TF01 22

Driving at night was a dull task. Even in the daytime, long-distance trips could make a person zone out, let alone at night when everything beyond the headlights was pitch black.

Shi Yi had the high beams on, illuminating nothing but rocky slopes and dirt roads. After a while, Ying Ming turned on the car’s audio system, and a blast of heavy metal music erupted from the speakers.

Both of them jumped.

Ying Ming quickly switched it off and ejected the CD. It was an album from a band.

“You listen to this?”

“I’ve never even touched it.”

Ever since Shi Yi got this car, he hadn’t messed with the audio system. He wasn’t someone who liked listening to music while driving, so he hadn’t given it much thought.

Ying Ming squinted at the CD in his hand. The dim lighting inside the car made it hard to see, but he could vaguely make out a band name he didn’t recognize. He tossed it into the glove compartment, then flipped through the other CDs. “There’s quite a few in here. Anything you feel like listening to?”

Shi Yi glanced at him flipping through the CDs, then suddenly thought of the song he had heard in that small theater. “Do you have ‘Tomorrow’?”

“Tomorrow?”

Ying Ming paused for a second before recalling Shi Yi’s phone call from that day.

“You mean the tune I was humming?”

“Yeah, that one.”

“I don’t have it with me.”

There was a demo CD at home, but it wasn’t something he carried around.

“Why is your band called ‘Six Periods’?” It sounded a bit odd.

Ying Ming chuckled. “Six periods. That’s an ellipsis, isn’t it?”

Shi Yi raised an eyebrow. He had assumed the name came from the band having six members, but he hadn’t expected it to mean this. He couldn’t help but smile. “That’s an interesting name. Who came up with it?”

“I did.”

“Yeah, that sounds like you.”

It fit Ying Ming’s style perfectly. Shi Yi slowed the car slightly and glanced at him. “Did you guys ever release a CD?”

“We made one ourselves, but it was just for fun. Never released it officially.”

Ying Ming hummed a few lines from “Tomorrow,” the same tune from before. Shi Yi smirked. “You guys are actually pretty good. Ever thought about going professional? A lot of signed artists these days aren’t all that great.”

“If their skills aren’t great, then they must have something else going for them.”

Ying Ming leaned lazily against the door, listening to the wind through the small crack in the window. It wasn’t cold.

Shi Yi arched an eyebrow. “So, you think they’re better than you?”

“This kind of thing isn’t about being better or worse,” Ying Ming said. “This industry isn’t as simple as being all about skill. Honestly, there are plenty of talented people out there, but very few actually make it big. A lot of what happens here isn’t how outsiders imagine it. Most people think that good-looking guys naturally get famous and beautiful women easily become stars, but that’s not the case at all. Some people don’t stand out in looks or acting skills, yet they still have audience appeal. These things are hard to predict. Like or dislike, it’s all too subjective. What you think doesn’t really count.”

Ying Ming rarely spoke this much, but once he started, he got into it. “Forget the music industry for a second. These days, no one can predict what will actually become popular anymore. Just look at how many people line up every year hoping to sign with a company. Then there are all the ones who’ve signed but are still waiting their turn to release an album. Who can really say what tomorrow will bring?”

Reality was like that. What you wanted was one thing, but whether you had the means to achieve it was another.

“You don’t seem like the type to be so pessimistic,” Shi Yi said, a little surprised.

“This isn’t pessimism,” Ying Ming glanced at him, then smiled faintly. “You have to understand the situation before you can make the right decision. If you don’t even know how deep the water is, charging in blind will only waste time and energy. And you won’t just be wasting your own.”

Some would call this knowing when to act. Others might just say it was having good judgment.

Ying Ming wasn’t someone who lacked courage, but he also wasn’t the type to run headfirst into a wall without thinking. He’d taken his fair share of falls before, enough to know that after the pain, you had to learn something from it.

That cycle of hope followed by disappointment. It was exhausting. Not everyone could handle it. A band wasn’t just one person, and each member had their own thoughts and priorities. He didn’t want to burn out their passion for music, because once that was gone, then what was the point?

Shi Yi actually agreed with that. “Knowing your own position is the first step to getting things done.”

“Exactly. My bandmates aren’t looking to be big stars. We just love music, so we get together and play. That’s good enough for us.” Sometimes they’d do small theater performances, or debut a new song at a bar. They weren’t setting the world on fire, but there were always people who appreciated their music.

That was what it was all about.

Whether it was acting or singing, in the end, all anyone really wanted was recognition. If someone acknowledged your work, then at least it hadn’t been for nothing.

“Let me know next time you guys have a show. Get me a ticket,” Shi Yi added. “VIP, of course.”

“No problem!”

Ying Ming agreed without hesitation. He glanced at Shi Yi with a smile, then pulled out a pack of cigarettes. After lighting one, he absentmindedly looked at the open glove compartment and started flipping through the CDs again. Eventually, he picked one and put it on.

It was a collection of old classics.

The songs had that decades-old feel to them, like something from another era. Shi Yi listened for a while, then nodded. “Say what you will, but older songs were just better. At least they’re easy to listen to.”

“I figured you’d like this kind of vibe.”

“Why?”

“Coming from a military family, I’d guess it’s just part of you.” Ying Ming smirked. “If they had revolutionary songs here, you’d probably be all over Honghu Lake, Waves Upon Waves or something like that.” His tone was teasing. Shi Yi glanced at him but didn’t argue.

He really hadn’t been exposed to much pop culture growing up. It could even be said that he was pretty slow when it came to keeping up with trends. When others talked about celebrities and singers, his interests lay elsewhere. While other kids were playing board games like Flying Chess and Monopoly, he was mastering Military Chess and Chinese Chess.

Old songs might be dated, but they carried a certain charm, especially while driving through the night. With those nostalgic melodies flowing in the background, neither of them spoke for a while.

It wasn’t until three songs had played that Ying Ming stretched his arms. “This is the perfect time for some red wine.”

The driver beside them shook his head. “I’m still driving, you know.”

Ying Ming shrugged. “That’s a shame, but regrets can be a good thing too. If life were too perfect, it’d be boring.”

Ups and downs were what gave life its real flavor.

Shi Yi wasn’t driving fast. The road was rough, and the constant bumps made his chest feel a little heavy. By the time the CD finished, nearly an hour had passed. Ying Ming tapped on the window. “Want to switch? This road isn’t easy to drive on.”

Driving for too long could make a person lose focus.

Night driving was especially tiring on the eyes.

Shi Yi checked the GPS, then shook his head. “It’s fine. I’ll drive a bit longer, then we’ll stop and rest. You don’t have enough experience with roads like this. It’s too risky.”

It was already dangerous enough. There was no need to take unnecessary chances. With what had happened to Dong Xiao still fresh in their minds, there was no reason to repeat history.

Ying Ming respected Shi Yi’s judgment when it came to things like this. He didn’t push any further and leaned back in his seat. “Alright, your call.”

Shi Yi was getting tired, so Ying Ming lit a cigarette for him. Since smoking while driving wasn’t ideal, he held it for him instead. When driving off-road, the most important thing was to keep a firm grip on the steering wheel because things could go sideways at any moment. Shi Yi never let go with both hands, not because he couldn’t, but because safety came first. That was something deeply ingrained in him.

After over two hours of driving, he finally pulled over. Both of them stepped out to stretch their legs and take in some fresh air.

The night breeze was a little chilly. One deep breath felt like ice settling in his chest.

The air here carried the scent of earth. Cold, but natural.

Ying Ming exhaled loudly. “This is the part where people usually let out a good yell.”

Before he even finished speaking, Shi Yi had already started.

It wasn’t just any yell. It was a full-blown roar, loud enough to roll through the barren land like a thunderclap.

Ying Ming flinched. “Damn, at least give a warning before you go full volume.”

Shi Yi grinned, flashing his teeth. “Just playing along with you.”

Then, without missing a beat, he yelled again.

Under the heavy night sky, Shi Yi kept shouting, one after another, clearly enjoying himself. Ying Ming listened for a while before laughing, kicking a rock on the ground. He banged on the car door. “Alright, knock it off. You’re loud as hell.”

Shi Yi ignored him, completely caught up in the moment.

No wonder poets liked venturing into desolate lands. Places like this really did stir something inside you. Standing here, everything seemed small. No matter how big the problem, it felt insignificant in the face of this vast emptiness.

Shi Yi kept yelling until he finally got bored. Leaning against the car, he smacked the hood. “Not bad, huh? Loud enough for you?”

“Loud? You’re brighter than the damn moon.”

Ying Ming glanced at him, then burst out laughing. Shi Yi joined in, and the two of them doubled over, laughing until their stomachs hurt. Finally, Shi Yi slapped the car door. “Damn, that felt good.”

Living in the city, you couldn’t even raise your voice in public without people looking at you funny. He had almost forgotten what it felt like to just let loose like this.

Ying Ming took another look around and nodded. “Yeah, that was pretty damn satisfying.”

Truly, a moment of absolute freedom.

They stood there for a long time, soaking it in.

Eventually, the cold started to creep in. They climbed back into the car. Shi Yi turned on the heater, lowered his seat, and the two of them sprawled out, one in the driver’s seat and the other in the passenger’s, drifting off to sleep.

Just before dozing off, Shi Yi suddenly thought of something. “Hey, you think there are wolves around here?”

It was the wilderness, after all.

Ying Ming didn’t even open his eyes. “You’ve been howling for half the night, and none showed up. Pretty sure we’re safe.”

“Fuck you.”

Both of them smirked before finally closing their eyes.