Regarding the swimming pool matter, Zhou You didn't take it too seriously. After all, it wouldn't lose much money, nor would it make much. Making money would be best—it would mean having some influence in the industry. If it didn't make money, he'd just have to think of other ways. But based on what he knew, losing money wasn't possible; it was just a matter of how much profit there'd be.
Once that was settled, he began the long journey of practicing the flute. At first, there was a bit of novelty, but as time went on, it grew increasingly tedious—endless finger techniques and breath control exercises. Occasionally, when tired and unwilling to practice, he'd ask Sun Li to play a tune for him to lift his spirits.
Sun Li was also an interesting person. The more they interacted, the more he learned about her. Her parents were divorced; she'd lived with each of them for a while as a child. After getting into college, both sides interfered less, and she visited them less often too, basically living on her own. Her parents left her a small apartment, and after graduation, she lived there alone. She co-founded a musical instrument shop with a friend but didn't make much money. Occasionally, she'd perform drumming for Zhou You—she looked much cooler playing drums than the flute. She mentioned forming a band with a few friends, where she played drums for fun. Zhou You, in turn, chatted with her about school matters, but little else.
One day, Zhou You arrived at the shop to find her on the phone: "Blind date? What blind date? No way I'm going on a blind date! I'll never get married in my life! Look at you and Dad—are you happy? I'm living just fine on my own now. Stop meddling!" Seeing Zhou You enter, she hung up and said, "Sorry, you must think that's ridiculous. My mom called, saying she wants to set me up with someone. They've been together all this time, and now she wants me to marry?" Zhou You smiled. "Everyone has their own choices. I don't want to get married for now—I'll wait until I've had my fun." "Same here," Sun Li said, walking over to the drum set. "I'll play while I can. If I meet someone I really like, I'll give it a try, but no marriage, no kids. Just getting through this life well is enough. Let me play you a drum solo." The music was bold and passionate, with a fast, intense rhythm and dense beats—clearly meant to vent emotions. After one song, all her pent-up frustrations seemed to vanish.
Both being young, they got along well. Seeing Sun Li upset, Zhou You said, "Let me treat you to dinner tonight. A good drink can wash away a thousand worries." Sun Li was straightforward, not coy like some other girls. "Alright, I'll take you up on that today." After spending so much time together, she could tell Zhou You wasn't short on cash—she'd occasionally seen him drive a Wrangler—but she didn't know exactly how much he had.
Central City, as a comprehensive shopping plaza, offered everything from food to entertainment. As a local business owner, Sun Li knew which restaurants were good. She led Zhou You to a Korean restaurant. As they entered, the owner bowed deeply, said something in Korean, then followed with a halting "Welcome" in Chinese. It was a clever gimmick, perfectly catering to the local mindset—"Look, a foreigner bowing to me." But based on Zhou You's experience of being burned by society, unsolicited kindness often hides ulterior motives. The more polite a stranger is, the more cautious you should be. Of course, in a restaurant, it was all just a routine.
They found a seat inside. It was a Korean BBQ place, with a Korean owner but Chinese staff. A waitress approached with a menu: "Hello, would you like to order? Let me introduce some dishes." Sun Li took the menu. "No need, I come here often. I'll call you when I've decided." The waitress was happy to save the effort but added before leaving, "Our ingredients are all air-freighted directly from Korea. Please rest assured." Sun Li smiled silently, then leaned in to whisper to Zhou You once the waitress was gone: "I've been here for years and know the owner well. He's actually Chinese who worked in Korea, learned a bit of Korean, and came back to open this place pretending to be Korean." Seeing Zhou You unfazed, she thought he didn't believe her. "That's nothing," Zhou You said, amused by her playful expression. "The world is full of strange things. As you get to know more, you'll see this is just small potatoes."
Zhou You let Sun Li order since she was a regular. She picked a few specialties. "Any dietary restrictions?" "None. Order whatever you like. I've never eaten here before." "Alright, I'll go with my taste. If it's bad, you can add more later." Soon, the food arrived. Each person got a large plate with kimchi, chili sauce, a small bowl of pumpkin porridge, and a side of seaweed. The rest was pork, beef, and a plate of seasonal vegetables. Sun Li handled everything while Zhou You just watched, too lazy to move. Before long, the sizzling aroma of BBQ filled the air, whetting Zhou You's appetite. They got two small bottles of Korean soju from the owner. They ate meat, kimchi, and drank together. The alcohol was low-proof with a fruity fragrance, easy to drink. Despite the fake Korean setup, the food was surprisingly good. With the mild buzz from the soju, Zhou You felt completely at ease. Sun Li was a bit tipsy too and asked if he wanted more. Zhou You waved his hand. He no longer drank to excess—just enough to feel a slight buzz, never more. Getting drunk hurt his health and made him miserable.
Zhou You went to pay the bill. The total came to over 500 yuan for two—not cheap, he had to admit. Sun Li linked her arm through his as they returned to the shop, where the staff had already left. A bit tipsy, both felt warm and took off their jackets. Emboldened by the alcohol, Sun Li started talking about her life—things she usually kept to herself. Spending so much time with Zhou You lately had brought them closer. She spoke of her childhood, her parents, her school days, and her shop. As she talked, her eyes reddened, and tears began to fall. Zhou You wasn't good at comforting girls, so he just sat there, patting her shoulder and murmuring, "It's okay. It's all in the past. The future will be better." Watching this usually spirited, tall, and independent young woman—who walked with such confidence—now fragile and vulnerable like a pitiful little rabbit, he wondered if her usual boldness was just a facade.
As he comforted her, Sun Li somehow ended up sitting on his lap, her arms around his neck. Zhou You held her tightly, feeling her curves. Then, with some effort, he carried her to the training room in the back. She kicked the door shut with her foot and locked it with a twist of her hand.
The next chapter was banned again, and I'm not sure why. There was no explicit description of anything inappropriate.