They'd walked only a few steps when Fang Tianzhuo froze. My place? I don't even have instant noodles, let alone alcohol. And who drinks without snacks these days? He must've gotten knocked silly by that chair.
"Wait—I forgot. Yanran's out of town, so my place is empty. I was actually out looking for noodles." He grinned sheepishly at Gao Tianwei, embarrassment creeping in.
"Noodles? Please. My treat tonight." Gao Tianwei flagged down a taxi, barking, "Longxiang Hotel."
Longxiang was one of Wuhan's fanciest spots, famous for its all-night tea service—and its sky-high prices. In the taxi, Fang Tianzhuo studied his friend: designer leather trench coat, a bulging briefcase, hair slicked back to match his polished shoes. He hadn't noticed earlier, but Gao Tianwei looked… rich. Fang Tianzhuo's stomach twisted, a twinge of inferiority prickling.
Reunions like this defied words. They clinked glasses, downing drink after drink, and by the third round, their voices were thick with emotion. Their bond was forged in time—Gao Tianwei was six months older, and his father had even named Fang Tianzhuo. "Natural greatness" and "heavenly talent," their names declared—brothers in all but blood. They'd studied together, played together, fought together, fished in the river together… If Gao Tianwei had passed the college exam, they might've even worked together. This reunion, years in the making, left both men reeling.
"Yanran and I thought about you all the time after high school—you and Xiaochan, too. Xiaochan kept in touch for a couple of years, but then nothing. And you? Not a peep. What the hell, man?" Fang Tianzhuo slurred, but his words were sincere.
"I joined the army right after you started college. Learned to fight, drive—ended up as a driver and bodyguard for a CEO after I got out. Just moved to Wuhan with him this year. I thought about you, Yanran, Xiaochan… every day." Gao Tianwei's voice was flat, but "Xiaochan" came out heavy, weighted with something unsaid.
Fang Tianzhuo knew. Gao Tianwei had loved Li Xiaochan forever. Back in school, everyone thought they'd end up together, just like him and Yanran. But it never happened. Gao Tianwei had pined, while Xiaochan kept him at arm's length. For all his laid-back swagger, his feelings for her were raw, unshakable.
Gao Tianwei drained his beer, his jaw tight.
"You know why I picked this place?" he said suddenly.
"I come here almost every night. Except when Xiaochan's not working." He sounded like he was talking to himself.
"What? Xiaochan works here?" Fang Tianzhuo sat up, alert.
"Yep. She's the marketing manager for the late tea service. Texted her on the way—said you'd be here. She'll swing by." Gao Tianwei's tone held a flicker of resignation.
Fang Tianzhuo knew what "late tea service at Longxiang" meant. This area was a kingdom of nightlife—clubs, KTVs, bars, hotels. The late crowd? Rich, lonely businessmen, playboys, even escorts. Money and desire kept the tills ringing here. And Li Xiaochan, once so proud and innocent, was now navigating this world.
"Tianzhuo! You really came!"
A voice pulled him from his thoughts. Li Xiaochan strode in, dressed in a sleek business suit—poised, confident. Her hair was twisted into a neat bun, a touch of makeup highlighting her features. The suit hugged her curves, projecting professionalism without sacrificing grace. Her face, fair and sharp, radiated self-assurance.
Fang Tianzhuo stared. He was impressed by her poise, but curiosity gnawed at him—what had happened in these four years? He remembered her as a naive sophomore, hungry for knowledge, pestering him about self-study exams. Now she looked like a seasoned powerhouse.
Time changes people. Experience changes people. Life breaks people, then rebuilds them.
Gao Tianwei perked up instantly, his dour expression vanishing. His sharp eyes softened, and he jumped up to pull out her chair, grinning like a kid.
"Yanran didn't come with you?" Li Xiaochan smiled, warm and bright.
"She's on a business trip. You've been in Wuhan this whole time? Why no calls?" Fang Tianzhuo pressed.
"Nope. Spent two years in Guangzhou, working in F&B. Moved back in April when the company expanded here."
"I saw her there, too! Fate, right? Even came back around the same time." Gao Tianwei chimed in, eager.
Li Xiaochan shot him a look, clearly uncomfortable with the word "together."
She opened her mouth to retort, but her walkie-talkie crackled: "Manager Li! Manager Li! Disturbance at the outdoor tables—they're asking for you!"
Her smile faded. She excused herself, stepping out. Through the door, shouts echoed—one voice, harsh and guttural, speaking Japanese.
Gao Tianwei shot to his feet. Fang Tianzhuo knew why—he'd always hated the Japanese, his time in the army sharpening that hatred into something fierce. And this Japanese jerk was targeting Xiaochan? Unforgivable.
Fang Tianzhuo followed, but Gao Tianwei froze at the door.
"Mr. Wang? What a coincidence." His tone was cool, polite.
Fang Tianzhuo looked—Gao Tianwei's "Mr. Wang" was a young man with the Japanese group. He couldn't have been thirty, clean-cut, tall, in a crisp suit. His features were sharp, his movements graceful, almost elegant. The Japanese man, though, was repulsive—leering, grabbing Xiaochan's hand, babbling incoherently.
Fang Tianzhuo heard Gao Tianwei's teeth grind. But with Mr. Wang there, he held back.
Xiaochan, though, stayed calm, smiling politely as she defused the situation, seeing the group out to their car.
When she returned, Gao Tianwei had knocked back a whole beer, scowling. Fang Tianzhuo knew he was fuming, but there was nothing to say. Xiaochan, ever perceptive, refilled their glasses.
"C'mon, this is a reunion, not a pity party. To friendship—to us, after all these years!" She raised her glass, draining it in one go.
After a few more drinks, Gao Tianwei relaxed. He was a good man, and he wouldn't let his anger ruin this—especially not in front of her.
Xiaochan seemed emotional, her eyes darting between them as if searching for something lost. But there was sadness there, too—like she might cry any second.
By midnight, they were reminiscing, counting the years, laughing over old hardships. Those had been golden days: golden sun, golden fields, golden lakes, golden smiles. The four of them, inseparable, equal, innocent. Then college entrance exams split them apart. Gao Tianwei vanished into the army, Xiaochan into work. He and Yanran, the "lucky ones," stayed in school—only to find new hierarchies, new divides.
Growing up meant living with frustration, with weight on your chest, with climbing ladders and crossing chasms.
But tonight? Tonight, they were equal again. Pure. Fang Tianzhuo was still the loyal hothead, Gao Tianwei the carefree brute, Xiaochan the proud go-getter.
Alcohol was a hell of a thing—erasing the pain, if only for a while.
But not the divides. Never the divides.