A Peach Wood Comb

Lai Huiqiang laughed, pretending to rub goosebumps off his hands. “See, you think it’s cheesy, but here’s what I think!” Tears welled up in his eyes again, and he turned away to wipe them. “It would be nice if that were true, but the fear is that there might not be a next life at all!” “There is, my grandmother told me when I was little!” Lai Hui comforted him, also convincing herself to believe. “I’ll reluctantly agree, in the next life, I’ll find you and lean against your tree trunk to cool off!” After making their pact, Lai Hui smiled at him and left first. Jia Yi waved, then turned away, not watching her figure recede further into the distance. This time, it wasn’t just a passing by; it was a parting of ways! Lai Hui remembered a poem — “You smiled, I waved, and a lonely road stretched out in two directions.” Early in the morning, at the airport, Lai Hui bid farewell to Xu Nuo, who was moving abroad. When it came to the actual farewell, there wasn’t much to say, perhaps because they both knew there would be no chance to meet again. No matter how much was said, it would be in vain, forgotten years later, a waste of effort, but sadness was inevitable. So, they exchanged some platitudes like “Take care, look after yourself, be happy in the future,” and that was all Lai Hui could muster. After Xu Nuo left, she had a plate of fried rice at the airport, priced like a high-end steak at a regular Western restaurant, bought a magazine, and then sat in McDonald’s to kill time — she still had to see off Xu Ya in an hour. Compared to Xu Nuo’s high spirits, Xu Ya seemed like he had just been pulled from the water, exuding a damp chill. Lai Hui stood a little distance from him, yet she still felt a chill run up from her feet. She avoided looking at his gaunt face, grateful that he had remembered to shave before leaving, avoiding the spectacle of people staring — he probably wouldn’t want to leave looking like he was fleeing in disgrace. “Are you really leaving? Giving up the job you worked so hard to find?” Lai Hui asked, knowing the answer, just to make conversation. “Should I, like a normal person, get drunk at their wedding, forget everything, and then face a new day?” Xu Ya mocked himself. “Not necessarily, oh well — anyway, I’m leaving too, and without you here, I’ll have one less thing to worry about.” Lai Hui tried to say something witty, but after racking her brain, she couldn’t recall any of the clever lines she’d heard or read, so she simply said with genuine sadness, “Going back is good; this city is chaotic, life is hard, go back and find someone who can truly accompany you for life!” “Why don’t you stay, and we can make do with being the leftovers?” Xu Ya quipped. Lai Hui shot him a glance, pushed him towards the security check, and scolded, “Just go!” “Still so proud, even when you’re being rejected, you reject others!” Xu Ya said, waving at her, smiling, “Go back, send me an email when you get to Kassel! If you’re not too broke, call me — of course, that’s if my new friends aren’t around.” Xu Ya turned and walked inside, looking for his new friends, while Lai Hui, watching from behind, saw him raise his hand, seemingly wiping his face, perhaps wiping away tears. She knew that after this, Xu Ya was no longer the naive Xu Ya of before. Maybe he had become more amusing, more popular with kids, but he had lost his sincerity. But who can control whom? She managed to control herself, which was already quite commendable. Though she thought this, could she really forget what should be forgotten? Like that person. Stepping out of the airport, the sunlight was bright, and the taxis waiting in line shimmered like mercury. She approached one, opened the door, and then closed it again, apologizing to the driver, “Sorry, I’m not going anymore!” She walked back into the airport through the automatic doors. There’s a saying — love begins where it ends. That night, after Zhou Yuqian drove Lai Hui home, though heartbroken, he didn’t show much anger — he was someone whose emotions were not easily readable. However, this suppression made his face perpetually gloomy, increasing the pressure on his subordinates. Therefore, in recent days, employees working at the World Trade Commercial Center were all exhausted, the company’s senior management was on edge, and in the presence of the boss, they were as quiet as cicadas in late autumn, only restraining their subordinates to prevent any minor mistakes that might bring criticism. Secretary Lin, aware of the situation, tried to avoid going into the boss’s office these days. He understood that the boss needed a private space to temporarily relax, not needing to maintain a facade of sternness. He couldn’t fathom why the boss, having achieved so much, would still be pained by someone who had betrayed him? He thought it wasn’t worth it, but as a dutiful subordinate, he only dared to think about it. After standing outside for two minutes, he finally went in. Zhou Yuqian was standing with his back to him by the curved floor-to-ceiling window, the cigarette in his hand nearly burnt out. Secretary Lin quickly emptied the ashtray full of cigarette butts on the desk and placed it in front of Zhou Yuqian before saying, “Chairman, Mr. Xie from MOIO has sent an invitation, the wedding is at the end of the month!” The cigarette butt fell to the ground, sparking a few red embers that soon went out. Secretary Lin hurriedly picked up the cigarette butt, extinguished it, and then handed over the invitation. He anticipated the boss’s misunderstanding and quickly added, “The bride is not Lai Hui!” Zhou Yuqian turned his face slightly, glaring at Secretary Lin as if he was mocking him, making him feel insulted, but he still snatched the invitation from Secretary Lin’s hand — the vibrant red and gold letters. He eagerly flipped it open, didn’t find Lai Hui’s name, and then asked, “What’s going on?” “I’m not very clear either, but it’s said that the bride is six months pregnant, maybe Lai Hui—” Zhou Yuqian waved to interrupt him, tossed the invitation onto the desk, pretending to be calm, and said, “It’s none of your business, leave!” After Secretary Lin closed the door, he picked up the invitation again, confirmed it, and immediately dialed Xie Jiayi’s number. This meeting was necessary, even if it meant losing some dignity, he still did it. It was still that serene home of his, by the lake’s window, Xie Jiayi sat cross-legged on the floor, looking haggard. This time, instead of tea, he offered him strong whiskey. After a couple of drinks in the early summer evening breeze, Xie Jiayi, his face slightly flushed, said, “You must be questioning whether the child or she is more important to me, right?” Zhou Yuqian paid him no mind, twirling his glass, looking out the window.