Chapter 440 - 274: Our Great Era

Chapter 440: Chapter 274: Our Great Era

Lin Chu found the table with the most women and sat down, casually smiling and clinking glasses with the six of them.

They looked like college girls, probably roommates out for a night of fun.

A dazzling sight.

Bai Weiwei watched the scene, her face devoid of expression. She scoffed.

Of course, she saw right through his clumsy tricks. They were nothing more than a ploy to get her to chase him.

’A classic player’s move, plain and simple.’

’But in this world, most people are just that shallow. They fall for it every time.’

In a place like this, a man like Lin Chu, with all his various auras, was practically an uncrowned king.

Bai Weiwei’s eyes swept across the room. It wasn’t as if there weren’t any Arhat Arrays to be found. With her looks, she could have easily found a seat at any of them, even pulled the same stunt he did just to get a reaction.

’But... why bother?’

’Such a pointless game.’

Taking a deep breath, Bai Weiwei stood up and walked toward the stage. When the song ended, she took the guitar from the male singer and began her own performance.

It was an old song.

"High-Level Animals" by Dou Wei.

The song was abstract—it had seemed abstract even many years ago. There were hardly any proper lyrics, just a series of nouns.

Contradiction, hypocrisy, greed, deception, illusion, doubt, simplicity, fickleness, ambition, helplessness, loneliness, fragility...

’This song perfectly fits my mood right now.’

’People are such fucking idiots.’

’Myself included.’

Many years ago, when Dou Wei performed this song at a concert in Xiangjiang, the entire stadium had gone ballistic. The audience was so hyped the place nearly exploded.

Many years later, Dou Wei, who had been a handsome young heartthrob back then, had long since become a scruffy, bearded old man in some back alley, all but disappearing from the public eye.

Bai Weiwei had tried singing it before, during a karaoke night with friends. The result—the atmosphere in the entire room had dropped to a freezing point.

It was so awkward.

Now...

As the rhythm and melody swelled, Bai Weiwei suddenly realized the audience below was completely baffled. Aside from a small handful of people who looked like they were enjoying it, their eyes even lighting up, most just had a look of utter confusion. They couldn’t connect with it, couldn’t resonate with it.

Watching them, a self-deprecating smile touched the corners of Bai Weiwei’s lips.

And yet, her voice grew even more powerful.

’The one who doesn’t fit in... is me.’

’Just like this music.’

’Too high-brow for the masses.’

’In this day and age, everything is inevitably becoming mediocre.’

The song’s last line is "Where is happiness," repeated three times.

After playing the song to its end, Bai Weiwei set down the guitar and picked up the microphone. "I’m sorry, everyone. That song was for Lin Chu."

Her voice was cool and detached. After speaking, she left the stage.

The atmosphere in the bar grew even colder.

Lin Chu’s brows furrowed slightly. He sighed, then stood up and started to clap with a supportive smile. Following his lead, a sparse, scattered applause began to break out.

They were his fans.

Clapping purely out of deference to him.

Still, it gave her a graceful exit.

After walking out the door of the little pub, Bai Weiwei stood there silently for a moment. She glanced back, shaking her head with a faint smile.

’And it all had to be because of that rain...’

...

The next song was a soothing folk ballad, "On Cloud."

Amid the gentle melody, the atmosphere in the little bar returned to one of relaxed intimacy.

After a brief moment of surprise, Lin Chu quickly threw himself back into the boisterous drinking party.

’These Gen Z girls really know how to have fun. So lively and bold.’

Lin Chu could vaguely sense what Bai Weiwei was thinking, but he had no intention of chasing after her. ’Everyone chooses their own path, don’t they?’

And everyone has their own road to walk.

At that moment, Lin Chu became utterly certain of one thing. ’When it comes to the subject of love and romance, I’ve officially graduated.’

’That’s a wrap!’

’Class dismissed!’

About an hour later, Lin Chu returned to his room, his arm around a girl whose name he didn’t even know. All he had was her moniker: Qiuqiu.

’No need to know her name, where she’s from, what she’s studying, what her parents do, or any of her quirks, hobbies, best qualities, flaws, or red flags.’

’All that matters is right now: her graceful figure, her big chest and long legs, her radiant smile. A moment of bliss to be enjoyed to the fullest.’

...

When he woke up the next morning, he felt refreshed and clear-headed. It was only nine o’clock, and the sun was shining brightly outside.

Qiuqiu was still asleep. Lin Chu went downstairs to walk the dog.

On a grassy patch by the sea, You Shaoqiang was lying on a waterproof mat, tanning his back. His girlfriend was rubbing coconut oil on him to prevent a sunburn.

Lin Chu watched this scene with a grin and walked over.

"Morning. You two look cozy."

His girlfriend smiled. "Morning. The sun’s amazing. If you’ve got the ocean in your heart, anywhere can be the Maldives."

You Shaoqiang rolled onto his side, also smiling. "We have to head back today. Our flight’s this afternoon, so we’re just trying to soak up a little more sun. We were supposed to grab a meal, right? How about lunch today?"

"Oh? Why so soon?"

Lin Chu asked with a smile.

’Now, this I didn’t expect.’

’He just got here yesterday and he’s already leaving.’ ℯℯ𝘭.

"Things have changed. A new economic cycle is on the horizon. Our time is coming. The A-share market is back above 3,000 points, so we have to re-evaluate our strategies on all fronts."

"And you don’t have to be busy?"

You Shaoqiang asked with a casual smile.

He was now completely convinced that his secret investigation into Lin Chu was still just that—a secret. Since Lin Chu was clearly unaware, he could finally put the matter out of his mind.

As for the deeper details of Lin Chu’s background, he hadn’t figured them out yet, but there was no rush. He could take his time.

Meeting someone like this, on a trip, made it much easier to build a personal connection than meeting at some cocktail party in Peng City.