Chapter 1: Be Careful I Might Pursue You

Intro:

There’s a part of you that controls every emotion—joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness. The moment you feel love, congratulations, you’re done for.

But don’t try to control it. Fall in love early.

Instructions for entry: Find the most comfortable position—this is a love story. It’s okay to be a little tipsy, but not too drunk, and feel free to applaud at the right moments.

Don’t lower your expectations.

Chap 1:

As she walked down the road, carrying her bike with the rear wheel lifted off the ground, sweat glistened on her skin. People stared, but she wasn’t embarrassed at all. She had spotted the bike when she emerged from Exit 1 of Jiangwan Stadium. It left her dazed—three years ago, she’d parked it outside Fudan University’s Fourth Teaching Building, only for it to be stolen. Now, three years later, here it was at the subway entrance. The locks had changed, but everything else remained the same, down to the scratches on the front beam and back seat from hauling props for the "Top Ten Singers" performance. Those battle scars reminded her of the bad luck she’d had with this bike, and for a moment, nostalgia washed over her.

Exhausted from overtime work, she stood there for a long while, then lifted the back of the bike and walked away holding the handlebars. She was determined to take it home today, even in the cold wind. Not wanting to hail a taxi, she carried the bike for two kilometers to Huangxing Road, where she was suddenly stopped by a traffic police assistant.

She confidently pulled out her phone. "Officer, this bike is mine. I lost it three years ago. The locks aren’t mine, but everything else is. I bought it when I was a senior in college. I have the purchase record on Xianyu. I even have photos of the scratches. It’s definitely mine. Don’t stop me—I’m taking it home today."

She said all this in one breath. The traffic policeman took out his notebook and asked, "Who said the bike isn’t yours?"

"Then why are you stopping me?"

"You’re being fined for not walking on the sidewalk."

“…”

"You were walking on the road, not the sidewalk. That’s a lane for non-motorized vehicles."

"But I was carrying the bike on that lane, wasn’t I?"

"Look again. Your feet were on the road. The wheels weren’t turning, so technically you were walking. The people passing by were all on electric bikes—do you know how dangerous that is?" The officer insisted, "Let me see your ID card."

Wasn’t this just nitpicking? She was already tired from walking, so she handed over her ID card and stood by the roadside, sweating until the cold wind dried her off. She started thinking that getting the bike back might have been bad luck, but losing it again wouldn’t be the worst thing.

"Gu Yi… did your mom give you that name on purpose?" the officer asked.

"How should I know?"

"Fifty yuan fine."

What? A fine for carrying a bicycle in the city center without using the sidewalk? The sidewalk was crowded with bikes and pedestrians. Wasn’t she using the non-motorized lane to make it easier for others to walk? A kind and decent Shanghai citizen fined for such a considerate act? In this day and age, is there a price to pay for kindness? She glared at the officer for half a minute and said:

"Thirty."

The policeman was taken aback. "Are you bargaining?"

"The last time I rode against traffic, it was only twenty. Why fifty now?"

"Walking against traffic, not using the sidewalk—they’re all fifty. Don’t push your luck."

"Thirty-five."

"If you keep this up, you’ll be coming with me to the station."

Gu Yi stared at the officer, growing angrier. In Shanghai, the two most annoying figures are the auxiliary police who catch people for traffic violations and the old men who collect parking fees on the roadside. They show up quietly to collect money, and a few dozen yuan can make people feel deeply resentful, as if their only purpose is to irritate you. Gu Yi was determined to fight this to the end. "Thirty, or I’m not leaving."

The officer looked at her and asked, "Do you still want the bike?"

After paying the fine, she took the 50-yuan invoice and continued carrying the bike. No matter how she thought about it, Gu Yi felt the fine was too much. Sitting in a convenience store, sipping cold water, she searched online and found that fines for driving against traffic or walking in the non-motorized vehicle lane ranged from 5 to 50 yuan. It was maddening. Sometimes, even drinking cold water can be bad luck.

To deal with the situation, she decided to ask her friends out for drinks. After all, you can drink whether you’re in a good mood or not. After a few rounds, she figured it was worth it to bring the bike back. Besides, she’d paid 50 yuan for the fine and 120 yuan to change the lock. The price of this second-hand Giant had increased from 280 yuan to 450 yuan, making it officially a valuable item. Thinking of this, she felt even more upset and drank more.

After getting drunk, she stood up to leave. She had work to do at the nightclub. The word "nightclub" carried a lot of connotations. She looked down at her canvas shoes and sleeveless wool vest, which looked as masculine as the rising sun.

Every cell in her body was screaming with hunger as she walked for fifteen minutes. Drunk, Gu Yi checked her bank card balance—6,500 yuan. A cold wind blew past the store she passed, and that sip of wind seemed to fill her up. It was like a moment of clarity. God knew she was hungry, so he gave her the northwest wind.

She set a short-term goal for herself: stop drinking, avoid messing around, make more money, and make everyone laugh tonight. When she reached Ounce, she saw Yu Dule standing at the ticket counter, checking IDs. He was tall and thin, wearing glasses and shivering in the cold wind, dressed in a long fur coat of average quality. He looked like a talk show host in a straw hat.

A regular at the bar recognized her: "Gu Yi!"

She grinned in response.

"You’ve had too much to drink again!"

"Don’t hit me in the face, don’t hit me in the face." She shrunk her neck and walked inside. The audience knew her well—a female alcoholic, with a reputation for delivering punchlines as soon as the show started.

In her spare time, Gu Yi was a talk show host. She was the second act tonight. She had written her script midweek but hadn’t had time to memorize it. She probably wouldn’t stick to it on stage anyway. Yu Dule had once summed up her stage style as "going with the flow, taking advantage of the situation, adjusting course with the wind, and enjoying life in the moment."

Almost the same as her.

Ounce, also known as "Ounces," is a small bar on the second floor of a house on Xiangyang North Road. The first floor houses a struggling bookstore with retro decor, sustained by alcohol sales and a bilingual talk show open mic. The owner poetically named it "Ounce" because he believed that those who’ve had a drink are deeply emotional, and the ounce of amygdala in the brain makes the soul feel lighter. The second floor is a cozy bar, with a stage like a living room, bookshelves full of books, and a real window in the background. 

The music and laughter float out of the window. During the warm-up, lounge music plays—lazy, changeable, casual, and romantic, just like the irregularly placed sofas, high stools, and a wide range of wine. It’s a place that relaxes you the moment you enter. The bar’s business is always good, and the talk shows blend into the atmosphere. Whether it’s Gu Yi or other performers, Chinese or foreign, once they step on stage, laughter fills the room, creating the vibe of a city night.

Gu Yi waited backstage, peeking through the audience, looking for someone to interact with. The front row was full of people eager to interact, some even bringing jokes to challenge the performers. A handsome guy was sitting on the right, holding his phone and staring at the bookshelf, seemingly looking at her. The light was dim, but the warm yellow glow highlighted his angular face—he was the type of handsome that couldn’t be hidden, no matter how low-key.

But she didn’t notice someone watching him from between the bookshelves. Gu Yi thought she wasn’t the type to care much about appearances, but it was impossible not to take a second look at such a handsome guy. Not appreciating it would be a waste of social resources. 

He had strong brow bones, a slightly humped nose, beautiful lips, and a square chin, but his overall features weren’t aggressive, perhaps due to the rounded top of his skull. His dark eyes and curly hair, combed back to reveal his forehead, gave him a slightly literary and melancholic look. She was easily drawn to people who seemed to have stories. Of course, he wasn’t the only one attracting attention with his good looks.

Yu Dule asked from behind, "Are you looking at the handsome guy in the first row?"

"How do you know?"

"At least ten girls have already asked for his contact information."

"So hot?"

"There are many handsome guys, but one who is not greasy and exudes coolness is rare. So many people flirt with me here, as if everyone has the desire to ruin a beautiful girl. Do you want to give it a shot too?"

"I'm not worthy," Gu Yi replied with a touch of self-mockery. She glanced at her worn canvas shoes and felt undeniably uncompetitive.

"At least you're self-aware."

"But I am funny!" Gu Yi waved her hands theatrically, brushed her temples with a flourish, and exited with a confident stride.

"Hello everyone, I'm Gu Yi, back again."

She was accustomed to the lukewarm applause from the audience.

"Is anyone here for the first time today?" Seeing more than half of the crowd raise their hands, Gu Yi smiled and remarked, "It seems that Ounce isn't a place that attracts many repeat customers."

The audience chuckled. Gu Yi casually engaged in some banter before gradually steering toward her topic. Of course, she didn’t miss the chance to interact with the handsome guy: "Are you here alone?"

He nodded.

"What brings you to a talk show? Is this your favorite way to unwind?"

“I just won the lottery.”

"Oh, I see. Usually, lottery winners bring a friend along, to create opportunities for the single folks. Why waste this ticket? Are you unpopular in life?"

Offense is the heart of comedy. But the handsome guy didn't seem the least bit embarrassed: "I didn’t think of it that way."

"For those of you in the back who might not see clearly, let me tell you, he really is handsome—and single, all by his own doing." After the laughter subsided, she smoothly transitioned back to her story: "Those who know me well are aware that I often have the worst luck. But this morning, something incredible happened. I found the bike I lost three years ago, just sitting there at the subway station, though someone had changed the locks."

Part of her comedic persona is playing up her bad luck.

"I even inspected the bike to make sure it was mine. The paint on the crossbeam was still chipped, just like when I lost it. I was furious—how could they not even bother to repaint it? To them, it's just a way to get to and from work, but to me, it’s different. That scratch happened when I was hauling props for the Top Ten Campus Singers."

"I'm going to reclaim the bike from this negligent owner. I lost it, and I’m the one who can give it the care it deserves. They wouldn’t even spend a few bucks on paint, but I’m willing to do it. So, I took the bike and left, determined to take care of it through thick and thin. But then, a cop waved me down on the sidewalk and slapped me with a fifty-dollar fine on the spot. Cupid and Yue Lao aren’t as quick as that officer. If I were looking for love, they’d have sold out standing tickets overnight."

The audience roared with laughter. The handsome guy in the first row, however, remained stone-faced. She pressed on, still chatting to herself: "Shanghai's cold really bites. I got tired after lugging the bike for a while. An old lady even stopped me at an intersection and said, 'You’re really good at unlocking bikes.' 

Little did she know, there's an Uncle Li nearby who’s a master at it! I went to him, but Uncle Li charged me 120 yuan to change the lock—he was more ruthless than the traffic police. But I paid up, figuring it was better than dragging the bike along the road. That would’ve been too embarrassing. Boys tend to steer clear of such scenes, but I’m not worried. I don't care if I have a boyfriend or not. All that matters to me is whether my bike is in good shape, if it can still be stolen, and how much I can sell it for after a fresh coat of paint."

Laughter echoed through the bar. Glancing at the first row, she found it amusing. The handsome guy hadn’t cracked a smile. How could he remain so unmoved when everyone around him was laughing?

But the show must go on.

"It’s not shameful to carry a bike down the street, but my friends would give me grief for it. When I was in college, my male classmates came up with 101 reasons why I’d stay single. Like the time I skipped breakfast and had five classes in a row.

At lunch, I finished a bowl of noodles in the cafeteria in two minutes. Then I went back to buy a bowl of wontons, and the noodle chef who swiped my meal card asked, 'Did you spill the noodles?' Or this other time, when my bike was stolen. Three years later, I saw it at the subway entrance and got fined 50 yuan for taking it away… Before I came here, I had already been scolded for drinking too much, and my bike and I have had issues for years. I thought, maybe I should make up for this long-delayed justice. Perhaps the universe dealt me bad luck so I could fully embody the funny, unlucky persona on stage and earn more money. But every time I see the performance fee, I’m hit with reality. Turns out, my precious unlucky persona is worth only 350 yuan. But that’s okay. I know many people are waiting to laugh at me, but I have an endless supply of jokes to tell."

The laughter grew so loud that Gu Yi couldn’t help but interact with the audience. Pointing at him, she said, "Hey, handsome guy, is your hearing not so good?"

The man seemed startled and pointed at himself in confusion. Gu Yi said, "Yes, you! So many people are laughing around you. I honestly thought you couldn’t hear it."

The man replied, "I can’t laugh."

"Hey man, be careful. I’ll add you on WeChat and chase after you later. I’m someone who can easily be stirred by the desire to win. Especially since you’re quite handsome."

The audience was in stitches, but the man stayed expressionless. Someone shouted, "Next one," and she quickly responded, "No, I have to keep asking him until he’s embarrassed. There has to be an outcome between us today."

“Together!”

She gave a thumbs up and added, "I’ll ask you to be the witness at the wedding in the future."

Gu Yi, who began embracing her true self at 24, was adapting to young adult life by 26. She habitually drank, read, and played games. She made friends easily and wasn’t asking for much in life. The thrill in her hadn’t faded yet. Through the gap between the bookshelves, she glanced at the man on the right side of the first row. The music during intermission pounded in her chest, and the broken beats like wind chimes in both left and right channels scrambled her thoughts. Her heartbeat was also affected. She really wanted to know the name of the song, just as she was curious about the man.

When it was time for the group photo, she walked out and sat directly on stage in front of him. She thought, at least this would count as a group photo, and she could use the picture later.

But she sighed when she saw the photo. The bartender had taken it from the center of the stage, and her face completely blocked the man—proving that the angle from which you view something directly affects the outcome.

In that performance, the woman who claimed to be the funniest at Ounce failed to make this iceberg of a man laugh. What a pity. Before the show ended, she grabbed the microphone and issued one last challenge: "Hey, handsome guy, if you have the guts, come back next time and see how I can make you laugh."

The man turned around and gave a stiff smile in response. He didn’t say whether he’d return or not.

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