Chapter 260: Chapter 148: Mom, I’m Not Coming Home Tonight, I’m Sleeping Over at a Classmate’s

A waiter led them to a luxurious private room.

Compared to the regular private rooms outside, the atmosphere in here was leagues better.

The waiter explained, "President Xu, this is where our boss personally entertains his most important guests. It’s not usually open to the public."

"Please thank President Wei for me."

Xu Yun smiled and said casually, "We won’t bother with the menu. Just give us the same thing I had last night, but with smaller portions. There are only five of us."

"Yes, President Xu."

After the waiter left, Zhu Jingheng said with displeasure, "Xu Yun, what was that all about? Didn’t we agree I was treating everyone today?"

"Class President, it’s not often I get a chance to get together with everyone, so it’s only right that I treat."

Xu Yun smiled, trying to placate him. "Don’t fight me on this. Just let me have this one, alright?"

"Just let Xu Yun treat," Lin Xi said. "He’s a rich man now. Who knows when we’ll get another chance to have him pay for dinner?"

"Yeah, let Xu Yun pay."

Gao Wenwen chimed in with a smile, "He’s obviously so rich, yet he’s trying to be all low-key. You’re breaking my heart, you know."

"You think you have it bad? Our class president is the one in the most awkward spot."

Zheng Yi said jokingly, "He absolutely has to be the one to pay for this meal. It’s the only way to soothe our class president’s wounded heart."

"..." Zhu Jingheng.

’You guys are just rubbing salt in the wound on purpose, aren’t you?’

To ease the awkwardness and save face, he forced a smile and said with self-deprecation, "See, Xu Yun? Now Zheng Yi is making fun of me, all thanks to you."

"Not between old classmates," Xu Yun said.

"When the food and drinks arrive, I’ll drink a glass as an apology."

Soon, the food and drinks arrived.

They ate and chatted.

Xu Yun, Zheng Yi, and Zhu Jingheng split a bottle of Maotai, while Lin Xi and Gao Wenwen had some red wine.

Soft drinks? What kind of adult drinks that stuff!

The private room was equipped for karaoke. Halfway through the meal, as spirits rose, Zheng Yi suggested they start singing.

After talking with Xu Yun for a bit, Gao Wenwen felt that he was still the same old Xu Yun; he had just become rich.

So, she went back to being her usual self.

She volunteered to go first, picking "Courage" by Fish Leong.

"Love truly needs courage, to face the gossip and whispers..."

When the song ended, Xu Yun thought Gao Wenwen had a nice voice and sang well.

’No wonder she was brave enough to go first,’ he thought. ’She’s actually got some talent.’

After a round of applause and another drink, Zheng Yi eagerly grabbed the mic to sing his signature karaoke song, "It’s Not a Sin for a Man to Cry."

It was met with more praise.

Gao Wenwen teased, "Zheng Yi, you must be thinking about your ex-girlfriend."

"Yeah, I am. So what? I can if I want to."

After he finished, Zheng Yi turned to Xu Yun. "You’re up. Sing one for us."

"I’ll pass. I’m completely tone-deaf. I’ll just listen to you guys."

"But you’re great at singing Jay Chou’s songs."

Lin Xi suddenly spoke up. "I remember you sang one for me once, back in high school."

"I was young and fearless back then. Not so brave anymore."

"It’s fine. If you don’t dare to go it alone..."

Lin Xi said with a smile, "Let’s sing it together. I’ll join you."

"You know Jay Chou’s songs, too?"

"Actually, I’m quite a fan. I listen to his music all the time by myself."

Xu Yun smiled, his expression full of unspoken meaning.

’She knows I’m a fan of Jay Chou, so is she saying this on purpose to get on my good side? To close the distance between us?’

"Better not. I don’t want our esteemed Class President to hold a grudge against me."

Xu Yun turned to Gao Wenwen and said with a smile, "Teacher Gao, how about you? Will you sing with me? I’m afraid I’ll sound awful if I sing by myself."

"Uh..."

Gao Wenwen glanced at the rejected Lin Xi, hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Alright then. But I’m not that familiar with his songs either."

"No problem. If we both sing badly, then no one will notice how bad I am."

Zheng Yi helped queue up the song.

As the familiar opening notes began to play, it instantly felt like they were back in high school.

It was the very taste of youth.

And so, the two of them began to sing Jay Chou’s "Sunny Day."

[The little yellow flower of the story has been drifting since the year it was born...]

[How much longer until I can be by your side? When the day finally clears, I might feel a little better...]

[Once upon a time, there was someone who loved you for a long, long time, but the wind, ever so slowly, blew you far apart...]

[But in the end, we still said goodbye...]

Listening to the song, the spurned Lin Xi sat in her seat, watching the two of them sing their duet, her thoughts a mystery.

The song was called "Sunny Day," but the lyrics were all about rain.

Wasn’t that just like their own youth?

The one you loved was the one you couldn’t hold onto, and you ended up as strangers who knew each other all too well.

Everyone was involuntarily reminded of their own past, feeling the song resonate deep within them.

When Xu Yun and Gao Wenwen finished, Zheng Yi raised his glass again. "Let’s drink to that! To the youth we all once had."

Everyone drained their glasses again.

This time, even Lin Xi finished the red wine in her glass.

Zhu Jingheng said, "Lin Xi, what song do you want to sing? Why don’t we sing one together?"

"No, thank you. I don’t really like singing with other people."

Zhu Jingheng: "???"

’Then why did you just offer to sing with Xu Yun?’

Lin Xi took the microphone from Gao Wenwen, glanced at Xu Yun, and said, "Zheng Yi, could you please queue up ’The Bird and the Cicada’ for me? Thanks."

"Sure," Zheng Yi said, casting a sympathetic glance at their class president.

’This is just brutal!’

[You fly far away in your pride, I linger in my summer home, an unheard promise repeated over many years...]

Everyone knew that Lin Xi was a good singer.

She sang the song with all the helplessness and regret of two people who loved each other but could not be together, leaving everyone who listened feeling heartbroken and melancholic.