The butterfly's determination
Six days after Jiang Chen went missing, Lin Wanxing's life descended into a mechanical repetition. She forced herself to attend classes, eat, and rest on time, but she felt as if her soul had been ripped away; her eyes were vacant, and she couldn't muster the energy to do anything. The potted plant in her office was withering even more severely, but she just looked at it without watering it, as if letting something die with her. She dared not look at the almost completed starry sky puzzle, missing only one piece; it was a silent mockery of the void in her heart.
That afternoon, after grading a student's paper, she felt an indescribable exhaustion and suffocation. She needed to talk to someone, needed an outlet to temporarily escape this stifling silence. She thought of Su Xiao; they hadn't been in touch for a few days. She wondered if her always energetic friend had moved on from Lu Ziang's shadow.
She picked up her phone and dialed Su Xiao's number. It rang for a long time before being answered.
"Hello, Wanxing?" Su Xiao's voice came through, sounding somewhat different, less lively than before, and more calm and efficient. There seemed to be the sound of a hairdryer and soft music in the background.
"Xiaoxiao, where are you? I... want to talk to you." Lin Wanxing's voice was hoarse and dependent without her even realizing it.
"I'm getting my hair done at Yunji Hair Salon. Come over, I'll be done soon too." Su Xiao's tone was very calm.
Lin Wanxing was somewhat surprised. Yunji was a well-known high-end salon in the city, and although Su Xiao loved beauty, she rarely went to places that required appointments well in advance to get her hair done. Without thinking much of it, she picked up her bag and left the office.
Stepping through the stylishly designed doors of Yunji, the air was filled with a mixture of luxurious fragrances and hair perming solutions. Guided by a consultant, Lin Wanxing walked towards a private cubicle. When she saw her reflection in the mirror, she abruptly stopped, almost unable to recognize herself.
That was Su Xiao, but she was no longer the Su Xiao she knew.
That signature, meticulously styled, glamorous long curly hair is gone, replaced by a modern, layered, ear-length bob.
The hairstylist skillfully trimmed her hair neatly, with a few slightly longer bangs casually falling across her forehead, outlining her clear facial features and slender neck, highlighting an unprecedented sense of competence and chic. She wore a well-tailored white silk shirt and black cigarette pants, looking refreshed and confident, as if she had shed a heavy burden and been completely renewed.
The hairstylist was doing the final touches, using hair wax to create some natural texture. Su Xiao saw Lin Wanxing standing frozen in the doorway in the mirror. She turned her head, a clear, sharp smile curving her lips.
"You're here?" She stood up, turned to face Lin Wanxing, her movements carrying an air of decisiveness. Her short hair made her features stand out even more, her eyes bright and spirited, the light that had been dimmed by heartbreak seemingly reignited in a more focused and powerful way.
“You…your hair…” Lin Wanxing was speechless for a moment, unable to take her eyes off her friend.
“I cut it.” Su Xiao raised her hand and casually brushed aside the stray hairs on her forehead, her movements decisive. “Long hair is too troublesome to manage and a waste of time. Besides,” she paused, a faint trace of bitterness, suppressed by reason, flashing across her eyes, was quickly replaced by a more determined light, “and I also felt it was time for a change of appearance and a change of mood.”
She picked up her expensive handbag from the sofa, nodded to the hairstylist to indicate that she was paying, and then naturally took Lin Wanxing's arm: "Let's go, let's find a place to sit down. I only have an hour and a half. I have an important project debriefing meeting to host this afternoon."
The two went to a quiet café near the salon. After sitting down, Su Xiao skillfully ordered an Americano, without any extra sugar or milk. She placed her phone on the table, the screen lighting up intermittently, displaying various messages from her work group.
"Are you... alright?" Lin Wanxing asked cautiously, looking at her transformed friend. Faced with Su Xiao's dramatic change, she was momentarily at a loss for words.
Su Xiao picked up her coffee and took a sip, her movements elegant and efficient. "Very good," she replied without hesitation, her eyes calm. "Better than ever before."
She put down her cup, leaned forward slightly, looked at Lin Wanxing, and said with a clear-headed certainty, "Wanxing, I've figured it out. Wasting time and energy on someone you can never connect with, someone whose sincerity you have to measure by 'efficiency,' is the most unwise investment in the world."
She tugged at the corners of her mouth, a smile that held little sadness, more of a sense of relief and self-deprecation: "I used to think that as long as I was passionate enough and persistent enough, I could melt an iceberg. But I forgot that an iceberg is an iceberg precisely because it doesn't want to be melted. My passion was just noise to him that needed to be dealt with, inefficient socializing. He has better things, things that are more suitable to form the right part of his world."
“So, I’ve decided to cut my losses.” She looked sharply at the bustling street outside the window, her profile sharply defined by her short hair. “What are men anyway? Building a career is the only real thing. At least, projects and data won’t betray your investment; you’ll see the rewards for your hard work.”
She turned back, her eyes gleaming with an ambitious light that Lin Wanxing hadn't seen in a long time: "Do you know about the 'Joyful Life' community health platform bidding case that our company has been following up on?"
Lin Wanxing nodded. She had heard Su Xiao mention it before; it was a highly competitive project.
“We got it.” Su Xiaohong’s lips curled into a confident and dazzling smile, with a hint of victor’s pride. “The contract was officially signed just yesterday. I personally led the team, working through several sleepless nights to perfect the plan. The other party’s representative said that our data analysis and user insights are more accurate than our competitors by more than one dimension.”
Her tone was calm, yet it couldn't hide her pride and sharpness. At this moment, she was no longer Su Xiao, heartbroken and tormented by love, but a rising star in the workplace, one that could not be ignored.
Lin Wanxing looked at her friend, her heart filled with mixed emotions. There was relief that her friend had moved on from heartbreak and found a new lease on life, but also a profound sense of awe and profound transformation. Su Xiao was like a butterfly that had undergone a painful metamorphosis, breaking free of its cocoon and soaring into a wider sky. And what about her? She was still trapped in her own cocoon, letting guilt and memories bind her ever tighter.
"Congratulations, Xiaoxiao," Lin Wanxing said sincerely, her voice tinged with envy. "You are really... amazing."
Su Xiao noticed the deep sorrow and weariness etched on Lin Wanxing's face. She took Lin Wanxing's cold fingers in her hand and softened her tone, "Don't talk about me. What about you? How are things with Jiang Chen? You were being vague earlier. What happened?"
Upon hearing that name, Lin Wanxing's body stiffened almost imperceptibly. She lowered her head, looking at the brown liquid swirling in her glass, and after a long while, in an almost ethereal voice, she told Su Xiao, in a fragmented and simple manner, what had happened at the cemetery, the old bracelet she had found, and the cold mess that filled her room when she returned home.
After listening, Su Xiao remained silent for a moment, offering no further comment, but instead squeezed Lin Wanxing's hand tightly.
“It will all pass, Wanxing.” Her voice was soft, but it carried a strength that had been forged again after being broken. “Whether it’s mine or yours. Sometimes, losing something completely is better than to be suspended in mid-air, torturing yourself in limbo.”
She glanced at her watch, then stood up apologetically: "I have to go back to the company; I can't be late for the debriefing meeting. Wanxing, take care of yourself. Call me anytime if you need me."
She picked up her bag and coat, and left the cafe with a brisk pace. Her back was straight, and her neat short hair drew a firm arc in the air, without a trace of lingering.
Lin Wanxing sat alone, watching Su Xiao get into a taxi and drive away. Soft music played in the café, but her heart felt hollow. Her friend had completed her transformation and rebirth, bravely severing ties with the past.
She herself seemed to have lost the courage to sever her ties with love, and could only remain trapped in the same place, guarding the cold ruins she had created with her own hands.
The sunlight outside the window was so bright it was almost blinding, but she felt no warmth at all.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
