A Peach Wood Comb

Outside was a parking lot. Lai Hui stepped onto the lawn, stopping by a planter. Cheng Lan followed at a respectful distance. The early morning had brought dew to the grass in the planter, glistening in the dim light. The road was quiet, with cars passing by sporadically. Lai Hui listened as Cheng Lan recounted her story. Initially calm, Cheng Lan’s pace quickened, as if wanting to rush through the explanation, her breathing becoming more rapid. Here’s what happened: After starting at MOIO, Cheng Lan, having not worked for years, struggled to adapt to being someone else’s subordinate, especially under Jia Yi, who was strict and gave her no leniency despite her friendship with Lai Hui. Her frequent mistakes led to considerable discontent among her colleagues, who criticized her behind her back. Feeling she could barely hold on, yet knowing she had no other means of support, Cheng Lan endured the disdain and mockery. Just when she thought she would be fired during her probation period, she conveniently encountered Ouyang at a restaurant. In fact, after Cheng Lan left, Ouyang assumed she would return out of necessity, but hearing she had found a decent job and was self-sufficient, he felt a twinge of regret. However, since Cheng Lan was part of his past, he only felt mildly sour. Upon seeing Cheng Lan again, he noticed something different about her. At first, she merely greeted him politely and intended to leave, which was too much for the chauvinistic Ouyang, who had once been deeply loved by her. He immediately humbled himself and invited her to dinner. Cheng Lan agreed, not for any other reason, but to catch up over a meal. It’s not surprising that a dinner between two people with different intentions could lead to complications. Initially, their conversation was casual, reminiscing about the past. Ouyang, mixing sincerity with pretense, lamented, “I never thought you’d leave me. I was really sad when you left.” His words at that moment were genuine, his eyes showing regret. Cheng Lan’s heart stirred, tears began to fall as they recalled their past, but she quickly remembered his harsh words at their breakup and retorted bitterly, “Didn’t you tell me to take the money and leave?” Ouyang, perhaps remembering how Cheng Lan left without taking a cent, felt a pang of guilt for mistreating someone who truly loved him. He drooped his eyelids in regret and said, “That was just in the heat of an argument. You know I’m not good with words. Ah, what’s said is said, it’s all my fault. You left, and it’s like the heavens have punished me.” As if wanting more tears from Cheng Lan, or perhaps to bolster his image of fidelity, he added solemnly, “Actually, I was planning to propose to you in a few days.” He said this to clear his conscience, not expecting Cheng Lan’s reaction. If he had said this right after their breakup, she would have dismissed it outright, but after so much time had passed, with love and hate faded, his words seemed sincere. She thought, why would Ouyang still need to lie after all this time?