When I further asked the cafe owner about CC, her face showed a regretful expression. She shook her head and said to me, “Since she was unwilling to tell me her real name, how could she leave any contact information? Sigh! Sometimes, perhaps the fate between people is only meant for a single encounter!”
The answer left me somewhat discouraged. I could find traces of CC here, but I had no idea where she would go next. She had long since moved on, and I couldn’t help but gaze once again toward the distant horizon cloaked in night. It was no longer as clear as during dusk, leaving only unseen uncertainties and people and vehicles vanishing further into the night.
I finished drinking the cup of coffee named “Black as White,” and then said to the cafe owner, “Hearing news of an old friend today was an unexpected delight, but my main purpose in coming here was to discuss taking over this cafe. I wonder under what conditions you are planning to transfer it?”
The cafe owner looked surprised and replied, “You are only the second customer here today, so I must honestly tell you that the cafe’s business is very poor. Taking over this cafe will definitely result in losses. Still, I hope to recover some of the renovation costs when transferring it. Therefore, the transfer fee is 100,000 yuan, but the rent for the first year will be waived.”
Frankly speaking, 100,000 yuan was not a high transfer price, and waiving the rent for the first year was a good deal for me, considering my current financial situation. However, it was also a significant challenge because this cafe had inherent problems, making profitability nearly impossible.
I weighed the decision internally while contemplating how I would operate the cafe if I took it over.
Eventually, I chose not to take the risk unless I had a complete plan for profitability. I told the cafe owner, “100,000 yuan isn’t much, but it’s not little either. I need to think this over carefully.”
“I understand.”
…
When I returned home that night, dinner was already ready. Mi Cai handed me chopsticks, and I sat at the table with deep thoughts, barely engaging in conversation with the others.
Near the end of dinner, Mi Cai finally said to me, “Zhaoyang, this afternoon I went to Xiaoyun’s company. She happened to need an assistant, so I recommended myself.”
I put down my chopsticks and asked her, “And then?”
Mom answered for Mi Cai, “Then she became Xiaoyun’s assistant.”
Mi Cai nodded in agreement and asked me, “Zhaoyang, do you support my decision?”
Her asking made me feel like the head of the household. I replied seriously, “First, I want to affirm this positive family atmosphere where we discuss things together. Secondly, regarding work matters, as long as you believe it’s right, I can fully support you.”
Mi Cai smiled slightly as a response, then lowered her head and continued eating.
A moment later, Dad, the true head of the household, couldn’t help but speak up. He asked me, “Xiao Mi’s job is temporarily settled. What about you? What are your plans for the future?”
I knew Dad didn’t support my opening a cafe, but I had no other plans, so I hesitated before replying, “Didn’t I talk to you about this last night? I think opening a cafe temporarily would be quite good!”
Dad frowned at me, clearly annoyed by my stubbornness, but since Mi Cai was beside me, he didn’t choose to scold me. Instead, he said, “I suggest you think this over carefully. If you find your job in Suzhou too tiring, you can take some time off before the New Year and plan your future properly. Then, after the New Year, you can seriously start building a proper career.”
Before I could respond, Mi Cai lightly kicked me under the table, signaling me not to immediately reject Dad’s suggestion. I understood her intention and replied, “Okay, I will think about this carefully.”
Only then did Dad relax his frown and signaled me to continue eating.
…
After washing up, I returned to the room with Mi Cai. She was organizing some dried clothes, while I was looking on the computer for examples of successfully operated specialty cafes. Deep down, I longed to take over that cafe, but unlike before, I was no longer impulsive or fearless. I still hoped to have a clear plan for profitability before proceeding with taking over and managing the cafe.
As I concentrated, Mi Cai had already put most of the clothes into the wardrobe. Seemingly casually, she said to me, “Zhaoyang, your mom asked about our marriage today. What do you think about it?”
“What, did you say something?” I replied, clicking the mouse even faster. None of the successful examples displayed online were applicable to the cafe I wanted to take over. I felt annoyed, as if reality had once again struck me hard.
Mi Cai brought a chair and sat beside me, resting her chin on her hand and watching the computer screen without disturbing me further. After my attention was distracted, I finally recalled what she had just mentioned about marriage.
My hands finally left the mouse. As I was about to answer her, I unexpectedly noticed an entertainment news item on the webpage about Leyao. Mi Cai noticed it too and clicked on the article.
It turned out that today Leyao and Cao Jinfei had officially established an entertainment company. Leyao was appointed as the general manager, and next year she would personally star in a big-budget film produced by her own company. The public gave high praise to this celebrity couple, as besides pursuing their careers, they had also established a charitable foundation aimed at helping vulnerable groups in society.
While I felt happy for her, I also felt ashamed. At this stage of my life, I seemed to be quite lost. Moreover, Leyao and I were clearly moving further apart on different paths. Therefore, I hadn’t been informed in advance about the establishment of her company, nor had I received an invitation to its launch!
Compared to Leyao, who was now the head of a film company, I was living too modestly and in a slump. We were no longer on the same level, and calling us friends was even a stretch!
This made me think of another female friend of mine, CC. Compared to Leyao’s rising fame, CC was seeking a life of anonymity. Thus, I seemed to find a little psychological comfort. I hurriedly told Mi Cai about the news of CC that I had learned today when visiting the cafe… although it was ultimately a piece of news with no conclusion!
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