Chapter 144: For the Sake of Life

At 1:50 PM, Fangyuan and I arrived at the teahouse first. Almost at the same time, Chen Jingming also arrived by car.

A moment later, Chen Jingming stepped out of the car after removing his sunglasses. Fangyuan and I walked toward him from front and back.

At that moment, I believed Chen Jingming had already learned the truth about that past incident. Feeling somewhat apologetic, I greeted him and said, “Manager Chen… about the Zhuomei incident last time…”

Before I could finish, Chen Jingming smiled and interrupted, “You don’t need to explain to me. Fangyuan has already told me everything… Misfortune may be the mother of good fortune. At my age, I’ve already figured out many things!”

Although Chen Jingming didn’t seem to care much, I still apologized to him with a sense of guilt.

Chen Jingming patted my shoulder and didn’t say anything else. Then the three men looked toward the direction from which Mi Cai would appear.

Promptly at 2:00 PM, Mi Cai showed up in front of us driving her red Audi Q7. Fangyuan and Chen Jingming instinctively became more formal, after all, Mi Cai was someone they had to look up to in the industry.

Finally, Mi Cai opened the car door, took her white Chanel handbag, and stepped out wearing a business suit. With their rich work experience, Fangyuan and Chen Jingming almost simultaneously approached Mi Cai with humble smiles.

Unlike them, I had always been used to quarreling with Mi Cai and never subconsciously viewed her as a CEO, so I approached her half a beat later along with Fangyuan and Chen Jingming.

“President Mi, it’s a great honor to meet you.”

Mi Cai responded with a professional smile and extended her hand to Chen Jingming, saying, “You are a senior in the department store industry. It’s my honor to meet you!”

Chen Jingming probably hadn’t expected Mi Cai to be so humble and approachable. He hesitated for a moment before shaking her hand. Then Fangyuan also shook hands with Mi Cai, completing the professional greeting etiquette.

As the intermediary, I said to the three of them, “It’s quite windy outside. Let’s go inside to talk over tea.”

Chen Jingming and Fangyuan nodded. Unexpectedly, Mi Cai asked me, “Are you going in too?”

“Huh?… I don’t need to go in?”

“This is an internal matter of Zhuomei, so it’s not quite suitable for you to participate.”

Looking at Mi Cai’s serious expression, I thought she made sense since trade secrets from both sides might be involved during the negotiations. I smiled and said to the three of them, “Then you guys talk. I’ll go to the coffee shop across the street and wait.”

…

I ordered a cup of coffee and sat in the coffee shop. Although I was concerned about the outcome of their meeting, I had to wait patiently.

Feeling bored while waiting, I finally thought of Jian Wei. I wanted to ask how she was doing. If the funds for starting the advertising company were really in urgent need, I must find a way to repay the 500,000 she had lent me.

I found Jian Wei’s number and called her. She answered after a long time, saying, “It’s hard to imagine you calling me on your own initiative.”

I hesitated for a moment and asked, “Are you in Shanghai now?”

“Hmm, anything wrong?”

“I heard from Yanyan that you are raising funds for the advertising company. Uh… if you are in a hurry, I can try to repay that 500,000 soon?”

“How will you repay it? By borrowing from that Mi Cai again?”

Jian Wei’s sharp tone startled me a little, and I replied after a while, “I’ll eventually find a way, not necessarily borrowing from her!”

“My affairs don’t need your concern. Raising funds for an advertising company isn’t a big problem for me.”

“Really? Then at least tell me how you plan to get this money?” I was afraid she might go down the same path as Leyao, so I asked again.

But Jian Wei seemed unwilling to discuss this. After a silence, she finally said impatiently, “Some of my friends who studied in the U.S. are in investment. I can get funding from them. I wonder if this answer satisfies you?”

I didn’t doubt the truthfulness of her words because the social class she belonged to naturally made it easier for her to raise startup capital. Not to mention investments, with her father’s status in the industry, even if someone lent her a couple of million, they wouldn’t worry about her inability to repay.

But her usual dominance made me feel oppressed, so I remained silent.

She softened her tone and said to me, “Zhaoyang, I lent you that 500,000 not to solve your immediate problems, but because I hoped you could live more easily and freely, to be your true self. So you don’t need to rush to repay it, and I’m definitely capable of handling this startup funding.”

Her words made me feel disappointed. I realized even more how insecure my life had become. After all, I was just a man clinging to the help of my ex-girlfriend, struggling at the edge of survival to build my career.

But what could I do? Society is so realistic. Only a tiny minority can become rich overnight. All I could do was keep moving forward step by step, compromising and hoping for a distant future.

Finally, I said to Jian Wei, “Still, thank you. But the money you lent me hasn’t made me feel easy or free. Instead, it’s a burden. After all, I’m a man who longs for success and rise, but definitely not based on your charity… I will strive to repay this money.”

This time it was Jian Wei’s turn to fall silent. After a long pause, she asked in a low voice, “Zhaoyang, I really want to know, who gave you this kind of motivation and desire to strive upward now?”

To me, this question felt like an interrogation. Actually, I had had this kind of motivation and desire a long time ago, but back then, it was for her… Now, regaining this drive was for life itself, not for someone specific.

I exhaled the accumulated depression in my heart heavily and smiled at Jian Wei, saying, “…It’s life that gave me this kind of motivation and desire!”

…

After ending the call with Jian Wei, I unexpectedly noticed a beam of afternoon sunlight reflecting on the glass table in front of me at some point, making the table look crystal clear. Then in a moment of daze, I saw the reflection of that Sky City. Its appearance suddenly blurred the real world in front of me, so I briefly enjoyed that sense of ease and freedom.

Accompanied by the aroma of coffee, I thought: this was really a pretty good afternoon. If Fangyuan and Chen Jingming’s job transfer matters could also be settled in such a pleasant afternoon, that would be even better!

I took another sip of coffee and looked toward the teahouse across the street. I don’t know how long I had been staring when I finally saw Mi Cai, Chen Jingming, and Fangyuan come out of the teahouse one after another.

I felt somewhat nervous and hopeful. Immediately, I ran downstairs from the coffee shop, crossed the busy street, and came to stand in front of them.

I asked Fangyuan first, “How did it go?”

Fangyuan replied excitedly, “Thank you very much for the opportunity, President Mi.”

I looked at Mi Cai, but she remained calm without showing any special emotion. After nodding to Fangyuan and Chen Jingming, she walked toward her car.

Fangyuan lowered his voice and said to me, “President Mi has promised that Manager Chen can serve as the Executive Vice President of Suzhou Joy City Shopping Center!”

I felt genuinely happy for Chen Jingming because this position had been his long-cherished dream at Poly Department Store.

I asked Fangyuan again, “What about you?”

“I’ll be the Planning Department Manager.”

Once again, I felt happy for Fangyuan. But in my heart, I was puzzled how Mi Cai could easily offer these two crucial positions. Was there really no resistance at all? Also, previously, she had asked me to wait a week before arranging the meeting with Fangyuan and Chen Jingming—what was her intention?

Thinking of this, I hurriedly said goodbye to Chen Jingming and Fangyuan, then shouted toward Mi Cai, who had already opened her car door, “Wait for me. I’ll ride back with you.”

As I ran quickly toward Mi Cai, the desire to figure out these questions became even stronger in my heart!