After repeatedly assuring her, Mi Cai finally calmed down. She pulled out a tissue, wiped away her tears, and finally whispered to me, “Let’s eat. I’m already hungry from crying and making a scene with you like this… Sometimes, even if you act like a shrew, you still might not be able to change anything.”
There was a lot implied in her words. Feeling anxious, I asked cautiously, “Does this mean you’ve forgiven me?”
Mi Cai gave no clear answer. After looking at me for a while, she replied, “Sleep alone tonight and think through everything clearly.”
“I’m afraid I’ll miss you. Without you, even one night feels unbearable!”
“Stop with the sweet talk… I’m not joking with you. I really hope you can have some independent space to think seriously about our future and consider how much of our youth we can afford to waste on these unnecessary troubles.”
Seeing how serious she was, I finally nodded like a child who had made a mistake. After she sat down at the dining table, I sat down on the other side. I wanted to say something to her several times during the meal, but seeing her serious expression, I held back every time. I felt secretly remorseful. I regretted not telling her beforehand that I was coming to Suzhou those days. But whether or not I had told her, I would definitely have come to Suzhou anyway because I was afraid that Jian Wei might do something extreme. In fact, the day we met by the city moat, she had indeed been in a dangerous state, sitting on the guardrail, drinking hard liquor without restraint. If I hadn’t gone, the consequences would have been unimaginable… Most importantly, she really had pulled herself together now, so everything I had done was worth it!
While I was still lost in thought, a slice of fish suddenly appeared in my bowl. I looked up and found Mi Cai watching me. Her expression was no longer as serious as before. She softly said, “The fish slices are really good today. Try some!”
Flattered and not daring to disappoint her, I picked up the fish slice and popped it into my mouth. Mi Cai exclaimed in alarm, “Eat slowly! There might be bones!” But I had already swallowed it. Immediately, I felt a sharp pain in my throat and grimaced, “It really got stuck…”
Mi Cai panicked, quickly getting me vinegar and handing me a steamed bun to help swallow the fish bone down. After some fussing, I finally managed to get it down. Grumbling in my mouth, I cursed the fish bone for being blind and not knowing that I was an important person who dared to get stuck in my throat. Actually, I was trying to lighten the heavy atmosphere between us. Mi Cai looked at me with a mix of amusement and concern, reminding me once again to eat slowly… At that moment, I truly felt her love for me! So, understanding this love, I loved her even more. I really couldn’t imagine losing this woman, who had lived with me day by day, from my future life!
…
Late at night, I lay tossing and turning in the room where I had once lived. Although I now had enough space, too many things had happened recently. No matter how hard I tried to think, I couldn’t come to any clear conclusions. I just felt that I had indeed made many mistakes, including toward Jian Wei… I didn’t know exactly what had happened to her in America, which led her to break up with me. But my previously insufficient efforts had certainly left her lacking materially. I couldn’t forget the year she ran away with me to Suzhou and how we had lived. Sometimes, even going out for a good meal felt like a luxury. The only thing we had was the guitar she had given me, singing songs about tomorrow and finding a little happiness in those songs.
I sighed deeply and no longer wanted to think… I just reached out to pull open the curtain and looked up at the stars shining thousands of light-years away, trying hard to understand their joys and sorrows, when I unexpectedly saw a meteor streaking down. I quickly made a wish, hoping that Jian Wei could overcome her life’s difficulties and find her own happiness.
It was the first time in my life that I had accidentally seen a meteor, so this wish was incredibly precious to me. I hoped this wish would come true, so I could let go of all my concerns and worries and live the life I wanted with Mi Cai. It seemed that this really required Jian Wei to achieve happiness in her own life, especially after learning that she still loved me…
Not knowing how much time had passed, my phone vibrated in the night. I picked it up and saw that it was a WeChat message from Mi Cai in the next room. She asked me, “Are you still reflecting on yourself?”
“I’ve already reflected. I’m just pulling the curtain and looking at the vast sky now!”
She didn’t seem interested in whether I was looking at the sky or not. She asked again, “So, did you come to any conclusions?”
“It’s hard to explain… Why don’t you come over and I’ll tell you in detail. The view here is really good. We can chat and enjoy the starry sky at the same time!”
“I’m not interested in your romance.”
“Then we can just talk calmly… Or let me come to your room.”
“My room doesn’t have a starry sky! I’m afraid I can’t offer you proper hospitality!”
Her cold humor made me feel both amused and helpless. After a long pause, I replied, “We can work together to move your bed to the window, then you can see the stars too.”
“I’m too tired and I don’t like changing the layout of my room.”
Suddenly, I really wanted to sleep with her, so I couldn’t wait any longer. I threw off the blanket, opened my door, and stood outside her room, trying to turn the doorknob, only to find it locked tight. She had locked it from the inside. It turned out she had been prepared, just like when we first started cohabiting in this old house.
I put on a tone of helplessness and pleaded, “Honey… Please open the door. I want to get into your bed because I’m almost freezing!”
“Then go back to your own room.”
“But I really want to sleep with you… It’s too lonely alone!”
“But you still have the stars and all the sky to keep you company! You’re much happier than me. All I can see is a wall!”
I sneezed in response to her… She didn’t react, so I sneezed again. Finally, she spoke to me again, “Go back to your room quickly. Don’t catch a chill. I definitely won’t open the door for you because it seems you haven’t received the punishment you deserve yet!”
“Then I’ll just stand here and let you punish me like this. This way, it’ll be more effective!”
“Please don’t do this!”
“In my opinion, this is the best punishment, and I’m willing to accept it gladly.”
Mi Cai didn’t respond. It seemed she was struggling inside. Finally, after a moment, I heard the sound of her getting out of bed in the room, and then the door opened. I immediately reached out and hugged her, walking toward my own room and saying, “The night is long. Since neither of us feels like sleeping, let’s go to my room and watch the stars!”
“How can you be so naughty?” Mi Cai pinched my arm.
I didn’t feel any pain at all because I knew she had forgiven my mistake. Therefore, the pain had already been replaced by joy…
I carried her to the bed and told her that couples who quarrel in bed make up in bed. She just looked at me, and I felt her flawless beauty. Unable to control myself, I unbuttoned her pajamas. She nervously said, “Zhaoyang, no. We don’t have any condoms left.”
I was too deep in emotion to care, panting, “It’s okay. Aren’t you still in the safe period? Just this once, how easily could you get pregnant!”
Mi Cai was also panting. We embraced each other, forgetting the unpleasantness from not long ago, creating the most primal pleasure…
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