After teaching Jian Wei how to use the software, I left the inn and started searching for Tongzi along the shops lining the street.
I scoured the entire street without any sign of Tongzi, then followed along the Xitang River and finally found him on the steps by the riverbank.
Approaching him, I handed him a cigarette and asked, "Why haven't you gone back yet? It's getting late."
"Watching the pretty girls."
I looked around and questioned, "Where are the pretty girls?"
"She just left a while ago."
"The one who likes to wear a red coat?"
Tongzi nodded but didn't say much, clearly still harboring some feelings towards me.
I patted his shoulder and joked, "What's wrong, still mad at me?"
"A little."
"I wasn't in a good mood today, and for that, I owe you an apology. But we're both men; if you're upset, don't keep it bottled up. If you really feel bad, you can throw a couple of punches at me. A true man doesn't frown over such things!"
"Come on, your face is already a mess, how could I still hit you?"
Tongzi's dry humor made me chuckle, then I wrapped an arm around his shoulder and said, "If you can joke with me, does that mean you're not mad anymore?"
"You've apologized, so why should I stay mad… Besides, I know you're looking out for me."
I nodded, "Actually, I was even more of a mess than you when I first graduated from college… So I don't want you to follow in my footsteps, because you'll regret not achieving anything years later… Moreover, we're on the entrepreneurial path now, we need to have the resilience of soldiers. You know how tough it is to run the inn right now. We have to work twice as hard to catch up with other inns, don't you think?"
"Brother Yang, I understand. I'll work harder from now on."
"Good, I believe in you… Let's finish this cigarette and head back. We've got guests at the inn."
"Really? We've got guests?"
"Absolutely."
"Is it a beautiful woman?"
Imagining Jian Wei's appearance in my mind, I nodded, "Yes, a beautiful woman."
Tongzi immediately became eager, and I couldn't quite understand why he was so excited about someone he would never interact with.
***
Back at the inn, Jian Wei was still sitting by the service desk helping me out. Tongzi whispered in my ear, "Brother Yang, she really is a beauty, on par with Le Yao!"
I whispered back, "They're not the same type, there's no point comparing."
Tongzi agreed, "Right… She has more of a presence than Le Yao, but she's a bit less charming."
While Tongzi and I were talking, Jian Wei put down her mouse and said to me, "Zhao Yang, I want a single standard room. Show me to the room."
"Give me your ID card, I need to register you."
"I've already registered myself."
I nodded, and Tongzi, looking astonished, tugged at my sleeve and asked, "Brother Yang, you know this beauty too?"
"I do."
"Insane, how come all the women around you are beautiful?"
"Must be my good karma."
"You've got serious style!"
I didn't respond to Tongzi and walked towards Jian Wei, ready to show her the room, but she unexpectedly pulled out 200 yuan from her wallet and handed it to me as payment for the room.
I shook my head, "No need."
"I'm the first guest of this inn; you can't just not accept the money for an opening business!" Jian Wei insisted, pushing the money towards me again.
After a moment's thought, I took one 100 yuan note from her hand and found 12 yuan from the drawer to give back to her, saying, "Let's settle on 88 yuan for good luck on the first transaction."
Jian Wei didn't insist further, thanked me, took the change, and followed me to the room.
***
Once in the room, I turned on the light, and Jian Wei looked around before asking, "The room's decor is quite basic, and the inn's location is somewhat remote. Why did you choose to take it over?"
"If it were a well-located, profitable inn, do you think the owner would sell it?"
"That's true!"
I nodded, "I plan to renovate the inn, find the right business focus, and I believe it will thrive."
"Renovations? That's going to require a significant amount of money, right?"
"The appliances in the rooms won't be changed. I've calculated it; 80,000 yuan should cover it."
"Where will you get the 80,000 yuan?"
I was taken aback for a moment, then said, "You don't need to worry about that."
After a pause, Jian Wei spoke, "After you left Suzhou, I couldn't find any news about you. I was worried… I'm glad to have run into you in Xitang, but I don't quite understand why you would choose to stay here and run an inn that's not really anything special?"
"An inn that's not really anything special?"
"Sorry, I misspoke. What I meant was: you shouldn't waste the most precious time of your life on an inn that used to be unprofitable."
"I don't think it's a waste. As long as I have strength in my heart, even a small inn can become a big dream."
Jian Wei hesitated, looking as if she wanted to say more.
"I'll go get you a bottle of hot water."
Jian Wei stopped me, "Don't go just yet."
I said nothing, just waiting for her to speak.
"After you left Suzhou, Mi Cai came to me… I caused a misunderstanding between you two!"
"That's all in the past, no need to bring it up again."
"Do you really plan not to return to Suzhou?"
"I shouldn't go back, both emotionally and rationally."
"What about Mi Cai? Can you really let her go?"
Looking at Jian Wei, I felt it was so awkward for her to ask me this question. After a long pause, I said, "Some people, even if they come together, are destined not to be from the same world. You should understand this better than I do."
"I just don't want my mistake to affect the relationship between you two… Zhao Yang, no matter how things change between us, I truly wish for your happiness."
"The root of the problem isn't your mistake, but that we couldn't trust each other."
Jian Wei finally fell silent, probably understanding that many couples who swore eternal love have fallen due to a crisis of trust, like me and her once did.
After a long while, she said, "You staying in Xitang seems wrong to me, but I have no right or standing to ask you to leave… I just hope that if you encounter difficulties, you'll tell me. I'll help as much as I can."
"I've never doubted your willingness to help, but I really don't need such pure assistance. Don't you understand that by now?"
"Zhao Yang, you're wrong. This isn't just pure help, it's to repay you for your help… Sometimes, I really wish we were strangers, so you wouldn't overthink… I admit, winning the Jin Ding Real Estate advertising deal had something to do with my mentor (Director Wang), but could such a big deal be secured just by connections?… In fact, before you went to Jin Ding Real Estate, we had already pitched twice and failed because we didn't have the creativity they wanted. My mentor's role was to secure us a third opportunity to pitch, and it was your 'Shattered Life' concept that convinced them. You should take the 500,000 yuan commission with a clear conscience. You should understand that in our advertising industry, a good idea, even just a slogan, can sell for millions!"
Proofreader & Editor: Peter Pan