The weeks rolled by, and Lin Meiying tried her best to slip back into the rhythm of her old life. She woke up early each morning, tended to the small vegetable garden behind the house, helped the neighbors with their chores, and spent her evenings with Chen Weiliang. On the surface, it was the life she had always wanted calm, steady, and safe. But beneath the peacefulness, there was always an undercurrent of restlessness.
She found herself doing things she hadn't done before. Sometimes, when she was walking into town, she would catch herself staring at the cars passing by, wondering if one of them could be heading to Shanghai. Other times, late at night, when the house was quiet, she would take out the old journal from under her bed, flip to the back, and look at that short note written in Li Yuhan's sharp handwriting. She would read the words over and over again: I hope it's everything you wanted.
She never told Weiliang about the note. She never told anyone. It was her secret, a small piece of that strange, terrifying, and unforgettable day in Shanghai that she kept just for herself.
One Tuesday afternoon, Meiying was in the town square, picking up some supplies from the market, when her phone rang. She pulled it out of her pocket, expecting it to be Weiliang or Yutang, but the number on the screen was unfamiliar. It had the area code for Shanghai.
Her heart skipped a beat. She stood there in the middle of the busy square, people brushing past her, as she stared at the screen. Could it be him? Or was it just someone from the company, calling about the monthly payments?
She hesitated for a moment, then swiped to answer. "Hello?"
"Hello, is this Lin Meiying?" The voice on the other end was professional, crisp, and female. It wasn't Yuhan's voice. Meiying let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, though her heart was still racing.
"Yes, this is Meiying speaking," Meiying said, trying to keep her voice steady.
"This is Zhang Min, Mr. Li Yuhan's executive assistant," the woman said. "I'm calling on behalf of Mr. Li. He has asked me to extend an invitation to you."
Meiying blinked. An invitation? "An invitation? For what?"
"There will be a charity gala held in Grand Hyatt Hotel next Saturday evening ," Ms. Zhang explained. "Mr. Li would like you to be his guest. He mentioned that he would like to discuss a few more details regarding the repayment agreement, something he feels is better explained in person. Of course, all travel and accommodation expenses will be covered by the company."
Meiying stood there, stunned. A gala? In Shanghai? As his guest? It didn't make sense. Why would he invite her to a fancy event just to talk about the repayment plan? Couldn't that be done over the phone or through email? Or was there something else? Did he want to see her again?
The thought sent a jolt through her part fear, part excitement, part confusion.
"Ms. Lin?" Ms. Zhang prompted gently. "Are you still there?"
"Yes, I'm here," Meiying said quickly. She pressed her hand to her forehead, trying to think straight. "I… I don't know. I need to think about it. Can I call you back?"
"Of course," Ms. Zhang replied. "I understand it's short notice. Please let me know by tomorrow morning at the latest so we can make the necessary arrangements. I will send a text message with my contact information just in case. Thank you, Ms. Lin."
The line went dead. Meiying lowered the phone, staring at it for a long moment before putting it back in her pocket. Her mind was spinning.
She walked home slowly, her shopping bag feeling heavier than usual. Why would Yuhan invite her to a gala? Was it just business, or was there something more to it? And what would Weiliang say if she told him she was going back to Shanghai? She couldn't exactly tell him the truth that Li Yuhan had invited her as his guest to a fancy party. That would sound suspicious, to say the least.
When she got home, Weiliang was already there, waiting for her in the living room. He had brought over some of his mother's dumplings, and the smell filled the house, warm and comforting.
"Hey, you're back," Weiliang said, smiling as he stood up. "I was just about to call you. Did you get everything you needed?"
"Yeah," Meiying said, forcing a smile as she put the bags down. "Everything's fine."
She sat down on the sofa, her mind still racing. She looked at Weiliang, so kind, so unsuspecting and she knew she had to tell him something. But what?
"Weiliang," she started, her voice a little shaky. "I… I got a phone call just now. From Shanghai."
Weiliang paused, holding a dumpling halfway to his mouth. "Shanghai? Who was it?"
"It was Li Yuhan's assistant," Meiying said. She decided to stick to the part that sounded the most innocent. "She said… she said Li Yuhan wants me to come back to Shanghai next Saturday. He says he needs to discuss some details about the repayment agreement in person. They said they'll pay for everything the flight, the hotel."
Weiliang frowned, putting the dumpling down. "Discuss it in person? But everything was already settled, wasn't it? Why does he need to see you again?"
"I don't know," Meiying lied, looking down at her hands. "Maybe there's some paperwork I need to sign again, or maybe he wants to change something. I don't think it's anything bad. He kept his word before, right?"
Weiliang was quiet for a moment. He looked at her, his expression thoughtful. "I don't like it," he said finally. "It feels strange. Why can't he just mail the papers or talk about it over the phone? Meiying, do you really have to go?"
Meiying looked up at him. She should say no. She should call Ms. Zhang back tomorrow and tell her she couldn't come. She should stay here, in Qingyun Township, where she was safe, where she belonged. But the thought of seeing Li Yuhan again of being in the same room as him was pulling at her, almost against her will. She needed to know why he had invited her. She needed to see him one more time, just to put this whole thing to rest.
"I think I should go, Weiliang," she said softly. "Just for a day or two. It's probably just a formality. If I don't go, maybe he'll change his mind about the agreement. I can't risk that, not after everything we've been through. You understand, don't you?"
Weiliang sighed, looking unhappy, but he nodded slowly. "I understand. I just… I don't like you going back there alone. And I don't trust that man, no matter how nice he was about the papers." He reached across the table and took her hand. "Promise me you'll be careful. And promise me you'll call me as soon as you get there, and every day while you're there. And come back as soon as you can."
"I promise," Meiying said, squeezing his hand. "I'll be back before you know it."
But even as she said the words, she felt a knot in her stomach. She was going back to Shanghai. She was going to see Li Yuhan again. And she had a feeling that this time, things were going to be even more complicated than before.
That night, Meiying lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. She thought about Weiliang's worried face, and she felt guilty. But she also thought about the gala, about the possibility of seeing Yuhan again, about what he might say to her. She reached under her bed, pulled out her journal, and looked at the note one more time.
I hope it's everything you wanted.
Maybe, just maybe, he was wondering the same thing she was. Maybe he wanted to see her again, just as much as she wanted to see him.
She picked up her phone and typed a message to the number Ms. Zhang had sent, her fingers trembling slightly.
This is Lin Meiying. I will come to Shanghai next Saturday. Please let me know the details.
She hit send before she could change her mind. Then she put the phone down, turned off the light, and lay there in the dark, her heart pounding with a mix of fear and anticipation. The door she had tried so hard to close was opening again, and this time, she was walking through it on purpose.