As I was about to urge Le Yao, she finally said to me, "Since you asked me to guess, you must have a girlfriend now, right?"

 

"It seems that the brain diamond I prepared for you is not needed, you guessed right."

 

Le Yao ignored my teasing and after a while, she said, "That was quick, you haven't been back in Xuzhou for long."

 

I sighed, "Yeah, I didn't expect it to happen so quickly. It might be because it was a blind date arranged by my family. The purpose was clear, so it was faster."

 

"Hehe, would Zhao Yang, who has been hanging out in the nightlife scene for years, go on a blind date?"

 

Le Yao's words left a strange taste in my heart. After a while, I said, "People will change when they are pushed to a certain extent. Now, when I think back to my past life, it seems so unbearable. So, I like the changed me after being pushed, and my current life."

 

"Do you love her?"

 

I was taken aback, suddenly remembering that Mi Cai had asked me the same question on the phone yesterday. I tried hard to remember how I had answered Mi Cai, but I couldn't recall.

 

So I said, "I guess I do. She gives me a very comfortable feeling. I want to spend my life with her."

 

"Um, I know what kind of life you've always wanted. As a friend, I wish you well."

 

"Thank you."

 

"You're welcome."

 

After Le Yao finished speaking, she hung up the phone. I was caught off guard and was a bit dazed for a while before I hung up the phone.

 

The night was deep and I was really tired. In my drowsiness, I really hoped that a gust of wind or a nap would pass my life by.

 

***

 

A week passed in the blink of an eye. In this week, I quickly adapted to the working environment of Osen Advertising and began to be responsible for some project planning. My performance surprised even myself. Perhaps this is the change after being squeezed. Even though I'm still called Zhao Yang, I'm definitely not the same Zhao Yang from Suzhou.

 

On this evening before getting off work, the company was in high spirits because our Osen Advertising had officially signed a year-long advertising business agency contract with Times Department Store, which would increase the company's revenue by millions.

 

In the evening, the whole company went out for a celebration dinner. Everyone had a great time, including me. I showcased my talent in the KTV, singing one song after another, drinking one bottle of beer after another, until I forgot all the past pains, until I forgot my own name, until all I could see was Li Xiaoyun, who was listening to my singing not far away.

 

After leaving the KTV, Li Xiaoyun and I walked hand in hand on the streets where few people passed by.

 

As we walked, Li Xiaoyun said to me, "Zhao Yang, do you know? When Times Department Store handed over the advertising business to our company, they didn't even bargain. Everything was as you predicted."

 

This result was indeed within my expectations. I smiled and didn't say anything. I just let go of Li Xiaoyun's hand and hugged her as we continued to walk forward in the shadows cast by the street lights.

 

After a while, we were a bit tired and sat on a bench on the side of the street. I smoked a cigarette, and Li Xiaoyun nestled on my shoulder. At this moment, we really looked like a couple planning to spend their lives together.

 

I leisurely exhaled the smoke from my mouth, and then took out a transparent film from the cigarette box and covered it in front of my eyes. I wanted to see if the sky without the moon tonight would reveal that city in the sky.

 

Li Xiaoyun next to me asked curiously, "Zhao Yang, what are you looking at?"

 

"A crystal clear city!"

 

Li Xiaoyun looked up at the sky following my gaze and asked in confusion, "Are you talking nonsense because you're drunk?"

 

I removed the transparent film from my eyes and looked at Li Xiaoyun. Her words made me realize that every time I drank, I would eagerly look for that city in the sky. But what does this city in the sky have to do with being drunk? I was puzzled!

 

Li Xiaoyun didn't ask me any more questions. She nestled in my arms and said to me, "Zhao Yang, you have to keep working hard. The company's executives are very satisfied with you, especially Director Zhou of the planning department. He has praised you several times in front of me, saying that your planning proposals are very constructive and talented!"

 

I nodded, took another deep puff of the nearly finished cigarette, and in the constant smoke, I seemed to see the future being outlined.

***

 

A month passed, and my life had completely entered a stable track due to the passage of time. I even gradually forgot everything that happened in Suzhou.

 

In this month, Circle and Yan Yan only occasionally contacted me, as did CC and Robben. Le Yao hadn't contacted me since the last time she called to discuss opening a music bar.

 

And that beautiful woman who had numerous disputes with me over an old house, we hadn't even made a single phone call to each other.

 

So, my memories of Suzhou gradually blurred in the fleeting time…

 

It was another pleasant evening. Li Xiaoyun and I took our families to a hot pot restaurant. Over the month, my relationship with Li Xiaoyun had heated up quickly.

 

To put it bluntly, aside from those women I met or had relationships with under messy circumstances, Li Xiaoyun was my second girlfriend in the true sense of the word, and I genuinely planned to marry and have children with her.

 

During the meal, our families naturally started talking about our marriage.

 

Li Xiaoyun's mother asked me, "Zhao Yang, do you and Xiaoyun have your own thoughts about getting married?"

 

I put down my chopsticks, looked at Li Xiaoyun, and then said, "We've been getting along very well recently, and I feel that we can get married and live together. Xiaoyun and I have discussed it and plan to get engaged after the New Year. Of course, this is our idea, and we would like to hear the opinions of you elders."

 

Our families exchanged glances, and then my mother spoke on behalf of our family, "We have no objections to Zhao Yang and Xiaoyun getting engaged. Seeing how well they get along and their plans to get engaged, we are truly happy!"After my mother finished speaking, Li Xiaoyun's father also expressed his agreement, saying, "We feel the same way. Let the two kids get engaged first, and we can put our minds at ease!"

 

My mother nodded in agreement, "Zhao Yang, tomorrow is your day off. You should take Xiaoyun to the mall to look at engagement jewelry."

 

I nodded in agreement, which also meant that Li Xiaoyun would officially become my fiancée. For the first time in my life, I felt a sense of closeness to marriage.

 

***

 

Returning home that night, I lay in bed after washing up, and couldn't help but think of the woman I referred to as my tenant. If I hadn't met her, what kind of life would I be living now?

 

At this point, I would definitely still be in Suzhou, currently the team leader of the planning and copywriting department at Baoli Department Store. Perhaps that would also be a good life.

 

But I only used the word "perhaps", because I enjoy my current life, so I don't want to imagine that hypothetical life as too perfect.

 

I put out my cigarette and picked up my phone from the table. I wanted to call Mi Cai. My motive was simple, just to check on her current life. After all, we hadn't been in touch for over a month. I hope she has successfully resolved the power crisis within Zhuomei.