I downed the beer in my glass and, setting it down, said to Xiang Chen, “Circle and Yan Yan have made such a big fuss this time, and you didn’t even try to mediate while you were in Suzhou!”
“You’re really wronging me here. Circle just called me and mentioned he had a falling out with Yan Yan.”
I nodded, raised my glass to Xiang Chen, and drank down another gulp of beer as an apology.
Xiang Chen also finished his drink in response, and then we both fell into silence, with nothing more to say.
Xiang Chen seemed embarrassed by the lack of conversation and pulled out a cigarette, tossing one to me. I caught it and lit up, the distinctive aroma of Zhongnanhai cigarettes filling the barbecue restaurant. This familiar scent was the only remnant from our college days, as amidst the ravages of time and changing circumstances, our habit of smoking Zhongnanhai remained unshakably intact.
After finishing the cigarette and a few more beers, Circle’s silver Audi A4 finally came into view. As soon as the car stopped, he hurried out.
Circle sat down next to Xiang Chen, and I poured him a beer. He took it and drank it in one gulp, then said to me, “I just had to send the deputy manager of the planning department to an emergency meeting at headquarters, so I’m a bit late.”
Hearing this, I felt a bit guilty and after a brief silence, I said, “I know you’re busy with company matters, but I really don’t want to see you and Yan Yan dragging this out… You can afford it, but Yan Yan can’t!”
Circle filled another glass of beer and drank it as if to vent.
I continued, “Really, don’t use leaving home as a punishment for a woman until the relationship is completely broken. It’s the cruelest revenge for them!”
Circle put down his glass and said, “Didn’t you leave Mi Cai in Suzhou and run off to Xitang by yourself?”
I felt as if I had slapped myself in the face and after a moment, I said to Circle, “You two are legally married, how can you compare with us?… Besides, who doesn’t know that I, Zhao Yang, am just an unreliable scumbag? Circle, comparing yourself to me is just lowering your own value.”
Circle looked at me, drank another glass of beer, and after a long time, he said, “Zhao Yang, the whole point of me working myself to death is to make life better for her and me, right?… I was born into a family that wasn’t wealthy, especially when I was young, I experienced the hardship of life… So the day I got my university acceptance letter, I swore: I would never let my children go through the miserable life I had.”
Circle’s words were true. Before his senior year of high school, his father’s business had never taken off and was even losing money. It wasn’t until he went to college that they opened a cabinet store back home and made some money, finally improving their lives. But Circle had always lived frugally before his senior year.
After a pause, I returned to the main topic and asked, “Yan Yan said you’ve been coming home after midnight for several weeks. Is the workload at the department store really that intense?”
Xiang Chen took over the conversation, “I can vouch for Circle. He’s been rushing to plan the tobacco and liquor counter I set up in Zhuomei… I plan to start operating in April, and time is indeed tight.”
Circle, looking a bit aggrieved, said to me, “Zhao Yang, did you hear that? Do you think she should be making a fuss with me?”
I ignored his comment and pressed on, “Then explain why you sometimes come home reeking of alcohol?”
“I’m the manager of the planning department, isn’t it normal to have a lot of work-related socializing?”
“Who is it, who’s giving you so much socializing? If I remember correctly, your immediate superior is Mi Cai’s cousin, Mi Lan, right?”
“Zhao Yang, don’t get the wrong idea. I only have a working relationship with Director Mi, and recently she’s been assigned by Mi Cai to Nanjing’s Zhuomei as the new mall’s general manager. We haven’t had any interaction.”
I still looked at him skeptically.
Finally, Circle exploded, “If you don’t believe me, you can call Mi Cai or Mi Cai’s boss right now to verify the truth of this matter and see if Mi Lan has really been transferred to Nanjing.”
This wasn’t something to be vague about. Ignoring Circle’s anger, I immediately sent a message to Mi Cai.
The reply confirmed that Mi Lan had indeed been transferred to Nanjing’s Zhuomei, and the transfer was personally handled by Mi Cai before she left Suzhou.
Finally, I was no longer doubtful and breathed a sigh of relief, raising my glass to apologize to Circle.
Xiang Chen tried to smooth things over, “Circle, don’t take it to heart with Zhao Yang. After all, it’s for Yan Yan’s sake. Now that the misunderstanding is cleared up, it’s most important… I’ll call Wei Wei right now and have her bring Yan Yan over. You two need to have a good talk and get past this, okay?”
Circle nodded, and Xiang Chen immediately took out his phone to call Jian Wei.
…
About 20 minutes later, Jian Wei arrived at the barbecue restaurant with Yan Yan. Initially, Yan Yan was reluctant to sit with Circle, but after our persistent persuasion, she finally sat down next to him. Jian Wei naturally sat with Xiang Chen, and I moved a stool to sit alone in the corner.
Xiang Chen and I each spoke in turn, explaining Circle’s recent situation to Yan Yan, hoping she would be more understanding.
As Yan Yan’s best friend, Jian Wei also spoke to Circle about Yan Yan’s difficulties, hoping he would be more considerate of her feelings.
After everyone had spoken, Circle and Yan Yan looked at each other but still didn’t say a word.
I couldn’t stand it anymore and poured a beer for both Circle and Yan Yan, saying, “Drink this and be a good couple again, okay?”
Xiang Chen echoed, “There’s no overnight feud between husband and wife. Be more understanding of each other, and you won’t have all these messy problems.”
Yan Yan finally burst into tears, choking up as she said to Circle, “Husband, I’m sorry… I should understand the hardships of your work. From now on… I won’t lose my temper with you anymore.”
Circle remained silent.
Jian Wei slammed the table angrily, “Circle, are you even a man? You left your wife and stayed out for over a week, and now Yan Yan is apologizing to you, and you’re still acting aloof?”
Xiang Chen pulled the agitated Jian Wei back to her seat, but she was not appeased, waiting impatiently for Circle’s response.
Circle lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and then said, “What a man fears most is not the hardship of work, but the misunderstanding of his own wife… I also want to relax a bit, and I don’t want to deal with one banquet after another. Have you ever experienced the pain of having to drink at those banquets?… Every time I drink until I vomit, until I’m exhausted, what keeps me going is the thought of Yan Yan and our family, and the beautiful future I’ve imagined… Only I know how bitter it really is…!”
Circle’s heartfelt statement finally made Yan Yan lose control, hugging him and sobbing uncontrollably, repeatedly saying “I’m sorry,” which eventually made Circle break down in tears as well. My heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled as their cries signaled the end of their misunderstanding.
…
That night, Jian Wei drove the tipsy Xiang Chen home in her car, while Yan Yan drove the A4 back home with Circle.
As for me, I was still alone, parking my old van in front of the barbecue restaurant, then finding a small hotel nearby. It wasn’t until I lay in bed that I remembered I came to Suzhou to borrow money from Circle and Yan Yan.
After thinking it over, I gave up on the idea of borrowing money from them. I couldn’t be sure if the 70,000 yuan would make Yan Yan uncomfortable, and after today’s events, I understood even more how hard Circle worked for his money. At this time, I shouldn’t add to the burden of a couple who had just reconciled.
After a sigh, I lit a cigarette for myself, feeling even more lost, troubled by the imminent 70,000 yuan rent.
Suddenly, my phone vibrated amidst my continuous confusion. I picked it up to see a message from Mi Cai.
In the message, she asked me, “Why are you suddenly asking about Mi Lan?”