Chapter 64 2. Listening and Telling

This afternoon, I received a call from a woman.Well, of course it is a strange woman, because my mobile phone number is the same as that of the other two colleagues, which is printed on the confession page of the newspaper, and I receive calls from several strange men and women almost every day. Her standard Mandarin, crisp voice, very nice.She said she had to tell her story, and she didn't necessarily hope it could be published, but she had no one to tell it to but me, and she hoped this would bury a part of the past and start a new life. This passage touched me somewhat. We made an appointment, and she said that she was very busy recently and hoped to make an appointment in the evening.Well, at night, I receive readers in two places: either a small reception room of the newspaper office, or the Green Door Cafe opposite the newspaper office.

She said it would be Green Door, she liked the name, it reminded her of O. Henry's novel The Green Door.I am more or less a hopeless literary young woman, and hearing her know O. Henry's name, I feel that my liking for her increases greatly. Susan, the proprietress of the Green Door, is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.I receive readers at the Green Gate all the year round, and have developed a good friendship with her.Every time I go, as long as she is there, she will chat with me a few words.I asked her why she named the café and if she had read O. Henry's novels.She laughed and shook her head, saying that it was left behind by the previous boss, and in her opinion, it didn't make any sense.

Perhaps most things in the world are like this, and the eyes we cast on the past will give it a special meaning. When the appointed time came, a slender woman walked in on time. She looked around and walked straight up to me: "Excuse me, is this Luo Yin? I called you during the day." I got up and asked her to sit down.She was a delicate-looking woman with light make-up, looking about twenty-six, and wearing a beige suit, very delicate. She was straightforward and answered my questions one by one: Anne, twenty-nine years old, works as a manager in a shopping mall. I turned on the recorder and told her that if the confession can be published, I will blur out the name, occupation, etc., please just talk now.

Annie hesitated for a moment, as if she didn't know where to start. Many people are like this, running with full of thoughts, but still hesitate to speak.After a long time, she suddenly asked me: "Reporter Luo, do you believe in love at first sight?" A long time ago, I asked many people the same question, and the answers I got were all kinds of strange.But I like the answer of my classmate Jiang Xiaolin who studies mathematics the most. At this time, I quoted the original text: "I believe in all the miracles that didn't happen to me." In fact, that miracle seems to have happened to me too, but it seems needless to elaborate.Annie smiled slightly after hearing what I said: "I don't know if that's a miracle, it was five years ago, and I was twenty-four years old. I graduated from medical school, and my parents are both doctors and professors. But the more I learn, the more I learn. I didn't like this profession, so I didn't follow their advice to continue my studies, and went to an American-funded pharmaceutical company to do drug sales as soon as I graduated."

Lost in memory, she seemed to look past me. "Our company works in an office building in the city center. My life is on track, my work is smooth, and my boyfriend is very considerate. Until one day, I met someone in the elevator and everything changed." I have heard too many stories about meeting a person who changed their entire life. Many people are like Anne, and they are a little bit sad and willing to recall.Thinking about such a change, they actually still like it, and the ordinary and ordinary life has a different possibility. "He is very tall, looks, how should I put it, it seems that it is not enough to describe him as handsome or handsome, but I think he is very energetic, exuding a charming temperament from the inside out, which is different from most people in the office building. The same, wearing a suit and tie, but standing in a crowd of people, it looks very unusual. I believe everyone has the same feeling as me, and you can see him in the crowd at a glance."

I smiled, but no, probably everyone will have the chance to meet one or two outstanding people, so to speak, it seems that I have had the same feeling. "To put it simply, I fell in love with him at first sight. Pay attention to the floor where he goes downstairs, ask where he works, and when I meet him, I will take the initiative to smile and say hello to him. He is very easy-going, and we got to know each other like this. Then, my boyfriend Offered a breakup." I admire her decisiveness.She noticed my gaze and smiled: "Am I ruthless and ridiculous? I just met this man, but the more I look at my boyfriend, the more meaningless it is to get along with him. Even if I can't chase him, maybe I I can't make up my mind to continue with my boyfriend, so it's better to get rid of it earlier."

"I try to get close to him, but he is not difficult to get close to. Sometimes when he sees me on the road, he will pick me up and see me for a while. Hehe, my boyfriend used to take over and send me off. After breaking up, I only have I went to and from get off work by myself, and by the way, my ex-boyfriend’s car is much better than his Jetta.” She continued, “I joined an outdoor sports club where he stayed, and carefully collected the music on his car. Talk about the topic, and then try to cultivate the same interest, in short, don't miss any opportunity to get closer to him."

I sighed in my heart, not because I was pretending to be sympathetic, but because I had heard too many stories like this.Everyone thinks that their own experience is unique, but in fact they are just repeating the same process, making themselves more and more addicted. In the end, they don’t know whether they fell in love with that person or fell in love with the feeling that they cannot extricate themselves. "I think we knew each other well enough to work up the courage to ask him out on Valentine's Day. He smiled and said, 'No, I'm sorry, Anne, I'm in love with an interesting girl and I'm going to ask her out tonight. 'My heart was suddenly colder than the weather at that time, and I could only pretend to be indifferent, otherwise how could I have a chance.

"I believe that no girl can resist his pursuit. I can only pretend that I don't care. When I meet him occasionally, I will ask him jokingly if I have caught up with him. He smiled and said: 'Interesting girl, Worth the extra time." I was so jealous that I could only pretend to be okay and laugh with him. "Once I met him drinking alone in a bar, I asked, why don't you bring your girlfriend with you. He said that she is still a student, and she likes to be quiet and afraid of noise, so she doesn't like to come to places like bars. I was surprised, He likes a student, maybe I'm too professionally feminine to be his type, so I straighten my hair and wear as preppy clothes as possible, but it's no good.

"As summer was approaching, the outdoor club organized a trip to Daocheng Yading in July. He applied for two names, saying that his girlfriend was on vacation and he planned to take her with him. I also signed up to see what it was like. Girls, can attract him." I have long been used to such trivial memories. When writing a manuscript, I can only extract an article that can be published in the newspaper and catch the readers' attention, so I listened quietly. "But on the day of the assembly, he came alone. I asked him, and he said impatiently that he broke up, and then he didn't bother to talk to others. I was surprised and happy, and I couldn't help thinking that this was my chance. We flew Arrived in Chengdu, then chartered a car and drove by myself. Of course I took a car with him, he was very silent all the way, and I didn’t bother him.” She was a little lost again, and stopped for a while before saying, “Daocheng Yading in summer is beautiful, The grasslands along the way are dotted with wild flowers in full bloom, and the snow-white snow-capped mountains and clear rivers in the distance, such a beautiful plateau scenery, and sitting next to the person I love with all my heart, I think it is really a dream trip. Fourth After Tian arrived in Daocheng, everyone else went to watch the local art performance at night, and he went out smoking and taking a walk alone. I followed, I knew he didn’t welcome people to disturb him, but I couldn’t control myself.”

She suddenly stopped, and then smiled wryly: "I want to go on, do you think I'm stupid?" I also laughed: "No, I never judge the quality or behavior of readers. I am only responsible for listening, and readers are fully responsible for themselves." She laughed: "That's right, I offered myself to him. He hesitated, and I said the same thing to him: 'I know you don't love me right now, and I am fully responsible for my actions.'" "Well, I'm not judging, but I'd say it's not a good choice," I said mildly. She nodded: "I know, but I don't regret it at all. After returning from Daocheng Yading, he was still so indifferent. If I asked him out, he would occasionally take me out, but he was always absent-minded. By mid-August, he He suddenly told me that he was going to resign and go to work in Shenzhen. I was stunned and asked him if he wanted to avoid me. He was funny and said no, he never had to hide from anyone. If he couldn’t get along, he just broke up, but It was his family who insisted on him going, and he just happened to be tired of staying here. I wanted to say what should I do, but it was obvious that his arrangement did not include me at all, and I also said to be responsible for myself. He said let’s go , go to the mall, I'll give you a gift. I got in his car and all I thought was 'Is this a breakup gift?' I don't care for any gifts, I want him." I looked at her with a little pity. Is the person I wish for so important and irreplaceable?Many times readers come to do similar talk, I always want to ask this question, but I never ask it out. "When the car arrived at the underground garage, he got out of the car suddenly and talked to a girl riding a bicycle. His expression was so tense, I couldn't bear it anymore, and made an innocent gesture, lowered the car window and smiled at them, asking him Did I meet an acquaintance? The girl turned her head to look at me, smiled, said yes, it was an acquaintance, goodbye, then turned and left. He kept staring at her back and disappeared. The weather was so hot, but I was a little shivering So, this girl is his girlfriend who broke up. She is wearing a T-shirt, jeans, a backpack, and a baseball cap with a fast-food restaurant logo on it. She looks very thin and delicate. But he looked at her so intently, he had never looked at me with such eyes. "He got into the car again, and suddenly said: 'I'm sorry, Anne, forget it today, I'll buy you a gift later, I want to be alone.' I asked him if it was because of that girl. He nodded frankly , Said: "Yes, I still like her, there is no way, I'm sorry, I will take you home." "What can I say, he said it so naturally, he didn't care about my feelings at all. I guess if I quarreled with him, he would probably just sneer and go further. I can only pretend that I don't care. He took me home and drove away in a hurry, and the night was very stormy. I stood at the window and watched the lightning and thunder outside, imagining him picking up the girl, imagining what they would do next. Such imagination Driving me crazy, but I can't help myself. "The next day, I went directly to his office after get off work. His secretary had already left, and he was standing alone by the window looking into the distance. When he saw me coming, he said it was just right, and then took out a jewelry box and handed it to him. Me: "See if you like it. The invoice is inside. If you don't like it, you can change it or return it." I was very angry and asked him, "What does this mean for me?" He was surprised and said that of course he was a friend. Farewell gift, don't think too much. I asked him if he reconciled with his girlfriend. He smiled and said it was not that easy, but he would fight for it. "My heart is completely cold, and I asked him, aren't you going to Shenzhen? Are you going to take her there with you? He said: 'No, she has one more year to graduate, wait until she graduates. ' I blurted out 'what about me'?He said bluntly: "I think we have a consensus from the beginning, even if today is over, I hope you will have a happy life in the future, we are still friends, unnecessary entanglement is meaningless." ' "I have nothing to say, so I can only forcefully smile and say, since we are friends, let's leave a contact number in Shenzhen, so that we can contact each other in the future. He was very happy, and left a phone number for me. Next , He disappeared after handing over with his company. I also submitted my resignation to the company, packed up my things and went to Shenzhen.” I was taken aback, and murmured in my heart, it's really entangled to go by like this, and I'm afraid there is no good fruit to eat. "I went to Shenzhen and found out where he worked without any trouble. It was actually his family's company. I went directly to apply for the job and got in. He was surprised when he saw me. I just said I wanted to change. The environment is not here to pester you. He actually smiled and said that's fine, whatever you want. "He really didn't like me. If I wanted to ask him out again, he would just shake his head and say he didn't have time, and I wouldn't openly pester the boss's son. I heard his secretary talking about it in the company that night. It was my friend's birthday, and he rushed back to the meeting early the next morning, saying that he was simply a lover. I just listened silently. "When I almost wanted to give up, an opportunity finally came, maybe not an opportunity. His mother was sick with breast cancer. I just studied medicine and worked in an American pharmaceutical company. The main product happened to be a follow-up treatment drug. The company In the United States, I also sponsored a special research in a well-known hospital. My father is also a well-known domestic surgical expert. I took the initiative to explain my background and helped to contact the hospital in the United States. He sent his mother abroad for surgery, and I offered to take care of him. His mother also agreed, thinking it would be more convenient for a girl to go with her." I am speechless, I have heard many stories of devotion to love, but because of predicting the result, I feel more and more desolate. "We are in a foreign country, and we finally got closer. I work in a company and I have heard about his family's situation. He didn't get along well with his father. His father didn't spend much time with his mother. After seeing it for a while, he returned to China. Before they left, they quarreled again, and his mother was also very unstable. He was under a lot of pressure, and he was not relieved until the operation was successful. I suggested going to a bar to relax, and he Agreed. We both had too much to drink, and then, quite logically, we... had sex." I had to shake my head: "This is not a matter of course, Anne, at best it is an indulgent emotional vent." She smiled bitterly again, her delicate face was a little distorted: "You're right, because he said the same thing the next day. And he said, he felt sorry, and he would definitely restrain himself in the future, and never let this kind of It happened, and I hope I never bring it up again. "When we met him at the company after we returned to China, I still could only pretend nothing had happened. He always looked a little restless. I knew he was under a lot of pressure from work, his father was very demanding, and his brother always behaved like a child. Strong and outstanding. Sometimes I see him go to the bar to drink alone, but he is always unwilling to sit with me anymore. I go over, and he will find a reason to leave. I want to comfort him, I want to share for him, I I think I have the ability to untie him, but he doesn't accept it." Although being a confidant reporter pays attention to listening, but I can't control my poisonous tongue, and I can't help it anymore: "Annie, please forgive me, your mentality may harm you. He You are an adult man, even if you can't face your own burdens and pressures, you don't need to take the initiative to ask Ying Ying to share them. Sometimes such thoughts can only lead to unnecessary sacrifices, and people will not appreciate it." "Hehe, you're right, it's just that I didn't realize that at the time. I just thought, his girlfriend is about to graduate soon, and if I don't seize the opportunity, I might never have another chance. That day I was with him again I ran into him at the bar I frequented, and we chatted, and he said he planned to go back to see his girlfriend on May 1st. I couldn’t help it, so I asked her what was worth your concern. He laughed and said he didn’t know, All I know is that he can't help but miss her, and then shakes his head, saying that this girl has too strong a character, and it's not wrong to fall into her hands." I am also a little curious, what kind of girl can trap a man who is both attractive and free-wheeling like this? "He went to the bathroom, and the phone was on the table. I stared blankly, thinking that I should give up. Then the phone rang, and there were two words on it: Yi Min." I was so startled that the hand holding the coffee cup trembled.She didn't notice, and said to herself: "That's his girlfriend's name. I couldn't control myself and answered the phone. She was calm and asked me who I was. I said everything I should say or not. Having said that, Daocheng Yading, let’s go to America together...now you have to criticize me, right?" I shook my head, barely suppressing my surprise, and told myself that there are many people with the same name: "I guess, you have already paid the price for your actions, so I don't need to criticize you." "That's right, she hung up the phone before she finished listening. After he came back, I barely calmed down. We chatted a few words, and he picked up the phone and left. When he arrived at the company the next day, he just gave me a cold look. , turned around and walked away, I knew it was over, he had never looked at me so indifferently before. I chased after him, but he just said impatiently that he was going to a meeting, then turned around and asked his secretary to book him a plane ticket to Wuhan. "I saw him again a few days later. He called me into his office and asked me to resign. He would give me a sum of money as a reward for taking care of his mother. I asked him, what is this? Did I say Don’t we all have to face the fact? Are you two feeling so fragile, are you going to blame me? He smiled, coldly, and said that he was not venting anger, he must face this matter by himself No, he just doesn't want to see me again. "I refused to resign, and only said that I was willing to be transferred from the headquarters. He agreed and let me go to the personnel department to go through the formalities. I applied to go to the department store under the company, and after that, there were not many opportunities to see him. He saw When it came to me, he didn’t get angry anymore, he was just very polite and polite, no different from other employees. He changed, became very focused on work, and treated people more distantly than before.” I couldn't help asking: "Did that love affair affect him so much? It actually changed his whole behavior." "Only God knows. I can't get close to him anymore, but the company employees always like to talk about the boss. I heard that he had a girlfriend again, but they broke up not long after, and have been alone since then. I'm a little bit uncomfortable. I believe he is the person I used to know. He was not casual before, but he can still be approached without being responsible. I really want to know what kind of woman can treat him so big Impact." "Did you see that woman later? It's the Yi Min you mentioned." I couldn't control my curiosity anymore. "Of course, the department store department of our company came to Wuhan this year to expand its business. Originally, he didn't take charge of this area, but he asked to come here. I guess he did it for that woman. So I also asked the company for a transfer. I have done a good job in the past few years. That’s right, he’s a middle-level backbone. It’s not that I have any extravagant expectations for him to be transferred back. I know it’s almost impossible, but I’m just a little reconciled. Besides, my parents really want me to come back to work. "I'm really tired too. I've been pursued by more than one person in the past three years, but I still don't feel like getting along. I wonder if I have to be in such a hopeless unrequited love for the rest of my life? It's too miserable. Come back and see Look, giving up completely seems to be a choice. "When I came to report, he was surprised, called me to the office, and said directly that he didn't want to hear the old story again. I said that I had a sense of proportion and would not do stupid things again. He obviously didn't believe me, after all, I did There are a lot of stupid facts, but he still nodded, said that's fine, and then let me go out to do things. It didn't take a few days for me to know that he was pursuing the assistant to the chairman of our partner company. He was originally in charge of the head office He was listed in Hong Kong, but for this girl, he did not hesitate to fly back and forth between the two places. I heard that his father blamed him, but he failed to change his decision. "A few days ago, I finally met this girl again in a department store. She knew who I was, but she was calm, looked me straight in the eyes, and talked with me about business. Hehe, I haven't seen you for a few years, she's fine The students are angry. The funny thing is that we look like the same kind now, both professional women, wearing suits, high heels, light makeup, and speaking politely. After a while, he came too, so nervously Looking at her, she said: "The store is being renovated, it's too noisy, it's not good for your ears, go away now." She politely said goodbye to me, and then left. Looking at their backs so intimately, I knew that this story was counted. It's over." I have already confirmed that the protagonists of the story are Su Zhe and Shao Yimin. Actually, I have long been curious about them, but I never expected to satisfy my curiosity in this way. I don’t know what to say to comfort Annie in front of me. up. She smiled: "It's over, I'm relieved. Ms. Luo, you should have heard a lot of stories. Am I the fate of a typical cannon fodder female supporting role?" I also laughed, she can laugh at herself, she should let go of her mind. "Actually, I think that in many cases, fate is the same as the road. It is chosen by oneself. It is not too late for you to let go now." She nodded: "Yes, from the age of twenty-four to twenty-nine, from the time we first met to today, it has been almost five years. It is really long enough, and sometimes I have to be willing to admit defeat. Fortunately, although the profession has been neglected in the past few years, But the work is still well done, and it is not in vain. I finished the lecture today, and I hope I can forget about the past and start over." "Forget? It's probably difficult, but it's actually my own life experience. It's the best way to feel relieved without trying to forget." She pondered for a while, then nodded: "That makes sense, thank you, I have a kind request, can this story not be published, I'm sorry I used you as a tree hole and wasted your time." I also nodded: "No problem. My duty is to listen. Not every story is suitable for publication. We respect the opinions of the parties involved." She said goodbye and walked out of the cafe. I called Zhang Xin, and he insisted on picking me up every day, no matter how late.I think I am happy, after hearing such a story full of helplessness.It's a blessing that we can get back to our own lives and not have to be a supporting role in other people's fate all the time. It turns out that love at first sight really exists. It turns out that not every miracle is worthy of gratitude. It turns out that persistence is not always a virtue. It turns out that giving up requires more wisdom... Many sentences sprang up in my head like a conditioned reflex, all of which are suitable for Ann. As a reporter commenting on such a story, I couldn't help laughing at the same time. I really have an occupational disease, and I don't need to write this into a manuscript.