Chapter 70 Outside the barbecue restaurant on Friday night...
On Friday night, a long line formed outside the barbecue restaurant. Wang Kan walked through the crowd, gave the last four digits of her phone number to the receptionist, and went up to the second floor.
As soon as he appeared at the stairwell, he was immediately spotted by Zheng Yanhang and Wu Cheng.
He walked over, and before he could even sit down opposite them, Zheng Yanhang said sarcastically, "President Wang, we've been waiting for an hour to get here. You've finally arrived. Are you that busy?"
“A little.” Wang Kan picked up the grilled meat without any hesitation and started eating.
Zheng Yanhang continued to complain: "Isn't this a small company? How can you have so much business? If you, as the boss, are so busy, your subordinates must be having a terrible time."
"When the boss is busy, the employees aren't," Wu Cheng said casually.
Wang Kan said to Wu Cheng, "People with secure jobs are different."
Zheng Yanhang tapped his chopsticks.
But being late was his fault. When Wang Kan offered to treat him, Zheng Yanhang became sarcastic again.
Wang Kan: "Then you'll have to pay for your share yourself."
After graduating from university, Zheng Yanhang returned to Zhangcheng and worked at a sports school, while Wu Cheng joined a pharmaceutical company and was transferred to the Jiangcheng branch last year. Adults tend to be separated more often than not. This week, Zheng Yanhang led a team to Jiangcheng for a competition, and after the competition, the three arranged to meet for dinner.
Wu Cheng suddenly pointed at Wang Kan's face from a distance and asked him, "What's wrong with you here?"
Zheng Yanhang looked up at the sound and looked carefully, surprised: "Oh, you got into a fight?"
Wang Kan chewed and swallowed the food in his mouth without changing his expression, and then hummed in agreement.
Almost a week has passed, and there are still faint marks on his cheekbones and the corners of his mouth. They are not as shocking as when he went to the company on Monday. In addition, the store's lighting is yellowish, with a built-in soft-focus filter effect, and there is smoke everywhere, so it is only now that people have noticed the injuries on his face.
"What the heck?!" Zheng Yanhang exclaimed, somewhat agitated. "Were you robbed, or did you rob someone else? At your age, you're still getting into fights?"
Wang Kan turned the ingredients over. "No."
There was neither the frustration of defeat nor the excitement of victory; she remained calm and unremarkable. Sometimes, seeing Wang Kan like this gave Zheng Yanhang a stomachache. "Did she drink too much and get into a fight? Or was it with her love rival? It couldn't have been from falling down the stairs, could it?"
This time, Wang Kan didn't deny it. She put down the clip and took a sip of her drink.
Something was fishy. Zheng Yanhang and Wu Cheng exchanged a glance. "You can't do that, can you? Didn't you quit drinking?"
"I've quit."
"Well..." Zheng Yanhang was a little confused.
If not this one, then which one? A love rival? What love rival? The question was about to spill out, but then, remembering something, I swallowed it back.
Seeing Zheng Yanhang's hesitant expression change, Wang Kan almost laughed.
Wu Cheng adjusted his glasses and asked, "...What's wrong with you?"
Wang Kan: "We have an event in Shuangxi Town in a while."
Zheng Yanhang: "Oh, I know, don't you often go fishing there? Do you need us to support you?"
Wang Kan: "Fang Minzhou's maternal grandparents lived in Shuangxi."
"..."
Wang Kan's tone was so casual that it took Zheng Yanhang and Wu Cheng a while to realize that the name "Fang Minzhou" had really come from Wang Kan's mouth.
For so many years, this name has been a taboo subject.
When was the seal lifted?
"...We ran into each other?"
"Um."
“Brother, you…” Zheng Yanhang hesitated, “your face…you weren’t hit by Fang…Minzhou, were you?”
“No.” Wang Kan finally laughed.
Zheng Yanhang, however, frowned deeply, his chopsticks still holding the meat he was eating. He stood frozen, his neck stiff, scrutinizing Wang Kan with suspicion.
"Who cooked it?" Wu Cheng asked as he placed the nearly burnt meat onto his plate.
“Her maternal grandparents run a bed and breakfast,” Wang Kan said. “She’s a child who helps out at the bed and breakfast.”
"I don't know, maybe eighteen."
"...You hit him too?"
"No." Wang Kan grinned. "I'd like to, but I'm afraid I'd kill someone."
No one agreed with the joke.
The booth next door suddenly fell silent, then resumed its clinking of glasses and conversation, with the cheerful laughter from other tables indistinctly surrounding them.
Only Wang Kan was still eating, watching with amusement as his two friends' faces gradually turned serious.
Zheng Yanhang secretly wondered if Wang Kan's demeanor had frightened Fang Minzhou. "So... what's the situation between you two now?"
Wang Kan touched the glass in his hand and shrugged.
"...You still like her?" Zheng Yanhang asked cautiously, half-testing the waters. Although they knew the answer, they had never dared to confirm it. Over time, the answer became a mystery, and they couldn't bring themselves to ask anymore. It was just an old scar; it was best not to reopen it unless absolutely necessary.
"I've always liked it." The tone remained playful.
Wang Kan always tells jokes, but in the past they were just slightly irreverent, making people both angry and amused. Now, however, his jokes are vague, carrying a subtle irony that makes it difficult to discern his true meaning.
After a long pause, Zheng Yanhang sighed deeply, with great emotion, "...You shouldn't have brought up breaking up back then."
Wang Kan's smile faded slightly. He placed the raw meat on the grill, and the charcoal fire immediately licked at it as if it had smelled blood. With a "sizzle," smoke curled up, and silence once again filled the small space.
Wang Kan hadn't drunk any alcohol, not in a long time, yet she felt as if she were floating in the air. This was a lingering effect of seeing Fang Minzhou, just like when they were still dating. The emotional rollercoaster of not seeing her was unbearable, and seeing her brought joy; it had become an addiction. She had spent several years trying to quit, but now she had relapsed.
Zheng Yanhang regretted that he seemed to have spoken too abruptly, but since he had already started, he said, "Really, we've been in a long-distance relationship for four years of university. So what if you can't go abroad with her? She'll be back in a year or two anyway."
But at that time, Wang Kan silently thought that he didn't know if she would come back, or what he would be like in a year or two.
Zheng Yanhang rarely managed to silence Wang Kan, and he couldn't help but sigh again.
It takes five years to study architecture. The year Wang Kan graduated, Zheng Yanhang and Wu Cheng went to Jiangcheng to visit him.
I hadn't seen him for almost half a year, and he seemed even thinner than during the Chinese New Year. I thought it was because he was tired from working on his graduation project. Since I couldn't find Fang Minzhou, Zheng Yanhang asked her about it. After all, it was a day that couples needed to celebrate. After asking, I remembered that Fang Minzhou might still be abroad.
It was then that Wang Kan revealed they had broken up, even last year. Zheng Yanhang was shocked, and when he learned it was Wang Kan who had initiated it, his jaw nearly dropped.
After graduating from high school, they no longer spent every day in the same classroom, and news between friends became somewhat delayed. Zheng Yanhang had always assumed that Wang Kan and Fang Minzhou were living a happy and harmonious life, and it felt like just yesterday he was envying their long-term relationship.
When Zheng Yanhang asked Wang Kan why, he refused to say anything. Zheng Yanhang guessed that it was because Fang Minzhou went abroad. But didn't Wang Kan say that he wanted to go abroad with her? In the end, she went straight back to Zhangcheng. It seems that every family has its own troubles.
Zheng Yanhang then subtly inquired with Ouyang Qian. Ouyang Qian already knew the news, but was unaware of the details. She had heard that Fang Minzhou had also been depressed for a while, so he thought that it was probably impossible for them to continue.
Later, during a dinner party, they rushed Wang Kan, who had drunk so much that he vomited blood, to the hospital. When his aunt arrived, they learned from a few words about the troubles in Wang Kan's family: the business was in trouble and his uncle had suddenly fallen ill. Fortunately, he was rescued in time, but he needed to rest for a long time.
So Wang Kan's sudden weight loss was due to her studies, her constant travel between Jiangcheng and Zhangcheng, and other reasons.
Zheng Yanhang could never forget the words his aunt said to him through tears after Wang Kan woke up that day: "I told you not to drink, not to drink! Your father got his illness from drinking, and you want to ruin yourself like this too?"
After leaving the hospital, he bought a bouquet of flowers and took it home to his mother, which left her completely bewildered.
After that, Zheng Yanhang never saw Wang Kan drink again.
Fang Minzhou probably knew nothing, just like them. Zheng Yanhang had considered telling her, but ultimately didn't; it wasn't appropriate, and he wasn't qualified. It felt like he was trying to gain sympathy for Wang Kan, but their breakup might have had other reasons.
Before Wang Kan could speak, Zheng Yanhang hesitated before saying, "There's something I'm not sure if I should say."
Wang Kan: "Then don't say it."
Zheng Yanhang: "..."
Wang Kan smiled again: "Go ahead and say it."
"You think I'll just tell you to talk?"
Wang Kan ignored him, and Zheng Yanhang clicked his tongue. "...Actually, I had dinner with Fang Minzhou once before."
Wang Kan's smile faded slightly.
"About two or three years ago, when she had already returned to China to work, I went to Beicheng, and Ouyang Qian happened to be there too. We started chatting... and ended up having a meal together."
After Zheng Yanhang explained the whole story, he observed Wang Kan's expression, which became like a mirror, making one feel uneasy.
Wang Kan suddenly asked Wu Cheng, "And you?"
"What?" Wu Cheng was completely confused.
Have you eaten with Fang Minzhou?
Wu Cheng hesitated, “...I haven’t eaten, but I ran into her and her mother when I was shopping during the Spring Festival.”
Wang Kan smiled.
This doesn't sound like a fantasy; Zhangcheng is only so big, but he had never actually bumped into Fang Minzhou on a street corner.
Because of their shared circle of friends, Wang Kan would occasionally get news about her through various channels, and could even see photos of them together that Ouyang Qian posted on her WeChat Moments. Fang Minzhou might also know about his recent situation, but that was all.
Everyone except him maintained good contact with her.
This meal of meat tonight is a complete waste, Zheng Yanhang was certain of it. While wondering how the topic had turned into this, he was also resigned to his fate, after all, what he wanted to say was not just about having a meal with Fang Minzhou: "Then during the meal, I actually mentioned you, because since she had returned to China and didn't have a boyfriend at that time, and you also... I wanted to ask if there was still a chance for you two. I didn't tell you this because I was afraid you would think I was meddling."
Wang Kan picked out the burnt meat. "And then?"
Zheng Yanhang swallowed two pieces of meat to bolster his courage, but he had no appetite. "She said forget it."
After saying that, Zheng Yanhang was sweating profusely.
Eating barbecue in the middle of summer is still too hot; even the strongest air conditioning can't keep up.
"Anything else?"
"It's gone."
Zheng Yanhang couldn't stand Wang Kan's feigned ignorance, thinking she was clear-headed when she was actually wallowing in the mud. "If you two hadn't broken up back then, your kids might be old enough to run errands by now, but you've already broken up..."
Wu Cheng coughed and tugged at Zheng Yanhang.
Seeing Wang Kan's face finally crumble, Zheng Yanhang felt a mix of satisfaction and lingering fear. As he shut up, his mind raced: if nothing unexpected had happened, given Wang Kan's character back then, she might have dragged Fang Minzhou into marriage right after graduation, whether Fang Minzhou was willing or not was another matter entirely.
He coughed once more, "What I mean is... once you break up with someone, don't expect them to come back to you. Don't you know how arrogant Fang Min and Zhou Duoao are?"
He knew her pride, and it was because he knew that he wanted to see if she would try to stop him just once. But all he saw was her resolute back as she turned and left, and he didn't dare call out to her again.
He was always worried that Fang Minzhou would fly higher and higher, but she was meant to fly higher and higher all along.
Since he often feels anxious about not being good enough for her, does that mean he really isn't good enough for her? Shouldn't he take the initiative to let go? He knows perfectly well that Fang Minzhou doesn't say "break up" out of a sense of responsibility and because of her romantic nature. In reality, he and this relationship have exhausted her countless times.
He once secretly thought that Fang Minzhou was too idealistic, but when the tide of reality came crashing down, Wang Kan realized that the unrealistic person was actually him.
She had always strived to be independent, while his carefree and willful behavior was entirely dependent on his family's support. Without that pillar, he would be a useless person with no future. He couldn't share his father's pain, nor could he alleviate his mother's worries. He couldn't possibly empty his last savings to go abroad without expecting anything in return, nor could he possibly take an international flight to see her without any burden.
She always called him childish, whether seriously or jokingly. After hearing it so often, he was actually a little unhappy inside. But when he counted the medical bills for the first time, it took Wang Kan a few years to realize how right Fang Minzhou's criticism was and how immature he was. Even after realizing this, he still broke up with her in an immature way, hoping that she would ask why.
At that time, he thought that as long as she was even slightly reluctant, he would never let go.
But watching her walk away that day, he felt a sense of relief.
When they met again, he said many things he didn't mean, but he was serious when he said that breaking up was a good thing for her.
"What is appropriate, and what is inappropriate?" Wang Kan asked.
If they're not a good match, why would he like Fang Minzhou? Love can be sweet and sorrowful, blissful and despairing. So what does a suitable love look like?
If they weren't a good match, why did Fang Minzhou like him in the first place? But does she still like him now?
Zheng Yanhang wondered if Wang Kan was getting stuck on a rut again, or if he was just becoming more realistic.
He had a girl he liked in high school, but after realizing that the chances of a relationship between them were almost zero, he gave up on the idea. His subsequent relationships all progressed only after mutual attraction. He wasn't someone who was willing to put in a lot of effort, so putting myself in others' shoes, if something happened to his family, he wouldn't want anyone to know unless he absolutely needed help.
Being afraid of being pitied or sympathized with is not only useless, but also adds to one's psychological burden.
But he thought Wang Kan and Fang Minzhou were different.
In terms of responsibilities as a couple, mutual support should be fundamental. It's not uncommon for couples to abandon each other when disaster strikes, but Wang Kan didn't dare let Fang Minzhou and his relationship go through this test. Either he cherished it too much, or he himself lacked confidence.
However, regardless of whether it was the former or the latter, since they could not overcome the difficulties together, Zheng Yanhang wanted to advise Wang Kan not to hold a grudge any longer.
But if it's not this one, will it be the next one?
Is it possible for everyone to meet a lifelong partner who will support them through thick and thin?
“When we’re doing experiments,” Wu Cheng interjected slowly in the tense atmosphere, “if there’s a problem with the data, we usually check first to see if there’s a calculation error. Otherwise, it means that a step was done wrong somewhere in the past. But in the end, we usually have to redo it.”
No one answered.
After a while, Zheng Yanhang asked, "That's it?"
Wu Cheng: "That's all."
Zheng Yanhang: "Why don't I understand?"
Wu Cheng pushed up his glasses again: "...I don't know how to say it either."
Zheng Yanhang was speechless. He then looked at Wang Kan, who was leaning against the booth, seemingly lost in thought. Zheng Yanhang punished himself with a drink and asked him again, "Is Fang Minzhou going to see her maternal grandparents?"
"I resigned, I'm staying there to rest," Wang Kan said casually.
Zheng Yanhang: "...You seem to know quite a lot."
Wang Kan smirked.
"So how long will she stay?"
"Next month."
There's only one month left.
Then, he didn't know where she was going in the future, or who else was around her... She didn't turn back, he didn't turn back, but by chance they still met again.
He regretted it, but if given the choice again, he would probably still do it.
But he had no choice; he could only keep moving forward.
He has many choices ahead of him.
Faced with this mistake, can he find the cause? Or will he tear down everything that's already beyond repair and start afresh?
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