The winter nights came unusually early. Although it was only five o’clock, the city had already been wrapped in a variety of hazy lights. The melting snow made the air cold and damp to the point of feeling sticky. I couldn’t feel any comfort in my body, so after parking the car, I hurried toward the teahouse where I had agreed to meet Executive Sun.
I arrived at the teahouse earlier than Executive Sun. He had called me, saying that he was stuck in heavy traffic and asked me to have something to drink first while he would arrive later.
I ordered a pot of hot tea. While drinking it to warm myself, I habitually took out my phone to browse recent investment trends in the business world and some prominent business figures in the news. I was indeed contemplating how to enter the e-commerce field, but unfortunately, the timing didn’t seem quite right yet, and I still had a lot to do.
During the wait for Executive Sun, I received a call from Mo Zishi. I asked him in surprise, “Why are you calling me at this hour? Isn’t it still dark where you are?”
“I just got off the plane. I’ve been in Japan for the past few days for an exchange program.”
“Hmm… so are you calling me because something urgent has come up?”
Mo Zishi seemed somewhat hesitant on the other end of the line. After a pause, he replied, “How has Jian Wei been lately? Is she doing okay?”
“You’re asking me this question unnecessarily! Can’t you just contact her directly?”
Mo Zishi said helplessly, “She’s completely refused to contact me these days. She doesn’t answer my calls and hasn’t replied to my messages… so I’m a bit worried!”
“She’s in good health.”
“Er… that’s not what I meant.”
“Then what do you mean?”
I could almost visualize the helpless expression on Mo Zishi’s face. After a long silence, he replied, “Forget it. After I finish the few remaining surgeries, I’ll return to China to find her.”
“Yes, some things are best clarified face to face.”
I said this to Mo Zishi, thinking back to my own past with Jian Wei. There had been countless opportunities for us to meet face to face and clear up misunderstandings. Unfortunately, I wasn’t the person I am now. I couldn’t even get a visa or afford the money to fly to the US to see Jian Wei, so I didn’t consider those objective opportunities as real chances. I was trapped in the inferiority complex of poverty, repeatedly scrutinizing the gap between Jian Wei and myself… whereas Mo Zishi now had none of the troubles I once had. He could do far more than I could back then… Looking at it this way, it’s not so much that Jian Wei and I lost to time and distance, but rather that we lost to the real disparity of wealth, which imposed too many constraints on us.
Hehe, this sounds absurd and ridiculous, but isn’t reality exactly like this? It punched me so hard back then that I couldn’t even fight back!
…
A short while after I ended the call with Mo Zishi, Executive Sun finally arrived at the teahouse after overcoming the traffic congestion. He sat down across from me, and I poured him a cup of hot tea. After a brief exchange of greetings, I got straight to the point. I took the check from my briefcase and placed it in front of him, saying, “Executive Sun, thank you for the funds you provided me last time. Now that the company is running smoothly, I’m returning the money to you first. I hope you can help transfer it back to the person who provided the funds behind the scenes.”
Executive Sun did not immediately take the check from me. He shook his head and said, “This is quite a large sum of money. Your company is in a growth phase and needs funds everywhere. I suggest you keep this money as working capital in the company’s account. The overall national economic situation is currently sluggish, and this money might be crucial for saving the company. You don’t need to rush to repay this loan because of psychological pressure… As for the person who provided the funds for you, you don’t need to worry about him at all. He doesn’t need this money now…” He paused slightly and then added, “Actually, I’m not even authorized to make decisions for him… This was his own idea!”
I was somewhat taken aback, but I still pushed the check toward Executive Sun and said, “You’ve already conveyed his intention. I hope you can also convey my gratitude and this money back to him. I believe that as long as you deliver it to him, he will have no reason not to accept it. After all, this money originally came from him. His willingness to lend it to me for the company’s operations is already a huge favor. If I were to accept this money without a second thought, I would really feel ridiculous!”
Executive Sun weighed it for a moment and finally nodded, taking the check from my hand. He said, “Sometimes choices can be really difficult, but in this matter, I have seen your character, which makes his help for you worthwhile.”
I smiled and then said seriously, “Executive Sun, now that I’ve paid back this money, I also hope you can let go of your previous concerns and tell me who it was that anonymously helped me so much.”
Executive Sun smiled as well. He replied meaningfully, “Now that you’ve paid back the money, it signifies the end of the debt relationship. You really don’t need to know who did this!”
Seeming to fear that I would keep asking questions, Executive Sun ended the meeting early, leaving me with this mystery against my will, causing me to sit in the teahouse feeling lost for quite a while!
…
By now, it was already the end of the year. Due to the endless tasks at the company, I decided not to return to Xuzhou for the Spring Festival. In fact, it was also an act of avoidance. I didn’t want to go back to Xuzhou and be reminded of memories by the sights, recalling those moments I had lived with Mi Cai. In my mind, I always felt that her departure was largely due to my own foolishness, but there was no way to make up for it anymore. Sometimes, I could only numb myself with endless work to feel a little better.
Knowing that I wouldn’t be returning to Xuzhou, my father and mother surprisingly decided to come to Suzhou for the Spring Festival. They didn’t want me to be too lonely here by myself. I welcomed their decision wholeheartedly and also hoped to use this opportunity to persuade them to stay in Suzhou. Since my current business was mainly based in Suzhou and Shanghai, I had very few chances to visit them in Xuzhou. Having them stay with me would also be a way to make up for the filial duties I had neglected in the past few years.
I thought about this significant change in my life. I remembered how, in the past, I was always eager to break free from their constraints and live independently. Now, however, I longed for a complete family by my side, which is why I was patiently waiting for Mi Cai to return from abroad without fear of the pain involved…
It was another late night after work, and I came alone to the snack street near the city center. I wanted to have some late-night snacks when I passed by Huifang Restaurant and saw Fang Yuan drinking alone.
I was about to walk past, as my original intention was merely to go to the dumpling shop to have some congee and steamed buns, but I was spotted by the sharp-eyed owner, who enthusiastically greeted me, asking what I wanted to eat and offering to have me join Fang Yuan for a few more drinks.
The owner’s loud voice disturbed Fang Yuan, who was already somewhat tipsy. He turned to look at me, and the owner became even more enthusiastic, not giving me a chance to speak. She pulled me into the restaurant and seated me opposite Fang Yuan. Then, without letting us order more food, she took the dishes that Fang Yuan hadn’t touched yet into the kitchen to reheat them. It seemed she didn’t want Fang Yuan to waste the food he had already paid for, which is why she stopped me from having some congee.
…
Fang Yuan poured me a glass of wine and drank his own first, then poured another glass. I, however, did not drink the wine he poured for me. I have become more health-conscious and no longer drink strong liquor late at night.
I pushed the wine glass aside and started eating some tofu soup instead. Fang Yuan quickly downed two more glasses of wine. Finally, as he put down his glass, he smiled bitterly and said, “Zhaoyang, can’t a person make a single mistake in their entire life?”
“You’ve made too many mistakes, some of which are unforgivable.”
Fang Yuan looked dazed, already showing signs of drunkenness… he suddenly laughed bitterly again.
Although he said nothing, I understood that what was troubling him was the fact that Yan Yan had married Qin Yan and was now pregnant… In his heart, he was still holding a grudge against Yan Yan for having decided to terminate their child back then… but he couldn’t blame anyone. In the past, he had always been the one with the upper hand in both friendship and love, because both me and Yan Yan were always willing to weather any storm with him. Unfortunately, he had used his own greed to destroy all of that.
Suddenly, Fang Yuan changed the subject and said to me, “Zhaoyang… meeting you here today, I’d like to take this opportunity to share some of my thoughts with you… I hope we can have some business cooperation. I want to entrust all of Wansen Group’s advertising business to Sima Advertising for exclusive representation!”
“Haha… are you joking with me?”
“No, Zhaoyang, I’m serious… I just want to give Sima Advertising some help within my authority… You know, if Wansen Group is willing to entrust its advertising business to Sima Advertising for exclusive representation, it would undoubtedly set a good example in the industry, which would completely revitalize Sima Advertising.”
“Is that so?… I think you should first ask Mi Lan whether she agrees with your approach!… Also, I’ve already returned the ownership of Sima Advertising to Yan Yan. I don’t want you to use this method to interact with Yan Yan… and I definitely don’t want you to disturb the happy life she has with Qin Yan, because you have no right to do so!”
Fang Yuan lowered his head and then drank two more glasses of strong liquor. After I had said what I needed to say, I didn’t stay any longer at Huifang Restaurant. I still insisted on going to the dumpling shop next door and ended this night, filled with emotions that were hard to describe, with a bowl of congee and a steamer of dumplings.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage