"Let's break up."

Tian Caihong who was in the middle of swallowing a large chunk of braised chicken forgot to swallow at the sound of those words. Her large brown eyes widened in full-blown shock, while her hands frantically scanned the table for anything liquid to push down what was clogging her throat.

Her hand landed on the newly corked bottle of red wine and brought it to her already parted lips, chugging down almost half of its content in one unsteady go.

*Cough*

Unwomanly coughs erupted from her mouth, as tears began to well in both eyes, arising from almost choking to death on one of the most expensive items on the menu.

All eyes suddenly turned to the couple who sat at the window seat, their gaze, in particular, was directed at the man who sat across from Tian Caihong, who had just had a near-death experience.

"Why must you always overreact?" The irritation in Jiang Hua's tone made it sound as though being publicly embarrassed by his girlfriend was a regular thing.

Tian Caihong finally calmed down, then used the back of her palm to wipe off the wine from the corners of her mouth. She straightened her back and then narrowed her eyes at the man dressed in a black suit jacket and blue jeans underneath.

"Did you hit your head on your way in? Just what the hell are you saying?" She asked, curling her jittery fingers into a fist underneath the table.

"It's exactly as you heard, don't come over to my place or text me from now on. Even if you do, I've already changed my lock and number." He clearly said, making sure to let the realization sink in that this break up was a result of beforehand thinking.

Tian Caihong scoffed then said, "why are you talking about a breakup at our anniversary dinner? What sort of cruel prank is that? Aren't you too old to be pulling my leg?"

"The only one who is old is you." He mumbled under his breath loud enough to be heard.

Tian Caihong's expression dampened at his comment, it wasn't a hidden thing in the whole of city N, that Jiang Hua's mother, Jiang Fangsu not only believed in auspicious predictions but was a firm traditionalist.

If one were to ask what the biggest red flag in Tian Caihong's relationship with Jiang Hua was, she would without a doubt point fingers at his mother.

Tian Caihong angrily slammed her palm hard against the table, and raised her voice to say, "are you seriously breaking up with me because I'm four hours older than you?!"

The other guests at the restaurant who had been fixated on the couple from when she almost choked on the chicken, couldn't help but stiffen a laugh. Some had no self-control at all and ended up laughing heartily at Tian Caihong's outburst.

Jiang Hua used his left hand to cover half of his face, some youngsters had already whipped out their phones and were videoing the escapade.

"What the fuck? Don't you have any pride as a man, to leave your girlfriend of four years because of a four hours age difference?!" She cried at the top of her lungs, her gaze directed at the laid-out dishes on their table.

She cursed inwardly when she realized that all of the dishes had mindlessly been ordered by her. The only thing she hadn't ordered were the complimentary napkins and the glass of water served.

She figured that if Jiang Hua was serious about the breakup, then he might not be decent enough to foot the bill.

"I've made myself clear, so don't come looking for me at the company either." He said and made a move to take his leave.

Fortunately or rather, unfortunately, Tian Caihong dashed out of her seat with every intention to stop him. But ended up colliding with a waiter holding a bottle of wine!

Jiang Hua looked over his shoulder at his ex, whose white sweater was now drenched in red wine, and hissed under his breath. He pulled out his phone from his breast pocket and stared at his screen with softened eyes.

While she was busy apologizing to the waiter, he quickly dashed out of the restaurant into the awaiting black car outside.

Once things were settled with the waiter, Tian Caihong searched around for Jiang Hua but soon discovered that he had vanished without a trace.

"Jiang Hua you filthy bastard! How can you call yourself a man after this?!" She ran her frustrated fingers through her straight brown hair, already calculating how much was in her account.

Luck seemed to be on her side because the manager approached her and let her know that all she ordered was on Jiang Hua's tab. He then signaled the nearby waiters to clear the table in preparation for a new reservation.

"Thank you. Thank you." She said while being escorted out of the restaurant by the manager, who had a weary look on his face.

Tian Caihong's phone vibrated in her purse, she rested against a lamppost and pulled it out, only to see a reminder to take the pill.

"Tch." She hissed with knitted brows, wondering why she had set such a lewd reminder, knowing fully well that this breakup was long overdue.

To her, she was already fortunate to have found a respectable boyfriend at the age of thirty-one and was even at a point impressed by how he had put up with his mother's constant nagging over her four-hour birth time difference.

"What a joke." She let out under her breath, pinching hard at her temples, once more her phone vibrated but this time, it was a text from Qiao Hui.

In the text she was asking about the anniversary dinner, digging for gossip on how far they had gone. One could imagine the shock on the receiver's end, when Tian Caihong sent back a message, saying she was done with relationships.

Qiao Hui who at the moment couldn't meet up directed Tian Caihong to a bar and asked her friend to wait there.

Little did she expect things to turn so messy from a harmless text.

*Bar*

Tian Caihong wore a scowl on her face right from when she walked in, first, she the taxi she flagged had a flat tire, with no spare in the back. And then, she crashed once more into a waiter, only this time the drink landed on the other person's shirt.

Without even stopping to say sorry, she reached into her purse and dropped a thousand yuan note into the waiter's breast pocket, then headed for the counter.

Perhaps too caught up in her own worries to notice all the stares directed at her, she took a seat and signaled for the bartender's attention.

"Give me the strongest thing you have here." She said, packing her hair into a ponytail, then messily tossing her purse and phone on the counter.

"Should I open a tab for you?" The bartender turned around and asked, wiping a shot glass.

'He's not bad looking.' she thought to herself, drinking in the bartender's features. He had broad shoulders and delicate muscles on both arms, his facial features were defined and went well with his dark brown hair.

She pursed her lips then shook her head, 'what are you thinking?! You were just dumped a while back and now you're having eyes for a man whose clearly younger'

"Are you listening?" The young man inquired for the second time, narrowing his eyes at her.

Tian Caihong blinked twice then cracked a nervous smile, "actually I'm waiting for a friend, so just keep the orders coming." She told him, deflecting her gaze from his serious glare.

Even though she could obviously distinguish that she was the older one between them both, Tian Caihong couldn't help but shrink into her seat at his piercing gaze.

"I understand." Was the last thing he said before pouring her a shot of beer to start her wild night.

************

Feeling uncomfortable all over, Tian Caihong sat up from the soft bed underneath her and let out a tired yawn. The woman grimaced as the light came in from the curtains, kissing her eyes.

"Mmh." She groaned in irritation, picking at the strands of hair that stuck to her neck. After a few futile attempts, she gave up and tried to stand up, only to feel weak in her legs.

A cold breeze from the aircon on her back snapped Tian Caihong out of her drowsy state and painfully let her realize one ugly truth.

She was butt-naked, in an unfamiliar room!

"What's this?" Her groggy voice growled, raising the crumpled bedsheets, she looked under them and saw that she wasn't wearing the brown skirt from last night.

"Eh?!"

Her terrified eyes surveyed her surroundings, aside from being naked, her clothes were scattered across the unfamiliar room. She felt like crying when she noticed her bra hanging on the curtain!

"What the hell happened last night? How the fuck am I here? Ack! Why can't I..." Right in the middle of her tortured outcries, a manly moan cut her off.

Tian Caihong froze when she realized that someone else had to be in there as well, if not the pains she felt in her lower back and thighs would be inexcusable.

The only question on the woman's mind was...

'Just who the hell was reckless enough to bang an old woman like me?!!'