Elope
Under Yan Yan's confused gaze, I said, "Don't look at me with those big, confused eyes of yours. Have you never insulted Fang Yuan before? Between young couples, insulting each other is beneficial to the healthy development of the relationship. Everyone here knows that I, Zhao Yang, have a good character."
After saying that, she complained to Mi Cai, "Stop fooling around. If you're insulting me, let's go home and flirt with each other. These few are bad friends. Don't collude with them."
"Zhao Yang, you're really crazy. For the sake of your lofty image, you demoted our group!" Xiang Chen said.
"I've always been good at this!"
This time, Mi Cai took the initiative to answer, "Then it wasn't wrong when I said that your character is bad, right?"
"Very true!" Everyone agreed. Then, they smiled knowingly and clinked their glasses. The atmosphere finally became more lively.
I drank the remaining half bottle of beer in one gulp and heaved a sigh of relief in my heart. I looked at Jian Wei from the corner of my eye. Since entering the bar, she had been even quieter than Mi Cai. She only spoke a few words to Xiang Chen occasionally.
Everyone continued to chat. Although I was sitting next to Mi Cai, I didn't dare to have any physical contact with her because I was afraid she would turn hostile. I only hoped this gathering could end peacefully. No matter what, I didn't want to participate in it again. At this moment, only I knew the pain in my heart. I just wanted to stand behind Jian Wei and Xiang Chen and wish them happiness, not like this.
Against my will, I laughed and made fun of everyone. It filled my heart with pain, but I couldn't escape.
Human! They always wear a mask that didn't match one's size not only hurting one's face but also one's heart!
Robben finally finished singing in the distance. He held the microphone and looked at me as he said, "Zhao Yang, come up and sing two songs to liven up your friends."
As soon as Robben finished his sentence, Jian Wei was the first to clap. Fang Yuan, Xiang Chen, and the others followed suit and whistled. The atmosphere in the bar also became high.
I scanned the crowd and nodded at Robben before walking towards the stage.
Robben passed the guitar in his hand to me and took a bass from the band member Xiaowu to work with me. I took a deep breath and asked for "
"I offer this song, "Elope" for you... guys." I strummed the guitar as I spoke. I closed my eyes and some fragmented images floated into my mind again.
I dedicated my youth to the glorious city behind me. We paid the price for this beautiful dream. I left love to the most sincere girl by my side. You sang with me, you wandered with me, and we both suffered. It was only now that I suddenly understood that my dream was true love and freedom. I wanted to elope with you to the farthest town.
I want to elope with you to be the happiest person…Elope, elope, elope…
I break the original note of the song, doing improvisation, one after another, singing the word 'elope'. We were forced to flee from Shanghai to Suzhou, and we wanted to elope from Suzhou to Tibet. At that time, we naively thought that we could elope to the ends of the earth with the courage of this song. We also thought, one guitar, and two people, running through the same road were happiness. We assumed, elopement allows us to steal our lives from the real world…
The heavy metal music tore apart the desire. All the noise of the secular world was drowned in this song, "Elope". I had never been so hysterical that I couldn't control myself. I wanted to tear the world apart and tear apart the illusion!
The music gradually stopped, and the applause began to rumble. I still looked up, and after a long time, I returned the guitar to Robben, who was beside me and walked to the bathroom without looking back.
In the bathroom mirror, my face was covered in water, but I was glad that I had finally managed to hide my pain and tears.
Once, she was my faith in this city of hope. Now, my faith has collapsed mercilessly. All the hurt, pain, and desire have been suppressed in my heart. Finally, they can't bear the burden and mutate in the time to sing a song, hurting my nerves.
...
Outside the bar, everyone said goodbye. The three of us were a little drunk. Fang Yuan put her hand on Yan Yan's shoulder and walked to their car first. Jian Wei supported Xiang Chen, who was still unconscious. Only Mi Cai and I maintained an imperceptible distance.
Jian Wei helped Xiang Chen into the car. When I thought she was going to leave, she turned around and walked toward Mi Cai and me.
She stood in front of Mi Cai and me, but she didn't look at me. She said to Mi Cai, "Go back and give him a cup of milk soaked in honey. His stomach is not very good."
Mi Cai nodded. Jian Wei then looked at me who was standing a little unsteadily. Then she nodded to Mi Cai and didn't say anything else. She turned around and walked towards the car.
I stared at her back for a long time!
"She's already gone." Mi Cai, who was beside him, said to him.
"Oh." I responded numbly.
"Where do you live? I'll send you back."
"No need, I'll take a taxi myself."
"I promised your ex-girlfriend to make you a cup of honey milk. I don't like to break my promise." Mi Cai smiled and said."
"Let's go then."
...
Mi Cai drove while I sat in the passenger seat. I watched the car pass through the tall buildings under the light of the city. I was a little dizzy. I knew that the alcohol was coming.
After a long silence, Mi Cai finally asked me, "You sang that song for your ex-girlfriend, right?"
"She... Her name is Jian Wei."
"What, you don't like people calling her your ex-girlfriend?"
I replied a little awkwardly, "We're already finished... Wouldn't it be better to call two unrelated people by their names?"
Mi Cai smiled and said, "I'm afraid your heart isn't as clear as you say."
I didn't answer. I stared at Mi Cai for a long time and suddenly said, "Drive faster, I feel like vomiting."
"Then get out of the car and vomit."
"Go home and vomit. Drive faster." I urged again, my words becoming more fluent.
Mi Cai stepped on the brakes and the car stopped, "Don't you feel uncomfortable? Get out of the car to vomit. There's a river over there."
Although I was dizzy, it wasn't to the point of vomiting. The reason why I said I wanted to vomit was because I didn't want to talk to her about Jian Wei. However, the inertia caused by this sudden brake almost made me spit out all the wine that had accumulated in my stomach. This woman seemed to always be able to see through my lies and then punish me.
I opened the car door and ran to the river before throwing up hysterically.
I was a little exhausted as I lay flat on the ground in a sprawled position. I felt dizzy again as I looked at the flickering starry sky.
Mi Cai came to my side and handed me a tissue. She said in a reproachful tone, "Why did you drink so much!"
"Didn't you just… I didn't want to puke before you stepped on the brakes." I still said unclearly.
"Really? Then were you playing with me just now?"
Only then did I realize that I had confessed again. I simply pretended to be dead and lay on the ground without moving.
"You can continue pretending. I'll be leaving first."
I recalled the night Mi Cai had thrown me into the wilderness. I grabbed her hand and said, "Don't go…"
I held Mi Cai's hand tightly and refused to let go, afraid that I would land alone in this area where few people and cars passed by.
Mi Cai was a little flustered. As she struggled, she asked me to let go. I hugged her legs tightly as if I had found someone to rely on, comfort, and a lost past.
"Zhao Yang, let go quickly. You drank too much." Mi Cai's words became even more nervous. Such physical contact was too intimate for us.
"Let me hug you for a while. Don't go…" My voice was already choking.
"I'm not Jian Wei. Zhao Yang, wake up!" Mi Cai pressed down on my shoulders and struggled violently. Finally, she pushed me to the ground and ran to her car.
Lying on the ground again, my world was dark. The cold autumn wind gradually woke me up. After lying on the ground for a while, I got up and walked toward Mi Cai's car. Mi Cai's heart was still palpitating. She refused to let me sit in the front passenger seat and chased me to the back.
The car started again, bringing with it my disappointment after gradually waking up as I drove towards the bright lights in front.