I walked to a corner and answered Yang Sisi's call. She spoke first and asked, "Where are you now? I need to talk to you."
"I'm in the old city. Should we discuss what you wanted to talk about over the phone or in person?"
Yang Sisi paused for a moment, then replied, "I asked where you were because I wanted to meet you to talk. This has to be discussed in person; it won't work over the phone..." She paused again, then continued, "I think you're acting a bit strange! ... You never used to ask me whether I wanted to talk on the phone or in person... You would never meet up if something could be resolved over the phone... But judging from your tone just now, it seemed like you really wanted to meet me?"
Yang Sisi's personality, sometimes carefree and sometimes extremely perceptive, made me quite uncomfortable. After a brief silence, I replied evasively, "Tell me a place, and I'll come find you right now."
"There's definitely something fishy going on!"
"Tell me the location quickly..."
"I'm the one who needs to talk to you, so how did it become that you're the one who can't wait to see me?"
"Can't you be less curious? Can't you just ask me when we meet?"
"Okay, okay, okay, I'm on this side of Erhai Gate."
...
After finishing my conversation with Yang Sisi, I returned to Lu Jia and her parents. I said to them, "Uncle, Aunt... someone here needs to talk to me about something, so I won't stay with you any longer... If you need any help, just ask Sanbao. We're very good friends, and he'll help you with any trouble."
Lu Jia's dad told me to go ahead and not to worry about them; Lu Jia's mom said to me as I was about to leave, "Michael, are you free tonight?... Your uncle and aunt would like to invite you to dinner to thank you for arranging such a nice place for us."
Lu Jia looked at me, as if hoping I would agree.
I avoided her gaze and replied, "I have a social engagement tonight, so I definitely won't have time."
Lu Jia's mother was a little disappointed, but she still said to me, "Then how about tomorrow night? You'll have time tomorrow night, right?... Seeing you running around taking care of everything for us, we'd really feel bad if we didn't treat you to a meal."
"Auntie, you really don't need to be so polite. It was just a small favor I did..."
After pausing for a moment, I continued, "Let Lu Jia show you around during your stay in Dali. She's studying abroad now, and it's not easy for your whole family to get together... If you really want to thank me, then have a good time here. Only when you're happy will I feel that my help was worthwhile... As for treating you to meals or anything like that, it's really not important!"
Lu Jia's mother understood my unspoken meaning. She sighed and finally didn't mention having dinner together again.
Yes, I deliberately emphasized "your family" because I wanted to establish a clear boundary in my relationship with Lu Jia... We really are not the same people we used to be. The reason I helped them arrange accommodation was simply to save them some travel expenses and make them more comfortable... I didn't expect that after Lu Jia and I had already figured out our positions, her mother would still have other ideas.
It's not entirely fair to call it an unnecessary thought, but I really disliked the two completely different attitudes her mother had towards me before and after... When we were in Shanghai, she looked down on me; so during the years that Lu Jia and I dated, she never asked Lu Jia to bring me home for a meal... On the few occasions we did go, she had to shamelessly go.
But this also proves that Lu Jia once truly loved me. Knowing that her parents disapproved of me, she still took me to their home, which could only be because she genuinely liked me. She wanted her parents to like me and accept me... Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned. Our love ultimately died in the eyes of the world. This is the most undignified way to die, and it is also the most realistic way to die.
...
I was finally able to leave, but after I actually left, I wasn't in such a hurry to find Yang Sisi anymore. I just sat alone on the street and thought back on every major event I had experienced over the past year.
I wasn't numb, so the pain that came from it was all very clear... It was as if I was caught in a huge whirlpool, and no matter which way I went, it was all pain. I lost the ability to save myself, and I didn't know who would come to save me.
No, no one can save me except Ye Zhi. She is the only bright way out for me in this predicament.
But the more I hoped for it, the more desperate I became... because Ye Zhi was really gone. All the things we experienced together were either in my memories or in my dreams... In reality, I endured so much pain, but I could never get even a smile from her again.
...
Yang Sisi called again to urge me to go to Erhai Gate, where I met her at the stall that now had a sunshade. She didn't have any business and seemed quite idle. When she saw me, she borrowed a stool from the next stall and let me sit down opposite her.
I habitually lit a cigarette and then asked her, "So, what do you want to see me about?"
Yang Sisi rested her chin on her hand and looked at me: "My matter is not urgent. Tell me first, why were you acting so strangely just now?"
"If your matter isn't urgent, why did you call me so early in the morning?"
"I was in a hurry just now, but I'm not in a hurry now... Just tell me already."
I took a deep drag of my cigarette before looking up at Yang Sisi and replying, "Lu Jia's parents came to Dali for tourism... I arranged for them to stay at my friend's guesthouse, but they seem to have misunderstood me."
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