Chapter 731: Singing for You Alone

The night grew heavy.

The number of people in the bar gradually increased.

At first, Cai Xiaotang drank quickly, but later she stared silently in the direction of the stage, sipping drink after drink.

A young man sat on the stage, playing the guitar and singing.

Cai Xiaotang listened for a while, then suddenly thought of something.

"Hey..."

She spoke suddenly, looking at Liu Qingze across from her.

"Hmm? What is it?"

Liu Qingze turned his head to look at her, and seeing that her face was already beginning to flush, he found it somewhat amusing.

"Big sister, you aren't already drunk, are you?"

He teased her with a smile, reaching out to take the glass from her hand as he spoke.

Cai Xiaotang pulled back directly, avoiding his movement, and pouted slightly, glaring at him with dissatisfaction.

"What are you doing? You agreed to drink with me today..."

As she spoke, she quickly downed another gulp.

Then, she deliberately squinted her eyes and pretended to interrogate him: "Are you going back on your word, afraid that it will be troublesome if I get drunk later?"

"No."

Liu Qingze withdrew his gaze and poured himself another glass, though his eyes were quietly observing Cai Xiaotang.

Her eyes were already somewhat unfocused, and her brows were slightly furrowed; she seemed to have something troubling on her mind.

He was just worried that she would feel unwell tomorrow if she drank too much.

But he didn't want to spoil her mood.

After a while—the song ended, and the few people sitting near the stage gave the singer on stage a round of applause in a very cooperative manner.

Cai Xiaotang stared straight at the stage, and the image of someone battling a foreign bassist on stage suddenly surfaced in her mind.

Tsk... that dog of a man Li Xiao, he was actually quite handsome that day...

"Sigh..."

Cai Xiaotang suddenly sighed, and the deliberately suppressed emotions were released along with today's bad mood.

So annoying...

Since he doesn't like her, why does he always flirt with her?

That scene... she probably wouldn't forget it for the rest of her life...

The more Cai Xiaotang thought about it, the more irritable she became, and she downed another drink, her cheeks already beginning to burn.

Immediately after, she heard: "Big sister, why do you keep staring over there? Do you want to go up and sing?"

"I'm not singing..."

Cai Xiaotang answered quickly, but after finishing, she suddenly thought of something, and looking at Liu Qingze with bright, piercing eyes, she asked: "Do you know how to sing?"

"Me?"

Liu Qingze was taken aback by the question, and a natural expression flashed quickly across his face.

Did she want him to go up and sing for her?

"Yeah! Can you? For boys your age, knowing how to play the guitar and sing a love song should be a basic skill, right? Otherwise, how do you chase a girlfriend?"

Cai Xiaotang looked at him with a smile, her face full of anticipation.

Liu Qingze paused slightly, hesitating for a moment.

Guitar... he did know how to play.

But that was all back at school playing with friends; he had never tried performing in front of others before.

But if she wanted to hear it...

Liu Qingze made a decision in an instant and stood up directly from his seat.

"Hmm? Are you really going?"

Cai Xiaotang looked at him blankly, somewhat surprised that he was so decisive.

Immediately after, she felt a jacket fall into her lap.

"Wait here."

Liu Qingze dropped those two words, took off his jacket, and turned to walk toward the stage.

Then, after briefly saying a few words to the manager nearby, he picked up the guitar and walked up.

Cai Xiaotang was a bit dizzy, but seeing Liu Qingze go up on stage with the guitar, she suddenly perked up.

The boy had a tall build, and the stool was a bit low; he rested his long, restless legs casually, and his whole person instantly attracted the gaze of everyone around.

He lowered his head slightly and strummed the guitar in his hands a couple of times.

Then, a string of smooth music came through the microphone.

Cai Xiaotang was almost stunned.

This brat is actually pretty good!

She thought he was just bragging earlier; she didn't expect him to actually know how!

She sat up straight immediately, looking forward to the singing that was to follow.

After the prelude, a clear, cool male voice humming an unknown tune spread to every corner of the bar.

Liu Qingze was singing an English song; the rhythm wasn't too fast, and because his voice carried a touch of lazy lingering affection, one could tell at once that it was a love song.

A few minutes later—the song ended.

As the last note faded, the venue immediately erupted in applause even more enthusiastic than before.

Cai Xiaotang was the one clapping the most enthusiastically among them.

Liu Qingze stood up, raised an eyebrow in her direction, returned the guitar, and only then walked off the stage and headed back.

Many young girls nearby had their gazes following his figure, but upon seeing Cai Xiaotang at his table, they couldn't help but immediately reveal expressions of disappointment.

"How was it? Was it worthy of your ears?"

Liu Qingze sat back in his seat, looking at Cai Xiaotang with a hint of smugness; although he wore an indifferent expression on his face, his heart was thumping non-stop.

This was his first time performing in front of people.

And it was for a girl.

"More than worthy! You are simply hiding your true talents!"

Cai Xiaotang simply grabbed her coat and sat down next to Liu Qingze, smiling as she returned the coat to him, then couldn't help but tease, "Not bad, with a skill like this, it seems Xinaijie doesn't have to worry about you not being able to find a girlfriend in the future..."

Liu Qingze: "..."

"Big sister, you'd better say a little less!"

He swept a speechless glance at Cai Xiaotang and casually speared a piece of watermelon, stuffing it into her mouth.

Immediately after, he suddenly realized whether his action had been a bit too intimate and abruptly pulled his hand back.

"What's wrong with saying it? Haven't you never dated before?"

Cai Xiaotang didn't think anything of it and replied to him, her whole person somewhat excited due to the alcohol; she happily picked up her own glass, clinked it heavily against Liu Qingze's glass, and then drank by herself.

One hour later—"Bang."

She finally collapsed onto the table.

Her cheeks had also turned completely red.

"Finally had enough?"

Liu Qingze's expression was still fairly clear-headed as he looked amusedly at Cai Xiaotang, who had truly drunk herself into a stupor.

Then he saw her wave her hand: "I'm fine... I can still drink... still can..."

As she spoke, she reached out to grab the alcohol again.

But before she could even touch it, she had already closed her eyes.

"Big sister?"

Liu Qingze hadn't expected to witness the legendary "instant sleep," and he was left between laughter and tears.

Checking the time, he had no choice but to stand up helplessly, intending to find a hotel to settle the "drunkard."

The next second—Cai Xiaotang's phone, placed at the edge of the table, suddenly lit up.

Liu Qingze's movements paused; he lowered his eyes to glance at it, and upon seeing the name on the screen, he raised an eyebrow slightly.

Li Xiao?

He paused for a few seconds, then picked up her phone and answered the call.

"Hello?"

Liu Qingze took the initiative to respond.

There was a brief moment of silence on the other end of the line.

Immediately following that, Li Xiao's voice, carrying a hint of coldness, rang out—"Liu Qingze? Where is Xiao Tang?"