After the phone call, Nicole and I met in front of a coffee shop outside the old town. She drove up the car Yang Sisi had left behind and handed me the keys. I stared at her blankly for a while before saying, "I still haven't recovered. I think you're joking with me..."
Have you called her?
I shook my head.
"Why don't you call her? Just give her a call and you'll find out everything."
"She must be playing a prank... On the way here, she showed absolutely no sign of wanting to do this. We were even discussing what to eat and what to do when we got to my house... She even asked me if I would give her lucky money for Chinese New Year... How could she suddenly leave with Cao Xiaobei?... And at Cao Xiaobei's wedding, no less!"
"Maybe you hurt her... What were you doing at the wedding? She couldn't call you back no matter what she did."
"You can't just run off with Cao Xiaobei because you didn't call me back, can you? ... This isn't child's play; there's no such thing as a joke in this world!"
Are you angry?
I looked at Nicole, speechless for a long time… I couldn't understand my feelings at that moment. It felt like I had lost an arm; one moment there was excruciating pain, the next I felt weak and empty…
I let out a heavy sigh and finally spoke to Nicole: "It's not that I'm angry, I can't even describe how I feel... It's her freedom to go wherever she wants, but she can't leave now. We agreed to go back together. I don't have a driver's license, and the car she left me is useless... Where can I go in this state?... We've known each other for over three years, and she's never stood me up... The only time she did, it cost me my life!"
Nicole sighed, "I don't even know what to say anymore... Love triangles are too painful and too easy to hurt people, so I made up my mind to be with Cao Xue. It's better for everyone if we end things sooner!"
When I heard the name Cao Xue, I snapped out of my daze and stared wide-eyed at Nicole.
Why are you looking at me like that?...Did I say something wrong?
"No... my mind is a bit of a mess. I haven't spent Chinese New Year at home for four or five years. I need to think of a way to get back before the New Year."
"Take the car keys first."
I took the car keys from Nicole, then looked across Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake towards the direction of home. I guess I'll be going back alone... I can't tell if it's good or bad, I just feel empty inside, and suddenly I'm afraid to face the people waiting for me at home... This must be the ultimate form of loneliness, no direction, no mood, no next step.
Nicole then asked me, "How are you planning to get back?"
"I'll call Chen Jin later to see if he has time. If he does, I'll have him drive."
"Um.
"
"Go do your own thing... leave me alone."
"Okay, call me if you need anything."
After saying that, Nicole walked towards her car...
"Wait, Nicole."
Nicole turned to look at me, her expression puzzled.
"Do you really love Cao Xue? Are you with him because he's too good to you?"
Nicole hesitated for a moment, then nodded at me.
I didn't know if she was referring to my previous or next sentence; I wanted to get to the bottom of it, but she had already gotten into her car; the next moment, she drove away.
...
After Nicole left, I sat alone at the entrance of the coffee shop. I thought for a long time, but I didn't know what to do next. I just gripped my car keys tightly and stared blankly at the tourists coming and going.
Finally, it was An'an who took the initiative to call me, and that's when I remembered that I had promised Wang Xiaoling.
I answered the phone, then forced myself to stay alert and asked An'an, "Where are you? I need to talk to you about something."
"I just came out of the hotel. Should I come to you, or should you come to me?"
"Let's meet at Ma Jiuyi. I'd like to sit by the sea for a while."
"Okay, I'll head over now."
...
When I arrived at Majiuyi, I saw a figure in the distance, standing alone on the rocks. It was not An'an. I did not expect that I would run into Ye Zhi here. She seemed to have a deep affection for this place, no less than for the Bund in Shanghai.
I stood beside her, facing the wind. She didn't seem too surprised, but calmly asked me, "Sisi left with Cao Xiaobei. Didn't you go look for her?"
"I respect everyone's choices, even if others may not respect mine."
As I spoke, I glanced at her. She was carrying the Hermès handbag I had given her, and the wind blew past her, carrying a hint of sadness.
"This has nothing to do with respect... The most important thing is your inner feelings... She's been by your side for so many years, you should know her very well. Do you think she's the kind of woman who would act impulsively and do something like this?... In this world, there's probably no one who loves and hates more clearly than her. She knows exactly what she wants... If she had Cao Xiaobei in her heart, she wouldn't have waited until today to leave with Cao Xiaobei, and she certainly wouldn't have created such a farce."
I don't quite understand what you mean.
"You should know her feelings for you better than anyone else... This is something I shouldn't be telling you... I feel you're not very calm right now, at least not on this matter... You should contact Sisi right away, don't let her get hurt again, and don't let her sacrifice for you again."
After a brief pause, Ye Zhi said to me again, "This is how I feel about you too... I really..."
"I don't need you to do anything more for me. I'll handle these things myself. What I care about most right now isn't those unseen troubles... I just want you to find Sisi quickly and then go home to celebrate the New Year properly... I remember you told me that you haven't spent the New Year at home for many years. You said that during the New Year, the county town would be decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, and it would be very lively... When you said those words, your eyes shone with light. I know how much you miss home."
"Yes, this is what I've been looking forward to the most."
"So, go find Sisi now and take her away... Really, don't get involved in this mess anymore!"
Looking at Ye Zhi, I felt conflicted. I realized that things had come to this point, and I was no longer simply helping her. I was also helping An An, Wang Xiaoling, and even Nicole... There were just too many people involved in this matter. If I were to leave like this, I was afraid I would carry this burden in my heart for the rest of my life.
(End of this chapter)
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