I was quite surprised when Jian Wei offered advice regarding Fang Yuan, yet this advice, aside from being somewhat belated, was not entirely objective towards Fang Yuan. Of course, this isn’t to say that Fang Yuan joining Xiang Chen’s company wouldn’t be a viable path. However, since graduating from university, Fang Yuan has worked in the retail industry and already achieved notable success. Considering both the broader context and Fang Yuan’s personal circumstances, staying at Zhuo Mei remains the most appropriate decision.
Still somewhat puzzled, I asked Jian Wei, “Do you really think Fang Yuan shouldn’t stay at Zhuo Mei?”
“How I feel about it isn’t really important, because as an outsider, I can’t change any outcome… Since opportunities for us to communicate are always rare, I’d rather discuss Luku’s future development plans and the follow-up arrangements for the ‘Artistic Path’ project. So let’s continue talking about your Music Caravan plan.”
I nodded, and during the following time, we discussed more detailed aspects, such as what type of vehicle would be used for the caravan, the positioning of the band’s style, the cities to prioritize for the tour, and the direction of the short film script.
It was already nine o’clock at night when Jian Wei and I finally concluded our conversation. I then returned to the old house as quickly as I could.
…
After opening the door, I saw Mi Cai’s familiar white high heels and her handbag hanging on the coat rack. Instantly, I felt a strange sense of stability. When my emotions were filled with this sense of security, I could genuinely feel that in this city, I had a home of my own—a place where I could sink my roots deep into the soil and let them flourish.
Mi Cai was sitting on the sofa reading some documents. I looked around and noticed that she had cleaned the house and neatly arranged all the scattered items. Seeing me come in, she closed the file in her hand and walked over to me, helping me take off my coat and hang it on the rack. Then, with a gentle smile, she said, “You must be tired from work!”
Rolling up my sleeves, I returned her smile and walked toward the kitchen while asking, “Have you already cleaned all the vegetables?”
Mi Cai nodded and followed me into the kitchen. Looking at the cutting board, I saw that the vegetables she had bought were already washed and, in some cases, even cut up and ready to be cooked. What surprised me most was that many of them were my favorites. I asked, “How did you know I like these?”
“Every time Uncle Ban comes to Suzhou, he buys these. I guessed you liked them, so I remembered.”
I praised her, “Not bad! You’re starting to look like a virtuous wife and caring mother… But, why do you keep calling my dad ‘Uncle Ban’? I’ve told you more than once that my dad always mistakes ‘Uncle Ban’ for ‘my dad’…” I paused slightly before leaning closer and asking, “Be honest, you keep calling him that again and again—does it mean you’ve already been thinking about marrying into our Zhao family?”
Caught off guard by my question, Mi Cai felt somewhat embarrassed and tried to change the subject by pretending to wash her hands. I rarely found such amusement, so I wasn’t willing to let it go so easily. Persistently, I asked, “Come on, tell me, how long have you been thinking about this?”
“Oh come on, I just got used to calling him that through you!… Can you cook already? It’s almost ten o’clock!”
With a teasing smile, I finally turned on the gas stove and began stir-frying the vegetables she had already cut. As I cooked, I naturally drifted into daydreaming about the future—if every evening after work could be like this, how wonderful life would be!
…
Perhaps because it was rare for me to personally cook a home-cooked meal, both Mi Cai and I had excellent appetites that night. As for me, it goes without saying, but even Mi Cai—who usually only eats fruit for dinner—ended up eating two small bowls of rice. After washing the dishes and resting for a while, I suggested we go out for a walk. After eating so much late at night, walking would help digestion and reduce the burden on our stomachs. Mi Cai, who always maintained good living habits, readily agreed to my suggestion. After each of us went to our rooms to fetch a warm coat, we set off with umbrellas, walking westward along the community path.
On the way, we held hands under the umbrella, strolling leisurely while chatting about various aspects of life. I brought up again the idea of renovating the old house, but as usual, Mi Cai rejected it. I didn’t insist, nor did I ask for the reason. I clearly remembered her telling me that she would explain why she had bought this old house far away from the city’s hustle and bustle on the day we got married.
After walking for a while, Mi Cai suddenly stopped. Looking at me for a long while, she asked, “Zhao Yang, tell me honestly, after I go to America this time, can you stay obediently in China?”
“Eh?… Why would you be worried about that?”
“Can you?”
“Of course I can! I can be faithful even if you stay in America for a year or two, or even longer. Just go ahead and focus on your own things. I know you’ve been planning to lead Zhuo Mei into the e-commerce field after its stock market listing. Personally, I really look forward to Zhuo Mei’s future development. I have a feeling that Zhuo Mei will definitely achieve great success in the e-commerce field.”
Mi Cai smiled slightly, but after a while, she replied with a hint of sadness, “It might also fail to go public.”
“That’s unlikely, isn’t it? After all, we’ve been preparing for so long, and you were full of confidence before.”
“But the future is always full of uncertainties… As the chairman of Zhuo Mei, I clearly understand the current situation of the company. Although its profitability is currently not a problem, its main qualification does have flaws, which might ultimately become the fatal weakness that leads to the failure of its IPO.”
I hugged her tightly and comforted her, “Don’t think too much at this time. After all, nothing in this world goes perfectly. Even if the IPO eventually fails, you’re still very young and have plenty of time to prepare for the next attempt. I will definitely stand firmly by your side, supporting you.”
Mi Cai didn’t say anything but leaned closer into my arms. Her eyes told me that at this moment, she was extremely lacking in a sense of security. So I hugged her even tighter. After a long while, she finally said to me, “Maybe I’m just too impatient. I don’t want Zhuo Mei to waste away for several more years. I want to accomplish my father’s business dream as soon as possible so that I can finally make up for the debt I owe him because of my past immaturity…” As she spoke, tears began to stream down her face: “…Zhao Yang, those days when it was just the two of us, father and daughter, relying on each other were so hard. But… all I did was act selfishly toward him, never giving him what he truly wanted… I feel so guilty!”
I sighed softly, my mood becoming heavy because of Mi Cai’s sorrow. All I could do was silently pray in my heart that this trip to America would end in a perfect outcome. Only if Zhuo Mei continued to move forward could Mi Cai’s emotional knot finally be untied.
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