034 Side-Profile Silhouette—and Treasure It

I felt a surge of astonishment. Although I knew Lianpian was lively by nature, this lightning-fast pace still struck me as inconceivable. In the past, while she was cheerful and impulsive, she had never reached such lengths.

"Are you really going out on a date with him so soon? Don't you think that’s a bit rash?"

Lianpian giggled and hooked her arm through mine. "That’s why I’m asking you to come along! Just think of it as going out for fun. With you there, I won't have to worry about anything."

I looked at the excitement dancing in her eyes and couldn't help but say with a touch of bitterness, "I’m not going to be a third wheel. Besides, even if I am there, you won't even notice me." Just moments ago on the dance floor, as soon as Bill invited her, she had followed him off with sheer delight.

"Oh, don't say that." Lianpian tugged at my sleeve. "Come on, Xixi, please keep me company. You wouldn't be comfortable with me going alone, would you?"

At least she still had some sense of self-preservation to seek a companion. If she were to go off on a date with a strange man all by herself, I truly wouldn't be at ease.

Seeing my resolve waver, Lianpian continued her explanation, "Bars in Dubai aren't like those messy places back home; there are many elite professionals here. Bill is lovely and humorous, and he hasn't made any inappropriate requests. What’s the harm in going for a round of go-karting together? Plus, I've never tried it before..."

I couldn't find the words to argue. After a pause, I could only sigh, "You think too highly of Dubai."

"No, it’s even better than I imagined," Lianpian replied quite firmly.

Knowing it was futile to keep dissuading her, I finally relented. In the end, I couldn't help but remark, "If Jiayi knew about this, his heart would surely be broken."

"Jiayi isn't my type; this one is." Lianpian flicked her finger toward Bill, who was currently engaged in lively conversation. It was only then that I noticed, at some point, Lianpian’s other hand had quietly interlaced with Bill’s, their fingers tightly locked.

I offered a silent, mournful prayer for Jiayi once more.

Lianpian and I had assumed that since we were speaking in Chinese, the three men—busy drinking and chatting—wouldn't pay us any mind. To my surprise, as soon as I finished speaking, Musa looked over with curiosity and asked with genuine interest, "Are you two going go-karting?"

His clear, deep eyes, no matter when I looked into them, were like a pool of affectionate water, enough to lure anyone into an inescapable enchantment.

"Yes, with Bill." I nodded blankly, taking a moment to react. "How did you know?"

A gentle smile appeared in his eyes. "The pronunciation is similar."

I tapped my head in frustration. "Karting" was a loanword anyway; I really had asked a foolish question.

"Go-karting?" Hearing the commotion, Ayub leaned in, grinning as he patted Musa on the shoulder. "Musa is actually quite good at go-karting."

"Is that so?" Bill’s interest was piqued. As they exchanged words, they discovered that both he and Musa were members of the same Dubai go-karting club!

A bar is usually a place for romantic encounters, but since Ayub and Musa were merely there for a drink, and Bill had already won over Lianpian, the conversation turned into a meeting of minds among the three men. Lianpian and I listened with interest, chiming in every now and then, never feeling left out.

This was the first time I felt a sense of closeness where I could speak freely with Musa—a closeness that hadn't existed even when we were alone at the hotel. I knew that the next time I saw him, he would be back in that white robe, and thousands of mountains and rivers would once again stand between us. But what could I do? I could only cherish this festive celebration of Eid, greedily savoring these moments of untroubled peace.

As the lights flickered and flowed, the world seemed to fall silent. I stole a glance at his profile, and all the noise and neon lights were enveloped by the boundless night, distilled into a vibrant, heart-stirring silhouette.