The car drove into that old neighborhood. I first rolled down the window to see if Betsy had moved my luggage out. To my satisfaction, there was no sign of my luggage downstairs. It seemed my warning last time had worked.  

I floated up the stairs. The room was pitch dark when I opened the door. Betsy’s room was dark too with no light coming through the crack under the door. She didn’t come back tonight, no wonder I didn’t see her car downstairs, no wonder she didn’t move my luggage out.  

It’s better she didn’t come back. I could crash here for another night. Maybe it was the only comfort Heaven gave me at the end of this day.  

After a quick wash, I lay in bed. The moment I turned off the light and closed my eyes, the world suddenly became quiet. I thought I could fall asleep soon, but some fragments kept popping up in my mind.  

These fragments were all about the past. Recalling the past brought out the emptiness and frustration of the present. I didn’t understand why David and Daisy could persevere after graduation, eventually got married, while Jessica and I ended so bleakly. What did I do wrong? I really hoped Jessica could tell me in person, but even such a simple request had become a fantasy!    

So I suffered and wasted away for two years without knowing why.  

...  

I wiped my face hard and sat up from the bed. I took down the dusty guitar from the closet that had been sealed for a long time. I wanted to sing a song, to myself...to Jessica.  

I tuned the guitar and started humming “Lost” by Coco Lee.  

"Can anyone see through this prosperity? Once again, eyes are confused.  Can anyone escape this bustle? Once again, eroding you.  Who mentioned the past? Once again, forgetting you.  Who will meet again in the next life? Once again, falling in love with you.  

I'm lost, can't find the map. This journey of love is so difficult.  

I'm lost, can't find the way back. How has the world become so numb?  

I'm lost, can't find the way I came. The people around me are like strangers.  

I'm lost, standing still, while your heart has flown far away..."

By the last line, the corners of my eyes felt warm. I was lost, really lost. I thought I had gone a long way in the past two years, but I was pacing on a map called love while her heart flew far away...

I lit up a cigarette and was about to take a puff when there was a sudden knock at the door, scaring me into nearly breaking the guitar string. There shouldn’t be anyone at home now!   

Betsy’s voice came from outside the door, “If you’re in the mood to sing, please find a place without people. This is a residential area.”

I put on my slippers and opened the door. Betsy, in a strappy nightgown, stood in front of me. Her shapely figure rivaled Daisy’s, and her pretty face was so calm in the dim light, giving her an incomparable temperament.  

“Didn’t you hear me singing I’m Lost? How can I find a place without people when I’m lost?” I said with a wry smile.  

“Sophistry!”   

I ignored Betsy’s dissatisfaction and asked, “Why are you home?”  

“I’ve been here all the time.”

“I didn’t see your car downstairs!” 

“Parked in the empty lot across the street.”  

“No wonder!” I exclaimed. I was about to close the door, afraid Betsy would mention moving out. It was almost one in the morning now. Where could I move to?

Betsy pushed the door with both hands, not letting me succeed. 

I glared at her and asked angrily, “Don’t tell me you really want me to move out at this hour?”  

“No.” Betsy paused, then said, “Weren’t you lost and wanting to sing? I can take you to a place without people so you can vent as much as you like.”

“Really? Are you that nice?” I asked warily.  

“Anyway, you’ve woken me up. If you’re still in the mood, I can be your audience.” She added after a thought, “You have a nice voice!”

I felt Betsy was taking the initiative to repair our relationship, or she was stunned by my singing, or she pitied this decadent man. Whatever the motive, I thought I could agree to her request because I was also suffering from insomnia. Let's go crazy together!

...  

A while later, Betsy changed her clothes. I was still in my pajamas with slippers, holding a guitar. We went downstairs, one after the other.  

Betsy drove her own car. I opened the passenger door and sat in the front seat, glancing around the Audi Q7 a few times. Luxury cars were nothing new, but the Q7 was my first time.  

Before I could fasten my seat belt, Betsy had already slammed the accelerator. The powerful thrust of the Q7 almost smashed me against the windshield.

"It's the middle of the night. Do you want a corpse sitting next to you?" I rubbed my sore head that had been hit and yelled at Betsy angrily.   

"It's your fault for not wearing a seat belt. Those who don't follow the rules deserve to be hit!" Betsy said indifferently.   

I pointed at Betsy, furious yet helpless, "You b**** just retaliate against me!"  

Betsy simply ignored me and kept driving without expression.  

...  

About 20 minutes later, Betsy really took me to a remote suburban wasteland where no one would come. She stopped the car, pulled up the handbrake and turned off the ignition, saying to me, "No one's here. Sing as much as you like."

"The space in the car is too small to fully express myself."  

"Then get out and sing."  

"Are you kidding me? Once I get out, you'll drive away. Where would I go to complain?" I said warily. Ever since she suddenly started the car when I didn't fasten my seat belt, I suspected she didn't have good intentions.  

"You talk too much!" Betsy said and released her seat belt, getting out of the car first with an attitude that she was frank and open while I was petty and suspicious.

I also got out of the car and stood side by side with Betsy. Looking up at the sky, I found the weather tonight was not bad, the moon was bright and the stars were sparse, and the air was also good. I had a feeling of finally escaping the bustle.  

My heart gradually calmed down. I was really grateful that Betsy was in the mood to bring me to this quiet place. I needed to vent, to vent my many dissatisfactions and discontent with reality.

I strummed the guitar and sang "Metamorphosis" by Jin Wulin first.  

After singing a song, Betsy unexpectedly applauded me and asked, "Do you also like serious music?"

"YES, it feels better to sing with more instruments." I was also a little surprised that Betsy even knew this song. Serious music was not for the masses, with a strong artistic and academic nature. Both the performer and the audience needed a certain aesthetic ability.  

Betsy nodded and said, "You're not as silly as you seem!"  

"Judging by appearance alone is your narrow-mindedness."  

Betsy did not care about my verbal sparring with her. She just said to me again, "Please continue."   

I put down the guitar and said to Betsy, "You should understand music quite well. Can you play the guitar? Sing us a song."

"I said I would be your audience. You continue."  

I nodded. On such a gloomy night, in the boundless wilderness, there was an excessively beautiful woman willing to be my audience. It was a gift from Heaven!  

Thinking of this, I suddenly felt more guilty for being so rude to Betsy before. She had actually been quite good to me, lending me money and accommodating me for an extra night. Now she accompanied me to vent my frustrations. Maybe I really should change my rude temper!

A gust of cold wind blew by. Betsy subconsciously tucked her somewhat thin clothes.  

I felt a little sorry for her and said, "Get in the car. I'll vent by myself."  

"Are you sure?"  

I nodded.  

Betsy opened the car door and sat inside but did not completely isolate herself from me. She rested her chin on one hand through the open window, seemingly eager to see what song I would sing next.

I started another song on the guitar. Just as I was concentrating, the car behind me suddenly started. I turned around abruptly. Betsy had fastened her seat belt.  

She said with a smirk, "Your voice is really good...but I have to go first. This is your punishment for not honoring your promise and being rude and unreasonable." With that, the car rushed through the night like an arrow leaving the bowstring.

"F*** you!" I took off my slippers and threw them at her car, but to no avail.  

"B****! You b****, I knew you didn't have good intentions...Taking advantage of my sympathy, watch out for a thunderbolt...F***! I'm not done with you!" I stomped anxiously, cursing Betsy incoherently as she disappeared from my sight.

...  

I have always been casual and trusting towards everyone, reluctant to be wary or defensive. Ending up like this, I deserved it!