The woman in red obviously had received professional vocal training. She easily used falsetto to imitate the childish voice of the original singer, Cheer Chen. Meanwhile, Mi Cai also used falsetto to create that slightly hoarse and aged tone. When these two deliberately crafted voices blended together, they sounded surprisingly natural. Closing my eyes and listening quietly, I truly sensed that playful vibe. Instantly, an image emerged in my mind: an adult woman having a conversation with a little girl on a sunless morning, and then transforming into an angel, dancing and playing joyfully…
The image was somewhat absurd, but wasn’t this absurdity itself a form of “play”? Thinking about it, these two women, experienced in the business world, easily grasped the core theme of the event with their wisdom and interpreted it beautifully. Perhaps this was exactly why AFeng had such high expectations for Mi Cai’s participation after establishing this theme.
Actually, Mi Cai truly was a woman who loved to play. That’s why she always kept a compact digital camera in her handbag and stuck cartoon stickers in her office drawers. When she saw me playing with an electric racing car, she became equally fascinated and occasionally took the racing car I had given her to play at the plaza.
Yet reality was cruel—her life was somewhat bleak and even desolate. Otherwise, how perfect a woman she could have been! However, I felt that I could fill this emptiness and make up for what she lacked. I was willing to give her the family she needed the most.
The song gradually approached its end, and I actually felt reluctant for it to finish so soon. CC came to mind again. If this woman, who sang the best, had joined Mi Cai and the woman in red at this moment, what kind of effect would that have created?
It would definitely be even more beautiful! Because she would place a beer beside her and hold a cigarette in her hand. When recklessness and indifference blended together, the visual impact would be breathtaking, and the live performance would be unparalleled. Thinking about it, AFeng really was an intelligent bar owner. He actively created various elements and skillfully combined them, offering tourists an alternative spiritual journey. That’s why his bar continuously maintained its popularity.
…
It was already deep into the night, but no one inside the bar had left. Everyone seemed to really enjoy this “play” theme, so the absurd games continued one after another, and drinks kept flowing. A sense of release permeated everywhere, and smiles filled every corner of the bar, creating an illusion that the entire Xitang had transformed into a paradise on earth.
At 11 p.m., Mi Cai, the woman in red, and I finally left AFeng’s bar. Then the woman in red returned to her inn alone, and only then did Mi Cai and I finally have some time alone together, strolling along the riverside of Xitang, now empty of people.
Smoking a cigarette, Mi Cai linked her arm through mine. After walking for a while, she said, “Tonight was really fun!”
“Yeah, in the end I even saw you hugging the guitar and playing around with the keyboard player… and jumping around energetically!”
Mi Cai stopped walking, looked at me, and asked, “Do you think I looked silly like that?”
“No, not at all. After all, you weren’t the only one jumping. Madam An was even more energetic because of you…” After making a slight joke, I turned serious again and said, “I know your life has too many constraints and taboos, so I really wanted to see you like that tonight. If possible, I hope you can stay this way…”
Mi Cai nodded, holding my arm even tighter. We started walking again until we encountered a riverside stone staircase paved with bluestone slabs, where we stopped once more. Instinctively, we sat down together, and at that moment, the cigarette in my hand had burned down to the butt.
Wanting to light another one, Mi Cai stopped me, taking the cigarette pack from my hand and putting it into her handbag. She asked, “We were all having fun, yet you just sat there for so long without singing even one song for us. You really wasted such a great atmosphere!”
I smiled and replied, “Because I wanted to watch you. Watching you play makes me happier than doing anything else!”
“A bit too cheesy!”
“Cheesy because it’s heartfelt.”
My response made Mi Cai act affectionately dependent. She leaned on my shoulder, gazing at the rippling river, seemingly filled with thoughts, yet remaining silent for a long time.
In the silence, many thoughts and questions brewed in my mind. Finally, I asked her, “Do you still remember that you once agreed to my marriage proposal?”
Mi Cai nodded, waiting for me to continue.
“At that time, were you genuinely willing to marry me, or was it due to pressure from my pursuit? Or just a momentary impulse?”
“…Don’t guess randomly. I was willing.”
“But why was the breakup so easy after the proposal? Have you ever thought about that?”
Mi Cai thought for a moment and replied, “Mutual suspicion… We weren’t mature enough back then!”
Her answer made me feel ashamed. After all, she lacked emotional experience, while I had previous relationships. Yet I hadn’t properly guided her. Once our relationship encountered a crisis, I still acted like an immature child, questioning love itself and doubting her, eventually choosing an extreme path… Thinking about it, the truly immature one was actually me. I was fragile and overly sensitive in love.
Disappointed, I replied, “Maybe I’m just a person with many personality flaws…”
“Don’t say that about yourself. We both know that nobody can live perfectly in this world. If we’re talking about personality flaws, I have many too…” Mi Cai paused here, seemingly touched by her own reflection. Her voice became slightly choked, “I used to be so selfish, chasing the life I liked. It wasn’t until Dad passed away that I truly understood how heavy his expectations for me were… And regarding our relationship, I always realized how painful it was in my heart only after you had already walked away… I’m a late bloomer, and I hate this personality of mine!”
Her self-denial made my heart ache. I could only hold her tighter, not knowing what words to use to comfort her… After a long silence, I finally asked, “Tell me, since we both have so many flaws, do you think living together in the future might somehow turn these negatives into positives and create something uplifting?”
“I really hope it can be like that!”
“Yeah, then we can grow old together. Then I’ll have the chance to see what you look like when you’re old—you know what I mean, right?”
Mi Cai nodded, gently holding my hand and stroking it…
When emotions ran deep, I finally kissed her cheek and softly asked in her ear, “How long will this trip to the U.S. be?”
“I’ll stay until the IPO is confirmed successful… or maybe it ends in failure.”
“Weren’t you previously so confident?”
“In business, nothing is absolutely certain.” She sighed softly and continued, “I’ve done my best. As for the outcome, it’s up to fate now.”
Gently stroking her smooth, long hair, I deeply sensed her fatigue, hoping she could rest on my shoulder at this moment…
Neither of us spoke again, experiencing the quietness of the night. In this silence, I seemed to transform into a person flying a kite, while Mi Cai was the soaring kite in my hands. As long as the string remained unbroken, I would hold it tightly. Even if one day she fell, I could follow the string to find where she landed…
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage