I made a gesture to Xia Fanye to wait a moment, then rushed downstairs. Except for Weiran and Luoben, the others had already arrived outside the coffee shop before me. At this moment, Jian Wei’s expression became even angrier. She pointed her finger fiercely at Xiang Chen and said, “Xiang Chen, what exactly do you mean? Did you have to bring this up today?”
Xiang Chen’s face was icy cold: “I just want to ask you, aside from today, have we had any other chances to meet? I’ve been back from overseas for half a month already. Every time I called to make plans with you, you were either at work or with clients. Is this how a romantic relationship should be? What exactly do you think I am to you?”
Jian Wei lowered her hand pointing at Xiang Chen, her tone colder than his: “If you’re so dissatisfied with my career, it only shows we have different aspirations in life. Rather than forcing ourselves to stay together, it would be better to set each other free.”
“Break up? Have you really decided so easily to end things after I’ve always unconditionally compromised for you? Then what now?”
“What more do you want?”
“Don’t you think your heart is too ruthless for a woman?”
“It’s because you can’t accept my beliefs! Let’s not argue endlessly here. I think breaking up will be a relief for both of us.”
“Relief, relief…Am I just like shackles to you?”
“Xiang Chen, there are some things we both understand. Do I really have to spell it out bluntly?”
Xiang Chen’s emotions calmed instantly but he remained silent for a long time before finally saying to Jian Wei: “Anyway, I won’t agree to break up with you. Except for you, I’ve never considered marrying anyone else for the rest of my life…Perhaps, we both need to calm down a bit.”
Yanyan finally came to Jian Wei’s side, trying to soothe her: “Yes, Weiwei, you’re both adults. Don’t say childish things like breaking up anymore. Just get married when the time is right…Tell me, who among you two can afford to be messed around anymore!”
Jian Wei looked at Xiang Chen without saying anything, then turned her back, unwilling to continue the conversation. It seemed that except for Fangyuan and Yanyan’s couple, none of us could get involved in their discussion. We could only watch helplessly, at least I didn’t know how to persuade them.
Xiang Chen lit a cigarette to ease his emotions. When he was almost done smoking, he said to Jian Wei: “I know you’ve never loved me. At most, you’ve just considered me a high-level friend…But Jian Wei, remember this: no one in this world cares for you and loves you more than me. Think it over carefully, and call me when you’re ready.” After saying that, he came to my side, smiled, and said: “Zhaoyang, thank you very much for inviting us to coffee today, giving us a chance to clear our hearts. Let’s meet again next time when I come to Suzhou. I’ll leave first! Everyone, sorry, I have to go first. I’ll treat you all to dinner next time.”
After Xiang Chen finished speaking, he turned and walked toward the alley entrance. However, Jian Wei never turned to look at him throughout. Only when the sound of a car engine came from the alley did she say to us: “I’m leaving too.”
Yanyan grabbed her gently as she turned to leave, trying to persuade her: “Go after Xiang Chen and have a good chat. If you really break up, where else will you find a man who is so accommodating to you? With your temper, how can you live without a man’s tolerance? So don’t wait until you lose someone to feel regret…”
Before she could finish, Jian Wei coldly interrupted: “That’s ridiculous. Why must there always be a man by my side? Why must I rely on a man’s tolerance to live?”
Yanyan looked at Jian Wei in confusion, while Jian Wei had already walked into the coffee shop, picked up her handbag, and walked toward the alley entrance under everyone’s gaze. Yet no one knew whether, on this rainy night, she would go looking for Xiang Chen.
…
Everyone gradually returned to the coffee shop, while I stood under the eaves, lighting another cigarette. A complex feeling filled my heart because I couldn’t fully understand what Xiang Chen had said before leaving—not just his words, but also Jian Wei’s, which puzzled me. However, these fragmented words couldn’t be effectively connected to help me understand the whole story.
Soon, I gave up trying because I didn’t really understand. Even if I figured it all out, what would be the point? The past events had long been detached from my current life.
Finally, I put out the cigarette and went back into the coffee shop again. Luoben was still immersed in his own creative world, humming occasionally, seemingly indifferent to everything that had just happened. As for Weiran, he hadn’t even changed his posture, as if frozen, which precisely reflected the icy turmoil within him at this moment. However, I dared not face him with the attitude of a victor because I had never thought of love as a competition, and even now, going through this ordeal, I couldn’t be certain that I could steadily continue with Mi Cai. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have invited him here for coffee today.
I went from the lower floor back up to the balcony, where Xia Fanye was still waiting. I continued the conversation we hadn’t finished earlier, saying to him: “Actually, my idea is very simple. I just need the coffee shop ‘Xicheng Yixi’ to be registered under my company’s name, but the ownership will still be yours. We will promote it as a key project, and the coffee shop will continue to sell only coffee, without any additional business. The company will subsidize you 15,000 yuan monthly for operating expenses. Does that sound okay to you?”
“You’re helping me so openly.”
“You’re wrong. Actually, I benefit far more than you. This coffee shop will bring spiritual and cultural elevation to our project, giving our brand real meaning. The implicit value cannot be assessed.”
“You could easily replicate such a coffee shop.”
I smiled and said, “That would only copy the form, not the essence. Only your coffee shop is the real ‘Xicheng Yixi.’ For this coffee shop, for your painting dream, for you and her dream of ‘Xicheng Yixi,’ please don’t refuse anymore!”
He remained silent for a long time, then smoked another cigarette before finally saying to me: “Thank you.”
“There’s really no need to be polite. I’m glad I had the chance to encounter this coffee shop and meet you. I hope one day you can become an excellent painter. That would definitely be what she would most like to see.”
His eyes became moist. At this moment, I seemed to see through his eyes: her image, who once devoted herself wholeheartedly to his dream of becoming a painter, tired but still smiling, full of hope. Even I felt a sense of being torn apart. In the days when I had dreams but was poor, there had never been such a woman by my side. I had just wasted my dreams and walked that path alone. But compared to Xia Fanye, I couldn’t judge who was more fortunate or unfortunate.
…
After leaving the balcony and returning downstairs, the people who hadn’t left were still silently drinking their coffee. Luoben’s song seemed unfinished, as he alternated between frowning and showing excitement. I checked the time; half an hour had passed since I arrived.
I asked Xia Fanye for another cup of coffee, then carried it to Weiran’s front and said, “Can we go out and talk for a moment?”
He seemed to be waiting for this moment. He opened the door directly and walked under the eaves we had just been at. I followed closely with the coffee, and then we stood face to face.
I handed him the coffee slightly and asked, “This coffee is quite good. Would you like another cup?”
He looked at me with an icy expression. I placed the coffee on the railing under the eaves, met his gaze, and asked, “I really want to know how you found out about those photos of me at Jian Wei’s place back then?”
He remained silent, his expression growing even colder.
“You had the guts to publish those photos but don’t have the courage to tell how you got that information. Don’t you know there are those photos?”
“I think you didn’t come to talk to me about this.”
“Before we get to the main topic, I want to clarify the whole story of this matter first.”
“If you think I’ve violated your privacy, you can take any means to clear your name. I won’t answer anything.”
This strong response filled me with disgust. Perhaps he was even more disgusted with me, which explained his current uncommunicative attitude. Indeed, this wasn’t the main point I wanted to discuss with him. I finally controlled myself and said, “It’s okay if you don’t want to answer, but I hope you won’t make things difficult for Mi Cai and me anymore. We just want to live a quiet life.”
“What position do you have to say these things to me?”
I didn’t get angry but retorted, “What position do you want me to have? People need to learn to respect reality. This is something you must learn, or you will end up being the most miserable person!”
“Your reality is not my reality…I can’t possibly remain just her best friend for the rest of my life. She is my ultimate expectation for love…”
“Do you even understand love?”
Weiran scoffed, “Love? Let me tell you what love is…Love is the first woman you fall for, and as long as you’re still breathing, you’ll never utter the word ‘give up.’ That’s love. And your relationship with Mi Cai isn’t love at all…Even if it is, it’s just second-hand love. That’s all you can offer her!”
I clenched my teeth because this man in front of me was so stubborn, and his theory was absurd. Tell me, in this realistic society, how many couples who end up together still retain their initial love? Love is like flowing water, always instinctively seeking the most suitable resting place. If I am the water, Mi Cai is the resting place I most willingly choose in my life…Ultimately, the meaning of love is fulfillment. Only through fulfillment can the water and the resting place find their most suitable destination!
Before I could explain this idea to him, he said to me: “Zhaoyang, there are some things that cannot be negotiated. Today, the reason I agreed to come here was to tell you that Mi Cai is not the right woman for you. One day you will understand this, and I will be the man who walks with her to the end. You will understand this too! Because second-hand love doesn’t deserve her!”
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