After briefly organizing my thoughts, I said, “My idea is to establish a chain of uniquely styled inns, restaurants, and bars in famous tourist cities across the country, all centered around literature and art. Eventually, these would form a cultural and artistic route across the map of China.”
Leyao stared at me with wide eyes and said, “You’re making it sound so good—trying to fool me because you think I don’t understand business?”
“A sparrow cannot understand the ambition of a swan… Anyway, I’ve shared my idea with you. Just tell me straightforwardly whether you’re willing to sell it cheaply or not.”
After thinking for a while, Leyao asked again, “So you mean that in the future, no matter which city I travel to, I will be able to see your bars and inns, each with a unique artistic style, not repetitive at all, but full of artistic flair?”
“You’ve figured it out yourself already! So why do you still think I’m trying to fool you?”
Leyao leaned closer and asked, “What about overseas? Will there be any branches abroad too?”
“Why not, when we reach a certain stage of development?”
Nodding approvingly, Leyao said, “You even threw in some English just now. It really sounds feasible now!”
I smiled and said, “Since I’ve given you such strong confidence, can you seriously consider selling me the bar at a discount?”
Leyao still didn’t give me a direct answer. Instead, she held my hand and asked, “Zhaoyang, do you still remember that long ago we promised to become masters of life?”
“Yeah, you’ve already become a master of life. No one can ever look down on you again.”
Leyao tightened her grip on my hand and said, “I also truly hope that in the future I can see a shining version of you. More than that, I hope that your artistic path is not just a wild imagination, but a goal you will actually pursue… By that time, you will be much happier with Mi Cai, because you won’t be living in her shadow anymore.”
I gazed up at the starry sky, hoping to see a successful and confident version of myself after achieving career success. Being with Mi Cai then would be much more pleasant, and of course, I could also provide a comfortable material life for Ban Da and my mom. Thinking about all this, I really should strive to become a master of life in this ruthless, survival-of-the-fittest society.
At this moment, Leyao let go of my hand and softly said, “Zhaoyang, you can take over the bar. When you earn money in the future, just pay me back.”
“I already owe you so much money. I can’t possibly take further advantage of you. It really isn’t appropriate!”
“Why are you so stubborn… Well then, give me 1.5 million now.”
“Let me think about it, okay? Anyway, you’re not in a hurry to sell it.”
Almost instinctively, Leyao asked, “Borrow it from Jian Wei?”
“Have your nerves been hit by a whip or something? Why are you jumping to conclusions like that? Why would I borrow from her?”
“…If you borrow from her, I’d rather give it to you for free than sell it!”
I was speechless again. It seemed that Leyao always harbored hostility toward Jian Wei, which puzzled me greatly, as they had no direct conflict of interest.
Leyao nudged me again and said, “Zhaoyang, why don’t you ask Mi Cai to borrow the 1.5 million? I think for her, it’s really easy. But for you, it would be significant—it would mean laying the first brick of the blueprint you’ve envisioned for yourself!”
“I’d rather take over your bar now and pay you back later than ask her to lend me 1.5 million!”
“I knew you would say that. But after all, she’s your girlfriend. Do you really need to be so calculating with her? Besides, after you get married, won’t everything she owns become your joint property? Would you refuse that too?”
“You just said earlier that you hoped I wouldn’t live in her shadow, and now you’re encouraging me to borrow money from her. Don’t you think that’s contradictory?”
“Borrowing money is meant to help you develop quickly, so you can completely step out of her shadow. How is that contradictory? Plus, I think if you really brought this up with her, your relationship would become even closer… Many times, I really feel that you two don’t seem like a couple who are truly together. You always seem united in appearance but estranged at heart. Don’t you feel that yourself?”
Leyao’s words seemed to enlighten me. Reflecting carefully, I realized that indeed Mi Cai and I struggled to achieve the kind of intimate connection typical of lovers. I asked Leyao for advice, “Why do we seem united in appearance but estranged at heart?”
Without hesitation, Leyao answered, “Even though you both love each other, you’ve never shared in each other’s glory or endured hardships together. You live in your own worlds, unable to penetrate each other’s. To be precise, it’s you who can’t enter Mi Cai’s world, while she has been trying to approach yours. But you always retreat and avoid her approach!”
Thinking carefully, I realized she was right. Mi Cai had indeed stayed with me in extremely modest roadside hostels and even changed her own car to a very ordinary Volkswagen CC. Yet I had never tried to adapt to her lifestyle.
Leyao continued earnestly, “Therefore, Zhaoyang… If you truly regard Mi Cai as your girlfriend, you should borrow that 1.5 million from her, work hard to earn money, and repay her. Looking back on this matter later, won’t it seem reasonable and perfect?”
Persuaded by Leyao’s words, I was indeed somewhat shaken. However, I still couldn’t overcome my inner hesitation and said to her, “Let me think carefully about taking over the bar. I’ll give you my answer once I’ve made up my mind.”
Sighing, Leyao said, “Sigh!… I advise you, for the sake of your grand blueprint and artistic path, to quickly figure this out.”
…
The next morning, we got up early and prepared to leave this small village deep in the mountains. Luben and Wei Manwen saw us off to the village entrance, while not far away, a donkey cart arranged by the village chief was waiting for us.
In this farewell scene, all of us became supporting characters, while CC and Luben were the protagonists. Yet all of us supporting characters were eager to find out how Luben would handle this brief relationship with CC.
Luben tried several times to say something to CC but eventually failed to speak…
Finally, CC smiled faintly and said to Luben, “You don’t have to force yourself to say anything to me. I don’t need it either. But… I hope you will always remember a woman named Ye Beini (CC’s real name), who once loved you deeply.”
Luben nodded with a guilty expression…
Then CC turned to Wei Manwen and said, “Actually, all of us can see that you still have feelings for Luben. But you have your own struggles. If you eventually choose to marry Zhou Hang, please give Luben some comfort in other ways. Don’t let him suffer too much, okay?”
“What do you specifically mean by ‘other things’? Can you clarify?”
CC shook her head and said, “I don’t know what those things should be either, so this must be difficult for you, right?”
Wei Manwen didn’t speak. She seemed somewhat confused about CC’s intention. In fact, I was also confused because this woman often shared the same strange thoughts as Luben, yet they didn’t have the destined fate to be together.
…
The donkey cart kept bumping along the mountain path. Leyao softly asked CC beside her, “After this experience, what are your plans for the future?”
CC’s expression was no longer gloomy. She looked up at the blue sky and smiled, saying, “Find the customer who donated 100,000 yuan to the Kongcheng Music Restaurant, and see if I can marry him. After all, I’m already 28 years old!”
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