When I got back home, Betsy had almost finished her bowl of porridge. Mine was still steaming hot since I hadn't touched it. I took out two salted duck eggs Dad left in the bag and handed one to Betsy, "Wanna try?" 

"I'm almost done." For the first time Betsy spoke to me in a normal tone in two days. 

I smiled, "Have another bowl. Rice porridge won't make you fat."  

Betsy ignored my suggestion and said, "Your dad's gone. You can move out now."

I looked out the window at the wind and rain, and asked Betsy, "Can I stay one more night? I'll move tomorrow after work." 

"No." Betsy refused flatly. 

I slammed down my chopsticks and yelled angrily, "What's wrong with you? Don't you know you should be nice to someone who just fed you? Spit out the porridge you just ate and I'll move out right now!"

Betsy stared at me with her beautiful eyes, stunned speechless by my sudden outburst. 

I softened my tone and said, "Sis, I've been running around all day and I'm beat. Can you cut me some slack?" 

"Scum, who's your sis?" 

"Miss...Miss, okay?" I quickly said and promised sincerely, "I'll move out tomorrow after work, I swear!"  

After a long pause, Betsy finally agreed, "Remember what you said."  

"Of course, I'll move out tomorrow after work!"

Betsy gave me an dissatisfied look, picked up her bowl and went to the rice cooker to scoop herself another small bowl of porridge. 

"Didn't you say you were done?"

Betsy glared at me, "Since I already ate your food, having a bit more won't hurt." 

I shook my head and sighed, "People sure know how to sink low!" 

Although teasing her, I peeled the salted duck eggs and handed them to Betsy. She didn't refuse, so we continued our meal in the strange atmosphere. 

...

After the meal, I gave Betsy the $3,000 Dad left. "Here's $3,000 first. I'll pay you the rest next week when I get paid."  

"Will you have enough to rent a place if you give this to me now? ...Let's settle it together later."  

"I'm not trying to avoid paying you. I just want to do the right thing." I said, putting the money into my wallet.   

"As long as you move out quickly, nothing else matters." Betsy drank another sip of porridge, seeming to really enjoy it. Dad's porridge making skills were unmatched. He could make the simplest rice porridge taste like home.  

"It's not like I'm a plague. There's no need to dislike me so much!" I exclaimed.    

"With your character, how can I possibly like you?"  

I smiled wryly but didn't respond. Maybe I really lacked moral character, or maybe she misunderstood me a little. But it didn't matter. I didn't need to clarify or explain because after work tomorrow, we would be going our separate ways.  

I drank the rest of the porridge in my bowl in one gulp, then stared at Betsy. She was wearing a white long-sleeved chiffon blouse, black and white plaid pencil pants, and her slightly wavy medium-length hair gave her an air of elegance though she looked a bit frail. 

I took out the knitted sweater Dad left and pretended to try it on in front of Betsy. After a while I sighed, "It's getting cold. Don't you think this sweater would suit you well?"

Betsy frowned, "What, do you want me to accept your leftovers?"   

"Really, it would suit you perfectly...If you're willing to let me continue renting this place, I don't mind giving it to you. Dad said my mom knitted this herself. It's thick and warm, perfect for winter!"  

"I don't deserve such generosity."  

I smiled and handed her the sweater, "Just joking. Even if you don't rent to me, I'm giving this to you. I don't plan on getting a girlfriend any time soon. It would be a waste to have such a nice sweater lying around. Consider this my apology for being unreasonable yesterday." 

I looked extremely sincere. Hesitantly, Betsy accepted the sweater I offered her and said, "Fine, I accept your apology...And try being nicer to your dad. Stop deceiving him and making him worry."  

"Does accepting my apology have anything to do with being nice to my dad?" I asked in confusion.  

Annoyed by my question, Betsy said angrily, "You really are scum!" She shoved the sweater into her handbag, opened the door and left.

I was left alone in the room, somewhat puzzled by Betsy's sudden anger. After thinking for a long time, I realized that perhaps she temporarily accepted my apology and made an exception to let me stay one more night out of sympathy for Dad. She still felt indifferent and disgusted towards me. In her eyes, I played around with women, deceived my own father, and was rude and untrustworthy. If that wasn't scum, what was?  

Betsy didn't stay in this place that night. I wondered, she must have other places in this city. But why did she have to stay here? 

I racked my brains but couldn't figure it out. I might as well not think about it. There are strange people and strange things in this world. Compared to its boundless wonders, this wasn't too bizarre. No need to get to the bottom of it. I could just see it as a kind of performance art for the wealthy.   

In fact, I quite enjoyed muddling through life like this. The truth could mean pain. Once you have something, you may lose it. So without knowing the truth, there would be no pain. And no loss without gain.   

...

The next day at work, after the weekly meeting of the planning department, David and I walked out of the conference room side by side, followed by another colleague Addison.  

I lit a cigarette, held it in my mouth and waved at him, "Come here, Addison."  

Addison looked at me warily, "What's up?"

"Heard you like outdoor sports?"  

"Yeah, I really do!"  

I smiled, "I have a set of professional outdoor gear that I bought but barely used. I'll sell it to you cheap."

"You don't even like outdoor sports. Why did you buy outdoor gear?" Addison asked suspiciously.  

"Precisely because I don't like it, so I never used it. It's like new, amazing quality! Patagonia, a real bargain for you, kid. $2,000 for the whole set." I put my arm around Addison's shoulder.  

"Really?" Addison asked eagerly.  

Impatiently I said, "Of course it's real. Give me the money quick. David will bring it to you tomorrow. I've had it sitting at his place."  

Addison took $2,000 out of his wallet and handed it to me, instructing, "Remember to bring it to me tomorrow. I'm going rock climbing next weekend, it'll come in handy."  

"Talk to David yourself." I said, putting the money in my pocket.   

Addison turned to David who seemed distracted, "David, remember to bring me that set of outdoor gear you have at your place tomorrow. The Patagonia gear that Sunny sold me."

David came to his senses, puzzled, "What outdoor gear?"  

"The Patagonia gear that Sunny sold me." Addison patiently explained.  

I took a deep drag of my cigarette and headed straight for the bathroom. Behind me, David cursed angrily, "What the fuck did you sell? That's mine!"   

Then I heard David say helplessly to Addison, "Alright, don't feel wronged. I'll bring it to you tomorrow."  

...  

After finishing my cigarette in the bathroom, I returned to the office. A cup of coffee sat on David's desk. Wearing radiation-proof glasses, his fingers tapped loudly on the keyboard.

I turned on my computer. While waiting for it to start up, I fiddled with my lighter and chatted with David, "Still busy with the plan for GUCCI to open a counter in our mall?"  

David didn't bring up what just happened either. He sighed, "Yeah, been at it for almost a week. The business development department has been waiting for our proposal to negotiate with GUCCI's representatives!"  

I responded casually and didn't ask any more questions. David and I were extremes. He was a workaholic while I always went with the flow. Our very different attitudes led to very different results. Though we'd been working for two years, David was now the head of the planning department's copywriting and planning team. I was still struggling at the bottom.  

Suddenly David stopped tapping the keyboard and stared at me for a long time with a worried look.

"What's wrong?" I asked, puzzled by David's strange behavior. 

Finally David said, "The other day when you seemed in low spirits, I didn't tell you...Daisy and I are getting married next week."

"Finally getting married!" I unconsciously sighed. My heart ached in waves of throbbing pain. 

David met Daisy completely because of Jessica and me. Daisy was Jessica's best friend. David and I were like brothers. When Jessica and I started dating, we gave David and Daisy a chance to get to know each other. Then they fell in love too. 

During college, the four of us often hung out together and developed a deep friendship. We joked several times about getting married together after graduating. 

David and Daisy eventually realizing their love and walking down the aisle was tremendously joyous news, but it also cruelly and ruthlessly exposed my hurt and loneliness...I couldn't keep my love with Jessica in the end. 

Sometimes human suffering actually comes from comparison...But at this moment, other than feeling envy and happiness for David and Daisy in my pain and loneliness, what else could I do?

The past will eventually turn to dust, but the wind can't blow it away. It settles in the heart, shrouding my world in dead ashes.  

I smiled at David, "Where's the invitation, man? Hand it over quick." 

David nodded and took an invitation out of the drawer, handing it to me. I opened it. The photo on the invitation showed David and Daisy with radiant smiles of happiness. 

... 

After a long silence, I asked David, "Will Jessica come back for your wedding?"

"You know, haven't been able to reach her since she moved from LA to New York. But Daisy sent her an email a few days ago. No reply yet, hard to say if she'll come back or not." 

"Oh, I see." I responded casually, then stopped talking to David. My fingers tapped at the keyboard but my eyes drifted, distracted.