The moment the words slipped out, Zhang Lian regretted them.
Perhaps it was because he had just secured the B-series car project and had an argument with the global team during a conference call. His mind was stimulated, so he opened a bottle of wine and sat drinking alone on the hotel balcony.
Slightly tipsy, hearing the girl on the other end of the line pouting and complaining coquettishly like during their previous intimate encounter, he couldn’t help but feel stirred, unconsciously uttering words that defied reason.
But he had to admit, he was quite taken with Zhou Mi’s style.
Her voice was captivating, crisp like a nightingale when she was temperamental, and like stirred honey when she spoke indistinctly.
And today he made a discovery—her crying was even more endearing.
Since the words had already been released like a kite with a broken string, he might as well see what happens and test Zhou Mi’s reaction by going with the flow.
After a moment of silence on the receiver, she cautiously spoke: “What do you mean?”
Playing against type during intimate moments had always been her forte. Zhang Lian was used to it and replied directly: “Can’t you tell what I mean?”
She took a shallow breath on the other end: “But we already know each other’s identities.”
Zhang Lian laughed: “Then what about last time? Who asked for the kiss?”
“Wow,” Zhou Mi’s tone rose, like a thief crying “catch thief,” forcefully: “Weren’t you the one who spoke to me first? You were the one who invited me over and approached me first.”
Zhang Lian couldn’t be bothered to argue about these trivial matters of sequence: “Rules are fixed, but people are adaptable. Being flexible isn’t necessarily a flaw.”
Zhou Mi righteously declared: “I don’t want to mess around with a superior.”
Her choice of words and logic was laughable. What they did before knowing each other wasn’t “messing around,” but now that they knew each other, it suddenly became “messing around.”
He decided to clarify with her tonight: “Did you ever guess my profession before?”
Zhou Mi said, “I wasn’t interested in guessing.” Then, as if eagerly raising her hand to answer in class, “Let me make it clear, I didn’t deliberately come to intern at your company. Before this, I didn’t know who you were, and I didn’t want to know either.”
Zhang Lian believed her, after all, her eyes and reaction on that day when they first met at the company couldn’t have been faked.
He clearly remembered how Zhou Mi looked as if she had been hit by an invisible truck, staring at him blankly, her shocked expression both naive and comical.
The night before, he had been working late reviewing creative work and had accidentally fallen asleep. When he woke up, he was groggy, walking with unsteady steps, his mind elsewhere, just wanting to get home quickly to catch up on sleep.
But the moment he saw Zhou Mi outside the door, he instantly became wide awake.
As they passed each other, he smiled in disbelief, feeling as if he were still in a dream.
Throughout that entire day, he would occasionally ponder this scene.
What was going on? How was it so interesting, so intriguing? How did she end up right in front of him?
Thinking of this, he replied casually: “I know.”
Zhou Mi paused: “What about you? Did you ever wonder what I did before?”
Zhang Lian certainly wouldn’t tell the truth: “I didn’t expect you to still be a student.”
Zhou Mi’s tone suddenly became displeased, as if she had slightly furrowed her brows: “Why, do I look old-fashioned?”
Zhang Lian didn’t answer immediately, deliberately creating a space for recollection and analysis: “Not old, just that your personality isn’t so troublesome.”
Sure enough, the little oriole chirped in protest.
“Your judgment is wrong,” she said.
“Is that so?” Zhang Lian’s lips twitched slightly, faintly: “Then give me more time, I’ll think about it more.”
—
By the time she ended the call, Zhou Mi’s head could have steamed dumplings.
Though she knew there was a good chance she was being sweet-talked and tricked, she couldn’t control herself, involuntarily indulging in this long-lost ambiguity.
Just earlier that day, they had been glaring at each other like enemies, and now, how much time had passed? The barriers and fortresses were breached again, and Zhang Lian effortlessly invaded her pink princess castle once more.
An appeasement policy, most deadly.
Zhou Mi pressed her hands against her cheeks to cool herself down, then sent a message to her close friend He Miaoyuan: Damn, I might be renewing my contract with Brother Wolf again.
He Miaoyuan: I already think you’re being pretentious.
Zhou Mi: How am I being pretentious?
He Miaoyuan: Who wouldn’t want to hook up with someone hot, good in bed, handsome, and rich?
Zhou Mi: Shouldn’t you blame the wolf for the temptation?
He Miaoyuan: Get lost.
Zhou Mi was a bit too absorbed in pleasure, letting her guard down, and decided to share her latest secret: Let me tell you something, but don’t tell anyone.
He Miaoyuan replied: Hmm?
Remembering this troublesome matter, Zhou Mi’s lips drooped: I’m pregnant.
He Miaoyuan: No way????
Zhou Mi said: I’m not kidding you.
He Miaoyuan’s profanity filled the screen: Holy crap holy crap holy crap.
Then she asked: Whose?
Zhou Mi: Who else could it be?
He Miaoyuan: Your boss’s?
She found it incredible: And you’re still going for it? Mother and child going into battle together??
Her description made Zhou Mi both laugh and cry: Of course I’ll deal with the pregnancy first.
He Miaoyuan sent a facepalm expression: Wake up! You’re still going to continue with this kind of man? Didn’t you use protection last time?
Zhou Mi was equally perplexed: We did use protection, just not at the beginning. Who knew it would turn out like this? Such bad luck.
He Miaoyuan said: And he’s making you get an abortion.
Zhou Mi said: I didn’t want to keep it anyway.
Miaoyuan’s tone sounded like she no longer trusted this world: Did he say he wants to continue seeing you?
Zhou Mi replied: More or less.
He Miaoyuan snorted: He’s indirectly rushing you to get an abortion! He’s afraid you’ll drag it out and try to pin it on him. Once you get rid of it, he’ll find an excuse to dump you!! Who will you turn to then? Can’t you be more careful??
Her friend’s words were like a long whistle at a track meet, jolting Zhou Mi’s drowsy, half-asleep brain nerves.
Something began to take shape in her thoughts, peeling away layer by layer. Though she was leaning against a warm bed, she felt like a soap bubble blown into cold air, cooling inch by inch from head to toe.
She replied to He Miaoyuan with a chill through her body: I think you’re right…
He Miaoyuan: Of course! How could it not be?
Zhou Mi’s heart raced: What should I do?
He, Miaoyuan, decisively said: I’ll go with you for the abortion. Then don’t contact him anymore. As soon as your three-month internship is over, leave Aoxing. The further away you stay from such scum, the better.
Zhou Mi almost wanted to reach through the screen and clasp her hands: My dear Yan, thank you. Only now can I think clearly.
He Miaoyuan was filled with righteous indignation: Damn, you should have told me earlier.
Zhou Mi felt a pang in her heart and sent back a crying emoji: I thought I could handle it myself.
He Miaoyuan copied the same expression: Don’t worry, my lab has nothing tomorrow, I’ll go with you.
—
Before turning off the lights to sleep, Zhou Mi asked Ye Yan for another day off, saying her school matter was confirmed for tomorrow, which, conveniently, followed by the weekend, meant she needed three days off.
Her supervisor’s response was very businesslike: Mi, it’s almost one o’clock and you’re just telling me now?
Zhou Mi pressed her lips together: I’m sorry, I might not be sleeping well lately, so I tend to forget things.
But Ye Yan only complained a little before saying: It’s fine, take care of your matters first.
Zhou Mi felt like crying again.
Girls are all so nice.
Early the next morning, Zhou Mi arranged to meet He Miaoyuan at the entrance of her residential complex. He Miaoyuan, wasn’t a native of Yi City but from neighboring Su Province. When her parents divorced in her first year of high school, she moved to Yi City with her mother and stepfather. After transferring schools, she happened to be in Zhou Mi’s class, even becoming her deskmate.
Their personalities complemented each other, and they got along well. Their homes were close, so they were used to coming and going together, which meant that even when they specialized in different subjects in their second year of high school, their friendship didn’t fade.
They later both entered F University, one studying arts, the other sciences.
They both continued with master’s degrees at the same school, keeping in step.
When they first entered university, Zhou Mi had said, “Our relationship is so stable, let’s not find partners in the future and just live together.”
But not long after, she got a boyfriend, who was also a mutual friend from their undergraduate days, Lu Ming.
Lu Ming was from a coastal city in the south, with long limbs, tanned skin, and a dazzling smile, exuding a strong youthful vibe. He was one year ahead of them, but always called them “Sister Mi” and “Sister Yan.” The three were all in the Fantasy Club and became close through various activities.
Zhou Mi was somewhat introverted with strangers, or you could say slow to warm up, true to her name. But with her outstanding looks and eye-catching figure, she naturally had many pursuers. Among the men who came and went, there were inevitably some with ulterior motives and improper behavior. Lu Ming would usually take on the role of “protector” with a playful smile, cleverly keeping them away.
Their relationship changed during the winter break of their sophomore year. On the night of the first day of the Lunar New Year, Lu Ming suddenly messaged her on WeChat: Zhou Mi, I made a wish at the Mazu Temple this morning.
At that time, Zhou Mi had just returned from visiting her grandmother’s house, having spent the whole day taking care of her cousins’ children. She was slumped on the sofa with an aching back and replied impatiently: Just say what you want to say.
Lu Ming said: I said in my heart, my name is Lu Ming, and there’s a girl I like named Zhou Mi. Our names sound like a couple’s name together. Can we become a real couple?
In that moment, Zhou Mi felt all her fatigue disappear, as if she had gone from lying on the sofa to lying in the middle of train tracks, with a red train circling her, making clacking sounds, over and over again.
Later, she realized that it was her heartbeat, drowning out all other sounds.
Perhaps they started too beautifully.
Which made the ending seem all the more tragic and colorless.
Zhou Mi sniffed hard under her umbrella. Today was still not a good day for the weather.
In the misty, fine rain, He Miaoyuan stopped her car in front of her.
She had a white Toyota, an old model passed down from her stepfather. The most valuable thing about it was the license plate, which cost more than three times the original price of the car.
Zhou Mi closed her umbrella and sat in the passenger seat. He Miaoyuan’s first glance was to examine her face, the second to look at her abdomen, joking: “You can’t tell at all.”
Zhou Mi said, “It hasn’t been that long.”
She formed a circle with her index finger and thumb, with almost no gap: “Yesterday’s report showed it’s about this big, probably just the size of a roasted soybean.”
He Miaoyuan, glanced at her: “You make it sound quite appetizing.”
Zhou Mi laughed: “Want to eat it? I’ll give it to you, old witch, save me all this trouble.”
“No, no, no,” He Miaoyuan waved her hand vigorously: “Let’s not joke about life.”
Zhou Mi’s expression immediately sobered: “Anyway, I’m going to say goodbye to it.”
Seeing the atmosphere in the car suddenly stiffen, He Miaoyuan encouraged her: “Cheer up! Having this kind of experience isn’t something to be ashamed of. It’s good to cut your losses early. In a few days, you’ll be the full-of-energy, brand-new Mi Mi again.”
Zhou Mi smiled faintly: “Mm, I’ll try.”
The doctor in the outpatient department this morning was the same woman, who still remembered Zhou Mi: “You were just here yesterday, right?”
Remembering that her friend was waiting outside, Zhou Mi’s courage rose, and she became more determined: “Yes.”
She asked: “Have you made up your mind?”
Zhou Mi said: “Yes.”
After completing the routine examination, the female doctor looked at the transvaginal ultrasound results recorded in the computer: “Your gestation is short, and the gestational sac is small. I recommend a medical abortion first. I’ll prescribe two medications for you to take home. Take mifepristone on an empty stomach in the morning, and come to the hospital to take misoprostol on the third morning. Don’t move around too much or eat irregularly these days.”
She also carefully explained some follow-up precautions, very detached, yet also very reliable.
Zhou Mi swallowed nervously: “Will it be very painful?”
The female doctor seemed to smile, with a meaningful look: “Do you think it should be painful or not painful?”
Zhou Mi didn’t answer.
—
When walking out of the outpatient building, Zhou Mi held He Miaoyuan’s hand tightly, as if wanting to transfer part of all her weakness and strength to her friend in order to stand straight herself.
He Miaoyuan, also firmly gripped her fingers.
Zhou Mi’s eyes had a sparkle: “I’m feeling better.”
He Miaoyuan, said: “The rain has stopped too.”
Zhou Mi reached out her hand to catch it, but only an imperceptible breeze passed through her palm. The sky was now an endless gray-blue lake, so thick, like a kind of release: “You’re right.”
They smiled at each other until they reached the car and separated their hands.
He Miaoyuan fastened her seatbelt: “Let’s go get some breakfast first, something light?”
Zhou Mi said, “You haven’t eaten yet?”
He Miaoyuan, said: “I was waiting for you.”
Zhou Mi smiled slightly: “Then let’s go have some congee, how boring.”
“In your condition, you still want to eat spicy food?” He Miaoyuan, gripped the steering wheel with both hands and drove slowly out of the parking lot.
Zhou Mi turned her head to look out the window. The neatly arranged cars looked like colorful empty boxes. Her tone was much lighter: “Let’s just call it a punk abortion.”
He Miaoyuan almost laughed herself breathless.
As they drove onto the road, Zhou Mi’s phone suddenly vibrated in her bag.
Zhou Mi took it out and glanced at it, seeing those four characters. Her brows furrowed, and she directly rejected the call.
Almost without a pause, the other party called again.
He Miaoyuan, glanced at her: “Who is it?”
“Who else could it be?” Zhou Mi held up the phone to show her.
“Just answer it, what are you afraid of?” He Miaoyuan, raised an eyebrow slightly.
Zhou Mi sighed: “It’s not fear, it’s just annoying, unlucky. I get goosebumps just hearing him speak.”
He Miaoyuan laughed: “Last night you were still lovey-dovey and excited.”
“What’s wrong with changing my mind overnight?” Zhou Mi snorted, determined to use her current momentum to wipe the slate clean, and pressed the green button, bringing the phone to her ear.
“Is this Zhou Mi?”
However, the voice on the other end asking for her name wasn’t Zhang Lian’s, but another female voice that sounded slightly older and somewhat familiar.
A bad intuition reignited like embers, rising around her. Zhou Mi grew suspicious and responded softly.
“I’m Teacher Xun,” in an instant of shocking sweat, the other party continued politely: “I’m also Zhang Lian’s mother. I’m very sorry to have just learned about the unpleasant experience my son has caused you. Are you free today? We would like to meet with you.”