Before leaving the viewing platform, I texted Yang Sisi: "Don't worry about me. Before opening this inn, I had already mentally prepared for the worst. We're still far from the worst, so there's nothing I can't handle... How are you feeling since you got back to Shanghai?"
After sending the message, I got into my car and began this extremely long journey. I estimated that, assuming there was no traffic, I wouldn't be back in Dali until after noon tomorrow.
At 7:30 p.m., I arrived in Panxian, a city in Guizhou. I first found a place to have dinner, and only then did I have time to read the message Yang Sisi had sent me.
She said, "Shanghai is certainly very comfortable. I don't have to get up early and work late every day to see customers, and I don't have to restrain myself from buying whatever I want. What I like most is the feeling of being able to sleep until I naturally wake up."
"That's right! Shanghai is the water, and you're the fish. Going back to Shanghai is the best choice for you."
"And what about you? What does Shanghai mean to you?"
"A mountain of knives and a sea of fire."
"Dali is a real hellhole! Think about it, when you were in Shanghai, you were just a little poor, but life was relatively peaceful; what kind of things did you encounter in Dali?!"
"You haven't even established yourself in Shanghai yet, and you're already talking badly about Dali again. Aren't you being a bit too fickle?"
"I'm talking about Dali for you. I don't think there's anything wrong with Dali. If my parents were willing to give me tens of millions to squander in Dali, I would still think Dali is better than Shanghai. What I hate is the feeling of having to support myself in Dali."
"You've been hiding it well! I always thought you enjoyed that self-reliant life!"
"The desire to gain something for nothing is human nature, but most people are just not destined for it... Of course, self-reliance is an honor, but gaining something for nothing is also a kind of luck, and neither is a bad thing."
"You're pretty amazing. When you want to be self-reliant, you can work as a receptionist in Dali. When you don't want to be self-reliant, you can just go home and continue to earn money without working. You've managed to switch between these two lifestyles so easily!"
"That's right, a badass life needs no explanation."
"Then keep being tough, I'm going to eat first."
Where are you now?
"Panzhou, let's rest here for the night and head back to Dali tomorrow."
"Do you dare to drive all the way to Kunming?"
"There are still more than 200 kilometers to go, why would I drive there?"
"I have a surprise for you, if you think it's a surprise."
"You're not in Kunming, are you?"
"If I'm sick, why would I go to Kunming?..."
"I really can't imagine what kind of surprise you could bring to Kunming, it's too incredible!"
“I believe you will go once you become curious.”
"If you hadn't told me, I really wouldn't have wanted to go."
Yang Sisi didn't reply to my messages anymore, but I was still uneasy because of her usual neuroticism... After thinking about it, I realized that I hadn't booked a hotel yet, so going to Kunming wasn't out of the question. I didn't mind being tricked by her at all; I was going to be alone all night anyway, so it didn't matter whether I stayed in Panxian or Kunming.
...
After paying the restaurant owner, I drove back onto the highway and began my nearly 300-kilometer journey. On the way, I received a call from my aunt.
After I put on my Bluetooth headset, I asked her, "Second Aunt, is something the matter?"
"Michael... Can your aunt ask you for a favor?"
"Don't use the word 'beg' with me, we're family."
"Then I'll take that as a yes, Auntie!"
"Tell me first, and I'll definitely help you if I can."
Auntie chuckled, "Well, your brother just graduated from university. Your uncle and I discussed it, and we realized that all the effort and money we spent on sending him to university wasn't so that he'd stay in this small county. We wanted him to go to Shanghai and broaden his horizons..."
My aunt hesitated, then I said, "Do you want me to give Dai Qiang (my cousin's name) some advice?"
My aunt finally spoke up: "You've been in Shanghai for so long, we should definitely listen to your advice... It would be even better if you could help him out at work!"
"What can I do to help? I'm not even in Shanghai anymore."
Auntie smiled and said, "Look at you, kid. Your girlfriend is in Shanghai, and she's in hotel investment. That matches Dai Qiang's major perfectly! ... How about we ask Xiao Ye to arrange a job for Dai Qiang? That way, with family around to look after him, we can feel more at ease letting him go to Shanghai, right?"
It was only then that I realized what was happening, and a strange feeling welled up inside me. What I saw about Shanghai was a kind of numbness, with people flocking there one after another. Everyone seemed to only know that there were many opportunities there, but they didn't consider the cost of living at all. Only when you actually plunge into it do you realize how realistic and cruel this city is.
I finally spoke up and said, "Second Aunt, let me be frank with you, Deming really isn't suited for Shanghai..."
Before I could finish speaking, my aunt interrupted me, clearly annoyed, "Michael, you haven't even mentioned this to your girlfriend yet, and you're already rejecting her... Have you really forgotten about your aunt now that you have a girlfriend?"
"No, that's not what I meant..."
"Michael... I'm begging you, please?... Think about how hard things have been for my family. I was laid off ten years ago, and your uncle and I ran a delicatessen in the county town. We worked so hard to raise Daiqiang to graduate from university, but your uncle's health has deteriorated. He can't do heavy work anymore, and rumors have started circulating that he has some kind of infectious disease. People are afraid to come to our delicatessen. I don't know how much longer this delicatessen can last! If we don't get Daiqiang a decent job soon, what will become of our family!"
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