After Ye Zhi clearly rejected me, I didn't feel the usual surge of resentment. I was much calmer, just smiled, and said to her, "If you don't want to come to Thailand, then I'll go to Shanghai. I still want to personally deliver that watch to you... I'm doing quite well now, everything is moving in a positive direction. When we were together, we were always bound by so many unavoidable things, so my mood was always gloomy... Now it's better, the haze has dissipated, and I really want to experience that feeling of ease, of being able to smile at each other when we're together... That way, when I look back later, it won't all be filled with gloom... You should know that the first and last impressions are the most important in a relationship... So, wouldn't it be better to end things happily?... I didn't force you to change anything for me, so I really hope you don't overinterpret my intentions."
My calmness surprised Ye Zhi on the other end of the phone. She fell silent, perhaps weighing whether or not to meet again.
The reason I didn't mention Cao Jinbo to her over the phone was also due to my own considerations. After all, this matter was too important, and it was safest to talk about it face to face... So, I used delivering the watch as a reason for her to have to meet with me.
After a long while, Ye Zhi finally spoke. She said to me, "I can't go to Thailand anymore. If you feel this is a knot in your heart, then come to Shanghai... I'll give you another phone number. Don't call this number anymore."
"good."
...
After ending my call with Ye Zhi, she sent me a new number, and without hesitation, I booked a flight to Shanghai for the next morning. Then, I took a taxi to the nearest Shilla Duty Free Shop, intending to buy the Vacheron Constantin watch I had been eyeing for so long.
This must be the most extravagant thing I've ever bought in my life, but I think it's worth it... I will never forget how much motivation I felt when I put on this "green Submariner" she gave me... So, no matter what happens between us, I will never hate her again... At this moment, I understand her pain better than anyone else.
...
When I arrived at the duty-free shop, I didn't go into the counter immediately. Instead, I sat alone on the bench outside. I was a little dazed, looking at my own shadow reflected on the floor, which was being refracted by the lights and looked a bit distorted. The saleswoman at the counter was standing inside watching me. She seemed to be used to it, so she didn't come over to talk to me.
After sitting quietly for a while, my phone rang again. It was An'an calling me. She said she was going back to Dali tomorrow and wanted to talk to me before she left. I told her it wasn't convenient right now, but she asked where I was and said she insisted on meeting me.
I told her it was at the duty-free shop, and she asked me to wait for her for ten minutes, saying that she also wanted to come to the duty-free shop to buy some things to take back.
...
We are in "Jiang Poetry"
We met at the entrance of "Danton," and she asked me, "Why did you suddenly go to the duty-free shop? Are you going back to China?"
"Yes, my cousin is getting married, and I want to buy him a gift."
"Oh... the brands here are all pretty good, he should like them."
I nodded, and then said to her, "Go buy what you want first, and we'll meet at the door later."
An'an looked at me and replied, "Michael, I'm sorry... I was a bit too much with what I said this morning. I don't know why I said it. Maybe it's because I couldn't accept it right away. After all, we've been together for so long, and the person he's shown to me isn't like what you said... But I can't doubt you. We've known each other for quite a while now, and in my heart, you've always been a very upright person. With your character, you would never slander someone so easily... So, I will listen to your advice and, after we go back to Dali this time, I will try to understand him more thoroughly. If he is really as you say... I will leave him."
“I also said some unpleasant things, but I didn’t mean to blame you at all… Because I have a more comprehensive understanding of Cao Jinbo than you do, I especially wanted to show you his true colors. I had no ill intentions; this was just my feeling as a friend. My starting point was good, but in wanting you to believe me so much, I neglected your feelings… I know you have feelings for him, and you need time to process this.”
An'an sighed, and after a long while, she asked me, "Given what he's done, if the truth ever comes out, what will his fate be?"
“I don’t know, and I can’t speak for the law, but I hope the wicked will be punished… His evil deeds can never be washed away.”
"I see."
After a brief pause, An'an forced a smile and said to me, "What do you want to buy? I'll go with you."
"Aren't you going to buy one yourself?"
"I'm not in the mood to shop at all... I really wish this were all a dream!"
...
After we finished talking, An'an and I went into the Vacheron Constantin boutique together; the sales clerk greeted me with a very professional smile and said, "Sir, are you here to look at watches again?"
"This isn't for looking at it. I'm going back to my country, so I want to buy that watch... Could you let me take a look at it?"
The sales clerk looked apologetic and said to me, "I'm sorry, the watch you liked has already been bought by someone else... Why don't you take a look at other models?"
I was so taken aback that I remained silent for a while before saying to her, "You don't have any stock left?"
"No, we don't usually stock such valuable watches, so there's only one in the whole store."
When will the goods arrive?
"There probably won't be any this year... because our store only has a limit of two of these watches per year."
My heart
I felt an indescribable disappointment, as if a kind of confidence had been suddenly extinguished by someone else, because I always felt that the watch should belong to me... I could no longer accept any other model in my heart.
Is this a coincidence or destiny?
Every time I come here, I see that watch displayed in the counter, but this time, when I really wanted to buy it, it was gone... If I can't give this watch as a gift, whatever I give will feel like a broken promise.
Just then, An'an, who was next to me, said, "Michael, isn't there a King Power Duty Free Shop over here? Why don't we go take a look over there?"
The sales clerk chimed in, saying, "Yes, sir... you can go check out Wang Quan. Their annual quota is two dollars more than ours, and they might even have some leftover stock."
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
