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墨書 Inktalez
The night fell, and the neon lights cast mottled shadows on the glass windows of the lobby.
Chen Yifan (Evan) and Lin Meichi (Michelle) chose this restaurant as the place to have dinner together.
Its interior decoration is luxurious, and the background music in the bar area exudes a strong sense of modernity.
"Do you really think this is okay?" Michelle asked without hesitation, her eyes revealing a sense of confusion.
Evan bit his lip and looked away from the cutlery in his hand. "Yes, that's right. We all know that marriage isn't the only way to solve problems."
"True, but can we really go the distance like this, unmarried?" Michelle tightly gripped the cutlery, as if hoping to find some answers from it.
Evan instantly realized that this conversation was no longer just a casual chat, but a tense and pressured confrontation.
She glanced around and her gaze finally settled on a newlywed couple. The couple was deeply engrossed in each other, seemingly oblivious to the world around them.
"Look at them, they seem so happy," Michelle sighed.
"People who appear happy on the surface may not necessarily be truly happy. Haven't we always thought so?" Evan's tone was slightly mocking.
Michelle took a deep breath, trying to calm the restlessness in her heart. "Not every marriage will end up like our family's."
Evan smiled slightly. "Perhaps, but if we choose marriage and find ourselves on that path in the end, the price we'll pay will be much greater than it is now."
Michelle realized that there was a huge gap between her and Evan's views on marriage. It turns out they did not reach a real consensus on this matter.
"Okay, if we're not getting married, I can accept that. But at least we should make some plans for the future, shouldn't we?" Michelle's tone carried a hint of pleading.
Evan's heart skipped a beat. He finally understood that this moment was not only a test for his relationship with Michelle, but also a moment for him to consider his own future choices.
"Maybe, I need time to consider," Evan finally voiced his thoughts.
The two fell into a silence.
Despite being in this upscale restaurant, surrounded by fine cuisine and an elegant atmosphere, their hearts are filled with unease and confusion at this moment.
Michelle finally set down her utensils and looked up at Evan, her eyes revealing a hint of gentleness and understanding. "Time is fair, for both you and me. We both need it to sort out our emotions and thoughts."
The two of them remained silent and ate dinner, both knowing that the real issue had not been resolved, just waiting for the next outburst.
In the evening, Evan's apartment.
The cozy lights flickered in the dimly lit room, creating a warm little world. Although Evan's apartment was simply decorated, every piece of furniture and decoration seemed particularly fitting.
Lin Meichi (Michelle) sat on the leather sofa, her gaze falling on the digital clock placed on the desk, showing that it was already nine-thirty in the evening.
A slight sense of tension slowly rose in the room, creating an invisible pressure.
However, tonight's theme is a significant issue, which is the uncertainty of the future.
The conversation started off calmly, but as the words became more intense, it seemed like sparks were about to ignite into a raging fire.
"Evan, how long can we really keep this up?" Michelle set down a glass of red wine and went straight to the point.
Evan looked quietly at the Burmese sapphire ring in his hand and said solemnly, "Are you referring to our non-marriage principle or this relationship?"
Michelle's mouth curved slightly, but she didn't smile. "Both. We've seen the various problems our friends and family have encountered because of marriage, but you know society's view on being unmarried."
Evan paused, struggling between his gaze and his response, and ultimately chose to be honest. "Yeah, I've thought about this too. But I'm wondering, by bringing this up now, are you worried about something?"
Michelle's heart tightened because there was indeed something that made her uneasy. Her father's recent health condition had caused her to rethink many things, especially after the events of the previous chapter, she had a different perspective on marriage and family.
"Evan, it's not that I'm worried, but we really need to sit down and seriously consider this issue. Your job has already been affected by the discrimination due to being unmarried, and my mother has been urging me as well."
Evan stood up and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the bustling night scene of Taipei City. The streets, alleys, and tall buildings intertwined in the dim lights, creating an unceasing urban landscape.
He looked at Michelle and suddenly felt that this woman had changed, urging him to get married just like any other woman.
"Michelle, isn't all of this just what we have to face when we chose this path from the beginning?" Evan took a deep breath, his tone revealing a hint of defeat.
Michelle stood up and walked to Evan's side, their bodies almost close together, but there seemed to be an invisible barrier between them.
"Yes, but we can't keep avoiding it like this. We need to come to a conclusion at some point," Michelle's eyes locked onto Evan's, as if trying to see into his soul. Her gaze was firm, but there was a hint of subtle vulnerability at the corner of her mouth.
"Have you thought about what kind of conclusion you want?" Evan slowly sat back on the couch, one hand reaching for the remote control on the coffee table, as if seeking some comfort.
Michelle sat across from him, holding the coffee cup in her hands and took a sip. "I feel like we should at least seriously face this issue, instead of dragging it out until we can't bear it anymore."
Evan couldn't help but chuckle, "So what do you think, facing this issue seriously would look like? Getting married? Having children? Or some other socially accepted 'correct' path?"
Michelle frowned slightly. She knew that it wasn't just Evan's concern about the future, but also a questioning of the entire institution of marriage.
"We have to find a way to solve this," she said.
"What solution do you have for this issue?" Evan looked at her.
Michelle placed the coffee cup back on the table, looking slightly heavy. "A solution? Who can be sure? But I feel that if we don't bring these issues into the sunlight first, they will quietly erode our relationship like dampness."
Evan pondered her words for a moment, then slowly spoke, "Do you think our relationship needs a definition? Like, what are we? Just non-married friends? Or something more?"
Michelle's gaze turned sharp, "You've always thought of this as just a game, haven't you? But for me, it's not a game. Especially after seeing so many friends' and family's marriage stories, I think if we're going to continue this relationship, we need clear rules and expectations."
Evan was taken aback by Michelle's directness. He leaned back on the couch and pressed his temples with his hand. "Will rules and expectations make a relationship better? Or will they just bind us?"
"Perhaps there will be some binding, but it can also prevent one party from being overly invested while the other remains indifferent," Michelle's voice became more resolute.
Evan looked at Michelle with a hint of weariness in his eyes. "Perhaps we had different perspectives on this relationship from the beginning. I enjoyed our time together because there were no preconceived rules or goals."
Michelle furrowed her brow. "So you've always seen this as a game?"
Evan sighed, "No, Michelle, this is not a game. But I also don't want to confine our relationship to a certain pattern, just like I don't want to confine myself to the institution of marriage."
"What are you afraid of then?" Michelle asked.
"I am afraid of losing my freedom, of losing the ability to make choices. I'm afraid that once we label this relationship, we can never go back."
Michelle looked at him, feeling a mix of emotions, "Is that your final answer? Then we really need to reassess this relationship."
After speaking, Michelle stood up, packed her things, and left Evan's apartment without saying another word.
Evan watched her leave without stopping her, and the city of Taipei outside the window remained busy.
He realized that he had never seriously considered his future with Michelle and what he really wanted in this relationship. The argument this time was like a mirror, reflecting their deepest insecurities and contradictions, forcing them to confront these issues.
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