A spy?
Zhang Fan immediately recalled a news story—she definitely didn’t want to be reported.
She quickly raised her glow stick and opened her mouth to sing along.
“You’re lip-syncing?”
The girl next to her stared at her with a strange look. “You’re not actually a spy, are you?”
Heh…
To prove she wasn’t a spy, Zhang Fan summoned every last bit of her musical talent and reflexes, shouting along with the crowd at the top of her lungs.
“In my heart, flying freely…”
She had a strong body and solid lung capacity—once she let loose, she drowned out even the big speakers nearby.
That one shout made the singer on stage glance at her in surprise.
Suppressing a laugh, he nearly sang off-key.
The girl beside her nodded approvingly and gave her a thumbs-up before joining the chorus.
Three hours of concert, and she’d howled through a solid two and a half.
At first, Zhou Wenzong kept a cold face and couldn’t loosen up, but after a few glares from Zhang Fan, he had no choice but to sing.
The atmosphere got more and more heated as they went, until finally they split into parts—left side versus right side, each side singing louder than the other.
Those who got too into it nearly jumped across and started a fight with the opposite side.
By the time the concert ended and the singer on stage took a relaxed bow, Zhang Fan’s throat was practically smoking.
After the exhaustion came a strange sense of relief.
Following the crowd as they dispersed, Zhang Fan and Zhou Wenzong glanced at each other and laughed in unison.
“Big brother, buy a flower for your sister?”
A kid had latched onto Zhou Wenzong, holding a few wilted red roses.
Zhang Fan felt a bit awkward—she hated these situations too.
Each flower cost ten or twenty yuan, and if you didn’t buy, they’d cling to you and not let go.
The kids were pitiful, sure, but you never knew whether the people behind them were their real parents or human traffickers.
And you never knew if buying their flowers was helping them or hurting them.
Zhang Fan was about to tell Zhou Wenzong to ignore it, but he’d already pulled out a hundred-yuan bill and placed it in the kid’s hand.
After buying all the flowers the child had, he didn’t give them to Zhang Fan—instead, he tore off the wrapping and tossed them into the trash.
That whole sequence left Zhang Fan puzzled.
Was she that unlikable? He threw the flowers away rather than give them to her?
So many people around had seen it—this was a bit embarrassing.
“Master Zhou sure is generous. Throwing a hundred yuan in the trash without even blinking!”
She pursed her lips, her tone inexplicably a little sour.
The moment she finished speaking, four or five more kids swarmed around, trying to sell Zhou Wenzong flowers.
“Big brother, big brother, buy my flowers! Buy my flowers!”
The kids hopped around, pleading.
You couldn’t play the good Samaritan here—once you opened that door, there was no end to it.
Zhang Fan wanted to drag Zhou Wenzong away, but he calmly pulled out another stack of bills, handed them to each kid one by one, took their flowers in exchange, and again tore off the wrapping and tossed them into the trash.
“They’ll take you for a sucker if you keep doing that!”
Zhang Fan couldn’t help speaking up. “These kids might be part of a gang—the money probably doesn’t even end up in their hands.”
“So what? If I don’t buy, they go back and get beaten?”
Zhou Wenzong chuckled lightly, ignoring Zhang Fan’s objections. However many flowers the kids brought, he bought them all, until he’d handed out every last bit of cash he had on him.
His actions drew quite a few passersby to raise their phones and film it for Douyin.
Zhang Fan looked at the man before her, suddenly feeling that some of the beliefs she had been so certain about might be wrong.
She stopped being stubborn and took out a wet wipe from her bag, handing it to Zhou Wenzong.
“Wipe it off, it’s all stained green!”
“It’s fine if my hands are green, as long as my head isn’t!”
Zhou Wenzong chuckled as he took it and walked toward his car. “Want a ride?”
Logically speaking, they were staying at the same hotel, so it was convenient to go back together.
“Thanks, but I’ll just call a ride-hailing car!”
Zhang Fan didn’t want to get too involved, nor did she want some woman to suddenly charge out and slap her across the face.
“Suit yourself!” Zhou Wenzong raised an eyebrow and didn’t insist.
But at this hour, ride-hailing cars were truly hard to find. She sent out the request, and no one picked it up.
Tens of thousands of people were pouring out of the concert. Taxis and ride-hailing cars alike had no shortage of business.
The night breeze was a bit chilly, and Zhang Fan rubbed her arms.
“Hey, pretty lady, want me to give you a ride back?”
A guy on a modified motorcycle tilted his chin at Zhang Fan with a leering smile.
Zhang Fan looked around in disbelief, confirming that he was indeed talking to her, and immediately felt a chill of disgust.
She moved aside, but the man followed her.
“You won’t be able to get a cab at this hour. Let me take you back?”
She walked forward again, but wherever she went, the man followed. Finally, he stopped his bike and made to grab her.
Zhang Fan was terrified and broke into a run.
“Beep!”
A car horn sounded, and the headlights were so bright they made it hard to keep her eyes open.
“Zhou Wenzong, you haven’t left yet?”
“Was worried some fool wouldn’t make it back!” He smiled with a hint of helplessness. “Get in?”
“Oh!”
This time, without any hesitation, she reached for the rear door handle. But on second thought, she walked around and got into the passenger seat instead.
“Thanks!” She gave an awkward smile. “How do you have a car?”
She meant that Zhou Wenzong had also flown in from Jiangcheng, so he shouldn’t have a car.
“There’s a rental place!”
Right. She’d just made herself look dumb again.
Zhang Fan shut her mouth and looked out the window.
The night was deep, the subway had stopped running, and there were few cars on the road. Under the cold streetlights, the whole city seemed frozen.
“Here!”
Zhou Wenzong kept his eyes on the road and handed her a bottle of water with one hand.
Evian in a glass bottle, cool to the touch, with a nice feel.
“Thanks!”
Zhang Fan didn’t drink it and casually placed it in the cup holder.
Her voice was overused; cold water would ruin her throat.
But to Zhou Wenzong, this gesture carried a different meaning.
He didn’t say anything, just curled his lips slightly.
They arrived at the hotel. Standing at her door, Zhang Fan seemed to want to say something but held back.
She wanted to draw a clear line with Zhou Wenzong. She’d said it that afternoon—once the concert was over, they’d be even.
But now she’d ridden back in his car, owing him another favor.
Offering to pay for the ride would seem too affected, but not offering meant that if Zhou Wenzong ever brought it up again, she’d be at a disadvantage.
“Want to add each other as friends?”
Zhou Wenzong suddenly spoke with a smile, his eyes deep and unreadable.
“Huh?”
“I can see you’re reluctant to part with me, so I’ll do you the favor and add you as a friend!”
He took out his phone and offered his digital business card.
“I… ha… ha!”
He who takes a favor owes a favor.
Zhang Fan was caught between laughter and tears. She scanned the card and added Zhou Wenzong.
“Let me clarify—it’s not that I’m reluctant to part with you. It’s just that you helped me tonight, and I don’t know how to thank you. I’m still thinking about it!”
“That’s simple!”
Zhou Wenzong said with a smile: “Just treat me to a meal, won’t that do?”