Chapter 5 (10)
The beauty salon's opening was a truly spectacular spectacle. Yu Meng was the absolute centerpiece of the scene. In an Armani suit and a face full of makeup, she looked like she was heading to the Oscars red carpet.
Yu Jia was abroad and unable to attend, so Li Ren sent a flower basket.
Yu Shuang came and stood aside, just observing.
Weng Yue was busy backstage - she led several sisters from the Women's Entrepreneurs Association to observe and try out the store's projects, such as breathing purification salt therapy, Dead Sea mineral stress relief SPA, mind floating, ultra-low temperature whole body cold therapy, all of which were new things.
So, in reality, Yu Rui was the only one among her friends who could actually help with the guests. Having worked in public relations, she was incredibly attentive, even knowing the precise placement of the flower baskets. From time to time, she'd call out, "Hey! Shuang! Give me a hand!" Yu Shuang would quickly put down her phone and come help. The flower baskets of those in higher positions couldn't be placed behind those of those in lower positions.
Amidst the bustle of the event, Yu Rui was most concerned about and found three points of particular interest:
First, Luan Cheng had delivered a flower basket. Yu Rui wasn't sure what that meant, was it irony or a lingering affection? But Yu Meng's attitude was clear: she'd pick up the greetings and discard them, but keep the flower basket. She didn't want any of them to go to waste. Even if it came from, haha, her ex-husband. Everyone contributed, and she just had to light the fire.
Secondly, Bai Yuankai's speech captivated her. Every word he spoke was so comforting. It was both profound and accessible, easy to understand, and full of humor, even if it was just a speech about the beauty salon's opening. Yu Rui took the opportunity to say a few words to him. She didn't know if he knew she had broken up with her boyfriend, and she wanted to break the news to him in a subtle way.
When Yu Shuang told her that Bai Yuankai was dating a girl, Yu Rui felt a wave of disappointment. No need for these little tricks. Just focus on work. Yu Rui scoffed, "So what if he didn't have a girlfriend? I've had an abortion, so how could he accept that?" She imagined him to be pure, and she regretted having a "stain" herself.
There was another detail that Yu Rui found most subtle about the entire event. There was a flower basket on the scene that looked just like any other. However, it was signed: Situ Lian. This was Zu Liangcai's pen name, though he rarely published under it. When she was dating him, he never allowed her to call him by his real name. Just Situ Lian.
Or maybe it was just a coincidence, and he was just an ordinary friend of Yu Meng's. Even if he was her lover, this beauty salon might not have anything to do with him. Yu Rui was willing to think so. However, she still planned to investigate thoroughly. She might have to go to Liang Cai soon to discuss the work. If, and she meant if—if this beauty salon was given to Yu Meng by Liang Cai, Yu Rui would feel extremely uncomfortable. After all, when she was with him, she only received such a small amount of sponsorship and a job that almost led her to irretrievable disaster—it was at that job that she met Shi Tongguang.
Kang Long arrived just as the event was wrapping up. Xiaobai had tipped him off, saying Yu Shuang was there too. After the speech, Bai Yuankai had a meeting and left first. Yu Rui was greeting guests. Yu Meng was busy demonstrating medical equipment. Yu Shuang stood in a corner, playing with her phone. Kang Long walked over.
"Can I have a moment to talk?" he said.
Yu Shuang stood there motionless, like a stake nailed there.
"I've thought it through. You're more important."
Yu Shuang looked at him, his eyes blazing with lasers. "No one asked you to make a choice. I'm not a cabbage, I don't need to be picked and chosen! You want to play with some pine nut, pockmarked lunatic, or idiot? Go ahead!"
Kang Long was about to explain when Yu Meng, accompanied by a group of middle-aged women, approached them and stopped near Kang Long and Yu Shuang. She pulled Kang Long aside and said, "For example, this person—a university professor, a high-level intellectual—is also well-suited to our project. But let me be clear: our project isn't just for women; men can do it too. Spiritual detachment knows no gender."
Kang Long, caught up in the moment, had no choice but to play along, nodding his head in agreement. Yu Meng continued, "It's a great way to relax your mind, relieve stress, and achieve deep relaxation. It's especially effective for people with high anxiety levels," she said, turning to Kang Long. "Right?" Kang Long had no choice but to play along, agreeing that he was anxious. The biggest worry was not being able to finish his paper.
The women laughed.
Yu Meng dragged Kang Long forward. Yu Meng and Yu Rui followed behind the crowd, observing Kang Long's embarrassment. Yu Meng continued to chatter, explaining that they only had one flotation tank, imported from the United States. The entire treatment lasted seventy-five minutes, requiring meditation, which had five components: "self-love," "stress reduction," "vision," "gratitude," and "forgiveness." The bath salts were from Israel. "You can come by yourself, don't bring anything, just one person." Kang Long was caught, about to take a bath, ready to begin his lucky guest experience.
Yu Shuang was quite interested in this and followed along, as if he were watching aliens teasing Earthlings. Yu Rui also waited to see how "energized" and "refreshed" Kang Long would be after his treatment. A moment later, Kang Long emerged from the shower, wrapped in a bathrobe—not a pure white one, but a custom-made one with embroidered gold dragons. Everyone watched from the outside.
Poor little white mouse.
Tang Monk waiting to be steamed.
The phone rang. It was Yu Shuang.
I took it out and looked at it. Hey, it was my sister-in-law calling, she was crying as soon as I answered the phone.
Yu Shuang was also panicked. After asking for clarification, his face immediately turned pale.
"Sister Meng, please lend me your car." Yu Shuang called.
Yu Rui didn't know what was wrong, so she pulled Yu Shuang and asked.
"Please buy me a ticket to my brother's place." After saying that, Yu Shuang rushed out. Kang Long saw Yu Shuang running out, and seeing that her face was not right, he didn't care about the healing experience and ran out in his bathrobe.
In the parking lot, Yu Shuang pressed the car key frantically, but there were too many cars and they were too close together, so she couldn't find it.
A car stopped in front of her, "Get in!" It was Kang Long.
Yu Shuang didn't care. She quickly got in the car and said, "Go to the high-speed rail station." The car started. "Hurry up!" The car took off. Yu Shuang burst into tears. Kang Long had no choice but to increase his speed. However, the traffic in the big city was not optimistic, and there were occasional traffic jams. Kang Long could only try to find the fastest way.
As he drove, he asked her where she was going. Yu Rui called to say she had bought the tickets. Kang Long had given her his ID number, and he asked her to buy him one as well. He didn't ask what had happened. But judging by Shuang's state, something big must be going on. Summer vacation wasn't over yet, and he had some free time. No matter what happened, he decided to stay by her side.
On the train, Yu Shuang kept checking his phone, silent, his eyes red and his face grim, as if rain was about to fall. Kang Long was busy arranging the ticket exchange. After finally coordinating everything, he sat back down next to Yu Shuang.
Passengers were eating instant noodles nearby, the aroma filling the air. Kanglong decided to go to the dining car to check it out. He stood up, and the belt of his bathrobe was unfastened, revealing half his chest. The middle-aged woman in Seat B, staring directly at him, gasped, and Kanglong hurriedly tightened his clothes. His outfit was completely out of place. The style of his bathrobe, a cross between pajamas and a windbreaker, completely enveloped him, with no underwear—and only a pair of leather shoes. He looked like a "weird uncle" no matter how you looked at him. He tightened his belt, pretending to be a fashionista for once.
In the dining car, Kang Long was standing while shopping, clutching his handbag—he had a habit of always carrying a bag. The conductor approached him, looked him up and down, and said, "Let me see your ID." Kang Long complied. The conductor, with a sense of humor, read the ID card, "Kang Long," then glanced at him. "Are you imitating the Kangxi and Qianlong emperors with this outfit?" Kang Long had to explain himself. The officer didn't understand the space capsule mind-drifting thing, but he understood the general reason and let him pass.
Kang Long took two lunch boxes and returned to his seat. Yu Shuang said bluntly, "I don't want to eat." These were her first words. Kang Long followed her lead and refrained from eating. He quietly reached out his right hand and grasped her left. Yu Shuang turned her head, her eyes filled with despair, nervousness, and gratitude, tears finally welling up in her eyes.
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