In the eyes of a thousand readers, there are a thousand Hamlets.
(1)
The High-Tech Industrial Park of City C was situated in the western part of the city. The park centered around key high-tech fields such as electronic information, new materials, bioengineering, and high-efficiency energy conservation and environmental protection. Many technology companies and research institutes were located there, including AM Company.
It was Christmas Eve, and the time had already passed midnight. Gu Yizhi and a group of colleagues walked toward the underground parking lot of the company’s office building. At a glance, she saw Lin Shen leaning alone against a car.
"Yizhi!" Lin Shen called out when he saw her.
Gu Yizhi stopped in her tracks.
Lin Shen spoke with polite composure. "I had nothing to do tonight, so I thought I’d stop by. And you all are...?"
Gu Yizhi replied, "The company booked the restaurant downstairs for a small party. It just ended."
"Oh." Lin Shen glanced at John, who was standing beside Gu Yizhi, then said to her, "Can we talk for a few minutes in private?"
Gu Yizhi turned her head. Her colleagues were perceptive and quickly announced they were heading home. Her assistant, Xiao Ge, stood in place waiting for her boss’s word. John pulled Xiao Ge away, saying, "We’ll wait for you in the car." Gu Yizhi nodded.
In the empty underground garage, a chilly wind swept through. Gu Yizhi asked, "What do you want?"
"Let’s talk in the car."
"No need," Gu Yizhi glanced toward John. "They’re waiting for me."
Lin Shen’s brow furrowed. "How much did you drink?"
Gu Yizhi’s bangs fell over her eyes, making her expression hard to read. "Mr. Lin, aren't you overstepping?"
Lin Shen said, "Yizhi, stop being angry with me."
Gu Yizhi found it somewhat amusing and actually let out a short laugh. "Angry? Do you take me for a twenty-year-old girl?"
"Now that you’re back, and I have the ability to give you happiness, why won't you give me—and yourself—a chance to start over?"
"Mr. Lin, all I can say is that it’s impossible."
"Yizhi! Can so many years of feelings really be cut off just like that? We had very happy times before, didn't we? Since you were willing to come back, it shows you still have me in your heart, right?"
"I have nothing to say, and I certainly don't want to argue with you."
Having said her piece, Gu Yizhi turned to leave. Lin Shen stepped forward and grabbed her. Not far away, Xiao Ge moved to get out of the car, but John pressed his hand down on hers as she reached for the door handle, shaking his head.
"What do you think you're doing?!" Gu Yizhi snapped, flinging Lin Shen’s hand off.
"You ask me what I'm doing? If you have no feelings for me, why did you go to Professor Tang’s house for dinner? When Mrs. Tang asked when we were getting married, why didn't you refute her?"
Lin Shen spoke with absolute conviction.
Gu Yizhi looked at him in disbelief and laughed in spite of herself. "Mr. Lin, when did you become so foolish? I went to dinner because Professor Tang is my mentor; it was only right to pay him a visit. Besides, I promised Xiaotang. I didn't explain our relationship because I was saving face for you—and for myself. Is that answer satisfactory?"
Lin Shen’s eyes reddened. "Everyone thought we were going to get married! Do you know that?! I always thought we would get married too!!"
"But we didn't, did we?" Gu Yizhi sneered. "So you thought that no matter what you did, I would never leave you? That I should stand in place like a fool, waiting for you to look back at me? Heh, Lin Shen, you think far too highly of yourself."
"I love you! If you're willing, we can get married anytime!"
"Lin Shen, the person you love most will always be yourself. You said you were going to America, so you went. You said you wanted to stay in Boston—fine, we stayed. Then you suddenly decided you wanted to return to China. Time and again, you disregarded my feelings. I’ve even begun to doubt if I ever existed in the future you were building when we were together. Eight years... I’m tired. I am not your accessory. My feelings for you were exhausted long ago."
Lin Shen fell silent for a moment. "Fine, it was my fault! But that’s all in the past. Don't you think it's a pity to throw away so many years of history just like this?"
"A pity? When our relationship was like walking on thin ice, did you think it was a pity then? Did you ever think about changing or making amends? Now that I’ve completely given up, you come back to say these things to me? I’m sorry, but I truly feel there is no point."
Lin Shen suddenly laughed. "You really haven't changed at all. You remember everything so clearly, even the emotional debts."
Gu Yizhi stood with her hands in her trouser pockets, upright and stubborn, neither confirming nor denying his words.
Lin Shen moved closer, attempting to take her hand, but she stepped back. He said sheepishly, "Can we... let bygones be bygones regarding the past?"
"Fine. Xiao Bao was your responsibility too. Where were you when he was sick?"
Lin Shen was left speechless. John and Xiao Ge flashed the high beams from the car. Lin Shen’s embarrassment turned to anger. "Are you with that John?!"
Gu Yizhi snapped, "That's enough!"
"Answer me! Are you?!"
"There are things I never wanted to say to your face, but since you're forcing me..." Gu Yizhi let out a cold laugh. "Do you dare to say that you and your female boss—Ms. Jin, was it?—were completely innocent? If I remember correctly, we hadn't broken up yet back then. I kept that to myself because I didn't want us to be humiliated after the breakup. John is my good friend and my business partner. Even if we were together, what of it? Whether I drink, smoke, or who I am with—what right do you have to tell me what to do?!"
Under Lin Shen’s stunned gaze, Gu Yizhi continued, "Remember this: in Gu Yizhi’s dictionary, once the water is thrown out, I won't even want the basin back. Mr. Lin, I bid you farewell!"
With that, Gu Yizhi turned and walked away without looking back.
When love is meant to end, it ends. When that time comes, it is impossible not to draw a full stop, even if you don't want to. One should be gentle, but not compromising. We must be strong in the silence, without haste.
(2)
Mai Shining had been overwhelmed lately with the affairs of the photography salon.
When Zhang Jikang mentioned he would be bringing his parents over for a photoshoot in the next couple of days, Mai Shining specifically instructed him, "Make sure you tell me in advance. You know what your mom is like—I need to make myself scarce!"
Zhang Jikang’s mother, Mrs. Zhang, was named Cai Lingxiao. She had studied pharmacy and worked at the same affiliated hospital of C University as Li Qinglan, serving as a pharmacist in the dispensary. Back when they all lived in the C University faculty housing, Mrs. Zhang had watched Mai Shining and Xia Yinuo grow up. Hearing that her son and Mai Shining had reunited, Mrs. Zhang was so happy she practically wanted to carry Mai Shining into the Zhang family in a grand palanquin.
Zhang Jikang laughed loudly. "An ugly daughter-in-law must eventually meet the in-laws!"
"Zhang Jikang, how can you be so thick-skinned? Who said I was marrying you!"
"Fine, fine, you're the boss! Just you wait and see."
As it turned out, man proposes but God disposes. Early in the morning, Mrs. Zhang dragged her husband out, leaving their son behind to hit the mall first. After a shopping spree, she finally called Zhang Jikang. "I saw you were still sleeping this morning so I didn't wake you. Your dad and I are going straight to Mai Mai’s place. Come meet us there!"
Zhang Jikang jolted, nearly falling out of bed. "I'll come pick you up!"
Mrs. Zhang said, "No need! We're almost there. You get moving too!"
And so, the two elders of the Zhang family caught Mai Shining completely off guard. Seeing Mai Shining, Mrs. Zhang was naturally overjoyed. "Oh, Mai Mai!"
Mai Shining thought to herself, *Zhang Jikang, you idiot!* But she still greeted them respectfully. "Hello, Auntie Cai! Hello, Uncle Zhang!"
Mrs. Zhang looked around, nodding in approval. "Didn't I say our Mai Mai was capable? This studio is managed so perfectly!"
Professor Zhang stood with his hands behind his back, smiling with silent praise.
Mai Shining quickly said, "Not at all, it's all thanks to my colleagues."
An assistant signaled to Mai Shining and pointed toward a massive cardboard box by the door. Mai Shining asked cautiously, "Auntie Cai, this is...?"
"Oh! This is from Old Zhang and me. You work so hard; we bought you a massage chair for your office. When you're tired, you can sit in it and get a massage. It’s incredibly comfortable!"
Professor Zhang smiled gently beside her. It was clear that the son’s temperament took after the father.
"Thank you, Uncle Zhang and Auntie Cai!" Mai Shining felt that this December weather was getting a bit hot. "How about I show you around? We have the photoshoot later, right?"
"Wonderful!" Whatever Mai Shining suggested, Mrs. Zhang was bound to think it was wonderful.
Mai Shining took Professor Zhang and Mrs. Zhang on a brief tour of the studio, then went upstairs to her office to brew tea for them. Mrs. Zhang beamed. "Mai Mai, I'm still waiting for another kind of tea, you know!"
Mai Shining lowered her head and gave a silly laugh, humming a self-comforting tune in her head: *I can pretend I don't see, or I can secretly miss you...*
Mrs. Zhang continued, "I heard from Qinglan that you went to their house for dinner. Why haven't you come to our house? Do you think our food isn't good enough?"
"How could I, Auntie Cai! I was just discussing something with Xiao Bao and stopped by for a meal since I was in the neighborhood."
Mrs. Zhang feigned anger. "Oh, still calling me Auntie Cai! When are you going to change how you address me?"
Sweat began to bead on Mai Shining’s forehead. "Haha, I've just been used to it since I was little..."
Zhang Jikang sped all the way to the studio. The scene he found at the office door was Mrs. Zhang holding Mai Shining’s hand. "When you kids were little, you spent all day running around the courtyard making a racket. Back then, I wondered if my brat of a son would be lucky enough to marry you or Xiao Bao. Now it seems the brat actually has some skill! He's much better than his father! Now that you've moved away from C University, don't be a stranger to your Auntie Cai. You must come over for dinner often. We'll be family sooner or later!"
"Haha! How could I be a stranger!" Mai Shining stood there laughing awkwardly. Zhang Jikang was delighted; he entered the room, stood right beside Mai Shining, and took her hand behind her back.
"Dad, Mom, why didn't you call me before leaving this morning?"
"You rarely get a day off; your mother wanted you to get some rest," Professor Zhang replied.
Seeing their joined hands, Mrs. Zhang’s face lit up with joy. "You've come at just the right time! You know how much I wanted a daughter, so hurry up and marry Mai Mai into the family so I can rest easy! While your father and I are still healthy, we can even help you look after the children!"
Mai Shining’s face turned beet red instantly. Zhang Jikang took pleasure in her misfortune. "Mom, don't scare Mai Mai." Then he leaned into Mai Shining’s ear and whispered, "She makes a good point, though!"
Embarrassed, Mai Shining gave Zhang Jikang’s waist a sharp pinch.
How could these little movements escape the eyes of the two parents? Mrs. Zhang chuckled happily, while Professor Zhang gave a light cough and asked, "Mai Mai, will you be the one taking our photos later?"
Mai Shining snapped back to reality and answered honestly, "No, it's another photographer from our studio."
Mrs. Zhang clapped her hands. "Oh! That’s perfect then. Let’s take a family portrait of the four of us!"
Mai Shining’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. Zhang Jikang quickly stepped in to smooth things over. "Mom, Mai Mai still has work to do!"
"Alright, no rush," Professor Zhang also restrained his wife. "Mai Mai is a girl; she’ll be shy! Let’s finish our shoot quickly. These young people have plenty of plans for tonight!"
Mai Shining was mortified.
The assistant chose that moment to come upstairs and tell Mai Shining that the scheduled client was ready, asking her to come to the studio. While Mai Shining wasn't looking, Zhang Jikang kissed her on the cheek right in front of his parents and nudged her toward the door. "Go on, honey, get to work."
The muscles in Mai Shining’s face twitched, while the assistant was already dying of laughter off to the side.
*The boy comes on a bamboo horse, circling the bench and playing with green plums. We lived together in Changgan, two small children without suspicion.* My lifeline, my career line, and my love line are all spelled out with your name.
(3)
Ke Dinghao and Chen Diandian strictly followed the "dating trilogy"—dinner, shopping, and a movie. After eating dinner in the commercial street that was packed for Christmas Eve, they wandered around to digest their food, bought two pieces of clothing, and then ducked into the cinema.
The two bought couple seats and popcorn. The movie was *Police Story 2013*, which had just been released that day. Twenty minutes after the film started, the two leaned against each other and both fell fast asleep...
Love can be very simple. So simple that it’s just riding a bike with you, holding hands, and singing a happy song.
(4)
In the four-person dorm room that night, two of the roommates had gone out for their respective plans. The remaining two had finished washing up and were preparing for bed as usual. After the lights were turned off, Liu Yan tossed and turned in bed before finally speaking softly. "Shen Xuanyi, I like you."
Shen Xuanyi didn't respond immediately, only letting out a soft sigh.
Liu Yan stared at the ceiling, her eyes clear. "I know you like someone else. Can you tell me who she is? Just so I know where I lost."
After a long silence, Shen Xuanyi slowly and bitterly uttered three words: "Xia Yinuo."
I love you, you love her, she loves him; you love me, I love him, he loves him, he loves her.
Many people ask: what is love? There are thousands upon thousands of answers. If there are a thousand Hamlets in the hearts of a thousand readers, then there are a thousand kinds of love in the hearts of a thousand people. No single one is the correct answer, and no one kind is better than another; there is only the kind that suits you best. Love is a mysterious thing. If one must trace its origins, a medical student would say it’s all the fault of pheromones, while a literary youth would say that love is a spiritual language.
***
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
顾一稚 | Gu Yizhi |
林深 | Lin Shen |
小革 | Xiao Ge | Gu Yizhi's assistant
蔡凌霄 | Cai Lingxiao | Mrs. Zhang
张季康 | Zhang Jikang |
柯定豪 | Ke Dinghao |
陈甸甸 | Chen Diandian |
刘妍 | Liu Yan |
沈萱怡 | Shen Xuanyi |
小宝 | Xiao Bao | Nickname for Xia Yinuo (also used for a pet in section 1)
唐老师 | Professor Tang | Gu Yizhi's mentor
金小姐 | Ms. Jin | Lin Shen's former boss/affair partner
《警察故事2013》 | Police Story 2013 | A Jackie Chan movie
郎骑竹马来，绕床弄青梅 | The boy comes on a bamboo horse, circling the bench and playing with green plums | Famous lines from Li Bai's poem "Changgan Li" describing childhood sweethearts
