Everyone accompanying Director Wang looked at me with unease, except for him. The cigarette in my hand was nearly burned down to the butt, leaving me with less and less time to think. Still unable to come up with a suitable explanation, I grew increasingly anxious, even starting to sweat from my palms.
The cigarette finally burned out. A sudden idea popped into my mind, but I hesitated immediately because it seemed too exaggerated and unconventional.
In that fleeting moment, I suddenly calmed down. I crushed the cigarette butt in the ashtray, then glanced at a glass cup next to it. With one hand, I grabbed it and smashed it onto the floor.
The loud crash was followed by complete silence. The planners and designers accompanying us were shocked and turned pale, while Jian Wei had already stood up from the sofa, staring at me in disbelief.
In the deathly quiet, I smiled and said, “We possess a boldness that other advertising agencies don’t.”
Director Wang took out a tissue to wipe the sweat from his forehead and waved away the security guards who had rushed over. Then he said to me, “Explain to me what you mean by boldness. If I’m not satisfied, you’ll have to pay me back double for that broken cup.”
I steadied myself again, still smiling, and replied, “Among the three ongoing projects of Jinding Real Estate, two are apartment-style developments, targeting primarily white-collar workers under immense work pressure. Their personal lives are long-term suppressed. They need a kind of cathartic release, like the pleasure I just experienced from smashing a glass. I believe my action qualifies as boldness. Only our advertising company, bold and fearless like a young bull unafraid of tigers, can create a promotional theme that best caters to urban white-collar workers’ consumption needs.”
“If you were to plan it, what theme would you suggest?”
My thoughts surged like a flood breaking loose, and I blurted out without hesitation, “Shatter Life, Explode with Pleasure.”
“Shatter Life, Explode with Pleasure!”
Director Wang repeated the theme I proposed and then clapped his hands, saying, “In advertising, you’re either a madman or a genius. I hope you’re the latter. Recently, the advertising agencies bidding for our projects have only offered piles of emotionless data and company credentials. I’ve been fed up with this monotonous pattern. Today, I saw in you the boldness and the madness that an advertiser should have. Our two ongoing youth apartment projects need this kind of breakthrough promotion.”
Jian Wei’s face lit up with joy as she asked, “Director Wang, does that mean you’re willing to cooperate with our company?”
“I personally would love to work with Simay Advertising, but I still need to submit it to the senior management for their decision. Leave your company’s information and previous real estate planning cases with us and wait for our notification.”
Jian Wei nodded, handing the documents to Director Wang, while my palms were already soaked with sweat.
…
After further discussing some planning ideas with Director Wang, we left Jinding Real Estate. On the way back, Jian Wei looked very excited. She said to me, “Zhaoyang, your performance just now was indeed bold, but it reflected your personality. Great job!”
I smiled without responding. It seemed that I had rarely been this audacious lately, as life had almost worn down my edges.
Jian Wei smiled back and asked, “Can you tell me what you were thinking at the moment you smashed that glass?”
“I just decided to throw caution to the wind. Since he dislikes conventionality, I gave him something thrilling!”
Jian Wei nodded, “If we successfully secure Jinding Real Estate’s annual advertising contract, you’ll definitely be credited with the primary contribution.”
“They haven’t confirmed cooperation with us yet. You should stay calm. Be careful not to expect too much, or you might end up disappointed.”
Jian Wei shook her head, “I understand Director Wang well. He will definitely push for it. With his status at Jinding Real Estate, we shouldn’t have much trouble securing the contract.”
I asked doubtfully, “You know him well? Didn’t you just have dinner together a few times?”
Jian Wei hesitated slightly before replying, “My understanding of him comes from hearsay. In this industry, there are always some rumors floating around!”
I didn’t think much about it and smiled, “If we manage to win this Jinding Real Estate account, it would truly be a case of a blind pig finding an acorn.”
Jian Wei seriously disagreed, “You’re wrong. I think it was your daring advertising spirit that convinced Director Wang!”
…
That evening, I declined Jian Wei’s invitation for dinner and returned to the old house early. Then I called Mi Cai to ask if she would come home for dinner. She confirmed she would, so I busied myself preparing a meal.
At seven o’clock in the evening, I finally finished cooking a sumptuous dinner and began waiting for Mi Cai’s return.
I sat on the sofa, watching the second hand of the wall clock go around and around. Feeling tired, I lay down and watched the minute hand complete another circle.
Unable to wait any longer, I lit another cigarette and continued my agonizing wait.
After extinguishing the cigarette, I opened a can of beer, crushed the empty can, and looked at the wall clock again. The minute hand had completed yet another circle.
Suddenly, time felt unbearably long. Mi Cai seemed to be drifting further away from me, while the images of her returning home on time became increasingly vivid. I couldn’t help but wonder: Why did it always feel like she came home on time before we started dating, but now she always delays?
Thinking further, I realized that before we dated, I always worried she would come back to the old house and kick me out, so all I could remember were the times she returned home punctually.
After we started dating, I always longed for more time with her, so I became more sensitive to her work-related delays.
In reality, she was also very busy before, and she still occasionally comes home on time now. It’s just that my focus has shifted. Thinking this way, I realized that love does indeed create distance between two people because there is too much longing and too little time together!
Another circle of the minute hand passed, and I finally fell asleep while waiting. Actually, I was quite exhausted today. If I had accepted Jian Wei’s dinner invitation and dined with a group of people, I would have been even more exhausted.
…
I don’t know how long I had been asleep when I finally felt someone nudging me. Drowsily opening my eyes, I saw Mi Cai’s beautiful yet tired face. She apologized to me, saying, “I could have been back before eight, but there was a minor safety incident at the mall, so I had to organize an emergency meeting, which delayed me… You’ve been waiting a long time, haven’t you?”
I smiled and said, “It’s okay. I’ll go heat the dishes. You quickly sit down and rest for a while.”
Mi Cai nodded apologetically and watched me carry the already cold food toward the kitchen. This was the fourth time I had reheated it.
While reheating the food, I couldn’t help but think: If I could help Jian Wei secure that business deal and earn some income, thus entering an entrepreneurial phase, wouldn’t I spend even less time with Mi Cai?
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