As the evening spring breeze blew, I finally strummed the guitar strings and sang “The Price of Love,” a song I had sung countless times before, to comfort and encourage myself.

After the song ended, I placed the guitar on the grass beside me, lay down with my arms as my pillow, and quietly endured the first day without contact from Mi Cai.

At this moment, I didn’t reach for a cigarette as usual but instead pulled out the bank card with a 500,000 yuan deposit from my pocket and held it up before my eyes.

500,000 yuan could buy me a lot in this city. If I wanted, I could even purchase a small studio apartment without a loan and end this nomadic life.

But did this come too easily? All of this, just because I smashed a cup in desperation.

After much thought, I finally dialed Jian Wei’s number, and she answered after a moment.

I asked, “Are you free right now?”

“I’m dining with a client, what’s up?”

“I’m by the moat. Come over after you finish your meal.”

Jian Wei fell silent in surprise, then after a moment said, “Okay, wait for me.”

…

I thought Jian Wei would take about an hour to arrive, but she appeared in front of me just half an hour later and sat down beside me.

“I’m curious what made you call me to sit here.”

I waved the bank card in front of her and said, “Because of this.”

“Is there a problem with this card?”

“No problem with the card, the problem is with me. I never thought a single deal would bring me 500,000 yuan. I know my own worth!”

“So what are you saying now?”

“According to my initial estimate, I should only take 100,000 yuan. You take the remaining 400,000.”

Jian Wei smiled indifferently and said, “Chaoyang, if you feel guilty about this money, you can join the project planning for Jinding Real Estate.”

I shook my head firmly. Since I agreed to take this deal from Jian Wei, I had hoped to make a quick profit and then stop, not intending to maintain a long-term cooperation with her, fearing that Mi Cai would mind.

Jian Wei looked at me, not understanding, “Are you really going to give up this great opportunity to showcase your talent?”

I skipped over Jian Wei’s question and insisted, “I can only take 100,000. The remaining 400,000, you use it to open up more advertising channels for the company. Right now, improving the company’s hardware strength is key.”

Jian Wei was silent for a long time without a stance, then took out a blue lighter from her handbag and said to me, “Let me light a cigarette for you.”

I nodded, took a cigarette from the pack, and let her light it for me, but I had already made up my mind. Tomorrow, after withdrawing my 100,000 yuan, I would return the card to her.

…

After saying goodbye to Jian Wei by the moat, I was greeted by the night, a night with nowhere to go. I thought about drowning my sorrows in a bar but gave up, just driving aimlessly through this hollow city, eventually stopping under the towering building of Zhuomei.

I rolled down the car window, lit a cigarette, and stared somewhat entranced at the exit of the underground parking lot, uncertain whether Mi Cai had already left work.

Or perhaps, whether she had left or not wasn’t important. What mattered was the journey we had taken together, and the building of Zhuomei was a stop in that journey, worth my pause and stay at this moment.

While waiting, a head-turning Ferrari 458 parked about 30 meters away from me. I knew it was Wei Ran’s car. His arrival at Zhuomei confirmed that Mi Cai had not yet left work.

Wei Ran stepped out of the car with a bouquet of flowers in hand, clearly intending to express his affection to Mi Cai. This provoked me, and I immediately opened the car door, but as my toes touched the ground, I hesitated and then closed the door again.

At this moment, I wanted to see how Mi Cai would handle her relationship with a friend of the opposite sex.

I lit another cigarette for myself and quietly watched the glances of admiration and envy from the women passing by Wei Ran. Of course, they envied the woman who would receive the flowers from him. It must have taken many lifetimes of good karma for a woman to gain the favor of such a high-quality man!

I took a deep drag of my cigarette, still waiting in Wei Ran’s anticipation.

Finally, I saw Mi Cai carrying her handbag, walking out from the exit. She was accompanied by a group of Zhuomei’s executives, and in their midst, wearing white high heels, she looked like a noble princess. My heart, which had been calm, suddenly became restless. I wanted to see the outcome, yet I feared it, so much so that my hand gripping the steering wheel began to exert force unconsciously, creating a grating noise.Mi Cai spotted Wei Ran and signaled for her companions to leave. Wei Ran approached her with a smile, and although I couldn’t hear what he said, I saw him hand her the flowers.

Mi Cai said something in return but didn’t reach out to take the flowers he offered. Undeterred, Wei Ran opened the car door, gesturing for Mi Cai to get in. She shook her head at him.

This scene made me discard my cigarette butt, open my car door, and step out, heading towards Wei Ran and Mi Cai.

The three of us met amidst the bustling crowd. I pulled Mi Cai behind me and said to a clearly astonished Wei Ran, “Who gave you permission to bring her flowers? Who the hell told you to do that?”

Wei Ran stepped forward, not showing any weakness, and said, “I have the right to pursue Betsy.”

“Chase your grandpa… If you have the guts, repeat what you just said!” I was already clenching my fists, having long been annoyed with him, eager to find an outlet to vent and give him a beating.

Wei Ran looked at me fearlessly and said, “Listen carefully, I have the right to pursue Betsy. If you can’t make her happy, then get the hell away from her!”

Just as I was about to kick Wei Ran, Mi Cai, who had been shielded behind me, pushed me away with all her strength and stood between us. With a pained expression, she looked at me accusingly and asked, “Zhao Yang, is this your idea of being calm?”

The flames in my heart seemed to be extinguished by a thunderstorm in July. I stared blankly at Mi Cai, at a loss for words.

Mi Cai gave me one last look, then opened the door of the Ferrari and sat in the passenger seat. Wei Ran glanced at me disdainfully and then got into the driver’s seat.

The car started in an instant and sped off towards an intersection with traffic lights, leaving me behind, the subject of passersby’s whispers… I was somewhat stunned, and then pain rushed over me like a torrent. I couldn’t escape it. As I was drowning in suffocation, I asked myself: Did I make a mistake again?