Sweet slice-of-life love story: Wife, Let's love again
Chapter 160 - 158: In-depth Consultation

Chapter 160: Chapter 158: In-depth Consultation

Night.

A quiet bar.

The warm lighting cast upon the bar top gave the glasses scattered across it a dreamlike quality.

Sun Wen sat in a corner, a cigarette dangling from his lips, gently swaying his glass and staring somewhat entranced at the lights above him.

He didn’t know why he came here, just that when he hesitated in the cab, he couldn’t think of anyplace else to go, so he came.

At least it was quiet here.

Moreover, this quietness was different from the solitude of a rental room—there, it was the loneliness of one person; here, it was the loneliness of a group.

Being surrounded by people was always better than stewing alone.

Even if they did not know each other and didn’t talk, just the sight of others’ forlorn expressions was far better than lying alone on the bed in his rental.

Sometimes there were even surprises, an extra person to relieve the monotony, like—

"Great Sage Equalling Heaven?"

The woman, who he had met just once before, entered the bar and casually looked around, spotting Sun Wen’s towering figure and walked straight over to sit by him.

"No, Sun Wen," Sun Wen corrected, "Sun from the Great Sage Equalling Heaven, Wen as in a cultured person."

"Oh, close enough."

"What was your name again?"

"Xu Wei." Xu Wei snapped her fingers, signaling the waiter to order a drink, then turned to him, "I thought you’d remember me."

"Why should I remember you if you couldn’t remember me?"

"Well, at least I remembered the Great Sage Equalling Heaven."

"It’s easy to remember," Sun Wen leaned back, exhaling a cloud of smoke, watching it slowly dissipate, and said, "If your name had Great Sage Equalling Heaven in it, I’d definitely remember it."

"Hypocritical," Xu Wei stared at him unblinking. "This is easy to remember, isn’t it?"

"..."

Sun Wen was taken aback for a moment, but then couldn’t help but laugh, "Easy to remember, I’ve got it this time."

This woman was still as amusing as ever.

"Why are you drinking alone again? Another heartbreak?" Xu Wei’s drink hadn’t arrived yet; she propped one arm on the bar and inspected her nails in the light with her other hand.

The wine-red nail polish matched her deep red dress perfectly.

Such a woman could easily stir impulsive feelings.

"You could say that last time was a fake heartbreak, and this time it’s a real one."

Sun Wen looked at the blurred reflection in his glass and a bitter smile flashed across his face.

Too late after all.

If only he could have held on a few more months, perhaps the outcome would have been different.

"Tell me about it?" Xu Wei looked at him with interest. "There’s a true and false to it?"

"It’s a long story."

"Then give me the short version."

"Last time I still had a sliver of hope we could make up," Sun Wen signaled to the waiter as he brought over the drinks, and continued after Xu Wei took the glass handed to her, "Then today, that sliver of hope was shattered. It’s really over now, the irreversible kind."

"Details?"

"Didn’t you say ’long story short’?"

"That was too short," Xu Wei smiled and glanced downward, "Really short."

"..."

Sun Wen blew a puff of smoke in her direction, "Can we have a proper conversation?"

"How long have you been drinking?"

"All day."

"That much?"

"This is my second stop; I was at a wedding before this." Sun Wen tugged at his collar, "Otherwise, why would I wear this to a place like this?"

"Having a heartbreak and still having to attend someone else’s wedding, that’s rough," Xu Wei chuckled and sipped her drink, "What did you do that it couldn’t be salvaged?"

"What did I do?"

Sun Wen repeated the words, lighting another cigarette and peering through the slowly drifting smoke at her, "How about you analyze it for me? As a woman, help me figure out what she was thinking."

"Seeking emotional advice comes with a fee," Xu Wei said, looking down as she flicked her fingernails and then looking up at him. "Will you pay?"

"Do you want to hear a story?"

"Mmm... alright, I’m not doing anything right now anyway."

Xu Wei nodded. "Go ahead."

"I guess I’ll have to start from... never mind, I’ll begin at the beginning," Sun Wen decided after a moment’s thought, opting to start from the very start. "If you get bored, feel free to tell me."

People who’ve experienced heartbreak always have a longing to pour out their feelings, especially to strangers.

Once they leave this bar, they’ll have no connection whatsoever, free to say anything they want.

"I never get bored," Xu Wei said while twirling her glass twice before clinking it lightly against his. "You may begin."

Sun Wen slowly started speaking.

Two people, one talking, the other listening.

True to her word, Xu Wei didn’t show a hint of impatience. On the contrary, she listened intently, occasionally nodding slightly.

The story ended as Sun Wen’s glass reached its last drop. He raised his hand to call the waiter over for another, then turned to Xu Wei. "What do you think?"

"I think breaking up was a good thing for you," Xu Wei concluded after hearing the entire story.

"My friends say the same thing," Sun Wen shrugged.

"So why don’t you celebrate?"

"The thing about feelings is that you can’t judge them as good or bad. I liked her, regardless of whether it was good or bad."

"That’s so foolish." Xu Wei shook her head. "Maybe you should try something else."

"Something else?"

"Like me," she said with a flirtatious smile, gently tapping his foot with hers. "Want to give it a shot?"

Sun Wen looked at her for a moment and then laughed. "I think it’s you who wants to try me out."

"Indeed, I’ve never tried someone like you."

"What kind of someone?"

"What do you think?" Xu Wei trailed her finger lightly across his arm. "I bet you could lift me with just one hand."

...

Sun Wen took a big gulp of the drink the waiter brought and let out a long sigh. "I think just talking is quite nice."

He paused, seeing Xu Wei looking at him without speaking, and continued, "What do you think she’s thinking?"

"Dreaming of being a princess."

"Princess dreams?"

"Likes to be coddled and pampered but isn’t willing to give anything in return, just wants to passively wait for her ’Prince’." Xu Wei took a sip of her drink and chuckled. "It’s not like princess syndrome; it’s dumber."

"Didn’t I pamper her enough?"

"No, it’s that you only knew how to pamper."

"Oh?"

"Princes also have gem-encrusted swords, gold and jewel-studded armor, not to mention a throne at home." Xu Wei’s voice was light, but Sun Wen found it somewhat piercing. "You have none of that."

...

"She thinks you’re not her Prince, so she went to find a real one."

...

"I’ve seen this type a lot," Xu Wei said casually. "She’s not worthy of you."

"What do you do?" Sun Wen suddenly asked.

"I’m an emotional consultant."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Good thing it’s not that I’m not worthy of her." Sun Wen smiled wryly. "Then analyze further for me, how can I win her back?"

"Consultations are charged, and listening to your story was the payment for just now."

"How much? I’ll pay."

"I’m off the clock now, not working." Xu Wei glanced at her watch. "But for you..." her gaze traveled up and down Sun Wen.

"What about me?"

"I can make an exception and give you an in-depth consultation at my place."