"You… Well, Uncle, how do you want me to prove it?" Cheng Yiran thought for a while and asked.

The old man replied in a cold voice, "Humph! You said that it is important to you, very important to you, and I want you to prove it, but you ask me on how? Is that reasonable?"

"I…"Cheng Yiran had nothing to say.

He was getting more and more anxious. As time passed, his desire to leave got stronger and stronger---His intuition told him that maybe Hong Guan's playing could help him wake up the lost ability of his to play that guitar.

It was an eager desire and it even made him believe that it would be much more difficult to get another chance if he lost the opportunity this time.

He didn't want to waste time with the weird old man here… the best way to solve this was to buy the bass at a high price.

But obviously, the weird old man intended to create trouble for him… Maybe he wanted to raise the price?

Cheng Yiran took a breath, saying, "How about this? Uncle, would you please let me know your contact information? I am a little busy now, and we can talk about the bass someday else. Please believe me that I really want to buy that bass back, the price will not be the problem."

However, the old man didn't reply, and he looked at Fish-Ball Qiang, "Boss, how much is the bill?"

The old man put a piece of money on the table, and then stood up to leave directly. He didn't glance at Cheng Yiran at all.

"Uncle, uncle! What's your contact information?" Cheng Yiran asked in a hurry.

The old man didn't turn back, saying, "I will not let you know that. You said that it is important to you, but you want to leave now. I cannot feel your sincerity."

Cheng Yiran said, "Uncle, you are older, and also experienced more than me. You should know that we have to make the decision between two things sometimes. If you were me, how will you choose if there is another important thing?"

The old man suddenly turned back, "Very important? Then let me ask you, is that related to a life?"

Cheng Yiran shook his head.

The old man continued, "Is that your wife giving birth? Relatives critically ill? Rushing to save people? Or an important trade will break up without you? And hundreds of employees of the company are relying on it?

Cheng Yiran shook his head… He couldn't tell him the real reason. But he knew that each of the situations above was quite important.

The old man said at last, "Then tell me, what is the thing that is more important than the bass? If it is reasonable, I will give the bass to you; while if it is not reasonable, then I won't sell you the bass and you won't find me again... and don't bother me anymore."

"I see." Cheng Yiran took a deep breath, "Uncle, I am not leaving, and I will not leave until you sell it to me."

The old man said cautiously, "Oh, then just follow me."

After saying this, the old man turned and left. Cheng Yiran frowned… and also followed him.

He didn't know where the old man was going to, so he just followed him in silence.

At the same time, he got more and more anxious… he was wondering if he would be able to see Hong Guan's playing in time.

His step became more and more difficult… heavier and more unsteady.

…

After walking the distance of about one street, the old man suddenly stopped. He entered an old house and let Cheng Yiran wait for him outside.

Soon, the old man came out with a bag in his hand… Cheng Yiran recognized immediately that it was just the bag that Hong Guan used for the bass. He was so happy, "Uncle, are you…"

While the old man said nothing, and he carried the bag on his back and walked toward another direction.

Cheng Yiran sighed and just followed… the bass was on the old man's back… which seemed it could be taken away easily.

Cheng Yiran was thinking about this and found that the direction was totally different from that of the gymnasium. They got farther and farther from the gymnasium.

"Uncle, where… where are you going?" Cheng Yiran walked faster to catch the old man. "We have walked for a long time, don't you intend to let me know the destination?"

"What? You are still worrying about your important thing?" the old man said, "I didn't let you follow me, if you think that the other thing is more important, just leave. Don't be reluctant and push me hard."

"I… I don't mean that." Cheng Yiran sighed and kept following.

With no destination, they walked across busy streets, as well as quiet lanes… which made Cheng Yiran quite anxious.

What's the meaning of this? It seemed that the old man did not intend to sell him the bass but just wanted to create trouble and let him give up.

At last, Cheng Yiran didn't know what he was doing.

He had the same feeling as before… when he got out from the prison, he went toward the south and left the yard of the old lane in Beijing, which was filled with pain.

He even wanted to give up playing rock… he was the first one who wanted to leave the band before another member said it out. He didn't tell anyone… or didn't know how he insisted on that all this time.

He would always raise the other member's spirits when they were low… He said that in order to make Xiaomeng's dream come true, they had to keep going---since they had made such an effort, wouldn't it be a pity if they stopped now?

No one wanted to give up halfway… and also, they were not willing to give up the effort they made before.

As well as the sweat and time.

The pain they suffered, the lonely tears they shed.

They insisted even though they knew that there was no outcome at all.

Meaningless, numbness, just a waste of time…

If he stopped now and went to see Hong Guan… maybe he could get the ability back if he appeared there when Hong Guan played the guitar. Then, he would be able to keep going with the guitar…

All these things that they guarded and chased could come true with that guitar.

Just… give it up.

'I still have time… I can catch up if we stop here---Hong Guan wouldn't know I found it… Maybe he won't blame me.'

He suddenly stopped walking.

It was the old man who stopped. He turned back slowly and yawned, and then he looked at Cheng Yiran with no expression.

"Uncle…"Cheng Yiran frowned and sighed and he was about to says that he didn't want it anymore.

The old man looked around and said, "Em, here is fine."

Cheng Yiran then realized that they had arrived at the bridge that connected both parts of the city.

At this time, the old man opened the bag and threw it into the river under the bridge with no hesitation. Cheng Yiran was shocked.

He suddenly got angry and grabbed the collar of the old man, shouted, "You f*ckin old guy!!! What do you want indeed! What do you want indeed!!!"

"Did you say that it is important to you? Then why do you not go now and find it?" the old man said calmly, "It is yours if you find it."

"Are you kidding me!!?" Cheng Yiran squeezed his fist and said, "How can I find it in such big river!!"

"Just beat me if you want." The old man said, "It will get farther while you beat me."

Ahhhh---!!!

Cheng Yiran shouted, his fist was already tough enough; he raised his fist but released it at the moment he beating the old man. Instead, he pushed the old man to the ground hard.

Cheng Yiran turned back and rushed to the railing of the bridge and ju