Chapter 10

 

Today, Jinxin Winery was packed with guests, all of whom come to the restaurant to celebrate the millennium New Year’s Eve.

The joyful atmosphere filled the table and happiness was reflected on everyone’s face.

When Liang Jiancheng walked in, he saw Ming Xi standing at the front desk, talking to Boss Jin. He had hosted several banquets for suppliers at this restaurant, and thanks to Boss Jin’s good memory, he was easily recognized.

Professor Liang, who had come in with him, also saw Ming Xi. His peripheral vision swept over the large table by the window. A certain female student, upon seeing him come in, shrank her head, almost burying herself under the table.

Professor Liang chose to turn a blind eye.

Hunger can make even a fine face look unpleasant—certainly less so than one that’s just eaten. In contrast to Ming Xi’s bright and pleasant smile, the professor’s expression was cool and distant, as though he hardly knew her.

Ming Xi grumbled to herself, how could giving gift destroy the remaining goodwill she had.

Feeling a little guilty, her voice came out faintly—especially in the noisy restaurant, where it was hard to hear anything clearly. When the professor walked closer, she softly called out, “Good evening, Professor.” Professor Liang not only didn’t hear her, but also walked past her indifferently.

Ming Xi: …sweating.

The professor’s son, Liang Jiancheng, greeted her instead.

Ming Xi smiled, trying to resolve the awkwardness herself, and immediately began to say auspicious words: “Happy New Year, Mr. Liang. What a coincidence meeting you here—may you start the new year with the new business deals and enjoy success upon success!”

Liang Jiancheng possessed the relaxed air of a Shanghai intellectual, a unique aloofness fused with warmth, thus projecting a gentlemanly demeanor amidst the bustling atmosphere. He also responded with auspicious words: “Thank you… Since I’ve already wished you a happy millennium earlier, let me instead wish you a bright future, lasting friendships, and success in everything you do.”

His words were pleasant, and his gaze swept courteously across her group of classmates.

Ming Xi felt truly encourage by Liang Jiancheng’s blessing, and her eyes were filled with joy.

Borrowing the auspicious words from a noble person, may everything really go smoothly from here on.

Suddenly, Ming Xi raised her head, turned around, pulled out a hundred yuan from the envelope, and called out to Boss Jin, who was bowing obsequiosly to Liang Jiancheng. She said in the same confident, guest-like tone, “Uncle Jin, here’s an extra hundred. Please add another roast duck for us, and throw in a few more dishes of your choice.”

With that, she deftly placed the bright red bill into his hand.

Boss Jin: …! Well, isn’t she generous!

Professor Liang: …

The professor might have been a little hard of hearing earlier, but he certainly caught Ming Xi’s loud and lively voice now. When their eyes met, she was still standing there, head held high, smiling up at him—bright and charming.

His face stiffened. He wanted to tell her to come to the private room later, but it wasn’t convenient to say so in front of all her classmates, so he simply asked, “Are you going straight home afterward?”

Ming Xi didn’t grasp the meaning behind his words. Failing to realize he was hinting for her to come by later, she blurted out in all honesty, “I’m not going home tonight—I’m staying out all night!”

Forget it, maybe next time! Professor Liang’s face remained blank. Hands clasped behind his back, he turned and headed straight for the private dining room.

Ming Xi forced a small smile and waved casually at the two of them before returning to her classmates’ table. Seeing that she’d not only paid the bill but even ordered extra dishes, Cai Ni pinched her hand in distress. “Are you crazy? Burning money for fun?”

Ming Xi replied righteously, “Not much—just felt like setting a little on fire.”

Since she’d already covered the bill, the boys felt a bit embarrassed. They insisted that they would pay for the next event—tonight’s skating trip.

Cai Ni crossed her arms in displeasure and scolded, “That goes without saying! You should be grateful you got out of paying for dinner! After skating, we’re setting off fireworks—don’t tell me we have to chip in for that too?”

Feeling his pride pricked, Han Junjun straightened up. He looked deeply at Ming Xi and said generously, “Since Ming Xi paid for dinner, I’ll take care of the ice skating and fireworks tonight!”

Pfft!

Dezi couldn’t resist teasing him again: “Brother Junjun, courting is not a business deal—take it easy, man.”

“Yeah, what’s the deal between you two anyway? Are you getting married? Other people’s weddings don’t hold banquets like this.” Another boy joined in the fun, taking the opportunity to improve the relationship between Ming Xi and Han Junjun.

Cai Ni wouldn’t let them take advantage of her Ming Xi like that. She jumped up protectively and said, “You can tease Brother Junjun all you want, but don’t drag my Ming Xi into it! If Ming Xi’s getting married, it’ll be to me! The rest of you, back off!”

Cai Ni spoke passionately, while Ming Xi tilted her head slightly, her eyes gleaming with a charming smile. Amidst the excitement and spirit of the night, she almost forgot that after tonight—she might have to walk her path alone.

Boss Jin served their table another roast duck and a few cold dishes. Whatever they couldn’t finish, they packed up to take away.

And then—

They happily rushed off to their next adventure.

Compared to the bustling crowd outside, the private room inside was much quieter, though the murmur of chatter and laughter still drifted in faintly. Jinxin Winery was an old establishment in Yicheng. Boss Jin was a true Beijing native, having stayed in Yicheng for love. Despite a relationship that was strongly disapproved of by his Beijing family, the couple now thrives.

Ming Decheng had known Boss Jin before because he often came to eat there.

Boss Jin was a master at judging people, and he would usually entertain people like Mr. Liang personally rather than through a hired hand. He warmly entered the private room and offered a warm welcome, then casually started talking to Mr. Liang and Professor Liang.

Ordinarily, the two wouldn’t have been given a private room, but Boss Jin had made a special exception for them.

If Professor Liang hadn’t been so averse to noise, Liang Jiancheng wouldn’t have made such a request. If he hadn’t been dragged here by force today, Professor Liang would have preferred to take a few steamed buns and a hot dish from the cafeteria home for a quick meal.

It was naturally difficult for a man like his father and a woman like his mother to get along. That they’d ever been together at all was, in itself, a mystery.

Boss Jin personally served the roast duck and placed it in front of Professor Liang. Professor Liang noticed that Ming Xi and Boss Jin seemed know each other, so he took the initiative to ask, “Boss, do you know the short-haired girl outside?”

“You mean Ming Xi? I ​​know her. I know her father.” Boss Jin immediately started the conversation.

Professor Liang asked, “What happened to her father?”

Boss Jin replied: “Ran away! The whole family up and disappeared—left her behind all alone.”

Professor Liang frowned.

Boss Jin went on, “Not only did he run away, but he also left behind a pile of debts… From what I hear, he even sold her off. Isn’t that illegal? That Ming Decheng, always a shady one—ran off and left his own daughter to deal with the mess. The little girl may be fine now; the other party doesn’t dare to do anything to her… But between us,” he leaned in, lowering his voice, “a girl under twenty, no matter how tough she acts—if men keep showing up at her door, one after another—well, even if it starts out illegal, sooner or later it’ll get made legal, right?

“As long as it’s ‘legal,’ and the creditors stop chasing, her father gets to come back home scot-free!”

Professor Liang: …

Liang Jiancheng: …

Boss Jin shook his head. That thousand yuan he’d given Ming Xi earlier had actually been money he’d wrung back out of her father, then passed along to her. The whole affair was a muddy mess he couldn’t get involved in; the most he could do was grumble a little.

The roast duck on the table was golden and crispy, with distinct textures.

Ming Xi’s words in the apartment last week suddenly came back to mind:

“… I came here just to try my luck. If you can’t recommend me, then I’m still head to a big city to look for job… if I don’t regret my decisions, then I can naturally accept all the consequences of that decision. I won’t turn back. I believe a path is made by walking it.”

Inside the private room, the professor’s face had gone still and silent.

Liang Jiancheng suddenly rose and left.

Boss Jin’s words had been blunt—too blunt—and far too quick to judge a young woman’s fate. Only now did Liang Jiancheng realize that what she’d said that day—“I won’t turn back. I believe a path is made by walking it”—hadn’t been a deliberate rebellious retort to his father, but a vow of resolve.

Even though Liang Jiancheng had no particular interest in playing hero, especially not in the tired trope of “saving a damsel in distress,” something about this situation moved him against his own nature. He didn’t know if he could help her—but at least he could offer her a choice.

Unfortunately, Boss Jin’s story came too late. Liang Jiancheng was one step behind.

Outside, the table by the window was already empty.

The table was empty, leaving only the remains of food after the lively gathering. Liang Jiancheng’s calm gaze darkened for a moment before he turned back to the private room…

…

That night, Ming Xi and Cai Ni went ice skating with their friends. They skated in long chains, laughing as they sped around the rink. Near the end, Han Junjun tightly held Ming Xi’s hand, his gaze nervous but determined, leading her round and round without caring for anything else.

Ming Xi wasn’t very good at skating—her movements were unsteady—but Han Junjun stayed close, keeping her from falling even once.

The speakers blared the era’s biggest Cantopop hits — “Boundless Oceans, Vast Skies,” “Thousands of Songs,” “Thank You for Your Love 1999,” and of course, the song that had echoed all year long: “Meet in 1998.”

Come on, come on, let’s meet at ‘98.

Come on, come on, let’s meet at ‘98.

…

They weren’t meeting in ’98 anymore, but crossing into a brand-new century. When the clock struck midnight, fireworks burst across the sky. Cai Ni tugged her arm, shouting over the noise, “Quick! Let’s make a wish!”

Ming Xi closed her eyes, the wish in her heart was every blessing from Liang Jiancheng today—

A bright future, lasting friendship, and success in everything.

Think about it, such a perfect wish was too greedy; it was no longer a wish, but a fantasy. So let’s be more concrete and down-to-earth — let’s wish for a job first!

As she thought that, her phone vibrated softly in her pocket.

She pulled it out and looked at it, her heart dropped. It was just a holiday message from her mobile provider, wishing her a Happy New Year 2000. But when she scrolled down, her pulse quickened. There it was—an unfamiliar number, and an unexpected interview invitation.

The text message was sent during dinner time, and she just saw it now.

A few days ago, at the Yicheng Textile Conference, she handed out her resumes to several bosses, but none had response. This was her only interview invitation. A company called Haiou Foreign Trade Co., Ltd., with a number starting with 134, had officially sent her an interview notice:

Dear Ms. Ming, thank you for your interest in our company.

We are pleased to invite you for a formal interview on January 2nd at 10:00 a.m. Please bring your résumé and identification. Thank you for your support of Haiou, and we look forward to having you join us as we create a bright future together.

As fireworks bloomed overhead, Ming Xi turned and threw her arms around Cai Ni, her eyes shining with excitement—almost tearful. All her life, she’d never feared walking alone; what she feared most was finding no road ahead.

Cai Ni, not knowing the reason for her sudden emotion, hugged her back tightly and said, moved, “Ming Xi, everything will be okay. You still have me—I’ll always be by your side.”

Ming Xi hugged Cai Ni tightly and said after a long while: “Cai Ni, Happy Millennium… But I may not be able to watch the Millennium Sunrise with you…”

At one o’clock in the morning, Ming Xi rode on Han Junjun’s motorcycle to Yicheng Railway Station.

Han Junjun was tall and broad-shouldered, wearing a padded leather jacket and flared pants. His hair was permed into loose curls — he was clearly going for a “cool, handsome” look, but he had overdone it so much that it came out looking a bit comical.

Ming Xi climbed off the motorcycle, and Han Junjun took her suitcase down for her. Standing before her, his face showed a pained hesitation.

“You’re really leaving?” he asked, struggling to accept it.

Ming Xi nodded. “…Mm.”

She might be safe in Yicheng for now, but the longer she stayed, the more risks she ran. There was no way she could win against Liu Xinjun alone. The only thing she could do — just like Ming Decheng — was to run, and run far.

If she had to run eventually, she might as well do it early.

Leaving later would only make it harder.

She couldn’t bear to part with Cai Ni, her classmates and friends in Yicheng, including Cai Ni’s mom and dad. She couldn’t bear to leave them all…

Even though her broken home was no longer worth remembering.

“Ming Xi, I really like you!” Han Junjun blurted out again, eyes squeezed shut, his words blown about by the cold night wind.

Ming Xi drew her coat tighter and looked at him, her eyes bright and calm. “Thank you for everything today… but I have to be honest. What you feel for me right now might just be a momentary crush — or maybe I’m just the person you happen to like in your small circle right now. You’ve confessed to me three times. I could’ve said yes, and we could’ve dated like everyone else, to pass the time — but I don’t want to do that. I don’t want to fall for you just out of impulse or gratitude. I want to chase my own life first, to have confidence and choices of my own — and only then choose the person I truly want to love.”

Ming Xi rarely spoke so much, and her sincere, frank and unyielding attitude left Han Junjun with no opening to say anything more.

“Then…can I still wait for you?” he asked, trying to sound cool, but the tremor in his voice betrayed his nervousness and the smallness of his hope.

“Of course you can. But I don’t want you to wait just for the sake of waiting. If we’re meant to meet again, we will — and I hope, when that day comes, we’ll both be doing well.”

The night wind nearly blew her nose numb, yet the words she spoke were the warmest and most romantic of the winter — to a boy she barely knew.

But tonight’s emotions and the flutter of youth were real. When Han Junjun held her hand and skated around the entire skating rink, her heart had raced; her cheeks had flushed red.

The sweat of his palm had dampened hers, a thin film of warmth and nervousness — a quiet, wordless bond between a boy and a girl.

After the final farewell, Ming Xi walked towards the train station carrying her suitcase.

There was a train from Yicheng to Haigang at two o’clock in the morning, but there were only standing tickets.

“That’s fine, a standing ticket will do.”

…

At dawn, the rising sun cut through the clatter of the moving train. Ming Xi stretched out her hand—her pale, slender fingers bathed in a soft golden glow.

She dialed a number.

The telephone at Cai Ni’s house rang shrilly.

Ming Xi held the phone and said, “Auntie, can you wake Cai Ni up for me?”

Less than two minutes later, Cai Ni’s slightly sleepy voice came through the receiver, “Ming Xi…are you there yet? Are you in Haigang already?”

“Not yet.” Ming Xi half-lay on the carriage floor, slightly moving her stiff and numb legs, looking outside with a faint smile.

She was now further east than Cai Ni, and the sunrise time was earlier than Yicheng. Here, the sun had already lifted over the horizon; in Yicheng, it was only beginning to break.

“Don’t sleep anymore, get up and watch the first sunrise of 2000.” Ming Xi’s light and hoarse voice reached Cai Ni’s ears through the static.

Cai Ni froze, then quickly told her mother to open the curtains.

Beyond the rows of old, low apartment buildings, golden light spilled through the leafless winter trees. The sky flared bright as the round sun rose, bathing all of Yicheng in morning glow.

The first sunrise of the new millennium had come.

They had promised to watch it together—and Ming Xi had kept her word.

Cai Ni’s eyes welled up with tears. She turned around and shouted to her mother who was walking around in the kitchen, “Mom—I want to eat fried dough sticks and soup dumplings today! And tofu pudding too!”

Previous     TOC     Next