Weimanwen’s heartlessness became my burden. I didn’t know how to tell Luoben the news that she was unwilling to come and see him off, and I dreaded seeing Luoben’s despair upon learning this. Yet in this world, I couldn’t find another Weimanwen to give Luoben that final comfort.
I didn’t return to the seafood restaurant. Instead, I sat on a bench by the roadside, watching the shining sun melt the snow on the ground, gradually restoring the world to its original appearance. The world completed a cycle through alternating snowfall and sunlight. However, between Luoben and Weimanwen, there would be no such cycle anymore—only the cruelty left in the aftermath of their ended love.
Mica was the second person to leave the seafood restaurant after me. Under the glaring sunlight, she sat beside me. She still couldn’t tolerate any dirt on me, so she carefully removed a dead leaf that had landed on my scarf and then looked at me…
I didn’t respond to her gaze. Instead, I spread my arms and leaned fully back against the bench, asking her, “Can you tell me just how far the distance is between love and no love?… Is it that once one party is certain they no longer love, they can recklessly hurt the person who still loves them?”
Mica couldn’t give me an answer and thus remained silent for a long time.
I smiled bitterly, “It’s not fair to ask you this—you haven’t experienced these things. Asking you is just being unfair to you… But Weimanwen is such a bastard. Luoben is about to leave for America, and she won’t even meet him for this last time…”
But unexpectedly, Mica asked, “Why should she meet him?”
Yes, why should she meet him?… I asked myself, yet I couldn’t come up with an answer! I just stared blankly at Mica.
Finally, I changed the subject and said to Mica, “Luoben needs a sum of money for studying abroad. I don’t have that much spare cash. Can you help me arrange it?”
“Let me have Luoben’s bank account. I’ll transfer the money directly to him.”
“You won’t even ask how much it is before agreeing?”
Mica leaned her head on my shoulder, speaking softly with a hint of fatigue, “No matter how much he needs, since you’ve promised him, it’s something we must face together… You know, when it comes to money, you always keep me at arm’s length. Don’t tell me that even after we get married, we’ll still be splitting everything down the middle?”
I hugged her and smiled, saying, “Looks like you’ve made up your mind to stick with me for life!”
“Does that mean you don’t want to take responsibility for me?”
When Mica asked me this, her expression was full of seriousness and gravity. Clearly, she wasn’t treating this as playful banter. Instead, she was genuinely questioning whether she could entrust her life to me. Perhaps, just like my own anxiety and uncertainty, she also lacked confidence in facing this relationship. But her lack of confidence stirred my compassion, so I pulled her closer and said, “Taking responsibility for you will be my lifelong fortune!”
At this perfect noon, Mica and I both tacitly sought a rare tranquility here. Neither of us spoke again, sitting tightly side by side until Leyao led the girl and Weixiao out of the seafood restaurant, reminding us it was time to leave. That afternoon, our biggest gain was merely helping the girl find temporary shelter.
I thought Leyao would come over to greet us, but she didn’t. Instead, she had the girl take my car keys and drove off alone, taking the girl and Weixiao to school. Her departure seemed to silently create space for me. So I simply lay down, resting my head on Mica’s lap. Looking up through her clothes, I gazed with half-closed eyes at the sapphire sky. As her faint fragrance drifted toward me, I emptied my mind completely, momentarily forgetting all my troubles and even losing all sense of time.
Mica stroked my hair and closed her eyes to rest, but I knew she wasn’t asleep. Her thoughts were surely on the future operations of Zhuo Mei. That was just how she was—far more beautiful than ordinary women, yet also far more burdened and responsible. Perhaps that was a good thing, because Heaven had already given her so much hardship, and thus would not envy her beauty!
Finally, she asked me, “Zhaoyang, how much money does Luoben need? I’ll transfer it to him before heading to the office later.”
“One million.”
Mica nodded without questioning or hesitating. But this complete lack of concern didn’t mean that one million was truly a small sum for her—it was simply because she always believed we were one.
Wanting to tease her a little, I said, “Honey, we’re getting married soon. Shouldn’t we be transparent about our finances now?… Although I don’t have much in fixed assets, I’d really like to have a little competition with you to see who will be the financial pillar of our family in the future!”
Mica looked at me for a long time before replying, “I don’t have much money. You will be the financial pillar of our family!”
“Huh… Trying to secretly stash away some money already! Who do you think would believe you have no money?”
“What if I told you that this one million I just lent to Luoben is actually my last savings? Would you believe me?”
Looking at Mica, she didn’t seem to be joking at all. Concerned, I asked, “What do you mean?”
After hesitating for quite some time, Mica finally told me, “The inheritance left by my father, along with all the money I’ve received from Zhuo Mei over the years, has already gone to Weiran… You know that Zhuo Mei is currently in debt. It has no ability to provide a large sum to buy out Weiran’s shares. According to the contract terms, Zhuo Mei indeed has no obligation to give him this money, and I had no position from which to persuade the board of directors, so…”
“So you used all your personal savings, in Zhuo Mei’s name, to settle this debt of obligation?”
Mica shook her head, saying, “It’s not an obligation of gratitude… It’s just that I don’t want him to live too pitifully… After spending so many years with him, I know he’s not a man with strong psychological endurance. With this money, perhaps the sense of loss in his heart will be somewhat reduced!”
I didn’t speak… nor did I think much about it.
“Zhaoyang, you won’t be angry because I made this decision, will you?”
I shook my head, “Of course not. On the contrary, I fully support your decision… Since you’re in such a tight financial situation now, remember to ask me for the monthly allowance next month. Let me, your super man, handle all your expenses from now on.”
“Great! Since you’re so capable, give me my allowance now!”
I took my wallet from my pocket, divided the cash inside into two halves, and handed one half to Mica, saying, “Take it, no need to be polite with me!”
Mica took the money, then stretched out her hand again and said, “Give me a credit card too…”
I happily handed her a bank card, because I really enjoyed this kind of interaction between us. Being a bit particular about money made us seem more like a real couple living together. Although I knew Mica would soon recover financially, this could indeed become our shared joy, lasting between us.
Watching Mica put the money I had earned into her own wallet, I felt genuinely happy, feeling like I finally had some use. I even smugly had a ridiculous thought: I actually wished Mica would rely on me like this forever, never regaining her financial independence, while I would gladly work hard and strive to support her for the rest of her life!
That afternoon, Mica and I sat on the bench opposite the seafood restaurant for a long time, until nearly time for work, when we each departed…
And the moment I parted from Mica, my mood sank again. I still didn’t know how to tell Luoben about Weimanwen’s refusal to see him one last time. I really didn’t want him to leave in such a desolate way. I understood even more that the reason he still struggled to want to meet Weimanwen was because he truly couldn’t let go!
But that love, having reached a dead end, would never give him another chance again!
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage