Present Day
Qing's POV
"You look well, Qing..." Guo gege smiled, as I sat down in front of him.
I smiled back, "thank you ge..You look well too..." I nodded at him as we looked at each other.
It had been years; almost five years to be exact that Guo gege and I hadn't talked to each other, or looked at each other's eyes or smile at each other like this.
The last time we talked, was when we had a row, which ended up with Lin Min Mei hitting me with her bag. That time when I didn't come home to Dayu, because I had a swollen face and I didn't want Dayu to see me looking pathetic like that.
It was one of the incident that became try catalyst for what happened next in mine and Dayu's relationship.
But, I had never blamed anybody for it but myself; not even Lin Min Mei. I could have done things differently if only I wasn't such a fool and such a jerk. If only I realised that I was in love with Dayu sooner. But, I didn't. And it was all my fault.
That time; when Guo gege accused me of trying to steal his wife; I corrected him, heatedly, telling him that he was wrong. I told him to his face, at that time that I had no interest in Lin Min Mei anymore. I had no intention of ever being with her.
Guo gege was still half disbelieving me, when I told him that, at that time because he still didn't know about Dayu. Guo gege thought that I was still the same as I was two years prior; when I was still seemingly 'in love' with Lin Min Mei.
The few times that I saw Guo gege after that incident, we didn't talk much because by then Guo gege probably had known about Dayu from his wife. And by then too, Guo gege also had seen Lin Min Mei for what she truly was.
Whenever we met, we didn't talk much as Guo gege could only bow at me with guilty, regret and shame on his face. He was still staying by Lin Min Mei's side though. Despite everything the woman did; Guo gege forgave her and he still wanted to be with her.
It wasn't until Lin Min Mei came to see me after four years and also after Guo gege met with Dayu accidentally at Dayu's cafe in Shijiazhuang, that I learnt about Guo gege and Lin Min Mei's impending divorce.
And this would be our first meeting in a very long long time.
"Thank you for coming, Qing..." Guo gege smiled, guilt, regret and shame were still very much evident on his face, "I know that it's probably shameless of me to be asking for a meeting like this..After all that had happened...But...I had to see you Qing..."
I nodded, giving Guo gege a reassuring smile, "I understand ge..Please don't say that...I also want to meet with you...!" I said, truthfully.
Guo gege and Lin Min Mei had been my closest friends for more than ten years, until Lin Min Mei decided that she wanted to be with me after all.
I might never be able to recover the friendship with Lin Min Mei but, I should be able to rebuild my friendship with Guo gege at least. After all, he's also a victim in this mess.
We ordered our drinks and waited for them, in silence. We're both thinking about what to say and how to say it best. It's hard, because Guo gege and I hadn't been able to talk like this in a very long time. Our drinks arrived several minutes later and we knew that, we should start talking then.
"I heard that Min Mei went to see you again.." Guo gege was the first to begin, after taking a sip of his drink.
"Yes.." I replied, "she did.."
"Sorry, Qing...I know that you've warned me not to let her come see you ever again..." Guo gege looked at me, guiltily, "and I couldn't even prevent her from doing that..."
"Ge...Please..Stop apologising on her behalf. She's responsible for her own actions..It's time for you to let her take responsibility for her decision, don't you think..?" I found this side of Guo gege both very admirable and also very foolish.
Guo gege and Lin Min Mei were already getting a divorce but, he was still taking the blame for her.
Guo gege blinked, as he fell silent and then he slowly drew a deep breath, closing his eyes for a few seconds before he opened them an looked at me, "You're too kind Qing...You know..I accepted Min Mei, even though I knew that she only had eyes for you..and that you're in love with her too...I took advantage of her insecurity and your indecisiveness to get what I want...I think..I deserved everything that happened to me.." Guo gege was smiling bitterly as he spoke, "yes..Min Mei had her faults..but I also had mine..And I have not apologised to you, properly for it.."
I looked at Guo gege. Hearing him, talk about the 'me' from before I met Dayu, sounded like I was hearing about someone else. I couldn't recognise the 'me' in their memories; his or Lin Min Mei's.
"You know ge..I think..You're my saviour. If you haven't fallen in love with Lin Min Mei and married her; I couldn't imagine how my life would be..Because I wasn't really in love with her..." I took a deep breath before I continued, "if I was..I wouldn't have let her marry you..I would have fought tooth and nail with you over her..I was in love with my ideas and my beliefs of her..She was sweet..She treated me normally...she was not demanding..At least that's what I believed at that time..And I was in love with that image of her..I think..Deep down in my heart, I didn't confess or fight for her, because I was afraid...that I'd found out, that she's not what I thought of her, after all.."
I smiled bitterly at myself, and my foolishness, "and even if we did get together..Sooner or later..I would have met Dayu..Our paths would have crossed anyway...And I would have fallen in love with Dayu all the same.." I knew this for sure, "he's the only one for me, ge..It would have been so much more messier, if I found Dayu while I was already tied to another person.."
I knew it. No matter how long, how many years, together with Lin Min Mei; when Dayu walked into my life; I would know; that he's the one I want. The only one.
"So...It's thanks to you, ge..That I didn't have to go through that..." Thank God; everything happened, the way they did. Thank God, I didn't confess to Lin Min Mei. Thank God, Guo gege proposed to Lin Min Mei. And thank God, Lin Min Mei accepted.
Of course, I hated how I behaved with Dayu in the two years we were together the first time; but at least, I was never together with Lin Min Mei.
"You really do love him.." Guo gege was looking at me with awe, "I thought that I would never see you bearing that kind of expression...I was wrong.."
"Yes. I love him. I love him very much." I smiled; thinking of Dayu, and his smile.
"And I don't have to wonder why.." Guo gege muttered then he smiled at me, "you know that I met him, accidentally..several months ago, right?"
I nodded, "yes..he told me about it..."
"I was actually very surprised when Min Mei revealed that you're enamoured by another man..I thought you'd never bat for the other side...And I did wonder..What could have made you fell for a man? What did he have, that you could bear to reject, Min Mei, and chose him...?"
I waited for Guo gege to continue talking, patiently. I wanted to know what he thought of Dayu, after he met him.
"Then, out of the blue..I met him..In his café..I was there for work..Really..." he emphasized when I raised my eyebrow at him, questioningly, "I know that you've found him; Min Mei told me..But, that's all I knew. I couldn't meet him..I curious about the two of you but...I didn't think I had any right to know more..We were not actually 'friends' like we used to anymore..."
Guo gege grimaced.
"It was accidental, Qing...Believe me.."
I nodded, smiling a little, "I believe you ge.." there's not a hint of lie in Guo gege's eyes or voice.
"I thought of leaving..Not talking to him..But, I guess..Curiosity and my regret and guilt over everything, made me chose to talk to him..I had no confidence to talk to you..So..I thought..I would apologise to him, at least..."
"Feng JianYu is..someone who could stand on equal ground with you Qing...I could see that..He's a beautiful man..And he has such a soothing presence..He's-"
"Ge." I cut Guo gege's words sharply. I saw Guo gege talking about Dayu, smiling and blushing a little as he did so, reminiscing about their meeting, and- I don't like it. Guo gege is quiet taken by Dayu. It's obvious.
"I know. He's cute, and adorable. He's charming and attractive.." I know these things more than anyone, and I don't want to hear it from someone else, "and I'm flattered that you also thought that but..He's mine. Only I can think of him like that, ge.."
Guo gege gasped, his jaw literally dropped, looking at me dazedly for several seconds before he laughed out loud.
"Oh my God! Wang Qing..!" Guo gege, brushed the tears coming out from his eyes because he was laughing so hard, "this is amazing! I never thought that I would ever see you get jealous..."
"Oh, believe me ge...You have no idea..!" I warned him, "So..Don't think of him too much..He's mine.."
"Qing... You're too late. I already like him.." before I exploded, Guo gege hurriedly held his hands up, "Whoa...!easy..easy...! I like him. As I liked you..I really felt regretful because I might never be friends with him; because of what I had done to you..."
That saved him.
"After meeting with him..I thought about it..About our friendship..." Guo gege bit his lip, "It took me a long time to summon my courage..But, I decided..That I really don't want to leave..Without talking to you, once..I have to at least apologise to you, Qing...So.."
Guo gege was tearing up a little, as he bowed at me again.
I sighed, "and I had told you ge..You have nothing to apologise for..." then I asked, "you're leaving..?"
"I accepted another job..in Brazil..And this time...it's a ten year contract..." he replied, "I can't leave..Thinking about this, for ten years..."
"And your wife..?"
"We're getting a divorce..And we had agreed that I would be taking care of our son.."
So, Lin Min Mei is giving Guo gege the custody of their son. I am glad. I don't think that she's in her right mind right now to take care of a child. Let alone a child that she cared so little about. She was willing to trade her son's life to have me. Guo gege's better off without her. But, I suppressed the urge to tell Guo gege that.
"I think..this time, she had really given up, Qing...Her family is also migrating to Australia..Her brother, living in Sydney, had made all the necessary preparation there..They're bringing her with them.."
Hearing it, was such a relief. It was actually one of the best news I've heard so far.
"Good for her.." I hope, I really hope that Lin Min Mei, would indeed be able to rebuild her life there and let go of her obsession for me. She's still young. It's still not too late for her to start again. But, it would make it easier for everybody if she did it far away from here.
Then, there was an awkward silence between us again.
"Ge.." I called, and I saw Guo gege jumped in surprise.
"Yes..?"
"Can we visit you..sometimes..? In Brazil?" I smiled, "it'd be nice to see a familiar face when we visit another country.."
Guo gege blinked then he slowly broke into a thankful smile; he knew what my question was implying.
"Of course. You're always welcome in my home.." he whispered.
"And you will always be welcomed in ours, ge..." He's my friend, and I want Guo gege to stay as my friend.
"Thank you..Thank you Qing..!" Guo gege visibly trembled, holding back tears. I smiled back, feeling a huge weight being lifted off my own shoulders.
"Don't mention it, ge..We're friends..We will always be friends..!" I whispered back.
"But, don't look too much at my Dayu..and don't think too much of him..Don't get too near to him...I won't forgive you..!" I just couldn't resist but tell him that; half joking, half serious.
Guo gege gasped and he laughed out loud until he was tearing up, once again.
"Seriously..!!?!! Oh my God!! This is amazing!!!"
And that was how, I patched back my friendship with Guo gege.
All thanks to his meeting with Dayu. Dayu really is and angel. My angel.