After work, Rui Xiaodan didn't go to Ding Yuanying immediately. Instead, she walked alone along the tree-lined path between Bishui River and the street. She walked for a while, then sat on a stone bench by the river, gazing at the slow-flowing water.
She was deep in thought: How did he know which stock would rise? How did he know Han Chufeng would lose the bet? How did he know Wang Mingyang would speak? If predicting a stock's rise and composing poetry while drinking were mere talents, giving Wang Mingyang a reason to repent was not so simple. She couldn't recall seeing the term "cultural attribute" in any dictionary. Literally, it seemed to denote the nature or characteristics of a culture. She had some insight but couldn't fully grasp it. This unfamiliar term had caught her attention. It was this "cultural attribute" that brought Ding Yuanying to an obscure corner of the ancient city, away from the world of desires and fame. He was a paradox, utterly grounded in reality yet incongruous with it.
Her mind replayed Xiao Yawen's words: He could be a demon or a ghost, just not a man... With my intellect, I can't understand such a person... He wants some peace... Every pore of his exudes a lofty tolerance for worldly culture... A man like Ding Yuanying means nothing to a woman; women have greed, anger, and delusion. A woman without these is a heavenly woman...
She sat by the river for a long time, making a decision that even she found unbelievable.
She took a bus to Venus Hotel. It was dusk, and the hotel was just entering its peak hours. Ouyang Xue stood at the entrance, talking to an acquaintance. Seeing Rui Xiaodan, she quickly ended the conversation and approached her.
"Busy these days, huh? Not even a phone call," Ouyang Xue said.
"Fell in love," Rui Xiaodan replied.
Ouyang Xue's eyes widened in surprise. "What? Such a big deal, and you didn't tell me?"
Rui Xiaodan smiled. "I've been through a lot, couldn't manage."
Ouyang Xue said, "Oh, I was insensitive. First-time lovers must be very busy."
Rui Xiaodan said, "I came to borrow a car for an errand."
"Where's the BMW?" Ouyang Xue asked.
"Is that a car I should be driving?"
Ouyang Xue handed her the car keys from her pocket. "Haven't seen you for days. Stay for dinner and tell me about your love story. It's dinnertime."
"Another time. I have dinner plans with Yuanying," Rui Xiaodan said with a smile.
"Wow, you're already calling him Yuanying!" Ouyang Xue teased.
"If the stocks make money, what will you do?" Rui Xiaodan asked.
"First, replace this old car. No more second-hand cars to avoid being laughed at. Got any plans?" Ouyang Xue replied.
"Yuanying is idle. I need to find something for him to do. The ancient city isn't his place to stay long-term. I don't expect forever, but keeping him busy might make him stay longer," Rui Xiaodan said.
"Already planning the breakup right after starting the relationship? That's scary. Why fall in love then? And he quit private equity. What can you make him do?" Ouyang Xue emphasized the "you."
Rui Xiaodan walked towards the car, opened the door, and said, "If possible, I want to use the Wangmiao Village project to get him involved."
"Charity work?" Ouyang Xue exclaimed.
"Not charity, but leveraging Feng Shijie's charity to do something. I know what to do," Rui Xiaodan clarified.
"What's your plan? How much do you want to raise?" Ouyang Xue asked, puzzled.
"Depends on how much the stocks make and how much you can lend me. But there's a limit—the loan shouldn't exceed my hotel shares, only what I can afford to lose. My father's money is off-limits; family ties give some leeway. I can't control my greed this time," Rui Xiaodan said.
"Greed for what? Money?" Ouyang Xue asked.
"Greed," Rui Xiaodan replied.
Ouyang Xue, even more puzzled, said, "Someone like you... greedy?"
Rui Xiaodan smiled. "If you buy a new car, don't count it as part of the hotel's assets. The old car shouldn't be sold either. Deduct two thousand yuan from my dividends for it. A BMW isn't for our class. If Yuanying stays in the ancient city, I'd like a car to take him out."
Ouyang Xue said, "This car was only forty thousand yuan when we bought it. It's been three years, and it might not fetch forty thousand. You're letting him ride in this old car?"
"With me, he's a poor man's kid. Having a car to ride is a luxury," Rui Xiaodan said, getting into the car and starting the engine. She waved at Ouyang Xue and drove off.
Suddenly, Ouyang Xue called out, "Xiaodan!"
Rui Xiaodan braked, opened the door, and asked, "What's wrong?"
Ouyang Xue hesitated, then walked over, holding the car door. "Xiaodan, is this the beginning?"
"The beginning of what?" Rui Xiaodan asked, puzzled.
"From now on, we're at a crossroads. We'll drift further apart," Ouyang Xue said.
Rui Xiaodan's heart trembled. There was a resonance of emotions and a sense of familial love. She smiled, "Oh, stop overthinking."
The word "oh" dispelled the worry in Ouyang Xue's eyes, and she smiled too.