Chapter 255: I Want to Be a Successful Person

Another roar of engines sounded, and soon the three of them disappeared from my sight. I sat back down on the chair, feeling too numb to have any reaction, because if I decided to be with Mi Cai, scenes like this would keep happening.

Tongzi, however, turned pale and asked me with a trembling voice, “Brother Yang… that man and woman were so intimidating. Who were they?”

“The rich.”

“Yeah, an Audi R8 and a Ferrari 458. They must be really wealthy!”

I pulled out a cigarette from the pack, put it in my mouth, and glanced toward the door. It seemed like the air still carried a strong smell of gasoline.

Tongzi anxiously reminded me, “They took your boss away!”

I looked at Tongzi but still didn’t respond.

“Brother Yang, can you tell me about their relationships?”

“No.”

“You’re really upset, huh? Then I’ll just shut up.”

An hour later, Mi Cai sent me a message. She said she had to go to Suzhou and would try to return before dusk.

Trying to appear indifferent, I replied, telling her to focus on her own affairs.

…

Just after noon, I finally received a call from Ban Di after three days. He told me that he and my mom had arrived at the Xitang bus station and asked me to pick them up.

I grabbed the keys to the minivan and walked toward the door. As I passed the empty lot, Mi Cai’s newly bought white Volkswagen CC was still parked there, yet I inexplicably felt a sense of sadness, even though I knew it was only a half-day separation.

I stood there for a while before driving to the station. Ban Di, as always, had no expression, but my mom looked at me with a frown.

I hurriedly smiled and took two bottles of mineral water from the car, handing them to them. “Dad, Mom, you must be tired from the trip. Later, I’ll treat you to some local dishes in Xitang. I guarantee you’ll love them!”

My mom accepted the water and said, “We didn’t come to Xitang for the food, so don’t spend money unnecessarily.”

The word “unnecessarily” suddenly created a strong sense of distance between us. My heart sank, but I still forced a smile and said, “Aren’t you my real parents? Since you’ve come to Xitang after such a long time, as long as you enjoy yourselves, I won’t mind how much it costs!” I then opened the car door for them.

With a sigh, Ban Di didn’t say much and got into the car first. My mom followed, and I shut the door for them before getting into the driver’s seat myself. Starting the car, I drove directly toward the best restaurant in Xitang.

…

After ordering the food, I turned to Ban Di and asked, “Dad, want some alcohol?”

Before Ban Di could respond, my mom quickly cut in, “No alcohol. We have something serious to discuss with you later.”

Although I was somewhat prepared, my heart still tightened. I didn’t speak further, only fiddling with the lighter in my hand.

After a moment of silence, my mom said to me, “Zhaoyang, you’re our son, and no matter good or bad, we have a responsibility. So this time coming to Xitang, we’re not here to accuse you. We just hope you’ll come back to Xuzhou with us… Your dad and I have already discussed it. He will arrange a position for you at his workplace as a records keeper. Within a year, you can get a permanent position, and then your life will settle down.”

I was shocked and immediately turned to Ban Di for confirmation, “Dad, are you really going to get me a job at your workplace?”

Ban Di nodded, “Yeah.”

A strong sense of helplessness surged in me. Even Ban Di, who had always been principled, had compromised on this matter. I remembered how desperately I had begged him last time, but he had refused.

In this situation, I couldn’t bring myself to argue and only remained silent with my head down.

My mom softened her tone and asked me, “Zhaoyang, tell your mom, is it easy living alone out here?”

“Not easy, but…”

“But what?”

“Mom, it’s not that I can’t accept a nine-to-five job. The thing is, I’ve already invested a lot of money, and I really have plans for this inn. All these years, I’ve been carrying the reputation of being someone who can’t rise above the mud. This time… this time I want to be successful!”

“Now you know you want to be successful? What were you doing those first few years after graduation?… I don’t need to remind you that you’re already 27 years old, right? Many of your peers who married early already have kids in kindergarten. What about you?”

I retorted, “Marriage without a material foundation is fragile. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with establishing a career before starting a family!”

My mom’s face immediately turned grim as she scolded me, “Tell me, besides yourself, who else thinks you’re right and supports what you’re doing?”

I thought of Mi Cai, but unless she spoke for herself, I had no confidence to speak on her behalf. I fell silent again.

Finally, Ban Di spoke amid my silence, “Zhaoyang, we’re not forcing you to come back to Xuzhou, but there’s a prerequisite—you must first stabilize your life… Don’t you have a classmate named Fang Yuan? If you could settle down and build a career like him in Suzhou, we as your parents would have nothing to say.”

I couldn’t help but reflect on myself in Ban Di’s words. It was no wonder my parents were worried about me. Instantly, my confidence in holding my own views weakened, but I was even more unwilling to give up.

…

After returning to the inn, I arranged a room for Ban Di and my mom to rest. Once again, I was caught in the pain of making a decision. I gradually felt that my so-called persistence seemed so insignificant in the face of family responsibility, and I felt more like a willful teenager.

I began to miss the simple and pure version of myself who had returned to Xuzhou last year, yet I couldn’t understand why I had been willing to accept a stable life back then but not now.

Thinking further, I realized: the root of this change in perspective was because my world had gained Mi Cai, which made me so resistant to ordinariness.

But could my parents, who pursued stability, understand my feelings at this moment?

I didn’t expect them to understand, and I was well aware that I had to endure everything with gritted teeth.

…

As the sky gradually darkened, it was already dinner time, but Mi Cai, who had said she would return before evening, still hadn’t come back.

I couldn’t help but feel worried and wanted to call her, but Ban Di and my mom came out from the guest room, saying they wanted to treat me to dinner.

I felt helpless because this so-called dinner was just their way of giving me a final ultimatum, asking me to make a decision soon.

After a moment of silence, I finally said to them, “Let’s wait a little longer. There’s still one person missing. We’ll go together once she comes back.”

My mom looked at me in confusion and asked, “Still one person missing! Who is it?”

I steeled my heart and looked at my mom and Ban Di, replying, “My girlfriend!”