Back at the residence, Mi Cai had almost finished her bowl of porridge, while my bowl of unfinished porridge was still steaming. I took out two salted duck eggs from the bag left by Mr. Ban and handed one to Mi Cai, saying, “Try it.”

“I’m almost done eating.” This was the first time Mi Cai spoke to me in a normal tone since we met two days ago.

I smiled and said, “Have another bowl. Eating plain rice porridge won’t make you fat.”

Mi Cai ignored my suggestion and said, “Your dad has already left, so you can move out too.”

I looked at the storm outside the window and negotiated with Mi Cai, “I won’t move today. Let me stay for one more night, okay?”

“No.” Mi Cai said firmly.

I slammed the chopsticks on the table and angrily said, “What’s wrong with you? Don’t you understand the concept of gratitude? Spit out the porridge you just ate, and I’ll move out immediately.”

Mi Cai looked at me with beautiful eyes, speechless at how quickly I changed my attitude.

I softened my tone and said to her, “Sister, I’ve been running around all day today and I’m exhausted. Please let me off the hook.”

“Scum, who’s your sister!”

“Miss… Miss is that okay?” I quickly said, promising, “Tomorrow, I promise I’ll move out after work.”

After a while, Mi Cai finally relented and said to me, “Remember what you said.”

“Of course, I’ll definitely move out tomorrow!”

Mi Cai looked at me dissatisfied, picked up the bowl and walked towards the rice cooker filled with plain rice porridge, and then filled herself a small bowl.

“Aren’t you not eating anymore?”

Mi Cai glared at me and said, “Since I’ve already eaten, what’s wrong with having another bowl?”

I shook my head and sighed, “Ah! This is how people become corrupted!”

Although I was joking, I peeled the salted duck egg and handed it to Mi Cai. She didn’t refuse, and so the two of us continued eating in this strange atmosphere.

…

After dinner, I handed the 3,000 yuan left by Mr. Ban to Mi Cai and said, “Here’s 3,000 yuan for now. I’ll give you the rest when I get my salary next week.”

“Do you still have money to rent a place after giving it to me?… Let’s pay it back together in the future.”

“You’re considering me, aren’t you? It’s not that I don’t want to pay you back.” I said as I put the money into my wallet.

“As long as you move out quickly, everything else doesn’t matter.” Mi Cai said, taking another sip of porridge. It seemed that she really liked this porridge. Indeed, Mr. Ban’s porridge-making skills were extraordinary. He could turn ordinary rice porridge into something delicious.

“I’m not a plague, there’s no need for you to despise me like this!” I sighed.

“With your character, how could I like you?”

I smiled and didn’t say anything else. Maybe my character was really not good, or maybe she misunderstood me a bit, but it didn’t matter. I didn’t need to clarify or explain because after work tomorrow, we would draw a clear line between us.

I finished the porridge in my bowl in one gulp, then stared at Mi Cai. At this moment, she was wearing a white long-sleeved chiffon shirt, black and white checkered pencil pants, and her slightly curled medium-length hair added to her charm, but she looked fragile.

I took out the knitted sweater left by Mr. Ban and gestured in front of Mi Cai. After a while, I sighed and said, “It’s getting cold. Don’t you think this sweater suits you?”

Mi Cai frowned and said, “What? Do you want me to owe you a favor?”

“Really, it suits you… If you’re willing to let me continue renting this room, I don’t mind giving it to you. My dad said this sweater was knitted by my mom herself. It’s thick and warm for the winter!”

“No need for such a luxury.”

I smiled and handed her the sweater, saying, “I was just joking. Even if you don’t rent it, I’ll still give it to you. I don’t have any plans to have a girlfriend for now, and it’s a waste to keep such a good sweater by my side. I also want to apologize for my unreasonable behavior towards you yesterday.”

I looked extremely sincere, and Mi Cai hesitated for a moment before actually accepting the sweater I handed her. She said to me, “Fine, I accept your apology… and be nicer to your dad. Don’t deceive him anymore and make him worry.”

“Is there a logical connection between accepting an apology and being nicer to my dad?” I asked in surprise.

Angry at my questioning, Mi Cai said, “You really are scum!” After speaking, she stuffed the sweater into her handbag and pushed the door open, leaving.

I was left alone in the room, a little confused about Mi Cai’s sudden anger. I sat there thinking for a long time before finally understanding. Perhaps she temporarily accepted my apology and even allowed me to stay for another night out of sympathy for Mr. Ban. But she still had no feelings for me and was annoyed by me. In her eyes, I played with a woman’s feelings, deceived my own father, and broke my promises. If that didn’t make me scum, then what was I?

Mi Cai didn’t stay in this room that night. I thought to myself: she must have another place to stay in this city, but why did she have to stay here?

I racked my brains but couldn’t figure it out, so I stopped thinking about it. There are always strange people and strange things in this world, and compared to the countless wonders in the world, this was not too surprising. So there was no need to dig deeper, just consider it a form of artistic behavior for the rich.

Actually, I quite liked living in such a confused manner most of the time because the truth could bring pain, and gaining something meant the possibility of losing it. So not knowing the truth meant no pain, and not gaining meant no loss.

…

The next day, after the weekly routine meeting of the planning department, Circle and I walked out of the meeting room side by side, followed by another colleague, Zhao Li.

I lit a cigarette and waved to him, saying, “Come here, Zhao Li.”

Zhao Li looked at me warily and asked, “What’s up?”

“I heard you like outdoor sports?”

“Yeah, I really like it!”

I smiled and said, “I have a set of professional outdoor sports equipment that I bought but haven’t used much. I’ll sell it to you cheap.””Why are you buying outdoor gear when you don’t even like outdoor activities?” Zhao Li asked with a puzzled look.

“It’s precisely because I don’t like it that I’ve never used it. It’s as good as new, absolutely fantastic! It’s from Arc’teryx, I’m giving you a bargain, selling it to you for 2000.” I said, slinging an arm around Zhao Li’s shoulder.

“Really?” Zhao Li asked, his face lighting up with joy.

I replied impatiently, “Of course it’s real. Hurry up and give me the money. I’ll have Circle bring it to you tomorrow. It’s been sitting at his place since I bought it.”

Zhao Li counted out 2000 yuan from his wallet and handed it to me, reminding, “Don’t forget to bring it to me tomorrow. I can use it for rock climbing next weekend.”

I stuffed the money into my pocket and said, “You can tell Circle yourself.”

Zhao Li then turned to Circle, who was not far away and seemed distracted, “Circle, remember to bring me the outdoor gear that Zhao Yang left at your place.”

Circle, coming back to his senses, asked with a puzzled look, “What outdoor gear?”

“The Arc’teryx gear from Zhao Yang. He sold it to me.” Zhao Li patiently explained.

I took a deep drag on my cigarette and headed straight for the restroom. Behind me, Circle cursed loudly, “Damn it, what the hell did he sell? That’s mine!”

I heard Circle reluctantly tell Zhao Li, “Alright, don’t be upset. I’ll bring it to you tomorrow.”

……

After finishing my cigarette in the restroom, I returned to the office. There was a cup of coffee on Circle’s desk. He was wearing anti-radiation glasses, his fingers tapping away on the keyboard.

I turned on my computer and played with the lighter in my hand while the system was booting up. I struck up a conversation with Circle, “Still working on the proposal for GUCCI’s counter in our mall?”

Circle didn’t hold a grudge about the earlier incident and sighed, “Yeah, I’ve been busy for almost a week. The business development department is waiting for our proposal to negotiate with GUCCI’s representative.”

I responded and didn’t ask further. Circle and I were polar opposites. He was a workaholic, while I was always just getting by. The result of our different attitudes was that after two years of working, Circle had become the team leader of the planning department’s copywriting team, while I was still at the bottom.

Suddenly, Circle stopped typing and stared at me with a heavy look for a long time.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, puzzled by Circle’s strange behavior.

Finally, Circle said, “I noticed you’ve been down lately, and there’s something I didn’t tell you… Yan Yan and I are getting married next week.”

“You’re finally getting married!” I blurted out, then felt a pang of heartache.

Circle had met Yan Yan because of Jian Wei and me. Yan Yan was Jian Wei’s best friend, and Circle and I were close buddies. After Jian Wei and I started dating, Circle and Yan Yan had the opportunity to meet, and they fell in love.

During our college years, the four of us often hung out together and built a deep friendship. We joked several times about getting married after graduation.

Circle and Yan Yan’s marriage was a joyous occasion, but it also ruthlessly exposed my pain and loneliness… I couldn’t continue my love story with Jian Wei.

Sometimes, people’s pain comes from comparison… But what else could I do at this moment, other than envy and bless Circle and Yan Yan in my pain and loneliness?

The past will eventually turn into dust, but the wind can’t blow it away. It settles in my heart, covering my world in a layer of ash.

I smiled at Circle and said, “Where’s your wedding invitation, buddy? Hand it over.”

Circle nodded and took out the invitation from his drawer. I opened it, and in the photo on the invitation, Circle and Yan Yan were beaming with happiness.

……

After a long silence, I asked Circle, “Will Jian Wei come back to China for your wedding?”

“You know, ever since she moved from Los Angeles to New York, we’ve lost contact. But a few days ago, Yan Yan sent her an email. She hasn’t replied yet, so we don’t know if she’ll come back.”

“Oh, really?” I responded indifferently, stopped talking to Circle, and started typing on my computer. But my eyes were lost in the screen.