After sitting by Erhai Lake for a while, I received a call from Tie Nan. He said he wanted to talk to me. I told him my location, and soon after, he arrived with a pitcher of beer and some braised dishes that looked like pig's head.
I thought he was definitely going to talk to me about peaches, but instead he said to me, "Bai Lu has already taken care of the sewage treatment equipment. In the end, it only cost a little over 80,000 yuan. There's still a little left over from what you gave me."
"Um."
"She said she'll transfer the remaining money to your WeChat account tomorrow."
"good."
Tie Nan lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and said to me, "Bai Lu said that Tao Zi gave you this money... It's not a huge amount, but it's not a small amount either. Where would she get so much money if she's just a receptionist at a hotel?"
I replied vaguely, "You'll have to ask her. I can't be so stupid as to ask her where the money came from when she lends it to me, can I?"
"Then you fucking give me her contact information!"
Looking at the enraged Iron Man, I didn't know what to say. I tore open a can of beer, took a sip, and then simply replied, "No."
Iron Man pointed at me and said unhappily, "Michael, I've noticed that you can be quite a jerk sometimes!"
"I won't give it to you no matter what."
Tie Nan downed a can of beer in one gulp, and after a long while, he said, "She doesn't want to be with me because she thinks I'm not the kind of person who can settle down. So she'd rather play around with me than have a proper relationship."
"You don't understand her; she has her reasons."
"Then who the hell understands me?... " After a slight pause, Tie Nan continued in a low voice, "I like mature and independent women who also possess a maternal instinct... Taozi's temperament is quite similar to my mother's. My mother is a strong woman, but she can't tolerate even the slightest imperfection..."
Tie Nan choked up a little as he continued, "My dad was quite rich... But when men have money, they easily go astray. Not long after, he hooked up with a prostitute who worked in nightclubs... That prostitute, greedy for my dad's money, told my mom all about our dirty secrets and wanted her to divorce him... My mom loved my dad very much and had always been there for him in his business, working tirelessly without complaint... But my dad treated her so badly, and she couldn't swallow it. Later... later she took some pills... She died on the way to the hospital!"
I looked at Tie Nan, tears streaming down his face, and at that moment I finally understood why he didn't want to use his real name—because he hated his father; and I also understood why he had a knack for business—because he was born into a family of businessmen.
I offered him another cigarette and lit it for him. I wanted to advise him to let it go, but I felt it was unfair to do so! After all, something like this had happened; how could I expect him to be able to let it go? Those were his parents, who had raised him, and one of them had indirectly caused the other's death!
No wonder many people say that Dali is a place with a story. Outsiders who come here seem arrogant and indifferent to fame and fortune, but they often harbor unhealed wounds in their hearts, so they can only pretend and live on...
At that moment, I really wanted to tell Tie Nan that Tao Zi was also a woman who worked in nightclubs, and that she wasn't the same type of woman as her mother. But the words stuck in my throat, and I couldn't bring myself to say them. It would be too cruel for Tie Nan. If I said it, I would not only destroy one of his dreams, but also his hope for life.
I know he's serious about peaches!
...
After a long while, Tie Nan patted my arm again and said, "I've had relationships with quite a few women in Dali over the past few years, but none of them have made me serious. But Taozi is an exception. She gives me a very special feeling... So, I want to give myself a chance, and give her a chance too."
"Are you sure your feelings for her aren't just because of her face?"
"I've been with women prettier than her, but I don't want to be with her."
I was speechless at Tie Nan's words, and then I thought about Tao Zi carefully in my mind. I realized that she really did have something that attracted Tie Nan to her. She was a very family-oriented and responsible woman. That's why she was able to give so much to her family, which she didn't deserve all that effort, all these years. And what Tie Nan lacked most was precisely a woman who could give him a family.
My analysis is correct; it must be Peach's maternal qualities that attracted him. But this is contradictory, because Peach is also the kind of nightclub girl he despises most!
Seeing that I didn't speak, Tie Nan continued, "If your grandson still refuses to give me Taozi's contact information, I'll go to Shanghai to find her and then post missing person notices all over the streets... Don't think I'm bragging, I really can do something like that."
"I just think you're bragging."
Tie Nan didn't waste any words with me. Right in front of me, he booked a flight to Shanghai for the next day on Ctrip and said, "Take care of the inn these next few days... I'm leaving tomorrow."
I was stunned, but he turned and left.
...
I quickly called Taozi, but she didn't answer, probably because she was at work. So I sent her a message: "Tienan is going to Shanghai to see you. He's already booked the tickets, so be careful."
After sending the message, I returned to the inn and saw Tie Nan packing his things in his room. He was serious. So, I waited even more eagerly for Tao Zi to call or reply to my message.
Half an hour later, Peach finally replied to my message: "I'm at work right now. Are you serious or not?"
This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
