Luo Peng’s speech was simple yet profound, vividly interpreting various phenomena in today’s society, truly thought-provoking.
"Okay, the things I’m talking about aren’t targeting anyone in particular, I’m not referring to anyone in particular, so let’s not let our thoughts wander. You’re all the pride of heaven, who knows who among you might become an influential figure in the future. All I hope is that when you really reach that point, you won’t forget your original aspirations. A united world is the heavy historical duty our generation has been entrusted with by the times," he said.
Jiang Chen shook his head and smiled.
He began to believe that Luo Peng shouldn’t study economics; it seemed a waste of his talent. He should consider taking the civil service exam and become a government official.
With his silver tongue and speaking skills, he was sure to have good prospects.
At that moment, Jiang Chen’s phone rang. He took it out and saw that it was a call from Li Shuru.
He turned and walked down the corridor to answer the call.
"Are you in your dorm?"
"I’m downstairs from your building."
Jiang Chen felt a little surprised,
Hadn’t Li Shuru told him that she would stay at the hospital with her mother today?
He quickly walked to the entrance of the building, looked through the window, and indeed, he saw the Panamera parked by the roadside.
Without asking for further details, he simply said he’d be down in a moment, and then hung up and headed downstairs.
"What brought you back so suddenly?" he asked after getting in the car.
Li Shuru didn’t answer; she just spoke emotionlessly, "Fasten your seatbelt."
Jiang Chen found it strange, but still quickly buckled up.
Under the serene night sky, Li Shuru turned the steering wheel to head the car in a different direction.
"Where are we going?" Jiang Chen asked, puzzled.
"Are you afraid I’m going to sell you or something?" Li Shuru didn’t explain and drove out of the university.
Jiang Chen couldn’t help feeling baffled, and no matter how he asked, Li Shuru didn’t engage in conversation.
He hadn’t done anything to provoke her, had he?
Jiang Chen tried hard to remember but couldn’t find any noteworthy incidents, at most, he hadn’t sent a message to her after getting off the subway.
Li Shuru couldn’t possibly be so petty as to rush back from the hospital over something like that, could she?
As Jiang Chen was trying to solve the mystery, the car came to a stop.
"We’ve arrived," said Li Shuru as she opened the door and got out.
Jiang Chen looked outside and realized they were at a lounge bar.
"Shu Rui, long time no see," said the bar owner, a woman who looked younger than thirty, with curly hair and a black off-the-shoulder long dress that revealed her pale neck and shoulders. Though young, her every gesture and smile exuded a strong feminine charm.
As Li Shuru and Jiang Chen entered, she warmly greeted them with a beaming smile, then her gaze quickly fell upon Jiang Chen.
There was a flicker in her eyes, different from before.
"Jiang Chen, a senior at Dongda University," he introduced himself seriously, which made the young bar owner pause, and then she burst into laughter.
She then led them to a quiet spot to sit down.
Since it was a lounge bar, naturally it wasn’t too noisy. A foreign band was playing the saxophone on stage, which complemented the decor, creating a relaxed and graceful atmosphere.
"What will you have?"
"Ocean’s Red," replied Li Shuru, who seemed to be a regular here.
"And you?" The bar owner looked at Jiang Chen.
Being new, Jiang Chen just laughed and said, "The same for me."
"Alright, have a seat," the bar owner said with a smile, nodding her head before sashaying away.
"This place is nice, the decor must have cost a pretty penny, huh?"
Jiang Chen looked around.
It was still early, not even eight o’clock yet, so there weren’t many customers in the bar—just a few groups here and there, sipping drinks and chatting.
Compared to a place like KIMI, Jiang Chen undoubtedly preferred the atmosphere here.
"Buying the place and renovating it cost about three million in total."
Jiang Chen nodded, "Is that lady boss a friend of yours?"
"Sort of, known her for about two years, she’s pretty decent."
"She mustn’t be very old."
Jiang Chen casually inquired.
Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow and smiled, "I thought she had to be at least twenty-eight."
Then, he asked, "Do you come here often?"
"Used to come here more frequently."
At that point, Li Shuru became very responsive to questions, although the intense gaze she fixed on him made Jiang Chen feel rather peculiar.
"She didn’t open this bar to make money; she did it out of interest, because she likes mixing drinks."
Just as Jiang Chen was about to ask something, Li Shuru shifted her gaze away, looking towards the bar.
She indeed hadn’t lied, as the young lady boss was there, working with the cocktail shaker herself.
"Are all the ladies around you the kind who indulge in a luxurious lifestyle?"
Jiang Chen looked at the bar and asked with a smile.
"She probably doesn’t count as that kind of rich girl," Li Shuru replied as she looked over.
Jiang Chen turned his head.
Li Shuru, speaking softly, said, "A man opened this bar for her."
Without confirming or denying, Li Shuru simply replied, "That man, he’s already married."
Jiang Chen’s tone faltered, slightly embarrassed, but not surprised.
In an era where poverty is scorned but not prostitution, marriages had become almost like human trafficking deals. Such matters were not worth making a big fuss over.
"Sorry for the wait."
The young lady boss brought over two glasses of beautiful-looking drinks; the top layer was a pale teal, gradually deepening in color down to the bottom, where a fiery red blaze nestled, distinct and stunning.
"Thanks, Yu Lan sis."
The young lady boss flashed a smile and set the two glasses down one by one.
"Alright, you chat, call me if you need anything."
Jiang Chen smiled and nodded without any change in expression.
After watching the lady boss leave, he glanced at the dreamlike cocktail in front of him but didn’t touch it, instead looking up at Li Shuru.
"Shu Rui, you didn’t rush back from the hospital just to have a drink with me, did you?"
Li Shuru didn’t respond but picked up the glass and took a sip.
"Forget it, if we both drink, who’s going to drive later?"
Jiang Chen’s sense of responsibility was indeed high.
"This drink costs more than getting a designated driver," she observed.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Chen was taken aback, then resigned himself to take a sip of the deep red sea drink.
It started off peaceful and cool, then suddenly, the flavor profile underwent a dramatic change, becoming increasingly intense, like waves crashing onto the shore. A few seconds later, Jiang Chen felt a rush of heat throughout his body, as if his blood had been ignited, and he couldn’t help but exhale deeply.
He wasn’t much of a connoisseur when it came to drinks, but he quickly sensed that this one was special.
Li Shuru asked, watching him.
Jiang Chen grinned, a sweat even breaking out on his forehead.
"This drink is Yu Lan sis’s own creation; you can’t find it anywhere else," said Li Shuru as she took another sip of her drink. She seemed to be used to it, as she didn’t have much of a reaction.
Jiang Chen set down his glass and dared not touch it again. While he could handle his liquor quite well, this drink was too strong. Passing out here would be a major embarrassment.