Under my suggestion, Wei Manwen took out her phone and dialed Luo Ben’s number. Moments later, she informed us that Luo Ben was stuck in traffic downtown. Everyone in the circle uttered, “Oh my god,” and then resumed entertaining themselves while waiting. I was somewhat confused whether their frustration was directed at Suzhou’s frequently paralyzed traffic or Luo Ben’s tardiness.
Distracted, Leyao finally stopped holding a grudge against me for demanding production fees from her and Cao Jinfey. Instead, she asked me, “For this micro-film, who did your company hire to write the script?”
“Li Xiao.”
Leyao nodded approvingly and said, “She is a great art film screenwriter; several of her scripts have won prestigious international awards!”
I smiled and said, “You must be really looking forward to her script, right? Actually, you still love acting. You can continue acting as a hobby. Please don’t completely reject an industry and your passion.”
Leyao glanced at Cao Jinfey and asked, “Jinfey, Zhao Yang has a good point. I can treat acting as a hobby, as long as it’s not my livelihood, I won’t have to compromise and feel helpless.”
Cao Jinfey nodded thoughtfully and said, “If you like it, we can invest ourselves, start a company, and make films. As long as you’re happy, that’s what matters.”
Leyao looked serious, pondered for a moment, and said, “We can seriously consider this. After all, I’m still so young. I should find something to do. Only then can I appear as a master of life, avoiding the empty reputation of merely marrying into wealth.”
Cao Jinfey smiled, “If you like it, go ahead and do it. I’ll definitely support you wholeheartedly…”
Leyao affectionately hooked her arm with Cao Jinfey’s and responded with a happy smile. Meanwhile, I turned my head to look out the window, but I could no longer see the outside world clearly. Apparently, the mist caused by the temperature difference between the rain and the indoor and outdoor environments had already covered the transparent glass. Thus, the restaurant became increasingly bright under the lights, while the outdoor scene became increasingly blurred under the cover of night…
I finally took out my lighter and walked outside the restaurant to light a cigarette. Amidst the smoke, I couldn’t help but think about my future. With Cao Jinfey and Leyao agreeing to participate in the micro-film production, I had a premonition: my career was about to enter a phase of rapid growth. On the contrary, Mi Cai was currently facing the most serious crisis in her career. It seemed we were walking on a path of mutual decline and growth. Whether this rise and fall would affect our relationship, I couldn’t clearly express at the moment. But the fact that our communication had been decreasing was undeniable.
Looking at my friends nearby, they seemed to be running on a path representing happiness with an uplifting attitude. This made me somewhat envious, yet this envy felt so futile because the future I was yearning for felt as distant as a gentle breeze failing to brush past a light boat or a broken bridge never stepping on the remaining snow…
…
Halfway through my cigarette, Luo Ben finally emerged from the alley with his assistant. However, that guitar, which he always carried for performances, was no longer on his back. He had smashed it during the concert. This smashing marked the end of his painful past, which had now completely bid farewell to the current Luo Ben. After rising to fame with that performance, his name was destined to shine in the history of this industry.
Luo Ben sprinted towards me, clenched both hands into fists, and made a boxing move at me. I dodged instinctively and then we hugged each other. However, the cigarette in my hand hadn’t been extinguished yet, and it ended up burning a hole in his expensive motorcycle jacket. I looked at him somewhat embarrassed.
Luo Ben indifferently took off the motorcycle jacket, lit a cigarette himself, and then burned several more holes in it. After cursing “Damn it,” he casually threw it into the nearby trash can. I could tell that from yesterday’s concert until now, he was still in a state of catharsis. These years had been too difficult for him, and he needed such a release to say goodbye to the past and embrace the future.
Just as I was preparing to go inside with Luo Ben for a drinking session until we couldn’t anymore, I received a call from Jian Wei. She told me she had already prepared 350,000 yuan in cash and asked me to take Xiaojun with her to repay the money to that illegal gambling organization. This was something that couldn’t be postponed, so I immediately agreed.
Luo Ben, who had been waiting for me without going inside, asked, “What’s going on? Do you have something to do?”
“Yeah, you guys go ahead and drink.”
“Can you hold off a bit?”
I patted his shoulder and said, “It’s really not a small matter that can be postponed. Besides, isn’t drinking just a formality? Coming over to see you and offering my congratulations has already made me feel at ease.”
“Alright then, go take care of your business. If you finish and still have time, come back for a few more drinks. Brother really wants to have a drink with you.”
I nodded and then turned to walk towards the alley entrance.
…
Driving to the hotel where Xiaojun lived, I found her and Jian Wei already waiting for me in the cold wind. Dressed more warmly, Jian Wei held Xiaojun tightly to keep her from catching a chill. Yet, Jian Wei herself appeared even more frail. Since she started running the advertising company, she had become much thinner than when she first returned to the country.
I parked the car next to them and opened the doors for them. After the car started, I asked Xiaojun to dial the scarred man’s phone number from the last time he came to collect the debt. For safety, I arranged to meet him in a teahouse in the city center. Across the street from this teahouse was the Zhuo Mei shopping center, a bustling place where nothing untoward was likely to happen.
Twenty minutes later, we arrived at the teahouse. We chose a private room and waited for the scarred man to arrive. During the wait, Jian Wei handed me a handbag, telling me it contained 350,000 yuan in cash. I took it from her and felt its weight. So this was the weight of 350,000 yuan. Holding the handbag, I said to Jian Wei, “This limited edition Chanel bag alone is worth several ten thousand yuan. You’re not giving this to those people as well, are you?”
“There’s no cheaper bag than this one.”
I nodded and said, “Then you really don’t lack for 350,000 yuan. I’ll repay you when I have the money.”
Xiaojun hurriedly took out her phone, typed a message, and showed it to me: “Brother Zhaoyang, I must repay this money myself. You’ve already helped me so much. If you keep helping me like this, I won’t have the face to face you again in the future.”
I smiled and said, “We’ll talk about this later… You can see for yourself, your sister Jian Wei doesn’t really need the money. Besides, this money will eventually be paid back by those people.” I looked at Jian Wei and asked, “Right?”
Jian Wei gave Xiaojun a reassuring look and nodded. I believed that once these people were caught by the police and their illegal gains were pursued, this money would definitely be returned to Jian Wei.
While talking, Jian Wei kicked me with her foot and pointed her finger outside the window, signaling me to look. I quickly followed her indication and saw Fangyuan and Mi Lan walking out of the main entrance of Zhuo Mei shopping center together with the flow of people.
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