Chapter 34. Meteor Shower (Two in One)

Love turns us into fools, believers in metaphysics, and actors who say one thing and mean another.

A boy with rivets all over his body and a perm on his hair stood at the front holding a guitar, followed by a bassist and even someone pushing a drum. The tune of "I Like You So Much" attracted everyone to squeeze into the shop.

Ruan Tang manually closed her jaw, which was about to drop, and said to Feng Xue: "Where can I get the money to hire a band? And this is too...

"Even if the world is against me, I like you so much, I like you so much, you can't be separated. I only believe in this truth." Zhang Haoyu sang this line and walked out of the crowd with a microphone in his arms. His sunny smile hid a hint of the youthfulness unique to a big boy. He was still dressed simply, in a white shirt and jeans, and looked particularly refreshing and simple among a group of rock youths.

More and more people poured into the store, including professional dancers, as well as onlookers taking photos and videos.

The two girls who had just taken photos of the tissues and checked in were so excited that they almost fainted. They kept repeating, "How romantic!" and then took out their phones to take a short video.

Ruan Tang just felt a headache. She even thought that the aunt with irregular heartbeat who lived in the backyard might come to kill her again.

Zhang Haoyu walked up to Ruan Tang while singing, and conjured a rose from behind and handed it to her.

Ruan Tang asked him what he was doing, but he didn't answer. He just kept putting the rose in front of her.

She subconsciously glanced at Feng Xue, and thinking of Xu Wei's previous words about the finishing touch, she reached out to take the rose. Zhang Haoyu turned his wrist, and the rose turned into a sparkling diamond necklace.

It was a good drama, but Ruan Tang, who had been devoted to the man beside her recently, felt ripples in her heart.

She felt a little flustered. She had been trying every possible way to test Feng Xue, but she never seemed to examine whether she was just impulsive when she suddenly gave up her persistence for him.

She consoled herself by saying, "It's not that I'm weak, it's probably because no woman can refuse a diamond. If there is, it must be because the diamond isn't big enough." Well, that must be the case.

In the moment she was panicked and distracted, Zhang Haoyu put down the microphone and came closer to help her put on the necklace. Ruan Tang whispered: What are you doing?

"Didn't you just repost that boy band member's solo song on Weibo a few days ago and say 'Ahhh, sister, it's okay, sister, it's okay to be crazy'?"

Ruan Tang turned around and glanced at Feng Xue who was sitting diagonally behind him. His attention was back on the densely packed numbers in the account book, and no emotion could be seen on his face.

She pulled Zhang Haoyu aside and said loudly, "Your marketing idea is really good, but with so many people coming to watch, won't my shop be trampled to the ground? Let them go first."

Zhang Haoyu was like a prince in an ancient imperial palace who believed he had the upper hand and led a group of people to abdicate. He was confident, arrogant, childish and cute. He took a step closer, looked down at Ruan Tang, and asked: Do you think I can do it?

Ruan Tang replied perfunctorily: Of course, but being too high-profile is not okay.

He mustered up the courage to gently hold her wrist, smiling joyfully: "Then you agree to be my girlfriend. I'll learn whatever songs you like and sing them just for you."

Before breaking free, she glanced at Feng Xue again. He didn't even raise his head. Ruan Tang felt as if she had missed the target and felt a sense of loss.

She said: Zhang Haoyu, it is not so easy for two people to be together. You have to... you have to give me time to react. There are so many people blocking me and I can't think.

Puzzled, he glanced at Feng Xue and said, "My dad sometimes signs multi-million dollar contracts on a whim. Why shouldn't we be in a relationship? I like you. I was wrong to lie to you before, but you lied to me once too, so we're even, right? What else needs to be considered?"

Ruan Tang pulled her hand out, took off the necklace and put it back into his hand, and said helplessly: Dating is sometimes like playing games. You want to team up with me, but you can't start without some preparation.

Zhang Haoyu looked at Feng Xue deeply, then led his group of extras out of the store again.

Near closing time, Ruan Tang received an order for a racetrack. Due to the remote location, she was unable to run errands to take the order.

Ruan Tang looked at the ten cups of coffee worriedly. She was thinking about calling the customer to apologize and ask them to cancel the order. Feng Xue volunteered to deliver it for her.

Feng Xue parked his motorcycle outside the racetrack and walked in with a cup of coffee. He called the contact number but no one answered, so he called Ruan Tang instead and asked her to contact him online.

At this moment, Zhang Haoyu walked out of the racing track.

"Here." He waved to Feng Xue.

Feng Xue smiled helplessly and asked: "Why do you always play this trick? This time it's me who disappoints you again."

Zhang Haoyu shook his head and said: It’s you I want to see.

Feng Xue was puzzled: How did you know it would be me?

Zhang Haoyu smiled, his expression revealing the youthful persistence that had not been tempered by worldly experience, and said: Few people are willing to come here. If not today, I will order again tomorrow.

Ruan Tang on the other end of the phone was about to hang up, but after hearing Zhang Haoyu's voice, the finger that was about to hang up froze, and she put the receiver to her ear again.

"What's up?"

"I heard Jiang Li say that you like cars just like his uncle. Do you dare to compete with me?"

“428.”

"ah?"

"Ten cups of coffee plus delivery fee, 428 yuan."

"Earning just a few hundred bucks like this, how long will it take for you to buy the bags and house Ruan Tang likes? Dragging it on like this will only make her suffer with you. If you don't have the conditions to give her the life she wants, I think you should make it clear to her."

"Whether it's a few dozen or a few hundred, I earned it all with my own hands. Since you're still a child and are friends with Eri, I'll share some life experience with you. Don't waste too much time on imaginary enemies, and don't look down on small amounts of money."

"Don't dare to compete, right?"

"Whether it's love or cars, I don't mean to compete with you. I have something else to do, so I'll leave first."

"How about whoever wins makes a request to the other?"

Feng Xue lowered his head and took out his cell phone to check the time. Suddenly he found that he had not hung up the call with Ruan Tang. His eyes flashed, he put the phone back into his pocket and said: Okay.

Ruan Tang frowned and listened to the roar of the engine for a long time, and heard Feng Xue ask: Tell me, what are your requirements?

"I like Ruan Tang and want to be with her and take care of her, seriously. I heard Jiang Li say she even pursued her uncle. Others say she's materialistic, but I think she just lacks material security, which I can provide. So I hope you can keep your distance from her. Women may enjoy ambiguity, but I think if you like someone, you should seize the opportunity and do everything you can to be together. Ambiguity is ultimately a sign of irresponsibility on the part of the man."

Feng Xue didn't expect that when he was over thirty, he would be taught an emotional lesson by a young boy born in the 2000s. He smiled and said: Okay.

Zhang Haoyu hesitated for a moment and asked, "So straightforward? I don't believe you didn't see how she felt about you... Even if you don't want to be together, don't act so indifferent, right? It's really boring for me, your love rival, to compete with you."

Feng Xue shook his head and said: Ruan Tang is a very nice girl. I would be lying if I said I am not moved. It’s just that, as you said, I can’t give her what she wants, and I have many things that are more important than love.

"What did you want to ask?"

"I'm willing to accept the loss and not mention it anymore."

"In the first few laps, you steadily passed me by cornering, but in the last high-speed corner, you braked early and then accelerated immediately, missing the best entry point. On the surface, it seemed like you were too eager to win, but actually... you did it on purpose, right?"

"You're overthinking it."

"Although I may not be as skilled as you, after being around cars for so long, I still have some judgment. We're standing at the same starting line this time, so I should at least show some respect, right?"

Feng Xue thought for a moment, stepped forward, and approached Zhang Haoyu and said: "Then I'll trouble you..."

When she came out of the racetrack, Feng Xue took out her cell phone and saw that the call had ended. From the duration of the call, she couldn't tell where she had heard the message.

I hope she heard it all.

The streetlights stretched his shadow infinitely, pinning it firmly to the empty lawn in front of the racetrack. He lowered his head and sighed. When he looked up again, his expression had returned to normal. He mounted his motorcycle and slammed the accelerator to drive away.

Xu Wei noticed that Ruan Tang had been listless and absent-minded in recent days. It took her an average of one hour to reply to WeChat messages. When she forwarded her a preview of Cartier's new products and asked her if she wanted to go, she said she wasn't interested, as if her soul had been taken away.

She picked a Tuesday, took Ruan Tang out when the coffee shop was about to close, and dragged her to choose clothes to wear to the brand event.

Since they met, Xu Wei had been talking to her almost non-stop, recounting a recent conversation with a fan she considered a soulmate, and eloquently recounting the bizarre submissions she'd received in private messages. Ruan Tang responded with a bland response, as if their roles had been reversed. Previously, Ruan Tang had said that she rarely felt like talking, and Xu Wei was someone she felt comfortable letting her speak freely.

Xu Wei asked pointedly: What happened between you and Feng Xue?

Ruan Tang suddenly turned her head and looked at her seriously, asking, "Do you think I'm under some kind of curse? No matter what I want, I can't get it. I used to want a lot of money, but in the end, all I got were those luxury goods and the vast amount of materials I provided you. Now I've settled for the next best thing, just wanting a simple relationship, but why can't I get what I want?"

"From a probabilistic perspective, I think the chances of finding your true love are as high as winning the lottery. Does that make you feel better?"

Ruan Tang smiled bitterly: Thank you for your comfort.

While waiting for the red light, Xu Wei glanced at her and said with an exaggerated expression: Please, please remember the muscle force points used in this expression.

Ruan Tang held her face with one hand, her eyes brightened, and asked: "What's wrong? Is it beautiful?"

"That's ugly," Xu Wei shook her head. "I told you to remember to never smile like that again, or you might scare away true love."

"Why have you been talking so angrily lately?" Ruan Tang frowned.

"Ah?" Xu Wei turned her head away to look at the rearview mirror with an unnatural expression.

Ruan Tang finally pulled herself out of her sadness temporarily and analyzed: It's just... I feel a little bit mean.

Xu Wei raised her chin guiltily and said, "No, I don't usually speak in a serious tone, do I? Can you help me check the navigation? Which entrance is the mall's garage?"

After returning home that evening, Ruan Tang continued to ponder Xu Wei's words. She explained that she'd recently rewatched "The Legend of Zhen Huan" and had discovered a lot of questions: why were all the women in the palace no match for the late Empress Chun Yuan? Although it was a feudal society, the principle was universal: a predecessor could not be directly defeated, especially after she passed away, becoming an eternal white moonlight. Fortunately, Feng Xue's ex-wife was still alive.

When you fall in love with someone, you must be prepared to accept their past. Reality isn't a novel about two people being clean, and love isn't like dining at a restaurant where you can pick a table and confidently demand the owner clean up every trace left by the previous table's diners.

She said: After An Lingrong's miscarriage, the Queen told her that a man's guilt was enough to keep him in the palace. He felt indebted to his ex-wife. If you still want to be with him, then you should help him untie his knot, otherwise... find another way out. The key is, never let love or men bring you down.

The next day, just after the coffee shop closed, Ruan Tang picked up her bag and walked out. She turned around to say hello to Feng Xue, but found that he seemed to be busy with something behind the counter. She pursed her lips and swallowed her words.

Zhang Haoyu suddenly pushed the door open, and she instinctively stopped him, asking, "Why are you here again? Didn't I tell you to give me a few days to calm down and think about it? Can you please stop making trouble?"

"But I..." Zhang Haoyu scratched his head and said: I came here to see Brother Feng today.

Ruan Tang loosened her grip on Zhang Haoyu's shirt, then turned to the counter with a bright smile and said loudly, "Boss, someone's looking for you." As if the awkward moment just now hadn't happened.

Zhang Haoyu rushed past her to the counter, stuffed something into his hand, and whispered, "I wonder if this Sun Yihuan is the person you're looking for. She worked at my friend's company for half a year..."

Ruan Tang sat at the door of the store, pretending to lower her head and reply to messages. Looking at the two people whispering behind the counter, she couldn't help but poke her head in curiously, but still heard nothing.

"Madam, please settle the bill!" A table of guests waved to Ruan Tang.

She looked reluctant, but she felt particularly happy about these three words. She stood up and walked over with the QR code.

Feng Xue always liked to broadcast the news while he was working. At that moment, the anchor on TV, dressed in sportswear, was standing in the wilderness, announcing: "Tonight, we in the Northern Hemisphere are in luck! The Perseid meteor shower, one of the three major meteor showers, will begin and reach its maximum. The Perseid meteor shower is also known as the "Tears of Saint Laurent," and the story behind it is quite beautiful. Call your loved ones and watch it together..."

Zhang Haoyu jumped out from behind the counter, pulled Ruan Tang and said: Let me take you to the suburbs to watch the meteor shower?

She avoided the question, hesitated for a while, and said: Why don't we wait here, what if we miss each other on the way?

"But..." Zhang Haoyu glanced at Feng Xue in the kitchen.

Ruan Tang put her bag down and said, "There's food and drinks in the store, so it's more comfortable, isn't it? If you want to go, go ahead. I'm not going anyway."

It was past eleven o'clock, and the dinner guests had basically left, and those who wanted to have a midnight snack had not yet arrived at the battlefield, so the store was exceptionally quiet.

Ruan Tang sat on the edge of the bed with her chin supported by her hands, looking at the sky and dozing off repeatedly. Zhang Haoyu squatted beside her and teased the little pig.

When Ruan Tang nodded for the thirty-ninth time and suddenly woke up, she suddenly saw a ray of light crossing the sky outside the window.

"Meteor shower!" she shouted excitedly and ran out of the store in a hurry.

Feng Xue was sitting on the steps in front of the store. When he heard her movement, he put away his phone in a panic and stood up.

Ruan Tang pulled Feng Xue's wrist and said, "Look! Is that a meteor shower? Am I dazzled?"

Zhang Haoyu, who followed her out, stood silently between the two of them, separating them. Feng Xue also cooperated and stood aside, reaching into her trouser pocket to check her cell phone.

Ruan Tang stared at the night sky without blinking, and sure enough, a few more shooting stars streaked across the sky. She quickly clasped her hands together, closed her eyes, and made a wish: I hope my business will be more prosperous and I can make a lot of money. I hope I can earn enough money soon to buy a house and a bag so that my mother can retire. I hope everyone will be healthy and happy.

Feng Xue also looked up at the night sky where meteors were streaking across. His sight was attracted by Ruan Tang, whose face was filled with piety. He looked at her past Zhang Haoyu.

Zhang Haoyu also noticed his gaze and calmly took a step forward to block her. He rubbed her head and said, "If you say your wish out loud, it won't come true! Besides, if God hears your wish, he might know how to make things difficult for you in the future."

"Ah?" Ruan Tang's face instantly turned sad.

Zhang Haoyu winked at her and said: But you can make a wish to me. God is so busy, I can help you make it come true.

Ruan Tang curled her lips, her eyes accidentally touching Feng Xue's profile. She looked up again, muttering to herself: Meteor, if none of my wishes come true, then I hope that what he said last time in the suburbs that he would never fall in love with me will come true. I hope Feng Xue will never be able to let go of the past and will never be happy.

As she thought this, she never saw another shooting star.