Chapter 407: Chapter 205: Folk Solo
Lin Shen felt a little uncertain, but he had a pretty good idea about one thing.
Namely, that Xia Nuonuoâs troubles likely had to do with her sexual orientation.
"Two Berry Forests, please."
Taking a seat at the bar, Lin Shen ordered two non-alcoholic drinks from the bartender.
Xia Nuonuo sat down next to him without saying a word.
They sat in silence, and the atmosphere grew a little awkward.
Seeing this, Lin Shen decided to be the one to break the stalemate. He planned to start with her hobbies to find some common ground.
"Your singing is really good. Was that blues?"
"Hm?"
Xia Nuonuo hadnât expected Lin Shen to be able to identify the genre of music. She looked up slightly, surprised.
"You listen to it?"
"Occasionally."
The corners of Lin Shenâs mouth lifted into a slight smile.
"I mostly listen to folk and classics. What about you?"
"Blues and rock."
Xia Nuonuo remembered the advice Luna had given her. After a moment of hesitation, she made a quiet request.
"About today... can you not tell my mom? She doesnât know I sing at bars."
"Of course."
Lin Shen shrugged.
"But I need to be sure that your singing gigs are safe, and that your daily relationships are healthy."
"Luna is a very good person."
Xia Nuonuo insisted.
"She joined the music club with me right after we started school. We play music and record songs together. Iâm positive sheâs a person of good character."
"But no matter how good her character is, you shouldnât develop *that* kind of relationship, right?"
Lin Shenâs teasing sent Xia Nuonuo into a long silence. Only after the bartender brought their drinks did she touch the cold side of the glass and murmur softly.
"Thereâs a reason for it."
"Can you tell me about it?"
"I have misandry."
COUGH, COUGHâ!
Xia Nuonuoâs words almost made Lin Shen spit out the mouthful of his drink. After a few violent coughs, he looked at her with a rather strange expression.
âHuh?â
âMisandry?â
âAre you one of those Xiaohongshu addicts?â
As if sensing Lin Shenâs doubtful gaze, Xia Nuonuo explained softly.
"Ever since I saw my dad cheating on my mom with my aunt, Iâve had this... condition. I have a physiological repulsion to anything between men and women."
"My doctor said itâs a form of psychological trauma. Itâs because my mom and dad always created this image of a perfectly happy and harmonious family for me."
"I was always living in that beautiful illusion, so I couldnât accept the reality that their relationship had long since fallen apart. The divorce happened so suddenly, without any warning, and it gave me an immense psychological shock."
"Thatâs why whenever I think about that sort of thing, I..."
Xia Nuonuo seemed to recall what had happened at home with Lin Shen and her mother the night before last. She clutched her throat and started to retch.
Seeing this, Lin Shen quickly rubbed her back gently and asked with concern.
"Are you okay?"
"Iâm fine. Iâm used to it."
Xia Nuonuo quickly drank more than half of her drink, then let out a long breath, seeming to recover.
"Whenever I think about things between men and women, I get nauseous. I retch and feel like throwing up."
"No wonder youâre with a girl, then."
Now Lin Shen understood Xia Nuonuo a little better. He even felt sympathy for what sheâd been through.
âSigh...â
âThe parents make a mistake, but the child is the one who pays the price.â
âHow tragic.â
"Does Aunt Shen know?"
"No."
"Then why arenât you willing to tell her?"
Lin Shen was a little confused.
"Since you have psychological trauma, Aunt Shen should be able to understand."
"She wouldnât."
Xia Nuonuo gave a self-deprecating laugh.
"Do you think a normal person would understand something like this? They might say they respect and understand, but deep down, theyâre full of contempt."
"The thought of my mom secretly hating me... I just..."
"How could a mother possibly hate her own daughter?"
Lin Shen smiled, poking fun at himself.
"Well, if thatâs what you think, then I guess Iâm not a normal person either, huh?"
?
Xia Nuonuoâs expression faltered. She turned to look at Lin Shenâs gentle smile, and her desolate heart suddenly stirred.
"You can understand me?"
"Whatâs not to understand?"
Lin Shen took a small sip of his drink and said casually.
"A personâs life is only about thirty thousand days long. If you think of it like a video game, our only main quests are figuring out how to get two thousand calories of food each day and finding a safe place to rest. Everything else is just a side quest for you to explore the world."
"..."
It was the first time Xia Nuonuo had ever heard someone describe life that way. In an instant, she felt as if sheâd reached a new level of clarity, and the dullness in her eyes was replaced by a vibrant light.
âThatâs right!â
âWhy should I let other peopleâs attitudes define my life?â
âAs long as Iâm not breaking the law, disturbing social order, or interfering with other peopleâs lives, how I choose to live is my own business!â
"Thank you."
Xia Nuonuo thanked him in a low voice, her opinion of Lin Shen beginning to change.
Before, she hadnât approved of Lin Shen being with her mother.
First, because their age gap was too large, which would easily lead to gossip.
Second, Xia Nuonuo felt that Lin Shen wasnât sincerely with her mother.
Given his status and family background, there was no shortage of women around him, she figured.
âFor example, his motive for coming to a quiet bar like this is definitely not pure!â
The mere thought of it made Xia Nuonuo feel sick. She felt Lin Shen was just like her fatherâa philandering playboy.
But Lin Shenâs gentle guidance made it impossible for her to feel annoyed with him at that moment. She thought that, at the very least, he wasnât a bad person at heart.
These two completely contradictory feelings intertwined, leaving Xia Nuonuo bewildered and unsure of how she should treat Lin Shen.
So she kept sipping her drink, and finally asked tentatively.
"Did you come to this bar by yourself?"
"No."
Seeing that Xia Nuonuoâs glass was nearly empty, Lin Shen ordered two more from the bartender, then said softly.