[6] You’re Too Aggressive
Liang Youyun took the phone, momentarily dazed, unsure how to begin. But then she heard the other person ask first, “You were looking for me?”
His tone was gentle, revealing no particular emotion. With her extensive work experience, Youyun could easily summon polite formalities. She breathed a sigh of relief and said, “Hello, Mr. Jiang. This is Liang Youyun, the resident Party secretary of Manle Village. I learned you live here through Director Zhang. First, my sincerest apologies for not properly thanking you that day. I’ve come today on a presumptuous visit with no other intention than to express my gratitude! Of course, words are inadequate. In the future, I will discuss with the village chief about presenting you with an honorary banner and corresponding… material rewards.”
At this point, the person on the other end of the line chuckled softly.
It was a natural laugh, equally devoid of discernible emotion.
Youyun felt a bit awkward. After all, during their first encounter, she had spoken quite rudely. Now, being all respectful and formal felt strangely distant.
Then she heard him say, “Secretary Liang, are you representing Manle Village, or are you representing yourself personally?”
Youyun hesitated; she hadn’t considered this question at all. “Uh… I… I represent the Manle Village Committee, Village Chief Yan Wenkan, and the rescued colleagues in expressing our gratitude!”
“Secretary Liang,” he said, “if you’re representing Manle Village, then it’s unnecessary.”
Youyun tightened her grip on the phone. A strange emotion plucked at her heartstrings—an indescribable feeling. The surrounding scent of roses made her heartbeat quicken. In an instant, her thoughts shifted, and in that same instant, she glimpsed the suppressed defiance within her heart.
Tracing it back to the source, if he hadn’t fallen into that pit, none of the later events would have happened. How did she become the “instigator”? She couldn’t represent herself personally; this wasn’t her private affair, and she certainly didn’t want to settle it privately. Work needed to leave a paper trail to avoid future repercussions.
Moreover, she didn’t like having meals alone with strange men.
Thinking this, Liang Youyun also let out a soft laugh.
Zhang He keenly caught the hint of disdain in her laugh, sending a shiver down his spine.
Then he heard her reply, “Mr. Jiang, that day was chaotic and overwhelming. I mistakenly took you for a student out hiking, hence those angry words. Please forgive me! However, as you saw, I’m not someone who would stand by and watch someone die. Although my abilities are limited, on this point, I have nothing to apologize to you for.”
The atmosphere felt off. Zhang He’s brows furrowed deeply, and Yu Xiang worriedly wrung her hands.
“I remember you said you’d treat me to a meal later,” he said, his tone low and restrained, making it sound more like a reminder than a request.
Liang Youyun was the type of person who, in Zhang He’s words, was rather aggressive. Once provoked, she would definitely see it through to the end. That’s why she often said she wasn’t suited to be a leader; leaders shouldn’t have too many thorns.
“No problem, Mr. Jiang. I came today in the name of the village committee and the Party branch as well. You are our benefactor, having risked your life to rescue us. For that alone, our debt of gratitude is as weighty as a mountain. My colleagues also entrusted me to find you to express their thanks in person. As for the meal… we’ll arrange it as soon as possible. When would be convenient for you?” She reiterated her stance once more.
The other person listened quietly without responding, likely already discerning the intent behind Liang Youyun’s words.
To put it bluntly, between her and him, things were essentially even. But her colleagues still owed him a debt of gratitude.
“Forget the others. Are you free next weekend, Secretary Liang?”
His tone was gentle and humble, but Liang Youyun detected something unyielding in it.
She glanced at Zhang He, whose eyes were filled with anticipation. What was wrong with this man today? Why was he so determined to push her away?
Liang Youyun deeply disliked this feeling of being put on the spot. Without further hesitation, she gave her reply to the initial question:
“Sorry, Mr. Jiang, if it’s on behalf of myself, then there’s no need.”
The other end fell silent, the sound of breathing echoing through the phone line. Youyun held her breath, knowing her answer wouldn’t lead to a good outcome, especially for Zhang He.
“Alright, goodbye.”
The call ended abruptly.
Youyun handed the phone back to Yan Nuo, not daring to look at Zhang He’s expression.
Sure enough, Zhang He wasn’t about to let her off the hook. He immediately asked, “That’s it? Did you make an appointment? When are you meeting? I thought I heard you say you were going to have dinner with Mr. Jiang?”
“What dinner? There’s no dinner!”
Youyun strode straight out, “He doesn’t want to eat with us. Let it go, this matter ends here. We shouldn’t force anyone.”
“Wait a minute!”
Zhang He felt something was seriously off about her. “What did you say on the phone just now… What do you mean, ‘I have nothing to apologize to you for’? Sis, do you realize we’re here to express gratitude? How did you end up arguing with him instead! Did you see how I handled it? In grassroots work, what we need is patience, a friendly smile, and resolving conflicts before they escalate. You’re doing the exact opposite!”
Liang Youyun stopped in her tracks. She didn’t want to argue in someone else’s yard, but Zhang He’s flustered, angry face made her temper flare. She suspected Zhang He was hiding something from her, but she couldn’t expose him in front of others. She could only stick to the facts:
“You don’t understand. At the time, it was me who fell into that deep pit while trying to save him—save this Mr. Jiang. And when he was rescuing people, our police officers and rescue team had already arrived. He doesn’t want to make a big deal out of it, so let’s just leave it at that. Can we not force any rewards on him?”
“You don’t get what I mean!”
Zhang He’s face twisted. “He doesn’t want to make a big deal, but didn’t he want to invite you alone? What’s wrong with having a meal? Making friends, broadening connections, keeping in touch, helping each other out in the future—isn’t that great?”
Youyun retorted sharply, “Am I here to make friends? I’m leaving soon—I have less than four months left! I don’t have that much emotional energy to give to others, and besides,”
She jabbed a finger at Zhang He’s shoulder, “and besides, my emotional energy for today has already been drained! By! You!”
Zhang He felt wronged but didn’t want to show weakness. In past arguments, he had always been the one to yield. Somehow, at this moment, his emotions erupted like a storm, and he shouted:
“Liang Youyun, I’ve always said you’re too aggressive! Have you forgotten how you ended up in Banna? You’ve managed to offend both of the company’s decision-making leaders. It’s not that you were truly in the wrong, but your temperament is too rigid—you were sold out! And you? You didn’t even bother to explain, still thinking you were on the side of justice, that rumors would collapse on their own. But do you know if anyone ever spoke up for you while you were clinging to your so-called righteousness? Who paid the price for your justice? Those people who called you ‘Sister Youyun’ so affectionately to your face—when trouble hit, they all fucking hid far away! Liang Youyun, I beg you to face reality. Life is a slaughterhouse—the tougher you are, the sharper their knives become!”
These words must have been bottled up for a long time. Spilling them out in one breath, Zhang He was on the verge of tears. He was angry, but also fearful—hurting his best friend wasn’t his intention, yet he had truly hurt her.
Liang Youyun was completely provoked. Pointing at Zhang He’s nose, she scolded:
“I’m tough? Don’t forget who took the initiative to introduce projects to you when you first joined the company! When people mocked you, called you effeminate, a sissy, and verbally bullied you, who stood up to back you? Now you think I’m tough? Well, let me tell you, Zhang He, this big sister has never been soft! I don’t rely on anyone, and I’m not afraid of anyone. I trust my judgment, follow my inner feelings, and I’ve never cared about who points fingers at me. If anyone has the guts, let’s lay all the cards on the table! I’m telling you, I consider you a friend, but today you kept things from me—that’s another reason I’m upset. You’d better organize your words and explain clearly!”
Hearing this, Yu Xiang was stunned. The gossip content was extremely high, and her brain was nearly at its peak excitement.
Yan Nuo handed over a flower cake cut in half: “Sister, have some. It was made this morning.”
“You, you… what am I going to do with you?” Zhang He wailed, his pride wounded. Before Yu Xiang could take the cake, he dragged her into the car, angrily stepped on the gas, and snapped at Youyun: “Get in the car!”
Liang Youyun stood motionless at the courtyard gate, arms crossed, and cursed: “Get lost already! Who wants to ride in your crappy car! I’ll walk back myself!”
The car kicked up dust as Yu Xiang leaned out from the back window: “Sister, wait for me! I’ll drive over to pick you up right away!”
Her voice disappeared into the roar of the engine.
In just a moment, everyone was gone.
The atmosphere felt empty.
The argument had felt satisfying earlier, but now she just felt exhausted.
Youyun walked forward in silence, following the cement-paved road toward Manle Village.
In truth, her heart felt empty too. She didn’t know what to think or what to do. Some things couldn’t be judged simply as right or wrong. Everyone had different standpoints and values, and maintaining surface harmony was no easy task. Someone like Zhang He, who could still speak the truth and pierce her heart, was a noble among friends—a preserved spark of innocence.
In reality, no one was wrong. The mistake lay in trying to reason with a good friend.
Although Man Nuan Village wasn’t far from Manle Village, walking from the foot of the mountain would take at least 20 minutes.
The afternoon sun was intense. In April, Banna’s temperature had already soared to over 30 degrees Celsius. Youyun walked aimlessly under the sun, passing the cement road, crossing the Nanla River, and continuing along the riverbank by instinct. Beside the road were vast fields of dragon fruit, with occasional fig trees and lemongrass bushes—the vegetation so green it was dazzling.
She raised her head, squinting at the sun, not feeling its harshness but rather its warmth. Countless days and nights, whenever she felt lonely, she would look at the sun or the moon—they would always stay with her, silently shining, her most loyal companions.
She remembered her mother’s words before she passed away: life is short, don’t hold grudges against others, don’t be afraid, just live boldly and recklessly. Even if you make mistakes, it’s fine—your mom will have your back from up in the sky!
“But you’re already up there—how can you have my back?” Youyun said with a hint of grievance.
Yet an overwhelming wave of longing surged within her. It had been ten years since her mother left, but there were still so many, so many moments when she thought of her, feeling as if she were right beside her, watching over her, keeping her company.
She had wanted to ask her mother countless times: why was she so stubborn, so blunt, so difficult to tame by society? Why did she, who had excelled academically since childhood, now not even know what she liked or what suited her? A top student praised by teachers and classmates had turned into a failure once she entered society and the workplace.
Thinking
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