I was shocked to hear about Zhuo Mei’s plan to build a shopping mall in Xuzhou, as I couldn’t determine whether it was purely for commercial purposes or if there were ulterior motives. Mi Zhongde seemed to see through my confusion and continued, “Regarding Zhuo Mei’s investment in Xuzhou, you don’t need to think too deeply about it… This is simply a decision made by myself and the board after agreeing with Xiaocai’s previously established strategic plan. Considering Zhuo Mei’s current situation, it’s indeed more suitable for top-tier third-tier cities. The shopping malls we built in first-tier cities have failed to achieve expected returns, and the investment efficiency has been very low!”
Actually, because of Mi Cai, I deeply cared about Zhuo Mei’s future prospects. After a brief silence, I replied, “You should have done this long ago. Zhuo Mei has missed many golden development opportunities under your leadership over the years!”
Mi Zhongde shook his head, letting out a soft sigh with a complicated expression, and said, “There are some things you only see on the surface. Over these years, I’ve had many difficulties and compromises that I had to make.”
I scoffed slightly and said, “You had difficulties?… All we’ve seen are your unscrupulous methods!”
Mi Zhongde gazed for a long time into the open space illuminated by sunlight before replying, “Zhuo Mei is a product of its time, and it’s also the love and hatred of a generation… You should think about this: when Zhuo Mei faced crisis, why was it Xiaocai who stepped in to save it, instead of her birth mother, Yan Zhuomei? Whether it’s the previous investors of Zhuo Mei or the current ones, who could possibly have more weight than the name Yan Zhuomei? If she had wanted to save Zhuo Mei, it would have been effortless for her!”
“She wants Mi Cai to accompany her in the United States, while Zhuo Mei is the biggest tie that binds Mi Cai. Naturally, she doesn’t want Zhuo Mei to continue existing!”
“These reasons still aren’t enough for her to think that way… The most important thing is the thorn in her heart. As long as Zhuo Mei exists, her sense of guilt will persist. Back then, she wronged my elder brother and our entire family… The name Zhuo Mei is like a knife stuck in her heart. Do you understand what I mean?”
After a moment of silence, I replied, “I understand. She’s too selfish. To remove the thorn in her heart, she’s willing to destroy a group that supports many people’s livelihoods?”
“Throughout history, every political movement and every bloody war has happened because the ruling class had thorns in their hearts… To you, Zhuo Mei is a group supporting people’s livelihoods, but from her perspective, Zhuo Mei is nothing more than a second-rate group that she finds very uncomfortable to look at…”
“Haha, so according to this, everything you’ve done for Mi Cai has been to preserve Zhuo Mei, while Yan Zhuomei is the hidden hand behind the scenes… Do you think this logic makes sense?”
Mi Zhongde’s expression darkened as he replied, “How you perceive it won’t affect the course of events. Zhuo Mei’s situation cannot be explained in just a few words. Everyone who has an interest in Zhuo Mei is calculating and hoping that Zhuo Mei will develop in the direction that maximizes their own interests. You should have seen this long ago!”
A sense of sadness arose in my heart. Perhaps in this world, apart from Mi Cai and her late father Mi Zhongxin, Zhuo Mei would always be nothing more than a tool for people to fight over—just a tool!
While I remained silent, Mi Zhongde continued, “I came here today only to kindly remind you… Don’t challenge Yan Zhuomei’s bottom line with the recklessness of youth. Her life experiences have fully shown what kind of woman she is. Whatever demands she makes on you and Xiaocai, you must comply.”
“Otherwise what?”
“Don’t ask me about ‘otherwise.’ You should ask yourself whether persisting in this way is right or wrong… Regarding your marriage with Xiaocai, this is my final warning: think twice, and then think again!”
Mi Zhongde, who had finally lost his patience after our incompatible conversation, got into the Mercedes that had brought him here. The driver quickly drove off, taking him out of my sight.
…
After Mi Zhongde left, I stood alone for a while before returning to the coffee shop. I felt uneasy, and this unease was indeed triggered by Mi Zhongde’s warning. I truly didn’t know what kind of woman Yan Zhuomei really was, nor did I know what consequences would arise if Mi Cai and I insisted on getting married… At this moment, I wished to believe that everything Mi Zhongde had told me was merely alarmist talk born out of desperation. And having come this far, I could no longer give up on this impending wedding.
In the evening, as usual, Mi Cai stood outside the glass window and waved at me. She carried a shopping bag in her hand—I knew she had already bought the white wedding dress she had liked. In a cheerful mood, she walked into the coffee shop and sat down across from me. She said, “Zhaoyang, Xiaoyun has already approved my wedding leave. I can rest tomorrow… Well, not exactly rest. There’s still so much to prepare!”
“Yeah.”
My passive attitude caused Mi Cai’s mood to sink as well. She asked softly, “What’s wrong with you? You look so listless!”
I didn’t want to burden her with my inner worries and affect her mood about getting married, so I smiled and replied, “I’ve just been busy all day, and my brain is starting to slack off… Let’s go back and eat first. Once we’ve refueled, you and I can talk again on the phone to confirm how many friends will attend the wedding. The guest count information must be submitted to the hotel no later than tomorrow afternoon!”
Mi Cai nodded and began helping me tidy up the cluttered items on the table… However, watching her becoming more and more like a wife, my burden grew heavier. I couldn’t help but wonder why we couldn’t just have a relaxed and joyful wedding like any normal couple… Was it destined that gaining this perfect, flawless woman would cost me so much emotionally and in other ways?
…
After leaving the coffee shop, Mi Cai and I first had dinner with Ban Die and Mom, then returned to our place. As planned, we each called our friends. From my side, the feedback was that most of my friends would attend the wedding to offer their blessings. However, as Yan Yan had previously mentioned, she indeed wouldn’t be coming. She was currently overwhelmed helping Jian Wei deal with some pre-departure matters related to going abroad. This was a significant disappointment for me…
It took about an hour, but eventually Mi Cai and I finished calling everyone. She then asked me with concern, “Zhaoyang, have you reached CC’s family?”
I sighed lightly and replied, “Not yet… The current situation is truly helpless. We can only hope that CC is still silently following our news and will surprise us on the wedding day, or maybe she’s really with Rob now!”
Mi Cai’s mood clearly became gloomy, and she remained silent for a long time… Yet suddenly, I didn’t understand why she wished so much for CC to appear at our wedding. Although I also hoped for it, if CC had indeed started a new life and stopped paying attention to us, it would only be a regret—not one that would weigh on me as heavily as it did on Mi Cai!
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