My Three Girlfriends - Chapter 3

In the afternoon, there was some free time because few guests came, almost none at all. Tan Fang from the first floor liked to come upstairs to chat with us. Once, I ran out of cigarettes and forgot to bring money. I asked them if anyone could lend me money to buy cigarettes, promising to pay back tomorrow. Tan Fang immediately raised her hand and said she had some, then handed me ten yuan. I thanked her and went to buy cigarettes. Afterwards, Youling told me, “Hai, I noticed Tan Fang really likes you.” I asked, “Really?” She said, “Yes, women are very good at reading other women. She really likes you. It’s no use if you like me—I’m not the kind of woman you like.” I was puzzled by her words, not knowing what kind of woman she was. It was as if she knew what type of woman I liked. She continued, “Tan Fang just started out, but in a few years, she will definitely be more beautiful than all the girls here.” I laughed and said, “So you mean she’ll be more beautiful than you?” She nodded firmly and said, “Trust me.” I was both amused and exasperated. There really are such women in the world—truly fascinating.

The hotel’s business gradually declined, whether due to poor management, an unfavorable location, or the chef’s cooking not suiting customers’ tastes. It was no surprise—more and more restaurants were opening nearby, all trying various ways to attract customers. Chairman Mao once wrote an article, and Mr. Li Dingming said, "It’s not about having many soldiers, but about having elite ones." We should embrace good initiatives. Ultimately, the general manager decided to downsize the staff. Tan Fang was introduced by the general manager and had been doing quite well. To show that the general manager had no personal bias, she was made the first to be laid off. The general manager promised to help Tan Fang find a good job elsewhere. When Tan Fang left, she specifically asked me to see her off, and Youling shouted from the side, insisting I must go. Under those circumstances, it was still a matter of friendship, so I agreed to send her off. She could have left earlier but waited until I finished work. Before she boarded the car, she said, “I don’t know the exact address yet. Later, I’ll give it to you. You should come visit me sometime.” I promised I would. After sending her off, I returned to my empty dorm. I couldn’t quite say I felt lost, nor could I say I didn’t.

In the end, only four people remained on the second floor: Youling, Zeng Yi, me, and another girl. There were still busy times, during which the manager himself would come up to help.

Zeng Yi’s boyfriend gradually came less often. Zeng Yi seemed hesitant sometimes; she would stand by the tea cabinet, lost in thought. When she saw me approaching, her mouth moved as if wanting to say something but then stopped. I was confused like a little fool. As for Youling, I didn’t know whether to advance or retreat. Anyway, things were just like that—we all remained very harmonious, always chatting and laughing.

Being a waiter held no future for me. Soon, a Western restaurant nearby was about to open. By chance, I discovered that the general manager there was the brother-in-law of my cousin’s husband, which gave me the idea to switch jobs. I wanted to learn Western cuisine, which seemed promising and offered some protection. When they were recruiting, I signed up.

I submitted my resignation at the hotel. The general manager called me into his office and said earnestly, “Ah Hai, you really want to leave? You are one of the elites we kept this time. I’ve seen your performance and was preparing to promote you to team leader. Are you going to give up this opportunity?” Team leader—that word was so tempting. He said, “Think it over carefully, and tell me when you’ve decided.” I hesitated. Now I had two opportunities, both very tempting.

I worked for several more days, struggling with my thoughts. No, I still had to go. If I stayed, the general manager would promote me to team leader, which would mean taking Zeng Yi’s position. Our friendship was so good, and now that I had another path, I couldn’t make things difficult for her. When I went to see the general manager, he had taken leave to go home. I casually gave the assistant manager a more serious reason to resign. The assistant manager said he would discuss it with others before deciding. In the end, he agreed. I left the restaurant with some reluctance.

There was a hint of sadness in Zeng Yi’s eyes, but Youling always wore that bright smile. Meanwhile, I could no longer wait for Tan Fang’s arrival. The next day, I went to that Western restaurant, facing a new situation. But the girls from the hotel still appeared in my mind. I went back to the hotel but didn’t see Youling or Zeng Yi again. According to people I knew, after I left, they also left one after another.

The next time I saw Youling was on a street at night. I was strolling alone along the street when she appeared, accompanied by a man at least in his thirties. She saw me. It really felt like a long time apart, like three autumns had passed, especially since it had been a good while. She was no longer the pure, light woman she used to be. On the contrary, she had dressed very flamboyantly, with sharply drawn eyebrows and lips red as fire. She still liked to smile, but now her smile was very seductive and provocative. I remembered she once said she wasn’t the type of woman I liked—it turned out to be true.

When I saw Zeng Yi, it was an even more coincidental and hurried encounter. She was sitting on a bus, and I was standing at the bus stop. We saw each other, but if it hadn’t been for her insecure boyfriend sitting stiffly beside her, I might have gotten on that bus, even though it wasn’t going where I wanted to go. We could only wave to each other as the bus slowly drove away. Only after it disappeared from sight did I lower my hand helplessly. That was how we met briefly and parted quickly.

Perhaps it was fate that I was destined to have connections but no lasting relationships with these three girls. I got Tan Fang’s address from a fellow villager she had contacted me through, but after returning, I couldn’t find the note with the address. Because work was busy, several days passed before I hurried back to ask for Tan Fang’s address again, only to find her villager had already left the day before.

These three different women all flashed through my life like unique scenes seen from a train—distinctive, matching my temperament, evoking a special desire to hold on to them. But the train keeps moving forward, racing toward my destination, gradually leaving them behind. All I can do is wave goodbye to them.