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墨書 Inktalez
Since that restaurant incident, Evan and Michelle's relationship has been very delicate.
They both work at the same "Origin" advertising company, and although they are usually very busy, they still find time to meet up.
"Origin" advertising agency is located in a skyscraper in Taipei, Taiwan. The exterior is modern and the design is advanced. Although the third and fifth floors may appear similar, they are actually responsible for different projects and clients, and they rarely interact with each other.
Michelle is in charge of the youthful and vibrant environment on the third floor, where employees often move between workstations, discussing project progress and the latest advertising strategies. On the other hand, Evan's fifth floor is more high-end and the atmosphere is relatively serious, as it houses the company's core creative and strategy departments.
Around noon and at the end of the workday, Evan and Michelle always choose to meet at the first-floor food court. There, a wide variety of cuisines are available, from authentic Taiwanese snacks to international dishes.
This place not only offers a wide variety of delicious food, but also provides a relatively relaxing space, allowing the two to temporarily escape the pressure of work and enjoy rare quality time together.
After a certain workday, Michelle, as usual, came to the first floor, feeling slightly nervous. She ordered a chicken curry rice and found a seat in the corner, eagerly awaiting Evan's arrival.
Before long, Evan appeared wearing a white shirt paired with black trousers, presenting a sharp and confident look. He was holding a bowl of beef noodles and a bottle of mineral water as he walked up to Michelle and asked with a smile, "Is this seat taken?"
Michelle replied with a smile, "Just for you."
The two sat down to enjoy their lunch, but both noticed the unusual emotional fluctuations in each other. Perhaps, this was no longer just a normal colleague relationship. Perhaps, something was quietly changing between them.
"Any new projects lately?" Evan tried to break the awkward silence.
"Not much, mainly some brand promotions and online advertising," Michelle replied. "How about you? Any new creative projects to take charge of?"
Evan smiled, "Still in the planning stage, but I think this will be very challenging."
"Sounds very exciting," came the response.
"Yeah," Evan set down his utensils, glanced at Michelle, and casually uttered a meaningful sentence, "Just like how I feel hopeful about our relationship."
Michelle's heart skipped a beat, knowing that two hearts were quietly drawing closer.
Evan picked up the water bottle and took a deep sip, trying to conceal his nervousness.
After much thought, Michelle finally said, "Me too. Maybe we can find a balance between love and marriage together."
"That sounds great," Evan said with a sense of relief and joy.
The first-floor food street restaurant exudes a soft fluorescent light, with a stylish yet comfortable decor.
Rows of high chairs, two or three groups of staff are having dinner, and there are also other tourists and shoppers enjoying food and shopping here.
Evan and Michelle are sitting at a table by the window, overlooking the bustling streets of Taipei at night.
"Have you heard that James and Lily have separated?" Michelle brought up the topic, taking a sip of her coffee with a hint of disbelief in her eyes.
Evan put down the newspaper, his brows furrowed. "Oh? Does that mean our non-marriage philosophy has won another victory?"
Michelle gave a bitter smile and stirred the vegetable salad in front of her with her chopsticks. "It's not really a victory, after all, isn't marriage just like a gamble? Some people win, and some people lose. But Lily's situation makes me wonder, are the odds of this gamble really that high?"
Evan fell silent for a moment, raised his eyebrows, and continued to ask, "Michelle told me, what exactly is the problem with James and Lily?"
Michelle sighed, looked up at the ceiling with its multiple layers of paint, as if that could provide an answer. "Well, where should I start? It's probably the seven-year itch. At first, everything seemed harmonious, and the couple's married life was plain but full of love. Until one day, James started to become distant, as if he had already put his mind on other things, maybe work, or maybe another woman."
"Where's Lily?"
Michelle's smile faded slightly. "Lily foolishly waited, believing that time could heal everything. She endured James's indifference and neglect, even blaming herself at one point, thinking she had done something wrong. But in the end, people always break down, and Lily was no exception. She began to feel trapped in a marriage that no longer had love, so she suggested a separation."
Evan paused for a moment, took a deep breath, as if digesting everything Michelle had just said. Then he said, "This reminds me of my parents' marriage. Divorce is not just a matter between two people, but it involves the integrity of the family and the psychological well-being of the children. It has strengthened my belief in not getting married."
Michelle lowered her eyes, savoring this conversation. Unconsciously, scenes of her mother's experiences floated into her mind - the painful faces, the countless tears, and arguments.
"I understand how you feel, Evan," Michelle finally spoke, "We both grew up in broken families, and we've been more about avoiding than seeking. But have you ever thought that this choice might make us miss out on some potential beauty?"
Evan, affected by Michelle's words, lowered his head in thought. "Maybe, but there are so many forms of love in this world. Marriage is just one of them, so why can't we accept the choice of not getting married?"
"Because this society always likes to use a certain model to evaluate everything, including love," Michelle said earnestly, "but that doesn't mean we have to do the same. We have the ability to redefine what love is, and what happiness is."
At this moment, Michelle's phone screen lit up with a message from her friend Lily: "Urgent! James and I had a big fight, I really don't know what to do."
Michelle looked at Evan and said, "I'm sorry, I need to go find my friend, she's in a bit of trouble right now."
Evan nodded, "Go, your friend needs you. We'll talk later."
Michelle picked up her handbag and left the food street.
Evan watched her leave, feeling a complex emotion rising in his heart. He lowered his head and took a sip of coffee, but the taste in his mouth was no longer as rich as before.
Michelle arrived at the coffee shop as Lily had said. The dim light in the shop shone on Lily's already red and swollen eyes. "What's wrong, Lily? What happened?"
Lily took a sip of her cold latte and then said incoherently, "I can't take it anymore. James has been working late all the time and ignoring me when he comes home. I suspect he's cheating on me."
After hearing Michelle's words, Lily's heart tightened as she pondered how to comfort Lily, but she found herself at a loss. "You should have a good talk with him, be honest about your feelings and concerns. Maybe he has his own difficulties, and you both need to understand and support each other," Michelle said as casually as possible.
Lily gave a bitter smile and said, "I've tried, but it seems like he doesn't care at all."
Michelle felt helpless about Lily's situation and became more doubtful about marriage. "Maybe you should consider whether to continue this marriage, give yourself an out, and not waste your time on it."
Lily nodded, "Maybe I will eventually choose that way. Thank you, Michelle."
After Michelle left the coffee shop, she walked heavily on the streets of Taipei.
The lights of the distant high-rise buildings flickered, like countless lonely stars. She thought of Evan, thought of the dinner conversation after work, and the different views on love and marriage between the two of them.
"Love or not, marriage or not, how should I choose?" She silently asked herself.
On this night, the urban scenery of Taipei seems particularly indifferent, much like Michelle's mood.
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