The next morning, I got up early. Father wasn’t affected by my breakup and still kept his weekend habit of going fishing at the reservoir. Mom might have believed there was still a chance for me to reunite with Li Xiaoyun, so she seemed quite cheerful, humming while doing housework. This made me feel guilty. I didn’t even have time for breakfast and left home quickly. Driving around aimlessly through the city, I completely forgot that Jian Wei had mentioned she would come today.
When I received Jian Wei’s call, it was already noon. She told me she had arrived at the train station and asked me to pick her up…
I rushed to the train station as quickly as possible and indeed saw Jian Wei standing under the scorching sun in the square wearing sunglasses. I bought a can of herbal tea, approached her, handed it over, and teased, “Boss Jian, hurry and thank me. Today I let you experience a taste of commoner life. I bet it’s been years since you last took a train!”
“‘Crowded’ isn’t the right word. I bought a sleeper ticket!
“For just a few hundred kilometers, is it really necessary to be so luxurious?”
Jian Wei ignored me, took out a wet wipe from her bag, wiped the sweat off her face, and looked around at this city that wasn’t entirely unfamiliar to her. Just like years ago when she first arrived here, passersby were once again drawn to her, surprised by her outstanding presence. I realized then that time hadn’t taken away her beauty, but it had taken away the feelings we once had for each other.
Finally, she said to me, “Zhaoyang, this place doesn’t seem to have changed much…”
“It has. The train station square has been rebuilt, and the Baiyun Department Store across the street was built only in recent years.”
“I mean the city’s atmosphere—it’s still so rugged!”
“That doesn’t matter much… after all, your connection with this city has always been quite shallow!”
“Shallow?” Jian Wei said, glancing toward the hotel across the street. I wasn’t sure if it was intentional, but back then when she came to Xuzhou to visit me, she had stayed at that very hotel. On that night, I stayed in her hotel room, and what I remember most vividly was how, not wanting to use condoms, we went out in the freezing cold at midnight to buy birth control pills. Thinking back, our love was indeed profound—not just in soul, but in body too!
Now, she had become the general manager of a top advertising company, while I seemed to have shed my youthful naivety and was busily working on my own career. That deep, passionate love from the past had long been swept away by the tides of time. Still, I felt a bit nostalgic, because back then our love was the purest kind—whether it was in bed or in daily life.
Back then, she had indeed given me the cleanest city imaginable—a place so pure that there was no need to think about the trivialities of the future…
Lost in my thoughts, Jian Wei asked me, “Zhaoyang, are you planning to invite me to your home for dinner, or are we just going to grab something on the street?”
“Just grab something on the street.”
Jian Wei took off her sunglasses, as if to make sure I knew she was glaring at me, “After five years, I come back to this place, and you can be this careless?”
“Didn’t you let me choose? Or am I not allowed to be practical anymore?”
“If you had even a little conscience, you wouldn’t have made such a choice!”
Seeing her feigning annoyance, I reluctantly gave in, “Okay, okay, I’m wrong. Just pick any hotel near the station, and I’ll treat you to whatever delicacies you want!”
“Look at you, acting like a nouveau riche! Who cares about your delicacies?”
“I really can’t communicate with you!”
Suddenly, Jian Wei laughed, “Alright, I’m just kidding. Even if you invited me to your house now, I’d feel it’s inappropriate—at least for now. Let’s just grab something on the street. This afternoon, we still need to talk about some serious matters.”
“Good! It’s right that you understand this…”
“Why do I suddenly feel like kicking you?”
…
After having a quick lunch with Jian Wei, I arranged for her to stay at a hotel and then drove alone to the 4S store. Using the money from selling the engagement ring and all my savings, I ordered a new Passat for Father. I felt like I had finally completed an important task. Although I knew Father probably wasn’t particularly fond of this gift, at this moment I really wanted to make up for the years of neglect I’d given them through this gesture. As for emotions and marriage, I truly lacked the ability to satisfy them now. I was still walking alone on a long, endless march!
In the evening, I arrived at the hotel where Jian Wei was staying, intending to have a serious discussion with her about the investment…
After ringing the doorbell, she opened the door wearing a thin nightgown, which made me a bit embarrassed. I suggested, “Hurry up and change clothes. Later, we’ll walk around Xuzhou and try to finalize the plans to rent a space for opening a guesthouse and bar within these two days!”
Jian Wei glanced at herself in the mirror and then asked, “Do you really mind me appearing before you dressed like this?”
“Not that revealing… If you were single, it wouldn’t matter, but now that you have a boyfriend, I should show some basic respect to both you and Xiangchen…”
Jian Wei interrupted me, “You’re willing to respect others, but that doesn’t mean others respect you in return!”
“What are you talking about… Just hurry up and change. I’ll wait for you in the hotel parking lot!”
…
A moment later, Jian Wei changed into proper clothes and came to the parking lot, got into the car, and we started chatting. She asked me, “Zhaoyang, I’d like to understand your principles for choosing a business location.”
“On the outskirts of the city, in a relatively good neighborhood. This can significantly reduce our rental costs, and we can pass on this benefit to the tourists. I think this will become a unique advantage in our business!”
“This strategy is correct and also makes full use of Uncle Yang’s advertising resources. I believe consumers will soon learn about this highly cost-effective guesthouse.”
“Yes, so Uncle Yang’s advertising resources are a crucial part of the artistic path. This is the foundation and guarantee that allows us to pursue a cost-effective business model!”
Jian Wei nodded in agreement and continued, “However, I hope you can inject cultural depth into this project. Only then can we truly create a vibrant, enduring artistic path!”
“Don’t worry, I already have some ideas on this!”
“Good, I’ll support you unconditionally. Prepare a financing proposal for me soon, and I’ll quickly arrange the initial investment for this project.”
“Thank you for your angel investment!”
Jian Wei smiled and said, “Although this is the first investment, I don’t consider it an angel investment. I believe with your ideas and Uncle Yang’s advertising support, this artistic path will soon become profitable, and I will gain both spiritual and material rewards from this project!”
“Then I’ll take your words as a good omen!”
Jian Wei smiled again, and just as we were talking, my phone rang. I slowed down the car, took the phone out of my pocket, and saw it was a call from Father.
I thought he was calling to ask if I was coming home for dinner, but instead he asked, “Zhaoyang, when are you going back to Suzhou?”
“The day after tomorrow.”
“Oh… I just received a task from my superiors. I need to attend an exhibition in Shanghai this Tuesday. I can catch a ride with you to Suzhou.”
I was taken aback. This meant Father would be traveling back with Jian Wei. I wondered if Jian Wei would feel awkward. It also seemed difficult to explain to Father why Jian Wei had come to Xuzhou. And considering his conservative and stubborn nature, would he oppose my working with Jian Wei as former lovers in a business partnership?
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