Leaving the cinema, she returned to the seaside on a windless, directionless night. The vast sea was distant and serene. She turned off her phone and sat quietly by the sea alone, her silhouette elongated by the moonlight, resembling a small lamp trembling in the cold wind.
Jing Xin lay on the beach for a long time, her eyes sore and unable to shed a tear. She thought, I’ve tried hard, and I can no longer cry for you.
She remained there until dawn. As the first ray of morning light touched her face, she took off her ring and the one that never made it onto Jiang Xiangyang’s hand, throwing them away. A dazzling flash pierced her eyes, and her tears surged again.
She murmured, “Jiang Xiangyang, goodbye! We will never meet again!” After this, the last spark in her heart extinguished. The fire that had burned for him was finally out.
It’s good that it’s extinguished. For years, she had tried, despaired, and felt her heart die without quenching that strong flame. Now, it was finally extinguished, never to burn anyone again.
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Her phone beeped with a message.
Jing Xin raised her head from the files and glanced at her phone. It was a message from her friend Xi Xi, wishing her a Merry Christmas Eve. It hit her that Christmas was almost here. She closed her computer and took a deep breath, reflecting on her month-long stay in Sanya.
Her mind wandered back to a month ago when she was leaving the company lobby. Gao Zhan Peng had called her, saying, “Jing Xin, can you do me a favor?” Jing Xin thought he wanted her to look after Gao Ji Xuan again, as she had become familiar with him through the Gao family’s warm invitations. Without hesitation, she replied, “Uncle Gao, please go ahead. I’ll help if I can.”
Gao Zhan Peng explained, “Our Gao family bought land in Sanya years ago, which has been idle. With the real estate sector booming, the company’s leadership has decided to develop it into hotel-style apartments. Ji Xuan’s health is improving, but he still can’t handle high-intensity work. I want you to consider helping me get the Sanya project started.”
