With the evening spring breeze blowing, I finally strummed the guitar strings and sang the song “The Price of Love,” which I had sung countless times before, to comfort and encourage myself.
After finishing the song, I placed the guitar on the grass beside me, then lay down with my arms as a pillow, enduring quietly the first day of losing contact with Mi Cai.
At that moment, instead of habitually lighting a cigarette, I took out the bank card containing 500,000 yuan in savings from my pocket and held it up to look at.
Fifty thousand yuan could get me a lot in this city. If I wanted, I could even buy a small single apartment without taking out a loan, thus ending my wandering life.
But was this too easy? It all originated from me smashing a glass in desperation.
After much consideration, I finally dialed Jian Wei’s number and she answered shortly afterward.
I asked, “Are you free now?”
“I’m having dinner with clients. What’s up?”
“I’m by the moat. Can you come here after you finish eating?”
Jian Wei was silent in surprise for a moment before saying, “Okay, wait for me.”
…
I originally thought it would take Jian Wei about an hour to arrive, but she appeared before me within half an hour and sat down beside me.
“I’m really curious about what matter has prompted you to call me here.”
I waved the bank card I was holding in front of her and said, “Because of this.”
“Is there a problem with this card?”
“There’s no problem with the card. The problem is me. I never thought completing one project would earn me 500,000 yuan. I know exactly what I’m worth.”
“So what do you mean now?”
“According to my original expectation, I should only take 100,000 yuan. The remaining 400,000 yuan should go to you.”
Jian Wei smiled indifferently and said, “Chaoyang, if you feel uneasy about taking this money, you can participate in the project planning for Kingding Properties.”
I shook my head firmly because, from the moment I agreed to Jian Wei to take on this project, I had planned to stop after making a profit, without intending to maintain a long-term partnership with her, fearing that Mi Cai would mind.
Jian Wei looked at me in disbelief: “Are you really going to give up this excellent opportunity to showcase your talent?”
I skipped her question and insisted, “I can only take 100,000 yuan. The remaining 400,000 yuan, use it to develop more advertising channels for the company. At this stage, improving the company’s hardware facilities is key.”
Jian Wei was silent for a long time without expressing her opinion, then took out a blue lighter from her handbag and said, “Let me light a cigarette for you.”
I nodded, took a cigarette from the pack, and let her light it for me. In my heart, I had already decided that the next day, after withdrawing my 100,000 yuan, I would return the card to her.
…
After saying goodbye to Jian Wei by the moat, I faced the night, a night with nowhere to go. I wanted to go to a bar to drown my sorrows but gave up and aimlessly drove through this hollow city, finally stopping outside Zhuo Mei’s building.
I rolled down the car window and lit a cigarette, somewhat lost in staring at the exit of the underground parking lot, uncertain whether Mi Cai had already left work.
Alternatively, it might not matter whether she had left or not; what mattered was the journey we had been through together. And standing under Zhuo Mei’s building was one stop along that journey, worth my pause at this moment.
While waiting, a Ferrari 458 with extremely high attention-grabbing power parked about 30 meters away from me. I knew it was Weiran’s car. His arrival at Zhuo Mei confirmed to me that Mi Cai had not yet finished work.
Weiran opened the car door and got out, holding a bouquet of flowers. This obvious attempt to express affection for Mi Cai upset me. I immediately opened my car door, but at the moment my foot touched the ground, I withdrew and closed the door again.
At that moment, I really wanted to see how Mi Cai would handle her relationship with her male friend.
I lit a cigarette for myself and quietly watched the women passing by casting glances at Weiran. These gazes contained admiration and envy. Of course, they envied the woman who was about to receive the bouquet from Weiran. It must have taken countless lifetimes of good karma for a woman to receive the favor of such a high-quality man!
I took a deep puff of my cigarette, continuing to wait, still waiting.
Finally, I saw Mi Cai walking out from the exit with her handbag. She was accompanied by a group of senior executives from Zhuo Mei. Surrounded by them, she, wearing white high heels, looked like a noble princess. My usually calm mood suddenly became restless. I wanted to see the outcome, yet I feared it. My hands gripping the steering wheel involuntarily tightened, producing an ear-piercing sound.
Mi Cai noticed Weiran. She signaled the people accompanying her to leave first, and then Weiran walked toward her with a smile. What he said, I couldn’t hear at all, but I saw him hand her the bouquet of flowers.
Mi Cai said something else to him but did not reach out to accept the flowers. Weiran still didn’t give up, opening the car door to indicate she should get in first. Mi Cai shook her head at him.
This scene made me throw away the cigarette butt immediately, open the car door, get out, and walk toward Weiran and Mi Cai.
The three of us met in the bustling crowd. I pulled Mi Cai behind me and said to the very surprised Weiran, “Who told you to give her flowers? Who the hell told you to do that?”
Weiran stepped closer to me, not showing any weakness, and said, “I have the right to pursue Betsy (Mi Cai’s English name).”
“Chase your old man… If you’ve got the guts, say that again!” I said, clenching my fists tightly. I had wanted to find an outlet to vent my anger on him for a long time.
Weiran looked at me without flinching and said, “Make sure you hear this clearly. I have the right to pursue Betsy. If you can’t give her happiness, then get out of her life early!”
Just as I was about to kick Weiran, Mi Cai, who had been behind me all along, pushed me away with all her strength and stood between Weiran and me. Her expression was pained as she accused me, asking, “Zhaoyang, is this the result of your calmness?”
The flame in my heart seemed to be instantly extinguished by a thunderstorm in July. I stared at Mi Cai, stunned, unable to respond for a long time.
Mi Cai looked at me one last time, then opened the Ferrari’s door and sat in the front passenger seat. Weiran gave me a disdainful glance, then opened the driver’s door and got in.
The car started instantly and sped like the wind toward an intersection with traffic lights, leaving me behind as passersby pointed and whispered… I was somewhat dazed, and then pain rushed toward me like a violent flood. I couldn’t escape. As I was drowning in suffocation, I asked myself: Had I made another mistake?
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