I drove at a high speed, guessing the purpose of Le Yao's visit to Xuzhou. From her tone, it was not hard to tell that she was in a bad mood.

 

About fifteen minutes later, I arrived at the train station and immediately called Le Yao. She told me that she hadn't gone to eat and was in front of the station square.

 

I parked the car on the side of the road and walked towards the square in front of the train station. Amid the crowded crowd, I finally spotted Le Yao standing in the cold wind. Despite the poor lighting at night, I could still see her serious expression.

 

I walked towards Le Yao, and she also spotted me and walked towards me.

 

I didn't want the atmosphere to be too heavy after we met, so I asked with a smile, "Le, why didn't you find a place to eat first?"

 

Le Yao forced a smile and said, "I was waiting for you to treat me."

 

My heart sank at her forced smile, and I was even more eager to know what had happened to her that she needed to rush to Xuzhou for my help.

 

***

 

Le Yao and I found a relatively quiet restaurant near the train station. We ordered some food, and while waiting, I asked Le Yao, "Tell me, what do you need my help with?"

 

Le Yao looked at me with a complicated expression and remained silent for a long time before saying, "Zhao Yang, I opened a music bar in Suzhou."

 

I was surprised and replied, "You opened a music bar! Didn't I tell you not to do that?!"

 

Le Yao spoke in a low tone, full of helplessness, "I'm in the entertainment industry. If I can become famous, that's great. If not, have you ever thought about how I should live? I don't have any work skills. What else can I do if I don't invest? How am I supposed to support myself?"

 

I was silent, feeling how insecure this world can make people feel. Most people are struggling, working hard to secure their own survival. After a while, I asked Le Yao, "Robben and CC should know about your investment in the music bar, right?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Then why haven't I ever heard them mention it to me?"

 

"You disagreed with me opening a bar last time, so I didn't let them tell you."

 

At this point, it was hard for me to blame Le Yao for not listening to my advice. I understood why she came to me. I calmed myself down and asked, "How much did you invest in this music bar?"

 

Le Yao's expression became even more gloomy. After a long silence, she whispered to me, "Over a million."

 

I thought I had heard wrong and asked again, "How much?"

 

"Almost one and a half million."

 

"Holy… Are you crazy? One and a half million! For a bar, you should have just invested a few hundred thousand to play around. Investing so much money, aren't you playing with fire?" I almost yelled at Le Yao.

 

Le Yao lowered her head in silence…

 

I lit a cigarette, knowing that blaming her at this point would be of no use. I took a deep drag and then asked Le Yao in a softer tone, "Tell me, where did you get so much money to invest?"

 

"I got 500,000 from the pay of the last film, and then…" Le Yao paused for a long time before gathering the courage to say, "Then I borrowed a million in high-interest loans from friends."

 

I fell silent, realizing the seriousness of the situation. I hadn't expected Le Yao to dare to touch high-interest loans. Her investment was too blind.

 

I took another deep drag on my cigarette before asking, "Tell me, how is the bar doing now?"

 

"It's not making ends meet… The business is very bad." Le Yao's voice choked as she answered.

 

I fell silent again, as the over one million in funds had completely exceeded the range I could solve.

 

"Zhao Yang, what should I do now? You have to help me…" Le Yao looked at me helplessly.

 

I felt suffocated, smoked half a cigarette in one breath, but still calmly said, "The priority now is to pay off the high-interest loans. This thing is too scary with the interest rolling over. We'll talk about the bar's operation later."

 

Le Yao nodded and said, "I will find a way to pay off the high-interest loans."

 

"Where are you going to get the money to pay it back?"

 

After my questioning, Le Yao looked helpless and lost. After a long while, she seemed to make up her mind and said, "At worst, I…"

 

"What are you going to do?" I asked angrily.

 

Le Yao stammered, "There's a rich businessman…"

 

I immediately interrupted, "Le Yao, I won't allow you to do that. You have to live with dignity, do you hear me?"

 

"But what else can I do?"

 

"I'll think of a way with you, but you have to get rid of that idea." I said to Le Yao very firmly.

 

Only then did Le Yao raise her head, her eyes filled with tears as she looked at me. After a long time, she said to me, "I'm sorry, Zhao Yang, I've caused you trouble again."

 

I was frustrated, but still comforted her, "Don't say that. Your motive for investing in the bar wasn't wrong. You were forced by life."

 

With my understanding, Le Yao's tears flowed down like a broken dam. She sobbed and said to me, "Zhao Yang, I will definitely find a way to solve the high-interest loan… I came to Xuzhou to find… you, hoping you can help me run the bar well… I know you're smart… you'll definitely find a way to help the bar through this difficult time… will you promise me?…"

 

Le Yao's tearful voice made my heart ache, but at this moment, I couldn't promise her. If I went back to Suzhou to help her run the bar, it would mean giving up the job I had finally stabilized in Xuzhou, and even… even my relationship with Li Xiaoyun.After a long silence, I said to Le Yao in a low voice, "I'm sorry, I have a new life in Xuzhou, and Suzhou… I really can't go back!"

 

My response filled Le Yao's face with heart-wrenching pain. "Zhao Yang… I beg you, please don't reject me… Besides you, I don't know who else I can rely on. I'm really so lonely, so helpless… I'm about to break down!"

 

My heart ached, as if I was once again caught in a painful choice. I knew well that a woman like Le Yao, despite having many friends, had very few who could truly help her in times of adversity. Even those who had the ability to help her were coveting her body and beauty… Unless she gave up her dignity as a woman, she was truly helpless and lonely.

 

In the midst of suffocating struggles, I finally said to Le Yao, "Let me think about it, okay?"

 

Le Yao's expression relaxed slightly, she nodded with tears in her eyes, and the food we ordered was served at this moment.

 

I unwrapped the chopsticks and handed them to Le Yao, then scooped a small bowl of silver ear and lotus seed soup for her, saying with a comforting smile, "Have some hot soup first."

 

Le Yao obediently nodded, took the small bowl from my hand, but I had no appetite to eat anything. I took out another cigarette from the pack and lit it, my heart filled with the pain of decision. If I really gave up my job here and went back to Suzhou with Le Yao, how would I face Li Xiaoyun?

 

In the smoke, I seemed to see my twisted life again…