-----
In the night, Xiao Min was standing in his room’s gallery while staring at the sky. Xiao Dong went to see him and decided to talk about what they discussed in the morning during breakfast.
Not saying much, Xiao Dong stood beside his son. Xiao Min looked at his father but said nothing.
Since the day he heard his father and Shen Li talking in the hospital’s gallery and the shock he got, he turned into a silent person who spoke nothing but just focused on his work and talked about only work.
He wouldn’t let his work responsibilities affect just because of his personal problem.
"How’s the work going on in the absence of President Lu?" Finally, Xiao dong broke the silence.
"Fourth young master is handling everything nicely," replied Xiao Min.
"Do you think he can manage everything so soon?" Xiao Dong asked.
"He can, and he is even more capable than what he shows," Xiao Min replied.
"As expected of Mr. Chairman’s son," Xiao Dong commented, and Xiao Min nodded in agreement.
Again there was a silence, and Xiao Dong didn’t know how to get to the point. Xiao Min almost guessed why his father was there, and seeing him unable to bring it out, Xiao Min spoke.
"Father, don’t have to worry about what I said in the morning. The thing that the father is worried about won’t happen."
"I am here to say that just like your mother, I’m with you. Do what you feel is right for you," said Xiao Dong, but there was no change in Xiao Min seeing his father not opposing him.
"For that, it’s late now, father," said Xiao Min.
Xiao Dong felt terrible as he knew he was the reason that his son turned like this.
"I was the one who was standing in between you and Shen Li, but I won’t do it again. I apologize for...."
"Father, don’t need to apologize to me. It has nothing to do with father. That person doesn’t love me and can give up on me just like that when someone asked him to," Xiao Min explained.
Hearing it, Xiao Dong understood Xiao Min got to know it, "So you know..."
"That day in the hospital, I heard the conversation between him and father."
Xiao Dong had nothing to say as even after knowing his father was the one to give him pain, Xiao Min didn’t question him.
"I’m the one to give you pain," said Xiao Dong.
"What pains me most is he didn’t even try to oppose you and accepted what you said. He takes me for granted and can decide on his own. It shows my presence or absence in his life meant nothing. He can push me away when he wants," thought Xiao Min looked like he was determined, and nothing mattered to him much; his eyes said otherwise.
"I don’t want to think about anything. I just know he doesn’t feel the same way for me as I did. I was the one who was being foolishly persistent and stuck to him all these years," Xiao Min countered.
"It was all my fault. You can talk to him and sort it out," Xiao Dong suggested.
"It was no one’s fault but mine to keep clinging on him. I have had enough but not anymore now," said Xiao Min.
"I’ll talk to him and apologize....."
"Father, this time, I don’t want you to do anything. Let me decide for my life," said Xiao Min as he added, "I’m going out. Would be back late."
Xiao Min went inside the room, picked up the jacket, and went out.
Xiao Dong could only look at his son and felt the burden of what wrong he did with his son and didn’t know how to correct it. The worst part was, his son didn’t blame him for knowing what he did and didn’t even let him apologize.
Xiao Min left home while Xiao Dong went to his room, where his wife waited for him.
"Why are you still awake?" Xiao Dong asked.
"When you went to talk to him, how can I sleep?" She replied and asked, "What did he say?"
Xiao Dong sighed, "Nothing. Let’s leave him alone for a while."
------
Xiao Min went to the pub where he planned to drink. The next day he had work to do, but he was sure he would have just a little and go back. Even if he had more, he would manage it.
When Xiao Min entered the pub, he came across the familiar people, his senior and one middle-aged man with him who was familiar too.
"Assistant Xiao Min, good to see you here," said the middle-aged man.
Xiao Min bowed to the man and Shen Li formally, "Good to see you too."
Xiao Min didn’t look at Shen Li the way he used to be before. He acted as if Shen Li was nothing more than just someone he knew through the business relationship.
"Look like no one is with you," asked the middle-aged man.
"Hmm, I want to be alone," said Xiao Min straightaway, indicating them to leave him alone. It was his private time, and he didn’t need to entertaintain anyone.
Bowing again, Xiao Min left to go to the bar countered while the middle-aged man said, "Seems like something is wrong with him."
Shen Li, who stared at Xiao Min all the time he was in front of him, could see it too but said nothing.
"Thanks for giving me your time even on the off day," the middle-aged man said as he added, "I’ll take a leave now. Won’t take much time of yours."
Shen Li nodded, bowed a little, and the man left. Shen Li looked at Xiao Min, who sat facing his back to him.
Xiao Min had already ordered the drink and continued drinking alone.
Just as Shen Li stepped towards him and was about to reach closer, one pretty woman sat beside Xiao Min as she too ordered the drinks.
"Seems like you are the same as me," the woman commented as she looked at the bartender who was preparing her drink.
"Are you talking to me?" Xiao Min asked as he looked at his right sight.
The woman looked at Xiao Min, "Is there anyone other than two of us who looked heartbroken?"
"Why do you think I’m....."
"It’s written on your face that the person has hurt you," she said, smiling.
"And this fake smile on your face says, you came across an asshole who hurt you," Xiao Min countered.
The woman sighed, "I hope your man is not the real asshole."
"He is no different," Xiao Min commented as he sipped the drink and asked, "How did you know it was a man and not...."
"Here are so many pretty women around you, but you didn’t look at anyone. Well, I’m pretty enough to drool over, but even after sitting beside you, I couldn’t see that usual thing in your eyes when a man sees a pretty woman."
"You got good sight," Xiao Min commented as he continued drinking.
Shen Li, who stood nearby, heard it all and thought about what had happened suddenly.
Shen Li was not aware that Xiao Min knew about his conversion with his father. After that, the two didn’t even talk as Xiao Min kept avoiding him.
"Let’s not think about them then. Let’s drink and forget," the woman suggested, and Xiao Min agreed.
Shen Li sat in one chair at a distance where Xiao Min couldn’t see him, but he could see and hear Xiao Min.
Just as Xiao Min finished one drink, he picked up the tissue paper from the stand and searched for something in his jacket’s pocket.
Not finding what he was searching for, Xiao Min frowned, "Damn," and looked at the bartender, "Do you have a pen?"
The bartender nodded and passed him one pen. Xiao Min wrote something on it, and the women asked, "It looked like an address."
"Hmm," Xiao Min nodded and passed the pen back to the bartender as he showed him the tissue paper, "My address is written on it. If I’m not in a condition to go back, ask someone to put me in the cab and send me to this address."
The bartender nodded, and Xiao Min put the tissue paper in his pocket.
The woman laughed a little and felt amused at what Xiao Min did, "I have never seen such a man who prepared well before getting drunk. Are you scared to be left alone in the bar?"
"I have a habit of landing at the wrong address in my drunk condition," Xiao Min replied.
The woman laughed again, "Don’t tell me you end up at that person’s home all the time."
Xiao Min nodded, "I don’t wish to trouble anyone."
"Hmm, good. I think I should do the same, or I’ll land at the wrong address too, just like you," said the woman and grabbed the tissue paper to write her address. She, too, kept it in her bag and informed the bartender, who agreed to it.
"Looks like you are no different from me," Xiao Min commented, and the woman nodded lightly, "This love is such a bullshit thing that makes us do all the crappy things in the world."
"True, and one of them is to keep clinging onto someone who doesn’t want you," Xiao Min agreed.
"Cheers for the bullshit and crappy thing we have gone through," the woman put forward her glass of drink, and Xiao Min did the same.
CLINK!!
The two continued to drink carelessly while Shen Li continued to sit there, looking after Xiao Min.