Although the rain wasn’t pouring down in buckets, it was heavy enough to leave me soaked and disheveled in the middle of the night. By the time I returned to my car, I was completely drenched.
In the cold, I gradually calmed down and realized it was time for me to find a place to settle down in this city.
I drove to a five-star hotel, checked into a suite, and paid for the stay using the bank card Wei had given me.
I had never been rich before, so this was my first time staying in a five-star hotel suite. As I lay on the spacious and comfortable bed, I felt a profound sense of loss. I couldn’t understand why I had come here. Apart from the clearer sound of raindrops hitting the window from high above, I gained nothing.
After drinking a can of beer, I picked up my phone from the nightstand, though I had no expectations that Mi Cai would reply. She had already applied her usual calmness to our now-ended relationship, so she wouldn’t drag things out like I did.
I opened WeChat. The chat records from before we started dating were still there. These texts and voice messages documented the simple beauty of our past. But now? We had given each other bitter fruits amidst heart-wrenching pain.
Thinking about it now, this terrible day was entirely caused by yesterday’s infatuation. If my heart had remained unmoved then, it wouldn’t hurt so much now.
Mechanically scrolling through the screen, I accidentally noticed Leyao’s profile picture at the bottom of the chat list. We hadn’t been in touch for almost a month. I wondered how she was doing, so I opened her Moments.
Leyao’s life on her Moments looked so rich and fulfilling. I saw photos of her dining, singing karaoke, horseback riding, playing golf, and attending various events with many top domestic celebrities.
At that moment, I finally realized: she had truly integrated into the entertainment industry and was gradually establishing her position within it. I could almost see her shining brightly in the future.
I wanted to send her a WeChat message, but hearing the pattering rain outside, I gave up. I didn’t want to reach out to her just because I was helpless and sad. After all, she wasn’t my emotional dumping ground.
I opened another can of beer and started drinking again. Halfway through, my WeChat notification suddenly rang. I finished half the can in one gulp, picked up my phone from the nightstand, and saw it was from Leyao. I couldn’t help but wonder—was this a coincidence?
“Zhaoyang, how have you been lately? You haven’t liked any of my photos in a long time!”
I immediately found a photo of her playing golf and gave it a like.
Leyao quickly replied: “I guessed you weren’t asleep yet. What are you up to?”
“Staying in a five-star hotel suite, enjoying the luxury of life!”
“Did you pay taxes for your lies?”
I took a photo as proof and sent it to her.
“Did you strike it rich somewhere? Have you moved straight into the bourgeoisie after escaping poverty?”
“Not exactly a windfall.”
“How much? And how did you earn it?”
“You’re asking too many questions. I’ll only answer one.”
“Okay then, tell me how you earned it.”
I knew Leyao was worried I might have earned the money through improper means, so she cared more about how I got it.
“With wisdom…”
“Phew… I’m relieved then. I was really afraid you went to some shady places and sold your charm, thus embarking on a path of self-degradation!”
I immediately sent her a voice message: “Damn it… let me strangle you!”
“Come on then, I’m right here in Beijing, waiting for your arrival.”
“…We’ll talk about going to Beijing to strangle you later.”
With such a rogue attitude, does your family know?
This conversation with Leyao finally dispelled some of the gloom from this rainy night. I smiled and, after a long pause, replied to her message: “It’s getting late. No more jokes. Time to wash up and sleep.”
“Okay, catch up later. Good night!”
“Good night!”
…
The next day, I slept until nearly 12 PM in the hotel. After checking out and having lunch, I went to the bank and withdrew more than 90,000 yuan in cash. Then, with a bank card that still had a balance of over 400,000 yuan, I headed toward Wei’s Sima Advertising.
Upon arrival, the receptionist told me that Wei was in her office meeting with a client and asked me to wait. I nodded and sat in the waiting area.
I had drunk a lot of water at lunch and felt the urge to use the restroom, so I headed that way and happened to pass Wei’s office.
The office door was slightly ajar, and the curtains weren’t drawn. Instinctively, I glanced inside and saw that the client the receptionist had mentioned was indeed Mr. Wang, the director from Jinding Property. I didn’t think much of it and was about to leave when I faintly heard the word “junior” from inside the office—obviously spoken by Mr. Wang.
I immediately stopped in my tracks and moved closer to the door, hoping I had just imagined it.
“Junior, I really appreciate your strong support this time. This business is very important to our company!”
“As your senior, you don’t need to be so polite with me… Think about it, if it weren’t for Master Wei’s (Wei’s father) generous guidance over the years, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Of course, I will do everything I can to support your advertising company when it needs business development!”
Wei smiled gratefully, but I felt a chill run through my scalp. After a brief moment of recovery, I pushed open the office door and walked in.
Anger filled my body. I clenched my fists so tightly that they cracked, but I couldn’t utter a word.
Wei turned pale and stood up, saying, “Zhaoyang… you, how did you get here?”
Finally, I managed to speak: “You know each other, don’t you?… The business from Jinding Property was planned all along, wasn’t it?…”
Wei looked at me helplessly.
Mr. Wang quickly tried to mediate: “Zhaoyang, please calm down first…”
“How the hell am I supposed to stay calm… Wei, what exactly am I to you?… Do you think I need your pity in this way?”
“Zhaoyang, let me explain…” Wei said while walking toward me.
“Shut up,” I said, taking off my backpack and pulling out a thick stack of cash, pointing it at Wei.
“Tell me, is this money? Is it really money?… It’s all crap, stinking, unbearable crap!”
I threw the cash violently toward the ceiling. It scattered and fell, landing on Wei, me, Mr. Wang, and eventually covering the entire office.
I breathed heavily, overwhelmed by a strong sense of humiliation. My fragile heart felt like it was about to burst. I had thought this money was earned through my own efforts. I had resented Mi Cai for not being happy for me and had proudly told Leyao the night before that I earned it with wisdom.
But what was the result?
It turned out to be nothing but a joke—a joke where I was nothing more than a clown receiving charity.
I threw the bank card onto Wei’s desk and walked out of the office without looking back. My steps became heavier with each one, as if every step I took left a deep crack in that crystal-clear city.
Wei kept calling after me, but that city finally shattered and collapsed amidst her cries.
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