Chapter 44
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To thank Tang Li, I specifically used the payment I had recently earned from writing to invite him to a fairly nice restaurant. After we arrived, influenced by the atmosphere inside, I drank a few glasses of wine, and my words gradually became more frequent.
“Tang Li, thank you so much for everything during this time.” I said this with particular sincerity. When I had nothing at all, Tang Li’s companionship was undoubtedly the most precious thing.
“It’s nothing, Yan Shuang. We’re… friends, after all.” Halfway through the sentence, Tang Li paused, and his voice lowered.
I had long sensed Tang Li’s feelings and didn’t dwell on it. Instead, I brought up another topic. “Do you still remember when we first started university? Back then my temper was unbelievably stubborn. I had no idea what compromise meant. Because of that, there were several times I nearly drove my advisor crazy while handling things. Hahaha.”
Tang Li also seemed to recall something amusing and continued, “Yeah. Sometimes when a few of us skipped class, our favorite place to go was that patch of woods on the south side of the school. That’s where you, me, and Zhao Chong first got to know each other.” Tang Li took a bite of food. It was obvious that when we talked about the past, both of us were in high spirits.
“At that time, when Zhao Chong and I went to that grove, I still remember—one shout from you scared that guy so badly his guitar fell right out of his hands.”
“Hahaha.” I couldn’t hide my emotions. The moment Tang Li finished speaking, I was already laughing so hard my face turned red.
Yet, by unspoken agreement, neither of us mentioned the present.
Those simple yet lively and happy days when we were all together—I had turned them into sugar and stored them deep in my heart. Whenever life became bitter, I would take them out and lick a little, then deceive myself, saying, “Meng Yanshuang, life is still sweet, isn’t it?”
As I spoke, I couldn’t help but mock myself. “Ever since we graduated from university, my life feels like it fell straight into a gutter. My original dreams were all defeated by these trivial matters of daily living.”
Tang Li shook his head. “Do you know why everyone liked you back in university?”
I looked at him. His tone was calm as he continued, “You had a distinct personality. You were independent and had your own ideas. More importantly, when we were with you, we all felt comfortable and relaxed. You were like light. And now, I hope this light can shine on herself.”
He looked straight at me. I stared back at him blankly, not even sure whether my face had turned red. I came from the countryside and naturally couldn’t compare to Tang Li. Now that I had fallen to such a state, he was still comforting me so gently. I didn’t know how I was supposed to respond.
Fortunately, at that moment, Tang Li’s phone rang. I smiled and gestured for him to answer it and not worry about me. Trusting me, Tang Li picked up right away, and soon I heard Yu Jin’s furious voice coming through the phone.
“Surname Tang! You’d better tell me where that woman Meng Yanshuang is! If it weren’t for her, would my family have ended up like this?!”
Tang Li glanced at me with some concern, but seeing my cold smile and apparent indifference, he replied bluntly, “Yu Jin, is it? I won’t even ask how you got my number. I only know that your family’s current situation is entirely your own doing. If you weren’t so greedy, how would you have reduced yourselves to the point where you don’t even dare face people?”
“And another thing,” Tang Li leaned back slightly, his tone slowing, “you already have a wife, yet you still messed around with other women and hurt her. As a man, I truly look down on you.” Without waiting for Yu Jin to say anything else, Tang Li hung up.
Imagining Yu Jin’s face twisting in anger on the other end of the line, I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. I hadn’t expected that Tang Li—who usually seemed quiet and gentlemanly—could say something so satisfying.
