This might be the last time I'm alone with him in a closed space. I suddenly feel very unwilling because I didn't say goodbye properly when I left last time. At the very least, I could have held his hand like in an idol drama, looked into his eyes deeply, and said, "Promise me you'll be happy!" That would have given me fewer excuses to stay up all night.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, but my heart was pounding with fear. I silently commanded myself, "One, two, three—turn around, one, two, three—turn around!" But my body felt like it was nailed to the spot, unable to move. Watching the elevator continue its descent on the LCD screen, I broke out in a cold sweat, and could only silently pray—that the elevator would break down, that the elevator would break down.
It's as if God specifically sent things to work against me, so the elevator couldn't possibly be broken, so it quickly stopped on the first floor, and the doors opened just as quickly. But at that moment, I suddenly burst into tears. Since I couldn't say goodbye in words, at least let me mourn for three seconds, so I stood there without moving.
Strangely, the shadow behind me didn't move. This discovery reignited a burning flame of hope within me, finally filling me with courage once more. This time, I was ready. Just as I turned around, a cool breeze swept past me, and Yin Tianyu suddenly walked past me, stepping out of the elevator. The gleaming elevator car of the five-star hotel reflected my disheveled smile, palely telling the story of an outdated woman's outdated love.
For some, love is like a small, ambiguous hole piercing their heart. No matter how long it lasts, the slightest disturbance will cause a sharp, chilling pain. For others, love is like alcohol; once exposed to the air, it will naturally evaporate over time.
The bleeding from my left hand hadn't stopped; it seemed that the blow had been too severe. My heart ached. How many boiled eggs would I have to eat to make up for it? I might as well have donated it instead of letting it bleed away like this. I had no choice but to take a taxi to the hospital. But I didn't want to run into people whose names made my heart ache just hearing them at the hotel entrance, so I walked two blocks before finally standing on the street trying to hail a taxi. But it turned out this section of road was a one-way street, and I couldn't get a cab even after standing there for over ten minutes.
I don't know if I pinched too hard, but my left hand became ice cold, my eyes felt a little dizzy, and my legs felt a little weak as I stood there.
I plopped down on the side of the road, glanced at my watch—the winning numbers would be announced in a dozen hours. I felt so tired, I leaned against a lamppost, couldn't help but yawn, and wondered why I was so sleepy. Then I just fell asleep.
I haven't had such a deep and sweet sleep in a long time, waking up naturally. Every pore on my body happily opened up and breathed in the morning air.
I got out of bed and found myself in a narrow hospital bed. Although I had woken up in a hospital once before, I was still embarrassingly panicked. As soon as I jumped out of bed, I kicked the plastic bedpan off the floor. With the sound of the bedpan hitting the ground, Xia Mengmeng rushed in, disheveled: "What's wrong, Li Hao?! What's wrong?"
When I first saw Xia Mengmeng, I was furious, but when I saw her bloodshot eyes staring at me like a turtle looking at an egg, I seemed to be unable to lash out.
"You're awake?!" Xia Mengmeng said obsequiously.
"You think it's a zombie coming back to life?" She rubbed her foot irritably, only then noticing the bandage on her left wrist.
Xia Mengmeng, eager to take credit, said, "I took you to the hospital last night. I was worried you were upset, so I gave you a small dose of sedative on the doctor's advice, and you slept comfortably. I didn't sleep a wink all night, hehehe..."
"What? A tranquilizer? You think I'm crazy?!" The anger in her heart surged up.
"But Mr. Lin told me that you... no, no, hehehe, whether it was suicide or homicide, it won't hurt to rest, right? The doctor said you lost too much blood, hehehe." Xia Mengmeng hurriedly tried to find a way to smooth things over, but little did she know that the more she tried to cover it up, the more she would reveal her guilt. Seeing my unfriendly expression, she could only use a dry laugh to hide her guilt.
"Was that scene yesterday something you deliberately arranged?" I asked her through gritted teeth.
"I swear on my husband's name, I meant absolutely nothing by it. Mr. Lin is handsome, steady, and capable. You two broke up before because you were both married and destined to have no future. Now that his wife is dead, you can rightfully marry him. Yin Tianyu is so good to you, it's outrageous! You could easily live a comfortable life with either of these men. Most importantly, both of them are wealthy and like you. But with your temper, if I didn't step in and create opportunities for you..." "Then you'll just have to continue with this acne-covered face and hormonal imbalance. But I don't know which one you like better. It's your fault for never telling me the truth, so I had to lump them both together. I didn't know you'd get indigestion to the point of wanting to cut your wrists. If I had known, I wouldn't have done it, even if you killed me. So, in the end, it's all your fault! Always hiding your feelings. If you like someone, you like them; it's just a simple question. Why make everyone guess? Is that fun?! Look, you've gone too far!"
I stared blankly, pondering a question—why was I so ungrateful? Seeing that I was finally dazed, Xia Mengmeng breathed a sigh of relief, calmly smoothing her hair, and said, "Okay, don't say anything more. Let's go home. I looked after you all night and I'm exhausted. You need to rest. The doctor said you need to take good care of yourself, and the wound is quite deep, requiring over ten stitches. You can't get it wet for a while. You know, at the hospital, the doctor is the boss…"
"What time is it now?" I suddenly realized.
"It's almost eleven o'clock? What, you're still thinking about going to work? I'm telling you, not today. Oh, go home and lie down... Hey, where are you going so fast? Hey, slow down, Li Hao..."
Seeing a newspaper stand on the street, I handed over the money, grabbed the newspaper, and stood there checking the numbers one by one. First, I checked the basketball number. My eyelids twitched, but my hand holding the newspaper didn't tremble at all; I just felt my breathing become a little rapid. Impossible! I closed my eyes and checked the number again.
Part Two, Chapter Thirty-Three
I'll never forget that chill that emanated from the deepest part of my body, because I knew clearly that this time, I lost! I lost completely and decisively—I only won a third prize, not even a tenth of my initial investment. I still haven't escaped my long-standing curse—I always lose when I gamble.
If anyone ever tells me that "unlucky in love, lucky in gambling" nonsense again, I'll slap them across the face. Love and gambling are like a rare tropical fish and a muddy earthworm raised on birth control pills—they're not from the same pool at all. You can use it to comfort yourself, but anyone who takes it seriously is just asking for trouble.
I noticed a girl in a bright red cheongsam walk past me. She was clearly a waitress at some small restaurant, probably having worked late the night before, looking exhausted as she yawned and swayed unsteadily. Her cheongsam, stretched taut by her young, plump body, was frayed from washing, and her pantyhose were twisted and wearily matted. Yet, I was incredibly envious of her. She could walk so easily, yawning as she headed towards her destination. Meanwhile, I, under the midday sun, had become a complete fraud. Even though I had rolled myself up in bed, to my colleagues, my name was destined to be a shameful stain; my actions had insulted the very word "trust."
I was truly terrified. My palms and soles were sweating profusely. Although I had prepared for the worst from the beginning, when the worst was actually presented to me, I realized that my mental preparation was far from sufficient.
My head was spinning; I couldn't tell if it was from the blood loss last night or from the shock. I wandered aimlessly through the streets. My phone rang many times, but I didn't have the courage to answer, much less turn it off, so I let it ring until the battery died completely. I don't know how long I walked, or where I was; all I knew was that my legs were tired and aching, and I couldn't take another step. I saw a shop by the roadside, went in, and sat down, only to find out it was a Western restaurant.
Looking at the menu, I realized I was starving, so I ordered a whole bunch of things: sizzling steak, curry chicken, seafood hot and sour soup... The manager asked me twice, "Is this for one person or for two?"
I rolled my eyes and said, "Just write down what I ordered."
It turns out my stomach has about the same magical capacity as Santa's sack. After devouring every last drop of food from every plate, I was finally brought back to reality from my semi-conscious state.
The minister came over with the bill and told me the meal cost 234 yuan in total, thanking me for my patronage. I looked up and calmly said, "Money? What money? I have no money."
"Miss is joking." The minister thought I was joking and still put on a bright, professional smile.
"No, I never joke around with strangers. I really don't have any money," I reiterated expressionlessly. All my money, and the money from people I know, has been invested in that pile of worthless paper in my bag.
Thank God, this time the minister finally understood me. His smile froze, and he turned and left. I whispered something to a man in a suit standing next to the cashier, and then the man walked towards me. I was prepared to be beaten up, but to my surprise, the man approached with a big smile and bowed: "Hello, miss, is the food to your liking today?"
"No, it tastes good. Look, I ate it all."
"Would you like to order anything else? Like ice cream or sago pudding, or some other dessert?"
"No need, I'm full." This man's politeness greatly disappointed me.
"Then you are welcome to dine here again next time." The man bowed again.
"But I haven't paid the bill yet. Because I'm out of money." I patiently continued to prompt him.
"It's nothing, we are already extremely grateful that you dine at our restaurant. We look forward to your next visit." The man in the suit was very respectful.
"I feel bad that I ate your meal for free, so how about I stay and help you wash the dishes?"
"You're joking," the man in the suit immediately shook his head and turned away.
"I told you I don't joke with strangers!" It seems the people here really don't know what a sense of humor is.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Please make yourself at home, and you're welcome to come again next time."
No way?!
I stared at the man with suspicion. Common sense tells us there's no such thing as a free lunch. Yet this man thanked me for eating their meal for free and even invited me to come back for another free meal?! I abruptly stood up, and the man immediately gestured for me to leave. Were all those security guards acting as thugs waiting outside the restaurant? Humph, let them come. I walked out without hesitation. The man in the suit escorted me to the door and pushed it open. I stormed out, defiantly, only to find that apart from the passing pedestrians, there wasn't a single dog on the street, let alone any menacing thugs. Under the bustling sunlight, if it weren't for my rumbling stomach protesting my gluttonous feast, I would have almost thought it was all an illusion.