When I asked Wei Manwen if I could speak with her alone, she hesitated, and that hesitation precisely proved that deep down, she still wanted to understand Ruben’s reasons from years ago. I seized the moment and said, “Don’t you think it’s better to be clear about matters of the heart? At the very least, it would provide closure for both you and Ruben back then. And how you choose to proceed remains entirely in your control.”
I spoke those words so easily as an observer, yet completely ignored the fact that I had never demanded clarity from Jian Wei myself. Thus, people often tend to want others to be transparent while burying themselves in their own pain and struggles.
In the end, my words did not persuade Wei Manwen. She glanced at Zhou Hang beside her and said to me, “I’m sorry, but I really shouldn’t think about the past anymore. If you’re willing, please stay for a cup of tea, I’d be happy to have you. But if you intend to disturb my life further, please leave.”
Ruben finally spoke up, “I’d like to stay for a cup of tea.”
Wei Manwen nodded and then said to Zhou Hang, “Brother Hang, you’ll stay for tea too, right? I’ll finish my farm work shortly.”
Zhou Hang looked at our group and said to Wei Manwen, “I will always be by your side, for however long it takes.”
“Hmm.”
I examined Zhou Hang again and indeed saw a mature man before me. I then looked at Ruben, whose arm was covered in tattoos and wore a uniquely designed necklace around his neck. Deep in his bones, he was arrogant and unrestrained, even now in his thirties…
At that moment, even I began to waver. Perhaps CC, a woman who defies convention like Ruben, was truly the one meant for him. But I couldn’t make choices for Ruben, nor did I understand what he was truly thinking.
After a brief silence, Wei Manwen continued her farm work while Zhou Hang stood to her left, and the four of us—myself, Ruben, CC, and Leyao—stood to her right. No one spoke again until Wei Manwen finished her work in the fields.
…
Later, we followed Wei Manwen to her residence after she finished working. It was a very modest house, though very clean. When the villagers heard that guests had arrived, they gathered at Wei Manwen’s house, including the village chief.
Thus, under the watchful eyes of the villagers, we drank tea brewed by Wei Manwen, though the atmosphere was heavy. Despite the villagers’ hospitality, offering us many wild fruits enthusiastically, they were unaware of the situation.
The village chief didn’t seem to be addressing any of us specifically but asked, “You’re all friends from the city, right? We know Teacher Wei used to be a girl from a big city.”
CC remained very quiet. Yue Yao, a celebrity, seemed to suffer from claustrophobia and kept her sunglasses on while leaning on the table motionless when surrounded by many people. I was the only one who answered, “Yes, Teacher Wei is from Beijing, and the young man sitting next to her is from Beijing too. We’re from other cities.”
The village chief nodded repeatedly in admiration before sighing, “I wish the children here could also go out and see the world! Alas… But the village is too poor. We don’t even have a paved road connecting to the county town. It’s very difficult for the kids to attend middle or high school there!”
As soon as the village chief finished speaking, Ruben pulled out a bank card from his wallet and handed it to him, saying, “Chief, keep this card. There’s some money in it. Use it to help some of the underprivileged children with their education.”
The village chief, being naturally honest, waved his hands repeatedly and said, “That won’t do, that won’t do at all!”
Finally, Yue Yao, who had been motionless on the table, moved slightly and whispered in my ear, “This card was given to me by the film company for Ruben. It contains the payment for his work on the music last time, about 200,000 yuan!”
I looked at Ruben in shock. This should have been all his savings, yet he gave it away so easily. I couldn’t understand what had driven him to do this!
Was it that he wanted to sacrifice everything for these children in the mountains, just as Wei Manwen had done? If that were the case, he was destined to suffer, because his love ran too deep while his bond with Wei Manwen grew increasingly distant.
Ruben then placed the card in the village chief’s hand, took a piece of paper from his bag, wrote down the bank card password, and handed it over together.
The village chief was in a dilemma, not knowing whether to accept or refuse, so he looked at Wei Manwen for help.
Wei Manwen shook her head at the village chief, so he placed the card back on the table, indicating that he absolutely refused to accept it.
Ruben looked at Wei Manwen with pain in his eyes and asked in a low voice, “Why are you so cruel to me?”
“I don’t understand what you’re trying to express… It’ll be dark in a few hours. You’d better leave the mountains quickly; it’s dangerous to travel at night.”
Ruben remained silent, but his expression grew increasingly pained.
Wei Manwen then said to the village chief, “Uncle Li, you’d better find a vehicle to send them out of the mountains later. I still have to teach the children tonight and won’t have time to entertain them.”
The village chief nodded and said to a middle-aged villager behind him, “Ganzi, prepare a donkey cart quickly to send Teacher Wei’s friends out of the mountains.”
The middle-aged villager nodded and said, “I’ll do it right away.”
Finally, Ruben, at the brink of breakdown, lashed out in a frenzy. He slammed his hand heavily on the table and shouted, “Don’t move!”
This sudden outburst left Ganzi frozen in place, staring in fear at the frenzied Ruben.
Frowning at Ruben, Wei Manwen coldly said, “So this is your domineering temper… Do you always want to control everything, whether they come or go?”
Ruben’s voice dropped lower, “I just don’t want to leave like this!”
“But all I want now is for you to be a passing friend. Do you understand?”
“I understand, but what difference does that make? This village doesn’t belong to you either, Wei Manwen. What gives you the right to drive me away?”
Ruben’s response momentarily reminded me of my younger self and Mi Cai. Back then, I always used similar stubbornness to deal with Mi Cai when she tried to push me out of her house. Perhaps Ruben and I were indeed cut from the same cloth—we were the same kind of people.
Wei Manwen didn’t get angry at Ruben’s irrationality but calmly said, “No one can stop you from staying, but no one in this village will provide you with food or lodging. You won’t be able to stay.”
Ruben insisted, “That’s my problem. You don’t need to worry about it.”
“Fine, do as you please,” said Wei Manwen before turning and walking into her room, leaving behind the villagers who looked at each other in confusion and a tearful CC. She must have envied Wei Manwen, for Ruben had never been so persistent with her.
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