Chapter 59: Stealing Jade and Snatching Fragrance (1) The young nobles of Wuling lingered in the eastern gold market, astride white horses adorned with silver saddles, riding through the gentle breeze of spring.

After a satisfying meal, the group left the restaurant and strolled along the road. Fang Yu pulled out his wallet and bought several cups of milk tea from the city center, handing them out to everyone. The moment he took a sip, he frowned.
“Damn, this milk tea is awful!” Without hesitation, he tossed the cup into a nearby trash can.
“Ugh, exactly! We’re so used to the milk tea from your shop—this tastes like dishwater,” Xia Churan and Li Jing complained as well.
It was nearly nine o’clock, yet the lovely girls around him showed no intention of returning. Fang Yu had to speak up first.
“So, it’s getting late. If you go back much later, your dorms will be locked. Let’s get going.”
“But it’s the weekend! We don’t have class tomorrow. Fang Yu, can we go sing karaoke?”
“Karaoke?” The thought struck him—back then, with not much entertainment and no way to just scroll through phones or watch videos at home, KTVs and bars were the go-to spots for young people.
He realized that since his rebirth, he hadn’t really let loose and enjoyed himself, which seemed a shame for such a handsome face (ahem). Fang Yu nodded in agreement.
“Fine, it’s your birthday—you get to decide. Is there a decent KTV in the city?”
Hearing his consent, the girl’s face lit up.
“Of course! Li Jing’s been to one. I think it’s nearby.”
“Alright, let’s go!”
At the mention of karaoke, Baozi instantly perked up, swinging his oily bangs with new vigor.
“Oh, singing, huh? Fang Yu, you know it—my voice is magnetic! Back in high school, I was a karaoke god.”
Fang Yu rolled his eyes and ignored the chubby guy. Baozi’s voice wasn’t terrible, but he was always off-key. His singing was a mess, and watching his portly body gesticulate was nauseating enough.
Guided by Li Jing, they turned a corner and indeed found a KTV nearby that looked reasonably clean.
“Fang Yu, let me pay for the singing. You already spent a lot on dinner,” Xia Churan said softly, tugging at his sleeve.
Seeing the girl’s cautious expression, he smiled and waved her off.
“No need—one person pays for everything. Besides, providing for beautiful ladies is the least I can do.” He pulled out his wallet.
“Hmph, sweet talker.” Xia Churan muttered, but lowered her head to hide her smile.
In 2005, KTVs in Xianjiang were fairly priced—a 200 yuan package included plenty of drinks. With a crowd gathered, Fang Yu enthusiastically raised his cheap beer.
“Come on, let’s toast again—happy birthday to our birthday girl!”
Baozi had already snatched the microphone.

“I’ll sing you all my signature song!”
But thirty seconds later, as Baozi performed with exaggerated passion and wild gestures, all the girls frowned in disgust. It was just too much.
“Fang Yu, do you know ‘A Little Moved’?” the girl leaned in close, half her body pressed against his.
“No.” In truth, he did know the song—he’d been a KTV star in his youth—but it was a bit too intimate for this occasion, so he played it safe.
“Then how about we sing ‘On the Rooftop’?”
Fang Yu hesitated; he’d always liked that song and had sung it with a girl he liked in his younger days. Finding refusal impossible, he nodded.
“Alright.”
Cheng Chen, quick on the uptake, immediately switched off Baozi’s song, drawing an indignant protest from the chubby guy.
“I barely started! Cheng Chen, if you want to sing, choose your own song!”
“Give it here—stop embarrassing yourself.” Fang Yu snatched the microphone from Baozi’s hand.
As the music began, the girl’s voice flowed like a gentle stream, singing softly by his ear.
“In my dreams I’m awakened, still not sure, it’s the person who often appears there…”
When the song ended, the girls and Cheng Chen burst into applause, chanting,
“Kiss! Kiss!”
The atmosphere grew more suggestive, but just then a waiter knocked on the door.
“Hello, here’s a complimentary cake and fruit platter from the house. Happy birthday, Miss Xia.” Most KTVs offered such perks.
Fang Yu breathed a sigh of relief, sank onto the sofa, and lit a cigarette. The girl sidled up to him, speaking in a coaxing tone.
“Fang Yu, I want that piece of watermelon—I can’t reach it.”
Glancing at the big screen, where Cheng Chen was singing a sad love song, Fang Yu casually picked up a slice of watermelon and handed it back to her.
Instead of taking it, Xia Churan pouted, leaned forward, and nibbled shyly at half the slice.
“Mmm, so sweet. Fang Yu, have a taste.”
He paid no attention to this intimate gesture, indifferently popping the rest of the watermelon into his mouth and listening to the music.
But in the girl’s eyes, this was something only couples did. Blushing, she timidly raised her glass.

“Come on, Fang Yu, have a drink with me.”
Fang Yu nodded. After a few beers, the girl’s cheeks were flushed—clearly, she wasn’t used to drinking.
“I want to hear you sing again—just for me.”
He was tempted; after all, this was a second chance at life. Why not seize the night?
“If I fall for your smile, how could I keep it, how could I make it mine…” At this point, his voice was still untainted by tobacco—clear and pure.
Before he could finish, Baozi shamelessly tried to get the other three girls to drink with him, which immediately killed the mood.
“Cheng Chen, change the song!”
As the night wore on, the 48 bottles of beer dwindled. Baozi, especially, was drunk and making a scene.
“Give me a cup of forgetfulness, so I won’t shed tears tonight…” His alcohol tolerance was poor, and his behavior even worse: on a good day, two shots would put him to sleep, three if he was excited—though he’d have to throw up twice.
“Alright, that’s enough. Time to go.” Not every KTV stayed open all night back then, especially in a small city like Xianjiang.
“Where are we going to sleep? We can’t get back to school,” Cheng Chen slurred, glancing around.
“We’ll find a motel. It’s tricky with five girls, but maybe we can get a triple room or something.” Fang Yu held his liquor best and was still clear-headed.
There were plenty of hotels near the KTV. The front desk clerk eyed the three men and five women with a knowing look. Fang Yu cleared his throat awkwardly.
“Do you have any triple rooms?”
“Sorry, no. Only standard rooms or doubles.”
“Heh, then I’ll share a room with Li Jing,” Cheng Chen said with a lecherous grin, wrapping his arm around her.
They were a couple, after all, so Fang Yu nodded.
“Alright, then give us three standard rooms and one double.” He pulled several large bills from his wallet.
Once inside, Fang Yu couldn’t help but frown—the hotel was pretty shabby, and the bed linens smelled musty. Now he had to share a room with Baozi, and who knew if the chubby guy’s snoring would be even louder than Lu Zhen’s in the middle of the night.