After I expressed my confusion about why Fangyuan had to go to the United States, Mi Cai loosened her grip on my hand and sat down on the sofa, as if pondering how to explain this matter to me.
I didn’t push her, and instead went to the kitchen to bring out the prepared late-night snack, placing it in front of her. She took the bowl from me and asked me to join her, so while the wind howled outside, we temporarily set aside that sensitive topic and found a bit of warmth in our steaming bowls of porridge.
I finished a small bowl of oatmeal shortly thereafter, but Mi Cai had barely eaten a few spoonfuls. Her appetite seemed poor. Eventually, she pushed the bowl aside, put down her spoon, and said to me, “Zhaoyang, before we talk about this matter, can you tell me what kind of person Fangyuan is in your eyes?”
Almost instinctively, I replied, “Everyone has their flaws. I don’t want to judge him, but he and I have been through many hardships together over the years. To be precise, it was he who supported me all these years. In this city, whenever I felt like I couldn’t make it anymore, it was always him who reached out and pulled me through. To me, he’s like an older brother, and this kind of bond is hard to express in words. Yet in my heart, he holds an irreplaceable place…”
My answer, which shifted the focus, made Mi Cai fall silent again. Her inner struggle finally gave me a vague realization—she probably didn’t trust Fangyuan. But this was only my guess, without real evidence. I needed Mi Cai to give me the truth, so I pressed further, “Why must Fangyuan go to the United States? He hasn’t been involved in the company’s IPO before, and he’s completely inexperienced in that area. So logically, he’s not the best candidate for going to America. Even Chen Jingming would be much more suitable!”
Mi Cai looked up at me, suddenly seeming to make a firm decision, and said resolutely, “I don’t want to explain too much about the reasons. In short, if he doesn’t go to the United States, there’s no need for him to continue staying at Zhuomei anymore.”
Her unequivocal statement immediately upset me. Although I tried to control myself, my voice still involuntarily rose slightly, “What reason could there be that you can’t tell me? For Fangyuan, this is a critical time. When family and career conflict, a truly responsible man will always choose to protect his family, because you only have one wife, and if your career fails, you can always start over!”
“I don’t oppose him starting over.”
“You…”
After asserting herself, Mi Cai fell silent again. She turned her head away, avoiding my gaze, seemingly afraid to see the expression of my impending anger. I struggled to control myself and also fell silent. All around us was the sound of wind and rain beating against the windows.
Finally, I said, “No matter what your motives are for insisting that Fangyuan must go to the United States with you, I still hope you can understand his situation. After all, Yan Yan is currently pregnant and needs someone to take care of her. Moreover, the duration of your trip to the U.S. probably won’t be short!”
“As far as I know, Yan Yan is only about a month pregnant. At this stage, she can absolutely take care of herself. Even if Fangyuan isn’t around, there are their parents on both sides, and if that’s not enough, we can always hire a nanny…”
“You don’t understand anything… At this time, what Yan Yan needs most is definitely Fangyuan himself, because some emotions can only be vented toward one’s own husband, and no one else can take his place. Yet you, so easily, want Fangyuan to go to the other side of the world, practically tearing a family apart!”
Mi Cai didn’t respond to me. I didn’t know whether she was reflecting, had other thoughts, or was still sticking to her decision.
I softened my tone and said to her, “Someday, when you yourself become a mother, I believe you will understand just how much Yan Yan needs Fangyuan right now. Even if Fangyuan and Yan Yan weren’t my friends, I would still think your decision is inappropriate. You don’t know how hard it has been for Fangyuan and Yan Yan to reach this point in their relationship. Especially Yan Yan—she has made so many sacrifices for this love that lacked material foundations. Fangyuan, as a responsible man, will absolutely not choose to go abroad while she is pregnant, even if it means leaving Zhuomei behind—he will not leave her. So why are you forcing him into such a corner?”
Mi Cai bit her lip tightly, clearly struggling internally, before finally saying, “Zhaoyang, I don’t trust him. I once investigated him, and he had an inappropriate relationship with Lanlan. Some of Zhuomei’s inner secrets you don’t know. The reason he became the executive vice president wasn’t my decision—it was Lanlan who manipulated the board and pushed for it. Otherwise, what qualifications does he have to stand on equal footing with Chen Jingming?”
“…”
Mi Cai continued, “As a leader of the company, I absolutely cannot leave behind such a potential threat while I’m away in the United States. I must minimize the risks—it’s my responsibility. So please, don’t interfere with internal company matters, okay?”
I quickly weighed things in my mind before saying to Mi Cai, “Yan Yan’s pregnancy is just an unpredictable incident. Otherwise, Fangyuan would definitely go with you to the United States. Besides, has he ever abused his power within the company? Moreover, he’s only an executive vice president with very limited authority. He simply doesn’t have the capability to threaten you. Aren’t you being a bit too suspicious in this matter?”
“I have my own judgment. Don’t say anything else… If Fangyuan really doesn’t want to go to the United States, ask him to write me a resignation letter.”
When she showed such determination again, I really felt helpless. At that moment, she felt like a stranger to me. In my understanding of her, she had never been an unfeeling woman. Perhaps this proved what someone once told me—that in her heart, Zhuomei always came first. Even if it’s just a potential threat, she would resolutely eliminate it.
Of course, Fangyuan also bears some responsibility. He shouldn’t have been infatuated with Lanlan’s youth and beauty. The impact of this twisted relationship was destined to be long-lasting. Even if he had now changed his ways, Mi Cai, who had conflicting interests with Lanlan, would not consider these things. Yet I still believed she was overly sensitive. Even Fangyuan, who had already cut ties with Lanlan, and even Lanlan herself, might not necessarily have ulterior motives toward Zhuomei, as recent interactions had already shown.
Although Zhuomei was entangled in many interest disputes, Mi Cai, Mi Lan, and even Mi Zhongde were ultimately family, bound by blood thicker than water. She shouldn’t be so resistant. Instead, she should actively seek Mi Lan’s support, which would truly benefit Zhuomei.
After a long silence, I finally said to Mi Cai, “Alright then, if you insist on thinking this way, there’s nothing I can change. I believe that even if Fangyuan leaves Zhuomei, he won’t do too badly. In fact, our Luku company is actually short on planning personnel, so I look forward to working alongside my brother again in the business world!”
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage