“Do you have a rough budget in mind for opening a bookstore?” Wen He asked curiously, making small talk.
“Maybe, around a hundred thousand? Besides some necessary materials, I can do the rest myself. I’ll also renovate the old house in my hometown. A hundred or two hundred thousand should be enough.”
Gao Chongting calculated the costs simply.
Actually, in theory, the cost should be even lower if you don’t hire people for renovation and design.
It would just be the cost of materials.
But he still wanted to make it look nice, so he would put some effort into the renovation.
He didn’t have any grand ambitions in this life. The only woman he ever loved had already married someone else, which had completely extinguished his hopes.
His father's health wasn't great either, and he didn't feel comfortable having someone else take care of him.
“I can sponsor you with a hundred thousand, and also be considered a partner?” Wen He scratched his head a little embarrassedly.
“Really, Godfather!?” Gao Chongting's eyes lit up instantly.
If Wen He could come up with a hundred thousand to sponsor him.
Then the bookstore's budget would be quite ample!
“Okay, Wen He, listen to me.” Gao Chongting took a big gulp of wine.
He excitedly pulled out a blueprint that he seemed to have drawn up long ago.
“This bookstore has a total area of about one hundred and twenty square meters, divided into two floors.”
“The first floor has a bar. Inside the bar, there are three areas: tea, wine, and coffee.”
“I usually like to drink these three things, and I’ve done a little research on them.”
“I plan to put a toilet here, and then fill the rest of this large area with bookshelves.”
“Finally, I plan to make this entire wall out of glass, with a row of independent sofa seating areas on this side.”
“This direction is the direction of the sunset. When dusk comes, the golden sunset will shine through this large glass wall into our bookstore.”
Gao Chongting took out the blueprint and carefully explained it to Wen He.
Under the influence of alcohol, Gao Chongting talked a lot.
The undisguised joy on his face vividly depicted the bookstore of his dreams.
Wen He listened very carefully, and occasionally asked a few questions and offered some suggestions.
His feedback made Gao Chongting even happier.
Because he knew that Wen He was listening attentively.
“If you’re sponsoring a hundred thousand, then you’re my major shareholder. You’ll own 50% of this bookstore.”
“Major shareholder, do you have any good ideas or suggestions? Feel free to bring them up.”
“Oh, right! We haven’t named our bookstore yet. Why don’t you give it a name?”
Gao Chongting said excitedly.
Unknowingly, they had drunk nearly ten bottles of wine.
Wen He didn’t drink much, only four bottles.
Honestly, he didn’t really like this stuff. It was a bit bitter.
And his head was a little dizzy.
“Considering that your hometown is very deserted, and you want to open a bookstore in such a place…” After pondering for a while, Wen He seemed to have an idea: “Then let’s call it 'Firefly Cottage'?”
Hearing the name Wen He came up with, Gao Chongting was stunned.
It was as if something deep inside his heart had been struck.
“Wen He, you’re a genius! How did you come up with such a great name!?” Gao Chongting was instantly very excited.
“Actually, it’s just based on your description. It gave me the feeling of a firefly in the dark night, very rare and very unique,” Wen He said.
He had never had a good idea for the name of this bookstore.
He had thought about many, but they all felt like they were missing something.
He didn’t expect Wen He to casually mention it, and it perfectly matched the name in his mind.
His hometown was indeed very deserted, at least there were almost no people living near his house.
Opening a warm bookstore in such a place was really like a firefly in the dark night.
Facing the dark night, it couldn't emit a dazzling light, nor could it illuminate the road, but it could give a guide to those who were lost.
“Actually, sigh…” Wen He frowned and struggled for a long time.
He sighed and drank another glass of wine.
“I have something on my mind that I’ve been wanting to say.”
“I think you two should have been together.”
“Anyway, I’m going to die soon, and I don’t need that much money.”
“If two or three million can buy you happiness, I think it’s a very worthwhile thing.”
For Wen He, happiness was priceless.
If it could be measured by value, then as long as it was within his means, it would be very worthwhile.
He knew that Gao Chongting didn't want to owe him such a big favor, and that he definitely wouldn't be able to repay it in the future.
Gao Chongting also knew that Wen He wouldn't let him repay it, but that made it even more impossible to accept.
“Wen He, we’ve known each other for less than half a year. You don’t even know where my hometown is. You know almost nothing about me.”
“To put it coldly, the friendship between us can be said to be a chance encounter.”
Gao Chongting’s understanding did not allow him to accept something that he could not repay in this lifetime, whether it was a favor or money.
If Wen He didn't have this terminal illness, he might have accepted it. He would have written an IOU, and he would have worked hard to earn money and repay Wen He with interest.
But Wen He no longer had that fate.
This also meant that he would have to accept a house worth several million from Wen He.
“Your information is not important. I just need to know what kind of person you are,” Wen He said.
“That’s not how it works, Wen He. I don’t like owing people things, especially things that I can’t repay in this lifetime.”
“Moreover, if I really buy a house and get married to her…”
“If, I mean if, if we later separate for some reason and get divorced, what should I do?”
“This house is the happiness you gave me, but if I don’t protect this happiness in the end and let this family fall apart, how can I face you?”
“So, this house may eventually become a shackle that binds me.”
“Even if we really have a falling out, I will still think, ‘This is what Wen He gave me to marry her, I must not get divorced no matter what, there is always a way to save it’.”
Speaking of this, Gao Chongting drank another glass of wine, his expression a little melancholy.
How could he not want to marry her, but compared to this, Gao Chongting was even more afraid of failing Wen He.
He was afraid that he would not be able to protect the happy home that Wen He had given him, and he was afraid that he would turn that warm home into an icy one.
“Because happiness is a matter for two people, not just me alone.”
“The future is too long, even if I can guarantee that I will never change my mind and never get tired of her, I can’t guarantee that she will also be like this. What if she gets tired of me in the future?”
“But, I can guarantee you that the 'Firefly Cottage' that you sponsor will never collapse.”
“I will run this house with my heart every day. Even if I don’t earn a penny, I will keep it alive.”
“After all, the house belongs to our family, there is no rent, and we sell books, which will not expire if we can’t sell them.”
“I can still afford the water and electricity bills, so I am willing to accept your sponsorship.”
“But feelings won’t work. Feelings are a matter for two people. What’s more, we haven’t been together for seven years.”
“Seven years is enough for a person to change a lot. I really can’t guarantee that we will really be together forever.”
Gao Chongting’s explanation made Wen He and Cheng Yudie understand.
It must be said that he was indeed a very responsible person.
If the house really became a shackle that bound him, then Wen He would also regret doing so.
He didn’t want “Gao Chongting to be afraid of failing his blessing, and not dare to give up the person who was hurting him.”
That would become very terrible.
Just imagine, if the woman realized this and used it to act arbitrarily, what should be done?
Because she realized that Gao Chongting wanted to protect his happy family, the other party could unscrupulously use Gao Chongting as a beast of burden, and he would not dare to file for divorce anyway.
“Want to sing a song? I want to sing something unrestrained, as a farewell to the past and an embrace of the future,” Wen He suggested.
“Here? Right now!?” Gao Chongting was taken aback by Wen He's sudden suggestion.
“I have the accompaniment in my phone. I can sing anywhere.”
“That’s fine! It just so happens that my emotions are running high right now and I have nowhere to release them.” Gao Chongting was also happy after drinking, and felt a lot more comfortable in his heart.
“Then let’s do 'Sorrow'.”
(Sorrow - Mao Buyi)
