A layer of cold sweat broke out on Chen Zemian’s back.
His name was clearly written on the customer receipt.
His name.
Although the handwriting was illegible and the strokes flowed together in one continuous motion, no matter how hard he tried to write the two characters for “Ze Mian,” he couldn’t form the character “Zhe.”
Chen Zemian didn’t move a muscle. The alcohol in his blood evaporated with the cold sweat, and the drunkenness suddenly vanished. His mind was razor-sharp, but his hands and feet felt disconnected, stiff, and slightly numb.
What should I do? What should I do? What should I do?
His thoughts raced, countless ideas crisscrossing and emerging one after another, sweeping through his consciousness before sinking into endless darkness.
In just one second, he clearly thought of many things, but it felt like he had thought of nothing.
Come up with an excuse, quickly! Dead brain! Think!
Chen Zemian stood there, seemingly focused on the receipt, but in reality, he had already drifted away.
Lu Zhuonian was very skilled at snapping Chen Zemian out of his daydream. He bent his index finger habitually, but found no table to knock on.
This was no problem for the resourceful Mr. Lu.
Lu Zhuonian raised his hand and tapped Chen Zemian’s forehead with his knuckles.
Tap, tap.
Chen Zemian said, “…”
Lu Zhuonian took out an alcohol wipe from somewhere and wiped his fingers slowly, as elegant as a crane preening by the water, his tone dangerously sharp, “Why aren’t you speaking? Did you lose your memory again?”
“No, no memory loss,” Chen Zemian stammered. “Chen Zemian is… Chen Zemian is… a name.”
Lu Zhuonian said meaningfully, “Whose name? Yours?”
Chen Zemian dared not look at Lu Zhuonian’s expression and lowered his head, replying, “Well, I guess so.”
“Well, I guess so,” Lu Zhuonian repeated, rolling the words on his tongue. He seemed patient and persuasive, but was actually pressing harder, continuing, “Then who is Chen Zhe?”
Chen Zemian’s voice was so low it almost disappeared, “It’s me too.”
Lu Zhuonian’s tone shifted to one of puzzled realization, “How can one person have two names?”
“Everyone has two names,” Chen Zemian began to lie with wide-open eyes, trying to sound firm and matter-of-fact, “A name is just a label. It’s normal to have several names. It’s no big deal. Just like you are both Lu Zhuonian and Lu Shao, I am both Chen Zemian and Chen Zhe. The principle is the same.”
Lu Zhuonian listened quietly to Chen Zemian’s nonsense, lowering his gaze. There was no sharpness or scrutiny in his eyes, only gentleness and indifference, vast and calm like the river and sea, as if ready to accommodate all the unknown secrets and disguises.
Chen Zemian felt like he was back in a thesis defense, with the illusion that he was being completely seen through.
“The existence of two names illustrates the relativity of names. They often appear in pairs, just like formal names and nicknames, former names and current names, or Chinese names and English names.”
After babbling for a few sentences, Chen Zemian couldn’t continue. He gritted his teeth and made a final statement.
“In short, everyone has two names. It’s nothing particularly noteworthy. :)”
He looked up at Lu Zhuonian and gave a perfectly practiced fake smile.
It expressed his embarrassment at his own nonsense and his homesickness, hoping his mentor would let him off.
I really want to go home.
Please spare me, I’ve done my best to explain.
Lu Zhuonian received Chen Zemian’s signal but had no intention of letting this foolish cat with its tail exposed off so easily.
It must be admitted he was a little mean and harsh, especially regarding Chen Zemian.
Generally, from any angle, Lu Zhuonian was generous and magnanimous; the word “petty” was almost never associated with him.
He could let Chen Zemian go.
But he didn’t want to.
Lu Zhuonian’s eyes darkened slightly. He looked at Chen Zemian with great gravity, extracting the useful parts from the other’s nonsense theory — perfectly embodying “using one’s own spear to attack another’s shield”: “Since you say names appear in pairs, then real names and fake names should also be included.”
Chen Zemian’s pupils shrank slightly.
Lu Zhuonian noticed this subtle change, slowed his voice, and continued, “Of the two names — Chen Zhe and Chen Zemian — which one is real and which one is fake?”
Chen Zemian said, “Both are real.”
Lu Zhuonian questioned, “Really?”
“Yeah,” Chen Zemian nodded randomly, pulled out his phone and shook it, then turned and walked toward the door. “Let’s go back quickly. Young Master Xiao is urging us.”
The notification on his phone was indeed a WeChat message from Xiao Kesong. Although Chen Zemian shook the phone quickly, Lu Zhuonian clearly saw the message.
I am urging you.
Lu Zhuonian twisted the customer receipt in his hand, smiled meaningfully, and asked, “Does Xiao Kesong know you have two names?”
Chen Zemian gritted his teeth and said, “He doesn’t know.”
Lu Zhuonian’s tone was flat and emotionless. “So only I know.”
Chen Zemian wasn’t sure what to make of Lu Zhuonian’s tone or intent.
So what if you’re the only one who knows?
It’s just a name; it means nothing. Even if they don’t match, it’s not a crime, and there’s nothing worth investigating.
As always, Chen Zemian tried to convince himself first and gradually found the courage to face Lu Zhuonian. “Yes, I’ve wanted to change my name for a long time. Do you think there’s a problem, Mr. Lu?”
Lu Zhuonian tilted his head slightly, looked calmly into Chen Zemian’s eyes.
Chen Zemian’s eye color was very special: a soft, clear misty brown, neither too deep nor too shallow, just the right saturation — like amber soaked in icy spring water — glittering, warm, and bright.
Under that clear gaze, Lu Zhuonian asked no more questions.
“Under the moon and in the wind, I am free and easy. I sing when I am happy and sleep when I am tired,” Lu Zhuonian said slowly. “It’s very poetic.”
Chen Zemian was a little surprised. “Young Master Lu is really knowledgeable to recite such an obscure poem at will.”
Lu Zhuonian said, “It’s quite famous and suits you very well.”
Chen Zemian smiled. “Suits me?”
Lu Zhuonian said, “You can fall asleep in a car. Your sleep quality is enviable.”
“I don’t fall asleep every time I ride in a car,” Chen Zemian explained, eager to change the subject from his name. “Did you sleep well, Young Master Lu?”
Lu Zhuonian nodded slightly. “It’s not easy to fall asleep, and my sleep quality is very poor. I feel like I’m sleeping, but my mind is awake.”
Chen Zemian said, “I was like that the night before the college entrance exam. I slept fitfully all night — sleeping a little, then waking. I was tired the next day, but my spirit was unusually high.”
Lu Zhuonian moved his index finger slightly, folded the receipt in two with one hand, and rubbed his fingertip repeatedly over Chen Zemian’s name.
Chen Zemian and Lu Zhuonian walked side by side, unaware of Lu Zhuonian’s actions.
“It’s very uncomfortable if you can’t sleep well.”
Chen Zemian’s thoughts lingered on Lu Zhuonian’s insomnia, and he sincerely suggested, “Maybe exercise would help? Or watch live broadcasts of people falling asleep? Or listen to some classes? Have you tried philosophy? That stuff confuses everyone.”
“My second degree is a philosophy minor,” Lu Zhuonian said. “Studying philosophy kills time, otherwise I can’t sleep at night because of random thoughts.”
Chen Zemian asked, “Thinking about what?”
“Anything possible, mostly unrealistic things,” Lu Zhuonian was silent for a few seconds, then said, “I guess I’ll think of you tonight.”
Chen Zemian’s heart, which had just settled, suddenly suspended again. “Why think of me? I’m the most realistic one.”
Lu Zhuonian’s tone was calm, but his words were more shocking than before. “I wonder why you signed with a strange name, why you’re so different from the Chen Zhe I know, why you always catch my attention.”
Questions came one after another like waves, weaving an invisible net that tightened ever more.
Lu Zhuonian held up the receipt in his hand. “I wonder if you did it on purpose, or if there are many loopholes.”
Chen Zemian unconsciously held his breath. His heart contracted violently, as if it might explode from overexertion at any moment.
Lu Zhuonian and Chen Zemian were very close and could clearly observe each other’s expressions.
He saw Chen Zemian’s pupils dilate briefly, saw him swallow saliva, saw him take a half-step back and glance behind unconsciously, like a rabbit stared at by a large beast, ready to flee.
Lu Zhuonian twisted the receipt in his hand, thought for a moment, and handed it back.
Chen Zemian’s eyelashes trembled. He suddenly raised his beautiful eyes and stared blankly at Lu Zhuonian.
Lu Zhuonian also looked at Chen Zemian with a calm and peaceful expression.
Chen Zemian tentatively reached out and took back the receipt.
Lu Zhuonian wiped his fingers with an alcohol wipe and tossed the wipe into the trash, discarding all doubts and suspicions with it.
He still let him go.
Even though Chen Zemian’s abnormalities were many, and even though Chen Zemian’s face was worthy of investigation.
When they returned to the box, the music performance ordered by Xiao Kesong had already begun.
When you open the door, you can hear continuous singing that lifts your spirits.
The piano sound is intermittent, and the singing is high and melodious, like the cry of a phoenix or a crane. The breathing and singing techniques are very professional.
Xiao Kesong patted the sofa and invited Chen Zemian to sit down, listen to music, and drink.
The wine had been decanted and was placed in a crystal decanter. The crimson wine gleamed golden under the rotating light, releasing a rich, intoxicating aroma.
The performance was grand in scale, with more than a dozen people. Five girls were singing, while the others accompanied them with various instruments, including stringed instruments, orchestral instruments, and zithers. The music alternated between light and slow, or fast and heavy, with no end in sight.
There was even a row of chimes in the corner.
As soon as Chen Zemian sat down, two waiters in cheongsams brought him a hot towel. One of them half-knelt in front of him, poured tea, and then gently asked if he needed a massage.
The same service was offered to Lu Zhuonian.
There were only four guests in total, but more than twenty performers and waiters were working inside and outside the box.
It was excessive.
The life of the rich is beyond imagination.
Chen Zemian felt like he was in a cave, unsure where to place his hands and feet. He shook his head violently to refuse the girl’s service and repeatedly insisted he could manage himself.
Seeing that Chen Zemian was uncomfortable, Xiao Kesong snapped his fingers and asked the service staff to wait outside.
“Don’t come in unless I call you,” Xiao Kesong said, leaning his head on Chen Zemian’s shoulder with a smile, then teased the girl beside him, “My little brother is shy.”
Lu Zhuonian tilted his head slightly and glanced over.
Ye Chen grabbed Xiao Kesong’s collar and pulled him aside. “Can you sit by yourself?”
Xiao Kesong, having drunk some wine, felt lazy. He leaned on Chen Zemian like a boneless person and said, “No, no beautiful women are allowed to accompany me. Can’t I rely on my handsome brother?”
Ye Chen glanced at Lu Zhuonian and kindly warned, “Don’t seek death.”
Xiao Kesong ignored Ye Chen’s kindness and shouted, “What’s it to you?”
Ye Chen chuckled silently and left him to fend for himself.
Xiao Kesong complained to Chen Zemian, “Ye Chen is sick — he’s too nosy.”
Chen Zemian laughed, “Looks like with Young Master Ye around, you can’t be King Zhou of Shang.”
Xiao Kesong’s eyes darted, and he leaned close to Chen Zemian’s ear. “It’s not because of Ye Chen; it’s because Zhuonian is here.”
Chen Zemian asked in surprise, “Young Master Lu?”
The singing and music in the room hadn’t stopped, and Chen Zemian and Xiao Kesong spoke in low voices. Theoretically, Lu Zhuonian shouldn’t have heard them whispering.
But for some reason, Lu Zhuonian looked over again.
Feeling guilty and afraid Lu Zhuonian would hear his teasing, Chen Zemian lowered his voice even more and asked softly, “What does it have to do with Young Master Lu that you don’t want beautiful women to accompany you?”
This involved personal privacy. Even if Xiao Kesong was heartless, he wouldn’t reveal it casually. He just coughed lightly, brought the teacup to his mouth, and said vaguely, “He doesn’t like those things. Look at me when I’m having fun — why am I spending it with him? Today is my birthday, and he can barely sit here and listen to music with me. Usually, if there were so many women, he would have left long ago.”
Chen Zemian praised, “Young Master Lu is really a gentleman, strict with himself, and has few desires.”
“Puff — ”
Xiao Kesong spat out a mouthful of tea, then coughed violently, almost choking.
Ye Chen and Lu Zhuonian both glanced sideways.
Xiao Kesong grabbed the coffee table for support. “I… cough cough cough, it’s okay… cough cough cough.”
Chen Zemian hurriedly patted Xiao Kesong on the back until he calmed down.
At that moment, a song ended and a new one began.
It wasn’t a common KTV song but an ancient poem set to a melodious, refreshing tune.
Chen Zemian’s attention was drawn by the singing, and he quickly forgot the previous topic.
He didn’t know how to appreciate music, but this song felt like the best of the best, sounding more refined than pop songs — especially when everyone sang together. The effect was indescribable. The song and music traveled through thousands of years, instantly transporting listeners back to the past, as if they were in the Song Dynasty, at a brightly lit Lantern Festival, watching the end of the long street while phoenix flutes played and fragrant scents drifted.
It’s great to be rich, so you can enjoy such elegant music.
Chen Zemian’s entire spirit was elevated, and he finally understood why it’s said that it’s easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance back to frugality.
Xiao Kesong opened a deck of cards and called Ye Chen and Lu Zhuonian. “Just listening to music is boring; let’s play cards.”
Ye Chen sat down. “What are we betting on?”
This wasn’t the first time Xiao Kesong played this game, and he answered skillfully, “Losers take turns treating the winner to midnight snacks for a month, is that okay?”
Everyone agreed.
It was a rare opportunity to catch Lu Zhuonian in a good mood, so Xiao Kesong immediately said, “The fermented rice shrimps made by your aunt are amazing. I want to eat those.”
Lu Zhuonian replied, “Let’s win first, then order.”
Xiao Kesong put his arm around Chen Zemian’s shoulder. “Chen Zhe is very good at cards. He loves me so much, he’ll definitely order me some fermented rice shrimps if he wins, right?”
Chen Zemian didn’t know how good Chen Zhe was at cards, so he felt pressure immediately with Xiao Kesong showing off in front of Lu Zhuonian. “Young Master Lu and Young Master Ye should be very good too.”
Xiao Kesong gave Chen Zemian a reassuring look and said confidently, “They’re far worse than you.”
Chen Zemian said, “…”
Lu Zhuonian touched a card. “Don’t be too confident. He’s different now than before.”
Chen Zemian lowered his head and touched his cards, not daring to say a word.
Ye Chen was a little confused. “What do you mean, different from before?”
Xiao Kesong explained, “You don’t know this — Xu Shaoyang’s people beat Chen Zhe a while ago. Chen Zhe injured his head and now can’t remember many things clearly.”
It’s not uncommon for Xu Shaoyang to be domineering and violent, relying on his family’s power. Letting his subordinates hurt people is one thing, but beating someone to the point of memory loss is another.
Ye Chen found it a little unbelievable and knew Xiao Kesong tended to exaggerate, so he looked to Lu Zhuonian to confirm. “Is it true?”
Lu Zhuonian looked at Chen Zemian.
Chen Zemian felt extremely guilty. He lowered his head and fiddled with the cards, his thumb unconsciously rubbing the edges. It seemed he was studying the order of his cards, but his attention was on Lu Zhuonian, waiting for his response.
Lu Zhuonian withdrew his gaze calmly and replied softly, “Well, it is said that he lost his memory after being beaten.”
Chen Zemian curled his fingers slightly.
Lu Zhuonian’s answer was cunning. He avoided the subject and used a subtle, classical style of speaking. Listeners would think these words came from a doctor. Only Chen Zemian knew that the subject was himself.
The conclusion of “amnesia” wasn’t based on any diagnosis, and Lu Zhuonian never believed Chen Zemian’s words, but he still gave false testimony in front of Ye Chen.
Chen Zemian was absent-minded. He didn’t pay attention to the cards he drew and played poorly.
After losing several games in a row, the slow-witted Xiao Kesong noticed something was wrong and flipped over the remaining cards in Chen Zemian’s hand to check one by one.
“Are you feeding cards to Lu Zhuonian?” Xiao Kesong found two black Aces and asked suspiciously, “Why didn’t you play these?”
Chen Zemian turned his cards upside down on the table. “I might be a little sleepy. I’m going out for some fresh air. You guys play first.”
Xiao Kesong glanced at his watch. “Didn’t he sleep in the car?”
Lu Zhuonian said calmly, “He sleeps a lot.”
Xiao Kesong felt something strange inside, as if something unnoticed was quietly happening. “How do you know Chen Zhe sleeps a lot? You haven’t slept with him.”
Ye Chen choked on his wine silently.
Chen Zemian didn’t hear any double meaning in those words. He stood, took his coat, and asked Xiao Kesong, “Do you want to eat anything? I’ll bring it back for you.”
Xiao Kesong said, “You’re going out?”
Chen Zemian nodded. “There’s a snack street nearby. We can go buy some food.”
“Snack street?” Xiao Kesong became interested. “I’ll go too.”
Chen Zemian said, “I’ll bring you whatever you want. There are shared bicycles outside. I’ll ride there. It’s very fast, but parking is difficult.”
Xiao Kesong picked up his wallet and pushed Chen Zemian outside. “I’ll ride there too.”
Chen Zemian took two steps forward, then turned to Ye Chen. “Young Master Ye, do you want anything to eat?”
Ye Chen said, “I can’t eat.”
“Can’t eat?” Chen Zemian didn’t understand. “What can’t you eat?”
Xiao Kesong gloated, “He can’t eat those things. Our Young Master Ye is precious, with a stomach more delicate than a ragdoll cat’s.”
Chen Zemian looked at Lu Zhuonian again. “What about Young Master Lu?”
Lu Zhuonian shook his head.
Xiao Kesong was in a hurry and pushed Chen Zemian from behind, complaining quietly, “It’s useless to ask. Lu Zhuonian is picky about food.”
Chen Zemian agreed, “He is more noble.”
Lu Zhuonian said quietly, “You know that?”
The box was large, and someone was singing. Xiao Kesong and Chen Zemian had already reached the door while talking. They thought Lu Zhuonian couldn’t hear them and were openly commenting on his picky eating. No one expected Lu Zhuonian to suddenly say such a thing.
The two men were so frightened that they pushed each other and fled out of the box in a panic.
Fortunately, Chen Zemian was agile and faster than Xiao Kesong, slipping out in an instant; otherwise, the two of them would have been stuck at the door.
As they rushed out, they happened to pass a waiter carrying a fruit plate.
Even while running for his life, Xiao Kesong did not forget to eat. He grabbed a handful of kumquats, bit into one, frowned, and said it was sour. Then he looked around, ready to find a place to spit it out.
“Give it to me, Young Master,” Chen Zemian took the kumquat and tasted it. “It’s okay, quite delicious.”
Seeing Chen Zemian eat two in a row without changing his expression, Xiao Kesong couldn’t help but wonder if his luck was just bad — he had chosen the only sour kumquat first. He wanted to try another but was afraid of the sourness and finally decided not to risk it.
*****
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Author: LazyHermitGal
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