Chapter 2
"Mei Ling, you were the one who pursued me first. Why do you think I delayed you? Wasn't it you who led me on?" Chen Wei confronted her, frustration bubbling beneath the surface.
"You're bringing this up again? Are you done yet?" she snapped, rolling her eyes. "Why do you always dwell on the past? I was blind to think you were talented and handsome!"
As she continued her tirade, Chen felt a strange detachment. "After spending time together, I realized you're just selfish—stingy, fussy, and never considerate. You only buy gifts after I remind you!"
"What did I get in return for my love?" Mei Ling's voice dripped with sarcasm.
Chen fell silent, grappling with her accusations. Three years of effort, hundreds of thousands spent on her whims, and now he was being painted as the villain?
"Got it!" he finally said, clarity dawning. "So this is how you see me. Fine, I won't bother you again."
Relief washed over Mei Ling's face at his acceptance of their breakup. She had wanted this—an easy exit without guilt.
"Good!" she replied curtly. "I don't want to say anything harsh, but I've moved out of the apartment. The lease ends soon."
She pulled out her phone and deleted his contact right in front of him. "No more communication."
Chen had expected heartbreak but felt surprisingly liberated instead. The fear of losing her had stemmed from his isolation; now he felt free.
"Maybe those two months of nightmares prepared me for this," he thought. "Compared to the apocalypse, what's a breakup?"
He smiled unexpectedly, feeling lighter than air.
"Look at that fat guy! He's smiling after being dumped! What a weirdo!" whispered a passerby.
Just then, a sleek Porsche 718 pulled up beside Mei Ling. She climbed in effortlessly, and Chen's heart sank as he recognized the driver—Chu Chen, the notorious playboy.
"So it was all an act," Chen thought bitterly as he watched them drive away. The familiar license plate number burned into his memory.
In that moment, he realized the truth—he had been living in a delusion, clinging to a relationship that had long since soured. With newfound determination, he vowed to reclaim his life.
"I'll lose weight and find my own happiness," he promised himself. The world outside was bright and full of possibilities; it was time to embrace them.