Chapter 44: This Means You've Given Up on Su Jiayu

Zhao Yan was not wrong, and neither was the world. The only thing twisted was our increasingly distorted view of love.

"Zhao Yan, whenever you finally find a girlfriend, she'll be the unluckiest girl on Earth, ending up with a scoundrel like you."

Lin Jie, donning his helmet and riding his electric scooter, called out loudly to Zhao Yan, who was riding alongside him.

He said it with a grin, teasing him.

As expected, Zhao Yan let out a dramatic wail, protesting his innocence. "How am I a scoundrel? Have you ever seen a scoundrel as decent as me?"

"Yeah, you're definitely a scoundrel," Mo Jiale, seated behind Lin Jie, chimed in.

Zhao Yan chuckled, his gaze lingering on Lin Jie and Mo Jiale for a moment before he flashed a mischievous smile. "Fine, a scoundrel I may be, but at least scoundrels don't get hurt. Look at you two—good men. And what do good men get? No reward."

His words struck a chord. Given the harsh realities Lin Jie and Mo Jiale had faced, they quickly fell silent.

In truth, they were already starting to buy into Zhao Yan's worldview. Otherwise, they wouldn't have slowly gravitated toward the nightlife.

They needed an outlet, a place to wear a carefree smile, to drown their sorrows in the intoxicating haze of indulgence, to forget all their troubles in the bottom of a glass.

"I'm not getting a girlfriend," Zhao Yan suddenly declared, his tone serious as he gazed at the sunset by the bridge. "I won't ruin some good girl's life."

Lin Jie cast him an amused glance, thinking he was full of nonsense.

At eighteen, Zhao Yan hadn't yet walked with his hands in his pockets, but he was certain he had no rivals when it came to love. He swore he wouldn't fall for anyone, that freedom was his only love.

At eighteen, Lin Jie and Mo Jiale had looked at Zhao Yan with smiles in their eyes, applauding his bold declarations.

At eighteen, the three of them could still ride their scooters at a leisurely pace, joking as the sun set, dreaming of the future.

But no one stays eighteen forever, and no one remains frozen in a single moment.

...

When they arrived at their destination, Lin Jie suddenly realized that the club was the same one he had come to with Ye Mo last time.

Seeing him hesitate at the entrance, Mo Jiale stepped forward to explain. "This bar's pretty good—open late, always lively."

"Yeah, it's only fun when it's busy. The more people, the better," Zhao Yan added.

They thought Lin Jie wasn't into such bustling places, but he merely chuckled and shook his head. "Never said I didn't like it. As long as you guys have fun, that's all that matters."

"What do you mean 'as long as we have fun'? We planned this for you! Come on, bro, stop talking—tonight, drinks are on me, and if you're not drunk, it's our fault," Zhao Yan slung an arm around Lin Jie's shoulders.

Mo Jiale, quiet as always, lit a cigarette, then smiled at Lin Jie. "Relax. If nothing else, the three of us can just drink together."

"Exactly."

Lin Jie made an "OK" sign, finding the whole situation rather amusing.

Having friends truly was a blessing.

They would go to any length, in their clumsy way, just to make sure you were happy.

"I'll pay."

As they waited for the hostess to escort them in, Lin Jie suddenly offered.

"What's this nonsense? Tonight's Zhao Yan's treat," Mo Jiale retorted.

After all, they had worked hard to drag Lin Jie out to have fun; there was no way they'd let him pay.

"Yeah, I've got it," Zhao Yan immediately affirmed.

"Do you even have money?" Lin Jie asked with a smile.

"Come on, bro, that hurts! Of course I have money—I've got an allowance, you know?" Zhao Yan replied indignantly.

Lin Jie just smiled at him without saying a word.

What money could Zhao Yan possibly have? At most, he had a bit of pocket money saved up, just like Lin Jie.

For all his extravagant antics, he didn't actually spend that much.

"So, which girl did you con out of her money this time?" Lin Jie asked with a polite smile.

Zhao Yan's expression turned serious. He first righteously condemned Lin Jie's offensive question, then put on an air of moral superiority before finally breaking down into laughter. "Haha, no conning—she gave it to me willingly..."

"You're such a scoundrel," Lin Jie said with a trace of disdain.

This was exactly why Lin Jie always said Zhao Yan wasn't a good guy. He was good-looking, charming, and as socially adept as they come. It didn't take him long to win over naive girls and deepen their connection.

Yes, deepen it.

Some men deceive for love, others for money. Zhao Yan? He took it all.

Of course, Zhao Yan didn't see it that way. In his mind, he was earnestly dating these girls—it's just that each relationship ended rather quickly. But that didn't stop him from claiming that he had loved them all.

Both Lin Jie and Mo Jiale rolled their eyes at his shameless remarks.

"It's better than getting played by someone else," Zhao Yan said, snatching the cigarette from Mo Jiale's hand, taking a deep drag, then grinning at Lin Jie.

Lin Jie flipped him off, ignoring him.

Before long, the hostess came to escort them inside. Since they had booked a VIP room and were big spenders, the staff treated them with utmost courtesy, guiding them to their luxurious suite.

The room was spacious, extravagantly decorated, the price for a night clearly no small sum. Lin Jie glanced at Zhao Yan, who was already charming the hostess into fits of giggles, and pursed his lips.

How much money had Zhao Yan siphoned from his "girlfriend" this time?

Were there really girls this foolish in the world?

Reality, however, was often stranger than fiction. The poor who gave their hearts sincerely were turned into clowns, while the fickle and deceitful reigned supreme.

Lin Jie and Mo Jiale settled onto the plush sofa, while Zhao Yan continued flirting with the hostess.

"We booked the private room because we thought you might not like the crowds. Here, you can drink and sing," Mo Jiale explained.

Lin Jie smiled, patting his shoulder, signaling that he needn't worry about him.

Mo Jiale chuckled, lighting another cigarette, this time with the help of an eager waiter.

As the smoke curled in the air, Mo Jiale reclined on the sofa, crossing his legs. "I know you've been down lately… I even asked around to figure out what happened that day."

He glanced at Lin Jie. "Hope you don't mind."

"I doubt you found out much."

"True, didn't get much. But I know you well, and the fact that you're even seeing other girls can only mean one thing."

Mo Jiale grinned at him, holding up one finger. "It means you've given up on Su Jiayu."