Cao Jinbo finished the wine I poured for him, and I thought he would give me an answer. Instead, he turned to Sun Jiwei and smiled, saying, "This young man speaks neither humbly nor arrogantly, and his words are logical and reasonable... I really have to look at him with new respect..."

Sun Jiwei laughed and said, "My brother is a good man... Putting everything else aside, just the fact that he dared to come to Dali alone to do business makes him a hero!"

After a brief pause, Sun Jiwei asked Cao Jinbo on my behalf, "Boss Cao, what do you think about my brother's matter?"

"Section Chief Sun, you are very knowledgeable and experienced. I would like to hear your opinion on this matter."

After Cao Jinbo gave his reply, I subconsciously looked at Sun Jiwei. I was afraid he would feel embarrassed because Cao Jinbo asked him this in order to do him a favor and get something in return later. In the end, Cao Jinbo is a shrewd man, so he is trying to maximize his own interests.

Just as I was having these concerns, Sun Jiwei said, "I think Boss Cao should give young people a chance... We've all been through that stage of youth, so we can understand the hardships they face in starting a business."

Cao Jinbo replied jokingly, "Young people these days don't value relationships as much as our generation did. I'm afraid they don't understand the importance of gratitude."

"Gratitude is all just talk; mutual benefit is what truly matters... If this matter is handled well, Boss Cao, you'll benefit far more than I, your little brother!"

Cao Jinbo laughed and then turned to me and said, "Since Section Chief Sun has said so, I must give him face... To be honest, I really don't care about this rent... You can take these 16 shops directly, but I have one condition: I want 50% of your profits... If you agree, I will send someone to deliver the keys to you tomorrow."

I couldn't be happier with Cao Jinbo's suggestion, because rent is a huge expense for me. Given that Tie Nan couldn't invest with me, I couldn't afford to do this on my own. But Cao Jinbo's offer of a share of the profits and no rent made things much easier... At the very least, it would improve my efficiency and save me from having to run around trying to cover the rent. So, I immediately nodded to Cao Jinbo.

After this matter was settled, Cao Jinbo stopped paying attention to me. He kept talking to the deputy director named Luo Zhuming until the end of the meal, when he said a few words to me to encourage me to do a good job.

...

After seeing Cao Jinbo off, Sun Jiwei didn't stay long. He went back to his unit with Luo Zhuming, while I wandered alone in the ancient city, wondering how to spend the money I had... I roughly estimated that the money I had was just enough without borrowing any.

Without the pressure, my heart gradually calmed down, and then I thought of Ye Zhi, who was in the hospital. I definitely needed to send her a message to find out what was going on. I felt that this was the kind of concern a friend should show.

After finding a place to sit on the street, I took out my phone and sent Ye Zhi a message: "I heard you were hospitalized. Are you alright?"

A moment later, Ye Zhi replied to my message, but she wasn't curious about where I had heard the news from. She simply replied, "Um...it's nothing, don't worry."

"They've been hospitalized, but they keep saying nothing's wrong... What happened?"

"I was in a minor traffic accident and injured my arm."

Traffic accidents can be serious or minor, but Ye Zhi's explanation was vague, which increased my worries. So I asked again, "How did a traffic accident happen? Were you driving, or was someone else driving?"

“The driver was driving… He had been working intensely with me during this period, and on the day of the accident, he was driving while fatigued.”

"I don't know what to say to you... Do you really have to push yourself this hard? Do you have to do things like this to finally have some free time?... This is a losing proposition!"

Ye Zhi didn't reply to my messages anymore... After waiting for a long time, I finally understood why Ye Zhi didn't want to tell me about her hospitalization. She knew I would blame her like that, and she, who was always aloof, didn't like being blamed like that.

I couldn't help but think: perhaps what she needs is action, not just verbal reproach or concern?

With this thought in mind, my heart, which had been calm for so long, began to stir. Did I really have to go back to Shanghai this time? But since leaving there, I hadn't thought about going back. Besides, what identity should I present when facing Ye Zhi?

If we're just friends, my concern seems excessive, especially since I really don't want to go back to Shanghai!

...

As my thoughts became chaotic, I started to get irritable. I subconsciously pulled a cigarette out of my pocket, lit it, and tapped my head with it.

To be honest, at that moment, I wanted to do something for Ye Zhi. This desire wasn't a pretense; it stemmed from a genuine worry within me, especially after she stopped replying to my messages. I realized I had said the wrong thing. I shouldn't have blamed her in my haste; instead, I should have shown understanding. Ye Zhi's work wasn't just for herself; perhaps she also wanted to rest, but she couldn't, which is why she forced herself to do so much… and that's why this unexpected incident occurred.

This inexplicable urge to protect her left me feeling a little dazed...

Am I really in love with her? And is it the kind of love that involves romantic feelings?

I didn't dare to think about it any deeper... I just told myself to respect my deepest feelings, and if I still had the urge to go to Shanghai to see her by nightfall, then I would go back...

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