At 11:25 a.m., Xiǎo Zhào, the driver, promptly called Ruì Xiǎodān to inform her it was time to leave. Prepared and ready, she quickly headed downstairs where the car was waiting with Xiǎo Zhào standing beside it and the rear door already open.
As she approached, Xiǎo Zhào stepped forward, "Miss Ruì, please get in."
"Thank you," Ruì Xiǎodān replied, settling into the car.
After a half-hour drive, they arrived at the curb beside Hongda Building. Through the car window, Ruì Xiǎodān saw a row of cultural organization signs hanging on the fence and a building with several cars parked in front of it. Across the street were several well-decorated restaurants with their parking spots fully occupied.
Ruì Xiǎodān spotted Xiāo Yàwén standing by the roadside. The car stopped next to her, and Ruì Xiǎodān got out, warmly shaking Xiāo Yàwén's hand. "Have you been waiting long?"
"I just got off work," Xiāo Yàwén replied. "Hello, Xiǎo Zhào!"
"Hello, Miss Xiāo," Xiǎo Zhào responded. "I'll come back to pick up Miss Ruì at 1:30."
Xiāo Yàwén nodded, "Thank you for your trouble."
After Xiǎo Zhào drove off, they entered a restaurant named "Gǔláixiāng," choosing a secluded corner table. Without looking at the menu, Xiāo Yàwén ordered a pot of chrysanthemum tea and two traditional dishes, indicating she was a regular. A waitress soon brought the tea and two cups on a delicate wooden tray.
Pouring the tea, Xiāo Yàwén finally spoke, "I went to the station but saw Hán Chǔfēng from afar. He's now the president of Zhèngtiān Group. Given his presence, it wouldn't have been appropriate for me to intrude, so I quietly returned to work. If I lacked this bit of awareness, I'd have starved long ago."
Ruì Xiǎodān diverted the conversation from the awkward topic, asking, "What are you busy with these days?"
"I work at a headhunting company, making a decent living. But let's talk about you. What's going on with you and him?" Xiāo Yàwén inquired.
"I think I'm in love with him," Ruì Xiǎodān admitted.
Xiāo Yàwén was slightly startled, then calmly replied, "Then there's no need to think further. Welcome to hell."
"How do you know it's hell?" Ruì Xiǎodān asked.
Xiāo Yàwén smiled, "You skipped a part. The full saying is: if you haven't had such thoughts, how do you know it's hell? But you've both overestimated and underestimated me. Overestimated, because I'm not so lofty that I don't know who I am; underestimated, because I'm not naive enough not to know what I want."
"So, you mean I don't know who I am," Ruì Xiǎodān interpreted.
Taking a sip of tea, Xiāo Yàwén reflected, "Women have certain ingrained flaws that can't be discarded. Even I, as a woman, understand this, let alone someone insightful like him. I was his assistant for a year. Despite his respect for women, it couldn't hide his inherent fear of them—fear that equates to contempt. From a woman's perspective, Dīng Yuányīng isn't appealing; he doesn't offer what women typically desire. Such a person is meaningful only as an acquaintance or friend. Any closer, and his value is destroyed."
"So, you mean I've ruined that value and let you down. I'm not just embarrassed anymore; I feel guilty, like I'm already in hell," Ruì Xiǎodān said.
Xiāo Yàwén continued, "Listen carefully, I haven't even mentioned hell yet. I met his ex-wife and chatted a bit. She said he would never argue with you. His every pore exudes a superior tolerance for worldly culture, to the point that he doesn't even bother to reason with you. This tolerance makes you feel vulgar and inferior. When you're about to be suffocated and go mad, the only word that comes to mind is escape."
Ruì Xiǎodān nodded, "That's very insightful, not like an excuse."
"Escape is hell," Xiāo Yàwén concluded.
"I disagree. There's no need to escape. If Dīng Yuányīng stumbles over the same stone twice, he's a fool. He's the one suffering in hell, not me," Ruì Xiǎodān argued.
"That's why he won't stumble twice. As for you, unrequited love will bring the torment of longing. The pain of longing has been exhaustively described in poetry through the ages. You're a woman, with a woman's nature. Once you're in, it's hard to get out. Dīng Yuányīng means nothing to a woman. Women have greed, anger, and delusion. A woman without these is a woman of heaven," Xiāo Yàwén said.
"Even if it's hell, I want to taste what hell is like," Ruì Xiǎodān replied.
Just then, the waitress brought their dishes—two bowls of rice and two signature dishes: ancient-style lion's head meatballs. The conversation paused as they started eating.
After a while, Xiāo Yàwén put down her chopsticks, wiped her lips with a napkin, and with a mysterious smile, said, "Sister, a woman's greatest magic is her allure. You, being exceptionally beautiful, should use all your charms to conquer him thoroughly. I'll be your family, and maybe I'll get to bask in your heavenly glory."
"Goodness, is that how a sister should advise her younger sister?" Ruì Xiǎodān laughed.
"This needs no teaching. It's instinct. To say it's taught is to insult the creator," Xiāo Yàwén replied with a graceful wave.
They resumed eating, chatting intermittently. Ruì Xiǎodān recounted some recent events briefly.
When mentioning the sale of records, Xiāo Yàwén was secretly alarmed. She had worried about the impact of Chén Rú taking 150,000 yuan on Dīng Yuányīng's life in the ancient city, but hadn't anticipated it being this severe.
Xiāo Yàwén silently pondered: Should she tell Ruì Xiǎodān about Chén Rú taking 150,000 yuan? If she didn't, Ruì Xiǎodān might inadvertently reveal the record sale to Hán Chǔfēng, making Chén Rú's private loan no longer a secret. If she did tell, Ruì Xiǎodān might avoid the issue with Hán Chǔfēng, thus bearing significant financial pressure. Funding Dīng Yuányīng herself at such a sensitive time seemed inappropriate. After much consideration, Xiāo Yàwén decided to keep silent. The loan was over a year old, and it was best for Hán Chǔfēng to handle Dīng Yuányīng's living expenses discreetly.
Continuing the previous topic, Xiāo Yàwén said, "Actually, your visit to Beijing might cause more trouble than it's worth. Meeting Hán Chǔfēng will complicate things."
"Why?" Ruì Xiǎodān asked, puzzled.
"You'll see. The reception from Hán Chǔfēng will be top-notch. But if you think you deserve such treatment, you're mistaken. It's Dīng Yuányīng who merits it, not you. This high regard will push you to extremes—either making you feel inferior or turning you into a petty opportunist. It won't offer you a balanced choice. Even if you see through this, you can't complain about someone treating you well. That circle isn't one you filter; they filter you. Any remaining confidence you have will be thoroughly worn down by their care."
"I came to understand the situation. If that wears me down, it's something I need to understand," Ruì Xiǎodān asserted.
Reflecting, Xiāo Yàwén said, "Considering Dīng Yuányīng's stock arrangement for Ōuyáng Xuě and the guarantee, it seems plausible. He isn't concerned with face-saving but cares about your feelings."
"Loving and respecting a woman, giving her face, that's all," Ruì Xiǎodān commented.
"Possibly, but not necessarily. Dīng Yuányīng keeps his promises. He signed in Berlin, vowing not to touch the stock market again. For him, 500,000 yuan in stocks is trivial in amount but significant in principle. What does that mean? What kind of person would he break his promise for?" Xiāo Yàwén questioned.