On the bustling street, I looked left and right, and gradually, sweat began to bead on my forehead. I was standing at a crossroads, unsure which direction the person in that figure had gone with the flow of people. I was lost in the dense crowd, like beads on a plate. I was afraid that I might make a wrong choice in that instant and miss that person altogether…
But if it really is Ye Zhi, since she has already come to Dali, why wouldn't she come to find me?
I suddenly felt very disappointed because I knew it was just my imagination. I hadn't even seen her profile, so how could I be so sure that she was Ye Zhi just from a back view?
I really miss her so much that I don't want to miss even such a small opportunity.
I gritted my teeth and ran down the least crowded road. If it really was Ye Zhi, she would prefer a quieter place. That's the only conclusion I could draw...
I ran from one end of the street to the other, quickly looking at everyone on the street, but I didn't see that figure that made my heart pound...
My mood plummeted. Had I chosen the wrong path? Or perhaps, that figure was just a figment of my imagination. Even if it truly existed, who could guarantee that it was Ye Zhi?
All the energy in my body suddenly seemed to have been drained away. I slumped onto a bench by the street, lit a cigarette, and then stared blankly at the various faces around me...
I find it unbelievable. How could someone like that just disappear like that? I'm even more disgusted by so-called "accidents." Since returning from Thailand, I haven't watched any news reports because I don't want to see stories about someone falling into a river and drowning, or about car accidents on highways and how many people died...
I always felt that these things were fake, unless I saw them with my own eyes... I started to become idealistic, believing that as soon as I closed my eyes, this world would cease to exist, and when I truly died, this world would also cease to exist forever.
I even internalized this idea as a logic: since this world still exists, it proves that Ye Zhi is still alive; otherwise, for her, this world would no longer exist.
Admittedly, this logic is convoluted and strange, but I still want to believe it, and even use it as motivation to wait. I want to see her again... Especially at this moment, I wish she could be behind me, gently hugging me, and saying, "I'm back, you don't need to wait anymore..."
But all I saw on the street were unfamiliar faces... and that's probably where my sense of loss came from!
...
When I returned to the Hunan restaurant where we had just eaten, everyone there was looking at me with very strange eyes. They didn't know why I had suddenly run out after only saying half of what I wanted to say, and I didn't know how to explain it to them, so I just sat down silently and chose to remain silent.
Lu Jia, who was sitting next to me, gently nudged my arm and asked with concern, "Are you alright?"
"It's alright."
Lu Jia looked at me suspiciously again, but didn't ask any more questions.
Breaking the silence once again was Manager Wu, who was in charge of business development. After wiping her mouth with a tissue, she said to us, "I heard from Designer Lu that the three of you already knew each other when you were in Shanghai. You should catch up. I've come all this way to Dali and want to explore the area, so I won't chat with you for long... However, I'm very satisfied with the result this time, and I hope the cooperation will go smoothly."
Chen Jin chimed in, "Sure, we're very satisfied. You can look around here for a bit. If you need any help, just give me a call, I'll be there whenever you need me."
Manager Wu thanked Chen Jin, then picked up his briefcase and left.
...
After seeing Manager Wu off, the three of us returned to the restaurant. For some reason, when the three of us sat together, we felt like we had nothing to say. I remained silent as usual, Chen Jin was smoking, and Lu Jia was fiddling with her wine glass, not saying much either.
The one who finally broke the silence was Chen Jin. He smiled and asked Lu Jia, "I heard you went abroad to study, so why are you doing design work at a company in Chengdu now?"
Lu Jia took a sip of beer, then replied with a smile in a casual tone, "It was quite a coincidence... Some time ago, Chengdu hosted an international fashion festival, and I represented our school in it. I also had some works exhibited, and this company took a liking to me. They expressed their desire for me to work for them."
Chen Jin sighed, "Life is full of surprises, but won't working for their company now affect your studies abroad?"
"It won't affect me. I can continue my studies abroad, but I have to stay and work for their company after graduation... Actually, my studies aren't that demanding right now, and design can be done anywhere, so I can participate in the design of their company's projects, even if they are overseas."
"I understand. During your studies abroad, it's considered part-time work, but after graduation, it will be full-time..."
"Yes, that's one way to understand it."
Chen Jin smiled and said, "There's a question that might be a bit pointed, but I still want to ask you... You're a native Shanghainese girl, so why are you willing to go to Chengdu to work?... Based on my understanding of you over the years, it doesn't seem to fit your life plan."
"Are you saying that Chengdu is bad?... Be careful you don't become the enemy of all the people of Chengdu!"
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
