In the darkness of the night, Mi Cai and I switched roles. I was eating her tiramisu while she strummed the guitar and sang me a song by Tanya Chua, “Red High Heels.”
After the song, Mi Cai placed the guitar on the grass beside her. I held her hand and asked, “Why don’t you do manicures anymore?”
“If I do, I can’t play the guitar!” After a brief pause, Mi Cai said to me, “Zhao Yang, I want to give you a guitar. Your life can’t be without it.”
“You’re wrong… I’m not Robben. The guitar is not essential to me.”
“Really?”
“Really, unless you think I’ll go back to the days when I had to earn money by singing.”
Mi Cai seemed hesitant, but she still said, “I know you don’t like me giving you things, but I’ve already ordered a custom-made guitar for you in a Shanghai music store. You’ll get it in a few days.”
I lit a cigarette, took a deep puff, and asked, “How much?”
“Does it matter?”
“I’m just asking, at least I can roughly judge the quality of the guitar.”
“You’ll know when you get it.” She asked nervously, “Will you accept it?”
I nodded.
Mi Cai smiled, leaned on my arm, and rested her head on my shoulder, closing her eyes to enjoy the evening breeze.
…
The next day, CC returned to Suzhou from Beijing, accompanied by Robben. Taking advantage of Le Yao still being in Suzhou, we decided to have a gathering at the “Empty City” restaurant that evening.
I have two groups of friends in this city. One group is represented by Circle and Yan Yan, and the other group is CC, Robben, and Le Yao. Strangely enough, I’ve known Circle and his group longer, but we’ve grown apart, while I’ve grown closer to CC and Robben, whom I met after graduation… Perhaps this situation stems from the union of Jian Wei and Xiang Chen, but I’m not sure if that’s the most accurate answer.
Around 7 p.m., we arrived at the “Empty City” restaurant. The reunion between Mi Cai and CC was touching. They hugged each other deeply and expressed their longing for each other. Perhaps only in front of CC would Mi Cai show the enthusiasm typical of girlfriends. I remember taking her to meet Circle a few days ago, and she was somewhat aloof.
Once inside the restaurant, Mi Cai and I sat on one side, with CC and Robben across from us. In comparison, Le Yao seemed a bit lonely.
Soon, the waiter served a table full of food and drinks. We ate and chatted enthusiastically. CC raised her glass to Le Yao and said, “Le Da Wan, I heard that your new drama has been breaking viewership records since it aired nationwide. Congratulations!”
“Thank you.” Le Yao raised her glass and responded with a smile.
At this moment, Mi Cai, who rarely takes the initiative, also raised her glass to Le Yao and said, “Your drama is very good. I’ve been following it recently.”
Le Yao was taken aback, then raised her glass to Mi Cai and said, “Thank you for the compliment.”
“Can you spoil who the Eighth Prince ends up with in the end?”
Seeing Mi Cai’s serious inquiry, Le Yao looked embarrassed. This embarrassment stemmed from the natural distance between her and Mi Cai.
CC couldn’t help but laugh. She put her arm around Mi Cai’s shoulder and exclaimed, “Darling, can you be any cuter! …I thought you were just being polite when you said you were following the drama, but you really are watching it!”
I took over CC’s words and said, “I can vouch for that. She’s really following Le Yao’s drama. She even discussed the plot with me a few days ago!”
Le Yao looked incredulous. She must have thought Mi Cai was just being polite at first. Finally, she asked Mi Cai, “Are you sure you want to hear spoilers?”
I said to Mi Cai, “Don’t listen. Otherwise, you’ll lose interest and won’t have a drama to follow tonight… It’s better to ask Le Da Wan for an autograph. After all, you’re her fan now!”
Although I didn’t expect Mi Cai and Le Yao to get along like best friends, I still hoped they could eliminate the distance between them. That’s why I made this joke.
Unexpectedly, Mi Cai really took out a notebook from her bag and handed it to Le Yao, saying, “Then I’ll trouble Le Da Wan to sign for me.”
Le Yao finally smiled kindly at Mi Cai, took the notebook from her hand, and quickly signed her name on it. At this moment, I was moved because I knew that when Mi Cai called Le Yao “Le Da Wan” and asked for her autograph, she was trying to fit into my circle. But I wasn’t sure if Mi Cai knew that Le Yao was the woman who had talked about having an abortion when we first met in the old house.
…
During the meal, the atmosphere was always good. So Robben and CC brought us good news: they were really dating. So now CC is Robben’s legitimate girlfriend. Mi Cai and I were naturally very happy. After all, Robben is my best friend, and CC is Mi Cai’s only best friend in China. Even Mi Cai, who doesn’t usually like to drink, voluntarily changed to a beer to toast CC and Robben.
At this moment, it seems that we all have a good start this year, including Le Yao. Although she hasn’t found her place in love yet, her acting career has already set sail. So, I have reason to believe that our lives are all heading towards happiness.
After the gathering, Le Yao returned to her hotel, CC and Mi Cai went back to her villa, and Robben and I went back to the old house. After all, the chances for us to get together are becoming less and less, so we should cherish the opportunity to chat.Robben and I were lying in bed, each of us habitually lighting a cigarette. I asked him with a smile, “Tell me, what made you decide to forget the past and accept CC?”
“I’m tired, and I think it’s time for me to find a reliable woman and consider marriage… What about you? What motivated you and Mi Cai to be together?”
“Love, I guess… Does that sound pretentious?”
“Not at all. After all, it’s hard for a man not to admire a woman like her. And you’ve successfully turned admiration into love. She also has feelings for you, so it’s mutual.”
I took another puff of my cigarette, put it out, and asked him seriously, “Don’t tell me you don’t have any love for CC at all?”
Robben also put out his cigarette, looking a bit lost. After a while, he said, “Love is too luxurious for me. But since I’ve chosen this relationship, I won’t let CC down. We will get married.”
For a moment, I didn’t know how to respond, but Robben’s answer was within my expectations. As a brother, I just hope he can fulfill his promise to marry CC. I also hope that love can grow over time, and that it’s not just a saying but a reality that can eventually apply to Robben and CC.
After a moment of silence, Robben lit another cigarette and asked me, “Do you plan to marry Mi Cai?”
Hearing the word “marriage” so suddenly, I felt a bit uncomfortable. Subconsciously, it seemed too far away from me. And what about Mi Cai? I wonder how she views the issue of marriage at this moment. Does she also find it distant?
Suddenly, I had the urge to discuss this topic with her. So, without answering Robben, I picked up my phone from the bedside table, planning to send her a message on WeChat.