Chapter 88: Making All the Ladies Cry-A Lone Hero Song Uncovers a Major Wa State Case(The jug is empty; not a drop of wine remains.)

“I want to see you smile,
I want to tease you,
I want to hold you in my arms.
One moment we’re blushing and arguing,
The next, we turn around and make up.
I’m not afraid of your tears,
Not afraid of your shouts,
Because you are my pride.
A pair of eyes follows you as you run wild,
And my heart has long been ready.”

As soon as Su Bai began to sing, it seemed as if the whole world fell silent.

Tong Xiaoya murmured, “His voice is so warm.”

The others nodded gently.

Tonight, their moods had been a turbulent tide. First, the evening started with forbidden topics, which everyone relished for the thrill. Then, each one dredged up her own sorrows, and the melancholy had yet to lift.

But now, with Su Bai’s soothing voice filling the air, it was as though all their worries melted away.

“Just once is enough—I’ll take you to see eternity.
Laughing heartily under brilliant sunshine,
Quarreling playfully in the freedom of open air,
Do you know you’re my only wish?
The world is still small; I’ll go with you to the ends of the earth.
Let’s stop searching in a corner free from troubles,
And grow old together in carefree days,
Do you know my every heartbeat
Keeps pace with yours?”

In an instant, tears welled up in the eyes of the women. Each remembered she had once been a girl bold enough to love and to dream. First love had been so magical. In those younger days, how she yearned for an immaculate romance—just once would suffice. To bask in the spring breeze together; if the heart fluttered, then it was a promise for life.

But what of now? Along the way, they had all forgotten the intentions with which they began. In their haste, they lost sight of the dreams they once chased. The person they once wanted to spend forever with was now no longer by their side.

If only they could, who wouldn’t wish to grow old with one beloved companion, to find someone to share gray hair and old age? And now, love seemed to have drifted far from them.

Tong Xiaoya, on the brink of breaking down already, could no longer contain herself when Su Bai sang the chorus a second time, his voice resonant and moving. She suddenly threw herself into Liu Yishi’s arms and sobbed uncontrollably.

Liu Yishi’s eyes, too, glistened with tears, and two streams slowly trickled down her cheeks. With Tong Xiaoya’s outburst, everyone else’s emotions could no longer be restrained. They all broke down and cried.

Every woman present was a woman with a story, a woman who had dreamed. For the sake of dreams, each had known regret in one way or another. There was regret, yes, but if you were to ask any of them whether they’d ever truly regretted it, each would probably answer, “No.” Because their lives now were the very dreams they had always pursued. Even if battered and bruised, even if thorns lined the path, they would still chase their dreams.

As for love? Perhaps the one meant to share a lifetime with had yet to appear.

Su Bai saw the state of the room, but he did not stop singing. He let his heart immerse itself in the meaning of the lyrics, singing with deep emotion:

When the song ended, a poignant sadness lingered in the air, and silence fell. They sat in it for several minutes.

At last, Su Bai picked up the microphone again and said, “This song is for all of you. To mourn all our lost loves, and to lay to rest the youth we’ve left behind. What’s gone, let it stay in the past.

Just now, during truth or dare, I saw the regrets and sorrow in everyone’s eyes as we spoke of painful memories. I also know there’s a fire in your hearts that hasn’t found release. So I sang this song to draw out the heaviness you hold inside and let it go.

As the lyrics say: I hope that from now on, each day you will laugh under the radiant sun, and together we can quarrel and joke in the freedom of open air. Honestly, I really liked the atmosphere we had at the start.

All of us, talking and laughing together—that’s the most beautiful kind of love and friendship, isn’t it?

The world is vast, and we must spend our lives running with all our might. But the world is also small; with a brave heart, we can reach every corner of the earth.

Now then, my lovely ladies, now that we’ve let our emotions out, shouldn’t we raise our glasses and celebrate our meeting tonight?”

As he spoke, Su Bai lifted his glass, looking at everyone with a gentle smile.

Tong Xiaoya listened more attentively than anyone. She felt that every word Su Bai spoke resonated in her heart. The world is so big—one could run for a lifetime and never reach the life one desires. Sometimes, it’s hard to even summon the courage to face others. And yet, when the world seems to abandon her, she realizes perhaps the world isn’t so big or so frightening after all. If only she’s a little braver, stands on tiptoe, she can live the life she wants—that alone is enough.

As for love, it is a gift that cannot be forced, only encountered. Since fate hasn’t brought it, she might as well focus on being her best self.

After Su Bai’s words, Tong Xiaoya couldn’t help but start applauding. The others joined in, following her lead.

Yang Xiaomi dabbed at the corners of her eyes with a tissue and said, “Su Bai, I never imagined you’d make all of us cry! It’s been seven or eight years since we last held each other and wept like this. But this time is different from the last. After we cried before, it took us ages to find our footing again. But this time, your words made us feel, all at once, that the world is still full of love!”

Yang Beibei gave a thumbs up. “Su Bai, you’re a real man. Seriously, I don’t easily yield to anyone. If you can make me cry, you deserve it.”

The others looked at Yang Beibei with a strange expression. They all knew that her praise, though it sounded casual, was rare and truly meant she approved. The last man she’d spoken of that way was her ex-husband. But in the end, the two parted ways for many reasons.

Of everyone present, perhaps only Tang Yuyan hadn’t cried as hard—after all, she alone was still in the sweet throes of new love.