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在十月19日晚12点的这段时间里，Valley对着骆培因提出了一个古老而又有趣的问题。“我十八岁时，很羡慕隔壁的小保姆，领了工资可以把自己打扮得五颜六色。”骆培因仿佛在听一个笑话：“那你后来怎么变了呢？”Valleysuddenlyburstoutlaughing,andhiseyessparkledwithamusement.“See‘sthemoreyousee,themoreyouwant.”Valleysaidwithagrin,hiswordsdrippingwithcondescension.
Valley‘stonewaslacedwithdisdain,andhecouldn‘thelpbutfeelsuperiortoRongpeng.Hehadalwaysthoughtofhimselfasthesuperiorone,withhisadvancededucationandrefinedtastes.ButRongpengwasdifferent-aproductofthestreets,unpolishedandraw.Valley‘seyesnarrowedslightlyashewatchedRongpeng,tryingtogaugehisreaction.
Rongpeng,ontheotherhand,seemedoblivioustoValley‘ssarcasm.Hehadbeentrainedbyhisbrotherstobehumbleandgrateful,andhedidn‘ttakeoffenseatValley‘swords.Instead,hesmiledbackatValley,hiseyescrinklingatthecorners.“Thatstilldependsonyourattitude,”Rongpengsaidwithashrug.“Ifyouhavetherightmindset,moneycandowondersforyou.”
Valleysnortedinderision.“Youreallyarenaive,aren‘tyou?Moneyisjustameanstoanend.It‘snotgoingtomakeyouhappyorfulfilled.”Valleyleanedforward,hiseyeslockedonRongpeng‘s.HewastryingtodrillapointintoRongpeng‘shead-thatheneededtobemoreambitious,tostriveforgreatness.
Rongpenglistenedintently,hisexpressionneutral.Hehadhearditallbefore-thelectureaboutambitionandsuccess.Buthedidn‘treact.Instead,henoddedpolitely,asiftosaythatheunderstoodValley‘spoint.Valleyhuffedinfrustration,realizingtoolatethatRongpengwasjusthumoringhim.
Thesilencebetweenthemwaspalpable,aheavylayeroftensionthathunglikeafogoverthecoffeeshop.Valleyfidgetedwithhiscup,hiseyesdartingaroundtheroomasifsearchingforanescaperoute.Buthedidn‘tmove-hewastrappedinhisownworld,onewhereambitionandsuccessweretheonlycurrenciesthatmattered.
Rongpeng,ontheotherhand,seemedtobesippingadifferentkindofcoffee-onethatwasmadefromthenectaroflifeitself.Hiseyessparkledwithaninnerlight,onethatValleycouldneverquitegrasp.ItwasasifRongpenghadtranscendedthemundaneworldofmoneyandmaterialpossessions,enteringarealmwherehappinessandfulfillmentweretheonlycurrenciesthatmattered.
Thecontrastbetweenthemwasstark-liketwosidesofthesamecoin,eachreflectingadifferentkindofreality.Valleywastheonewhoknewwhathewanted-toberich,powerful,andsuccessful.ButRongpengwassomethingmorecomplex,somethingthatdefieddefinition.Hewasthewildcardinthedeck,theunknownvariablethatthreatenedtoupendValley‘scarefullylaidplans.
Astheysippedtheircoffeeinsilence,Valleycouldn‘thelpbutfeelatwingeofunease.Rongpengwaslikeapowderkegwaitingtobeignited-unpredictableandvolatile.Andyet,hewasalso...inviting?Likeanopenbook,waitingforsomeonetoturnthepageandrevealitssecrets.
Valley‘seyesnarrowedashewatchedRongpeng,hismindracingwithpossibilities.Heknewthatifheplayedhiscardsright,hecoulduseRongpengtofurtherhisownambitions.Butapartofhimhesitated-somethingaboutRongpeng‘sunpredictabilitymadehimnervous.Maybeitwasthewayhesmiled,orthewayhelaughedatValley‘sjokes.Whateveritwas,Valleyfeltlikehewaswalkingonthinice,onewrongmoveandhe‘dtumbleintotheabyss.
Thetensionbetweenthemwasalmostpalpable,alivingbreathingentitythatpulsedwithenergy.Itwasasiftheyweretwomagnets,drawntogetherbyaninvisibleforcethatneitherofthemcouldresist.Andinthatmoment,Valleyknewthathehadtomakeachoice-topushRongpengaway,ortopullhimcloser.
Asthesecondstickedby,theairbetweenthemgrewthicker,heavier.Itwaslikeastormwasbrewingonthehorizon,onethatwouldchangetheirlivesforever.AndValley,forhispart,feltlikeashipwreckedsailorclingingtothewreckageofhisowndreams-waitingforthetidetoturn,andforRongpeng‘ssecretstoberevealed.