The Child Was Yours

I spent the whole day in a daze. It wasn't until the dusk sun lazily reflected on the transparent glass that I realized it was time to get off work.

Fang Yuan was still busy at the next table. I was a little free. I went to the bathroom to smoke a cigarette and waited for work to end.

When I came back, Yan Yan was sitting on my office chair. It looked like she was waiting for Fang Yuan to get off work.

I teased Yan Yan, "Yan Yan, you're getting chubbier. My chair is almost full!"

"Damn it, you're indecent!" Yan Yan rolled her eyes at me.

I raised my eyebrows and smiled at Yan Yan. Actually, she was a beauty. If you walked on the street, looking at her back and curves, the most beautiful one would definitely be Yan Yan.

I came to Fang Yuan's side and patted his shoulder, "Have you come up with the framework of the proposal?"

"The overall idea and framework are all done. All that's left is a little explanation." Fang Yuan replied.

"Then I'll do the rest. Get off work first. Don't let Yan Yan wait for you."

Yan Yan joyfully pressed my face with both hands and said, "Zhaoyang, you're so funny. You have no idea how busy we're going to be later!"

"It's a marriage. There will definitely be a lot of things to do." I said as I removed Yan Yan's hands from my face.

Fang Yuan finally stretched his body. He stood up and said to me, "Alright, I have to go to the wedding company with Yan Yan immediately. I also have to go to the bridal shop… If you have any questions, we'll contact you over the phone at any time."

"Don't worry, go do your work." I sat down on Fang Yuan's office chair.

Fang Yuan quickly packed his things. Yan Yan held his arm and said to me as if she had remembered something before she left, "Zhao Yang, our company's building is about to open for sale. If you want to buy it, I'll help you get an internal price. One square meter can be 1500 yuan cheaper!"

Yan Yan is the head of the sales department of a real estate company in the city. The internal price she can get is definitely attractive. A house can cost at least 100,000 yuan, but even so, I don't have the ability to buy a house.

"We'll talk about it later," I responded.

Fang Yuan asked Yan Yan, "Which one is it this time?"

"The second phase of Zhongyuan Eco City." Yan Yan replied.

Fang Yuan put down his briefcase and said to me with a serious expression, "Zhao Yang, buy it. This building is really good. If you miss this opportunity, who knows how long you'll have to wait next time?"

"What am I buying? It's not like you don't know my background."

"Yan Yan and I still have tens of thousands of yuan in savings. I'll lend it to you first. You can go back and ask your father to think of a way. It shouldn't be a problem to gather the money for the down payment, right?"

"The two of you still have a mortgage and car loan to pay for. You're getting married soon, so how can you not spend money? You really don't have to worry about me."

Yan Yan said, "It's easy for the two of us to pay off the mortgage and car loans. Zhao Yang, buy a house first. It'll be easier for you to find a girlfriend in the future. We really don't want to see you like this. We're so anxious!"

"It's easy for you two to pay off the loan! But have you ever thought about how I'm going to pay off the loan after I buy the house? I can't even f*cking support myself, so how can I repay the loan?! Alright, don't just stand there. It's getting dark." I urged Fang Yuan and Yan Yan to leave.

Yan Yan and Fang Yuan looked at each other and sighed softly. They looked at me again before leaving.

...

Standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, I saw Yan Yan holding Fang Yuan's arm as they walked towards the white Mazda 6 they had just bought. I felt an inexplicable feeling in my heart.

Fang Yuan, Yan Yan, and I both graduated from Suzhou University. They already have their own house and car in this city, and they are about to enter the hall of marriage. I don't understand why the gap between us is so big. Is this a joke from heaven, or am I humiliating myself?

In my lonely gaze, I couldn't help but think, if Jian Wei and I hadn't broken up, would we have gotten married?

...

At 9 pm, I finally finished the proposal that Fang Yuan left behind. I stretched my body and walked to the staff breakroom with a cup. I was ready to have my last cup of coffee before work.

I was absent-minded as I listened to the sound of the coffee liquid falling from the coffee machine into the cup. It was like a gentle call.

I took a big sip of coffee and looked out the window at the dark night sky and the struggling neon lights. I really wanted to abandon this tired body!

...

The phone rang. I took it out of my pocket and saw that it was Le Yao who called.

After picking up the phone, Le Yao said to me weakly, "Zhao Yang, where are you?"

"Overtime," I replied with an unclear emotion.

"Can you help me wash my clothes? My hands can't get wet."

"Don't you have a washing machine?" I asked angrily.

"You do it," Le Yao said tiredly.

I was a little speechless, "My main point is the washing machine!"

"Some clothes can't be washed in the washing machine."

"Then take it to the dry cleaning. I'm so tired after a day of work that I don't have the energy to go." I firmly refuse.

"You can't dry clean your underwear, right?"

"Are you crazy? You want me to wash your underwear?"

"Zhao Yang, I just finished the surgery. My hands really can't get wet. Can't you take pity on me?" Le Yao choked.

"I know you graduated from acting. Can you please stop acting with me?"

"I'm pregnant with your child. Is this how you treat me?" Le Yao cried. "Have you thought about my feelings? Do you know that my heart is aching to death?"

"You're acting like a pitiful woman with me, and you still dare to make a request!"

Le Yao sobbed, "Zhao Yang… You beast… Believe it or not, I'll kill myself because of you!"

I was at a loss due to Le Yao's antics, "Miss, I'm really scared of you, I'll go, okay!"

Le Yao's tone instantly turned calm, "Hurry up, I'll wait for you!"

Listening to the toot sound of the phone hanging up, I suddenly thought, if Le Yao couldn't become a Film Empress, it would be a clear sign of the entertainment industry's lack of discernment. Her acting skills were simply amazing!

People who learn acting are scary, but women who learn acting are even scarier!

...

I left the company and stood by the roadside waiting for a taxi. I suddenly remembered I had promised Mi Cai I would move after work. It was almost 9:30!

"Will she move my things out again?" I muttered.

The taxi had already stopped beside me. I thought for a moment. Since I had already broken the promise, I would go and wash Le Yao's clothes first. As for the matter of moving, I would talk about it later.

About 15 minutes later, I arrived at Le Yao's single apartment. I stood at the door and pressed the doorbell to vent my dissatisfaction.

Le Yao was wearing pajamas and holding a doll in her arms. She opened the door for me with a haggard expression. Her pitiful look made me swallow all the nasty words I had prepared. I only complained, "You're the mother of trouble!"

"If you didn't sleep with me, none of this would have happened." Le Yao said as she moved her body to the side, indicating for me to enter.

I didn't have the mood to bicker with Le Yao. I walked into the room and asked her, "Where are the clothes?"

"In the laundry basket in the bathroom."

When I arrived at the bathroom, I was shocked. The two extra-large laundry baskets were actually filled with clothes. I said angrily, "Did you deliberately save up a year's worth of clothes to torture me?"

Le Yao ignored me, but the TV in the living room turned louder.

I was so angry that my liver hurt, but I still gritted my teeth and poured out all the clothes in the dirty laundry basket. I placed a pile of clothes that could be washed in the washing machine, a pile of clothes that needed to be washed by hand, and another pile.

I worked with the washing machine for an hour before I finished washing the pile of clothes.

I carried the washed clothes to the balcony and helped her hang them up one by one. After I was done, I stood on the balcony and lit a cigarette to relieve my fatigue.

Le Yao came to my side with a fruit platter and asked softly, "Do you want to eat?"

"No appetite." I took a deep breath.

Le Yao took out the cigarette from between my fingers and took out a tissue from her pocket to wipe the sweat off my forehead. She said in a very light tone, "Zhao Yang, the magazine said if a man is willing to wash clothes for a woman, he must be a gentle and reliable man."

"Get lost, okay? Do you think I'm willing to help you wash them?"

Although I scolded her, Le Yao still held my arm and leaned against my body, "Then have you washed any other women besides me?"

"No, I haven't," I replied impatiently.

"Not even Jian Wei's?" Le Yao asked.

"Aren't you annoying? Why are you asking such a stupid question?" I pushed Le Yao away.

Le Yao was already used to my attitude. She didn't get angry or say anything. She just looked at me.

I put on my coat and said to her, "I'm leaving. Don't call me again."

"I won't let you go."

"Get lost." I raised my arm and shook off Le Yao's hand that was holding onto me.

Le Yao blocked the door again and said, "Don't go yet. I have something for you." As she spoke, she took out a bank card from her pajama pocket and handed it to me. "This is for you. There are ten thousand yuan on the card. I know you spent a lot of money this time."

"Where did you get the money?"

"I asked the crew to give me some in advance."

"Is this your conscience?"

Le Yao stared at me with a sad expression for a long time, "The child was yours to begin with… I told you, I just want to see you take responsibility. Of course, I'll return the money you spent."

The more serious Le Yao's expression was, the more I felt she was acting. In my eyes, she was just the kind of woman who liked to indulge in debauchery. The responsibility she mentioned was not reliable at all. I was the same, so I understood it all too well.

The reason why she insisted the child was mine was perhaps that she had her own vanity, or perhaps even she herself did not know whose child it was… It was difficult to explain this strange sustenance in words, but everyone who lived in this rotten circle understood… We look cool and unrestrained, but our hearts are vain!

....

In the end, I didn't take Le Yao's card, even though I was short of money. As for why I didn't want it, I couldn't really say. Perhaps I sympathized with Le Yao in my heart. Although I scolded her, I would still help her when she needed it.

No matter how glamorous she looks, I understand the emptiness behind her, because we are the same kind of people. The only difference is, one day, she might really become famous in the entertainment industry, and I'm destined to live an ordinary and lonely life!

....

After leaving Le Yao's place, I immediately took a taxi to where I used to live. I really hoped Mi Cai wouldn't move my luggage out because I didn't keep my promise. I didn't want to work overtime, nor did I want to be pestered by Le Yao to do the laundry! However, there are so many accidents in life that I can't do anything about.