Each to their own pleasure
After dinner, May's friends called them over, and the group went to a nearby bar for drinks. Around 11 p.m., they walked to Times Square. Times Square, which is usually quiet at night, was brightly lit and crowded with people, seemingly even more lively than during the day.
Worried that it might be cold outside at night, Zhiwei put on her thick beige down jacket, along with a scarf and hat, which made her small face look even more radiant and her slender waist seem almost too delicate to be grasped. A group of young people were laughing and joking, and her laughter was like stars falling from the sky.
"What a coincidence? You're here to watch the New Year's Eve celebration too?"
A deep voice rang in her ear again. Zhiwei was taken aback; it was Li Fuqiang again. This was truly too much of a coincidence.
"Hello Mr. Li. Are you here to celebrate the New Year?"
"Yes, I've heard a lot about the New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square, so I came here specifically to check it out."
"Times Square during New Year's Eve is like a completely different New York. It's so unlike the usual cold and indifferent New York; everyone seems to become so warm and welcoming. New York is so lovely during Christmas and New Year's. Even though the weather can be terrible at times, I still love it."
The girl next to him smiled broadly. Li Fuqiang hadn't attended a gathering of young people like this for many years. It's true that youth is wonderful.
As the Apple Clock chimed its countdown, "10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1," the hour rang out, and the young people cheered and jumped for joy, busy hugging those around them, both acquaintances and strangers. Zhiwei was also hugging people around her. Turning around, she noticed that Li Fuqiang had also slightly opened his arms to her. She paused for a moment, then, just like hugging her other friends, she happily hugged him back, saying, "Happy New Year."
Li Fuqiang felt that the girl in his arms was like a light little bird. Before he could even savor her, she was happily embracing other people again. He only remembered that her lips were so bright that they seemed to reflect light.
He stood there, watching the young people cheer and celebrate, not understanding why it was just an ordinary midnight, what was so exciting about it? Perhaps for them, every New Year meant the beginning of endless possibilities, so it was worth celebrating so grandly.
Not far away, his group of drivers were also watching their boss's every move.
About half an hour later, the bustling square gradually quieted down. Some energetic young people were even making plans to go to a bar. Zhiwei and May decided to go home. Zhiwei glanced at Li Fuqiang, saw that he was still there, waved to him, nodded, and prepared to go home.
Li Fuqiang walked over and asked them, "My car happens to be nearby. Would you like a ride? It's not appropriate for the two ladies to walk by themselves at this hour. It'll probably be hard to get a taxi at this time."
May realized that this was Zhiwei's friend whom she had met at the church last time, and happily said, "Okay, thank you for your help."
She pulled Zhiwei along and followed Li Fuqiang a few steps to the side of the road. Li Fuqiang's driver had already cleverly brought the car over. Li Fuqiang opened the back door for them, sat in the passenger seat himself, and let Zhiwei and May sit in the back.
Zhiwei secretly groaned. This Mr. Li probably hadn't sat in the front for many years. Luckily, he still remembered that you have to wear a seatbelt in the front.
The driver didn't need to give directions; he quickly dropped them off downstairs, promptly got out to open the car door for the boss, and then opened the door for the lady in the back seat.
Zhiwei bowed slightly in politeness. "Thank you, Mr. Li. Goodbye, Mr. Li." May waved back, and the two went upstairs to go home.
Li Fuqiang saw that the lights in their room were on and waited a while before returning to his car. The driver then drove him back to his hotel to rest.
The next morning, Xuan Yu woke up to find himself lying on a large bed. You Lin was already awake, having changed into a short nightgown, and was sitting on a chaise lounge by the window, looking out.
Xuan Yu didn't know what to say and was about to take a shower when You Lin heard him and turned around to say, "Your clothes are all wrinkled, I'm afraid they won't be easy to wear back. I just called the front desk to send some clothes over, they should be here soon."
Just then, the doorbell rang. Xuan Yu went to open the door and found a waiter bringing over two bags of clothes: a light blue Dior shirt and a black fitted suit, along with underwear and socks.
After Xuan Yu took a shower and changed his clothes, he still appeared in the mirror as a well-dressed young man, with his clothes fitting him perfectly.
He came out of the restroom, walked up to Youlin, and said to her, "Well, I have to go back to school now, goodbye."
Youlin smiled and said, "I'll have your clothes washed and then send them back to you."
Xuan Yu hesitated for a moment, then saw You Lin looking up at him. He bent down, put his hand on her shoulder, and gently kissed her cheek before turning around, closing the door behind him, and leaving.
Once outside, he glanced back with an unreadable expression, sighed, and left.
After the New Year's Eve revelry, Ruowei and May slept in until the wee hours, had a quick breakfast, and then went to Brooklyn to browse vintage shops. New York certainly has no shortage of shops, but while they could look at brand-name stores, the prices were simply too steep for students like them.
Zhiwei enjoys browsing vintage stores, sometimes finding delightful surprises. As an art student, she naturally has excellent taste, and May likes to follow her lead. Sometimes, Zhiwei helps her put together outfits that are both retro and chic.
"I'll ask Johnny later if he wants to go to 34th Street for Korean food tonight. He's been busy preparing for his interviews after the holiday and hasn't been out much."
"If I indulge myself for these two more days, I'll have to start preparing for the interview."
Which companies have resumed operations in the last few days after the holiday?
"It's a Chinese-owned architecture studio that mainly does apartment renovations. They don't care about holidays; clients are available whenever they need them. I've scheduled an interview for the day after tomorrow before the new year."
"No wonder, May is definitely going to make a big splash on this trip."
Zhiwei wore a black turtleneck sweater, skinny jeans, and Doc Martens, topped with a beige fitted down jacket and a red beret, radiating youthful energy. In a familiar vintage shop, she discovered a Scottish wool cape—irregular vertical stripes, mid-length, cinched at the waist, and trimmed with fine wool tassels. The seemingly eccentric design looked surprisingly chic and alluring on her.
"A good-looking person looks beautiful even in a burlap sack," May exclaimed.
The shop owner was selling this unwanted stock at a low price, and Zhiwei bought it without hesitation. May chose a woolen long skirt, and Zhiwei suggested pairing it with a studded leather jacket for a striking gypsy look.
In another European-style vintage shop, Zhiwei spotted a short red jacket—the front was decorated with yellow satin stripes and three-petal flowers, brass buttons, diamond-patterned cuffs and epaulettes, and a simple neckline. She vaguely remembered seeing a similar style in a European catalog.
"These clothes are a family heirloom from a friend, and their exact origin is unknown," the shop owner explained.
Zhiwei tried it on, and paired with her all-black outfit, it gave her an androgynous beauty. After some haggling, they settled on a price of eighty US dollars.
Seeing that it was getting late, the two took the ferry back to 34th Street to prepare for dinner. On the ferry, Zhiwei didn't forget to take out her sketchbook and quickly sketch the view of the Brooklyn Bridge.
When they arrived at the restaurant, Xuan Yu was already there. He was wearing a simple gray pullover, blue jeans, and a down jacket hanging on the back of his chair. Seeing the two girls come in, he quickly stood up and waved.
Zhiwei and May put down their bags and busied themselves ordering food. Xuanyu said, "It seems the two ladies have had a very fruitful day."
Zhiwei said, "That's right. It's a pity you had to prepare for your interview and couldn't come along. By the way, how's your preparation going?"
Xuan Yu said, "It's hard to say. I can only try to prepare as much as possible and see if I can get some interview opportunities after the holiday."
"May also mentioned that she has an interview at a studio in a couple of days. I guess most people from companies will be back after the Christmas holidays, so there should be more interviews coming up."
May chimed in, "Johnny, which companies have you invested in?"
Xuan Yu didn't say much, "Anyway, we'll invest in companies big and small, just cast a wide net."
"Vivian, what about you?"
Zhiwei sighed, "My portfolio needs to be more comprehensive. The only places I can submit to are individual studios or window display design. It's just too difficult to get offers from big brand companies."
May comforted her for a few moments, and once the food arrived, the three of them put aside their worries and focused on enjoying the meal.
With the start of the new school year approaching, Zhiwei went to the school library to research European royal patterns and create a small window display design.
The library's high-ceilinged reading room, with its bright windows illuminating the intricate coffered ceiling, always made Zhiwei feel able to immerse herself in the ivory tower, allowing her to peacefully wander within its walls. She focused intently on the borrowed materials, occasionally taking notes on the computer and sometimes sketching in her sketchbook.
Suddenly, a dark figure stopped beside her seat. After a moment, she came to her senses, looked up, and froze. It was Li Fuqiang, wearing a black overcoat. Is it now fashionable for tourists to visit university libraries?
Seeing her looking over, Li Fuqiang sat down on the stool opposite her, glanced around, and sighed softly, "As expected of an Ivy League school, even the library is so classical and grand. It's a pity I didn't have the chance to experience life in an ivory tower when I was young."
Zhiwei seemed to remember that he started from scratch, did not attend a good university, and his doctoral degree was an honorary degree he received after achieving success in his career.
She said softly, "Heroes come from all walks of life. Society is also a good university, and Mr. Li is an excellent graduate."
Li Fuqiang smiled at her, "There's something I'd like to ask Miss Shen for help with."
Zhiwei suddenly realized that he had come specifically to find her. Since it wasn't convenient to talk in the library, she packed her bag, put on her coat, and led him to an open area near the outside of the library to sit down.
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