Two Shameless Thieves

When I arrived at the company, I turned on my computer and read the social news for a while as usual. Then, I went to my friends' Weibo and tried to find some funny jokes to make myself happy.

I accidentally found out Yan Yan had posted a Weibo post two days ago. The main content of the post was her and Fang Yuan's wedding photo. Yan Yan tagged a circle of people in this Weibo post, but she didn't tag me. Of course, I knew she was afraid Fang Yuan and her marriage would make me think of my and Jian Wei's bleak ending. Actually, she didn't have to do that. I, Zhao Yang, could give her painful blessings.

Their wedding photos had many different topics. One of them was named "Silent Joy." In this group of photos, Fang Yuan and Yan Yan were holding hands with no expression on their faces. They looked very quiet, and the background of the photo was a smiling sunflower. The theme of "Silent Joy" was highlighted.

This is a very good theme, but it doesn't belong to them. This theme was brought up by Jian Wei more than three years ago when she asked me how to take a wedding photo with her. I feel that the joy in silence can withstand the scrutiny of time and the erosion of time. It can be maintained forever.

I sighed softly, but my heart ached because of the merciless changes of time. After a long silence, I smiled and left a message on Yan Yan's Weibo, "Two shameless thieves, I wish you happiness forever!"

I lit up a cigarette and took a deep puff before exhaling it. However, the smoke was instantly dispersed by the wind that blew in. Thus, I also saw a picture full of cracks. In the picture, Jian Wei was still in love with me three years ago, lying in my arms. She praised the theme of "Silent Joy" that I proposed. We happily decided that when we got married one day, we would definitely use this theme to take a set of wedding photos.

But in the end, we didn't need this theme anymore, so it was plagiarized by Fang Yuan and Yan Yan, two bad friends who didn't have any sense of innovation… Hehe, I'm not sad about this at all. I'm really not sad… I only remember how happy we were that evening because we were looking forward to getting married.

...

At noon, Fang Yuan and I were having lunch at the company's cafeteria. From this afternoon onwards, Fang Yuan will be taking two weeks of wedding leave. He needs to temporarily hand over some work to me.

After spending ten minutes talking to Fang Yuan about work, we talked about his and Yan Yan's upcoming wedding.

I asked Fang Yuan, "Is Yan Yan finished looking for her bridesmaid?"

Fang Yuan nodded, "Yan Yan was planning to find a female colleague to be her bridesmaid. Now that Jian Wei is back, she must have found Jian Wei."

I didn't react for a moment. After being stunned for a long time, I asked Fang Yuan, "I'm your best man, right?"

"What, are you trying to run away?" Fang Yuan's face darkened as he asked.

"What are you two thinking? Don't you and Yan Yan consider how awkward it will be for Jian Wei and me when you arrange this?"

After a moment, Fang Yuan reacted and said, "That's right. I and Yan Yan really didn't think of this. It's quite awkward to arrange it like this."

"It's good that you know. Besides, Jian Wei and I have already broken up. It's unlucky for us to be your groomsmen and bridesmaids!" I added.

"Now that you mention it, I'm a little scared!" He stopped for a while then said, "Then who will quit, you or Jian Wei?"

"You're on wedding leave, and work matters are all on my head. I don't have that much time to accompany you as your best man." I have said everything I wanted to say.

"Alright then. There's really no way to get the best of both worlds." Fang Yuan said regretfully.

Of course, I also felt that it was a pity. However, according to the customs of marriage, it's not very auspicious for a married couple to let a man and a woman who has already broken up be the best man and bridesmaid.

After a moment of silence, I asked Fang Yuan, "Have you thought of any other candidates for the best man?"

Fang Yuan gave me a reassuring expression and said, "Don't think about it. It's ready-made. Just find Xiang Chen."

Needless to say, Xiang Chen was the perfect candidate for the best man. When we were in university, the three of us were the closest in our class. However, Xiang Chen was from Nanjing. After graduation, he returned to Nanjing and did not stay with us in Suzhou. However, the friendship between the revolutionary class was still there.

I nodded and asked Fang Yuan, "I haven't contacted him for a while. What has this kid been busy with recently?"

Fang Yuan sighed, "Their tobacco and alcohol store has been doing quite well these two years. I heard that they've opened a few branches in Nanjing. Recently, they're preparing to operate as a company and have set up a flagship store that's 800 square meters. Just the image design of the flagship store alone cost more than 300,000 yuan. It's quite high-end!"

I also sighed, "His father is really awesome! He had turned this kid into a rich second-generation heir at this age!"

Fang Yuan shrugged and said, "This has nothing to do with his father. It's not like you don't know his third uncle works in the Commerce Bureau. He has real power. Isn't it only a matter of time before his family's tobacco and alcohol store becomes big!"

I agreed with Fang Yuan's point of view. In this society, there was a huge difference between having connections and not. For example, Xiang Chen and I were two in stark contrast.

...

Fang Yuan left the company in the afternoon, and my work got busy. I only got off work at 8 pm. The next day, even though it was a Saturday, I still worked overtime for the whole day. The main thing was to help Fang Yuan with the Gucci counter project in our mall. In the past two days, I had been interacting with the Gucci inspection team and modifying the project plan according to their requirements.

In just two days, I was already feeling overwhelmed and annoyed. This made me understand that compared to Fang Yuan, my ability to work was still a little lacking. At least, he had always been able to handle these matters with ease.

At nine o'clock on Saturday night, I dragged my tired body onto the last bus home. However, my mood did not relax because of tomorrow's rest. My mind was filled with the situation at Fang Yuan and Yan Yan's wedding tomorrow. Although I was happy about their marriage, I did not want to meet Jian Wei on such an occasion with the word "happy" plastered all over it. This reluctance became stronger and stronger as time passed. In my opinion, Fang Yuan and Yan Yan's wedding is cruel torture for Jian Wei and me.

Maybe Jian Wei wouldn't care about this kind of interrogation, but I really do!

...

It was already 9:30 when I returned to my residence. I didn't immediately wash up and rest. I just sat on the sofa in the living room and lit a cigarette out of habit. I was immersed in anxiety and couldn't extricate myself. I even forgot to play a song on the guitar to relax.

I drank a cup of cold water and lay on the sofa staring at the ceiling in a daze. A moment later, I heard the sound of the door opening. I knew Mi Cai had returned. She had returned later than me these two days. Perhaps she had her own nightlife, but this had nothing to do with me.

The smell of smoke in the room made Mi Cai frown. She walked to my side and said to me, "Can you not smoke in the living room?"

I didn't care about Mi Cai's question and replied indifferently, "So what if I smoke in the living room? I didn't smoke in your room anyway?"

"The living room won't do either. I don't want to come back and smell the smoke every day." Mi Cai said sternly.

"Then I'll open the window next time I smoke, okay? The wind will blow in and dissipate it in a while." I said to Mi Cai patiently in my anxiety.

"That won't do. You can only go out and smoke in the future. I don't allow you to smoke in the house."

I sat up from the sofa and frowned, "I'm not allowed to do this or that. Do you think I'm your grandson? I've lived in this house for more than two years. I've smoked in every corner, including the room you're living in now and... On the toilet bowl in the bathroom."

After I got angry, Mi Cai suddenly said to me calmly, "If you're so dissatisfied, then go find a house to live in. Even if you climb up to the roof and smoke, no one will care."

I didn't say anything, but I hated the feeling of being pinched at the weak spot. However, I couldn't resist. I wished I could become a rich man and buy this house. Then, I would climb up to the roof and smoke a cigarette.

After a while, I crumpled the cigarette box into a ball and threw it into the trash can. I glared at Mi Cai and said rudely, "This Young Master is not smoking anymore. Are you satisfied?"

Mi Cai looked at me calmly and asked, "Young master? Didn't you just say that you're a grandson?"

I said angrily, "Nonsense. You're the one who treats me like a grandson. When did I say that I'm a grandson?"

Mi Cai smiled and shrugged. She turned around and walked back to her room.

I was stunned for a long time before I realized she was setting a trap for me. She wanted me to admit that I was her grandson without realizing it... I suddenly had the urge to spit blood toward her room. She was bullying an honest person!

...

After washing up, I returned to my room and closed the door tightly. I found another pack of cigarettes and lit one. Then, I opened the window and lay on the bed to smoke.

The phone rang for a long time, it rang without any warning. I was stunned for a long time. When the ringtone was about to end, I picked up the phone from the bedside cabinet and answered it.

Yan Yan's familiar voice came from the phone, "Zhao Yang, are you asleep?"

"I was lying down. I haven't slept yet."

"Are you thinking about something again?" Yan Yan sighed, "Poor single men!"

"Call me back later. I'm going to the bathroom to cry for a while." I said in a bad mood. Yan Yan and Fang Yuan have the same character, always comforting people to death.

Yan Yan smiled and said, "Alright, let's talk business."

"Tell me quickly." I took another puff.

"... I am with Jian Wei now. She's staying at my house tonight." Yan Yan whispered to me.

I controlled my heartbeat and pretended to be calm as I asked, "Aren't you with Fang Yuan?"

"Are you stupid? I'm definitely at home now." Then, she added sweetly, "Waiting for my husband to come and marry me tomorrow!"

"Oh."

"That... Do you want to talk to Jian Wei? She's chatting with my parents in the living room."Yan Yan lowered her voice.

I was speechless...

Another voice suddenly came from the other end of the phone, "Yan Yan, what are you doing?"

Then, I heard the sound of the phone suddenly hanging up. I didn't hang up the phone for a long time. I could tell that it was Jian Wei's voice.

Finally, the phone hung up automatically. After a while, Yan Yan sent me a text message, "You heard Jian Wei's voice just now, right? You scared me to death. I called you behind her back. This matter has to be agreed to by the parties involved. Only then can I help you connect. Otherwise, it would seem like I'm not sensible!"

I didn't reply to her message and just snuffed out the cigarette in my hand in silence. Her voice still lingered in my ears, reminding me of the happy us on this rainy evening.

In fact, whether we communicate tonight or not doesn't have much practical significance for us. After all, we will meet tomorrow in real life. Moreover, three years have passed.