I wanted to beat that foreigner up... but in an instant, I envied him for being so shameless, because even though I've known Ye Zhi for so long, I've never had the courage to do these things to her.

I know that sometimes love can be so simple to blossom, but there's always a knot in my heart that I can't untie, which prevents me from letting go.

Ye Zhi seemed quite experienced in handling such situations. She spoke fluent English to the foreigner while backing away. Seeing her resolute attitude, the foreigner finally gave up. Unfortunately, my English isn't very good, otherwise I would have known what reason Ye Zhi had used to reject him.

After the storm passed, Ye Zhi's mood seemed to be affected as well. She said a few words to me and then ended our video chat. It wasn't until her image disappeared from my phone screen that I remembered that I still had something to talk to her about.

She is a woman with extensive business experience, so I want to ask her, in the face of huge profits, should one choose to compromise? And behind her success, have she ever made similar compromises?

I feel a little regretful that I didn't get her guidance, but I don't want to bother her anymore.

...

I finally stood up from the rocks, looking at Erhai Lake—which wasn't really a sea—and suddenly longed to visit those beautiful islands surrounded by the real ocean. After this thought arose, it seemed as if my perspective on life broadened considerably…

Like the ocean, I should have a broader mind. As long as I'm running a legitimate business, I shouldn't be afraid to deal with anyone; moreover, being able to make money from someone like Cao Jinbo is a demonstration of ability, so how can I give up an opportunity for self-transformation because of my narrow-mindedness?

I really need to become stronger so that I have the confidence to pursue everything I like; otherwise, I'm more like a laughing stock right now, being ridiculed on one hand and unable to provide others with a sense of security on the other. I've already experienced this with Lu Jia.

Yes, it was her family who mocked me; and it was indeed me who couldn't give her a sense of security.

Thinking about all this, I finally picked up my phone from the rocks again and dialed Sun Jiwei's number...

While waiting for him to answer, I remained calm and knew exactly what kind of outcome I wanted... I had made up my mind: if this deal went through, I would use the money I earned to rent a decent apartment in Dali...

Next time Lao Mi comes to visit me, I will definitely not let him stay in guesthouses or hotels. I will tell him that one day, this place will definitely be my home and my girlfriend... We will wait here together to welcome him and my mother.

Yes, this is my feeling as a man at this moment. When you truly have a home in your heart, you will no longer think about arrogance and prejudice. All you will have is the spirit of hard work and perseverance, because there are really some things and people in this world that are worth fighting for!