On My Way - Chapter 24

Chapter 24 - But What Can I Do? I Just Don't Want to Admit Defeat

I didn't tell Cheng Xia what I had seen. He just assumed I was suddenly in a bad mood and drove me home the next day.

After getting home, I was too lazy to think about anything and threw myself onto the bed, sleeping until I was thoroughly refreshed.

Although my feelings had been slightly bruised, by Monday, thanks to the vacation and the intense sleep, my mental state was much better than just "a little bit better." I was brimming with vitality at work, to the point where several girls asked if I’d switched to a new skincare line.

It turns out love is not a human necessity; sleep, food, and rest are.

My radiant complexion came to an abrupt halt after my boss called me into his office.

"The Jiaolong Village resettlement project—you remember it, right?"

"I remember."

Coal deposits had been surveyed and mining had begun in Jiaolong Village, so the original residents were being relocated and resettled. Zhao Yu was the chief engineer and project manager.

"The project has hit some snags now, and the company needs extra hands to help him out. Will you consider it?"

In an instant, my scalp went numb. I said, "Me? But the construction plans for the University City renovation project are already being drafted."

"This is the opinion of headquarters. We must prioritize urgent matters," he said. His expression was complex—a mix of pity and envy. "Of course, you can refuse, but if you complete this, you’ll at least be promoted to vice president."

What he meant was that this was an opportunity being handed to me.

But the whole company knew why the Jiaolong Village project had stalled.

Halfway through construction, the villagers had suddenly surrounded the site in a massive, swarming crowd, carrying shovels and refusing to let work continue. Zhao Yu, who had a short temper, came out and had barely said two words when someone smashed a shovel against his head.

He suffered a concussion and was still in the hospital.

They say "poor mountains and treacherous waters breed vicious people." It’s an ugly saying, but it wasn't entirely false.

Jiaolong Village was too remote. Many of the villagers hadn't received much education, and once they hardened their hearts, there was no ruthless act they wouldn't commit. Zhao Yu was considered quite experienced, but if the police hadn't arrived in time and fired warning shots into the sky, there would have definitely been a loss of life that day.

He was sick now, so I had to do whatever remained. How was I supposed to handle this?

There was no benefit in doing a good job, and furthermore, this wasn't something you could just grit your teeth and endure.

In the past, no matter how difficult things were, we always had the construction teams the company was used to working with. But now, it was impossible to bring a team that far away. I would have to hire local workers and transport fleets.

Yet, regarding that area, I was essentially blind and clueless.

Moreover, resettling a village was a massive, sweeping project; public facilities had to be built, and hundreds of people had to be housed.

In short, for me, this project was like a nameless bandit soldier trying to assassinate the Monkey King!

You ask who the bandit soldier is?

Monsters that get trampled to death don't deserve to have names.

That night, I pored over the project documents and researched data until three in the morning.

My phone was slick with sweat in my hand. Several times I nearly dialed his number—I just wanted to ask Old Feng what he really meant. Was he truly willing to ruin me just because of a petty, prideful conflict?

But what kind of relationship did we even have? What right did I have to confront him?

Unless I was willing to sacrifice my integrity and sleep with him—which I wasn't—yet I still wanted his special care, it was ultimately an impossible situation.

Sooner or later, I had to climb my way up on my own.

When the first light of dawn appeared, I walked into my grandmother's room.

The elderly sleep lightly; she was eating a bowl of sesame paste while watching TV. I took it and finished stirring it for her.

"What's wrong, Xue'er?"

I said, "There's a thankless job coming my way, and I'm debating whether or not to take it."

My grandmother pursed her lips and said, "This child, there's no such thing as picking and choosing work. We common folk just have to work steadily and honestly."

I was amused by her simple philosophy and toothless mouth.

"But this project will take four or five years. For most of that time, I won't be here, and you'll have to stay by yourself."

She was unhappy with that and said, "Then can I go with you? I can still cook for you."

"The grasslands are colder than our Northeast, and buying this house was so you could enjoy your twilight years in comfort," I said.

She replied, "That's nothing. Anyway, I'm not deaf or blind. You need to follow your company's arrangements!"

I looked at her aged face—she was the most important person in my life. I had been away for six years, and she had missed me for six years, living through hard times all that while.

But what can I do? I just don't want to admit defeat. I want to take this chance.

I hugged her; the smell of the elderly was warm and comforting. I said, "Grandma, let me take this risk. After this, we'll have paid off the mortgage, and I'll buy a little car."

Grandma stroked the back of my head and said, "Fine. You, if you've made up your mind, then go. Grandma won't hold you back."

Over the next few days, I went to the job market to find a nanny—nothing fancy, just someone to keep the old lady company.

I also put together a simple team within the company. "Tyrannosaurus" and a quiet, female technical trainee named Hailan were willing to go with me.

Tyrannosaurus needed the money; his daughter wasn't doing well in school, and cram schools were like incinerators for cash.

Hailan had just graduated. She was soft-spoken and still full of naive fantasies about construction sites.

It was better than having no one to use.

Then I created a group chat with the team at the site and started packing my luggage.

Only after everything was ready did I realize I had forgotten one thing:

Informing Cheng Xia.

I went to Cheng Xia’s place.

He hadn't finished work yet, so I efficiently tidied up his place, went to the farmers' market to buy ingredients, and prepared a hotpot.

While waiting for him, I accidentally fell asleep on the sofa.

When I woke up, the night was a dark blue, and a blanket was draped over me.

Cheng Xia was sitting by the window reading a book. Ever since our student days, he had always been so serious when reading, focusing as if only that one thing in the world remained.

I coughed, and said, "Why didn't you wake me up?"

"You were sleeping so soundly."

He set the book down and smiled softly at me.

This scene was too beautiful—so beautiful that it made my heart ache with a faint sourness.

"What made you think of coming to see me today?" he asked while reheating the hotpot.

I had been too busy lately, and I hadn't been replying to his WeChat messages much.

"What else? I missed you."

"Oh, and I thought you’d forgotten you even had a boyfriend." He laughed, looking like he was in a great mood.

We sat across from each other, separated by the steaming hotpot. I calculated how to tell him I was heading out on a business trip to work on a project.

"I was thinking about how to tell you something," he said.

"Huh?"

"My lease is about to expire, so I’m planning to rent a place near your house," he said.

"Wouldn't that make your commute too long? Besides, in our neighborhood, everything is large-format apartments... There’s no need for you to be alone there, is there?" I said.

"The distance is fine, I have a car anyway." Across the steaming pot, he laughed, "Or, do you want to be my landlord? I'll pay rent normally, just give me a guest bedroom."

"What rent? Are you crazy? Live however you want!" I said. "What's wrong with you? Short on cash?"

"No, I just feel we don't see each other enough. If I do this, when you come back, we can have dinner at home, watch movies together, and I can help you look after your grandmother," he said.

I was stunned.

If I weren't leaving... the scene he described was truly, incredibly beautiful.

"I've planned so much," he said. "If I rent next door to you, I plan to sign a long-term lease, decorate the place properly, and plant hydrangeas and magnolias in the yard. Next spring, we can drink tea and admire the flowers together."

"And this summer, we should try to pool our annual leave. I'll take you to Thailand for snorkeling—it’s quite interesting. Also, if things go smoothly, I want to raise a puppy in the autumn. Don't you like Samoyeds? I'll raise it, you can pet it, and we can take it everywhere..."

He suddenly had so much to say. Finally, his eyes brightened as he added, "I have so many things I want to do with you. Just thinking about it makes me feel good."

I didn't dare meet his eyes. I mumbled, "But, how do I put this... hmm, I might be going on-site for a project, in the grasslands."

"How many months?"

"Fast-tracked, three years. Slow-tracked, well..."

"When do you leave?"

"Tomorrow."

It was about to rain. The wind blew through the flame trees outside, making a rustling sound.

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

Cheng Xia set down his bowl and chopsticks. He even turned off the burner under the hotpot.

"Don't go," he said in a low voice. "You promised you wouldn't leave me again."

"But it's my job! There's nothing I can do! It'll be fine, I'll come back once a month," I said.

"I said don't go."

"Stop acting like a child..."

"You're the one who is." He looked at me. Under the overhead light, that jade-like face of his suddenly held a hint of something sinister: "Don't go, or I don't know what I might do.”