Standing on the balcony, I smoked a cigarette and decided not to go back to the room. I wanted to gaze at the sky before dawn broke and gently inhale the fragrance of the soil as it awakened with new life. I wanted to forget my immediate worries and direct my thoughts toward distant horizons. Perhaps only after calming my mind could I stand behind Mi Cai and offer her the strongest support.
I took a deep breath, returned to the room, placed Mi Cai’s phone on the cabinet, and picked up mine. After a moment of contemplation, I stepped back onto the balcony and dialed Fang Yuan’s number.
After a brief wait, Fang Yuan answered the call, somewhat surprised, asking, “Why are you calling me so early?”
I could hear him stirring eggs with chopsticks in the background. I ignored his surprise, chuckled, and asked, “You’re up early—making breakfast for Yan Yan?”
Fang Yuan also chuckled and replied, “Yeah… she’s pregnant now, and I’m not comfortable with her eating out. I have to take care of breakfast. Getting up early has already become a habit.”
I sighed, “Looks like being a soon-to-be father isn’t easy!”
“Hehe… Come on, tell me, why are you calling me so early?”
“This afternoon, after work, can you spare some time? I want to talk with you.”
Fang Yuan hesitated—it seemed he was rather busy…
I continued, “Please try to make time, okay?”
Fang Yuan has always been the most thoughtful among us guys, and my tone might have already made him realize why I wanted to meet. Therefore, I no longer heard the sound of him stirring eggs. He stopped what he was doing. After a long pause, he finally replied, “Let’s meet at the usual place after 12.”
…
After ending the call with Fang Yuan, it was 7:30 in the morning. I left the hotel and went to the most famous breakfast restaurant in Yangzhou, where I bought two sets of breakfast, preparing to share them with Mi Cai on the way.
After buying the breakfast, I took a rickshaw back to the hotel. Along the way, I experienced Yangzhou’s slow pace of life: pigeons leisurely foraging on the square, elderly people chatting and drinking tea in teahouses, and schoolchildren sitting in their parents’ cars, either looking around curiously or playing with small toys in their hands. Because of the city’s openness and tolerance, there seemed to be no trace of worries on these children. Infected by this atmosphere, I even felt reluctant to return to Suzhou and face the troubles that had to be resolved. I wished I could stay here for a while. However, this was ultimately just an unrealistic wish.
Back at the hotel, I gently opened the door and looked toward the bed. Mi Cai seemed not to have gotten up yet. However, as I approached, I noticed she was staring blankly at the ceiling, remaining silent even after I returned.
I placed the breakfast on the coffee table and sat down on the edge of the bed, forcing a cheerful smile as I asked, “Why didn’t you get up after waking up?”
She didn’t respond, so I remained silent too. Deep down, I already knew she must have seen the email announcing the failure of Zhuo Mei’s IPO. However, I would rather see her release her emotions through tears than remain silent and lost like this.
After a long silence, I finally smiled at her and said, “Actually, I really understand how you’re feeling right now. But if you think about it on a smaller scale, life’s ups and downs are just very common phenomena. We’ve been living in this world for so long that we should already have the ability to endure. I’ve always believed you have a much stronger inner spirit than ordinary people, so please be strong, okay?”
Finally, she spoke, “I’m fine.”
Still worried, I continued searching my mind for examples of failed IPOs to better comfort her. When I thought of one, I quickly said, “Look at Qiao Jiangnan—they also failed to go public, but they’re still persistently seeking new ways out. Zhang Lan even said that she might re-enter the capital market in the future. She’s a woman too, yet so strong! She’s practically an iron woman in the industry!”
Mi Cai finally looked at me and said after a long pause, “Didn’t you know Qiao Jiangnan has already started selling boxed meals?”
“Uh… That’s a sign of adapting to adversity. In fact, I think it’s a group full of resilience. The significance of selling boxed meals can be compared to the determination shown by ancient kings who slept on firewood to remind themselves of their hardships!”
Mi Cai smiled slightly and said, “You don’t have to make up examples to comfort me anymore. I was just thinking about how Zhuo Mei should move forward next. In fact, ever since Weiran’s Blue Map Group ran into crisis, I already knew the chances of Zhuo Mei going public were extremely slim.”
Her response finally eased my worries a bit. I said, “Shall I extend our room reservation for another day so you can lie in bed and think it through? I have a strong feeling that your lying in bed without even washing your face or brushing your teeth might become a legendary tale in the business world in the future!”
Mi Cai was clearly annoyed by my teasing. She turned her back to me and ignored me…
Only then did I finally let out a long sigh, deciding not to disturb her with words anymore. I went to the bathroom to squeeze toothpaste for her and started packing our luggage. I believed in her resilience—it would surely help her through this difficult time.
…
Around noon, Mi Cai and I returned to Suzhou. She went directly to the company to deal with the chain reaction caused by Zhuo Mei’s failed IPO, while I, before meeting Fang Yuan, called Yan Yan to arrange a meeting. We met at a quiet little coffee shop.
Actually, it had been a while since I last saw Yan Yan. She was already wearing maternity clothes now, and her once enviable figure had completely disappeared, giving me more material for teasing. After she sat down, I said, “Sister Yan Yan, your hips have expanded quite impressively lately! At first glance, it seems like everything below your waist has been occupied—huge! I wonder if this coffee shop even has special chairs for pregnant women!”
Yan Yan gave me a glare and said, “I really want to rip your mouth into pieces!”
“Don’t pass your bad temper onto the baby inside you… Don’t you worry that the child might be born fiery-tempered, ready to spit flames at anyone? People won’t dare to hold him without a fire extinguisher!”
Yan Yan burst into laughter, then instinctively looked at her belly with a maternal gaze, gently stroking it while filled with anticipation, she said, “I really can’t wait to see this little one… I wonder if he’ll resemble me or Fang Yuan.”
“Whoever he resembles, he’ll still be your flesh and blood!”
Yan Yan nodded and then said seriously, “Zhao Yang, you certainly didn’t call me out just to keep me company and kill time. Come on, tell me, what does your big sister need to help you with? I’ll definitely handle it properly for you.”
After a brief silence, I asked her, “Does Fang Yuan ever talk to you about work matters? Like his recent career plans or some internal affairs of Zhuo Mei.”
Clearly, my question went beyond what Yan Yan had expected. She looked at me with surprise but did not immediately answer.
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