9. The moonlight is beautiful
Some people say that when someone sends you a message “What are you doing” for no reason, it means he is thinking of you at that moment.
But Vivian guessed he had other intentions.
She was curious about what he was going to do:
"It's empty, but I'm worried you're too busy."
The dialog box always displays "The other party is typing..."
After a long time, a line of words finally popped out:
"Don't make a scene. Want a drink tonight?"
"See you there."
She was simply curious. Beyond curiosity, it felt like a small revenge against Qiu Fang. She had to admit, Qiu Fang was both ordinary in appearance and in spirit, and this unavoidable, stark reality made it difficult for her to deceive herself. Right now, she felt like she needed to chat and laugh with someone else to wash away the unpleasant resentment within her.
This time, Eric invited her to a bar on the highest floor of the city, the Cloud Bar. But she declined. She didn't want to dress up and play the game of flirting. That was a huge drain on her energy.
Her battery level was close to zero that day and she urgently needed to be recharged.
This time, she didn't see him as prey. She needed to find a charger to restore her energy.
*
It was a moonless night, a beautiful late summer night when the summer heat was about to dissipate but had not yet dissipated. It reminded her of the song she was familiar with as a child. The scene was exactly the same, with the moon moving through white lotus-like clouds.
They sat on the concrete steps by the river, each with a can of beer. There were many couples, children, and dogs around.
This scene was so pure. Vivian thought, this is what you would do when you are in love as a girl. Back then, you really didn't care about wealth or status or reputation. You just wanted the other person to make your heart beat fast and blush with just one word.
It had been years since she'd felt this way. A long-lasting, international relationship, nearly a year old, had ended abruptly, with her returning home on the verge of a breakup. Since then, she'd never been so pure in her feelings for anyone again.
"Why aren't you wearing the earrings you wore this afternoon? They're beautiful."
Vivian burst out laughing and couldn't help but sarcastically say, "Are you so observant of everyone? This is really rare among straight men."
"If I say no, you'll mock me. If I say yes, you'll be unhappy."
"Hey, that's weird. Why should I be unhappy?"
He said to himself, don't lie to yourself.
"Here, I'm giving it back to you." He opened his palm, and in the palm of his hand was the earring she had lost that afternoon. "I dropped it by the pool."
She pinched it carefully and held it in her palm, the metal hook faintly pricking her palm.
He leaned over and said, "This style suits you very well. Don't lose it next time."
She smiled and shook her head. "It's okay. They're just cultured pearls and broken diamonds. They're not worth much."
When Qiu Fang gives gifts, he always manages to strike a perfect balance between being presentable and cost-effective, truly making him a master in finance.
"So cool. No wonder Lin Yang and Si Miao always praise you."
"Hey," Vivian patted his shoulder, "you know, endorsements like good friends don't count."
Didn’t Feng Simiao say that he was very reliable? He is totally untrustworthy.
In her experience, when a woman isn't averse to physical contact, many men will try to take it a step further, even if it means they're willing to give it a try. It's simply a casual touch, but if you don't quickly push back, they'll push further. Where it ends depends on your mood and timing.
But he surprised her. He was not at all shy, at most he would occasionally put his arm around her shoulders, but would let go after a moment, without any of that kind of tentative exploration that might have hinted at sexual desire.
She had always felt that no matter how handsome a male might be, when he was expressing his strong desire to mate, there was always a sense of vulgarity. But tonight, he didn't send any signals at all, as if he didn't consider her a suitable age for the opposite sex.
Vivian became curious, even a little competitive. She took his arm and pointed to the other side:
"Can you see that room? Sixth from the left."
"What's wrong?"
"Want to go for a drink?"
"Why? Are you worried that you'll get drunk here and I won't have the energy to see you off?"
"That's right."
"Don't worry, I can deadlift 120 kilograms." He pretended to look her over. She knew it was a joke, but her cheeks still burned for a moment, as if his eyes were like flames burning her from the inside out. "I'll take you back to your room, no problem."
"Don't give me that. I don't know who will get drunk first."
"Okay, it's getting late, let me take you home."
Vivian's surprise grew. Most men, given such an opportunity, would be eager to take advantage. She had never encountered a fish that refused to bite.
But her self-esteem did not allow her to continue to show her goodwill.
The two of them stood up and walked slowly towards the other side, without saying a word. But this silence was so lingering that it made her feel nostalgic.
There were people kayaking in the dark river, silent as if they were in a black and white silent film. Only the occasional sound of rushing water could be heard.
Perhaps because it was late at night and the noises around her had faded, the scene felt like a dream and she didn't want to wake up.
The brightly lit 24-hour hotel lobby also had a touch of ambiguity at night. As Vivian walked toward the elevator, she was contemplating how to say goodbye gracefully when he stopped, gave her a quick, gentle hug, and said, "That's it, sleep well," before quickly walking away.
She only had time to give a forced smile.
The discomfort I felt in the afternoon was never dispelled.
I went back to the room, took a shower, changed clothes, took some melatonin, put on an eye mask, took out my earplugs, turned off all the lights in the house, and even the small red indicator light below the TV screen had to be unplugged and turned off before I could feel at ease.
I finished the process and just lay down when the phone rang. It was Eric's rustling voice:
"Can you see the moon?" There is no beginning or end.
"What?" She was a little confused. She thought that after he left easily, he regretted it because he didn't get the advantage he should have taken.
It's not like she hasn't encountered similar situations before. When a man's mind is awash with lust, his brain shuts down and he doesn't care about anything else. Once, someone dropped her off after dinner. He was a normal man, an ordinary friend, but after dropping her off downstairs, he insisted on going upstairs, using the excuse that he needed to use the restroom.
She firmly refused, and he left after a brief nagging. She breathed a sigh of relief, knowing they would no longer be friends, but at least she had a peaceful night. But he refused to leave, calling repeatedly, saying he was waiting downstairs, and begging her to open the door.
Vivian was terrified and rarely asked to be taken home.
*
"Go to the window. The moon is very beautiful tonight."
She got out of bed, walked to the window, and drew aside the curtains. A clear, bright sunlight immediately fell upon her body, as if caressed by countless hands. The moonlight that night was indeed breathtakingly beautiful, a full moon at midnight, its face radiant and ethereal, its brightness so bright and frank it was truly awe-inspiring.
Vivian recalled the story. Japanese author Natsume Soseki recounted how, as an English teacher, he once asked a student to translate the protagonist's words, "I love you," during a moonlit walk. The student simply translated them as "wo ni ni" (I love you). Natsume, however, retorted, "Japanese people don't say 'I love you' all the time. They only say '今夜は月が绮丽ですね (The moon is so beautiful tonight)."
"See?"
"Where are you?"
"Look across the way."
She looked down in confusion. There were many points of light flickering in the shadows of the trees on the other side of the river. She couldn't see clearly.
"Is it really you?"
"How could you be so gullible? If you were a bad guy, you would have been ripped off sooner or later. I've already returned to the hotel. Good night."
Before she could respond, the call was disconnected. She started to close the curtains, but paused. There seemed to be a real figure beneath the lush treetops in the distance, but he was probably kidding.
After hanging up the phone, she couldn't even tell whether it was a dream or not. Perhaps the drug was taking effect and she began to feel dizzy. She sighed and tried her best to fall asleep so as not to waste the room that cost thousands of dollars a night.
///
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