After Bai Lu and Coach Ma left, apart from the child's cries, no one else made a sound. Compared to the heartbreak of Bai Lu's parents, we were much more rational; at least I was thinking things through...
This went on for ten minutes before Bai Lu's family left Longkan with the child. Things seemed to have calmed down, but none of us rushed back to the inn. We kept staring at the direction Bai Lu and Instructor Ma had gone, unable to come to our senses for a long time.
The first to speak was Peach. She seemed to be talking to herself, but it also seemed to be saying to us: "That child just now really broke my heart... I don't believe Bai Lu is a heartless woman who could drive her to this point. I really can't imagine how unhappy her marriage must be!"
Tie Nan lit a cigarette and replied angrily, "Guo Yang is a beast... He not only ruined Bai Lu's life, but he also ruined this child's life!"
I added, "Coach Ma has also been hurt a lot by him... so I hope Coach Ma can get rid of this thorn in his heart and be with Bai Lu properly... no matter what, neither of them are people who can let the other down."
Tie Nan nodded first, then said, "Just thinking about that bastard makes me angry... Michael, should we go teach that bastard a lesson? I just can't swallow this. He's the one who did all the bad things, but in the end, Bai Lu and Lao Ma are the ones who get the blame. This world can't be this unfair!"
Before I could even speak, Peach chimed in, accusing me, "Tie Nan, let me tell you, don't even think about it! Guo Yang is no pushover, and you and Michael are the kind of people who act impulsively without thinking. If a conflict really breaks out, who knows how big it could escalate? Besides, this is his turf. Even if you had three heads and six arms, you wouldn't gain any advantage!"
Tie Nan retorted, "Look at what you're saying! Can't a person have a sense of justice?"
"Wasn't the loss Michael suffered at Cao Jinbo's hands last time enough of a bloody lesson...? Can't you at least have a little awareness of the situation and be more discerning?"
Tie Nan took a deep drag on his cigarette and stopped arguing with Tao Zi. I could truly understand how he felt at that moment, because I was just like him, feeling the helplessness of a nobody... If I had such a golden opportunity, I really wanted to teach those two bastards, Cao Jinbo and Guo Yang, a lesson they deserved.
Especially Guo Yang, if his evil deeds cannot be exposed to the public, then Bai Lu and Coach Ma will only live forever in the dark side of this society and suffer the infamy... This is absolutely not what I, as a friend, want to see... I especially hope that when they return to Dali, public opinion can give them justice, and such "waiting" is the most meaningful for us.
...
After standing there for a while, Tie Nan and Tao Zi returned to the inn, while Ye Zhi and I remained outside. I believe that even though she was a complete bystander, this incident had affected her no less than it had affected me, because just half an hour earlier, Bai Lu had demonstrated with an almost cruel act what "waiting" and "turning away" meant.
I lit a cigarette, then looked at her and asked, "Having personally experienced what just happened, do you have many feelings about it?"
Unexpectedly, Ye Zhi shook her head and said to me, "I only have one question in my mind: what kind of force made Bai Lu make this decision? ... She gave up not only a marriage, but also her own child."
“If you knew her ex-husband’s character and what he had done, you wouldn’t ask me this.”
Ye Zhi paused for a moment, then said, "Can I understand it this way: when a person changes their established state, or holds onto an idea they've held for many years, it must be because they've been stimulated by an external force? If it weren't for Coach Ma, would Bai Lu still be enduring this marriage and her ex-husband?"
I subconsciously touched my cheek. The reason I did this habitual action was because I couldn't fully understand what she wanted to express to me... Unlike Yang Sisi's straightforwardness, her way of expressing herself was often more rational and subtle.
But that's normal. As a woman who has been fighting in the business world for many years, she will definitely hold back in her words and actions. If she could be seen through at a glance, that would be her biggest taboo.
After a moment of silence, I finally replied, "I don't think it has much to do with Coach Ma's appearance... Her change probably stems from inner despair."
Ye Zhi remained silent.
But I suddenly understood the purpose of her question: she must be struggling internally right now; she must have already considered giving up on the promise to wait, but she lacks a strong reason...
I took a drag of my cigarette, and after gathering some courage, I asked her again, "The reason you haven't completely let go of your obsession is because you haven't met the man who can make your heart flutter again, is that right?"
Can I not answer?
Her refusal made me a little embarrassed. By the time I wanted to say something more to her, she had already turned and left... She didn't go back to the inn, but instead walked along the lakeside road towards the pier with seagulls on Erhai Lake.
I shook my head at first, then smiled as I watched her back. It turns out that even someone as strong as Ye Zhi has inner struggles and moments when she can't see things clearly.
On the other hand, in some aspects, Yang Sisi is indeed more insightful and carefree than we are... In her world, there are not so many considerations or mutual tests. She is like a rough gem, and as long as she meets a good sculptor, she can love with earth-shattering passion.
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