Since he started playing music, Liang Zhen had been living away from home. His university was in the city center. When the acceptance letter came, his mother rummaged through the safe for a long time and found the key to a duplex in Zhongrui Manhattan which he had bought but never visited. Liang Zhen accepted it, but after living in the dormitory for a year, his passion for music still burned, so he moved out the second year. He converted one of the rooms in that apartment into a recording studio, equipped with the best equipment and soundproofing. He even spent tens of thousands to buy countless beats and had written a few songs. He had everything ready, just waiting for the right time to record the songs and produce them, then upload them to a reliable music website and wait for comments.

But every time he made a demo, He became dissatisfied and started over from scratch. This went on for another year, and he hadn’t released a single song. However, he had sung backing vocals in a playful manner during several livehouse performances. So, although he didn’t have any works, those in Wenzhou who played hip-hop gradually knew about a young man from Lanzhou with a good voice, handsome looks, and money.

Playing hip-hop shouldn’t be about money; it’s not real at all. Liang Zhen didn’t feel like he flaunted his wealth. After getting his driver’s license, he had originally wanted to buy a Ferrari Enzo, but to keep a low profile, he only bought a Porsche 911. He rarely drove it when going out with classmates and friends; instead, he mostly drove a Lexus LX. Liang Zhen actually had a parking space that wasn’t filled. Originally, he didn’t plan to buy another car, but after being released from custody, his young master’s temperament came up, and he wanted to splurge. So, the next day, he went to the Ferrari 4S store in Wenzhou with Song Zhou and paid the full amount for a GTC4 on the spot.

A week later, he went to pick up the car. The license plate hadn’t arrived yet, and Song Zhou suggested racing on the mountain road. Unlike Liang Zhen, Song Zhou was a native of Wenzhou. His parents were in real estate, typical wealthy outsiders in the eyes of locals. Wealthy people always have unique hobbies, and Song Zhou’s hobby was racing, the kind where life doesn’t matter, and he loved cars. In just the past two years, he had wrecked three cars directly. Liang Zhen’s new car hadn’t even warmed up the steering wheel yet, so how could he go up the mountain with Song Zhou?

“How about going to Jiangbin Road? I heard there’s a new bar opened, called… Milan? Let’s invite a few friends and go there for a drink?”

Although this proposal from Song Zhou involved arranging for a designated driver afterward, it was much more reliable than going racing. Plus, the name of that bar sounded similar to one Liang Zhen used to frequent in Lanzhou, which stirred up some nostalgia in him. Stepping on the gas pedal, he drove towards the street where the bar was located on Jiangbin Road.

When they first entered the bar, neither of them felt anything was amiss. They just noticed there were more men than usual, and the atmosphere was different from the places they used to go. Song Zhou’s knowledge of this new bar was limited to its location and name. Before they could finish even half a glass of Long Island Iced Tea, three or five men were already giving him flirty looks. Liang Zhen’s situation was even more severe; someone approached him directly, and just as they were about to hook their arm around his shoulder, Liang Zhen dodged, looking at the person with a mix of confusion and disdain.

That person was also taken aback. As soon as Liang Zhen and Song Zhou entered the bar, he and his group noticed them. They whispered to each other, saying they hadn’t seen such attractive guys in the scene for a long time, but due to their strong presence, most people were just sizing them up. He was the first to approach, but he didn’t expect Liang Zhen’s reaction to be so strong, with such a direct refusal.

At this moment, Song Zhou’s phone vibrated. It was a friend sending the location again, with a red tagline below asking if he was serious. Song Zhou took a look, almost spitting out what he was drinking. When the flirty guy tactfully left, Song Zhou stood up too and said to Liang Zhen, “We’ve come to the wrong place; this is a gay bar.”

“Can’t you be more reliable for once?!” Liang Zhen sighed. He hadn’t even taken a sip of the imported beer on the table. He had already paid for it, but now, he just wanted to leave this “new world” as soon as possible.

But when they reached the corner and found the entrance to the bar, Liang Zhen stopped in his tracks.

After opening the door, Song Zhou turned around and saw Liang Zhen still inside, looking towards the direction of the bar counter. He urged him, but Liang Zhen ignored him. As he walked back, he glanced sideways, asking Song Zhou to wait for him in the car.

Liang Zhen only took a few steps forward, still standing in the dimly lit corner. With his excellent vision, he could see the person sitting at the innermost part of the bar counter very clearly. The glass in the person’s hand was empty. He raised it and handed it to the bartender. After saying something, the bartender gave him another glass.

He drank quickly, without interacting with anyone else, just drinking alone. Soon after, the bartender brought another glass. He pushed it away, so the bartender pointed to a direction, indicating that someone was inviting him.

He didn’t touch it, so the person who offered the drink walked over, sat next to him, and made a gesture towards the glass of Long Island Iced Tea in the middle. Liang Zhen thought he wouldn’t drink it. After all, he was a police officer and would have basic vigilance. How could he drink something offered by a stranger?

But Liang Zhen was wrong. After chatting for a while, not only did he finish it in one go, but he also smiled at the person. Under the dim lights of the bar, Officer Shao’s smile had a hint of intoxication, even invitation. Up to this moment, Officer Shao hadn’t seen Liang Zhen, who was not far away. But up to this moment, Liang Zhen, who had been watching Officer Shao, couldn’t move at all.