As the sun set, Lu Jia and I sat on the grass by the river. I smoked, and she stared blankly at the children running along the riverbank in the distance. The newly bought 740li was parked next to a willow tree... It all felt like a dream.
I lay completely on the grass, letting the wind tousle my hair. My mood soared, and I couldn't help but start thinking about the future.
It's hard to say what the future will hold, and that's precisely why I'm able to plant a seed of hope for the future in my heart...
With a sense of realization, I finally said to Lu Jia, "Time flies! It's been five years since we met!"
Lu Jia smiled and said, "Yes!... When I first met you, I was a vibrant young woman with a face full of collagen... Now I'm starting to get fine lines... Five years can really change so much, so many things, even a person's physical condition... But when I'm with you, five years doesn't feel like a long time at all, and many things feel like they happened just yesterday!"
I smiled too.
Lu Jia then asked, "Do you remember how we met?"
"Of course I remember, it was on the train back to Shanghai."
Lu Jia's face showed a hint of reminiscence, then a comfortable smile appeared on her face. She nodded and said, "That day, I came back from a business trip out of town, and I was exhausted. I wanted to get a good night's sleep on the train, but my seat was taken... No matter how I called him, he pretended to be asleep, and calling the train attendant didn't help... At that time, everyone in the carriage was looking at me, and some of them were gloating... Although it wasn't a big deal, I felt really helpless and sad because of this indifference between people. I stood there like an idiot... Suddenly, you stood up from your seat. You first let me sit in your seat... and then you threw that person into the aisle like trash... He looked at you, angry but unable to say anything... I felt really relieved... It was probably at that moment that I felt you were different from the others... You give me a sense of security. As long as you are by my side, I am not afraid of anything!"
I recalled that scene... Thinking back, Lu Jia's motive for falling in love with me was really simple. Not long after that, we became a couple, and a week later, we had sex. It seems very open-minded, but she really was still a virgin; she had never had sex with me before... If she didn't truly love me, how could she so easily give me her most precious virginity?
But time is also terrifying. In just three years, her mindset changed... So, a dream is still a dream. In the end, we all have to wake up from the torrent of materialism and face the world's atmosphere and the relationships between people... Heroes die, but material things and money are eternal.
In my silence, Lu Jia asked me softly again, "Michael, did you ever really love me?"
"I loved."
Lu Jia nodded, then turned to look at the BMW 740li parked under the tree. She didn't say anything more. She knew in her heart that she was no longer the Michael she was five years ago.
...
The next day, I took Lu Jia to Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport; afterwards, I drove back to Dali alone. I had dinner with Chen Jin and used the time to settle all the accounts I had.
We all received a sum of money that we would never have dared to dream of before.
Afterwards, we talked about our future plans. Chen Jin wanted to stay in Dali, but I wasn't so sure... But unlike before, I now have the means to live in any city in China... but only for living.
For example, in a city like Shanghai, with the money I have now, I can only afford a decent house at most. If I want to improve my life, I will have to keep working hard.
But I've lost that drive... I just feel very tired and want to rest for a while, so I won't go to cities like Shanghai or Beijing... I think that at this stage, cultivating my mind and character is more important than making money.
...
That night, Chen Jin and I drank a lot of alcohol, so we slept soundly until the afternoon of the next day before we got up.
After getting up, I transferred a large portion of the money from the company account to the card Yang Sisi had given me. It was time for me to repay her... with a generous material reward.
...
In the evening, I arranged to meet Yang Sisi at the south gate of the ancient city. I sat in the car watching her; she had her hair in a bun, was carrying a backpack, and was squeezing through the crowd, standing on tiptoe to look around…
We've known each other for over a year now, and she still looks incredibly youthful... That's normal, considering she's only in her early twenties, while women typically start aging rapidly around age 30.
I rolled down the car window, and when she noticed me, I smiled and said to her, "Get in the car."
She glanced at me first, then looked at my car and exclaimed, "Is this your car?"
"Just picked it up in Chengdu, isn't it cool?"
Wow... seeing your nouveau riche look, I'm getting excited too!
"Don't pretend with me..."
Yang Sisi stuck out her tongue, made a face, then opened the car door, sat down in the passenger seat, and deliberately exclaimed, "Wow, wow, even the car doors are electric suction... I've never ridden in such a luxurious car before, it feels like my life has been elevated... It feels so amazing!!"
Are you a drama queen?
Yang Sisi grabbed my arms with both hands and said to me in a serious tone, "I'm happy for you... You have backbone when you're poor, and you're ruthless when you're rich... I like this car!"
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