Chapter 33: Farewell—Girl, Don’t Panic (5.7k)

Mirrors tend to embellish one's appearance by about 30%. If you want to know exactly what you look like, just look at your national ID photo.

Xia An had inadvertently seen Tang Wan's ID card before. Her photo was breathtakingly beautiful. Her birthday was July 23rd—the first day of Leo, a little lioness.

The birthday gift he had prepared for her was...

When Tang Wan asked him curiously, Xia An replied mysteriously that it was a secret for now. Tang Wan suppressed her curiosity, turning it into anticipation, though she couldn't help but feel a little worried. She repeatedly emphasized to Xia An that she lacked nothing and did not want any expensive gifts.

"No handbags, I don't like them."
"No jewelry, I don't like wearing it."
"No electronics..."

She couldn't imagine anything else that would justify spending one hundred thousand yuan in one go. She reminded Xia An that even if he had money, he shouldn't spend it recklessly.

As they whispered to each other, the young lobby manager was politely pitching the bank’s newly launched "CCB Gold" investment to customers in line. Most people ignored her, and the few who took the brochures only said they would "think about it." Xia An, who knew a bit about the business, could tell the manager had prepared thoroughly; her explanation was quite professional.

Just then, the bank doors pushed open. Xia An saw the security guard ushering in an elderly scavenger. The guard even helped the old man set down the dirty, bulging snake-skin bag filled with plastic bottles and cans before heading back out. His attitude toward the old man was even more respectful than it had been toward Xia An and Tang Wan.

Curious, Xia An watched for a moment. The old man, his back bent, shuffled the bag into a corner, seemingly afraid of blocking the door. He took off his grease-stained military-green jacket, smoothed out his sweat-soaked shirt, tidied his disheveled hair, and walked to the back of the line. He kept a deliberate distance from the person in front of him, as if worried that his scent might cause discomfort. Xia An confirmed that this was just an ordinary old man collecting scraps, not some wealthy mogul living a "simple life."

*Tap, tap, tap.*

The manager noticed the old man. She stopped her sales pitch and hurried over in her high heels. Bending down, she treated him with the same respect the guard had shown.

"Grandpa Li, did you walk here again? Are you here to send money?"
"Yes, yes, that's right. Sending money."

The old man patted his pocket, his kind smile tinged with unease. He stepped back slightly, worried about offending the pretty young woman with his presence. Xia An watched, feeling a bit bewildered. The manager reached out, took the old man's arm, and said with a smile, "Come with me, you can cut to the front. It’ll take too long to wait in this line."

Xia An arched an eyebrow. *What's going on?* Was this still the money-driven society he was familiar with? Tang Wan was watching intently, too. The people in line were even more puzzled—cutting the line? On what grounds?

The old man waved his hands frantically as he was led away. "No, no, Manager Zhou, I can wait. I can wait."

The manager led him to the front, placed her stack of brochures on the counter, and turned to the line with a smile. "I hope everyone understands. This gentleman is elderly and is in a rush to send money to his children. Would you mind letting him go first?"

Most people, accustomed to being taken advantage of, didn't mind, but there were exceptions. One middle-aged woman asked, "Why? Who isn't old? Who doesn't have urgent business at a bank?" She complained, "My daughter is abroad. I'm in a hurry to send her living expenses. There's a time difference, and if she wakes up and sees the money hasn't arrived, she'll panic."

Xia An couldn't judge who was right or wrong, but he guessed the man was sending money to his children. Scavenging to raise children—Xia An didn't want to comment on that.

But Xia An was wrong.

The manager patted the old man's arm, soothing him. "Everyone," she said, checking her watch, "the Charity Foundation closes its accounts on the 23rd of every month. Transfers can only be made in the morning. Grandpa Li uses all the money he saves each month to sponsor three children in impoverished mountain areas..."

Once she explained, the room went silent. Everyone in the line took a quiet step back.

After completing his transaction, the old man clutched his receipt. He clearly wanted to thank everyone but was too shy to express it. With his already hunched back bent even further, he made his way to the door. After putting on his jacket and getting help from the manager to hoist his bag, his last words, spoken with a smile to the manager, were that he hadn't managed to sell that bag of bottles in time, otherwise he could have sent the kids another dozen yuan.

In less than ten minutes, he had come and gone. The lobby returned to normal; people continued to wait, and the manager resumed her gold pitch. Xia An noticed Tang Wan's eyes were red. He asked with a smile, "Moved?"

Tang Wan nodded, pouting slightly. "Yes, but I can't put it into words. I just think these are all good people. There are so many good people."

"These" referred to everyone in the room. Xia An simply told her, "When great people do great things, we applaud them. But when ordinary people do great things, everyone feels a sense of awe."

He didn't say the rest: Extremes of goodness and evil are equally rare. The largest group that makes up this world consists of ordinary people who are sometimes kind, sometimes a little flawed, but who understand empathy better than anyone else.

...

The manager, parched from talking, hadn't sold a single item. She went to the water cooler, and as she looked up, she noticed Xia An watching her. She was puzzled—her figure was fine, but the woman beside him was a thousand times better. She walked over and asked Tang Wan, "Would you like a refill, miss?"

Tang Wan shook her head and thanked her. As the manager turned to leave, she heard Xia An ask, "Can I purchase gold and withdraw it in the VIP room?"

The manager only paused for a second before her professional smile returned, and she nodded. Tang Wan tugged at Xia An, asking why he was buying gold out of the blue; she didn't like gold. Xia An leaned in and whispered, "Saving for the dowry." Tang Wan’s face flushed, and she stopped objecting.

Watching Xia An follow the manager into the VIP channel, her heart continued to thump wildly for several minutes.

In the VIP area, Xia An noted the name tag on the manager's uniform: Zhou Yitong. It was one of the first popular names for the post-80s generation, replacing the older "Fang, Zhi, Li, Fen." By the time the post-95s came along, it would be replaced by names like "Zihan."

Zhou Yitong was efficient. As soon as Xia An sat down, she asked if he wanted coffee or juice. Xia An waved it off, asked for the price, and proceeded with the transaction.

Current gold price: 124 yuan/gram. In the 2024 he remembered from his previous life, it had soared to six or seven hundred. There was room for appreciation, but it would take a long time. Xia An clearly wasn't buying it for investment.

The manager had high professional standards and a decent character. The banking industry was currently in a stage of wild, market-driven development. If she persisted, or was willing to put in the effort, she likely had a bright future. Like Tang Wan, he felt a sudden urge to help a good person. And, by the way... save for the dowry.

Zhou Yitong sensed the man didn't like small talk, so she asked concisely, "How much would you like to buy, sir?" When Xia An held up one finger, she nodded in understanding. He handed her his bank card. When she swiped it, the balance on the screen made a flash of astonishment cross her face. But when Xia An took out his ID to sign the contract, Zhou Yitong was completely stunned.

Nineteen? Well, he was driving a Bentley, so it wasn't that strange.

After signing, stamping, and organizing the contracts, she helped him withdraw 100,000 yuan in cash. Zhou Yitong asked, "Mr. Xia, a fixed deposit of one million grants instant VIP status. Would you consider it?"

Xia An thought for a moment and asked her how far off she was from her monthly target. Zhou Yitong blushed; she was short three million in deposits and two one-kilogram bars of "CCB Gold." She only mentioned the latter.

Xia An said, "Perfect, give me two more of those."

Zhou Yitong didn't quite catch the word "perfect," but she was thrilled. What was he trying to do? As someone of marriageable age, she couldn't help but wonder, yet she couldn't detect any hidden hints in his calm expression. What did he mean?

She asked, "That would require signing new contracts, so if you could wait a moment..."

Xia An raised a hand. "No need to redo them, just sign three."

...

Twenty minutes later, Tang Wan, who had been waiting to see the gold, saw them walk back into the lobby and immediately went to meet them. She noticed Xia An only had a file folder with the contracts and no gold. "Where's the gold?" she asked, puzzled.

Xia An told her it was stored in the bank and could be picked up at any time with the receipt. Tang Wan rolled her eyes and whispered, "How much did you buy?"

Xia An held up one finger with a calm expression. Tang Wan looked surprised, then shy, and finally said she wanted to buy some too.

Xia An said, "If you don't have any plans to purchase fixed assets soon, this is a very safe option."

Tang Wan lowered her head, looked up through her lashes, and murmured, "I'm saving for my dowry."

With that, she gestured for Manager Zhou, who was standing quietly with her hands folded, to return to the VIP area.

...

Zhou Yitong sat opposite Tang Wan, feeling a sense of inferiority. "Ms. Tang, how much would you like to purchase?"

Tang Wan held up a finger and laughed, "The same as him."

"Understood." Zhou Yitong nodded and printed the contract.

Tang Wan added, "The same as him, one million."

...

They left the bank at 11:15. Hearing that Tang Wan had purchased one million yuan worth, Xia An realized she had misunderstood the "one finger" gesture. He also guessed that Manager Zhou hadn't mentioned that he had bought three one-kilogram bars.

As they got into the car, Tang Wan said, "Thank you for the gift. I actually do like this kind of gold."

"This isn't your birthday gift," Xia An said, shaking his head.

"There's more?"

"Of course."

Tang Wan beamed. She had to report to school tomorrow morning, so she had to get there tonight. Her small suitcase and travel bag were already in the car. She had originally wanted to leave the car for Xia An, but after learning he didn't have a driver's license, she had abandoned the idea.

Tang Wan buckled her seatbelt and said, "I'll leave the rest of the time to you. I won't ask any more questions."

"Good."

...

July 23, 2006. The Great Heat.

At noon, the temperature in the provincial capital reached a peak of 34 degrees. The summers had been getting hotter these past few years, and it was a weekend. The zoo and amusement park were packed. Before they arrived, Xia An had stopped at a clothing store to swap his jeans for shorts.

Tang Wan knew that strolling through a park couldn't be the birthday gift either. You couldn't spend one hundred thousand yuan just by coming here. So, she remained full of anticipation, frolicking alongside Xia An as they walked.

Shaved ice was 1.5 yuan a cup, full of food coloring, but Tang Wan wanted it. Cotton candy was 3 yuan, made on the spot. At the park entrance, each holding a cotton candy, they took a photo together against the backdrop of clouds in the blue sky.

The most popular attraction in the zoo was the cage with two black bears, one large and one small. The cub was scratching the mother's back. Many children were throwing food inside.

While watching the monkeys, Xia An spotted Lin Jiajia accompanying her grandmother in the crowd. Lin Jiajia saw him, too. They nodded to each other from a distance. Under Lin Jiajia's teasing gaze, Xia An wrapped his arm around Tang Wan's shoulder. After a moment of surprise, Tang Wan stood on her tiptoes and kissed Xia An on the cheek.

There were only two white geese in the swan pond, and Tang Wan sprinkled fish food, which she had bought for two yuan a cup, to feed the koi. On the pirate ship, Tang Wan shrieked with excitement. Seeing Xia An looking like he was about to throw up from the swaying made her laugh uncontrollably.

Tang Wan played until she was exhausted. Xia An took her to the side of the artificial lake to cool off, saying they should wait until they were dry before getting back into the car to enjoy the air conditioning. There were many middle-aged and elderly men in the lake, swimming in their swim trunks. Tang Wan snapped off a willow branch and squatted there, teasing the fish.

"Xia An, can you swim?"

"No."

"I'll teach you how to swim later, okay?"

"Okay."

"Can you ski?"

"No."

"I'll teach you how to ski later, okay?"

"Okay."

Tang Wan rested her chin on her hand, tilted her head to look at him, smiling, and said nothing more. The willow branch touched the water, and ripples spread out from a single point. They deformed when they hit obstacles, but that didn't stop them from spreading across the entire surface of the lake.

...

At 2:30 PM, Xia An drove her to their destination for the day. No matter how much Tang Wan guessed, she never imagined Xia An would take her to sing.

Wait, not to sing. To *record* a song.

"Big Voice Music Studio" was in a secluded corner, a two-story commercial building. At the entrance, Xia An took Tang Wan's hand and smiled. "Haven't you been asking me how the song I hummed on the rooftop goes? It's my original composition. I'm gifting it to you today."

*Gifting a song? Gifting me a song?*

Tang Wan, who had no experience in relationships, was moved to tears by Xia An's sudden gesture. She covered her mouth and let him lead her inside. Xia An had done his research; this "Big Voice" studio had the best hardware in Dongshan. When he had called to make an appointment yesterday, the manager told him the studio would only be free after 3:00 PM.

They were greeted by one of the studio's partners, Guo Xiaochuan. He had shoulder-length hair and was wearing a matching beige linen outfit. He wore a long string of star-and-moon bodhi beads around his neck, polished to a deep yellow. He wasn't wearing cloth shoes, but Air Jordans. At first glance, he looked every bit the artistic type.

...

Guo Xiaochuan couldn't take his eyes off Tang Wan the moment he saw her. His attitude was incredibly enthusiastic, lacking any of the aloofness typical of artistic types.

"Which one of you is recording? Or are you singing together?" Guo asked.

Tang Wan hurriedly waved her hands and pointed at Xia An. "Him."

Xia An nodded with a smile. "Me."

Guo Xiaochuan was a bit disappointed. He had experience; if the beauty sang, he could use the opportunity to offer "guidance" and get a little closer.

"Original or cover?"

Originals came with their own scores; the studio provided covers. Xia An said original and took a folded piece of stationery from his pocket. It was the simple notation he had written down based on his memory over the past few days. Guo Xiaochuan took it and looked it over carefully.

Tang Wan whispered to Xia An, "Is it really yours? Can you read music?"

In his previous life, he couldn't. In college, Le Ning had taught him the electronic keyboard for a few months, and he had practiced the guitar with Zuo You for a while. After investing in the entertainment industry, he had been fed some music theory. When he went to karaoke with various celebrities, he was often flattered with comments like, "You sing so well," or "Mr. Xia is so talented."

Xia An said, "I'm a treasure trove of a boy, with plenty for you to discover."

Tang Wan rolled her eyes at him, her heart and mind filled with love.

Guo Xiaochuan nodded after reading the score. "It's quite simple. Just guitar? Should I play, or will you play and sing yourself?"

Determined to show off in front of Tang Wan, Xia An said, "I'll play and sing myself."

Tang Wan’s eyes twinkled. "You can play guitar too?"

Guo Xiaochuan felt a bit sour. *Damn it, I'm a fingerstyle expert, why can't I find a girlfriend this pretty?*

Just then, a young man who had returned with a lunch box walked past and smiled at Xia An. "Wow, a Bentley Continental GT. Your car is super cool, man." He didn't wait for a reply and headed into a room.

Guo Xiaochuan swallowed hard, his bitterness vanishing. Handsome and rich—he deserved a girlfriend that pretty. He stopped acting cool and asked, "Are you looking to release it or just record a disc?"

Xia An shook his head. No release, just a recording.

Guo Xiaochuan tapped on his calculator and pushed it toward Xia An. "8,000. Full version, five tuning sessions, pick it up in three days."

Xia An was shocked. *8,000?* He hadn't even asked the price when booking because he thought he was familiar with the process. In his previous life, when his media company recorded tracks for Le Ning, the production costs were always in the hundreds of thousands. Eight thousand? Was that reasonable?

It was very reasonable. Xia An didn't understand that recording instrumental performances or true singles required more professional teams, equipment, and processes. It was just that the song he chose was too simple and didn't require additional accompaniment.

Xia An didn't worry about the money. He just asked, "If I sing it well and we do some simple editing, can I take it home in a little while?"

Guo Xiaochuan looked at him. "That depends on how well you sing."

Xia An sang very well. It only took two takes, with almost no pitch correction needed. While he was singing in the booth, Tang Wan watched from behind the soundproof glass. Seeing him look back at her, smiling while he played and sang, she was even more immersed in the music than he was. Covering her mouth, blushing, and teary-eyed, she swayed to the rhythm.

...

Two hours later, Guo Xiaochuan walked out of the booth and handed Xia An a CD. He didn't spare the praise, telling Xia An, "I've heard many amateurs record demos in the provincial capital. You're the one with the most potential to enter the industry. Any interest in collaborating?"

Xia An took the CD, handed it to Tang Wan, and shook his head. "I'm just playing around. I'm not entering the industry."

Singing well was one thing, but if the voice lacked a unique quality, you wouldn't get anywhere. In 2006, the music scene was a fierce battlefield, packed with superstars.

Guo Xiaochuan smiled and finally asked if Xia An could sell him the copyright to the song. "Although it's simple, it's catchy and has a chance to be a hit. I'll offer twenty thousand. That's not low."

Xia An knew better. "Let's wait a few days. If you think it's good, I can sign a revenue-sharing deal with you. You handle the distribution, and you take thirty percent."

Currently, on the internet, whether it was music, film, or literature, copyright protection was basically zero. To be honest, unless it was a top-tier work, you wouldn't make much money from distribution. But there was another path—ringback tones—that could make a fortune.

Guo Xiaochuan shrugged and watched them leave.

...

One hour for singing, two hours for editing and production. At six o'clock, the sunset filled the sky. Tang Wan held the CD with a radiant smile, but the loneliness in her expression could no longer be hidden.

On the drive to the toll station, Tang Wan talked incessantly, constantly discussing what she would do in the future. They stopped outside the last gas station, and both got out of the car. The western mountains blocked half of the golden sun, and the shadows of Tang Wan and Xia An, stretched long by the golden light, embraced each other tightly.

"Xia An, this has been the happiest day I've had in ten years. If we meet again and your choice is to give me up, I will never forget the joy of today. Thank you, Xia An."

Her black skirt fluttered in the evening breeze. She gave a sweet smile, took a miniature GPS tracker out of her bag, showed it to Xia An, and put it back in. Finally, she hopped into the driver's seat with carefree grace.

"Goodbye, mature little boy."

...

After Tang Wan filled the car with gas, Xia An watched as she drove onto the highway and merged into the traffic. The roar of the twelve-cylinder engine gradually faded into the distance. Xia An hailed a taxi that had just dropped off a passenger.

Parting is painful because it is inevitable. Fortunately, the next stage after parting is reunion.

By the time Xia An got home, Tang Wan had already driven eighty kilometers. The setting sun slowly dipped below the horizon outside her right window. Xia An's singing played on a loop in her ears. She clearly remembered that in the music studio, Xia An had put his arm around her waist and told Guo Xiaochuan:

"This song is a gift for her. It's called 'Little Girl, Don't Panic.'"

*...*
*Don't be lost*
*Don't be panicked*
*When the sun goes down, there is still moonlight*
*It will light up the path of life*
*And accompany you to where you want to go*
*...*

Tang Wan’s smile never faded. As she looked ahead, she conversed with the song. The tears she had held back all day finally slid down.

"Xia An, your Tang Xiaowan is twenty-five years old today."

...

The high-performance sports car's headlights pierced the rising night, heading south until it reached the edge of the land hundreds of kilometers away. Xia An's text message arrived just as Tang Wan was paying the toll:

[Think carefully about how to spend your birthday next year.]
[Don't let your mind wander.]
[Because goodbye and sunset mean the same thing.]
[They both mean—to be continued.]