Huayu: I'm reborn, but you still force me to be a scumbag?

Chapter 464 The Flaming Wild Rose and the Midnight Little Hunter (8400 words)
Chen Nuo arrived at Beijing Capital International Airport at 1 p.m. Beijing time on January 17, 2011.

This trip was not easy.

The flight from LA to Toronto took 4 hours, and the refueling in Toronto took 1 hour.

Then, from Toronto to Beijing, the total distance is 6500 nautical miles, or more than 12000 kilometers. However, the maximum range of the leased G450 is only 4350 nautical miles. The weather was also bad, with headwinds, and we had to stop twice to refuel.

Once in Igalut, Canada, and once in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland.

In the end, the entire trip, starting from Los Angeles, took a full 23 hours.

As soon as Gulnazar stepped off the plane and onto the airport grounds, she couldn't help but let out a small cheer. Michelle Williams, standing next to her, did the same, rapidly muttering things like "Finally back," "I missed Beijing douzhi so much," and "I wonder how the house renovation is going," mixing Chinese and English fluently.

Chen Nuo did the same, stretching and loosening his muscles as soon as he stood up. But immediately, the icy, biting air of the capital city filled his nose, making him sneeze.

Along the airport runway, there were piles of snow, which looked like they had fallen just the day before. Just as the air traffic control had predicted, the outdoor temperature in Beijing today was -12 degrees Celsius, a stark contrast to the warm sunshine of Los Angeles.

"Welcome home."

A voice came from behind him, and Chen Nuo turned his head to see a cute girl with a round face, wearing an airport suit uniform. When he looked over, his face immediately turned red as if he had drunk half a jin of liquor. The name tag on her chest read Su Jing.

"Thank you," Chen Nuo smiled and nodded in response.

"It's quite cold in the capital, you...you should wear more clothes?" the little girl stammered.

Chen Nuo said, "It's alright."

Staying in China for too long sometimes makes you want to go abroad and do whatever you want; staying abroad for too long makes you want to come back. Chen Nuo has felt this way in both his lives.

Having lived in Beijing for several years and visited the Capital Airport countless times, I felt a warm feeling of returning home as soon as I got off the plane. Being greeted like this made me feel much warmer, except for the slight stinging of my face from the cold wind.

Perhaps seeing his good attitude, as she led them to the VIP passage of the dedicated helipad, the round-faced girl, Su Jing, suddenly asked again in a soft voice, "Mr. Chen, will you be on the Spring Festival Gala this year?"

"Xiao Su!" another middle-aged male staff member shouted.

Chen Nuo turned to look at Su Jing and smiled, "Why do you ask that?"

"No, it's just that a lot of people online are saying... saying you'll be participating..."

"Xiao Su!" Before she could finish speaking, the middle-aged man interrupted her, frowning and scolding, "Is this never going to end? Mr. Chen, I'm sorry."

The round-faced girl shrank her neck like a startled quail, but still looked at him expectantly.

Chen Nuo glanced at the serious-looking male staff member, shook his head, and said, "It's nothing."

He glanced at the round-faced little girl again and smiled.

However, he ultimately did not answer the question.

……

The customs process was quite fast, considering it was a VIP lane. Although all the required procedures were followed, because I didn't have much luggage, the entire process, from landing to collecting my bags, took less than half an hour.

At the FBO pick-up area, Qi Yuntian and Li Jing were already waiting there, followed by two drivers and their respective assistants and secretaries. As soon as they met, they rushed to help with the luggage.

It had been almost two months since I last saw Qi Yuntian, and he looked noticeably thinner. He was wearing a wool coat with jeans, which wasn't particularly stylish, but rather had a kind of eccentric and dashing quality.

The two smiled as soon as they met.

"You've really lost weight! I thought it was just makeup on TV. Wow, how many pounds have you lost?"

"About eight or nine pounds. How about you?"

"I haven't lost weight, in fact, I've gained weight recently."

I believe in you.

At this moment, Gulnazar stepped forward, stood somewhat reservedly to the side, and greeted him softly, "Hello, President Qi."

Michelle, who was usually lively, suddenly became well-behaved, standing silently beside her, her large, clear eyes showing a hint of nervousness.

Chen Nuo watched, and couldn't help but sigh—Qi Da's reputation as a "woman's nemesis" truly lives up to its name. But how did things go for him and Luo Rui during their time in Hong Kong?
The thought of Luo Rui made Chen Nuo's mood sink, and he recalled Angelina's words.

Having known her for years, he knew Lorraine Eisner all too well. On the surface, she was as cold as ice, like an ice queen, but in reality, she was a person with very deep emotions, especially towards Angelina Jolie, to the point of being deeply in love.

"what happened?"

After getting into the car, Qi Yuntian started the Bentley and glanced at him sideways, "Missing your woman?"

Chen Nuo chuckled, but before he could speak, Qi Yuntian added, "Don't think about it yet. The Spring Festival Gala is going crazy. There's less than a week until the New Year, and your program still hasn't been finalized. Ma Dong and the others are waiting for you in their office. Go and meet them first."

Chen Nuo sighed helplessly, "What exactly is going on now?"

“Actually, it’s not that complicated,” Qi Yuntian said as he drove. “Like I told you before, Xiao Zhao’s song is settled. This time, they’ve arranged a solo song, which I think is pretty good. It’s called ‘Haven’t Been Home in a Long Time.’ We’ve already rehearsed it, and the effect was alright. But your song is still not settled. I don’t think you’ll like their current songs. That’s where we’re stuck.”

Qi Yuntian gripped the steering wheel of the Bentley, speaking with remarkable ease.

Once you're holding the steering wheel of a Bentley, nothing you talk about will feel too heavy.

But Ma Dong is no different.

Although he has worked at CCTV for many years and his father is a big shot, he is rich, but to avoid suspicion, the most expensive of his three cars is a Land Rover worth over a million yuan. He is still a little short of the level of having a Bentley and thinking he owns the world.

He had been truly worried sick during this period. He often woke up in the middle of the night from nightmares, covered in sweat, and in less than three months, he had visibly lost a lot of weight.

At that moment, after waiting anxiously in the newly renovated office for over an hour, his mind was racing with all sorts of thoughts. Only when that familiar face and figure finally appeared at the door did he finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Really back.

More than a month ago, it was a foregone conclusion that the king of sketch comedy would withdraw from the Spring Festival Gala. After it was finally made public yesterday, the pressure from public opinion was overwhelming. As the chief director of the Spring Festival Gala, the pressure he is under at this moment is indescribable. He couldn't sleep at all last night.

The only way to prevent him from being criticized and to make the masses forget Zhao Benshan, after much thought, was "him".

Although we had already reached an agreement in Los Angeles and the other party said they would "go on a suitable show," the problem is that we haven't even decided on a song yet, so how can we talk about a suitable show?
What if they turn around and quit? What will Ma Dong do then?
The Spring Festival Gala is a stage that everyone in the national entertainment industry dreams of, a path to heaven that countless people would kneel down to try and climb.

But some people are different.

As the chief director, Ma Dong is constantly on the go, entertaining guests, giving gifts, and dealing with both overt and covert rules. But no matter how busy he is, he still has to set aside a few hours to come and wait in person today.

It's simply because some people no longer rely on these steps to climb the ladder.
They come back from a higher place, and even have to go down a little to get onto your stage.

Ma Dong immediately stood up and greeted him with a big smile: "President Chen, you must be tired from your journey. Welcome back to Beijing! You must be exhausted after such a long flight without any rest."

Chen Nuo looked at him in surprise, "Director Ma, what happened to you? You've lost so much weight? Are you on a diet too?"

Ma Dong touched his face and said with a wry smile, "Sigh, don't say anymore." Then he added, "I watched the Golden Globe Awards. The hosting was excellent, fantastic. Has Mr. Chen gone somewhere for further training? Haha."

Chen Nuo laughed and said, "No, it's all thanks to the screenwriting team. Unlike you, I would actually like to learn from you how to speak if I have the chance, after all, your eloquence is a family tradition."

"Hahahaha." Ma Dong laughed so hard his chubby face scrunched up. "You're self-taught, that's truly rare. Come, let me introduce you, this is from CCTV..."

With Ma Dong's introduction, Chen Nuo shook hands and exchanged pleasantries with each of the CCTV representatives present. This time, a considerable number of people from CCTV came, along with the revamped team, and the entire conference room was almost full.

"Let's begin now." Finally, Qi Yuntian, sitting on the left, coughed lightly and said to Ma Dong, who was sitting opposite him, "Director Ma, I've already briefly explained the basic situation after our communication these past few days to President Chen in the car. Now let's get straight to the point."

"Ok."

The speaker was a female director from CCTV's directing team, her voice clear and crisp: "Hello, Mr. Chen, I am the director in charge of song and dance programs, my name is Ha Wen. Next, I will introduce to you the current list of candidate songs for the Spring Festival Gala. This time, we have prepared a total of four songs."

Ha Wen spoke clearly and calmly, spending nearly half an hour explaining in detail the names, lyrics, and the meaning and background of each of the four shortlisted songs.

Then, she opened her laptop and played the audio of the four songs one by one.

As the last melody faded into the air, the conference room fell silent.

Everyone's gaze turned to the head of the conference table—the young man who was leaning back in his chair, his eyes slightly closed, his hand covering his forehead, as if deep in thought.

He seemed lost in thought.

Ma Dong opened his mouth, but ultimately remained silent.

He knew all too well that the fact that these four songs were in this conference room today was the result of multiple rounds of negotiation and compromise.

Behind them all are complex chains of interests, including singer teams, record companies, management companies, some high-ranking leaders of the station, and even the will of certain leaders in the propaganda department.

These things are all tangled together like a pretzel, and even those involved can't tell how much is hidden behind a song. Just like the song "Hawthorn Flower" from two years ago, no one can say for sure how much money Chen Chusheng, who sang the song, and the songwriters and lyricists who held the copyright actually made.

In this way, even he, as the chief director, had no way of deciding which four songs would appear in this conference room today, and ultimately, Ha Wen would read them out to this person.

But how will this person choose?
However, it is no longer something that any interest group can control.

It can only be determined by the person's free will.

In contemporary China, it can be said that no one in the entire country dares to say that they can make decisions for him.

Chen Nuo didn't think for long before coming to his senses, and couldn't help but smile, saying, "Director Ma, why do the titles of these songs all seem a bit too grand?"

Ma Dong cursed inwardly, but didn't know who he was cursing at, and laughed, "President Chen, I understand what you mean. But after all, this is the Spring Festival Gala, so we still need to pay attention to some educational significance."

"Who can I educate?" Chen Nuo said with a smile, "I'm just an actor."

Ha Wen, who was introduced earlier, said with a smile: "You can't say that. The name Chen Nuo is now a well-known brand in China. Your fans, your moviegoers, and the people you have influenced are countless."

Chen Nuo laughed and said, "The only people I can really influence, besides myself, are probably my mother. I can't even influence my father. As for those fans and moviegoers you mentioned... if I could really influence them, they would all be in Tsinghua or Peking University by now."

"Hahahahaha."

A burst of cheerful laughter immediately filled the conference room.

Ma Dong laughed and said, "President Chen is really humorous."

"It's not humor."

Chen Nuo still had a smile on his face, but his tone had slowed down. The two naps on the plane hadn't really given him a good rest; jet lag and fatigue were quietly eroding his concentration. He could only raise his voice slightly to speak clearly, so the other person wouldn't misunderstand.

"I've talked about this issue before, telling them to study hard, more than once, in several interviews. But what you see is that nobody listens, nobody takes it seriously. So, Director Ma, you'd better not take me so seriously."

The whole place fell silent.

After a moment, Ha Wen laughed and asked, "So, Mr. Chen, you mean none of these four songs are good?"

Chen Nuo said, "It's not that they're bad. They're all good songs, and they're all quite pleasant to listen to. For example, 'Chinese Dragon' is a really nice song. But I still want to try some other styles. So if you have any other options, I think you can bring a few more over to take a look. Haha, I know time is tight, but good things come to those who wait."

He chuckled twice, looked around, and seeing that no one else was laughing, he shut his mouth.

Ha Wen smiled and added, "Mr. Chen, you're right, good things come to those who wait. But we are indeed very pressed for time now. Today is the 17th, and there are only six days left until the Spring Festival Gala. And you haven't even participated in a single rehearsal yet. I remember we signed an agreement."

Chen Nuo nodded and said, "Yes, I remember. I personally signed our strategic cooperation agreement with CCTV."

He paused, tilted his head, and asked, "And then?"

Ha Wen's face flushed red instantly.

Ma Dong laughed and said, "I understand what you mean. Indeed, it's Chinese New Year, so it should be a little more relaxed and festive. What kind of songs do you like? Do you have any requirements for the style of music? We'll go back and reconsider and come up with a new playlist as soon as possible."

"I prefer things to be simpler," Chen Nuo smiled again. "The simpler it is, the faster I can practice."

"Oh, is that so? That's rare indeed." Ma Dong gave a thumbs up with admiration. "Okay, we'll go back right away and get it sorted out as soon as possible for you."

……

……

Chen Nuo is neither an "adult" nor a "petty person".

He felt that he was just an ordinary person. Of course he loved this land, but this love was something he couldn't express in words.

It wasn't because he was unwilling to speak, but because he always felt that some things, once expressed in a too direct and loud way in front of the public, would lose their original sincerity.

Just like when a man proposes to the one he loves, he holds a grand ceremony with fireworks, music, and relatives and friends watching... It is undeniable that such grandeur is a form of expression, but it also means the loss of something else.

—That deepest, quietest, and most private true feeling that originally belonged between two people.

This is not the way he likes it.

If he wanted to, he could say "I love you" with such deep affection that every woman in the world would be moved. But he rarely said it.

The same principle applies.

Besides the awkwardness and stubbornness regarding the word "love," there's another point: Chen Nuo feels—

It's okay to say it abroad. After all, to outsiders, Asian faces all look the same, and some people might not be able to tell them apart and might even mistake him for a Japanese. He can say it once, twice, three times without getting tired or feeling pretentious. In any case, there will always be foreigners who don't recognize him.

But to ask him to sing "I Am the Chinese Dragon" at the Chinese New Year Gala... to be honest, sorry, he really doesn't think it's necessary.

Firstly, he's not from Hong Kong, Macau, or Taiwan; secondly, he didn't really want to immigrate; and thirdly, it's a holiday, so let the kids rest.

"So, what will you do if you still don't get selected in the end?"

"Forget it."

"Forget it? Didn't you sign an agreement?"

"Yeah, but what can you do if you can't find it? It's just a framework strategic agreement. If you take it seriously, it's real; if you don't, it's just a piece of waste paper."

Chen Nuo shoveled two more mouthfuls of rice into his mouth, chewing as he said, "Alright, let's not talk about that anymore. Tell me about you, how have you been lately?"

Gao Yuanyuan sat opposite him, the restaurant lights gently shining on her face, outlining her features with a soft halo, making her look like a character from an old movie—gentle, serene, and with an inexplicable sense of detachment.

She chuckled softly, "What else can I do? Stay home with my mother."

"Didn't they say they were going to make a movie?"

"We're in talks, but I'm not entirely satisfied with the scripts." She took a sip of water, her tone flat. "There aren't many art films these days, and I'm tired of making commercial films."

Chen Nuo nodded and picked up another piece of boiled pork slices. Perhaps it had been a long time since he had eaten Chinese food, but he was truly impressed by the Sichuan cuisine cooked by Gao Yuanyuan, a Beijing native.

It's fresh, fragrant, spicy, and numbing. Honestly, it tastes even better than his mom's cooking.

At the same time, he knew that Gao Yuanyuan was telling the truth. This person was different from Yang Mi. Of course, it's not to say that either of them was necessarily right, but rather that their personalities were different. This woman wasn't the kind of person who could keep making easy money.

Although in 2010 and 2011, in order to pay for her mother's medical treatment, she made several mediocre commercial films, such as urban romance movies like "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" and "Paris Baby", and even made a cameo appearance in "The Founding of a Republic".

But deep down, she is still a very artistic young woman.

She loves watching and making art films. Her hobbies are mostly gardening and reading at home. Among her female friends, she is probably the most sentimental and the least sociable.

The last time the two of them met was before he went to the United States to film "Drop"—speaking of "Drop," James Pritzker seemed to have finally emerged from the grief of his father's passing, saying that the post-production of the film was finished and he would meet with him after he went to the United States.

Almost a year has passed, and we can finally see the finished product, but Chen Nuo isn't particularly excited.

He's gotten somewhat used to things like this in the movie world now.

A film, in theory, should take about a year to prepare, shoot, post-production, and release. However, there are often various factors that cause the film to be shelved or delayed.

Just like "Chinese Laborers", just like "Drop", or back then "No Man's Land".

Just like the relationships between people—

During that year, whenever he returned to China and had free time, she was either filming or busy with her mother's affairs; there were always various reasons that prevented them from meeting.

This time, he finally had some free time before the New Year. It just so happened that Gao Yuanyuan's mother went to her aunt's place for the New Year, so both of them had a day off.

After leaving the company, he made an excuse to cancel his other appointments and came specifically to see her.

They were both silent for a moment, and Gao Yuanyuan watched him wolf down his food with a smile.

The only sounds in the room were the soft clinking of chopsticks against bowls, his chewing, and the distant clamor of the capital city at night outside the window.

Gao Yuanyuan suddenly asked him, "What kind of song do you want to sing?"

Chen Nuo thought for a moment: "A song that allows me to sing it quietly without feeling like I'm performing a promotional video."

"Your requirements are quite high."

"Is it high?"

"high."

Chen Nuo wasn't exactly an artsy type. Although he sensed a hidden meaning in Gao Yuanyuan's words, he couldn't quite grasp it. He just chuckled and continued eating.

Chen Nuo ate three bowls of rice before putting down his chopsticks.

Then the guilt started.

Gao Yuanyuan asked with a smile, "What's wrong?"

"Sigh, I'm on a diet, I shouldn't eat so much."

"Losing weight?" Gao Yuanyuan raised her voice.

"right……"

Chen Nuo explained briefly, and Gao Yuanyuan couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh, "So that's how it is, no wonder you seem to have lost a little weight."

Chen Nuo said with dissatisfaction, "It seems so?"

Gao Yuanyuan's eyes crinkled into a wide smile, her long, thick eyelashes like two tiny brushes. She let out a hearty laugh, like a typical Beijing girl, and said, "I should have reminded you to eat less. Are you done eating? Then go sit on the sofa for a while, I'll go wash the dishes."

"Okay, let's go."

Gao Yuanyuan said it, but she didn't go right away. Instead, she first made a cup of tea and put it on the coffee table in the living room, telling him to drink it slowly while she waited. Only then did she go into the kitchen.

The TV was showing CCTV-1's evening news, which happened to cut to an interview segment from the Spring Festival Gala. Chen Nuo didn't recognize the middle-aged male singer in the overcoat being interviewed, but he was clearly one of this year's Gala performers.

He watched for a short while, but his attention gradually shifted, and his gaze couldn't help but drift towards the kitchen.

This apartment was bought by Gao Yuanyuan herself. It's a mid-rise building, on the 11th floor, with an internal area of ​​over 110 square meters. The location is near Tuanjiehu Lake in Chaoyang District. The community is large, with beautiful landscaping, and most importantly, it offers good privacy—each building only has about twenty households. Chen Nuo has been here twice and only encountered a kind-looking elderly lady in the elevator.

From where he was sitting, he could see Gao Yuanyuan's back in the kitchen.

The heating in the house was on just right, and the room was very warm. The woman wasn't wearing much; she was wearing a pair of tight-fitting jeans and a white wool bodysuit. Her waist was slender, and she looked very graceful. Her high ponytail swayed from side to side behind her head with her movements.

Gao Yuanyuan not only cooks delicious food, but she is also extremely efficient at housework. In less than five minutes, she finished washing the pots and pans, wiped her hands on the Hallo Kitty apron, hung it behind the kitchen door, and came out.

Chen Nuo was a little full and was wondering if exercising later would upset her stomach.

Unexpectedly, Gao Yuanyuan suddenly asked, "Want to go for a walk?"

……

To be honest, taking a walk in Beijing in January is definitely not a good idea.

Although it wasn't late yet, only a little past seven o'clock, the sky was already pitch black. A howling wind swept in from between heaven and earth, passing through the bare treetops and skimming over the remaining snow on the roadside. When it hit my face, it felt like a knife cutting into my skin.

However, precisely because of this, everyone on the street was wrapped up tightly in scarves, masks, and hats, making Chen Nuo and Gao Yuanyuan look like just two ordinary passersby.

"Besides participating in the Spring Festival Gala, is there anything else you've done since you came back this time?" Gao Yuanyuan asked.

Chen Nuo recalled that when he went to Nanjing a while ago, Zhang Xiaofei mentioned that she planned to hold a class reunion at the end of the year, but she still hadn't contacted him.

That's true. Even for old classmates from ordinary universities, it's difficult to get together, let alone for their class in the performing arts department.

The students in his class all did quite well after graduation. For example, Yuan Shanshan, he often saw her playing the leading role in various period dramas when he browsed Weibo. Her fan base was growing, and she would occasionally post photos from the set or selfies. Her style was bright and beautiful, and she was completely unrecognizable as the slightly shy and ordinary girl in his class back then.

Wang Meng, who has a good relationship with Yuan Shanshan, and even Jing Tian, ​​who is two years younger than them, have gradually made their mark in the entertainment industry.

As actors, their schedules are incredibly packed. The works, interviews, and endorsements that are presented to the audience are just the tip of the iceberg. Behind the scenes, there are countless magazine shoots, business engagements, brand events, auditions, and rehearsals for film and television productions—all of which require a significant amount of time and energy, yet are often difficult for outsiders to truly understand.

It's so difficult to find the time to get together.

Chen Nuo shook his head and said, "No, I'll finish the Spring Festival Gala stuff and then go to the United States."

Gao Yuanyuan asked in surprise, "So eager? Are you going again?"

"Hmm. Going to present an award. Ever heard of the Santa Barbara Film Festival in California?"

"...I've heard of it. You won an award?"

“No, it’s Nolan. He won the Master Award over there this time, and the organizing committee invited me to go and present the award to him…” Chen Nuo finished speaking, waited for a while, and seeing that Gao Yuanyuan did not respond, asked curiously, “What’s wrong?”

Gao Yuanyuan made a sound like a sigh from behind the scarf that covered her face, "It's nothing, it's just that listening to you talk about yourself feels unreal. Thinking about it, I was watching your video at the Golden Globe Awards yesterday, and now I'm actually walking with you. It really feels like a dream."

Chen Nuo chuckled twice, "I feel like what you're saying sounds like you're talking in your sleep."

Gao Yuanyuan let out another muffled laugh. "I didn't." Then she added, "Can I take your arm?"

See? This meticulous attention to detail is precisely the unique quality of artistic youths.

If it were Liu Yifei, she definitely wouldn't ask; she would just tell Chen Nuo to put his arm around her and walk away. Tong Liya wouldn't either; Xibe girls are gentle and obedient and never make requests. As for Janice Man, Hong Kong girls are even more direct; she might naturally put her arm around Chen Nuo's as soon as she leaves the house, without feeling that she needs to "ask for permission" at all.

Only Gao Yuanyuan would suddenly say something like that.

Chen Nuo had no choice but to say helplessly, "Yes."

Gao Yuanyuan chuckled softly again, slipping her hand into his arm and pressing her body even closer. If the two had seemed like just good friends a moment ago, now, if they were photographed by paparazzi, things might get complicated.

The two walked quietly for a while, and then Gao Yuanyuan suddenly said, "A new bar has opened nearby. Want to go sit down? It's quite quiet, and there aren't many people around, so no one will recognize you."

Chen Nuozhen didn't quite understand what was wrong with this woman tonight, but since they were already out, he didn't want to spoil the fun, so he agreed, "Okay."

So the two changed their route. Led by Gao Yuanyuan, they walked through several alleys, turning east and west, until they arrived at a quiet old street. Just as she had said, the street was very quiet, most of the shops were closed, and only a small bar was lit with a dim yellow light, its neon sign flashing in the night. The name was also quite strange, just "Go".

A wooden frame stood at the entrance of the bar, with a poster pasted on it. However, the poster wasn't firmly attached; the edges had already collapsed, rustling in the wind. The poster obscured the faces and names of the people in the pictures, revealing only a line of advertising text: "A Music Show 'About a Wanderer', Performance Dates: January 15th to 30th, starting at 8 PM. Open throughout the Chinese New Year."

Gao Yuanyuan pushed open the door and led Chen Nuo inside.

The bar wasn't large, with a few round tables in the center and booths along the walls. The lighting was dim, and a small stage stood in the center, where a young man in his twenties was adjusting his microphone and guitar, preparing to sing. Hearing the door open, he looked up at the two people; their appearances were unremarkable, quite ordinary.

Chen Nuo and Gao Yuanyuan sat in a corner of the bar, neither of them taking off their scarves or masks immediately.

However, the young lady who came to take their order must have seen all sorts of strange people. She didn't show any surprise at all. She smiled and placed the drink menu in front of them, saying in her Beijing-accented Mandarin, "To celebrate Brother Zhao's performance today, tonight from 7 pm to 9 pm is happy hour, and everything is half price."

Chen Nuo looked down at the wine list, expressing serious doubt about the waiter's statement.

What's the price from 7:00 to 9:30?

I guess this place is half price 24/7.

He flipped through a few pages casually; names like "Wild Rose of Flames" and "Midnight Hunter" sounded dubious. He figured it was just a bartender mixing fruit juice, adding vodka or rum, and daring to sell it for 120 or 140 yuan a glass? This was Beijing? More like New York!

If it weren't 50% off, it would be a miracle if it sold.

He remembered how much a glass of wine cost at that little tavern in Yulin, Chengdu, back then.

(End of this chapter)