“I used to be like that too,” Justin said, “but with time, I realized that we live on this earth to enjoy every day, every minute and every second of the entire process. No one grows up in one minute, gets married in the second minute, and dies in the third. The endpoint might be important, but it only comes around from the accumulation of many little, ordinary things in life. Only when there are lows will we appreciate the highs. Only when we’re sad will we appreciate happy times. It is only in the ordinary that we can see the extraordinary.
“I wondered if I should feel a complicated piece by myself, understanding the ups and downs of its story, or if I should listen to others. I eventually chose the former. Many things in life aren’t black and white and you’ll have to look at the whole picture to understand its complexity instead of just hearing a superficial summary.
“I subsequently began enjoying watching a movie, a drama series, or a novel without being affected by other people’s judgment and comments, and simply understanding it by its own merit. Everyone sees things differently and different people may have different takes on one masterpiece. Who should we listen to? Shouldn’t we judge for ourselves instead? We shouldn’t be led by the nose by what others say.”
Justin was exuding a certain charm, unlike his usual demeanor. That charm was not because of his looks or actions but from something abstract.
In other words, he wasn’t a man with merely good looks and a great figure but a simpleton at heart.
He knew how to think and embrace other opinions while having a mind of his own. His understanding of this world wasn’t limited to just black or white definitions.
Such charm went beyond appearances.
Rosalie picked up a book titled “Brook’s Street”.
“Let me buy a copy of it to read it for myself.”
Justin asked half-jokingly, “What if you hate it? Will you blame me for recommending it to you?”
Rosalie said, “You didn’t recommend it to me, I wanted to read it of my own accord. It’s just a novel, would it kill me? I can just stop reading it if I don’t like it, or at most complain about it before I give up on it. I won’t hold that big a grudge against a mere novel that I don’t even like, insisting on reading it despite not liking it and ending up hating everything including the characters, the author, and you.”
Justin was tickled by Rosalie’s words and he handed the book to her. “Take it back and read it. I’m done with it-in fact, I just finished reading it a second time. This book is quite repressive and a rather heavy read.”
“Got it. Thanks.”
Rosalie put the book aside.
“Alright, then. I’ll read it when I have time. Oh yes, Justin. I have something to tell you.”
Rosalie looked as though she had good news.
“What is it?”
“I found a job as a financial analyst in an investment bank.”
“Sounds good,” Justin said, his eyes lighting up. “What will you be doing? Will you be very busy?”
“I’ll be responsible for writing
financial articles, commentaries, and
analyses. I might get busy at times because’ll need to focus on
analyzing relevant information from
financial market
opportunities, economic trends, stock and bond markets
“I see. Sounds like a great opportunity. You never had the chance to work because you were pregnant and had to give birth. You wanted to start working a long time age, right?”
Rosalie nodded. “Yes, and now I finally have the chance to. I’m still young, and want to work while it’s still early for me. I’ll also undergo more financial-related certifications. It’s time to start planning for my future.”
Justin said tenderly, “I’m sure you’ll do a good job of that.”
“What about you, Justin? How will you plan your future?”
“I….. I don’t know either. After I recover, I might go back to Melrine,” said Justin, sounding a little despondent.
Time stood still for a second as Rosalie recovered from her slight surprise. “Back to Melrine?” Perhaps because she had spent too much time with Justin, she forgot that he was from Melrine. He had to go back one day instead of staying here for good.