Proofreader & Editor: Peter Pan
Wei Ran only elbowed me once before releasing his grip. I wiped the blood trickling from the corner of my mouth, while my eyes searched for something within reach to use.
"Do you know why I didn't strike back?"
I remained silent, my hand finding a glass ashtray hidden behind the computer screen, ready to smash it on his head. I was once again dominated by an impulsive urge, completely disregarding the serious consequences of such an action.
Just as I was about to act, Wei Ran spoke again, "Hurting you would upset Betsy (Mi Cai), and besides, I didn't come to Xitang to show off. I just wanted an explanation from Betsy."
My grip on the ashtray loosened as I looked at Wei Ran, waiting for him to continue.
With a disdainful smile, Wei Ran said, "Betsy is with you now, but you have no idea how much pressure she's under because of it. At least the shareholders of Zhuomei want her with me. Let me tell you: the funds Mi Zhongde raised from overseas came from me, although I was unaware of his ambitions at the time… Zhuomei's waters are deep, you'll understand eventually… Betsy doesn't have many friends, so she shares her troubles with me. Every time I've tried to convince her to leave you, she happily tells me how secure you make her feel, how much she looks forward to being with you…"
Hearing this, my heart clenched, but Wei Ran didn't give me much space to think as he continued, "I don't want her with you because you lack stability, and you're too much of a commoner. I've advised her many times, but she never listened, leading to that night's incident!"
"What incident that night? Explain yourself."
"Heh… Actually, I saw you waiting for Betsy under the Zhuomei building that night. Later, I called her, telling her I wanted to test you, so I bought flowers, pretending to confess my feelings. I guessed you'd react gracelessly and fight me. Betsy insisted you wouldn't, believing you'd learned from the bar incident, and asked me not to test you in such a petty way."
Pausing briefly, Wei Ran added, "Women in love are fools. Despite the inappropriate connection you had with your ex-girlfriend that hurt her, she still blindly trusts you, giving you chances… But as an outsider, I see clearly that you can't change your nature, which is why I insisted on buying the flowers and deliberately entangled her, and then you showed up… You know what happened after that… Put yourself in her shoes, and you should understand Betsy's feelings. She always talks about her expectations of you, how you bring her joy and security, and uses that as a reason to reject me many times. But what about you? You cause her trouble now and then, while maintaining an ambiguous relationship with your ex-girlfriend. I wonder… where do you place her trust and expectations?"
At that moment, I finally understood why Mi Cai had pushed me away with all her strength that day, and how her words "This is the result of your calmness" tore her apart… Perhaps she suffered far more than I did that night.
"After she got into my car that night, she regretted wanting to go back to you after just two stops, saying her actions had hurt your pride. I disagreed, feeling you had hurt her more, and that you should be the one to apologize, not her. I spent two hours trying to persuade her, but in the end, she insisted on going back to you. Yet, you moved out of her place and then disappeared. She neglected her company's affairs, searching for you everywhere, while you wouldn't even share your whereabouts with her."
Shaking his head, Wei Ran said, "I really can't understand how the business prodigy recognized by all the university tutors could become such an idiot in love…"
After a self-deprecating laugh, he continued, "Love indeed turns people into idiots. I'm also an idiot, or else why would I chase a woman who's become an idiot for another man?"
Through Wei Ran's words, I finally understood what Mi Cai had done for me in a corner I couldn't see. When everyone around her doubted me, she foolishly persisted. To make me happy, she even ate cold ice cream during her period, neglecting her own health, while I repeatedly hurt her sensitive and fragile heart… I was truly wrong!
"Zhao Yang, if it weren't for Betsy standing in front of you that night, I would have crippled you, because I detest you, you trash!"
I was silent for a long time before asking, "If you hate me so much, why come here today and say all this?"
Wei Ran clenched his fists until they cracked, taking a while before saying, "I'd rather you two just break up… but I can't stand to see her so sad. The tears she's shed in front of me these past days are more than in the four years I've known her… You've deeply hurt her, do you understand?"
A warm sensation welled up in the corner of my eyes, and even if Wei Ran beat me to death at that moment, I wouldn't have the heart to resist; it would even be a relief.
"Zhao Yang, listen, I will never give up on Betsy. If you have any sense, you'll quickly tell her the words 'we're breaking up' to save her the false hope that you still care… And I will take care of her, protect her father's legacy, and make her the happiest woman in the world."
After saying those final words, Wei Ran turned and left the inn, leaving me in a state of shock for a long time.
***
I slumped back into my office chair, wishing I could return to Suzhou right now, but another force within me held me back. I didn't deserve her, and I shouldn't keep hurting her endlessly. She would be much happier without me.
In agony, I covered my face with my hands, as if trapped in an inescapable predicament, completely ignoring the blood still oozing from my mouth.
"Zhao Yang, why are you bleeding so much?"
A startled cry woke me, and I finally looked up to see Le Yao standing before me.
I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth again, unsure of how to explain to Le Yao.
She grabbed my arm, pulling me up from the chair, and said, "Don't talk, I'll take you to the hospital to stop the bleeding…"
I broke free from her and said, "Give me your phone, I need to make a call."
"You're like this, and you still want to make a call?"
I couldn't speak, but the warm sensation returned to the corner of my eyes. It seemed like I was crying, yet I couldn't control it.