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墨書 Inktalez
"Alright, you get busy." After sending off a conversation partner, Li Cheng wearily rubbed his forehead. Facing the floor-to-ceiling window, he wanted to take a look at the night view of the Night Market, but found that the lights in the banquet hall were too bright, turning the glass into a mirror where he could only see the moving crowd behind him and his own numb face.
As the head of a trading company, grandly titled Chairman, in reality, his company was pitifully small. He often had to mingle in such occasions, hoping to find better and broader development opportunities for his company. But how many people present were not like him?
Li Cheng smiled bitterly, glanced again at the floor-to-ceiling window, intending to gather his spirits and engage in the banquet when a vague yet familiar figure froze him in place. Fearing he was seeing things, he stared intently at that figure, slowly turning his body, then suddenly looking back. Sure enough, at the corresponding table in the mirror, that person was chatting and laughing with others.
The red wine in his glass swayed slightly as Li Cheng instinctively swallowed a mouthful. He took a small step forward, placed his wine glass on the table, and fixed his gaze on that person until he reached her side.
"Wenyi, Liu Wenyi!" he exclaimed joyfully.
Liu Wenyi turned her head and when she saw him, disbelief flashed in her eyes. "You, how are you here? Oh my gosh, what a coincidence!"
The next morning, rosy dawn light streamed through the heavy curtains onto the two intertwined bodies. Li Cheng stirred awake, turned over, picked up his phone from the bedside table, glanced at the time—just past nine o'clock—with three missed calls and two messages, all from his wife Sun Bai. Li Cheng frowned and turned the phone face down.
"Mm—" Liu Wenyi beside him murmured softly, drawing Li Cheng's attention. He leaned down and gently pecked her forehead. Picking up the white blanket from the carpet revealed several crumpled tissues falling out. Li Cheng smiled ambiguously and covered Liu Wenyi with the blanket.
Then he lay back down, resting his arm under his head while his gaze traced Liu Wenyi's outline inch by inch, filled with astonishment and confusion at their reunion after so long. He still felt somewhat dazed.
High school days, youthful first love, old bicycles and innocent smiles—how many years had passed? Countless; no need to count deliberately. The girl from back then was right in front of him. Although there were fine crow's feet at the corners of her eyes and her shiny ponytail had turned into shoulder-length brown hair, her makeup had lost its finesse due to last night's excitement; she was still that same Liu Wenyi. Looking at her made Li Cheng feel as if he had crossed through time back to his tender and passionate youth.
"Are you awake?" Liu Wenyi squinted her eyes and murmured.
"Mm," Li Cheng replied softly. First love was like porcelain; even if one had grown accustomed to treating the world like steel, they couldn't help but handle their first love with care.
"Don't look at me; my makeup is all messed up," Liu Wenyi turned over to face away from Li Cheng. "What time is it? Don't you have to go to work?"
"It's fine; it's my own company," Li Cheng said as he playfully twirled a strand of Liu Wenyi's hair around his finger until it was tightly wrapped before letting it go and re-wrapping it.
"Oh dear, after all these years, you're still acting like a child," Liu Wenyi tugged her hair back and buried her head under the blanket. Her shy demeanor mirrored how they felt after their first night together.
Li Cheng chuckled foolishly.
"What kind of company do you run?" Liu Wenyi asked from under the blanket.
"A small trading company," Li Cheng replied with little enthusiasm when discussing reality.
"Even if it's small, you're still the boss. Unlike me, working nine to five for someone else," Liu Wenyi shifted positions, lying on her stomach with her face buried in the pillow; her voice sounded muffled.
"What do you do for a living?" Li Cheng asked, kneading Liu Wenyi's smooth shoulder.
"I work in sales at a clothing company," Liu Wenyi replied, turning over again to nestle into Li Cheng's embrace, still facing away from him. Their skin pressed together, and their bodies rubbed against each other under the covers. "The salary is pitiful; I can't even pay next month's rent."
Li Cheng swallowed hard. "Why not change jobs? I remember you were always at the top of your class in school; there weren't many smarter than you."
"What's the point of being good at studying? Once you're in society, it's like being blind," Liu Wenyi muttered.
"That's not entirely true," Li Cheng said absently, his arousal growing due to Liu Wenyi's intentional or unintentional movements. "A diploma is still a stepping stone for job hunting. In my company, candidates from prestigious universities are prioritized during interviews."
"How about I apply to your company?" Liu Wenyi suddenly turned her head to look into Li Cheng's eyes.
Li Cheng felt flustered for a moment and looked away, forcing a dry laugh. "Uh..."
"Forget it, I was just joking. Look how scared you got," Liu Wenyi teased, retracting her gaze and resting her head on Li Cheng's shoulder, letting out a comfortable sigh.
An awkward silence fell between them. Li Cheng cleared his throat. "At last year's high school reunion, I heard someone say you were in Shenzhen. I didn't expect to see you back home. By the way, it seems like you haven't attended any of the reunions."
"How could I go when I haven't accomplished anything? I wouldn't want to face our old teachers; they all think I'm doing great, but little do they know I'm homeless now, like a stray dog."
"Don't say that," Li Cheng wrapped his arms around Liu Wenyi and said tenderly. "Women are meant to be cherished, not to conquer the world."
"Cherished?" Liu Wenyi smiled bitterly. "Who cherishes me? You?"
Li Cheng shivered unexpectedly and buried his head in Liu Wenyi's long hair. "You haven't dated anyone in these years?"
"You wouldn't believe me if I said no. I've dated two guys in college, but it didn't go anywhere. After graduating, I've been stumbling around the workplace like a headless fly—no time or energy for anything else. Besides, once you leave campus, where can you find pure feelings? If it's not pure, I can't stand it."
"You still have the same temperament, wanting everything to be perfect."
"Perfection requires resources too! Right now, I'm just an older single woman. If someone proposed to me right away, I'd consider no conditions and just get married—get the certificate and live my life like that."
Li Cheng shivered again and tightened his hold on Liu Wenyi, taking a deep breath before suddenly letting go and sprawling out on the bed. "If I could, I'd propose to you right here and now."
Liu Wenyi pondered for a few seconds. "Are you married?"
"Uh... yeah."
"Do you have kids?"
"I have a son; he's five and a half now."
"Wow, that was fast."
Li Cheng felt somewhat restless inside. "What are your plans for the future?"
"Resign," Liu Wenyi suddenly sat up, "leave Night Market."
Li Cheng looked at her in surprise, "Leave? Where to?"
"I don't know," Liu Wenyi replied with a hint of defiance, leaning down to pick up her clothes and putting them on with determination.
Li Cheng felt a sharp pain in his heart, as if he were about to lose a precious treasure forever. He snatched the clothes from Liu Wenyi's hands, "Why are you leaving? Aren't you going to work?"
"Why can't I go to work?" Liu Wenyi retorted angrily, then bent over, covering her face and began to cry softly.
"Don't do this," Li Cheng sat up and pulled her into his arms. They both understood certain things, but the reality between them created a distance. In the heat of the moment last night, Li Cheng hadn't thought this far ahead. Now that a night had passed, facing the real issue—losing Liu Wenyi again—was something he couldn't accept.
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