fact, it was because singing in front of so many people made her feel shy and awkward. Moreover, the one who had just sung by the pool was incredibly good, and if she went up to sing, it would be like brandishing a big knife in front of Lord Guan - worlds apart.

  Just as Luo Chi was about to get up, he was suddenly pressed down by a hand on his back, and he knew it was that Kaimu again.

  "I said Luo Da Shuai Ge, you wouldn't like this girl, would you?" Kai Mu asked with a sly smile.

  Because it was too noisy inside the private room, Luo Chi didn't hear what Kai Mu had just said, so he asked again: "Huh? What did you say?"

  "I'm telling you, you won't like this beauty," Kaimu shouted in a loud voice, pointing at Jin Xiaoan with the hand holding his beer.

  It's settled then. Luo Chi thoroughly understood and even Jin Xiaoan in front of him heard it, his eyes were very embarrassed as he looked at the slightly surprised Luo Chi.

  "Kai Mu, have you had too much to drink? Don't talk nonsense."

  "You're talking nonsense, you can fool others but not me. What's our relationship? We were the best of friends from junior high to senior high, and then you abandoned me and went to McGill University. I haven't even had a chance to settle accounts with you yet. What are you thinking? Do you think I wouldn't notice?"

  "I... " fell into the pool, speechless and unable to utter a single word.