The phone rang a few times before someone picked up. I asked, pretending to be concerned before Mi Cai could speak, “Have you taken the fever reducer and cough medicine I bought for you?”
“I did.” Mi Cai replied in a flat tone. It was indifferent, but seemed to have less hatred than before.
“Then do you feel any better?”
“A bit better.” Mi Cai replied, and then coughed again.
“Wear more clothes. You’ll recover quickly if you keep warm.” I continued to show concern.
“Why would I wear so many clothes if I’m not going out?”
Since Mi Cai had been drawn into the conversation, I finally said, “Actually, I really need you to come out here. I’m at the police station now. I got into a fight and can’t afford the fine. Could you come help me pay it?”
Mi Cai paused before asking, “You got into a fight?”
“Of course! That guy really deserved it. I beat him up to teach him a lesson about not living so recklessly!”
“It seems like you’re the one living the most recklessly!” Mi Cai shot back at me, neither agreeing nor refusing.
I anxiously asked, “So are you coming or not? Can you give me a definite answer?”
Mi Cai remained silent, a silence that seemed almost deliberate.
I anxiously pressed again, “Can you please come? … They’re about to start beating me up here!”
As soon as I finished speaking, before Mi Cai could respond, the officer lost his temper and shouted at me, “We are the People’s Police! Do you think we’re the mafia? What do you mean by ‘about to start beating me up’?”
I quickly covered the phone and whispered apologetically, “Calm down, calm down… I was just exaggerating to describe the situation, trying to get her to come help me pay the fine so I can be free and you can have less trouble, right, Officer?”
The officer gestured for me to hurry up and didn’t say anything else. I waited anxiously for Mi Cai’s reply. If she refused to come, I would have no choice but to bother Fang Yuan and his wife.
Mi Cai seemed to have made a difficult decision before asking me, “Which police station?”
I eagerly answered, “Guanqian Police Station.”
Mi Cai simply said “Okay” and hung up the phone. Her vague attitude left me anxious. Considering her previous action of abandoning me in a deserted area 30 kilometers away in the city, there was no guarantee she wouldn’t trick me again.
The officer had already left, and I was still in the interrogation room. At this moment, the cold walls around me and the words on the wall representing the dignity of the law—”Confession mitigates, resistance aggravates”—made me feel somewhat oppressed. I was desperate to leave this place, but as time passed, I began to suspect that I had been tricked again!
…
Half an hour passed, and the tightly closed door finally opened. This time, a female officer came in and said to me, “Zhaoyang? Someone has paid your fine. Take your ID card to go and register!”
Her words immediately eased my tense nerves. When I stood up from the chair, I felt somewhat weak, but my heart was finally relieved from the heaviness and oppression. She really came to rescue me from this predicament!
…
Mi Cai and I left the police station side by side, and I couldn’t help feeling as if we had been separated for a lifetime. Even the outdoor air, mixed with car exhaust fumes, seemed fresh.
Mi Cai tucked some of her disheveled hair behind her ear and covered her mouth with the back of her hand as she coughed again. She had come to help me resolve this mess despite being unwell.
I felt guilty and said to Mi Cai, “I’m really sorry about today. The fine and the money I previously owed you…” I scratched my head, feeling somewhat embarrassed, “It seems like even next week’s salary won’t be enough to pay you back!”
Mi Cai didn’t seem to care about the money. She stopped and said to me, “Since you know you’ve caused me trouble, don’t get into such trouble again in the future.”
I gave a self-deprecating smile and said, “You’ve called me a scumbag before. I need to fight, play around with women, and do it all to be a qualified scumbag, right?”
Mi Cai looked at me without saying anything. Her eyes once again showed disgust towards me. Perhaps she only thought these were stubborn words, not knowing that this was a self-mocking remark mixed with some sadness.
Mi Cai continued walking forward, and I followed her, softening my tone to discuss with her, “Actually, next week, after I get my salary, together with the money my father left for me, I should be able to pay back what I owe you. But then I won’t have any extra money to rent a house… So, what do you think? How about I pay you back first and let me stay for another month? Once I get my finances sorted out, I’ll move out.”
Mi Cai looked at me with an expression I couldn’t decipher…
As Mi Cai and I silently looked at each other, a taxi, looking as energetic as a rooster, stopped not far from us. Then the car door was opened hurriedly, and we saw Leyao getting out in a hurry with her handbag.
…
Leyao came in front of me, standing face to face with Mi Cai. The two women were of similar height. Although their clothing styles were different, both exuded unique charm. They were also rarely seen beauties, so much so that two male police officers passing by couldn’t help but take a few more glances.
“What are you doing here?” I asked in confusion.
Leyao’s voice was filled with concern and urgency as she said to me, “Lu Ben called me and said you were sent to the police station after fighting in a bar!”
“It’s okay now.” I replied in a relaxed tone.
Leyao didn’t respond to me but turned to Mi Cai and said, “Miss, could you please step aside for a moment? I need to talk to Zhaoyang privately.”
Mi Cai, who originally had no interest in staying by my side, simply nodded, walked towards her car, and then drove away.
…
This seemed to be a troublesome night, and I felt a bit irritable. Habitually, I lit a cigarette for myself.
Leyao looked in the direction Mi Cai had disappeared and asked, “Was it her who paid the fine for you?”
“It’s pretty obvious, so why bother asking?” I replied somewhat impatiently.
“What’s your relationship with her?”
“Whatever relationship you think we have, that’s what it is.” I replied evasively again.
My evasiveness and impatience made Leyao look somewhat downcast, and she fell into silence.
Halfway through smoking the cigarette, I finally said to Leyao, “Go back. It’s windy now. Your body can’t handle it because you just had surgery.”
Leyao shook her head to indicate she wouldn’t leave and asked me again, “Why did you fight? Is it because there’s something bothering you inside?”
I was taken aback. When Leyao asked me this, I couldn’t help but question myself why I had fought. I had been hanging out in the bar for two years, encountering drunkards and troublemakers of all kinds. In the past, I always chose to ignore them. Why was I unwilling to endure it today?
Although I was unwilling to admit it, this indeed had something to do with the news that Jian Wei was coming back. Before, she was far away, and those painful memories had been dormant, almost imperceptible. But when she was about to return, these pains suddenly erupted, stimulating my fragile nerves.
I looked at Leyao and heavily rubbed my face with both hands, saying, “Just consider me begging you, don’t ask anymore, okay?”
“Zhaoyang, am I really that annoying to you?” Leyao said to me with tears in her eyes.
I didn’t speak, just continued smoking. Standing in the cold wind with Leyao, we were acting out a classic scene of a silent man and a tearful woman.
After a long while, Leyao finally said to me, “I’m leaving for Hengdian next week. The production crew started filming earlier than planned.”
“Is that so? I wish you great success in your career in advance!”
Leyao looked at me with a complex expression and spoke softly, “The reason I’m telling you this isn’t to ask for your blessings. I just hope that during my absence, you can live well and at least be a little happier.”
I continued to stay silent, my heart filled with various emotions, yet I couldn’t figure out where these feelings were coming from.
Leyao took out a pen from her handbag and said to me, “Give me your hand.”
Although I didn’t know what she was going to do, I mechanically extended my hand in front of her.
Leyao wrote a phone number on my hand and said, “I’ll be in Hengdian for a long time this time. If you feel down or have something on your mind, call me at this number. We can at least chat like friends.” She paused and added, “This number is on 24 hours a day.”
I didn’t know what to say for a moment, just looking at her in silence.
Leyao put the pen back into her bag, gave me a slight smile, and said, “Next time we meet, we should say it’s been a long time… Goodbye, Zhaoyang!”
…
Watching Leyao’s retreating figure, I suddenly felt a sense of parting sadness. Perhaps even with a casual relationship, after a long time, there would still be some feelings, even though most of the time, I was really annoyed by the troubles she brought me one after another.
…
It was late, and I should go back now, but where should I go? Although I still lived in that old but warm house, I was staying there with embarrassment. If Mi Cai insisted on making me leave, where should I put all my worries, disappointments, and loneliness? Should I really leave them to this endless night?
No, I don’t want to leave. I should have a serious talk with Mi Cai. Even if I have to beg her to let me stay, I just want to properly place all these worries, disappointments, and loneliness!
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