Peach's resolute attitude stirred up a complex mix of emotions within me, and at the same time, I witnessed the desolation of an era that had never even begun, yet had already crumbled. Deep down, I didn't want to close the inn, but the morale of the group had already wavered, leaving me feeling utterly powerless.
I returned to the inn with a heavy heart. Everyone was already waiting for us in the small bar…
Peach asked everyone, "Have you had breakfast? I made you some porridge."
Coach Ma replied, "Let's not rush into eating. Let's talk about the inn first. This night has been quite tiring!"
Everyone's eyes turned to me, because I was the largest shareholder of the inn, so my decision had a directional effect on them.
I didn't rush to express my opinion, but instead asked Bai Lu, "Have you discussed the transfer of the inn with Zhao Jing? She still holds 20% of the shares, so we definitely need to take her opinion into account."
Bai Lu said, "I called Zhao Jing last night to talk about this, and she called me this morning to give me her answer. She agrees to transfer the inn because her husband's situation hasn't improved, and he urgently needs money to cover the previous losses... So, even if the inn transfer hadn't happened, she would probably have brought it up with us after a while to get rid of her shares."
I nodded, and after a long pause, replied, "This morning, Peach and I also talked about the inn's transfer. She and Tie Nan discussed it... and they both agreed to transfer the inn..."
Coach Ma interrupted me, then stared intently at Tie Nan and asked, "Do you really want to sell the inn?"
Tie Nan avoided Coach Ma's gaze. He looked very complicated, so much so that he lit a cigarette, took several puffs, and then said, "I'll listen to Taozi on this matter."
Coach Ma then looked at Taozi.
We all saw deep regret on Peach's face, but she still replied, "Michael is right, I agree to transfer the inn... Tie Nan and I hadn't met the right person before, but now that we're finally together, we're definitely aiming for marriage... After thinking it over, I've decided to find a city that's convenient in every way, since we'll need to consider our children's schooling and education in the future, so I think a big city is more suitable for us."
Coach Ma sharply questioned, "Big cities are more suitable for you?! Then why did you come all the way from Shanghai to Dali? Did you just come here to make a profit from this transfer fee?"
I was worried for Taozi, fearing that Coach Ma, who also knew about it, might lose control of his emotions and reveal her past in nightclubs in public. However, I was overthinking it. Although Coach Ma has a volatile temper, he's a real man at heart. He didn't reopen Taozi's wounds despite the huge conflict.
Faced with Coach Ma's questioning, Taozi remained silent. Tie Nan came to her rescue again, saying, "If Taozi really wants to live with me, it's normal not to stay in Shanghai. Don't you know how high the housing prices are in Shanghai? ... Chongqing is not bad. Housing prices are not high, and everything is available. We have decided to settle down in Chongqing from now on."
Coach Ma looked at Tie Nan, then slapped himself and fell silent. The atmosphere was awkward, but even more so, heartbreaking... because Coach Ma and Tie Nan had known each other for years, and Tie Nan's decision to leave for Taozi so easily was truly painful for him.
In the silence, Bai Lu asked me again, "Michael, do you agree to transfer the inn? If you agree, then there's no need to discuss this further. Just have Sun Jiwei call his friend over, and we'll sign the transfer contract."
My hands clenched and unclenched, unclenched and unclenched again… It was indeed a difficult choice for me. And when I remained silent, the entire bar was eerily quiet, save for the ticking of the clock, which sounded like an urging, or perhaps a warning…
...
At this moment, Yang Sisi, who hadn't spoken until now, stood up and said to everyone, "I know I don't have any shares in the inn, so I have no say in the transfer of the inn. But I still want to ask everyone, why did Michael risk going to jail to save the inn? Was it just to get the 2 million transfer fee later? ... If you think that, I think you all underestimate him... I don't want to say anything more. When you want to give up, think about what kind of dream you had when you started this inn. You all vowed to make this inn a home, then turn it into a chain brand, and finally have the 'Waiting for You in the Wind, Flowers, Snow, and Moon' inn in every tourist city."
Everyone remained silent, but no one changed their decision because of Yang Sisi's words. I knew she was a complete idealist, but the others had been struggling in society and were no longer willing to talk about so-called dreams.
Finally, Bai Lu looked at Yang Sisi and whispered to her, "Sisi, prepare for the worst. If the inn really gets sold this time, what are you going to do afterward? ...Will you still stay here as the receptionist?"
Without the slightest hesitation, Yang Sisi replied, "No, it's not some noble profession that I'd be so attached to! ... The reason I'm willing to do this front desk job is because I like the atmosphere we create together... If no one takes this inn seriously, I won't stoop to staying here... Anyway, I'm going abroad to study next year, so it doesn't matter whether I go sooner or later... If the inn is sold, I'll pack my things and go back to Shanghai to continue being a pampered young lady. I won't have any regrets, because what I've seen of Dali, and the so-called new Dali people, is nothing special."
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