When the plane landed in Shanghai, it was already 1:30 a.m. I took a taxi from the airport to Huangpu District. Although the city had fallen into silence with the darkness of night, I still had no desire to sleep. I looked out the window at the street scenes on both sides...
I saw the night market where I often ate barbecue with Wang Lei, the AJ store where I bought shoes for Yang Sisi, and I also passed by the Bund, which reminded me of some scenes when I bumped into Ye Zhi... as well as the company I used to work for.
Every memory is like an old friend. Even if there were many unpleasant things in the past, we have all made up for them at this moment.
I suddenly felt a sense of relief from the traumas I had suffered in this city; I no longer felt that this city was a scar in my heart... For the first time, I wanted to understand it more deeply, so even though I had already arrived at my destination, I still asked the driver to take me on a detour to other places.
As I looked at those towering buildings, some thoughts actually popped into my head, like what kind of apartment I should buy and what kind of decorating style I should choose. I realized then that it wasn't that I had reconciled with this city, but that I now had the capital to have an equal dialogue with it, and I could finally afford to buy a house in this city... But the money to buy the house wasn't earned in this city.
This makes me feel conflicted. I suddenly forgot why I left in the first place, and why I came back now.
...
At 2:30, I finally found a hotel near the Bund and settled in. I was so tired that I fell asleep almost the moment my head hit the bed. When I woke up the next day, it was already 11:30 in the morning.
I texted Ye Zhi to let her know that I had arrived in Shanghai. She said we could only meet in the evening because she was on a business trip to Beijing.
So I could only stay in the hotel and wait. This time, my purpose was very clear: I didn't want to meet with anyone else. I came specifically for her sake, and I wanted to pass on the information I had heard from Vice President Wu to her.
...
Winters in Shanghai are truly cold. I've already put on all my thickest coats, but even in the heated room, my hands and feet still feel icy... I boiled some water for myself, and while waiting for it to heat up, snowflakes suddenly started falling outside the window...
I stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, looking at the world outside, and felt even colder. This was entirely psychological, because I had been in Phuket for so long that I had lost all awareness of winter. Before coming to Shanghai, I used to go swimming in the pool every day.
I've decided to buy a down jacket.
...
I went to a shopping mall near the hotel by myself. I didn't do much shopping, but I bought a down jacket with the biggest discount. Then I went to another counter and bought a set of thermal underwear. I put on the new clothes in the fitting room, which finally warded off the bone-chilling cold.
I went to a fast food restaurant on the street by myself again and ordered a Chinese fast food meal.
A cup of hot tea will suffice as my lunch.
I didn't plan to stay in Shanghai for long, so while we were eating, I bought a plane ticket to fly back to Phuket the next morning... My business in Phuket had reached its most critical point. If I hadn't heard such shocking news from Vice President Wu, I would never have come to Shanghai. Because apart from matters of life and death and safety, I don't think anything could be more important than my business.
...
Just as I was about to order another hot drink, my phone rang. It was an unfamiliar number, but the location was Shanghai. I thought it was Ye Zhi who had changed her number again, so I quickly answered. But what I heard was another familiar voice.
Lu Jia, on the other end of the phone, said to me with a hint of emotion, "I didn't expect you to still be using this number!"
"This number has many customers, so it hasn't been stopped."
Where are you now?
"What's wrong?"
“There are still some things I haven’t returned to you… I originally wanted to give them to your parents, but I’m no longer in Chengdu, so I thought it would be best to return them to you personally, which is why I called you… Don’t worry, I won’t bother you anymore. I’ve already registered our marriage, and the wedding is scheduled for February.”
After a moment of silence, I replied, "Congratulations."
"I'm not calling you to ask for your blessings... I just want to put my mind at ease. Where are you?"
"Shanghai."
"Really? Wasn't it supposed to be in Thailand?"
"I came here to take care of some business. I arrived last night."
"It's so great that you're in Shanghai. I'm in Shanghai too... Can we meet up?"
"Tell me the location, and I'll come find you."
The reason I agreed to meet Lu Jia was because I could sense the calm in her words that she had let go of the past. I had already let go of the past as well, so there was no need for me to avoid meeting her. I could even accept that she brought her husband with her. I may have wronged many people, but I am most at ease when facing her.
"No need, I drove myself. I'll come find you. Just tell me where."
...
I arrived at the small bar we agreed to meet before Lu Jia. It was more like a coffee shop than a bar, because most of the people there were there to talk business, so not many people ordered alcohol. The only thing that made it feel like a bar was that there was a stage where singers would perform in the evenings. Also, they did sell alcohol.
After taking my seat, I looked around. Everything in the bar was the same; it was still the familiar environment. Years ago, it was at this very table that I met Wang Lei for the last time. I noticed that even the magazines on the table hadn't been changed—it was still the same issue discussing Shanghai housing prices… I didn't know if the bar wasn't doing well and the owner was too lazy to change them, or if it was just nostalgia… Shanghai's housing prices are vastly different now than they were back then.
The price is now.
...
Snow in Shanghai is hard to accumulate, so even after falling for a while, it only whitened the branches of the trees. I stared blankly at it until a Porsche 911 stopped under the trees, which brought me back to my senses. Then I saw Lu Jia get out of the car.
She was wearing an expensive fur coat and carrying a Hermès handbag, looking every bit the wealthy socialite...
I understand everything now. With this kind of life, what else can't she take lightly?
...
She walked towards me step by step. I didn't get up to greet her, but when we were face to face, I smiled at her, and she smiled back. Neither of us was confrontational; it was as if we were meeting an old acquaintance.
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
