Chapter 23 Part IV Physical and mental exhaustion-3

"What?" I looked at him in horror. "He told you?" "He told me about it and asked me if you said anything to me." "Ah!" I felt my cheeks heat up. "Well, I was...very angry. I didn't mean to say she was..." I cleared my throat. "I didn't even think about it when I said that." "But he paid attention." Michael raised his eyebrows. "He called his mother and said that before returning to England, he wanted to see her anyway, and made an appointment with his mother." "Really?" I looked at him, feeling amused. "And what happened next?"

"In the end, she still didn't come. It was just a message that she had to go out to work. Luke was really disappointed." Michael shook his head. "Just between you and me—I don't think you said anything wrong." "Well, yes." I shrugged awkwardly and covered my embarrassment by reaching for the menu on the table.I can't believe Luke is going to tell Michael what I said about his mother.What else did he say to Michael? My bra size? My eyes looked at the names of various dishes on the menu, but I didn't see what they were at all.Immediately, I raised my face and saw Michael was staring at me seriously.

"Becky, I haven't told Luke that it was you who tipped me off. I told him I had learned about this from an anonymous source and decided to look into it." "That's a good way to say it," I said, keeping my eyes on the tablecloth. "You did a great job of saving his company," Michael said gently. "He should appreciate you. You said he should know?" "No." I shrugged. "Then he'll think... that I'm..." I couldn't go on. I can't believe it's been three days since Luke's been home without calling me.I mean - I know it's over for the two of us.Of course, I've known this for a long time.But in a corner of my heart, I still...

one way or another.Obviously he didn't have to know. "What would he think?" Michael asked tentatively. "I don't know," I said gruffly. "The thing is, it's over between us. So, I think it's better... not to get involved." "Well, I think I can understand what you're thinking." Michael gave me a kindly look. "Let's order." We talked about other things while eating.Michael told me about his ad agency in Washington, and told me all kinds of anecdotes about the politicians he knew and the troubles they got into, and I laughed out loud now and then.I told him about my parents, about Suzie, about my time on "Morning Coffee."

"Really, I'm in pretty good shape," I ventured, cutting open a chocolate custard with my knife. "It should be said that the prospects are very good, and the producers like me very much... They are still considering letting me appear on other shows." "Becky," Michael interrupted me gently, "I heard. I know about your work." I stared at him blankly, speechless, my face flushed with shame. "I'm really sorry for you," Michael continued, "it shouldn't have happened like that." "Does... Luke know about this?" I asked hoarsely.

"Yes, I think he knows that too." I took a swig of the gin.I couldn't bear the thought of Luke pitying me. "I've got plenty of other opportunities, though," I said desperately. "I was thinking, maybe out of television... I'm applying for editorial positions at several financial magazines and newspapers..." "The Financial Times?" "It's...well...the Journal of Personal Investments...and Annuity Today..." "Annuity Today," Michael said in a tone of disbelief.Seeing his bewildered and helpless expression, I couldn't help but laugh out loud. "Becky, are you really interested in these jobs?"

I was about to slip out one of my usual TV show clichés -- "Look, personal finances are a lot more fun than I thought!" -- when suddenly I realized I couldn't live with the hypocrisy anymore shelf.Personal finances are not at all the fun I thought they would be.It was as boring as it could be.It was when I was doing "Morning Coffee" that I got interesting when the audience started telling specifics about what life was like at home. "Then what do you think?" I asked him back, and then took another sip of wine, Michael leaned back in the chair, and wiped his mouth lightly with a napkin.

"Then why are you applying for those positions?" "I don't know what else to do." I shrugged resignedly. "Personal finance is the only thing I've ever done. I'm kind of... confused about other industries." "Becky, how old are you? You don't mind if I ask you?" "26 years old." "A 26-year-old will feel confused about new things?" Michael shook his head. "I don't think so." He sipped his coffee and looked at me approvingly. "Given the opportunity in America," he said, "would you want to try it?"

"I'm definitely going to try it," I said bluntly, "but what opportunities are there for me in the United States now?" We both fell silent for a while.Then, slowly, Michael reached for a chocolate mint, peeled off the wrapper, and placed the candy on the side of the small plate in front of him. "Becky, I have a proposal for you," he said, looking up at me. "I have an opening in my advertising agency for the head of the communications department with other companies." I stared blankly at him, so surprised that the wine glass I raised in my hand stayed in mid-air.I can't believe he actually said what I just heard.

"I need someone who knows a little bit about editorial affairs and can help edit the monthly company news. In this regard, you are an ideal candidate. But this position also requires good people dealing with people, and will pay attention to the subordinates The words and deeds of the staff will ensure that people are in a good mood and report any problems to the board of directors..." He shrugged, "Frankly, I don't think I could find a better fit than you." "Are you... are you going to give me a job?" I asked, still in disbelief, while trying to suppress the joy that surged in my heart. "But...but this "Daily World" thing? My...shopping incident?"

"So what?" Michael shrugged. "It's just that you like to shop. I like to eat food. No one is perfect. As long as you are not on the international 'wanted' blacklist..." "No, it won't," I said hastily. "As a matter of fact, I'm trying to get it out of the way." "What about immigration?" "I have a lawyer," I said, biting my lip, "but I'm not sure he'll be very enthusiastic about my business." "I know some people on the immigration side," Michael said firmly. "I'm sure it won't be difficult." He leaned back in his chair and sipped his coffee. "Of course, Washington isn't New York, but it's a very interesting place. Politics is a fascinating field. I think you'll like it. As for the salary...well. Certainly not as much as what the cable news network is offering. .But roughly the range is..." He scribbled a number on a piece of paper and pushed it across the table to me. It's hard to believe.That's double what the junk magazine jobs I applied to offered. washington.advertising agency.A whole new job. United States.No Luke.Totally on my own. My brain can't quite keep up with the implications of all this. "Why are you giving me this job?" I finally asked. "I admire your personality and ability, Becky," Michael said earnestly. "You are smart and beautiful, and you have a high level of understanding. You will do anything well at hand." I looked at him and felt a slight smile on my cheek. Hot and a little dazed. "Maybe I'm thinking you need a change of living and working environment," he added kindly. "You don't have to rush into a decision. I'm staying here for a few more days, and we can talk about it again if you think it's necessary." thing. But, Becky..." "how?" "I want to say something to you very seriously. No matter whether you finally decide to accept my invitation or not, don't decide to do something lightly." He shook his head and said, "Don't just stereotype yourself. You are still young, far from When you are finalized. You have to seriously reflect and see what you really want to do in your heart.” I didn't make a decision right away.For the next two weeks, I paced back and forth in my room, drinking countless cups of coffee, conferring with my parents, talking to Suzy, Michael, my old boss, Philip, the guy named Cassandra. New TV agency talks, with pretty much everyone I can think of.Gradually I figured it out.I felt in my heart what I really wanted to do. Luke still hasn't called me - and honestly, I shouldn't expect to speak to him anymore.Michael said he was working almost 17 hours a day, hoping to save the Braden Company, while breaking new ground in the United States, it was really stressful.It seemed he hadn't recovered from the shock that Alicia had betrayed him, and that the Bank of London would even consider running away with her.Then there's the shock that, as Michael humorously puts it, he finds himself "invulnerable to villains." "It's all about being pampered," Michael told me once, "to the point where you wake up one morning and you're being snubbed and your best friend is being favored. So you just don't know what to do. Overturned." "So Luke tripped over all of this?" I asked, tying my fingers into a knot. "Tripped?" Michael cried. "He was literally thrown to the ground and trampled by a pack of rampaging boars." I picked up the receiver several times, impulsively wanting to talk to him, but each time I took a deep breath and put it down.Now that's his life.I have to live my own life.My own brand new life. Someone was knocking on my door and I turned around and it was Suzie standing in my doorway looking at my empty room. "Oh, Bex," she said sadly, "I don't like it the way it is. Let's go back to the way it used to be. Make the room messier again." "At least now that Feng Shui has turned to us," I said with a forced smile, "it may bring you a lot of luck." She came in, walked across the empty carpet, went to the window, and turned around again. "The room looks small instead," she said slowly. "Supposedly it should look bigger when you tidy things up, right? But for some reason... the room seems small instead. It looks like a Like a little box that people hate." The room was silent for a while, and I raised my face to watch a little spider slowly climb up the window lattice. "Have you decided what to do with the house?" I finally said. "Are you going to find a new roommate?" "I don't want to do that," Suzie said. "I mean, don't worry about it, right? Taxin said, I can also use this room as a workshop for a while." "He said that?" I turned to look at her and asked, raising my eyebrows. "That reminds me. I thought I heard Taxin come again last night, didn't I? He sneaked away in the morning." of?" "No," said Suzie with a flustered look on her face, "I mean—yes." Her eyes met mine, and her face flushed. "But it's definitely the last time. It's true." "You two are a perfect match," I said, smiling at her. "Don't talk like that!" she cried in panic. "We're not compatible." "Okay," I couldn't bear to say anything more. "That's it." I raised my wrist and looked at my watch. "Look, we should go." "Yes, I think it's time to go. Oh, Bex--" I looked at Suzie - her eyes were full of tears. "I understand," I shook her hand vigorously, and we fell silent again.After a while, I reached for my coat. "Let's go." We walked down the street to the King George pub at the top of the street.We walked through the shop in the pub and up a wooden staircase to a large private room with fuchsia velvet curtains on the windows, a liquor cabinet and two sides of the room. There are some simple shelves and small tables, a temporary platform is built on the top of the front of the room, and a few rows of plastic seats are placed in the middle of the room. "Hello!" Taxin saw us as soon as we walked into the house, and hurriedly greeted us, "Come and have a drink." He raised the glass in his hand and said to us, "This red wine tastes really good." "Is the money for this drink agreed with the bar?" Susie asked. "Of course," Taxin said, "it's all settled." "Bex—it's up to me and Tachin to pay," Suzie said, putting her hand on my hand that reached into my pocket for my wallet. "It's a farewell gift from the two of us." "Susie, you don't have to—" "I am willing," she said firmly, "Tahin thinks so too." "I'll get you a glass of wine," Taxin said to us, and then whispered, "There are quite a few people here, aren't they?" He walked away, and Suzy and I looked around the house.People gathered around the small tables scattered around the room, admiring the neatly stacked clothes, shoes, discs and all kinds of small accessories on the small tables.There was a stack of printed and copied catalogs on a table, and people walked around the room, ticking the catalogs in their hands from time to time. I heard a girl in a leather jacket say, "Look at this coat. Oh, those Hobbs shoes! I'm definitely going to bid on them!" On the other side of the room, two girls were trying on pants They talked long and short, while their boyfriends drank and patiently accompanied them. "Who are they?" I asked, not quite believing my eyes. "You were all invited here?" "I dug out the address book," Susie said, "and Taxin's address book. And Finney's..." "Oh, really," I laughed. "That's right." "Hi, Becky," said a loud voice behind me, and I turned hastily to see that it was Fanny's friend Meera, and beside her were two girls whom I looked familiar. "I'm bidding on those fuchsia cardigans of yours! Tori is aiming for the fur coat, and Annabelle is aiming for a lot of her favourites! We're still looking, do you have one for knick-knacks ?” "It's over there." Susie said, pointing to the corner of the wall. "Thank you!" Mira said, "see you later!" The three girls turned happily and squeezed into the crowd, and I heard one of them still saying: "I really want a beautiful belt... ..." "Becky!" Taxin shouted behind me. "The wine is here. Let me introduce you. This is Casper, a friend of mine who works at Christie's." "Oh hello!" I turned to see a young man with shaggy blond hair in a blue shirt and a large gold signet ring on his finger. "Thank you for coming to help! I really appreciate your kindness." "It's okay, it's okay," Casper said, "I've read the catalog, and it's clear. Do you have a reserve price on anything?" "No," I said without hesitation, "there is no reserve price, all of them will be sold." "Okay," he smiled at me, "that's it, I'm going to get ready." He walked away and I raised my glass and took a sip of my wine.Susie also went to the front tables to have a look, while I was standing alone and saw people keep coming into the room.Fanny appeared at the door, and I waved to her—but she was immediately overwhelmed by a throng of friends eager to greet her. "Hi, Becky," said a hesitant voice behind me.I turned around in surprise and saw Tom Webster standing in front of me. "Tom!" I yelled. "What are you doing here? How did you know about this party?" He sipped his drink and smiled. "Susie called your mother, and your mother told me everything. Your mother and my mother asked me to bring something home for them, too." He took a slip from his pocket. "Your mother wants the coffee pot set. If only that pot was auctioned off." "Oh, it's up for auction," I said, "I'll tell the auctioneer to make sure you get it." "My mother wants that feathered hat you wore to our wedding." "Okay, no problem." When it came to his wedding, I couldn't help feeling something in my heart. "So—how's your married life?" I said, looking down at one of my fingernails again. "Oh...it's still very good." He paused and said. "As happy and happy as you expected?" I said, trying to look casual. "Well, you know..." He looked at the wine glass in his hand, with a little worry in his eyes. "It's unrealistic to expect everything to be perfect, isn't it?" "I think so." There was an awkward silence.Someone was shouting from across the room. "Kate Spade! Look, brand new!" "Becky, I'm so sorry," said Tom hastily, "that we treated you very badly at the wedding." "It's nothing!" I said, but my tone was a little too dismissive. "It's not nothing." He shook his head. "Your mother is right. You are my best friend since childhood. Since then, I have been feeling bad." "Tom, honestly, that's what I asked for. I mean, I should be honest, Luke wasn't there." I smiled sadly, "It would have been so much easier that way." .” "But Lucy didn't treat you very well at the time. I can fully understand why you said... say..." He didn't go on talking, raised his glass and took another big swig. "Anyway, Luke seems like a nice guy. Is he coming tonight?" "No," I said after a moment of hesitation, forcing a smile on my face, "No, he's not free." After about half an hour, people began to sit on the rows of plastic chairs one after another.At the far end of the room were five or six of Tachin's friends, all of them holding mobile phones, and Casper told me that they were responsible for answering the calls to bid. "Some people have heard about the auction you held, but they couldn't come in person for various reasons. We have distributed the auction catalog as much as possible in advance, and many people are interested. The night of the Vera Wang brand alone The dress has attracted a lot of attention." "Yes," I said, feeling a mixture of sadness and joy inside me. "I think it will be like this." I looked around, people's faces were full of joy and anticipation, and some people couldn't help but glance at the various clothes piled up on the table.A girl was rummaging through a stack of denim, and some people were fiddling with the buttons on my little dainty white suitcase.I can't believe that after tonight, none of these treasures are mine anymore.They will be hiding in someone else's closet.in someone else's house. "Are you okay?" Casper said, seeing the reluctance for these items in my eyes. "Nothing!" I replied happily, "I have no reason why anything should happen." "I've photographed quite a few home auctions," he said kindly, "and I know how the owner feels. People tend to have a feeling of reluctance to part with their belongings. Whether it's an 18th-century sideboard with wheels , or..." He glanced at the auction catalogue, "Pink leopard-striped coat." "Actually, I never liked that coat very much." I said to him firmly with a smile. I know too—it's the best way." I smiled at him. "Let's get started. How about starting now?" "Okay," he said, raising his voice, tapping his gavel on the table, "ladies and gentlemen! First of all, on behalf of Miss Becky Bloomwood, I would like to welcome you all to this evening's home auction. We Lots of lots so I won't say much. Just to reiterate that 25% of the proceeds from tonight's auction will be donated to a number of charities and Becky after using the proceeds from the auction to pay off her personal debt , and if there are any leftovers, they will also be donated to charity." "I hope they're not too nervous to make a sound," a dry voice in the back shouted, prompting a burst of laughter.I scanned the crowd for the speaker - to my disbelief, it was Mr. Derek Smeez, standing at the back of the room with a wine glass in one hand and a catalog in the other.He smiled at me, and I waved him shyly. "How did he know about this auction?" I whispered to Suzie, who had come to the stage and stood next to me. "Of course I told him!" she said. "He said it was a very good idea. And he said there's nobody as clever as you if you just use your brains." "Really?" I glanced at Mr. Derek Smeez again, feeling a little hot on my face. "Okay," said Casper, "now for auction lot one. A pair of light leather shoes with orange flower trim, in new condition and barely worn." He held the shoes up in his hand and put them back in front of him on the table.Suzy squeezed my arm sympathetically. "Anyone taking the shot?" Casper yelled. "15,000 pounds!" Taxin shouted, and he immediately raised his hand in response. "£15,000," Casper called, surprise in his voice. "Somebody offered £15,000--" "No, you can't!" I interrupted him, "Tahin, you can't shout 15,000 pounds!" "why not?" "You'll have to quote realistically." I glared at him. "Otherwise, you will be banned from the auction." "Okay... £1,000." "No! You can... offer ten pounds." I said firmly. "Okay then. Ten pounds." He put his hand down dejectedly. "Fifteen pounds!" someone shouted from behind. "Twenty!" shouted a girl in the front. "25!" Taxin shouted. "30!" "30--" Taxin saw my wink, blushed, and suddenly stopped talking. "Thirty pounds. Is there anyone willing to offer more than thirty..." Casper looked around the room, his eyes suddenly sharp as those of a falcon. "Once...twice...deal! The lady in the green fur coat bought it." He glanced at me with a smile, scribbled something on a piece of paper, and handed the pair of leather shoes to Fern. Ni, Fanny is responsible for delivering the auctioned items to the buyers. "The first auction went to £30!" Suzie whispered in my ear. "Lot #2," Casper said, "is three embroidered cardigans sold at Jigsaw, unworn, with the store price tags intact. The lot is priced by Who called..." "Twenty pounds!" cried a girl in pink. "25 pounds!" cried another girl. "There's an offer over the phone, £30," yelled someone from the back of the room, holding up his hand. "A telephone bidder bid £30...is there a higher bid than £30? Please note, ladies and gentlemen, this auction will go to charity..." "Thirty-five pounds!" cried the girl in pink, turning to her companion. "I suppose you'd pay more than that for a single item in the shop, wouldn't you? And they're never worn." Pass!" God, she was right.I mean, £35 for three cardigans is a steal.It's so cheap! "Forty pounds!" I heard myself shouting, but the words were out of my mouth.Everyone in the room turned their eyes to me, and my face was flushed. "I mean . . . would anyone offer £40?" The auction is still going on, and each item has a new owner.I wondered to myself how much money this took.My leather shoes, which I had amassed over the years, fetched at least £1,000, a set of Dinny Hall diamond jewellery, £200 - Tom paid £600 for my computer. "Tom," I said anxiously to him as he walked up to the platform to fill out his bid list, "Tom, you shouldn't have paid so much." "Your Apple Mal computer is brand new," Tom said. "It's worth the price. Besides, Lucy's been talking about wanting a computer of her own." He gave a slight laugh. "I'm also a little anxious to tell her that this is what you used." "Lot 73," Casper said beside me, "I think this lot will be of great interest. It's a Vera Wang cocktail dress." He slowly held it up. The dark purple red dress attracted approving glances and admiration from the audience. From the bottom of my heart, I couldn't bear to let go of this dress.It was so distressing: the memory was still so vivid, as if it were right in front of my eyes.My beautiful, glittery movie star gown.Seeing it, all kinds of beautiful moments will emerge in front of your eyes, as if it is a slow motion of a movie, playing back scenes in front of you.Dancing with Luke in New York; sipping cocktails gracefully; those dizzying, blissful moments of excitement.Then he woke up from the dream and found that everything around him had collapsed. "I'm sorry," I murmured, getting up from the stool.I walked quickly out of the house, down the stairs, and out into the fresh night air.I leaned against the outside wall of the bar, listening to the laughter in the room, and trying to think of all the necessary reasons why I did this. After a while, Suzie also came outside the house and stood beside me. "Are you all right?" she asked, handing me another glass of wine. "Here, have some wine." "Thanks," I said gratefully, raising my glass and taking a swig. "I'm fine, I'm fine. It's just...feeling a bit uncomfortable. It's not a good thing to do." "Bex..." She stopped talking, rubbing her face with her hands in embarrassment. "Bex. There's always time to change your mind. You don't have to go. I mean, after tonight, if you're lucky, you'll pay off all your debts. You can get a job and still live with me... ..." I watched her in silence, and found the charm of this friendship so irresistible, almost irresistible.Nodding in agreement, it was too easy.Go home with Suzie.Sip the tea slowly and return to your old life. But I shook my head. "No. I'm determined not to go back to my old life. I've found something I really want to do, Suzy, and I'm going to do it well." "Rebecca," a voice interrupted our conversation, and we both looked up to see Mr. Derek Smeez coming out of the bar.In his hand was a wooden bowl, a Suzie frame, and a hardcover world atlas, which I remember as a whim that I would give up this Western material life and start Bought it while traveling the world like a vagabond. "Hi!" I said, nodding in response to his greeting. "Thank you for coming to bid." "Very happy." He held up the wooden bowl in his hand. "This wooden bowl is really beautiful." "It was in Décor," I told him, "it looks cool." "Really? I'll tell my daughter." He tucked the wooden bowl awkwardly under his arm. "So you're going to America tomorrow?" "Yes. To-morrow afternoon. To see your friend Mr. John Gavin first, of course." Mr. Derek Smeez had an awkward smile on his face. "I daresay he'd be glad to see you." He put out his hand as hard as he could to take mine. "Well, good luck to you, Becky. Write me sometime and tell me about your time in America." .” "I will," I said, with a genuine smile on my face, "thank you...look, thank you for always caring about me." He nodded, turned and left, his figure gradually melting into the night.