**"Jiang Chen, I've told you already. We've broken up. Stop bothering me!"**
**Donghai University.
Maple Grove.**
A young man with delicate features stood frozen, confusion clouding his eyes. A short distance away stood a girl who epitomized youthful beauty—slender as a willow, radiant-faced, with bright, captivating eyes. She was the class flower and, once, his first love.
Their story had ended two months prior.
Even after the breakup, Jiang Chen had clung to his role as the "dutiful ex." Despite being dumped, he'd remained ever-ready to help his former girlfriend, earning himself a notorious reputation across campus as the ultimate *simp*.
Jiang Chen, of course, denied this label. To him, it was simply chivalry. *If we can't be lovers, at least we can stay friends*, he reasoned. So when Ai Qian texted him earlier, asking to talk, he'd agreed without hesitation.
During their meetup, Ai Qian had seemed distraught, nearly tearful as she complained about her new boyfriend's neglect. Jiang Chen had been brainstorming ways to comfort her when her demeanor shifted abruptly.
Before he could react, hurried footsteps approached from behind.
"Zhenlun! What are you doing here?" Ai Qian's voice dripped with exaggerated delight, her earlier sorrow vanishing instantly. She brushed past Jiang Chen as if he were invisible, seamlessly transitioning from confidante to stranger.
Jiang Chen turned and grimaced, the puzzle pieces snapping into place.
"Just passing by. What's going on here?" Liang Zhenlun, a preppy heir clad in luxury brands, eyed Jiang Chen with faux politeness, his gaze sharp beneath the surface.
"Nothing. Jiang Chen just wanted to chat," Ai Qian lied smoothly, clinging to her boyfriend's arm. Her sugary act made it hard to believe she'd been lamenting her relationship woes minutes earlier.
*Women are natural-born actresses*, Jiang Chen thought wryly, absorbing the undeserved blame in silence—a hallmark of his infamous "simp" persona.
"Senior Jiang, it's been months since your breakup. Haven't you moved on? I know plenty of girls—maybe I can set you up?" Liang Zhenlun's offer sounded charitable but cut deep, a velvet-gloved jab at Jiang Chen's stagnant love life.
Spotting his girlfriend with an ex in the grove would irk any man, but Liang Zhenlun felt no real threat. What rivalry could a penniless orphan pose to a tycoon's son like him?
Ai Qian, after all, had chosen wealth over love when she'd dumped Jiang Chen. A girl that pragmatic wouldn't backtrack unless Jiang Chen struck gold—or the Liang fortune crumbled. Neither seemed likely.
Still, the young heir couldn't resist twisting the knife. "You should keep your distance from Senior Jiang. People might gossip. Not that *I'd* doubt you, but others could misunderstand. Wouldn't want to ruin his chances with other girls, right?"
Ai Qian nestled closer, her voice saccharine. "I'll be careful, I promise!"
Jiang Chen watched, gut-punched. Ai Qian had never been this affectionate during their relationship—back then, even holding hands required coaxing. Now she clung to Liang Zhenlun like a lovesick koala.
"See you around, Senior Jiang." With a triumphant smirk, Liang Zhenlun let Ai Qian lead him away. Moments later, the roar of a crimson Maserati engine punctuated their exit.
Alone in the grove, Jiang Chen clenched his fists, exhaling slowly to steady himself. For all his practiced resilience, the scene left his chest tight. He forced a hollow smile and trudged onward.
**"Jiang Chen! That gold-digging witch is using you as a pawn!"**
A booming voice startled him. His roommate Luo Peng materialized, scowling.
"Shut up," Jiang Chen muttered, irritation flaring.
"I'm not wrong! I saw everything!" Luo Peng, a towering ball of sunshine and loyalty, had long despised Ai Qian's manipulations. "She set this up to make Liang Zhenlun jealous! Wake up, man—you're just her emotional doormat!"
Jiang Chen paused. "…I know. I'm done with her."
Luo Peng blinked, stunned. "Seriously?"
"Let's grab drinks. My treat." Jiang Chen's smile held a newfound lightness, as if shackles had fallen away.
Luo Peng studied his friend's face—clean-cut features now glowing in the sunset, reborn.
**"Simps deserve to die,"** Jiang Chen muttered.
**"Damn right they do!"** Luo Peng echoed fiercely.
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