Chen Haotian walked out of the company's main entrance and took a deep breath of the city air. A gentle evening breeze brushed against his face, carrying a hint of coolness that felt refreshing. As he walked down the bustling street, his thoughts drifted like scraps of paper blown by the wind, rising and falling in turn. The rhythm of life was always so fast, and it seemed nothing could stop the city from marching forward, not even the deepest contemplation or the heaviest questions.
Tonight, Wang Qiang had invited him out for a drink. Former college roommates, now urban white-collar workers—moments of "old friends reuniting" always stirred up a wave of emotion. Although Chen Haotian's mind was no longer entirely focused on the hustle and bustle of city life, he knew that some memories should not be easily abandoned.
As night fell, Chen Haotian arrived at the bar Wang Qiang had specified, right on time. Located in a bustling area of the city center, the bar was dimly lit, filled with loud music and the scent of alcohol and cigarettes, making for a very lively atmosphere. Wang Qiang was already sitting in a corner, wearing a crisp suit, holding a drink, and looking down at his phone.
Chen Haotian walked over and patted him on the shoulder. Wang Qiang looked up, saw Chen Haotian, and flashed a familiar smile.
"Haotian! You're here!" Wang Qiang stood up, patted Chen Haotian's shoulder with a smile, and said, "Come on, sit down and have a drink."
"Long time no see, Wang Qiang." Chen Haotian smiled faintly. After he sat down, a waiter brought over two glasses of beer. Wang Qiang raised his glass, gesturing for Chen Haotian to join him in a toast.
The two looked at each other and smiled, raising their glasses to drain them in one gulp.
"How is it? Is work going smoothly?" Wang Qiang asked, a trace of concern flashing in his eyes.
"Not bad." Chen Haotian nodded. "It's just a bit busy. There are always so many projects, and there's never any shortage of things to do."
"Yeah, the pace of work in the city is always so fast, and the competition is fierce." Wang Qiang smiled helplessly. "Still, you're so low-key, so you don't have to worry too much. Your life is pretty stable."
"Stable?" A slight flicker crossed Chen Haotian's eyes; he knew that the "stability" Wang Qiang spoke of wasn't quite the same kind he understood. "It's just a busy life, nothing more."
Wang Qiang seemed to sense the subtle shift in Chen Haotian's words. He raised an eyebrow and asked, "What's this? Any new plans lately? I heard you've been at that company for two years now—shouldn't you be considering a job change? If there's a better opportunity, you shouldn't miss it."
Chen Haotian didn't answer immediately; he simply looked down, picked up his glass, and took a small sip. A moment later, he raised his head and looked deeply at Wang Qiang. "Wang Qiang, have you ever thought about whether the things you've been chasing all this time are actually what you truly want?"
"Huh?" Wang Qiang froze slightly, as if he hadn't expected Chen Haotian to ask such a question out of nowhere. He put down his glass, looked at Chen Haotian seriously, and asked softly, "What do you mean?"
Chen Haotian was silent for a moment before saying quietly, "A lot of things we do in life aren't necessarily what we want to do, but rather things dictated by society's expectations and our families' wishes. We're always busy chasing those so-called goals, yet in the end, it's hard to find our original direction."
Wang Qiang pondered for a moment, then let out a wry smile. "You're right. Most of the time, we live our lives in such a rush that we never actually stop to think about what we really want. Every day now, I wonder: am I just chasing some illusory kind of success? Maybe I really have lost myself in the fast pace of this city."
Chen Haotian looked at him, a flicker of complex emotion passing through his eyes. He knew full well that although Wang Qiang hadn't said much, he had captured the inner confusion and bewilderment felt by so many people. Societal pressure, parental expectations, and even the gazes of those around them would gradually cause a person to lose themselves. As for himself, he had made his choice a long time ago—to let go of worldly troubles and embark on the much more solitary and lengthy path of immortal cultivation.
Yet, embarking on this path did not mean completely bidding farewell to the past. His past life and memories still lingered deep within his heart.
After three rounds of drinks, the atmosphere gradually grew more relaxed. Wang Qiang began to talk about past events, especially amusing anecdotes from their college days.
"Remember that time we all went camping in the suburbs?" Wang Qiang suddenly asked with a smile. "A few of us guys went together, and you ended up sleeping for the night before suddenly waking up in the middle of the night to tell us you heard strange noises. Back then, we all laughed at you for being a coward, but you refused to believe it and stayed awake the whole night, only to find out you actually heard something!"
Chen Haotian smiled faintly and nodded. "That time really was strange. There was clearly nothing around us, but I just felt like something wasn't right."
"I remember you saying back then that maybe you had some kind of 'perception,' that you were especially sensitive to certain things," Wang Qiang said with a chuckle. "You were acting just like an old Daoist priest, talking about how heaven's will is manifest in mysterious ways."
A stir went through Chen Haotian's heart as the scene from that night flashed in his mind. Indeed, ever since he was young, he had felt that he possessed a certain unusual perceptiveness, always sensing details in his surroundings that others failed to notice. Although he hadn't realized at the time that this might be related to immortal cultivation, looking back now, perhaps that was simply a talent deeply rooted in his soul.
"I didn't think that much about it back then; I just felt that some things could never be clearly explained," Chen Haotian said with a wry smile. "Maybe back then I had no idea at all that I had already stepped onto a different path."
Hearing this, Wang Qiang looked at Chen Haotian thoughtfully and suddenly asked, "Haotian, have you changed a bit? I remember you used to be such a realistic, material-focused guy. How come it feels like you've become somewhat detached lately? You're less and less like your old self."
Hearing this, Chen Haotian couldn't help but feel a shock run through him. Wang Qiang was right: his past self had indeed been an extremely pragmatic person whose thoughts revolved entirely around money, career, and family. You could even say that his life goals back then were essentially assigned by society—get into college, find a stable job, get married, have children, and live a steady life. But now, having stepped onto the path of immortal cultivation, he had begun to cast his gaze toward much deeper realms.
"Maybe so." Chen Haotian didn't answer directly, only offering a soft smile. "People always have to go through some changes before they can realize what they truly want."
Wang Qiang nodded thoughtfully and didn't press any further. He knew Chen Haotian seemed to have something on his mind, and he didn't want to pry. Although they used to be college friends, the paths they had chosen in life were beginning to diverge, stretching further and further apart.
"Oh, right, Haotian," Wang Qiang said, suddenly remembering something. "I'm working on a project recently that needs some data analysis support. I heard you're quite good at that sort of thing—could you help me out?"
A stir went through Chen Haotian's heart. Although he had no passion for such worldly matters, as a friend, he nodded anyway. "Alright, send me some data and I'll see if I can help."
Wang Qiang wore a grateful smile. "That's great! Haotian, you really are a good friend!"
However, right at that moment, a group of men in black suits suddenly barged into the bar. Exuding an overwhelming aura, they instantly made the atmosphere tense.
Chen Haotian couldn't help frowning; these men were clearly not ordinary people. Several leading men cast sharp gazes, scanning their surroundings as if searching for a target.
Wang Qiang seemed to notice his gaze and muttered in a low voice, "They're bodyguards for some corporation. Just ignore them."
Yet at that exact moment, one of the men walked straight toward Chen Haotian, cast a cold glance at him, and spoke in a low, threatening voice: "Chen Haotian, come with us."
Chen Haotian frowned slightly, his heart sinking. These men clearly hadn't appeared here by chance—they had come with a purpose. And he seemed to have already been dragged into an unclear storm.