Chapter 3 – The Collapse of the Viaduct

　　'Ah, habit…' He looked at the lot where the Maserati was parked last night and saw a Hyundai instead. It seems like Guo Xiang left. Then he looked up: he must confront reality, or at least gather his belongings before his departure.

　　Li Yiming climbed upstairs, opened the door, entered the room, and found it empty.

　　The studio he rented costed 3,800 RMB per month. Based on Li Yiming's budget alone, it would be impossible for him to rent that kind of apartment throughout his university years. Fortunately, Ji Xiaoqin and him were both students in the dance program and often received contracts for performances here and there which helped pay the rent.

　　The room was a little messy, but then again, many art students were naturally inept at domestic ch.o.r.es. Li Yiming glossed over the familiar room, a little overwhelmed. He found himself standing next to a trash can by the bed before he knew it, and he peered inside: a clean bag with nothing inside… He let out a sigh of relief. Even so, he did not dare to inspect the bed sheets. Instead, he slouched on the sofa with dead eyes and turned the television on. At this time, even a little bit of noise would help alleviate his loneliness.

　　The news ran on the television. It seemed like a newly constructed viaduct in the outskirts of the city had collapsed during rush hour, causing numerous deaths. Rescue was underway, so it seemed to have occurred not too long ago.

　　Nowadays, this kind of news was quite common. In a capitalistic society, who would not skimp on the job and stint on the materials? The path between the bid proposal and the contract signing was littered with under-the-table deals. Those needed to be accounted for, so if the construction company did not tamper with the quality of the project itself, how could it expect to yield a profit? The only variability was what new low they were willing to reach in order to boost their income figures.

　　Li Yiming sighed. He did not continue to watch the scenes of the collapse, as they wrenched his heart. His attention diverted to the half-finished pack of cigarettes sitting on the table and the exquisite lighter next to it. He did not know the name of the brand, but he guessed that it had to be something Guo Xiang left behind…

　　'A man who doesn't drink, no woman he shall have; a man who doesn't smoke, no son he shall beget…' Li Yiming laughed in self-derision as he remembered the saying from the man in shorts. He lit a cigarette and took a puff.

　　A little bitter, and the smoke burned his throat.

　　Li Yiming exhaled and watched the smoke scatter away. He sighed again. 'Forget it. If it wants to scatter, then let it fall apart. The rule for campus romance: love ends at graduation.' To wish for Ji Xiaoqin to return with him to his home in Lishui was unrealistic. He should have known about it, otherwise she would not have equivocated so when he brought up finding a job there. The interview yesterday went nicely, so once he secured a position and settled down, he should be able to find a girl in Lishui and live a quiet life.

　　He would pack his belongings and rush to catch the bus back home. It was time to put a period to his life here, to this city, and to its inhabitants. Many will perhaps seek an explanation, a reason behind such a betrayal. Yet, for Li Yiming, a clarification was unnecessary. A confrontation would only avail to further embarra.s.sment. Besides, what's done is done, why make things more difficult for himself and for her? Big brother in shorts was right: such are the rules…

　　A man does not mature into pragmatism; he simply accepts reality more readily. After "dying" once last night, Li Yiming felt like he suddenly grew up. Since anger and hatred were not useful, then he should just learn to see the world through more empathetic eyes and to put himself in other people's shoes,. From Ji Xiaoqin's perspective, she had the right to pursue her own happiness and follow whatever path she chooses. As for the morality of her actions… morality is but a set of rules determined by the majority of society.

　　After a moment of lucidity, Li Yiming got up and began to pack up his meager possessions. He had barely started when the black box he had slid out from his pocket and dropped onto the ground.