"Don't worry, I have no interest in getting entangled with a woman like you. I'll leave. But before I leave, I have to remind you: never use your willfulness as a weapon to conquer others, especially your own family. It's best to try to put yourself in their shoes. Dali is nice, but its importance can't compare to family. I hope you can have some spirit of sacrifice and dedication. It's not wrong for you to pursue freedom and independence, but as long as you're human, you can't live only for yourself; otherwise, you're selfish!"
After saying all that, my gaze swept past Yang Sisi's stubborn figure and back into the hotel. For the first time in my life, I felt guilty towards Lao Huang. I was afraid he would believe it, and even more afraid he wouldn't give me a chance to explain. I really didn't care what he thought of me; all I cared about was Yang Sisi's reputation and honor.
But, given her willful and capricious nature, can she understand my good intentions?
...
After leaving the hotel, I completely lost my appetite and didn't bother looking for Tie Nan and Coach Ma. I returned to the inn alone and collapsed onto the bed.
I'm so tired, both mentally and physically. My energy is nowhere near what it was when I was in college. I don't think I've completely shaken off the fatigue from the journey from Shanghai to Dali, while Yang Sisi has already accomplished quite a few "earth-shattering" things.
I'm also reflecting on this: who really made a mistake, me or Yang Sisi?
Reason tells me: I did nothing wrong.
My emotions, however, tell me that I was terribly wrong because I hurt a woman's passion for life and her pursuit of dreams.
After much thought, I was troubled by this inconsistency, so once again I brought cigarettes and canned beer to the shores of Erhai Lake. I don't know when it started, but this place has become the only place where I can let go of my feelings.
Listening to the sound of the tide, I finished my cigarette. Then, feeling empty and lonely, I took my phone out of my pocket. Almost instinctively, I opened my inbox, even though I knew Lu Jia no longer used that number, I still hoped for a miracle.
She's been abroad for a while now. If she's not in a rush to find a new boyfriend, I'd like to share some of her thoughts on her current life with her. I'd also like to know if she's doing well since she left for another country.
But I was disappointed again; I received no reply to the messages I sent her.
...
After finishing a cigarette, I drank a can of beer, then lay exhausted on the rocks, feeling like I was dead.
A moment later, a seabird hopped and skipped around me, searching for breadcrumbs left by tourists. This bird was particularly bold, just like Yang Sisi.
Suddenly thinking of her, I sat up from the rock and smiled helplessly. I don't know if, after this farce ended, she stayed in Dali or figured things out and followed her parents to pursue the life she was meant to live.
This is a huge mystery, and of course I want to know the outcome, but I no longer want to contact her. After experiencing Lu Jia's breakup and Wang Lei's passing, my energy suddenly became extremely limited. I didn't want to socialize, didn't want to care about others, and just wanted to steadily open a profitable guesthouse in Dali, fulfilling Wang Lei's dream while also starting a new life for myself.
This new life will give me enough confidence to explain things to my family, instead of letting them lose hope!
...
As the sun gradually set behind Cangshan Mountain, the number of tourists along Erhai Lake increased rather than decreased. Vendors set up their stalls along the shore, and street musicians brought their sound equipment; together with the tourists, they created the vibrancy and dreamlike atmosphere of Dali. But it also evoked a deep loneliness within me. I was particularly afraid of seeing the newly lit lights and couples strolling hand-in-hand at dusk.
I finally stood up, and the next moment, I saw a familiar figure about fifty meters to my right. She was sitting on a rock, appearing and disappearing in the gaps of the crowd. She looked more beautiful than the water of Erhai Lake, more mysterious than Cangshan Mountain, and more beautiful than the sunset. She deserved any beautiful words in the world.
I lit a cigarette and watched her from afar. For the duration of that cigarette, she faced Erhai Lake, her posture unchanged, exuding a sense of loneliness and solitude. I asked myself, was this fate? Of course not. Among the scenic spots along the shores of Erhai Lake, "Majiuyi" stands out. If she had nothing to do and was troubled by loneliness, and thus decided to take a walk along the lake, there would certainly be a high chance of meeting her.
Therefore, our chance encounter was not due to fate, but because of loneliness.
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