44. Happy Wedding
The new fund was indeed eager to hire people and quickly sent an offer to Vivian. Although the conditions offered were not as attractive as those in the heyday of this industry, they were already quite good in today's market.
Vivian no longer had much nostalgia for the old place, but thinking of the mountains and rivers, she felt a little timid. She no longer had the courage to go to a strange country alone with a suitcase in her early twenties.
As people grow older, they become more timid, more conservative, and more boring.
Fortunately, it wasn't time to make a final decision yet—she would wait until she received her year-end bonus before resigning anyway. She didn't have to rush to make the switch immediately.
She simply relaxed. The days when you've decided to quit but haven't yet are like heaven for workers. You're still on the job, but you're no longer prepared to take on any responsibilities or earn any favor. The feeling of not taking initiative and taking no responsibility is truly pleasant; no wonder so many people find it so satisfying.
She was always there for work, but she would arrive on time, or leave half an hour late. She was always cheerful and cheerful to everyone, never letting anyone find fault with her. Some people saw that she was in great shape and speculated that she was going to follow CEO Jia and make a name for herself in the new company.
In her spare time, she has slowly started to tidy up everything in the house, putting things in order and letting go of them.
This time, I needed to streamline even more than my previous moves, but it was a tedious and cumbersome process.
She knew she could buy anything there; it was a wealthy, cosmopolitan city, not a North African desert or a Pacific island nation. Even so, many of the little things she'd grown used to were irreplaceable. Even a cotton swab wouldn't be easy to change brands. She'd always brought her own on business trips, and Feng Simiao would laugh at her for being so picky.
If a rubber band or a cotton swab can be so harmful, how much more so can humans be.
Feng Simiao, who hadn't been in contact for a long time, suddenly called. It turned out that her long-term relationship with Lin Yang had finally come to fruition. The two were about to get married and invited Vivian to attend the wedding.
Vivian couldn't explain why she and Feng Simiao drifted apart. Perhaps it was the recent flurry of events at "Sanchuan" that had overwhelmed her. Or perhaps she realized that the problems that had been weighing on her mind were nothing to Feng Simiao. He wouldn't understand her worries.
So, even though they were close enough, it was difficult for her to share her true feelings with Feng Simiao.
But how can true friendship between people be without the four words "putting yourself in others' shoes"?
Nothing happened between them, but it just faded away.
On the wedding day, Vivian ran into many acquaintances and colleagues; Feng Simiao had worked there before, after all. Even Zhang Ruolin and Jia Lan were there together again, a rare sight. Vivian watched with a cold eye, thinking their cheeks were sore from their fake smiles.
Not surprisingly, Vivian saw Eric greeting someone from a distance, but they were not sitting at the same table, and they just nodded to each other from a distance.
Shortly after Feng Simiao extended the invitation, he asked Vivian, "Are you going too?"
Of course she had to come. Vivian had witnessed many of their sweet moments and she sincerely wished them a long and happy life.
The hotel banquet hall was decorated like a tropical rainforest, and guests were amazed upon entering. Every corner of the wedding seemed perfect for photos. Later, Vivian saw someone post a fleet of Maybachs, Bentleys, and Lamborghinis on Xiaohongshu, and the comments were filled with speculation about whether a wealthy businessman had married a female celebrity.
The newlyweds appeared, and the entire audience praised their perfect match. Feng Simiao's Vera Wang wedding gown was custom-made six months in advance, after several fittings in Shanghai. Vivian, sitting at a table with several colleagues, noticed they exchanged complicated glances. They avoided her because everyone knew she and Feng Simiao were close.
After the ceremony, Feng Simiao changed into his formal attire and began toasting each table. Vivian planned to quietly leave after their visit to this table; she really didn't want to be the last person left at the banquet.
Feng Simiao and Lin Yang came over and gave Weiwei a tight hug. Weiwei was actually a little tearful. Although she had a little bit of a grudge against their lucky life, it was always touching to see that there were still people in this chaotic world who held on to the thought of lasting love.
"Congratulations on your wedding, and may you live happily ever after." She drank the whole glass of wine without any hesitation.
As the banquet began, the sound of knives and forks clattered and laughter filled the banquet hall. No matter how elegant and sophisticated a wedding was, it would become noisy and chaotic at this point. Vivian silently picked up her coat and bag, said goodbye to the people around her, and prepared to quietly leave.
Eric quickly followed up: "Wedding banquets are never good."
"What do you suggest?"
"The barbecue restaurant we had last time was pretty good. I was already forced to drink two cups before I even started. My stomach is really empty and I need to eat more."
She hadn't eaten well either. Who could possibly feast at a wedding banquet?
They sat at the same table as last time, the same corner Vivian always chose when she came alone.
"Are you here just for the wedding this time?" she asked.
"Not really. I do have work to do. I have a meeting this afternoon."
She noticed that even for such a grand occasion as a wedding, he didn't seem to be dressed up at all. There was a thin layer of stubble on his chin, and a hint of blue under his eyes. Compared to before, it wasn't that he had become uglier, but his temperament was completely different.
Looking at his blue stubble, Vivian's mind wandered, and she recalled a boyfriend she once had: broad shoulders and a strong build. His stubble pricked her when he didn't shave even for a day. When they were playing around, he would easily carry her on his shoulders until she begged for mercy. In reality, there was no deep love between them, and they never talked about serious topics. Even if they hadn't seen each other for months, he would only ask her seriously before meeting:
"Want to shave? I remember you liked me with a beard."
When they were together, they paid no attention to reality, their hormones driving everything. It was as if their minds had returned to kindergarten, free of the complexities of the adult world. When they went out together, even when he was driving, he would always free one hand to hold hers. He drove a shabby manual transmission car, and whenever he changed gears, he had to let go of her hand, but once the shift was complete, she would naturally reach for him.
They didn't talk about romance or life philosophy, but when she looked back, those were the happiest days in her life.
Compared to those so-called highly intelligent men, who have various ways of hurting others, and are very nice when they are affectionate, but can turn as hard as iron in the blink of an eye, perhaps a man as simple and honest as a big golden retriever is the one who suits her best.
These smart men in the city are so scary.
Eric is one of them.
But no matter who he was, he had nothing to do with her anymore. Not just him, but also the things and people here. This is probably why in movies and TV shows, when protagonists encounter difficult problems, they often flee. It turns out that this is indeed the most refreshing way to let go.
When I was a child watching TVB, I thought that when things were not going well or when love was broken, everyone could buy a plane ticket and go to Vancouver to relax like the male and female protagonists. But when I grew up, I realized that it is very difficult to leave a place.
It takes a lot of determination.
So Vivian started talking about her future plans: "I'm planning to change companies, and I'll probably be out of Beijing for a long time next year. So if you have time, please seize it. I want to fulfill my promise as soon as possible."
"Changing cities is no small matter. Have you really thought about it?"
"I've already been treated differently by my boss. There's no point in staying here any longer."
"All crows are black, and how can capitalists be any better?"
"A change of environment is always a good thing. I'm free now, free of worries, desires, and support. I'm completely free. Isn't it the perfect time to go to a new world and start over?"
Seeing that she was in high spirits and her eyes were full of longing, he swallowed his words and asked, "Are you satisfied with the terms?"
"In today's world, I'm okay with what I have. I'm not greedy. Besides," she joked, "GPs from all over the world are constantly heading to the Middle East. I'm all about the money. I might even meet a prince or some noble. Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?"
"With your temper, I don't believe you can be one of someone else's four wives."
"Who are you looking down on?" She paused. "Why do you look... a little haggard?"
"You say so too. It seems that you are really old and ugly."
"That's not the case. After a good night's sleep and a shave, you'll be a brave man again, and you can still charm thousands of girls when you go out."
He laughed heartily for the first time that day, and couldn't help but lean over and hold her hand. "Fang Weiwei, do you know that you're the only one in the world who thinks so highly of me?"
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