My Landlord is an Idol Singer - Chapter 117

After hanging up the phone, Gu Zhinan grabbed a random jacket and headed out.

It was autumn, and the nights were getting chilly. As he opened the door, the three people on the sofa all looked up at him simultaneously. Gu Zhinan looked straight at Cheng Mengying, with only one thought in his head, “Why the hell didn’t this body get a driver’s license?!”

He felt his excellent driving skills were completely wasted.

“Cheng Mengying, drive me to the high-speed rail station.”

“Huh? What are you doing going to the station this late?”

Cheng Mengying noticed Gu Zhinan’s serious expression and didn’t joke around. Her large, doll-like eyes blinked wide in confusion.

“I have something to take care of. Hurry up.”

“Oh.” Cheng Mengying stood up but was stopped by Xia An’ge, who took the Mini Cooper’s keys from her.

“I’ll take him. I could use some fresh air anyway. You guys head back to the hotel and rest. We’re going back to Haipu tomorrow.” Xia An’ge’s expression was calm, as if she truly just wanted to enjoy the breeze.

“We’ll come too!” Ruan Ying suggested, but Xia An’ge shook her head.

“You guys get some rest. We’ve got a lot to do coming up.” She said this and went into her room to grab a jacket, then walked out. Gu Zhinan had no choice but to follow her. Ruan Ying and Cheng Mengying exchanged glances, then stepped outside too.

“We’ll head back, then. An’ge-jie, you sure you’ll be okay on your own?” Ruan Ying still sounded worried. Xia An’ge gave her a faint look. “I’m not a child.”

On the way to the high-speed rail station, traffic was still heavy, peak hours meant lots of people coming and going.

Xia An’ge focused on the road ahead, driving attentively. Gu Zhinan sat beside her, jacket in hand, also looking ahead.

“Why did you suddenly want to get some air?” He turned to look at her, her focused face glowing faintly in the dim light, a few strands of hair falling across her cheek.

Xia An’ge pursed her lips, eyes fixed on the road. “My fingers got tired from playing the guitar.”

Gu Zhinan raised an eyebrow at that, half-skeptical. He stretched and then chuckled. “You don’t have to be so hard on yourself all the time. It’s okay to relax now and then.”

“Mm.” Xia An’ge stole a glance at him, hesitated, then asked softly, “Why are you going to Hangzhou? Can you tell me?”

“Sure. A good friend of mine is feeling down and asked me to come. I’m going to comfort him.” Gu Zhinan answered plainly. It wasn’t exactly a secret.

When Xia An’ge heard “comfort a friend,” her brows barely furrowed. She quietly replied, “Oh,” and said nothing more.

Gu Zhinan also stayed quiet, eyes gazing distantly at the road ahead, a bit lost in thought. The drive to the station only took about half an hour.

By a little past 8 p.m., Gu Zhinan was standing outside the Lin City high-speed rail station. The area in front of the station was relatively quiet—clearly, the next passenger rush hadn’t arrived yet. The evening breeze was cool.

“I’m going. Be careful on your way back. If you want to feel the wind, the balcony at the apartment works too. Don’t wander around randomly. Remember, you’re a big star now.” Gu Zhinan said all this before getting out of the car.

“Oh.” Xia An’ge didn’t look at him. In the dark, Gu Zhinan couldn’t see the slight curve of her lips.

“Is your friend a guy?” Gu Zhinan was just about to leave when he heard Xia An’ge’s quiet question behind him.

He turned back. She had already put on a mask, hiding her expression, but her peach blossom eyes were locked on his. 

“A guy. Big and fat.” Gu Zhinan answered honestly, watching her with amusement in his dark eyes.

“Oh. Then I’ll head back.” Her voice came out a bit rushed, and her cheeks flushed under his gaze. She got in the car, started it, and slowly drove off under his watchful eyes.

Gu Zhinan shook his head and took out a mask to put on, just in case. Even though it had been two weeks, better safe than sorry. His book review section always had a few sneaky fans trying to figure out his address to send him local treats.

Can’t let your guard down.

After buying a ticket and entering the station, Gu Zhinan sat in his seat, waiting for the train to depart. He pulled out his phone and sent Xia An’ge a message.

“I’m in. Let me know when you get home safely.”

No reply yet. Based on the time it took for her to drive back, it’d probably be another ten minutes.

Assuming the landlady felt like responding.

By 9:30 p.m., Gu Zhinan had arrived in Hangzhou.

Half an hour earlier, Xia An’ge had messaged him saying she was back at the apartment. She also told him not to drink too much. Gu Zhinan couldn’t help smiling under his mask as he remembered how Xia An’ge had acted last time she got drunk, the things she said on the phone and her tone.

He’d already gotten the address for Lai Jingming while in the car, so as soon as he arrived, he hailed a cab to the same plaza they’d met at before.

Was this Lai Jingming’s spawn point or something? The timing was almost exactly the same.

When Gu Zhinan arrived, half the park was already empty. Not surprising, this side didn’t even have a restroom. Who would want to be here?

Lai Jingming sat on the grassy slope outside the railing, surrounded by empty beer cans. Gu Zhinan cleared a spot next to him and sat down, removing his mask. Lai Jingming turned and grinned. “You came! Drink with me!”

He handed over a can. Gu Zhinan accepted it, clinked cans with him, took a sip, and chuckled. “What happened? Life hit you hard?”

“Hahaha,” Lai Jingming let out a bitter laugh, voice hoarse. “You’re the only one who gets me. Only you! Damn it, people really are worse than water!”

“Tell me.” 

Lai Jingming chugged the whole can, crushed it, and hurled it to the ground. Through clenched teeth, he said, “I never imagined I’d get betrayed by my own girlfriend and business partner! Those two scumbags!”

“Cheated on and the company’s gone? Don’t tell me it’s both.” Gu Zhinan laid it all out. Lai Jingming’s face froze, but he didn’t get angry, just gave a bitter smile. 

“Damn you, I called you here to comfort me!”

What the hell was wrong with this guy?! Coming out swinging like that? Lai Jingming felt even worse.

“Hahaha, sorry, my bad.” Gu Zhinan opened another can for him. “So what’s the situation now?”

“Company’s gone. I didn’t see it coming, they’d planned this all along. The studio’s been hollowed out. I’ve lost all my shares. All that’s left is an empty office space we haven’t paid rent on yet.”

“So they dumped you, huh?”

“Yep. Dumped. Let’s drink!” Lai Jingming chugged, and Gu Zhinan drank along with him.

For the next half hour, Gu Zhinan barely said a word, just drank in silence with him. Just like he said, he was here to drink with Lai Jingming. If Lai asked, he answered. If he raised his glass, he clinked it.

Shame there weren’t any snacks.

Eventually, Lai Jingming’s emotions started to spill over. His shoulders trembled as he drank, and tears streamed down his chubby face.

“Zhinan,” he suddenly croaked.

“Yeah. I’m listening.” Gu Zhinan braced himself for the story.

Lai Jingming looked out at the lake, eyes distant.

“The three of us met at Beijing Film Academy. We were in the directing department, same class. I was always kind of an outcast, but they didn’t care. Just like when you showed up in that alley back then. We studied together, went to class together, that was my youth, man.”

There was a faint smile on his face, but his red eyes revealed deep sorrow. He got to his feet, swaying, and patted his round belly, looking down at Gu Zhinan. 

“If I were as good-looking as you, maybe she wouldn’t have dumped me. Maybe she wouldn’t have pretended to love me for two years, just to use me, just for that bastard Lu Gao Chi!”

“Good looks are… hard to explain.” Gu Zhinan stood up and joined him in looking at the moon. One skinny, one fat.

Lai Jingming chuckled. “Yeah, it’s hard to explain. You damn bastard, even your way of talking is annoying.”

Gu Zhinan had that scholarly, refined aura, like a poet from a bygone era. Unlike himself, fat and full of flab. He suddenly hurled his beer can into the distance, his face twisted with rage.

“Two years! A year ago, I confessed, and when she said yes, I thought I had everything! They didn’t mind that I was fat, and I gave everything to help them. Lu Gao Chi was useless, and I dragged him up to a decent level!”

“But why?! They just wanted to use me, use me to graduate, use me to pave their way. Now they can go solo, and they just dumped me!”

“The studio we founded a year and a half ago, my blood, sweat, and tears! The two months I spent on that production! My ideas, my work… all stolen by Lu Gao Chi! And worst of all, Lan Fang and he were already a couple two years ago!”

“But she still said yes to me a year ago!” He stared at Gu Zhinan, horrified and in pain. “I thought we were in love! But you know what she said the other day? She said, ‘How could I ever like a fat pig like you?’ That she only used me because I had directing talent!”

He had given his whole youth to that woman. And all he got was heartbreak. Love, forgotten.

“Thank god I didn’t show them the full script of A Little Thing Called First Love, or they would’ve stolen that too!”

Even if you did, it wouldn’t matter. That was just a rough outline. I already polished it, Gu Zhinan muttered internally.

Lai Jingming looked over and saw Gu Zhinan sipping his beer calmly. The pain on his face eased a little. “You’re heartbroken too?”

“Nope. Just using your misery as a side dish.”

“F**k you!” Lai Jingming rolled his eyes. “Are you even my bro?!”

“Of course I am. What do you want me to say? I suck at giving advice, and I’ve never been in a relationship.” Gu Zhinan shrugged and took another gulp.

Lai Jingming gave a bitter smile. “Why didn’t you date in college?”

Because the girl I liked was out of my league, and the ones who liked me were unbearable.

“Women only slow down my blade.” Gu Zhinan gazed dramatically into the distance, a hero hiding his scars. If only he had a cigarette, the scene would be perfect.

“You bastard.” Lai Jingming felt like every deep, emotional moment he tried to have just got wrecked around Gu Zhinan.

He sighed and sat back down, cracked open another beer, and downed it. His hands trembled slightly.

Some people’s youth lives on. Some just fed theirs to the dogs. Never coming back.

Ring ring ring.

Just then, Lai Jingming’s phone rang. He looked at the caller ID and instantly grimaced. “Those damn traitors dare call me?!”

“Pick up,” Gu Zhinan said calmly.

Lai Jingming looked at him, confused, but obeyed. He put it on speaker. A girl’s voice came through, deliberately soft. “Jingming?”

His face twisted in pain. He replied coldly, “You don’t get to call me that. What do you want now, coming for the empty office too?”

She hurriedly replied, “I know we were wrong, but we’re still friends, aren’t we? No need to give up on yourself. Gao Chi’s crew needs an assistant director, you could join! And I’m only offering because of our past, so…”

Lai Jingming’s breathing grew heavy. He clenched his teeth. “You got any shame?”

There was a pause, then she continued, “Don’t be like this. Let’s meet up. That music bar we used to go to in Hangzhou.”

“Screw y—”

Just as he was about to curse, Gu Zhinan covered his mouth and mouthed, “Say yes.”

Lai Jingming gritted his teeth but obeyed. “When?”

“An hour from now! We’re heading over now!”

She clearly sounded excited. She just knew it, Fatty Lai was still obsessed with her! He’d cave the moment she softened up!

After hanging up, Lai Jingming looked at Gu Zhinan, baffled. 

“You want me to embarrass myself?” He really didn’t want to see them again. He was disgusted.

Gu Zhinan smiled, bent down, and picked up one of the beer cans Lai had thrown earlier. “We’re civilized people. Take your trash with you.”

Lai Jingming was speechless but helped clean up anyway.

“Hey, fatty.”

Lai looked up. Gu Zhinan stood below him, smiling. He pointed toward the rising moon. “Say your goodbyes.”

“To what?”

“To the feelings boiling in your heart. Some things need closure, don’t they?” Gu Zhinan patted his shoulder, serious now.

“After tonight, start fresh. Some things are worth it. Some aren’t.”

Lai Jingming watched as Gu Zhinan climbed over the railing. His eyes reddened again. Just as he wiped them, he saw Gu Zhinan stumble and almost fall.

He couldn’t help but curse with a laugh, “You dumbass.”

Then he ran after him.