Chapter 8: Zebra, Zebra

"Qinru, what are you doing? Hurry up and sit down!" Xiaoyue frowned, tugging at the casual girl's sleeve and whispering urgently.

The girl in casual clothes glanced around, noticing more than a few angry stares aimed her way. Her face flushed, she stuck out her tongue and quietly took her seat.

"Tang Qinru, what were you shouting about just now?" Now that the girl had sat down, Xiaoyue voiced her displeasure.

"Xiaoyue, do you know, the person singing on stage right now is the same uncle we bumped into at the mall before!" Tang Qinru lowered her voice, her tone full of mystery.

"What uncle? Who are you talking about?" Xiaoyue was completely confused.

"How can you be so slow? Remember at the mall, that little boy ran into me?" Tang Qinru looked at her like she couldn't believe her friend's cluelessness.

"So—you mean, the man singing on stage is the boy's father?" Xiaoyue recalled the incident, suddenly enlightened.

Tang Qinru nodded eagerly, her expression tinged with disbelief. "Who would have thought—a man who looked so untidy could actually be an original songwriter!"

"I've told you before, you can't judge a person by their appearance!" Xiaoyue teased, her gaze drifting back to the man on stage.

Yet, in her heart, doubt lingered. She couldn't believe that a man so rough with his child could possibly be a musical genius.

After a few songs, Lin Chuan slowly rose, scanning the audience below before speaking in a deep voice, "Good times always pass quickly. In the blink of an eye, it's time to say goodbye..."

As soon as he said this, the fans below looked reluctant to let him go, some even hoping Lin Chuan would sing one more song.

Lin Chuan smiled wryly, gestured for silence, then continued, "Before we end tonight, I have prepared a new song for you all, one that I personally love. It doesn't have a lively melody nor extravagant lyrics, but it tells a touching story."

When Lin Chuan sat down again, the monotonous sound of the guitar rose once more.

Zebra, zebra, don't fall asleep yet
Let me look at your wounded tail
I don't want to touch the scar of your wound
I just want to lift your hair
Zebra, zebra, you've returned home
But I waste away my cold years
Your city has no door open for me
I must return to the road
Zebra, zebra, you come from the red south
Is it also a moving story?
If your neighbor, the actor, cannot stay
Who will sleep beside you until dawn...

This song, "Zebra, Zebra," had been one of Lin Chuan's favorites in his previous life.

As he himself said, the song lacked a lively melody and extravagant lyrics. Its entire tune was deep and powerful.

From the lyrics, it was clear—a wandering singer fell in love with a girl who had been hurt, but he lacked the ability to care for her or give her what she desired. At the same time, it expressed how a homeless singer, in this bustling and pragmatic city, found nothing that could keep him.

Though he loved the girl deeply, she belonged to the city. So, he had to leave, just as he came, departing with nothing.

Lin Chuan chose to perform this song at the end, because its content closely resembled his own experience.

Especially as he sang, he thought of a familiar yet unseen woman—Lin Yiyang's mother.

When the final note faded, Lin Chuan's eyes were already moist. The entire bar sat in silence, everyone rooted in place.

No screams, no cheers, no enthusiastic applause.

In that moment, the bar was engulfed in quiet; it seemed everyone was still lost within "Zebra, Zebra," unable to escape its hold.

After a while, Lin Chuan, still seated, could hear sporadic sobs among the audience.

Most people present had experienced leaving home, and most had once deeply loved someone they could not stay with.

Thus, when they heard the song, it wasn't its profound melody or Lin Chuan's brilliant performance that moved them.

Rather, the song plunged them into memories of the past.

Time seemed to stand still. Even Boss Xu in the backstage lingered, his face reflecting nostalgia.

"Uncle Xu, what's wrong with everyone? What's wrong with my dad?" Among them, perhaps only Lin Yiyang, still so young, was unaffected by the song, blinking his big eyes in confusion.

"Nothing... nothing at all. They're all moved by your father's song. Your dad is remarkable; he's like a magician. Through his music, he can make people laugh or cry as they wish..." Boss Xu lifted his old hand, wiping away quietly shed tears, chuckling softly.

"My dad's a magician? Can he make things appear?" Lin Yiyang frowned at first, but then a faint smile blossomed on his handsome face.

"Maybe. You can ask him later!" Boss Xu affectionately ruffled the boy's hair.

After a while, as the stifling atmosphere gradually eased, Lin Chuan picked up his wooden guitar and headed backstage.

"Dad!" As soon as Lin Yiyang saw Lin Chuan, he rushed over.

Lin Chuan smiled, lifting his son into his arms and walked over to Boss Xu. "Boss Xu, has Yiyang given you any trouble tonight?"

"No, he's adorable! I couldn't like him more!" Boss Xu waved off the concern, pulling out a bulging envelope—the wages he'd prepared earlier.

"Here, your pay for tonight. Buy the little one something good to eat, and don't let him go hungry. Or I'll never forgive you!" Boss Xu joked.

"Haha, don't worry. He's my only son—how could I let him go hungry? If there's nothing else, Boss Xu, I'd like to head home now." Lin Chuan accepted the envelope and slipped it into his pocket.

Boss Xu chatted for a bit more, gave a few reminders, and then Lin Chuan left the bar with Lin Yiyang.

But before they'd gone far, footsteps sounded behind them, and a girl's voice called out, "Wait!"

Lin Chuan turned to see two girls running quickly toward him.

"Is there something you need?" Lin Chuan raised an eyebrow as the two girls arrived, asking curiously.

The girls had exerted themselves to catch up, running from the front to the back door, and now, looking exhausted, they breathed heavily.

After a moment, the girl in casual clothes steadied herself, stood upright with her hands on her hips, and said with a grin, "Surprised? We meet again!"

Hearing this, Lin Chuan was taken aback. By the dim light, he looked closely, his expression suddenly changing as he silently cursed his luck.

Indeed, these two girls were the same who had confronted him not long ago at the mall, the ones who had criticized him so fiercely.

Who would have thought they would cross paths again so soon?

"How did you end up here? You're not stalking me, are you?" Lin Chuan said with a wry smile.

"Stalking you? Don't be ridiculous—we recognized you in the bar!" Tang Qinru rolled her eyes, annoyed.

While they were talking, the other girl, now recovered, stood up and glanced at Lin Chuan, then fixed her gaze on Lin Yiyang and gently asked, "Did your dad hit you?"

"Hehe, hello, sister. My dad didn't hit me!" Lin Yiyang smiled brightly at her.

Lin Chuan sighed inwardly, wondering why these two refused to let the matter go. Did he really seem like someone prone to domestic violence?

But he kept such thoughts to himself, lest he provoke further trouble.

Just as Lin Chuan's wry smile had yet to fade, Xiaoyue, the other girl, spoke coldly, "What kind of father are you? Your child is so young, yet you bring him to a bar?"

"Uh... What's wrong with bringing him to a bar? I didn't let him drink," Lin Chuan replied, frowning.

"You... you even think about letting him drink? Now I see—you not only like to hit your child, but you have no sense of responsibility at all. If this keeps up, you'll ruin him!" Xiaoyue grew more agitated, nearly ready to pounce on Lin Chuan.

Tang Qinru, standing nearby, looked distressed as she tried to tug her friend's arm, but to no avail.

As Lin Chuan was being scolded to no end and felt his anger rising, Lin Yiyang suddenly spoke up, "Sister, don't blame my dad. I wanted to hear him sing, and he sings so beautifully..."

Seeing Lin Yiyang's innocence, Lin Chuan's anger cooled considerably. Still, he fixed Xiaoyue with a cold stare and said, "I'm sorry for the trouble at the mall earlier, but how to educate my child is not your concern. And I am not the irresponsible father you imagine."

"You..."

"Come on, Yiyang, let's go home," Lin Chuan didn't wait for her reply, taking Lin Yiyang's hand and turning away.

As the father and son disappeared into the darkness, Tang Qinru, a little displeased, said, "Xiaoyue, you really went too far just now. We're just passing acquaintances, and you meddled too much. I actually wanted to get to know him, but now that's all ruined..."