The instant the plane pierced the clouds, I looked out the window again at the vast city below... The higher the plane flew, the more the city seemed to shrink, and the waiting figure became clearer and clearer.
And so, all my perception of this city was that she was waiting for me.
I silently repeated her name to myself several times, telling myself that no matter what, I must not forget my promise to her. Perhaps the next time we meet, her happiness will be my happiness.
I would run to her as fast as I could, then drop my suitcase and hold her in my arms.
...
After getting off the plane, I met up with Chen Jin at the airport, whom I had contacted in advance... Although I wasn't in the mood for casual conversation, he still talked to me about his trip to Shanghai on the way back.
I told him that I gave up on meeting Yang Sisi because of a text message from Lu Jia; he said I was talking nonsense and insisted that I show him the message Lu Jia sent, and even went out of his way to park the car on the side of the road.
He took the phone from my hand, looked at it, and then frowned.
As he handed my phone back, he said to me, "Lu Jia's words went too far... Any man with a shred of decency would not tolerate the words 'gold digger'... Besides, she probably knows the truth better than we do... You've repaid what you were owed, and you've given what you shouldn't have... No matter how you look at it, she's the biggest beneficiary behind it all. Even if she hates you, she shouldn't have hurt you with those words!"
"Why should she hate me? ... I've already given her enough face."
"What's the meaning?"
I really wanted to tell her that she had cheated on me first, but in the end, I gritted my teeth and swallowed the words that were already on the tip of my tongue. I said to Chen Jin, "I don't ask for anything now, I just hope we can part amicably... Even if she hates me, her revenge has been ruthless enough. My biggest predicament right now is because of her... You are one of the few people around me who can talk to her. Find an opportunity to tell her that I don't want to ruin things, and I hope she can restrain herself a bit. If we really end up as enemies, none of us will be happy!"
Chen Jin looked at me with a particularly questioning gaze, and after a long while, he said, "I always feel that there's something between you two that you haven't made clear to outsiders..."
"If we can part amicably, whether we explain things clearly or not is actually not important at all..."
After a brief pause, I changed the subject, saying, "Let's not talk about these upsetting things... How's the bar doing? When will it open?"
"The renovation company said it would take another week, but I've already asked them to rush the work. They've used all environmentally friendly materials, which cost an extra 20,000 yuan, but we can open for business as soon as it's finished."
"This money was well spent... On opening day, ask Nicole to help out a lot... Her clientele is all female, and if she can integrate into our circle, it would be an excellent resource!"
"I
I understand. Our bar is themed around making friends, and what we need most are female customers. We can't end up turning it into a male-male dating scene..."
I smiled and nodded, saying, "Well... that's my biggest concern... if female clients aren't very involved, then our idea is doomed."
“We can’t let this go wrong… We’ve poured all our savings and energy into this bar… It’s less than a week before it opens, so you need to think of something.”
"Okay, you take care of Nicole first... I'll handle the rest."
Chen Jin seemed a little insecure. He remained silent for a while, then said to me with concern, "I don't know if Nicole will give us the time of day. After all, we're all in the bar business, and we might be suspected of poaching customers."
"There are so many bars in Dali, and the consumer base is huge, so there's no question of one poaching another's customers... The most important thing is to have your own unique business characteristics, and then let a variety of businesses flourish and expand the market... I think Nicole isn't such a short-sighted woman; she understands this principle, so she will definitely help."
"Then I'll talk to her later and see if we can plan some kind of event together."
"Yes, please keep this in mind."
When I said this to Chen Jin, I also started thinking about the opening of the bar. I dared not relax at all. I had been in a slump for so long, and I had to accomplish one or two things to rebuild my confidence.
...
When we were almost at the ancient city, Lao Mi called me, and my mood plummeted again. I felt he was going to tell me things that I really didn't want to hear.
Although I was a little reluctant, I answered the phone and asked, "Dad, what's up?"
"Something came up."
"You speak, I'm listening."
After a brief silence, Old Mi said to me, "Your Uncle Jiang's son and daughter-in-law came to Chengdu yesterday, and we had dinner together... His son thanked me a lot... saying that if you have any difficulties in the future, you must ask him for help... Although we've helped Uncle Jiang all these years, it's not for this reason... But thinking about your difficulties, I still want to make a connection for you... I'll give you his contact information... Find an opportunity to talk to him, maybe he can really help you."
"Forget it, I don't need a large sum of money. Uncle Jiang himself isn't well-off, and his son's situation probably isn't much better... Besides, it's not appropriate to ask for help right now..."
Old Mi sighed and replied, "You're right... I was a bit desperate and grasping at straws... I was just thinking about your difficulties... After all, you're my son, and I'll help you out as much as I can."
A wave of guilt washed over me again, and it took me a long time to force a smile and reply, "Dad... it's okay. Your son isn't so easily defeated by life... believe me, in two or three years at most, I'll definitely be better than before."
"I used to be doing even better..."
"Work hard; a man should have great ambitions."
"Yes, you and Mom should also take care of yourselves... Your good health is the greatest support for me."
Old Mi responded, but didn't say anything more. We were silent on the phone for a while, and then he hung up before I could.
...
Upon arriving in the old town, I didn't go back to my accommodation. Instead, I went to a bar with Chen... We confirmed with the renovation workers several times, and they said that the entire renovation project could be completed in five days at most...
I felt a great sense of urgency; I couldn't afford to slack off any longer. I had to come up with the best promotional plan for the bar within these five days.
(End of this chapter)
=
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com