The situation had developed to this point, and no matter what, I would not let Leyao quit the micro-film shooting because of a single argument. I grabbed my briefcase and ran outside to chase her, but it was already too late—she had gotten into the car and locked the windows. No matter how hard I knocked, she ignored me. She slammed the accelerator and left me far behind.
I hit my head hard with my hand, twisting my body in desperation, feeling a surge of anger and frustration. I couldn’t even think clearly about chasing after her by car.
After standing there for a while, I took out my phone and tried calling Leyao, but the call was disconnected after just one ring. I couldn’t get through again. It seemed my number had already been added to her blacklist, and I couldn’t help but worry deeply—worried that the situation might spiral out of control.
The cold night air and the howling wind finally sobered me up a bit. I took out my phone and called Roben. At this point, it was better to communicate through a third party. At that moment, Roben was having dinner with his band and some other people in the industry. After receiving my call and understanding the situation, he immediately left the dinner and agreed to meet me at Xia Fanye’s “West of the Old Town” coffee shop.
At this time, “West of the Old Town” had moved into a slightly busier district, but it was still within the old city area. I rushed there quickly, while Roben arrived shortly after. He wanted to invite Xia Fanye, who was sketching at that moment, to join our conversation, but I stopped him. I still felt this wasn’t something that needed to become public knowledge. Perhaps after Leyao calmed down a bit and with Roben’s persuasion, everything could be resolved smoothly.
Roben and I chose a corner, each lighting a cigarette before he said, “Tell me the whole story again about what caused your argument. Let me first help you analyze it, and then we can look for a solution.”
“You also think Leyao shouldn’t quit the micro-film, right?”
“Isn’t that obvious? The press conference has already been held. If she quits halfway, who will bear the losses? This is a project with an investment of tens of millions!”
I nodded, feeling that Roben had once again become the omnipotent, all-knowing strategist. I asked hopefully, “So she’s just throwing a tantrum temporarily?”
“First, tell me exactly how you provoked her and made her so angry.”
I told Roben about the contract I wanted to sign with her, including the clauses clearly defining both parties’ responsibilities. After a brief pause, Roben said, “In principle, such clauses should be included in the contract. But the problem is that these clauses are related to Zhuomei. I have to say, you really went too far. By including such clauses to restrict Leyao, you were probably worried that if she didn’t show up on the day, it would negatively affect Zhuomei’s reputation, right?”
I didn’t deny it and said, “Yes, there are many stakeholders involved in Zhuomei’s Christmas event now. If one part goes wrong, it could trigger a chain of negative consequences, and Zhuomei would suffer the most losses!”
“So why do you care so much about Zhuomei’s interests?”
I didn’t answer, but I already had the answer in my heart.
Roben exhaled smoke forcefully before saying, “For Mi Cai, you used such clauses to trample Leyao’s feelings for you and the trust that should exist between you two? I think no one understands Leyao’s feelings for you better than you, Zhao Yang. You really shouldn’t have done this—it really hurt her. Whether you regard her as a friend or a lover, you shouldn’t have done it…”
I finally realized the root of Leyao’s anger. Even without mentioning the ambiguous emotions, such a long-standing friendship couldn’t withstand such trampling. But in my anxiety and concern, I hadn’t thought enough from Leyao’s perspective. After a while, I finally took a deep puff of my cigarette and asked Roben, “She has every right to be angry, but surely she wouldn’t actually refuse to attend the micro-film’s launch ceremony at Zhuomei or the subsequent filming?”
“Don’t you know Leyao’s personality? Over the years, I’ve never seen a woman as fearless as her. If she’s pushed too far, she’s capable of doing anything.”
I recalled all the things that had happened to Leyao and realized how strong-willed she was. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have left the protection of her biological father, Xiao Rulin, and struggled alone in the mire of life; she wouldn’t have jumped into freezing river water less than a month after a miscarriage just to complete one shot; nor would she have decisively given up all her hard-earned achievements in the entertainment industry and chosen to withdraw. Any one of these events would be unthinkable for an ordinary person, yet she had done all of them. That was exactly the embodiment of her fearlessness, making it extremely difficult to reason with her or tell her what she should or shouldn’t do.
My anxiety increased further as I asked Roben, “Then what should we do now? Our side has already reached a point of no return! If she really insists on not participating in the filming, the losses would be unbearable for any organization or individual!”
Roben tapped the ash off his cigarette, wearing an expression as if he could control everything, and replied, “The one who tied the bell must be the one to untie it. You should go talk to her again. And remember, every woman has a weakness… but Leyao’s definitely isn’t money. Think about it—you really are clueless. Even if you signed that contract with her, could the penalty clause really stop her from refusing to attend the launch ceremony at Zhuomei on the day? Or did you forget how much she paid in penalties when she left the entertainment industry back then? What’s your little penalty compared to that?!”
“I really didn’t think about it that much. I just thought the contract was just a formality!”
“This only proves you’ve never truly cared about her… So sometimes, seeing her marrying Cao Jinfei really seems like a desperate compromise, even though she always says she’s very satisfied with the marriage arranged by Cao and her father.”
After a long silence, I said, “I remember you said last time that she had some affection for Cao Jinfei.”
Roben looked at me expressionlessly and replied, “But did I ever say she loved Cao Jinfei? Buddy, you can’t possibly be so clueless about the difference between love and affection? Personally, I think it’s not bad for her to marry Cao Jinfei. After you finish the micro-film project, just go your separate ways and live peacefully without further entanglements. It would save both of you from this endless折腾—it’s just not worth it!”
I didn’t comment on Roben’s words because future events couldn’t be changed by a mere statement or promise. I took a deep breath and said to Roben, “This time, I really need your help. Leyao probably added my number to her blacklist. You need to arrange a meeting with her, and I’ll talk to her again… and apologize!”
“Arranging a meeting with her is no problem, but let me make this clear first—whether you apologize or talk about something else, it won’t help. You must first find her weakness!”
“What weakness does she have?”
With a sigh, Roben said, “From what I know after all these years, her weakness is… she can’t bear to see you, Zhao Yang, in misery and hardship. We can use this as the starting point to have a real chance of changing her mind!”
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