The autumn rain on this late night seemed to transform Pingjiang Road, where we were, into a flowing river. The entire street was filled with running water, and steam rose from raindrops hitting the heated streetlights, creating a surreal atmosphere. Yet the burning sensation of the liquor in my throat was so real, just like this night when only Mo Zishi was here drinking with me.
When I asked him whether he and Jian Wei had plans to marry recently, Mo Zishi first looked at me silently, then tilted his head back and downed a full glass of baijiu. He smiled bitterly and said, “Why Jian Wei suddenly left with me, the reasons, you should understand better than I do… Now the Jian Wei beside me is whole, but she carries many unforgettable thoughts, like her parents, like you… Therefore, she works harder than anyone else… Sometimes she becomes frighteningly quiet! In the U.S., she adopted a cat, and during her rest time, she often holds that cat, sitting by the canal watching ships pass by, saying nothing at all… Whether you believe it or not, we haven’t been cohabiting; she lives by the canal, I live in the suburbs, more than ten kilometers apart!”
“She…”
Mo Zishi continued where I left off, saying, “She might be a woman who can never truly be happy again… She carries too much in her life, which makes her think too much!… I don’t want to pressure her; everything should take its natural course!”
The rain outside seemed to soak my heart. I finished the remaining liquor in the bottle at once, then silently imagined Jian Wei’s current life. Even today, I still can’t understand why she, who should have lived the most carefree life in this world, has shouldered so much weight on her frail body. Was it her parents who ruined her? Or was it me, her first love who always failed to satisfy her at different stages of life? Or was it simply her own personality?
I couldn’t provide an answer, nor did I want to say anything more. Yet, thinking of her sitting alone by the canal, holding a cat that knows nothing of sorrow, my heart ached. I really wanted to know, what in her heart still couldn’t be let go, was it still connected to our vague past?
After telling me all this, Mo Zishi’s mood clearly became gloomier. He ordered another bottle of baijiu, and I didn’t try to stop him. It wasn’t because I knew his drinking capacity, but because I also needed more alcohol to get through tonight’s sleep.
Half a bottle later, Mo Zishi finally spoke again. He asked me, “Zhaoyang, I really want to know how you evaluate Jian Wei as a woman. There’s probably no one in the world who understands her better than you do!”
A ready-made evaluation that should have come easily to me suddenly escaped my mind due to mental emptiness. After a long pause, I finally replied, “She is a woman with a very pure heart.”
Mo Zishi nodded. He drank another glass and said, “She has a spiritual sense of cleanliness. Her inner world is too clear-cut and too stubborn, so she finds it harder than most to accept a new life… I always feel she has some hidden pain deep in her heart that she can’t share with others…” At this point, Mo Zishi sighed heavily, and with a bitter smile, continued, “Now it seems, having complete memories isn’t necessarily a good thing, at least not for Jian Wei… I still remember when she first woke up, I accompanied her to stroll through a small garden. She always smiled and asked me happily what kind of flower it was. At that time, she was like a warm breeze blowing through my heart… But now everything has changed. Many times, even I feel sorrow for her because of her depth and seriousness!”
I also sighed, because for emotional issues, no one has a perfect solution. The only way is to leave these emotional problems to time, and this is also a test for Mo Zishi, testing how much patience he truly has for Jian Wei…
As for Jian Wei, did she really have no feelings for Mo Zishi at all?
That obviously wasn’t realistic, otherwise why would she stay by Mo Zishi’s side, devoting herself to helping him manage his business? I thought: just as Mo Zishi guessed, it was because there was some pain in her heart that she couldn’t resolve and share with anyone else… Perhaps she was also trying hard to untie this emotional knot, but it just required some time. We shouldn’t be overly sensitive and worry about her!
…
Mo Zishi stayed in Suzhou for only one night. The next day, he went to Beijing to continue promoting his research achievements. My life remained busy as usual, preoccupied with battling Wansen Group and pursuing my artistic aspirations.
One afternoon, Chen Jingming brought me a shocking piece of news. He told me: New Green Energy planned to acquire Hengyang Department Store domestically this year. As everyone knows, New Green Energy is in the energy development business, so acquiring Hengyang Department Store was a completely unrelated acquisition. But this was enough to make me ecstatic because I knew that Mi Cai’s commercial strategy was finally nearing its final stage after two years. If the acquisition of Hengyang Department Store could succeed this time, Wansen Group would not only face fierce attacks on its online sales platform, but also experience further shrinkage in its physical retail market share. This comprehensive and multi-dimensional offensive would be difficult for Wansen Group to resist. One could imagine that once this precise layout was completed, it would be extremely difficult for Wansen Group to find a way out…
Once again, I was amazed by Mi Cai’s meticulous planning. She truly possessed exceptional strategic thinking and the ability to endure!
I confirmed with Chen Jingming, “Director Chen, when will New Green Energy’s acquisition of Hengyang Department Store enter the implementation phase?”
“It depends on how much damage our online mall can inflict on Wansen. Right now, Mi Cai’s strategic intent is very clear. Once the acquisition of Hengyang Department Store is successfully completed, it will definitely be a final fatal blow to Wansen. At present, Wansen Group is already being suppressed by Hengyang Department Store in many cities. Once the strong capital from New Green Energy is injected, Hengyang Department Store will deal even greater damage to Wansen. If our online mall can comprehensively suppress Wansen and, coupled with the investors in Europe being overwhelmed by Mi Cai’s strategy, Wansen’s comprehensive downfall will be inevitable… We will soon reap the fruits of victory!”
I nodded, not denying Chen Jingming’s prediction. Then I couldn’t help but ask the question I cared about most, “Will Mi Cai personally return to China to execute this acquisition plan for Hengyang Department Store, or will she send someone else?”
Chen Jingming replied, not at all jokingly, “Director Zhao, I think you can personally try to ask Mi Cai. She should tell you her own plans.”
“Me… Can I contact her?”
Chen Jingming smiled, then pulled out one of his business cards from his pocket and handed it to me, adding, “On the back of this card is Mi Cai’s frequently used private email address. You can contact her directly about this matter…”
“Is this with her permission?”
“No, it’s my own initiative!… I think all the preparations have already reached the stage of final action. It’s time for you to talk with Mi Cai. These two years, I believe no one understands your life better than I do. I also think you’ve had it too hard… Director Zhao, I believe now you can truly face Mi Cai with the confidence of a successful man!”
I tilted my head back, trying to calm the surging emotions inside me. After waiting for nearly two years, for the first time, I felt the signal that Mi Cai was about to return…
I wanted to go home, right now, immediately. I needed to tell this news to Bada and Mom, who had also been waiting anxiously. Then I would sit in front of the computer, go nowhere else, and focus on sending an email to Mi Cai.
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