The rain outside gradually stopped, but the wind showed no sign of abating. It blew into the room through the open window, circled around, and then carried away the last bit of warmth, leaving the room devoid of any trace of early summer.
This was the second time in my life that I found myself in a scene of silent man and weeping woman with a woman. The first time was with Leyao, and this time with Mi Cai. Yet this time, I felt particularly powerless. I didn’t know what I could do for Mi Cai, so I just sat there, staring at her until she finally stopped crying.
I lit a cigarette, feeling somewhat restless as I smoked. Then I tried to imagine myself as Mi Cai, thinking about how to solve this series of events. But I had no clue at all. Because all of Mi Cai’s strategies had been based on relying on Weiran. Now she had no way to retreat, and the path ahead might be blocked by Weiran at any moment. If there was any mistake, it was that she had put too much trust in Weiran. Right now, Weiran already had significant influence at Zhuo Mei. If he joined forces with Mi Zhongde, it would be impossible for any new investor to inject capital into Zhuo Mei. If Mi Cai wanted to get out of Weiran’s control, the only way would be to ally with Mi Zhongde to gain absolute control, forcibly terminate the cooperation with Weiran, and introduce new investors. But was that even possible?
Mi Cai, who had been silent all along, finally spoke: “Zhaoyang, will you accompany me to see Dad tomorrow morning?”
I nodded. I knew that when people feel most helpless, they instinctively think of the person who once protected them the most. At this moment, Mi Cai especially missed Mi Zhongxin.
The night was filled with gloom and anxiety. We hardly rested at all, just sitting on the sofa by the window, staring blankly at the bamboo forest outside until we finally dozed off for a short while just before dawn.
…
In the morning, the sky remained overcast. After a simple wash-up, Mi Cai and I drove to Suzhou. We bought flowers in the city and then headed to the cemetery. The sky had started drizzling again, echoing our somber mood.
Mi Cai held the bouquet while I walked beside her with an umbrella. We passed along the quiet paths until we finally reached Mi Zhongxin’s tombstone.
Mi Cai bent down and placed the flowers in front of the tombstone. She gently wiped off the mud spots on the stone with her palm and then gazed at Mi Zhongxin’s photo, neither crying nor speaking, perhaps having already said many things in her heart.
After a long while, Mi Cai finally looked at me and knelt before the tombstone, whispering, “Dad, do you see the man standing beside me? From the moment he appeared in my life, I’ve been constantly troubled. I didn’t want him in that old house, but I ended up taking him in anyway. I detested his frivolous and carefree attitude toward life, yet somehow, I became inseparable from him. Later on, we ended up together… I originally thought that once I reclaimed Zhuo Mei from Uncle, we could finally be together simply and purely. But I was wrong again… Our journey has been full of twists and turns. I’ve been tired many times, but I truly couldn’t bear to give up because beneath his unrestrained exterior lies a heart that genuinely wants to walk this path with me… What should I do? What choice should I make? Dad, can you tell me?”
After she finished speaking, Mi Cai leaned against Mi Zhongxin’s tombstone. She didn’t shed a single tear, but this wasn’t about being strong or cold-hearted. She needed to make a decision, and no serious decision had ever been made through tears.
My heart suddenly calmed down, and I recalled the moment last night when she called me “husband” at the roadside motel. No matter how things turned out between us, I would etch this moment into my heart forever.
The rain pattered against the umbrella. Mi Cai gazed at me for a long time before softly asking, “Zhaoyang, do you believe in fate?”
I didn’t know why she suddenly asked this, but I still followed my heart and nodded, saying, “Yes. We’ve always been living in a fate that was designed for us, which is why we met so coincidentally in this vast sea of people.”
Mi Cai nodded as well. Her gaze at me became resolute. She grabbed my hand and faced Mi Zhongxin’s tombstone together with me, whispering, “Let’s get married…”
My heart was in a storm, but I still calmly asked, “Is this your final decision?”
“Yes… Choose a beautiful ring and propose to me!”
“What about Zhuo Mei? Are you really ready to let it go?”
“I can’t let it go… Maybe Weiran will forgive us, letting go of Zhuo Mei… and us.”
“Okay, then let’s get married. I will propose to you with a beautiful ring.”
“When will that be?”
“When I help you firmly protect Zhuo Mei.”
Mi Cai looked at me in confusion…
I tightened my grip on her hand, smiled, and said, “How can I bear to let you struggle like this? Although my strength is limited, I want to try. I hope our marriage will be natural, not dependent on someone else’s forgiveness, living in the cracks… Most importantly, you once said I was sent by your dad to protect you, so how could I not help you protect Zhuo Mei, which is the most important part of your life!”
Mi Cai’s face no longer bore that casual indifference. In the wind and rain, she looked at me with burning eyes and tightly held my hand, asking, “Why have you changed like this?”
“You gave me confidence. What you most want to protect in your life has become my responsibility, and I will do my best!”
At this moment, Mi Cai seemed to have found a big tree that could shelter her from wind and rain. Under the umbrella, she tightly hugged me, never wanting to loosen her arms again.
…
After leaving the cemetery, Mi Cai and I sat in her car. Outside the window, the rain continued without pause, pattering against the glass. In the rhythmic sound of falling rain, I fell into deep thought. I was searching for an entry point into this incident. If Weiran could be removed and new investors found, there might still be a glimmer of hope. But was that realistic? Not to mention whether Weiran could be successfully removed, finding a capable investor with sufficient capital would be difficult. Without adequate financial support, all previous efforts toward going public would be in vain. No wonder Mi Cai felt so helpless. At this moment, Zhuo Mei was facing an unsolvable deadlock—at least for Mi Cai.
Finally, I asked Mi Cai, “How much time do you have left?”
“The listing process has already entered its third stage. Unless something major happens, there will be a result within three months.”
I finally breathed a sigh of relief. There was still some time, but this wasn’t entirely good news either. Because the same three months would also give Mi Zhongde and Weiran time to make significant moves. These three months could bring about tremendous changes, and Mi Cai, by making her choice, had already backed herself to the edge of a cliff…
…
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage