The cup in his hand tightened, eventually shattering into several pieces. He felt no pain, but the bartender was startled by his palm, which was covered in blood.
The bartender quickly cleaned up the shards and asked, "Sir, would you like me to contact your friend?"
Shen Su: "No, thank you."
Bartender: "Then you should really get your hand bandaged to prevent infection."
Shen Su grunted in response and left the bar, his body feeling heavy.
Having drunk too much, his steps were unsteady. He walked down the street with the smell of alcohol on him. If not for his exceptional demeanor and appearance, he would likely have been mistaken for a drunkard or a vagrant.
Shen Su stumbled back to his hotel. Upon returning to his room, he took off his clothes to shower. The phone rang during this time, but he didn't hear it. After showering, he no longer had the energy to check his phone. Without even drying his hair, he lay down on the bed and fell asleep.
It wasn't until the next morning that he saw Ji Tong's WeChat messages and missed calls.
Considering that Ji Tong was with her parents and it might be inconvenient for her to answer the phone, Shen Su replied to her via WeChat.
[I had a bit to drink last night and fell asleep.]
Ji Tong replied almost instantly, [It's okay, I'm just glad you're alright. Don't take what my parents said to heart.]
Shen Su: [Okay.]
Ji Tong: [So... are you still staying in Huaixi?]
Shen Su: [No, I'm going back to Nanjiang first, and I'll wait for you to return.]
Ji Tong: [Okay.]
Ji Tong's parents were resolute. Even if he stayed in Huaixi, he wouldn't change their minds in a short period. After chatting with Ji Tong, Shen Su booked his return ticket, got up to pack, and headed to the airport.
During the Lunar New Year, drivers were on holiday, and Xing Zheng was with his family. Shen Su had to ask Gu Song to pick him up.
Shen Su arrived at the arrivals hall with his suitcase and met Gu Song. He had drunk alcohol the night before, and his complexion was poor, his aura somewhat dispirited.
Gu Song asked him, "Didn't you just go there? Why are you back so soon?"
Shen Su didn't answer, pressing his fingers to his temples. He had drunk too much last night and had a headache all the way.
Seeing Shen Su like this, Gu Song understood. "Your girlfriend's parents don't like you?"
Shen Su: "Yes," "We'll talk on the way."
As it was dinner time, Gu Song drove to Ru Feng Club and they went to a private room.
After Shen Su sat down, he was lost in thought. Gu Song waited until the waiter had served all the dishes before asking, "What exactly happened?"
Shen Su didn't hide anything and recounted what Ji Tong's parents had told him. Although Gu Song knew her parents disapproved, he didn't think it was a real problem. Shen Su had always been good at dealing with elders, so winning over her parents should not have been an issue.
Moreover, setting aside Shen Su's past romantic life, his overall conditions were highly desirable. Otherwise, his previous girlfriends wouldn't have tried so hard to get close to him.
After listening, Gu Song couldn't help but sigh, "No wonder Ji Tong is so pure; her parents are truly unusual."
This thought coincided with Shen Su's.
After a moment of contemplation, Gu Song said jokingly, "I can understand. If my daughter were to find someone like you, I'd have to consider it too."
Shen Su: "Indeed."
Gu Song: "Are you so dejected because of this? This isn't like you! 'Parents don't agree' is just an excuse for breaking up. If two people are determined to be together, no one can stop them."
"Her parents are just angry. As long as Ji Tong is firm enough, they will eventually compromise. It'll just be a period of bickering. They only have one daughter; they can't possibly cut ties, can they?" Gu Song analyzed the situation for Shen Su, believing he had no reason to worry about this matter.
Everyone around could see Ji Tong's feelings for him. How could she give him up just because her parents objected?
Shen Su lowered his head, remaining silent. Gu Song found his behavior very unusual. "Is there anything else? You look like you've been dumped."
Distraught and absent-minded, the last time Gu Song saw him in this state was because of the Feng Feng and Wen Zhouyuan incident.
Wait, Feng Feng?
Gu Song suddenly remembered something. Feng Feng was from Huaixi, and Shen Su's current state... could it be a coincidence?
As Gu Song was thinking this, he heard Shen Su's voice, "I ran into Feng Feng, and it affected my mood a bit."
Gu Song thought, just as he expected.
However, if it were just Feng Feng alone, Shen Su wouldn't have reacted so strongly. Gu Song guessed, "And her young boyfriend?"
Shen Su: "No."
Gu Song: "Then do you need to react like this?"
Shen Su: "Perhaps I can't stand to see her doing well."
Gu Song: "I can understand that sentiment, but people should look forward. Besides, you and she were never boyfriend and girlfriend. She never liked you; at most, she was interested in your body. You really don't need to be like this."
Gu Song's words were not very pleasant, but they were all true, and Shen Su couldn't refute them. He touched his cup, lowered his head in thought, his expression gloomy.
Gu Song observed Shen Su's reaction, and after a while, he asked, "You haven't fallen for her again, have you?"
Shen Su still didn't speak, but his mind seriously considered Gu Song's question. Had he fallen for Feng Feng again?
He was unsure about his feelings, but physically, he had never forgotten her.
Gu Song: "You seemed quite happy with Ji Tong. You're over thirty; don't make things difficult for yourself. I've never seen you torment yourself like this for a woman before."
Shen Su snapped back to reality, thought of Ji Tong's face, and couldn't help but smile, "I am quite happy with her."
Moreover, he felt unprecedentedly relaxed. Although she was pure, she was not娇气 (fussy/spoiled), had a good temper, and never argued with him. Even when she was in a bad mood sometimes, she didn't take it out on him.
Among her peers, her emotional stability was very high, and his parents also liked her very much.
Whether rationally or emotionally, he should choose Ji Tong unconditionally.
Hearing Shen Su's affirmation, Gu Song subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief, "That's right. What's the point of a relationship if not for happiness? You and Ji Tong are together without inner conflict, which is great."
Shen Su took a gulp of wine, his breathing heavy.
Gu Song looked at him. For some reason, he sensed a sense of unfulfilled desire from him. He narrowed his eyes, "Are you and Ji Tong not compatible in that aspect?"
Gu Song then realized that he had overlooked this point earlier. Ji Tong was pure, and purity meant inexperience. Shen Su, on the other hand, was very experienced and had never dated this type of woman before. Ji Tong was so easily shy, so it was likely she was not comfortable in private.
Shen Su did not answer Gu Song's question, but silence was also an answer. Gu Song smiled and said to him, "This is not difficult to solve. It's better to train someone yourself than to have someone ready-made. Just put in some effort."
Shen Su rubbed his wine glass and nodded.
Gu Song: "She's young and inexperienced. The women you've dated before were not this inexperienced, so it's normal not to be used to it. You need to guide her."