"If I can earn 200,000 today, I'll be able to earn 400,000 in the future..."

Yang Sisi interrupted me, saying, "Can you please stop being so arrogant?"

“This isn’t arrogance… You don’t understand. Once a person’s mindset and horizons are broadened, making money isn’t actually that difficult.” After a slight pause, I added, “If only this matter could be solved simply with money!”

"What if money can't solve the problem?...Are you still going to go to jail for Tie Nan?"

I shook my head: "My thoughts aren't as extreme as you say... I just feel like I haven't tried my best yet."

"Nobody knows how Tie Nan's values ​​were formed... but it definitely has nothing to do with you, so you have no obligation to take responsibility for all the mistakes he made. He brought it on himself."

I looked up at Yang Sisi.

She added, "In my eyes, you've done your best... so please don't get yourself involved... I don't mean anything by it, I just hope you can live a good life."

"So when I offered to pay off Tie Nan's debt, you seemed a little reluctant."

"Um."

Although Yang Sisi only responded with a single word, it carried immense weight, even if it was somewhat biased, because she was judging things too much from my perspective.

After a long silence, I finally spoke to Yang Sisi: "Compared to Tie Nan, I actually have less heart to see Tao Zi indirectly suffer this result... Maybe you don't understand, but I really have a very special feeling for Tao Zi. I hope more than anyone else that she can live a good life in Dali."

"Special feelings?"

"Yes, this feeling doesn't involve the sexes... but it makes me feel more responsible than a relationship between the sexes."

"Could you tell me what Sister Peach did when she was in Shanghai?"

I shook my head, indicating that I didn't want to talk about it...

...

Yang Sisi got off the motorcycle and sat down next to me. Like me, she watched with an unchanging gaze as the seawater, whipped up by the wind, turned into waves that crashed at our feet.

"Michael... I think you live a very tiring life!"

"No, sometimes I'm quite happy."

Yang Sisi stared at me and suddenly said, "Can you teach me to smoke?"

I countered, "Why would you want to learn to smoke?"

"I want to experience what you feel when you smoke."

"Don't smoke, it will make your teeth yellow."

"I'll only smoke one, I promise."

"I'm afraid you'll choke."

Yang Sisi said impatiently, "I will bear the consequences of my own choices... Just give me a cigarette."

"How about I give you a gun... I feel more desperate when I hold a gun than when I hold a cigarette."

"You're not desperate, you're just tired."

My fingers, holding the cigarette, trembled involuntarily, then became riddled with holes; on such a night when I didn't know where to go, I especially didn't want anyone to see right through me... because that would awaken my longing for someone to rely on.

Aside from my mouth, I'm not made of steel, so when I'm tired, I sometimes want to lean on someone or something reliable, but...

...

Without my permission, Yang Sisi took a cigarette from the pack. The moment she lit the lighter, I felt as if I could see her heart through the flame…

The wind quickly extinguished the flame, and I felt as if I were blind, but through the damp, cold air of the seaside, I seemed to smell her scent again... so youthful, so vibrant!

Gradually, even her selfishness seemed endearing.