Faced with Chen Jin's question, the assistant seemed somewhat flustered, and after a long pause, he finally replied, "Actually, there's no need to ask this question at all; you wouldn't believe in your hearts that it was me who wanted to send it over..."
Then she said to me, "Our CEO Ye said that there are too many things in this world that are beyond our control, but we can't use that as an excuse for everything... She hopes you can live well and take good care of your health..."
I laughed and said, "She doesn't need to tell me these things. Cao Jinbo insisted that I come today, so I came here for Cao Jinbo's sake. I'm not targeting her."
"If that's really what you think, then that's for the best..."
After a brief pause, she added, "I've delivered the things and the message on behalf of Mr. Ye. Please be careful on your journey. I'll be going now."
Before we could respond, the assistant turned and walked into the hotel...
I just kept watching until she completely disappeared from my sight before I spoke to Chen Jin and said, "Do you have any more cigarettes? Give me one."
Chen Jin pulled a box of Zhongnanhai cigarettes out of his pocket. I took one out and lit it. After only a few puffs, I spat it out into the grass at the hotel entrance. I then became unsteady on my feet and felt like I was about to throw up my stomach!
At this moment, I didn't like Dali. I especially missed Jimo, and I missed the seaside where I was all alone, without social obligations or love and hate!
...
Chen Jin handed me a bottle of mineral water. While I was rinsing my mouth, he said to me, "I'll call Nicole and ask her to find a car to pick us up. It's not easy to get a taxi around here."
"Don't bother her, let's walk back."
Are you sure you can do it?
"I feel much better after throwing up... Let's go."
...
Chen Jin and I walked along National Highway 214 towards the ancient city. When we got tired, we sat on the grass by the roadside for a while...
Chen Jin sat leaning against a tree. He took out a cigarette from his pack, lit it, and then smiled at me, saying, "Actually, taking a walk is quite nice... This wind makes you feel especially clear-headed, and it can even help with hangovers!"
I smiled and then took out the box of hangover remedies from my pocket. I took two pills myself and then handed them to Chen Jin so that he could take two as well.
Chen Jin joked with me, saying, "This isn't just a simple box of hangover 'medicine,' it's a token of my affection, and it's for you. I can't possibly eat it."
I didn't waste any more words with Chen Jin, so I squeezed out two pills and forced them into his mouth.
I handed him the water and then stopped talking. I felt I needed to calm down in the wind... I know there are people in this world who never put love first, and they refuse to admit they're wrong. They just use being unable to control their own destiny to overturn everything.
Yes, there are indeed many things in this world that are beyond our control, but does that mean the other party deserves to be hurt?
With a sigh, I lay down on the grass, then turned on my phone and played "Goodbye 20th Century"... I wanted to revisit that fragmented version of myself through the song, and also reminisce about Wang Lei, who had a heart full of romance and beauty.
I should miss her, because she completely changed my life.
But Chen Jin didn't want me to calm down. After taking a deep drag on his cigarette, he asked me, "Michael, when do you think we brothers will finally achieve great success?"
I countered, "What are your standards for 'rising to prominence'?"
"Like those people sitting at the same table with you tonight... They all act so arrogant, but you just can't help it. When you talk to them, you really have to be humble... If one day I'm even more awesome than them... Just thinking about how they'll be humbled to me makes me feel so good!"
I remain silent.
Chen Jin then asked me, "Is it true that people who are really that awesome don't have such a big ego anymore? ...Like Jack Ma, a tycoon who can change lifestyles."
"I haven't met anyone of that caliber, so I don't know."
"Don't you have even the slightest desire for wealth and status?"
"Heh, who doesn't want to be superior to others?"
"But no one has ever really thought about why they want to be superior to others..."
Chen Jin took another deep drag of his cigarette, then squinted and continued, "Some people want to be superior to others in order to oppress them, while others genuinely want to give back to society... If the former outnumber the latter, then the world is black; if the latter outnumber the former, then the world is white..."
"If that day ever comes, which type would you be?"
"I don't want to be a bully, nor do I want to be a great person. I just want to live a little better than others... Is that wrong?"
"That's right."
In the brief silence, another strong wind blew in from behind the Cangshan Mountain, causing the grass and trees to sway, and even our hair and the hems of our clothes to flutter...
I finally spoke to Chen Jin again, saying, "I don't know how many times I've advised you... but I really hope you can calm down and find a woman to settle down with... I know you and Tina are just playing around."
"It's just for fun... Our ideas are too different, it's impossible for us to live together... Actually, it's quite fun to have fun like this, at least there's no mental burden."
"I still can't dissuade you?"
Chen Jin laughed first, then after a moment of silence, replied, "Your question reminds me of something... One day, I met an elderly couple on the street asking for directions. They were both quite old, but they held hands wherever they went... I was quite envious, so I asked them why they could maintain such a good relationship?... The old lady told me: In their generation, when things broke, they only thought about how to fix them... But we only think about replacing them!"
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