0095 Desire (5)
Fenfang came to B City for two reasons: first, a business trip, and second, to show her parents around.
Thinking that their daughter was going to date her younger boyfriend, Mr. and Mrs. Du decided to leave early.
It was the weekend, and Fenfang had to leave early for work. Lingling got up early and drove Uncle Du and Aunt Lin to the high-speed rail station.
She had specially bought some local delicacies in the car yesterday, which she had gone to the west of the city for a long time. Only long-time residents of B City knew about this shop, and it was Wanqi Fuze who took her there many years ago.
After seeing the two elderly people off, Fenfang rushed over, bumping into two or three passengers catching their trains along the way. Despite her haste, she was still a step too late; she could only catch a glimpse of her parents' backs.
"Hey, those two old fogies! All they do is try to save me money, they won't even let me enjoy myself a couple more days." Fenfang wiped the sweat from her forehead and slapped Lingling on the shoulder. "Thanks!"
"Why are you being so polite with me! How's work going?"
"Work is going quite smoothly, but my love life isn't so smooth."
Fenfang works as a physical education teacher at J City No. 1 Middle School. She's in B City for an exchange program with Beijing Sport University. It's a good opportunity to meet her boyfriend, who is studying there. The two are quite far apart in age, so they inevitably have differing opinions. Du Fenfang often feels that her boyfriend is like herself ten years ago, viewing things with a childlike mindset, and therefore often tries to lecture him in a superior tone. Naturally, her boyfriend is very unhappy about this, feeling that Fenfang and he are not on the same level at all.
This relationship is so exhausting.
The two left the high-speed rail station, and Lingling drove her friend to find something to eat. Rarely having such free time, the two chatted happily. During the conversation, Fenfang even brought up Shenyan's past, seemingly indicating she had truly moved on. Fenfang told Lingling that after dinner she wanted to go back to the Beijing Sports University to see her boyfriend. She reflected on it and realized she had indeed been too domineering in the relationship.
Lingling gave her a thumbs up; Fenfang, who used to be so carefree, was now reflecting on her feelings.
Halfway through the meal, Fenfang's boyfriend showed up. No one knew where he got the location, but this tall, over 1.8-meter-tall man looked at Fenfang and his eyes welled up with tears. This contrast… Lingling chuckled to herself; perhaps Fenfang had truly met the right person.
She watched the two of them being so affectionate and left early, but after stepping out the door, she suddenly didn't know where to go, and felt a deep sadness and loneliness in her heart.
Her phone vibrated in her bag. She took it out and saw that it was an unfamiliar number from city B.
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The coffee shop faces the street, and the campus of the Normal University is right across the street.
Young men and women walked hurriedly with backpacks on their backs or strolled hand in hand.
City B is a beautiful city, Sophie knew it since childhood. Rich in history yet full of vitality. During her years studying in the US, she often encountered unfriendly, racist white people. A self-proclaimed "new money" guy, unable to win her over, publicly called her a "Chinaman" at a party. She "served" him a glass of champagne, requiring several friends to stop her, her ten-centimeter heels barely managing to avoid hitting the American's sour face. Perhaps drunk, she cursed him in a thick Beijing accent. Her colleagues said she looked incredibly beautiful and cool that day in her gold, form-fitting dress. But that night, she cried for a long, long time in her studio apartment… She thought she was strong enough. Yes, as a member of the Wanqi family, she loved and respected her grandfather and parents, and she wanted to become someone worthy of that surname. So even during the most difficult times academically, she persevered. She thought she was invincible, but it turned out she could also miss that city and her family terribly.
It was a foreign night, with a rare full moon shining over the willows. It was during that time that she developed an alcohol addiction. Despite consistently getting A's in her finals, she missed her first exam. She started frequenting bars and nightclubs, living a life of debauchery and making friends with a group of drinking buddies. In her drunken stupor, she was tricked into believing that a needle was about to touch her vein when a young Chinese professor saved her. As if waking from a dream, she was astonished by what she had done in the past six months. She remembered clearly that the Chinese professor had asked the students from various countries in the classroom, "What is the most important thing in your life?" The professor called her name "Sophie" in a perfect London accent, and in that instant, she almost blurted it out.
Families, my families.
She was even surprised by her own decisiveness, a bitter feeling welling up inside her, like cracks appearing in a long-dried riverbed. Later, in class with that professor again, she always felt he was more friendly and approachable towards her. Especially when he spoke of his country in one class, saying in Chinese, "Alone in a foreign land, I am a stranger; on every festive occasion, I miss my family all the more," a tenderness and loneliness welled up in her heart.
That's why she chose to return to China when she received an offer from a top Wall Street firm. Even though the Chinese professor visited her twice to persuade her to stay, she never shed a tear in front of him, no matter what her reasons were.
She has no regrets. When she was far from home, all she needed was a simple opportunity to recall what was most important in her life. Now in her thirties, she still misses her mother. If her mother were to leave, and the family faced turmoil, she, strong enough as she is, would willingly take her mother's place. She will never again allow her beloved home and family to suffer the same loss as they did twenty years ago.
She's already back home, so what is there to fear?
Sophie looked down at the cat pattern on the ceramic cup filled with latte in her hand. It was so cute, but it seemed that only students of child age could express their love for it.
Looking up, she saw a young woman dressed casually walking towards her. A white shirt, blue skinny jeans, and black ankle boots—she looked like a vibrant, college student. Sophie seemed to see in her the cold, aloof figure of her younger brother after he grew up.
If this is the treasure chest that can lead back to Aze from his childhood, she would willingly step into this unknown jungle even if she didn't want to be an explorer.
She raised her arm to He Lingling, who was walking up to her, and gave her a perfectly timed smile.
"Miss He, hello, I am Wan Qiqi."
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