Chapter 8, there is a girl named Weiwei

But we still do not resonate with each other

When I first met her online, she had already resigned from CCTV and became one of the many unemployed elites in Beijing. Her most important task each day was to send her resume to the top-ranking companies in Beijing, which were mostly Fortune 500 companies, with the worst being among the top 50 in the country. The companies she applied to wouldn't even glance at her, claiming they couldn't afford to lose such a talent. This ultimately led to her inability to remain in Beijing.

When I turned around, I saw Lanzi still in the room making my bed. I coldly said to her, "You can leave too." Lanzi did not respond; after finishing the bed, she walked up to me and quietly said, "Your underwear is on the bedside. Remember to change after your shower, and it's easy to catch a cold sleeping without pajamas." Hearing this made my heart ache, and I gritted my teeth, darkly saying, "I know, just go quickly." Lanzi, with red eyes, walked out. As she passed by me, she softly said, "I'm sorry." Hearing this made my heart ache again, and I gritted my teeth, darkly saying, "I know, just go quickly." Lanzi, with red eyes, walked out. As she passed by me, she softly said, "I'm sorry."

It is not that I am ugly; I was born with a face that can easily attract support from others. Moreover, by that time, I had gradually ceased to resemble the frail and emaciated figure I once was. In the second year after I moved to Beijing, I began to grow stronger. Although my current physique cannot be described as robust, it is at least quite upright. This is something I can fully appreciate from the satisfied smile in Weiwei's eyes when she first looked at me.

Weiwei is a very good friend of mine, and she is also a girl whom I particularly admire. After returning from her studies in the UK, she managed to get into CCTV and proudly became a part of the transient population in Beijing, frequently moving between various entertainment venues in the city with a group of friends. At that time, although I was also in Beijing roaming around with Shishi and Maodou, I did not know her.

Upon returning to the city, they all insisted on taking me to the hospital, but I firmly refused. I told them that I merely fell into the river, and it was just like taking a winter swim and having a cold shower. Have you ever heard of someone going to the hospital after taking a shower? Unable to persuade me, Shi Shi had no choice but to take me home. Once inside, I wrapped myself in Shi Shi's coat and went to the bathroom, then ran hot water for a bath. Shi Shi and Yan Zi were in the kitchen making me hot tea. After I finished running the bathwater and came out, I saw that they were still busy, so I asked, "Why are you still here?" After saying that, I started to shoo them away. As Shi Shi walked out, he asked, "Are you really okay?" I replied, "Damn it, I'm perfectly fine. Hurry up and leave; I want to take a bath. Don't let it turn into an embarrassing situation." Then I turned to Yan Zi and sincerely said, "I'm really sorry for ruining your day today." Yan Zi smiled and said, "It's fine, we'll come find you to hang out another day."

Upon returning from Beijing, the two were stunned when they met each other

With everyone gone, I looked at the vast house and felt a deep emptiness inside. I hurried into the bathroom, stripped off my clothes, and jumped into the bathtub to soak. I wondered, how can cold water be deadly while hot water feels so comforting, even though they are both just water

Let me put it this way: at that time, both Weiwei and I were caught up in this illusory relationship. We would often send messages to each other on our phones, and then in the evening, I would call her. We would talk for several hours, and the things we said made our hearts race and our faces flush.

I said, how come you are back again? Shi Shi put away her smile and said to me very seriously, I was worried that something might happen to you, so I came back to check on you

In fact, I still feel quite upset. I heard that her current boss, a wealthy capitalist, is particularly enthusiastic towards her. Lanzi wants to learn to drive, and he picks her up in his own BMW. Lanzi's family is also quite well-off; now, when she buys a short-sleeved shirt, it costs over 2,000. For example, places like Dongfang Mall are intimidating for the average petty bourgeois, but Lanzi can casually swipe her card there, and it easily amounts to 10,000 or 8,000. I would need to write a book just to afford her shopping twice. In fact, being with me hasn't brought her any good; I can't provide her with the luxurious life of a capitalist's wife. Yet, as I think about it, I still feel heartbroken. When I feel heartbroken, I smoke. After finishing Shi Shi's soft Zhonghua, I smoke my Zhongnanhai. Once I finish Zhongnanhai, I tell Shi Shi that I am going to sleep and she can do whatever she wants. After saying that, I hug the blanket and dive into the room, lying on the bed in a sprawled position, and then I lose consciousness.

Thus, we can only be friends, the kind that is extremely close, and of the type that shares a mutual understanding and collaborates in mischief.

Both Weiwei and I are inherently arrogant individuals, possessing a strong sense of pride, yet we find ourselves struggling in a society where one must humble themselves to survive. Thus, we quickly developed a mutual understanding and lamented our late meeting. At that moment, I declared my affection for her, and she reciprocated with a strong liking for me. To express my feelings, I wrote a heartfelt love letter that could even move the blind, which I posted on the Xici website. As a result, my friend, who is the administrator of the Xici site, featured my love letter on the homepage. Consequently, our relationship became widely known, akin to the infamous heart of Sima Zhao.

It is said that there was originally a great opportunity; a well-known domestic portal website was impressed by Weiwei's remarkable resume. After discussing the details, both parties were very satisfied. Then the person in charge asked Weiwei what her expected salary was. It is said that at that moment, Weiwei modestly quoted a figure to the person in charge, but the person’s expression immediately darkened, and with a troubled look, he said, "Miss, ... this figure, if it were before the Nasdaq index plummeted, we could still afford it, but now..." Before he could finish, Weiwei, with great dignity, said goodbye.

I wrapped myself in a quilt and then sat on the sofa in the living room with Shishi, smoking. I smoked his soft Zhonghua while he smoked my Zhongnanhai. After a while, I suddenly asked him, "Shishi, am I really useless?" Shishi widened his eyes and said, "Of course not. If you were useless, I would have died in Beijing countless times already." I whispered, "But Lanzi looks down on me; she genuinely thinks I am useless and that I have no money." As I spoke, my eyes turned red again. Shishi was also particularly upset and said, "Chen Yang, don't be like this!" I quietly repeated, "But Lanzi looks down on me; she genuinely thinks I am useless and that I have no money." As I spoke, my eyes turned red again. Shishi was also particularly upset and said, "Chen Yang, don't be like this! I can give you money; whatever you need, I will give you. We can go to the bank tomorrow!" I punched him lightly and said, "Damn, why would I want your money?" Shishi sighed and said, "Don't blame Lanzi; we've known each other since childhood. Don't you understand her? She is not the kind of woman who loves money; she is just influenced by her surroundings." I looked at Shishi and suddenly said, "I don't blame her; it's this world that forces the good into becoming bad."

These words struck me like a wedge, instantly breaking through the mental defenses I had held for half a day. Tears streamed down my face, and then I kicked him hard, shouting, "Shishi, you truly are my brother!"

As soon as I finished speaking, I fainted

It is not to say that Weiwei is not beautiful; on the contrary, Weiwei is an exceptionally beautiful girl. Her expressive brows and eyes, with just a slight turn, exude an enchanting charm. Compared to her, Tian Hong, with her ancient allure, seems like a country girl. The first time we met was when Weiwei had just returned to Nanjing. That day, at the agreed meeting place, I saw a beauty approaching from afar, like a cloud floating in. She had chestnut-red, straight, permed hair, and her face was so exquisite it looked as if it had been specially processed in a photo. Even the dimple on the left corner of her mouth was breathtakingly beautiful. The black high-collared sweater and the book she carried were clearly of considerable value, and she was holding an LV handbag. At that moment, when I saw Weiwei, my feelings could only be described as awe-inspiring.

I met Weiwei in 2002 after returning to Nanjing from Beijing. It was a particularly coincidental opportunity that I connected with her online. As we communicated, I learned that she was from Beijing, and she found out that I had returned from Beijing. We then discovered that we were both originally from Nanjing. At that time, we were puzzled; we were the same age and had spent over a decade in Nanjing before university, plus a few years in Beijing, totaling nearly 20 years in the same city. Remarkably, many of the people I knew were also acquaintances of hers—Weiwei often remarked that my statement sounded like a tongue twister. To put it simply, we had many mutual friends. We had spent so many years in Nanjing and then a few years in Beijing together, yet we had never met each other. Even more strangely, on numerous occasions when our mutual friends organized dinners and gatherings, either I was unable to attend, or she was absent, leading us to miss each other for so many years—Weiwei said that my words sounded particularly sentimental.

In a gentle manner, it feels as if chatting with me is akin to looking in a mirror at home—our thoughts and speech are remarkably similar, and our perspectives and tones often align astonishingly. However, when faced with someone who mirrors oneself so closely, we are disheartened to discover, after our initial enthusiastic conversation, that love cannot blossom between us—we are not the type of individuals with a penchant for narcissism.

After soaking for a while, I suddenly heard the front door being banged loudly. I jumped up, quickly dried myself off, and, wrapped in a damp towel and barefoot, went to open the door. As soon as I opened it, I saw Shi Shi standing outside with a particularly strange smile.