Beijing, after all, has nothing to do with me

Chapter 26
Mai Zhiqiang stared blankly at her helpless face, and couldn't help reaching out to touch her face. Tao Jie became alert, turned her head to the right, and avoided it.

Mai Zhiqiang didn't force her, just smiled, he let out a breath, and asked her slowly, "How old are you?"

Tao Jie didn't turn her face away, she didn't want to talk to him.

Mai Zhiqiang didn't take it seriously, but guessed, "25? 27? You're still young anyway, aren't you?" He smiled softly, "Maybe, when you're over 30, or even before you're 30, you won't be so stubborn. gone."

Tao Jie's tense face became even more difficult to look at.

"This world is so realistic. The most beautiful thing about a girl is those few years. During these few years, she can be a queen who can control the wind and rain, but after these few years, she is nothing." He turned his face Come to look at her carefully, and said quietly: "Even if you follow him now, there will always be a day when you leave him, because of various reasons, not every kind of sacrifice will be rewarded accordingly... But by then, you will no longer No matter how young you are, can you guarantee that you will never regret it?"

Tao Jie's heart was shaking violently, she could never imagine that the once gentle man in front of her would say such sharp words, she sneered embarrassingly, and finally dared to look him in the eye, "Is it just following you?" Have you found a good home?"

Mai Zhiqiang met her mocking gaze, and replied quietly, "I can't say it's the best, but at least, I can make your life less difficult--Tao Jie, you are not suitable for the situation you are in at all. this environment."

Tao Jie's tense nerves suddenly relaxed at his words, she suddenly wanted to cry, why is it not Li Yaoming who understands her, but Mai Zhiqiang?
"You...why me?" She covered her face with her hands as if she couldn't bear it. When she spoke, the air gushed out from between her fingers, which was warm, a bit like the feeling when tears gushed out.

Mai Zhiqiang took a deep breath, leaned back on the driver's seat and thought for a moment, and said truthfully, "I don't know... Maybe it's because you are the kind of girl who makes men feel protective... Maybe, purely because of your character, it reminds me of my first girlfriend."

Shocked, Tao Jie cast her gaze towards him, just in time to catch the vicissitudes of life smile on the corner of his mouth.

"When I first came to Beijing, I was in the same situation as your current boyfriend, maybe even worse."

Mai Zhiqiang has not recalled that miserable time for a long time, "There is no money, no job, and even no place to live. But at that time, I also had a girlfriend who was devoted to me." He narrowed his eyes slightly My eyes were completely immersed in the memory, "At that time, we often went to the door of the mall to distribute product leaflets to people, and we ate a boxed lunch worth two or three yuan when we were hungry. Although we didn't have anything, we lived a full life every day. , as if there is a big pie waiting for us, as long as we keep working hard, there will always be a day to eat it.”

He laughed self-deprecatingly, turned to Tao Jie and said, "You see, everyone has gone through a period of childishness."

"and after?"

"Later?" Mai Zhiqiang frowned and hissed lightly, as if there was a slight pain somewhere in his body.

He quickly sat up straight, regained his brisk tone, spread his hands together and said: "The passion is gone, and the ideal things have not been realized, so we naturally broke up."

"Why?" Tao Jie murmured unwillingly.

"She followed a rich man, who was a client of her company, who delivered her a large bouquet of roses every day, and gave her a 'small gift' like a necklace whenever she met. There are probably very few girls. Can anyone resist this kind of attack?" He said, looking at her with complicated eyes.

Tao Jie was stunned for a long time, and suddenly felt annoyed with him, "What are you doing, revenge? Your ex-girlfriend left with someone, so you're going to grab the girlfriend of a man who was in a similar situation to you? After all , you just hate your former self!"

Mai Zhiqiang looked at her burning eyes and flushed cheeks due to emotion, and laughed softly, "I thought so before, but now I understand."

He played with a small ornament on the dashboard, "Tao Jie, there is no question of whether to grab it or not, it's her personal choice. There was only so much I could offer her at the time, she couldn't accept it, so she left me, And that's normal too, it's not her fault...nor yours - if you choose to leave."

His words were already very straightforward, Tao Jie's face became even redder, and even her chest heaved violently, because of embarrassment and sullenness.

Mai Zhiqiang sighed quietly, "Maybe, I shouldn't have confessed to you in this way, I should have pursued you hard, sent you flowers every day, and bought some gifts that you like every now and then to win your heart. But I have passed the age of that kind of passion, I don't want to force myself, and I believe you are a girl who likes to listen to the truth rather than to watch others show off, my greatest sincerity to you is not to deceive you, let you know What do I think, if you think this is bad, I can apologize to you. But please believe one thing, I really... like you very much. "

Tao Jie listened expressionlessly.

"At my age, it is not easy to find someone I really like, because I have seen too many lies and masks."

While Tao Jie was in a trance, Mai Zhiqiang finally took her hand lightly. The coldness in her palm triggered a trace of deep pity in his heart, "I am very lucky to have met you, and I feel even more fortunate that , what you want, I can give you now."

Tao Jie slowly withdrew her hand from his palm. Although Mai Zhiqiang was a little bit reluctant, he didn't use force, and just looked at her with peaceful and gentle eyes.

"I'm sorry." She said in a low voice. Although she was slightly touched in her heart, she didn't want to admit that it was from the bottom of her heart. She has always been a person who is easily infected, even if it is a vulgar series.

"I'm sorry, I don't want to be another 'her'." She bit her lip, finished speaking quickly, turned and opened the car door and walked out.

Once again squeezed on the bus with turbid air and crowds, Tao Jie went through all the ways out she could think of, whether they were good or bad, and finally came to a conclusion that there is nothing like this in this world. Things are solid, especially feelings, as long as there is a slight push from an external force, there may be earth-shaking changes—as long as she is willing.

Early on Saturday morning, Tao Jie was still in a dreamland when she was woken abruptly by Li Yaoming's constant shaking. When she opened her misty eyes, Li Yaoming in front of her was wearing a black corduroy jacket that she just bought last night. Very stylish, it can set off his strong body.

"How do you feel?" He happily cross-examined her beside her bed.

"Not bad!" She said lazily, closing her eyes and falling asleep again.

Li Yaoming didn't win her heartfelt praise, so he felt disappointed, sat down on the edge of the bed, and shook violently again, "Don't sleep, if you sleep again, you'll become a piglet! Get up, come with me to the train station in a while, let's go together Find a place to have a meal, then I have to go to Qingdao."

Li Yaoming has been busy negotiating with clients recently, and according to him, the progress should be fairly smooth, and the other party invited him to come over for an interview.

Tao Jie was not interested, "I won't go, you can go by yourself."

"No, we haven't had dinner together for a long time. Today is the time I specially set aside to have lunch with you, you should cherish it!" Li Yaoming was in a good mood, as if his tongue was oiled.

Tao Jie was upset, "Oh, you're so annoying, let me sleep a little longer!" She turned her back to Li Yaoming, covered her head with a quilt to prevent his harassment, and accidentally exposed her butt on the Outside.

"If you don't get up again, I will spank your ass!" Li Yaoming threatened her, "I will spank you!"

Tao Jie ignored him and continued to sleep.

There was a crisp sound of "pa", Tao Jie's buttocks were really hit, she jumped up from the bed as if she had been stabbed in a hornet's nest, and threw the whole quilt towards Li Yaoming, "Are you annoying? "

Li Yaoming hurriedly tore off the quilt wrapped around his head, and looked at Tao Jie, who was kneeling on the bed with an angry face, with a dazed expression, "I'm just kidding you, why are you so angry?"

Tao Jie slumped back on the bed without apologizing, pulled the quilt over, put it on again, and said in a low voice, "I want to sleep."

There was a sudden silence in the room, and the air seemed to freeze, making people uncomfortable.

Li Yaoming stood up silently, walked out of the room, and closed the door quietly. Tao Jie, who was lying under the quilt, heard it clearly. , especially when facing Li Yaoming, she always likes to find fault with him, although most of the time he is innocent, but she just can't control herself, she doesn't know what's wrong.

After 10 minutes, she got up with a dejected face, changed her clothes and went out. Li Yaoming was smoking a cigarette in front of the window in that stiff coat.

Tao Jie looked at his silhouette, her heart softened, and she called out, "Yaoming!" and walked over to hug him.

"I'm sorry." When she said these three words, her throat suddenly choked.

Li Yaoming pinched off the cigarette butt, hugged her back, and smiled with difficulty, "No, I should be the one to say I'm sorry...it's my fault, I keep making you unhappy."

Tao Jie's eyes were moist, but she didn't want to cry, she was afraid of losing control of her emotions, so she shook her head slightly.

When eating at a restaurant near the station, Li Yaoming connected several calls. Tao Jie found that he was in high spirits when talking on the phone. He looked like two people as usual, and he liked to use affirmative sentences, and kept reassuring each other. This guarantees that, which makes her feel uncomfortable.

"You can really do what you promised?" She asked him rather suspiciously.

"Whether you can do it or not, you have to say that." Li Yaoming was very disapproving, "Otherwise, the client wouldn't even give you the chance."

Tao Jie stopped talking.

"Hey, did I tell you last time, there is a game company called Jiuye, who intends to cooperate with us to develop a new type of game. Lao Lang has been talking to them for two fucking months, and there is no progress at all. Then I got angry, I went to talk to them, and it was done in three days!"

"You have said it more than 800 times." Tao Jie said lazily, picking up a noodle in the bowl.

"Really?" Li Yaoming lost half of his interest, he was a little embarrassed, "Did I really say it so many times? I don't think so?"

"What time is your train?" Tao Jie asked again.

Li Yaoming glanced at his watch, "It's almost half an hour."

"How many days will you be there?"

"Two or three days." Li Yaoming said, eating noodles with a snort.

Tao Jie glanced at Li Yaoming who had almost buried his face in the bowl, the corner of her mouth seemed to twitch unbearably, she quickly turned her eyes away, why didn't she realize that his eating was so ugly before?
After eating, Li Yaoming picked up the paper towel provided for free on the dining table and wiped his mouth, and said to Tao Jie in a very solemn tone: "If this project in Qingdao can be successful, the money I took out from the passbook before will be all I gave it back to you...Tao Zi, you, are you listening to me?"

Tao Jie turned around and looked at him as if awakened suddenly, "What did you just say?"

Li Yaoming was disappointed for a while, "It's nothing."

He could feel that Tao Jie was very absent-minded when he was with him recently. He knew that she didn't like talking about business by herself, but aside from talking about work, they seemed to have nothing to talk about, and Tao Jie's reaction always made her feel uncomfortable. He was embarrassed, even slightly imperceptible sullen.

After seeing off Li Yaoming, Tao Jie had nowhere to go, so she went back to the hut.In fact, she is very free now, she can go wherever she wants, even if she goes clubbing again, Li Yaoming can't control her, he has no time to take care of himself at all.

But Tao Jie was not interested in doing anything, she suddenly wanted to travel, the farther the better.

Two days ago, she just finished reading a book about gap year travel. Strictly speaking, it was not a trip, but a sincere exploration of spiritual needs. The protagonist in the book traveled most of Asia. He has volunteered, lost things, been cheated, and of course, met many kind people, including his later wife.

After reading this book, Tao Jie was deeply touched. She felt that all young people who are lost in the modern city should actually be like the protagonist in the book, leaving aside the prosperity and endless desires of the world, and walking alone on the surface of the earth. Let's go, rediscover yourself.

A thought flashed through Tao Jie's mind, she suddenly stood up from the chair, the feeling of blood boiling made her feel strange and excited.

Others can, why can't she?
She found a desk calendar and planned it with great interest, but soon she was discouraged. If she also defines her travel as a "gap year", it can't be done in a week or two.

She lay back on the sofa, and began to seriously consider the feasibility, not to mention giving up her current job, and not mentioning the opinions of Li Yaoming and her parents, just going on the road alone, does she have the guts to do it? ?

After careful calculation, I realized that many things were easy to think, but when it comes to implementation, there are still so many obstacles to overcome.

Li Yaoming's sudden call interrupted her imagination and brought her back to reality.

"Taozi, can you help me see if there is an agreement with the company seal in the second drawer of the cabinet?" Li Yaoming was very anxious, "I seem to have forgotten to put it in the bag."

Tao Jie dug out what he wanted from the drawer, "Here it is."

Immediately, Li Yaoming's annoyed self-reproach came from the phone!
"Have you gotten on the train yet?" Tao Jie looked at the time.

"That's right! Alas!" Li Yaoming said furiously, "Forget it, I'll figure it out myself, and I'll call you later!"

Five minutes later, he called again, "Tao Zi, someone from our company will come over to get the agreement in a while. Her name is Yang Zhenhui, and she works under me. Just give her the document."

"Okay." Tao Jie responded, and the girl with the nose ring immediately appeared in her mind.

A girl's sixth sense is always extremely sensitive. When Tao Jie opened the door and saw that tomboy named Yang Zhenhui standing in front of her, even her temples couldn't stop twitching several times.Tao Jie didn't even need to pay attention to the bright light on her nose, she could recognize the other person just by the whole outline.

"You are Tao Jie, I'm Yang Zhenhui, I'm here to get things, it's hard to find here!" Yang Zhenhui was chewing gum in her mouth, and while talking, her eyes looked around the room wantonly.

Tao Jie didn't expect her to be so tugging, she was a little annoyed, and couldn't cover her eyes to prevent her from looking around, bit her lip, and didn't go to get things immediately, "Can you show me your ID? Check it out."

"Eh?" Yang Zhenhui glanced at her in surprise when she heard the words. There was undisguised hostility in the eyes of the two girls looking at each other. To Tao Jie.

Tao Jie glanced at it symbolically, and returned the certificate.

Of course she was just doing it for show, mainly because she wanted to kill the other party's vigor. She couldn't understand Yang Zhenhui's haughty expression when she ran to someone else's house, but this glance was not in vain, at least she understood the other party's attitude In fact, Yang Zhenhui is not from Beijing either, she is two years younger than herself and has just graduated.

Yang Zhenhui took the ID card, her tone was much more blunt than before, "Where's the stuff? Can you give it to me now?"

Tao Jie handed her the already prepared agreement, "How do you plan to give Li Yaoming?"

"Send it to him directly!" Yang Zhenhui raised her eyebrows, her eyes shining brightly again, "I just came from the train station, the train at [-] o'clock in the evening, to Qingdao!"

For some reason, Tao Jie felt that there was a smug smugness in her tone and eyes, which made her even more uncomfortable.

As soon as Yang Zhenhui left, Tao Jie immediately called Li Yaoming.

Before he had time to speak, Li Yaoming's cheerful voice came over first, "Xiao Yang came to take it? Did you give her the things?"

"Why did you find such an employee!" Tao Jie yelled angrily, "There is no manners at all!"

Li Yaoming was a little dazed, "What's wrong with her?"

Tao Jie described to him the meeting between the two just now, "I've never seen such an arrogant girl!"

Li Yaoming thought that something serious happened, but after listening to Tao Jie's complaints, he realized that it was nothing serious, so he said with a smile, "Then don't treat her like a girl!"

Tao Jie was still angry. Hearing what he said, he couldn't hold his breath. After all, he still laughed, and the anger in his heart also subsided a lot.

Hearing her smile, Li Yaoming couldn't help sighing slightly, "We are a small company that has just been established, and it's good to have someone to help with the work. Do you think the street is full of polite and sensible children like you?"

Tao Jie didn't know whether he was praising herself or mocking herself.

"But don't underestimate Xiao Yang, she is very sensitive to data and the market, and I have to listen to her opinion when I make decisions with Lao Lang!"

"It's from playing games." Tao Jie dismissed it.

Li Yaoming didn't like her contemptuous tone, "No matter how she came here, she is a rare talent!" He suddenly defended Yang Zhenhui in a strong tone.

"Then you can go there with your people!" Tao Jie finished speaking fiercely, and before Li Yaoming could speak, she closed the phone with a snap.

Sitting in a daze for a while, she suddenly touched her face, what's wrong with herself, when did she become so mean?

She wanted to call Li Yaoming, but she flipped the phone several times in her palm, and finally gave up.

(End of this chapter)