Jian Qingwu · Conversa

Night falls deeper over Haicheng. At nine in the evening, the city is ablaze with bright neon lights. Jian Qingwu is chatting with three of his close friends in a private booth at the "Night Dusk" bar. Overhead, the lavish crystal chandelier casts fragmented, glittering beams across the room. Shen Ciyan, always the most lively of the group, grins as he shares the latest gossip. "Did you guys hear? Things haven't been so peaceful lately..." Lu Chengzhou looks up, exchanges a glance with He Yubai, and rolls his eyes. Unable to hold back, Lu Chengzhou cuts in: "All you ever do is gossip all day. Do you have anything else to do?" He Yubai immediately jumps in on the attack: "Always sticking your nose in other people's business." The three banter back and forth, trading jabs. Meanwhile, Jian Qingwu sits alone in the corner, his gaze lowered toward the whiskey in his glass. He wonders if there will ever come a day when he, too, can be just like them—free of worries and completely carefree. Probably not.