Liu Jun was very grateful and quite admired Qian Hongming’s patience. Only a true brother would have the heart to help him handle such seemingly minor matters so thoughtfully. However, living alone at the R&D center and eating at the cafeteria daily, even the greenest vegetables would be useless to him, so he took the package intact to Cui Bingbing. Of course, since she wasn’t answering calls or replying to texts, Liu Jun went directly to her door, used the key in his hand to open it, and placed the vegetables on the coffee table in the living room.
On the weekend, Cui Bingbing was living a rich and colorful life, having gone out for activities with who knows whom. Liu Jun saw two dresses and hangers still thrown on the bedroom bed, obviously from hurried outfit changes. Cui Bingbing used to do this often, with Liu Jun always meticulously cleaning up her battlefield. Of course, Liu Jun could also patiently be lazy and wait for Cui Bingbing to return and organize everything methodically herself. But Liu Jun’s proud engineering personality had zero tolerance for this, invisibly creating enormous pressure on Cui Bingbing. After so many days of cohabitation, Cui Bingbing had been reformed to become more orderly. However, once Cui Bingbing returned to single life, everything reverted to the old ways, and she spitefully reverted with a vengeance.
Therefore, when Cui Bingbing returned late after having her fill of fun, she first saw the package of vegetables in the living room and angrily thought: this person actually enters and exits her boudoir so brazenly, thinking he’s someone special. Going into the bedroom and seeing the mess, she was even more furious – he didn’t consider himself an outsider. If she wanted to throw things around in her own home, she would throw them around – who asked him to clean up? According to Cui Bingbing’s usual personality, she should have grabbed the phone right then to call and scold him. But she still chose to endure. She refused Liu Jun’s casual disrespect and absolutely wouldn’t initiate contact. She brooded for a while, not angry, just aimlessly thinking randomly, spacing out, feeling irritated, and only with great difficulty managed to wash up with many mistakes before sleeping. Her face was still burning when she went to bed because she had mistakenly rubbed toothpaste all over her face as facial cleanser.
In her drowsiness, she heard forceful door-knocking. Cui Bingbing’s first thought was that the bastard had forgotten his keys, so she rolled out of bed and rushed out of the bedroom, crashing headfirst into the security door. The pain woke her up, but the surroundings were midnight quiet – where was any door-knocking? Besides, unless that bastard was drunk, how could he possibly have the nerve to come over? She turned on the hall light and looked through the peephole – indeed, there wasn’t a soul outside. Cui Bingbing rubbed her bruised forehead and returned to bed dejectedly. After all that commotion, her heart was beating like drums, and her breathing became rapid. Her mind was abnormally clear at this hour, as clear as the heartbeat in her chest. In the darkness, Cui Bingbing could no longer deceive herself. She hadn’t been living dashingly these past few days – it wasn’t the unconstrained, happy single life she claimed. Deep in her heart, she didn’t know how much she wished Liu Jun would be a scoundrel and secretly lurk in her home, waiting for her.
She could no longer sleep, so she hesitantly climbed out of bed again and sat in front of the computer.
“Fine, I’ll sign. But the content must add the following clauses: First, all income from both parties belongs entirely to each respective person; Second, household expenses AA…”
She didn’t sleep all night because Cui Bingbing knew well the consequences of writing this email and could guess what Liu Jun’s response would be. Sure enough, at seven o’clock Sunday morning, Liu Jun’s call came to Cui Bingbing’s phone. This was also the time Cui Bingbing had anticipated – on Sundays, Liu Jun got up slightly later and didn’t exercise, browsing emails and news while eating breakfast. Perfect timing to see her email. Cui Bingbing didn’t know if she should feel pleased about Liu Jun’s quick response.
“A’San, I’m looking at your email right now. That’s not what I meant. You didn’t read the content of the agreement I gave you…”
“My proposal amounts to the same thing – all roads lead to Rome anyway. Regardless of what your agreement means, my first clause should fully include and exceed your rights claims, and since I agree to the first clause, we have reason to adopt it. As for the second clause, household expenses are so little…”
“That’s not what I meant. Be rational, okay? Don’t say spiteful things. Let’s talk about the second clause first – household expenses will be entirely covered by me…”
“No, men and women are equal. Besides, household expenses aren’t much, and I also want to bear half the cost of supporting the family. I think my proposal is simple and clear, easy to understand, convenient to operate, and not prone to errors. Otherwise, with my carefree personality, I’d have to worry daily about violating which clause of the agreement – that’s no way to live.”
Liu Jun frowned, “Sorry, I was careless just now and didn’t notice when you sent the email. Did I wake you up? Why don’t you sleep a bit more, and I’ll bring breakfast up.”
“Don’t avoid the issue. I’m wide awake. Since today I’m laying out my true feelings to you: I originally hoped my married life would follow my parents’ model – no one really in charge, all the family money in a drawer for whoever needs it to take, even I could take from it, but everyone takes responsibility for this home. But now you’re right – that was a model from the past economic environment. Now it must change according to realistic social conditions. Of course, I can’t fight for equality and women’s rights on one hand while using my gender as an excuse not to bear household expenses on the other, or use marriage as grounds to demand a share of the Liu family assets – taking advantages from both sides would be shameless, and I can’t do that. What do you say?”
“A mature person, regardless of the situation, should consciously pursue balance among responsibilities, rights, and benefits. This is by no means malicious. Your understanding of women’s rights also needs discussion. Gender equality refers to equality based on actual physiological differences between the sexes, not women wielding sledgehammers just because men can. You might still think my proposed agreement harbors ill intentions. Let’s stop here for today and both calm down. I have a flight to Xi’an soon, then transfer to Xinjiang. When I return, we’ll find time to talk face-to-face, okay?”
“What time is your flight? I’ll see you off – we can talk on the way, which counts as a face-to-face discussion.”
“Bingbing, I also need to calm down. Going to Xinjiang is exactly for this purpose. Not only in my personal life, but my work also faces a three-way crossroads – I need to make calm choices. After reaching Xi’an, I’ll meet up with university classmates living in Xi’an and Yinchuan, respectively. The three of us will drive a pickup truck westward. You don’t need to worry about me – those two classmates are excellent people. We’re bringing basic tools, and minor pickup truck repairs are no problem. I’m carrying both China Mobile and China Unicom phones. As long as there’s a signal, I’ll text you to report my safety.”
“You usually call me A’San. Two final questions: The two clauses I just mentioned basically ask for nothing – why still won’t you agree? When you return, will I lose you?”
“Sorry, Bingbing, I need to leave now. The driver is waiting at the door. Goodbye.” Liu Jun sighed and hung up the phone. In his mind appeared the image of Cui Bingbing from years ago, dressed like pH test paper, lively and cunning. Cui Bingbing wasn’t an unreasonable person, so why wouldn’t she have a proper dialogue now, always going to extremes? Where was the A’San who could pick things up and put them down?
But Cui Bingbing heard that even after her reminder, Liu Jun still refused to change and call her A’San, his tone remaining bland and businesslike. Suddenly, her heart felt hollow, her heartbeat heavy as drums again. She couldn’t help but excitedly call Liu Jun back, her emotions completely collapsing. “Give me the lawyer’s phone number. I’ll contact him today and go sign.”
“What happened over there? Are you sick? Or did you drink too much last night? Don’t lock your door – I’ll swing by quickly.”
Cui Bingbing thought on one hand: Is this neurotic person me? On the other hand, grief welled up, and she burst into loud tears. But her personality was habitually tough – after two sobs, the storm passed, leaving only red-rimmed eyes. When Liu Jun arrived, nothing was wrong with her except dark circles around red eyes, and she looked exceptionally haggard. She didn’t want to open the door, but feared Liu Jun would carry worries on his journey, making it unsafe, so she reluctantly opened it.
Liu Jun was startled to see this, but after looking, listening, asking, and feeling, he couldn’t find the cause. He could only repeatedly guarantee that proposing the agreement wasn’t malicious, but his handling method was incorrect and had hurt someone. Planes don’t wait for people. After Liu Jun reluctantly left Cui Bingbing with anxiety, Cui Bingbing stayed home wanting to slap herself – what was wrong with her? How did she suddenly have a breakdown and become so degraded? She wasn’t A’San anymore.
Liu Jun drove west with his classmates along the Hexi Corridor. All along the way were mountains, rivers, and deserts with extraordinary grandeur that opened one’s heart. Occasionally recalling the major and minor work entanglements from recent days, his chest filled with a different perspective. Wandering in the natural wonder of Devil City, Liu Jun caressed stone walls patiently yet tenaciously carved by thousands of years of wind and sand, and his heart suddenly cleared.
That evening at their lodging, he called Sun Gong. Even if we miss the opportunity with Donghai No. 1, we cannot abandon the pursuits in our hearts or the original intentions that brought us into this industry. Even without Donghai No. 1, high-performance robotics projects are our goal, and we must still rise to meet difficulties. We may lack funding and materials, need to extend our battle lines, and face a tortuous and difficult path ahead, but we believe in our efforts, believe that constant dripping wears away stone, and believe that heaven rewards the diligent. Liu Jun told Sun Gong to arrange for the first step to be taken by Tan Gong.