I drifted through the day in a daze until the lazy sunset glow filtered through the transparent glass, reminding me it was time to get off work.  

David at the next desk was still busy. With some free time, I went to the bathroom for a smoke, waiting to get off work.   

When I came back, Daisy was sitting in my office chair, apparently waiting for David to get off work.  

I teased Daisy, "Daisy, your butt has gotten plump again. My chair can barely hold it!"

"Watch your mouth," Daisy glared at me.   

I raised my eyebrows and smiled at Daisy. She was actually a beauty, the sexy type, especially her butt, round and perky, while her legs were long. Her figure was also tall and slender. Put together, she was perfectly matched. If she walked down the street, judging from her back and curves, Daisy would definitely be the most beautiful.

I went over to David and patted him on the shoulder, "Have you worked out the outline for that plan?"   

"I've worked out the overall thinking and framework. Just need to add some text descriptions." David replied.  

"I'll take care of the rest. You can get off work first. Don't keep Daisy waiting."  

Daisy pressed her hands on my face happily, "Sunny, you're too kind. You have no idea how busy we'll be later!"

"Getting married, there must be a lot to do." I said, removing Daisy's hands from my face.   

David finally stretched and stood up, saying to me, "Alright, Daisy and I have to go to the wedding planning company and the bridal shop right away...Call us anytime if you have any questions."

"Don't worry, go ahead and be busy." I said, sitting down in David's office chair.  

David quickly packed up and Daisy wrapped her arm around his. As they were leaving, Daisy seemed to remember something and said to me, "Sunny, our company's building is launching soon. If you want to buy, I can get you an insider price, 1,500 yuan cheaper per square meter!"   

Daisy was the head of the sales department of a local real estate company. The insider prices she could get were definitely attractive, saving at least 100,000 yuan on a property. Even so, I still couldn't afford to buy a house.  

"Let's talk about it later." I replied.  

David asked Daisy, "Which project is launching this time?"  

"China Yuan Eco-City Phase II." Daisy replied.   

David put down his briefcase, looking at me seriously, "Sunny, buy it. This property is really good. Who knows how long we'll have to wait for the next opportunity. And housing prices will definitely skyrocket in the future!"

"Buy what? You know my family's financial situation."  

"Daisy and I still have tens of thousands of yuan in savings. We can lend it to you first. Then go ask Old Man to think of a way to come up with the down payment. Should be no problem, right?"

"You two still have housing loans and car loans to pay off. You're getting married right away, which must cost a lot of money. Don't worry about me."  

Daisy said again, "Our housing loans and car loans are easy for us to pay off. Sunny, buy the house first. It'll be convenient when you find a girlfriend. We really don't want to see you drifting like this. It's annoying, really annoying!"  

"It's easy for you two to pay off your loans together. But have you thought about how I'll pay off the mortgage after I buy the house? I can't even support myself, let alone pay off any damn loans! ...Alright, stop standing here. It's almost dark already." I urged David and Daisy to leave.  

Daisy and David glanced at each other and sighed softly, then looked at me again before leaving.  

...  

Standing at the floor-to-ceiling window, I saw Daisy wrapping her arm around David's, walking toward their newly bought white Mazda 6 downstairs. I felt strange inside.  

David, Daisy and I were graduates of Suzhou University. They already had their own houses and cars in this city. They were about to step into the hall of marriage. I didn't quite understand why the gap between us was so huge. Was this a joke God played on me, or did I mess up my own life?  

As I gazed into the distance, I couldn't help wondering: if Jessica and I hadn't broken up, would we have gotten married by now? 

...

At 9 pm, I finally finished the plan David had left me. I stretched and walked over to the employee lounge with a cup, intending to have the last cup of coffee before getting off work.  

Lost in thought, I listened to the sound of coffee flowing from the coffee maker into the cup, as gentle as a whisper, leaving no place for desires to hide.  

I gulped down a mouthful of coffee and looked out at the thick night and struggling neon lights. I really wanted to throw off this weary flesh!

...  

The phone rang. I took it out and looked—it was Lea again.  

I answered the call. Lea's weak voice said to me, "Sunny, where are you?"

"Working overtime." I responded with mixed feelings.  

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

"What the hell! Don't you have a washing machine?" I asked angrily in annoyance.

Lea replied wearily, "Come and * me then."  

I was speechless for a while, then said, "My point is the washing machine, not * you!"

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

"Then take them to the dry cleaner. I've been working all day and am as tired as a dog. I'm in no mood to go over." I flatly refused.  

"Can underwear and bras be dry cleaned?"  

"Are you crazy, asking me to wash your underwear and bras?!"

"Sunny, I just had surgery. I really can't get my hands wet. Can't you show me some mercy?" Lea sobbed.

"I know you graduated from drama school. Please don't act with me, okay?"  

Lea really burst into tears, "I'm pregnant with your child. Is this how you treat me? Have you thought about my feelings at all? Do you know how heartbroken I am?"

"You're putting on a melodramatic show and speaking in parallels, asking me!" 

Lea cried her eyes out, "Sunny...you beast... believe it or not, I'll die just to show you!"   

I was at my wit's end with Lea, "Auntie, I'm scared of you now. Can I come over or not?!"

Lea's tone suddenly turned calm, "Hurry up and come over. I'm waiting for you!"  

Listening to the "beep beep" as the call ended, I suddenly felt: if Lea couldn't make it to the level of a first-rate actress, the entertainment industry must be blind. Her acting skills were simply divine!  

People who study drama are frightening. Women who study drama are even more frightening!

...

Leaving the company, waiting on the sidewalk for a taxi, I suddenly remembered promising Betsy to help move after work. It was almost 9:30 now!  

"She didn't move my stuff out already, did she?" I muttered.  

A taxi had stopped beside me. I thought about it: I had already missed the appointment anyway. I would go wash Lea's clothes first and deal with the move later.  

About 15 minutes later I arrived at Lea's one-room apartment building. I pressed the doorbell repeatedly in anger to vent my annoyance at being forced to come here.  

Lea, wearing pajamas, opened the door with her arms wrapped around a plush toy. Looking haggard, her pathetic appearance made me swallow all the harsh words I had prepared, though I still complained, "You're such a troublemaker!"  

"You wouldn't have this trouble if you didn't sleep with me," Lea said, moving aside to let me in.  

I was in no mood to argue with Lea. I asked her, "Where are the clothes?"  

"In the dirty clothes basket in the bathroom."  

I went into the bathroom and was shocked. Two extra-large dirty clothes baskets were stuffed full of clothes. I scolded angrily, "Did you deliberately save up clothes for a year just to torture me?"

Lea ignored me, only turning up the volume of the TV in the living room.  

I was so angry my liver ached, but I gritted my teeth and emptied all the clothes from the baskets. I sorted the machine washable ones in one pile, the hand wash ones in another, and underwear and bras in yet another.  

The next hour, I was busy working with the washing machine, washing all those clothes.  

Carrying the washed clothes out to the balcony, I helped her hang them up one by one. After finishing everything, I finally stood on the balcony and lit a cigarette to relieve my fatigue. 

Lea came over with a fruit platter and asked softly, "Want some?"

"No appetite." I took a deep drag on my cigarette. 

Lea took the cigarette from between my fingers and used tissues from her pocket to wipe the sweat off my forehead. Her tone was light as she said, "Sunny, magazines say a man willing to wash a woman's underwear and bras for her must be a gentle, reliable good man."

"Get lost, will you? Do you think I wanted to help you wash them?!" 

Though I scolded her, Lea still wrapped her arm around mine and snuggled up to me, asking, "Then have you ever helped wash for any woman other than me?" 

"No." I replied impatiently. 

"Not even Jessica?" Lea pursued. 

"Are you annoying or what, asking such stupid questions?" I said, pushing Lea away. 

Lea was already used to my attitude. She didn't get angry or say anything, just looking at me. 

I put on my jacket and told her, "I'm leaving. Don't call me again in the future."

Lea grabbed me, "I won't let you go." 

"Let go of me." I shook off Lea's hand clutching me tightly. 

Lea blocked the door again, saying, "Don't leave yet. I have something for you." She took out a bank card from the pocket of her pajamas and handed it to me, saying, "This is for you. There's 10,000 yuan in the card. I know you spent a lot of money this time."

I was startled, "Where did you get the money?"

"I got an advance from the crew." 

"Do you suddenly have a guilty conscience?" 

Lea stared at me sadly for a long time, "The child was originally yours...I said I just wanted to see you willing to take responsibility. Of course I'll pay you back for the money you spent." 

The more serious Lea's expression was, the more I felt she was acting. In my eyes, she was just the kind of woman who loved indulging in a dazzling nightlife. The responsibility she spoke of was utterly unreliable. I understood too well because we were the same kind of people.

The only difference was that someday she might really make a name for herself in the entertainment industry, while I was doomed to live an ordinary and lonely life!

...

In the end, I didn't take Lea's card, though I was very short of money. Why, I couldn't quite say. Perhaps I sympathized with Lea deep down. Though I scolded her, I would still help her when she needed it. 

No matter how glamorous she appeared, I understood the emptiness behind it. We were the same kind of people, the only difference being that someday she might truly make a name for herself in the entertainment industry, while I was doomed to live an ordinary and lonely life!

... 

Leaving Lea's place, I immediately took a taxi to my former residence. I really hoped Betsy wouldn't move my luggage out for missing our appointment. I didn't want to work overtime or be pestered by Lea to go wash clothes either! But there were so many accidents in life beyond my control.