Chapter 138: You Can Die, But You Must Not Suffer Social Death

Rian Sinclair listened to Ash Sinclair, who kept shouting that he wasn’t drunk while attempting to walk in a straight line. Feeling thoroughly embarrassed, she shot him a death glare. Perhaps sensing her murderous intent, Ash stopped his erratic pacing and sat obediently on a chair.

But his mouth wouldn’t stop moving. She leaned in closer to listen, only to realize that Ash was reciting—

“In the Northern Ocean there is a fish, its name is Kun. The Kun is so vast, I know not how many thousands of miles it measures. It transforms into a bird, its name is Peng. The back of the Peng, I know not how many thousands of miles it measures; when it rouses itself and flies, its wings are like clouds hung from the sky…”

Rian never expected that Ash would still be reciting *Carefree Travel* even while heavily intoxicated. What was this? A deep, abiding love for classical literature? Whatever happened to “in vino veritas”?

Rian silently stared at her phone, which was currently recording a video. She had originally wanted to capture some blackmail material on Ash, or at least hear his drunken ramblings. Who would have thought she’d just record a live poetry recitation?

Ash’s erratic behavior had thoroughly bewildered her, but fortunately, he wasn’t doing anything too outrageous, so Rian didn’t restrain him too strictly.

Who could have guessed what would happen next…

The moment she moved her hand away from his mouth, Ash burst into a song at the top of his lungs.

“I am a little, little, little bird, I want to fly, but I can’t fly high! I search and search, I search and search for a warm embrace! Is this request too high? To everyone who knows my name! How are you all doing? The world is so small…”

Ash actually had a nice voice, making the song pleasant rather than grating. However, as Rian noticed more and more people turning their attention toward them, she completely lost her composure. She could accept death, but she absolutely refused to accept social death.

The bystanders, who were just there to relax with some drinks and skewers, immediately started cheering when they heard the singing.

“Encore, young man!”

“Bro, that sounded great! I have a friend who’d love to discuss music with you!”

“Another one, buddy!”

“Encore!”

“Encore!”

The surrounding diners paused their barbecue feasts to look at Ash, generously applauding his performance.

Rian genuinely wanted to stop him, but it was as if Ash had eyes in the back of his head. With a sudden kip-up, he jumped onto his chair and addressed the crowd. “My friends, next up, I will bring you an absolute masterpiece!”

The crowd eagerly played along, calling out in response.

“What masterpiece?”

“Hurry up and sing!”

“You’ve got a great voice, man!”

“I just came out for some late-night barbecue on a whim, and I get treated to a show like this! Worth the trip!”

“Another one, bro!”

“Sing another one!”

Ash’s mention of a “masterpiece” instantly piqued everyone’s curiosity. After all, human beings were naturally inquisitive creatures. The crowd found Ash’s antics refreshing. He was handsome and had a great voice—a stark contrast to typical drunks who would curse at strangers or start brawls over the slightest offense.

Ash swept his gaze over the audience. Rian desperately wanted to pull him down, but feeling the weight of the crowd’s expectant stares, she decided to just let him embarrass himself a little longer.

“Brothers and sisters!” Ash shouted, his head held high. “The masterpiece I speak of is none other than *Drunk Butterfly*!”

Upon hearing this, Rian silently took a step back. But for some inexplicable reason, Ash suddenly grabbed her when she wasn’t paying attention and yanked her over.

Rian now stood next to him, completely dumbfounded. The tipsy Ash leaned his weight against his older sister, while Rian repeatedly clenched and unclenched her fists.

She kept chanting to herself in her mind, “This is my biological brother! Hold it in! He’s my biological brother!”

The crowd roared in excitement at Ash’s announcement. It was around eight or nine o’clock—the true beginning of the nightlife—and many pedestrians stopped to watch.

“I believe in you, kid!”

“Bro, just debut right now! I’ll vote for you every day!”

“He’s so handsome, I love it!”

“Do you really have no filter left, handsome?”

“This young man has real potential!”

There were also clueless passersby who wandered over just to see what the commotion was about. After all, every Veridian had an innate love for gossip and drama.

“Hey man, what’s going on here? Is a celebrity holding a concert?”

“Is there some kind of event?”

“But there’s no stage?”

“You clearly don’t get it. As long as you have passion, anywhere is a stage!”

“That girl looks so familiar!”

“Oh, I can tell! Look at the two in the middle. Judging by their faces, they must be siblings. The younger brother probably got drunk and decided to just let loose.”

While the crowd was bustling with excitement, Rian was practically radiating murderous intent. She tried to shake off Ash’s hand but failed. This idiot always had an endless supply of brute strength.

Ash began to sing at the top of his lungs.

“No matter how I fly, I can’t escape this dazzling world. It turns out I am just a drunk butterfly… That promise of yours… It turns out I am that drunk butterfly.”

Some bystanders who knew the song started singing along. The entire street was bustling with life, though everyone remained mindful of safety, making sure not to crowd or block the main road and disrupt traffic. Otherwise, the traffic police would have had to come and arrest the instigator.

A few passing cars even honked their horns to show they were listening too. Rian had completely given up on intervening, but then Ash suddenly grabbed her hand and started dancing. Earlier, she merely wanted to pretend she didn’t know him; now, she genuinely wanted to strangle him. Why was she always the one dealing with these disastrous situations?

Fueled by Ash’s energy, the atmosphere became incredibly lively. Many people had just gotten off work, and the exhaustion of the day suddenly melted away. A few elderly folks who loved a good spectacle heard the classic square-dancing anthem and couldn’t resist joining in with their own moves. Soon, even the younger crowd began participating in the impromptu carnival.

Everyone was having a great time. Even the owner of the barbecue stall was thrilled, as his skewers were disappearing at a visible rate while his earnings rapidly increased.

Therefore, Rian was the only person present who wasn’t happy.

If she were merely a bystander, she would have found it highly entertaining. But as the subject of the spectacle, she just wanted to find a hole to crawl into and bury herself. Her face was the very picture of despair.

An older woman nearby suddenly spoke up. “Young lady, why the long face? Look at this atmosphere! Isn’t it wonderful?”

Rian forced a smile and nodded. Glancing around at the highly infectious smiles on everyone’s faces, she replied, “I’m not unhappy.”

Satisfied, the older woman immediately joined the army of people singing *Drunk Butterfly*, adding to the incredibly lively scene.

When Ash finished his song, the crowd generously showered him with applause. It was unclear if Ash had sobered up a little, but he actually looked sheepish.

Rian had already paid the bill while he was singing. Although the stall owner had tried to decline her money—since Ash’s performance had helped him sell a lot more food—she firmly believed that business was business. The two of them had eaten a lot, and making a living wasn’t easy for the owner.