Chapter 190: About the Future

Mi Cai nestled close to me. As I gently brushed my fingers through her dew-dampened hair, a sense of reality finally settled over me, and joy filled my heart. In that moment, all my previous worries faded away, leaving only the beauty of this fleeting moment before the flowers wither.

A breeze blew by, and I pulled her closer. Softly, she whispered in my ear, talking about the future. “Zhaoyang, what are your plans for this year?”

I thought for a moment and replied, “Now that you’re my girlfriend, of course I’ll stay in Suzhou with you.”

Mi Cai nodded, then paused before asking, “What are you planning to do then?”

I understood that she was asking about work. Without much thought, I answered, “Once the bar stabilizes, I’ll hand it back to Leyao. At this rate, it should stabilize soon, and then I’ll just find a job.”

“You definitely won’t consider Zhuo Mei, right?”

I smiled and said, “Do you want us to be constantly disturbed by endless gossip when we’re together? As long as we’re happy together, let’s not create unnecessary troubles for ourselves, okay?”

Mi Cai didn’t respond, falling silent instead.

I placed my hands on her shoulders and continued smiling, “Cheer up! You know, even if I went to Zhuo Mei, I’d just be another Fangyuan or Chen Jingming, not making much of a difference!”

“You’re different to me than they are!”

“But my abilities aren’t significantly better than theirs! The more you value me and keep me by your side, the more it shows that I need to live under your protection and glory, which isn’t what I want. Even if I live in poverty or hardship, at least I remain myself.”

Mi Cai shook her head. “When we decided to be together, everything of mine became yours, and everything of yours became mine. Why should we care about those meaningless stares?”

“You’re right—we do belong to each other, but only in heart, not in material terms…”

Mi Cai didn’t want to argue further and finally said after a long pause, “Maybe you’re right. I’ve always understood what you’re pursuing…”

Her expression made me feel a pang of guilt. I tried to comfort her, saying, “In the future, I’ll be your strongest support in daily life. Every day when you get home, I’ll cook delicious meals for you, give you a massage when you’re tired, and help you relax after a hard day’s work. Isn’t that wonderful? Why should both of us be so busy at work that we have no time for any leisure activities?”

“You say that as if you wouldn’t be busy at other companies either?”

“Well, actually, I wouldn’t. Don’t believe me? Go ask Fangyuan. Back when I worked at Baoli Department Store’s planning department, I basically coasted through. Let me tell you: I was the only one who never received the full attendance award for twenty-one consecutive months—a record unmatched in history!”

Mi Cai looked at me helplessly and finally said, “No wonder you can still smile like this. You’d have been fired already at Zhuo Mei!”

“Right! Rather than getting fired by you, I should know better and stay away. I can’t afford to be the black sheep at Zhuo Mei and embarrass you, the general manager!”

“You always have an answer!”

Although Mi Cai still looked helpless, I knew the topic about my future job had temporarily passed between us. Half-jokingly and half-seriously, I asked, “I remember you told me before that you’d only live with your boyfriend. Now can we consider moving back to the old house?”

This question seemed to make her a bit shy. Instinctively, she tidied her hair before replying, “Let’s discuss it later…”

“Don’t discuss it. How about we seize the moment and you come home with me tonight? My bed isn’t big, but it’s a double bed!”

“But your room is definitely a single room!”

“Are you mocking me for not having a girlfriend all these years?”

“Yeah, been single for quite a while now, haven’t you?”

“All that singlehood was just to accumulate strength to find the best girl. Look, I found her now. What a great girlfriend I have… Come on, let me give you a thumbs-up!” I started poking Mi Cai’s face with my fingers.

Mi Cai retaliated by playfully smacking my face with both hands. After a while, we hugged each other amidst laughter and finally lay there panting for breath. At that moment, I felt real again.

Stroking her hair and gazing at the distant sky, the fireworks seemed to outline a magnificent city. Although beautiful, it wasn’t crystal clear, nor could I expect to see the long-haired woman within it… Wait, maybe it was because I was already holding Mi Cai in my arms that I couldn’t see her?

I preferred to believe that—preferred to believe that Mi Cai was that mysterious woman I had never seen clearly in that city of dreams!

…

That night, Mi Cai and I had a hotpot meal together, and then I dropped her off at a nearby hotel close to my home. I returned home filled with joy, humming a modified version of the song “Tomorrow I’ll Marry You” as I opened the door.

“Tomorrow you’ll marry me, tomorrow you’ll marry me. If it weren’t for traffic ruining all my dreams, tomorrow you’ll marry me, tomorrow you’ll marry me. If it weren’t for you asking me, if it weren’t for you convincing me, if it weren’t for the right moment when you made my heart flutter…”

The melody flowed from my mouth, winding and drifting, so that the moment I opened the door, my dad and mom looked at me in astonishment.

Mom asked, “Zhaoyang, which girl is marrying you tomorrow?”

I put the keys into my pocket and smiled, “Nobody’s marrying me. It’s just a song.”

Mom nodded and said, “Of course not. It’s already night. You’re dreaming again!”

I stared at my mom for a long time, suddenly realizing that my sarcastic personality must have been inherited from her. Not that I minded—it was definitely better than inheriting my dad’s rigidness.

While flipping through TV channels, my dad casually asked, “Where’s Xiao Mi?”

“She’s staying at a hotel.”

My dad nodded and after a pause said, “There’s an empty room here. She can stay if she wants. It’ll save money instead of staying at a hotel.”

“She’s fine at the hotel.”

Before I could finish speaking, the phone in my pocket rang. I took out my phone and saw it was Fangyuan calling. I scolded myself for being careless. It had been years of friendship, and I hadn’t even called him to wish him a happy new year during the Spring Festival. Instead, he and Yanyan always cared more about me.

I answered Fangyuan’s call and, without waiting for him to speak, I said, “Happy New Year to you two!”

Fangyuan chuckled, “Happy New Year… How was your Spring Festival in Xuzhou?”

“Same old stuff! Oh, by the way, when are you and Yanyan coming back to Suzhou?”

“Tomorrow. What about you?”

“The day after tomorrow.”

“Alright, then let’s meet up when you come back…” He paused slightly before adding, “Xiangchen has also returned from abroad.”

For some reason, hearing the name Xiangchen made me feel a sudden sense of oppression, so much so that I couldn’t respond to Fangyuan immediately.

“Why aren’t you speaking?”

Not wanting Fangyuan to sense my discomfort, I laughed and said, “Sure, just let me know when.”

“Great! Yesterday, Yanyan and I were just talking about how we used to go to barbecues and drink beer together back in university. This time, let’s meet at a barbecue place and recapture those college days…”

Fangyuan’s words brought back memories. Those days of barbecues and beer were indeed unforgettable and beautiful for me. Back then, we’d always end up drunk, cursing and yet hugging each other’s shoulders. Now, there was a certain distance between us—especially between Xiangchen and me.

I agreed with Fangyuan, saying it was fine. He continued, “Zhaoyang, remember to bring Mi Cai along. It’ll be more lively, and no one will feel too awkward.”

I was momentarily stunned, then sighed at the power of time. I clearly remembered how I had once forced Mi Cai to pretend to be my girlfriend to accompany me to gatherings. Now she had truly become my girlfriend. I just didn’t know what feelings we would each have when I proudly held Mi Cai’s hand at the gathering.

I thought: I would keep my promise to Mi Cai, let go of all burdens, and sincerely wish Jianwei and Xiangchen happiness. I also hoped they could do the same—let go of their burdens and give me and Mi Cai their blessings!