Chapter 764: A Letter for Mi Cai

Today, I was invited to attend the groundbreaking ceremony of a tourism project in Sanya. In the afternoon, I flew back from Sanya to Shanghai, and on a whim, I stopped by the hospital to visit Jian Wei, who was still undergoing treatment.

This time, I didn’t see Jian Wei in her hospital room, but rather in a small garden beside the hospital plaza. She was sitting in a wheelchair, and Mo Zishi was slowly pushing her along the stone path, admiring the blooming flowers of summer. The glow of the setting sun fell upon them, making the entire world seem relaxed and carefree. Witnessing this scene, I almost felt reluctant to interrupt…

Therefore, I sat quietly on a bench by the roadside, watching people either hurrying past under the streetlights or enjoying themselves leisurely.

With nothing else to do, I took out my phone from my pocket and opened a game called “Long You Tian Xia.” However, I didn’t contact the super R player named “Tian Ya Si Ling.” Instead, I explored the game’s playability as a regular player, carefully documenting my experience in my notebook and comparing it with similar games developed by my company. In fact, there were still some gaps between our game and this one, which had been successfully operating for over a year. However, we still had ample time for adjustments and even opportunities to surpass it. I refused to believe that the top development team Tongzi brought back from abroad would lose to the development team behind Long You Tian Xia, who occasionally produced several game bugs.

When I raised my head again, Mo Zishi had already pushed Jian Wei to where I was. He smiled and asked me, “What are you doing so intently?”

I put my phone back into my pocket, first glancing at Jian Wei, whose complexion had improved significantly, before replying, “I didn’t want to interrupt you two while you were strolling in the garden, so I just played a game casually.”

Mo Zishi nodded. After a brief silence among all of us, I asked, “Is Jian Wei still unable to walk?”

Mo Zishi replied, “She can definitely walk, but after sleeping for such a long time, her body is still too weak. It’s not quite suitable for her to walk right away.”

This time, I nodded. Then another silence followed. Jian Wei seemed to dislike the silence and said to Mo Zishi, “Doctor Mo, can we go have dinner now? You promised me today that we would have Italian pasta. I don’t want to eat those tasteless liquid meals anymore!”

Mo Zishi smiled and said to me, “Let’s go together. I’ll treat you.”

“No, I can’t let you do that. Let me treat you,” I said while also noticing Jian Wei’s expression. She clearly showed some aversion towards me. It suddenly dawned on me that I had completely faded from her life since she woke up. How could she possibly welcome me, a complete stranger?

I quickly changed my mind with a smile and said, “Oh, I just remembered that there’s an urgent matter at the company that needs my attention. I have to go back to Suzhou now. You two enjoy your dinner. We’ll have another chance for me to treat you in the future.”

Mo Zishi seemed to sense Jian Wei’s aversion towards me. He didn’t insist on persuading me to stay and, after exchanging a few more words with me, pushed Jian Wei towards the hospital’s exit. At that moment, I saw the last rays of the evening sun scattering over their shoulders, creating such a harmonious scene. However, I also felt as if there was something profoundly wrong within this harmony, yet I couldn’t pinpoint where the mistake lay. Between Jian Wei and me, who had made the first mistake?

Perhaps, in a scenery where everything has changed, it’s truly unnecessary to dwell on who genuinely loved whom or who angrily hated whom.

…

Summer nights always arrive later than winter nights. By the time I returned to Suzhou, the sky had just started to darken, and it was already 7:30 PM. This time was particularly difficult for me because I often saw couples displaying their unwavering affection in various ways during dinner. Therefore, I usually went to Hui Fang Restaurant to order a couple of small dishes, drink some beer, and listen to the drunken ramblings of newcomers just entering the workforce, which made things less oppressive.

Even though I frequented Hui Fang Restaurant quite often recently, I hadn’t encountered Fang Yuan again. He seemed to be just like me, only continuously coming here for a certain period under specific circumstances, rather than consistently staying.

After ordering the dishes, the owner’s wife placed a mosquito coil on a beer bottle near my feet and said to me with a sigh, “Zhaoyang, you and Fang Yuan used to be like two peas in a pod. Why don’t you come together anymore? He used to come here often before, and now it’s your turn.”

I poured a glass of beer for the owner’s wife, signaling her to join me, and then smiled and said, “We no longer work together, and we’re both busy with our own things, so we just don’t get to meet up anymore!”

The owner’s wife happily drank a glass of beer and replied, “I know Fang Yuan is now the general manager of that big shopping mall across the street. What about you? You lazy boy, how are you doing?”

“Huifang Auntie, does it really matter who is doing better?”

Ignoring my question, the owner’s wife replied as if stating a truth, “In today’s society, isn’t it all about who is doing better? Otherwise, why did you young people work so hard for over a decade of early mornings and late nights?”

Although the owner’s words were a bit rough, the underlying reasoning was not. We had worked so hard all these years, definitely not to just drift through life after entering society. People are inevitably compared, so sooner or later, there will be a winner between Fang Yuan and me. This has become our destiny.

…

When my favorite stir-fried clams were served, I began to eat with chopsticks, and the cool beer soon moistened my heart, lungs, and liver in this dry summer night. I couldn’t help but savor the pleasure brought by the coolness.

After finishing a bottle of beer, the owner, who had just brought me the dish, suddenly smiled at someone behind me. It wasn’t until she called Fang Yuan’s name that I realized it was Fang Yuan who had arrived. Although I had been eating at Hui Fang Restaurant for so many days, this was the first time I had met Fang Yuan.

Before Fang Yuan and I could fully face each other, the owner had already enthusiastically set up a shared table for us. At that moment, there was no choice but to share a table with me because the small restaurant had already been filled to capacity just a moment ago.

Fang Yuan sat across from me and immediately ordered a serving of cold bean jelly with the owner, which was his favorite dish to pair with beer.

Some emotions no longer needed to be clearly displayed on my face. I handed him a bottle of unopened beer, and he didn’t decline, just like before, using his teeth to pop off the cap. He poured his glass full, slightly gestured towards me, and then downed the entire glass in one go. I followed suit, finishing the remaining beer in my glass.

This time, he was the first to speak, “I heard from Dr. Hong that Jian Wei has woken up, but her memories of the past are very confused. Is it because of hyperbaric oxygen therapy?”

“Yes, that’s the case.”

“That’s probably for the better… At least it’s a fresh start. We all know that although she was a woman who received all the love and attention in the world, she didn’t live a happy life. She was like a kite tied by strings, seemingly flying freely while her fate was controlled by others… Now she is truly free!”

I knew that most of Jian Wei’s pain over the years was caused by me. How could I not feel guilty? I poured myself another glass of beer and drank it all at once, as if trying to vent my feelings. If I had known this would be the outcome, maybe we wouldn’t have chosen to meet back then! But this damn “if” is just a false proposition for making excuses. We had already torn our love apart beyond the realm of “if,” spilling blood and guts over it! Therefore, those who witnessed our love story all felt that this was the best outcome.

In my silence, Fang Yuan asked again, “What are Jian Wei’s plans for the future? Will she go back to the United States?”

“She hasn’t fully regained her ability to take care of herself yet, so going to the United States isn’t very practical right now… I think she will stay in China for some recovery and then make plans accordingly.”

Fang Yuan nodded and said, “Hmm, let her come back to Suzhou… The rehabilitation center here has a great environment for physical recovery, and I have a good relationship with the director. I can give him a call and ensure the best arrangements for Jian Wei.”

“There’s no need to trouble you with these things. I will take care of everything for her…”

My conversation with Fang Yuan ended here. After finishing the bottle of beer I had given him, he paid and left, and I followed suit shortly after, leaving behind some indescribable emotions in this Hui Fang Restaurant as I walked alone towards my old house.

The night! Once again became deep and profound amidst the noise of the streets…

…

Not long after returning to my old house, I received a phone call from Zhang Yixi and his wife. They were going to start their post-wedding honeymoon trip from Shanghai and would stop by Suzhou to visit me, the lonely man.

A short while after finishing the phone call, their family of three arrived at my old house. The mischievous child, Pipi, immediately broke a flowerpot I had placed on the coffee table upon seeing me, which led to a scolding from Zhang Yixi. However, Anqi was very indulgent towards him, saying that being active was a child’s nature and scolding Zhang Yixi for making a big deal out of nothing. Watching their playful bickering, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of envy. I also wondered when I would have a mischievous child like Pipi, and then argue with Mi Cai over differences in parenting styles…

On the couch, Pipi snuggled next to me, repeatedly calling me “Uncle Zhaoyang” in hopes that I would teach him how to play a fighting game. As I was teaching him the fighting techniques, I was also chatting with Zhang Yixi about the current operation status of “Wenyi Road.” As usual, Anqi didn’t interfere with Zhang Yixi’s career and instead stood on the balcony, avoiding the situation while looking at the flowers I had planted.

As an investor, Zhang Yixi was very satisfied with the strong recovery shown by Wenyi Road recently, and we discussed the second round of investment. We got so engrossed in the conversation that we ignored Anqi and Pipi…

It wasn’t until Pipi knocked over another flowerpot that my conversation with Zhang Yixi temporarily stopped. Anqi, while cleaning up the broken flowerpot, complained to me, “Zhaoyang, what are you doing keeping so many flowers at home? It’s dangerous for kids if they accidentally break the flowerpots!”

I couldn’t help but laugh as I replied, “Do you think many kids have the destructive power of your son?… No, not destructive power, but destructive capability…!”

Zhang Yixi picked up Anqi’s words and said, “I think Zhaoyang keeps these flowers to express his longing for Mi Cai…” He then turned to me and said, “Brother, I really think it’s been tough for you. This kind of stubbornness is not only suffocating your body but also your soul!”

My mood suddenly dropped, and I remained silent for a while…

Changing the topic, Zhang Yixi asked Anqi, “We’re going to Los Angeles anyway, right? Why don’t we visit Mi Cai at the headquarters of New Green Energy?… Zhaoyang, if we get to see Mi Cai, is there anything you’d like us to pass along to her?”

Suddenly, I felt as if I had found a way to fill the void left by Mi Cai’s departure. I hurriedly indicated that I had something to say and wanted them to help convey it. However, I realized I had too much to say, so I told Zhang Yixi, “I’ll write her a letter instead. If you can find her, please help me deliver it.”

“That’s a good idea. Go ahead and write it.”

Without hesitation, I immediately went to my room to fetch paper and a pen. I sat at the coffee table and began writing under the watchful eyes of the family of three: “Dear you! Please forgive me for addressing you this way, because there’s still a ring’s distance between us. I’ve been remorseful for a long time, so I’m bearing all the loneliness caused by your departure without any complaints… Yes, I’m very lonely! I miss you so much. I’ve thought countless times about running to America to find you no matter what, but when I recall your instructions and expectations when we parted ways on Mo Chou Road, I gave up on those impulses and forced myself to stay rational, because I sensed that my irrationality might bring you some trouble. I don’t want to be that man who refuses to obey you anymore. In fact, you’ve always been far more visionary than me!… Do you know? The convenience store outside my old house was demolished last month, and I was sad for a long time because along with it went the wooden horses we used to sit on; also, last week I picked up a gray cat downstairs, and I don’t even know what breed it is. I kept it for a few days, but since I’ve been too busy lately, I gave it to my new friend Lao Li. Lao Li is a very interesting old man. He makes chopped pepper sauce and keeps many pigeons. Speaking of pigeons, I really worry about him, hoping that the cat I gave him isn’t a very gluttonous one… Oh, and one more thing, if you receive this letter, please remember to reply to me, using colorful paper because I’ve grown to love colors now. And don’t forget to tell me how you’re doing over there, whether you’re eating and sleeping on time…”

I suddenly stopped writing. My heart ached, and I didn’t know how to continue expressing my deep longing… Finally, I handed the half-written letter to Zhang Yixi. If Mi Cai truly shared a deep connection with me, she would surely feel my attachment to her within these ordinary words…

I even naively imagined… her response to me wouldn’t just be a letter, but her returning her true self back to my side. We would walk hand in hand like last year, have meals together, and chat about the joys and sorrows of life before going to sleep!