After Weiran left, the room suddenly became quiet. Mei Cai and I sat in silence, facing each other. Regarding Weiran’s unexpected visit, we perhaps both had a lot to say, yet found it difficult to express. But would this lack of expression become a hidden danger in our hearts? I didn’t know. I could only console myself by thinking: during these troubled times, I should treat Mei Cai with more tolerance and understanding. Many things aren’t things she intentionally wants to happen. She also lives with many helplessness and struggles.
That morning, after I dropped Mei Cai off at her company, I returned directly to Xitang to prepare for the upcoming public welfare activity happening tomorrow. The donations we had raised during the last event had already been properly arranged by Feng, genuinely helping some poor families and elderly people living alone without any fraud.
Inside Feng’s bar, we lit up cigarettes and discussed the plan for tomorrow’s event. Feng asked me, “Tomorrow, you won’t be planning to offer free food and drinks to the tourists again, right? Last time, you lost nearly 30,000 yuan.”
“This kind of free offering can better inspire the tourists’ hearts to support public welfare. It’s nothing serious for me to suffer a little personal loss.”
Concerned, Feng suggested again, “Each time you lose several ten thousand yuan, and over the years, the loss could be terrifying… How about this time we switch to a self-service model? Each tourist pays an entrance fee of 30 yuan, and then can eat and drink freely. This way, your personal loss could be reduced.”
“There’s really no need for that. Just follow the model we used last time. As the organizer of this activity, I can’t just urge the tourists to open their wallets while I myself don’t show enough sincerity in return.”
Feng hesitated for a while, then resolutely said to me, “I’m also one of the organizers. I can’t just let you be the only one showing commitment. This time, I will provide the drinks for the event for free.”
I smiled and said, “You’ve really thought this through, right? Drinks are a major part of the event expenses, and it won’t cost less than ten thousand yuan.”
“Haha, talking like that… if we still calculate personal gains and losses when doing charity work, it would be meaningless. I should learn from you!”
I patted Feng’s shoulder. My heart was filled with joy because I had encountered such like-minded friends. When we can use our humble strength to help those vulnerable groups, our humble lives have already sparkled with the light of humanity!
…
This was another evening after a busy day. I lit a cigarette, brewed a cup of green tea, and sat on the balcony of the inn. I was deeply absorbed in watching the flowing Xitang River across from me, my thoughts surging one after another. Yet, my memory only lasted a few seconds before I could no longer remember what I had been thinking about earlier, then falling into a meaningless repetition, letting time pass so vacantly.
As night fell, a familiar figure walked into our inn again. Moments later, she arrived at the balcony and stood behind me, shouting at me with a voice full of hostility, “Zhaoyang, you shameless bastard… I specially came from Beijing to deal with you!”
I turned my head and indeed saw Leyao’s face twisted with anger. I smiled and replied, “I just heard online those people who have nothing better to do keep suspecting you’ve had plastic surgery. I really wish they could see you now—if you had surgery, your face wouldn’t be able to twist into this expression so flexibly!”
Leyao became even angrier, “Zhaoyang, you rotten, despicable thing—you can’t go a day without insulting me, can you? It must be killing you inside!”
“I’m just telling the truth. Who told those people with nothing better to do to always question whether you’ve had plastic surgery?”
“Pfft! If you were reliable, you could help me clarify this publicly as my long-time friend… Sigh! I mean, look at me, naturally beautiful, why do I have to be suspected of having plastic surgery? Isn’t that so unfair!”
Successfully diverting Leyao’s attention, I finally exhaled in relief and said, “The more famous you are, the more gossip there is. Look at how many entertainment headlines this plastic surgery incident has brought you. Your popularity is skyrocketing!”
“Then according to your logic, shouldn’t I seize the opportunity and start a romantic rumor with some male star next?”
“You’ve already mastered the art of hype. That’s totally possible!”
Without another word, Leyao kicked me from behind, sending me off the rocking chair, and shouted, “Go die! I’m an actress following an artistic path. Who needs that kind of ridiculous hype!”
“Give me a break. With your fondness for physical violence, I think you’d be better suited to be an action star. Artistic style and you don’t have a thing in common!”
Leyao squatted down and looked at me sitting on the ground, half-smiling as she said, “Actually, your suggestion just now wasn’t bad. How about I start a romantic rumor with you, you little punk? That would be way more interesting than with those male stars. At least the public would be curious—how could I, such a big celebrity, fall for you, a nobody like you!”
I patted the dust off my butt and stood up, saying, “I’m a man with a family. Only a crazy person would want to be linked with you, a second-rate little star.”
“Good, good…”
I couldn’t figure out what Leyao meant by “good,” so I used my diversion tactic again, “Actually, I think it’s pretty reasonable if you start a romantic rumor with Luoben. Isn’t he going to participate in that original music program soon? This could help him gain some publicity. Maybe he could even become a shining new star in the music industry!”
“What are you plotting? You’re making it sound like Luoben doesn’t have a family already!”
“I was just saying randomly… Since you’re here anyway, let me invite you and Zhou Zhaokun for dinner tonight. He’s still in Xitang.”
Leyao didn’t refuse. Immediately, I called Zhou Zhaokun and then the three of us went to that restaurant I had just purchased.
Even with Zhou Zhaokun joining us, Leyao continued relentlessly teasing me during the meal, obviously treating it as her own amusement. I had long become numb to it, simply drinking with Zhou Zhaokun and chatting about my vision for creating an “artistic path.”
Near the end of the dinner, Zhou Zhaokun finally started talking privately with Leyao, saying that he was interested in investing in film and television and asked Leyao to introduce some well-known directors to him.
For Leyao, this was a rare opportunity. If Zhou Zhaokun was genuinely interested in the film industry and decided to invest in making movies, Leyao would definitely be the top choice for the female lead. Zhou Zhaokun had always been a serious person, so this definitely wasn’t just a casual conversation over dinner—it was something he would actually act on. Therefore, Zhou Zhaokun might truly be a benefactor in Leyao’s life!
At this moment, I couldn’t help but think of Mei Cai. As women, who would be the benefactor to help her through her current crisis?
Certainly not me. Although I wanted to help her more than anyone else, most of the time, I could only watch helplessly and anxiously. So our lives just drifted along with the current situations we faced, powerless to change anything. Who knows when the word “stability” will finally arrive in our relationship and life.
I drank the remaining wine in my glass in one gulp, helplessly smiled, and poured myself another full glass of draft beer. In the rising foam, I seemed to see through the illusion of life once again, yearning for that crystalline city to descend, offering me guidance and a shining light.
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