Chapter 35: You Beast

Mi Cai drove me back to Luo Ben’s place. I hadn’t drunk much that night, so our goodbye was simple.

Mi Cai unfastened her seatbelt and said to me, “Thank you for dinner tonight. I really like that restaurant.”

“If you like it, go there often. But don’t even think about skipping the bill—I’ll bring a group of righteous people to corner you in an alley and beat you up,” I joked with Mi Cai.

“If I really did that, I’d willingly accept your punishment.”

“You’re very enlightened!”

Mi Cai didn’t say anything else. She opened the car door, got out, and looked around for a passing taxi.

I also got out and stood beside her, waiting. After a while, I nudged her playfully and said, “Hey, can we talk about something?”

“What is it?”

“Let me move back in and be your landlord again, and you be my female tenant, okay?”

“That’s a very unrealistic request! You just moved out.”

“But my longing for that house keeps increasing!”

Mi Cai resolutely said, “Forget about it. I absolutely don’t want a man living in my house.”

“But you let me stay before.”

“That’s because you begged me pitifully.”

“Then let me beg you pitifully again.”

Mi Cai didn’t seem annoyed by my persistence like she used to. She patiently told me, “It’s really inconvenient for a man and a woman to live together. There are many options in such a big city. Why do you insist on making things hard for me?”

“Then will you also refuse to live with your boyfriend? No matter who, eventually a man and a woman will end up living together.”

Mi Cai smiled faintly and said, “You’re right. That’s why I’ll only live with my boyfriend—not with you.”

Finally, an empty taxi approached. Mi Cai raised her hand to stop it, got in, and soon disappeared from my sight.

Facing the night sky, I muttered to myself, “You’re right too, but how come I feel like you’re trying to force me to become your boyfriend so we can live together properly? Remember I told Ban Da last time—you’re not my type, so please stop having those thoughts about me!”

Suddenly, I laughed at myself. What nerve I had, even daring to lie to myself!

…

Entering Luo Ben’s apartment, it was still empty, not even a television. This night was destined to be dull and boring. I pulled out a few boxes from under the bed and found a can of beer. That was pretty good. Drinking a beer, grabbing a guitar, and singing a few songs would be a decent way to pass the time.

The wind on the balcony was still blowing fiercely. I sat on the railing, holding the guitar, unmoved. I wasn’t afraid of the gusty wind, but I was afraid I wouldn’t see that “Castle in the Sky” again. So I strummed the guitar strings and sang desperately, as if calling out, as if begging—calling that distant city back into my heart, so it could settle down forever, no longer wandering.

I don’t know when Luo Ben came back. Suddenly, he handed me a cigarette from behind, then jumped up onto the railing and lit another one for himself.

I put the guitar aside, lit the cigarette, took a puff, and said to Luo Ben, “I had dinner at CC’s restaurant today.”

“Really.” Luo Ben replied mechanically.

“CC said she misses you.”

Luo Ben looked at me, remained silent for a while, and said, “I chatted with Leyao on WeChat today too.”

“Really.” I replied mechanically.

“Leyao said she misses you.”

I smiled and said, “I’m honestly passing on CC’s words to you, but you’re clearly making that up.”

Luo Ben didn’t waste words—he took out his phone from his pocket and showed me the chat history with Leyao. Indeed, there it was in black and white, solid evidence.

Suddenly, I felt at a loss for words. I took a sip of beer and after a while said, “You haven’t seen CC in a long time, right? We should all go to her restaurant together sometime.”

“Bring Leyao along too.”

“Why do you keep dragging Leyao into this?”

“Zhao Yang, my young brother, do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire!” He smiled again and said, “You should understand better than anyone that actually, a man’s heart isn’t that big. It can only hold onto the first woman. In that sense, at least we are the same kind of people.”

I shook my head and said, “Luo Ben, you and CC are actually quite suitable. At least you share the same ideals, hobbies, and values. But Leyao and I clearly belong to two different worlds. She doesn’t really like me all that much. To be precise, it was just a temporary dependence. So please don’t force such a comparison.”

“Let’s not talk about this. I’m a bit tired today. I’m going to sleep first.” Luo Ben patted my shoulder and climbed down from the railing.

I shouted after him, “Let’s plan to go to CC’s place soon.”

“We’ll see.”

Luo Ben gave me a vague answer and left. I knew he couldn’t bear to use his body to desecrate CC while his heart didn’t belong to her. After all, CC was different from those women he could casually bring home to sleep. In this regard, Luo Ben had his own principles.

Actually, I could understand Luo Ben, but I still felt a bit regretful.

…

The next day, I woke up later than usual because I didn’t need to take the bus today—Zhao Li’s car was still with me.

Arriving at the company, I barely made it to the front desk before 9 a.m. to clock in. Right after, Zhao Li also hurried out from another elevator, rushing like he was on fire wheels toward the time clock. Just as he was about to insert his card, the time ticked past 9 a.m.

Zhao Li, with a gloomy face, complained to me, “Zhao Yang, it’s all your fault! I thought I had my car, so I slept until eight, and then… sigh! My perfect attendance bonus for this month is gone!”

I tossed the car key to Zhao Li and said indifferently, “It’s just a perfect attendance bonus. What’s the big deal? Didn’t I miss mine last month too?”

“Have you ever received one since you started working?”

Zhao Li’s question made me quite unhappy. I frowned, and Zhao Li quickly changed the subject, asking, “Hey, you said you’d fill up my car with gas. Did you do it?”

Don’t worry, it’s filled to the brim.

Zhao Li finally nodded, as if gaining some psychological balance.

I added, “Oh, I found a Sinopec gas card in your car. I handed it to the gas attendant.”

Zhao Li’s face immediately changed, still holding on to the last hope, he said, “You don’t know the password!”

“It’s just Pan Xiaoyun’s (Zhao Li’s girlfriend) birthday, right? I know it.”

“Zhao Yang, you bastard!… You also stole my game equipment last time, didn’t you!”

…

After entering the office, Zhao Li continued to glare at me with the hatred of a mortal enemy, while I ignored him. The next time I needed a ride, he would still obediently hand over his little Aoto (a small car).

I was about to go to the break room to make a cup of coffee to perk myself up when I received a call from Manager Chen Jingming, asking me to come to his office immediately.

I put down my cup and went directly to Manager Chen Jingming’s office.

“Sit down,” Chen Jingming said to me while looking at some documents.

“No need to sit. Manager, if you have something to say, just say it. I’m busy.”

Chen Jingming looked up and smiled, then put down the documents and said, “I have a matter that needs your coordination.”

“Still about GUCCI?”

Chen Jingming nodded and said, “The date for the promotional poster photo shoot has changed. It’s moved to the 10th of this month. Please notify the model.”

“Didn’t we agree on the 15th? She’s not unemployed, you know. She’s not available anytime. Do you know how hard it is to coordinate the schedule with the film crew?” I replied angrily.

Chen Jingming also looked helpless and said, “GUCCI made a last-minute adjustment. The photographer has another job on the 15th, so they can only move it up to the 10th.”

“They sure have a high stance! They say which model to use, and we have to find her. They say to change the schedule, and we have to comply!” I got even angrier.

“Alright, Zhao Yang… You’re on the company’s payroll. This is a task assigned by the upper management, and you must complete it,” Chen Jingming finally said with a bit of anger.

I sarcastically replied, “So does being on the company’s payroll mean that if the company says the moon in the sky looks nice, I have to build a spaceship and bring the moon back for the company?”