Chapter 6
The next day, I got up early to catch the bus.
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A long–distance bus to the train station was parked at the factory gate, with several colleagues there to see me off.
Gianna patted my shoulder: “Are you really leaving? I heard New York is pretty chaotic over there.”
I loaded my luggage onto the bus and replied with a smile: “This is a great opportunity.”
Isabel came over and whispered quietly: “Walter was crying his heart out earlier. Won’t you reconsider?”
I shook my head and pulled out a big bag of candy from my pocket to share with everyone: “Our fate together has run its course.”
མ་ ་
Before boarding, I turned back for one last look at this place where I’d lived half my life.
The slogans on the factory buildings had long since faded, just as they were in my memory.
The only difference was that in my past life, I was driven out; in this life, I chose to leave.
As the bus started up, I seemed to see my previous life’s self
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08:52
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lying on that hospital bed, waiting alone for death to come.
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Meanwhile, Walter and Austin were joyfully preparing for their wedding with Ana.
When the nurse came to change my IV, she even smiled and said: “Your husband is so lucky, getting such a grand second wedding.”
As the bus drove out of the factory compound, I vaguely saw a figure at the office building window.
I’m not sure if it was my imagination, but I thought I heard someone calling my name.
But soon, everything disappeared behind me.
I pulled out the business plan I’d prepared from my bag, its pages densely filled with research on the New York market.
This time, I was determined to seize this opportunity.
The elderly man sitting next to me saw me constantly flipping through documents and asked curiously: “Young lady, are you going
ily: “Young lady
to New York to start a business?”
I closed the plan and smiled: “Yes, I’m planning to give it a shot.”
“That takes guts!” He gave me a
thumbs
k up. “Much better than
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those people who are too scared to change jobs!”
Looking at the scenery flying backward outside the window, I remembered that my biggest regret in my past life was never venturing out to see the world.
Now, I finally had the chance to make up for that regret.
The bus merged onto the highway, and the textile factory completely disappeared from view.
I leaned back in my seat and closed my eyes.
When I opened them again, the air seemed to carry the scent of opportunity.
This was the smell of the big city.
Drawing on my past life’s experience, I quickly seized business opportunities and successfully carved out my own market.
Within just six months of arriving in New York, I’d earned more money than I could have made in a lifetime at the textile factory.
I stood in my newly renovated office, looking down at the busy streets through the floor–to–ceiling windows.
My secretary Gracie Rogers placed a stack of documents on my desk: “Ms. Collins, here are today’s reports. The wholesale market stalls saw another thirty percent increase in revenue this
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month.”
I nodded and casually flipped through the files.
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The numbers looked good–several more zeros than last month.
On my desk were also several letters from my hometown, all sent by former colleagues.
Gracie said: “By the way, there’s a visitor downstairs named Isabel Webber, says she’s your former colleague.”
I paused in my movements: “Please have her come up.”
Isabel’s eyes widened the moment she walked in: “Phoebe! My God, this office is even more impressive than our factory director’s!”
I smiled and poured her a glass of water: “You’re exaggerating. What brings you to New York all of a sudden?”
Isabel said: “The factory’s performance keeps getting worse, so I took early retirement.”
She rubbed her hands together, her eyes constantly glancing at the phone on my desk: “I thought I’d come see you, and also… see if there’s any work available.”
I asked: “How is everyone else at the factory doing?”
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Isabel lit a cigarette and shook her head with a sigh: “Remember Walter? He really did marry Ana, but guess what happened? Less than three months after the wedding, Ana started fooling around with some new guy from the factory office. The whole factory knows!”
I lowered my head and took a sip of water, saying nothing.
Isabel continued: “Walter’s in a terrible state now, depressed all the time. He deserves it though. If he hadn’t back then…”
“Forget it.” I interrupted her. “Let’s not bring up the past. Since you’re here, why don’t you work for me? The warehouse needs a supervisor, and I’ll pay New York standard wages.”
Isabel’s mouth fell open, hardly believing it: “Really?”
I nodded readily and pressed the call button on my desk: “Gracie, please take Ms. Webber to handle the onboarding procedures.”
After seeing Isabel off, I picked up those letters.
Gianna mentioned Walter’s situation in her letter, saying he wasn’t doing well, that Ana often didn’t come home, and people at the factory were all laughing at him.
I tossed the letter into a drawer and picked up the phone to dial a number: “Mr. Harris? Yes, it’s me. About that batch of electronic watches we discussed–I’ve decided to add another
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five hundred units.”
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As business grew, I gradually brought several close former colleagues to New York.
Every time they came, they’d bring news from home.
I heard the textile factory was about to close down, that Ana’s father was under investigation, that Walter wasn’t doing well…
I never asked for details, just helped them arrange work and get settled.
Sometimes when she’d had too much to drink, Isabel would say with red eyes: “Phoebe, you’re really loyal. Back at the factory, we all thought you were naive, but now…”
“Let the past stay in the past.” I raised my glass. “Come on, let’s toast to our new lives!”
“Cheers!”
By the end of the year, I bought a villa in New York.
On moving day, several former colleagues came to help.
Isabel, her face flushed from drinking, suddenly spoke up: “Phoebe, do you think if Walter hadn’t chosen Ana back then, things might
be…”
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I shook my head: “No, regardless of what he did, I would never
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go back to the past.”
Just as I said, the past should be left to drift away with the wind.
