The bar called "Night" was bustling, filled with a diverse crowd of young men and women. Some gathered to drink, others danced freely, while the music blared loudly, bombarding the ears.

Lin Fan seldom visited bars. In his memory, he had only been to a bar a few times, never on his own. He had once attended a company gathering there, but Lin Fan didn't like noisy places, so he declined future invitations to such gatherings.

Since being laid off from the company and starting to deliver food, Lin Fan had distanced himself from socializing, leaving him no reason to visit bars.

Now, Lin Fan and Loli entered the bar, and the noise was still not to Lin Fan's liking.

The concert hadn't started yet, and that troubled singer had not appeared on stage.

Loli said to Lin Fan, "Find a place to sit for a while, and I'll talk to the owner to cancel the concert, and that's it."

"Okay." Lin Fan nodded.

On the way there, he had already learned from Loli about the incidents involving this troubled singer. This singer had committed a crime, had engaged in things he shouldn't have, and was imprisoned for several years.

Initially, this singer had a bit of fame, with a few well-received songs and a promising future. But one wrong step led to a thousand regrets, ruining his career.

The public severely criticized him, indeed saying that he had provoked public outrage.

Since his release from prison, he had remained in obscurity for several years, and several attempts to make a comeback had been harshly criticized by netizens, forcing him to abandon those efforts.

Furthermore, according to regulations, celebrities labeled as troubled artists find it extremely difficult to make a comeback due to the negative impact they once had on the public. Being a public figure again is not allowed, essentially leading to a factual blacklisting.

Performances like tonight's in public venues require approval and permission from the relevant authorities; otherwise, they are illegal.

After receiving a report, the police had confirmed that this performance was unauthorized, so Loli's purpose in coming here was to stop this concert.

Lin Fan went to the bar, found an empty seat, and sat down.

A waiter came over and greeted him, "Sir, would you like something to drink?"

Lin Fan smiled, "No, thanks, I'm waiting for someone."

"Alright." The waiter said and went about his business, leaving Lin Fan alone.

Lin Fan sat waiting for Loli, listening to the conversations around him with mild interest.

"Did you guys know Ye Dong is performing tonight? I'm so excited; I'm a fan of his." A nearby group of girls were chatting, and a tall, skinny girl exclaimed excitedly.

Ye Dong, that troubled singer's name, was the one Loli aimed to stop from performing tonight.

"Ye Dong? Wasn't he in trouble for something? How can he still perform?" A girl with an oval face questioned.

The tall, skinny girl replied, "He's out now, so of course he can. I like him a lot."

"But... he's a troubled artist!" The oval-faced girl said, clearly not understanding why the tall girl would still be a fan of a troubled artist. Shouldn't she unfollow him?

The tall, skinny girl said, "He's changed. Everyone makes mistakes. He made a mistake, paid for it, and now he's corrected it. What's the problem?"

"This..." The oval-faced girl was momentarily speechless.

Lin Fan furrowed his brow. The tall girl's words seemed logical. Indeed, everyone makes mistakes, and correcting them is important.

But something felt off.

"Hey handsome, are you here alone?"

Suddenly, a woman sidled up to Lin Fan, striking up a conversation.

Lin Fan hadn't seen her yet, but he caught a whiff of perfume. Looking up, he saw a woman in her thirties dressed flamboyantly, her makeup so thick it was like a wall.

"Handsome, would you mind buying me a drink?" The woman smiled charmingly, trying to present her most alluring demeanor.

Lin Fan immediately realized what she was after.

Without hesitation, Lin Fan said to the waiter, "A drink for this lady. What are you having?"

"A whiskey, please. Thank you."

The woman said, pleased with Lin Fan's accommodating nature, "Aren't you drinking, handsome?"

Lin Fan replied, "No, I have to drive tonight."

The woman giggled, "What kind of car are you driving tonight?"

Lin Fan: "..."

"Handsome, I feel we have a special connection. Don't you find it a bit noisy here? Why not go somewhere else to chat?" The woman batted her eyes at Lin Fan.

Lin Fan smiled slightly and said, "It costs money to chat with you, right?"

Lin Fan knew about the kind of job where one is paid by the hour to chat. This woman was clearly in that line of work, seeking clients by striking up conversations.

"This..." The woman was momentarily lost for words. Usually, these things are understood without being said, but Lin Fan broke the unspoken rule, leaving her unsure how to respond.

Lin Fan said, "Forget about changing places to chat; my girlfriend's here. She's a cop. You can ask her if I can go somewhere else to chat with you?"

Sure enough, Loli came over to Lin Fan and affectionately said, "It's done; we can leave now. Who's this?"

Loli glanced at the woman.

The woman was quite shaken hearing that Loli was a cop and forced a smile, "Just passing by to borrow a light, handsome. If not, that's fine."

After speaking, the woman abandoned the drink and quickly left.

Regardless of Loli's police status, given that Lin Fan had such a stunning girlfriend, he wouldn't need to chat elsewhere with her anyway.

Lin Fan ignored the woman and smiled at Loli, "Was it smooth?"

Loli replied, "Yes, I found the manager and showed him my identity. He was so scared that his expression changed and said he'd cancel Ye Dong's performance immediately."

It seemed that the situation was handled quite effortlessly. After all, the bar was at fault, trying to attract guests with a troubled singer as a risky move. Once the police arrived, they were frightened into correcting the error promptly.

A man wearing a suit and sporting a slicked-back hairstyle stepped onto the stage; he was the manager.

"Everyone, I regret to announce that due to some reasons, Ye Dong's performance tonight has to be canceled." The manager said.

What?

These words instantly provoked a strong reaction.

"What? I came here tonight just to hear Ye Dong sing, and now you're telling me it's canceled?"

"What happened? Why is it canceled?"

"What do you mean by some reasons? What exactly are they?"

People began shouting.

"Is Ye Dong sick or what? You need to be clear with everyone!" A woman shouted. Lin Fan recognized her; she was the tall, skinny girl who spoke earlier, and a Ye Dong fan, clearly emotionally agitated at this point.

The manager said, "I am truly sorry for disappointing everyone. I hope you understand."

This answer obviously did not satisfy people, and the scene turned into a clamor.

"The reason is that they won't let me perform!"

Suddenly, a voice called out, as a chubby man walked onto the stage, his face full of discontent, seemingly here to demand accountability.

This man was Ye Dong!