Jiang Xinyi originally planned to break things off with You Changjin the day she withdrew the money, but the situation with Chang Hao beating Xu Bowen delayed the matter.
That day, Jiang Xinyi was visibly preoccupied. However, You Changjin, as always, remained carefree. As an ordinary man with a stable, low-stress job and a beautiful, classy girlfriend, he was perfectly content with life. Strolling through the campus, he felt as though nothing more could be asked of life.
Just as Jiang Xinyi was about to address their relationship, You Changjin received a call. He frowned and explained that one of his students had been in a serious fight and he needed to handle it imdiately.
Jiang Xinyi, being a considerate person, naturally refrained from adding to his stress. "Alright, go ahead then," she said.
And so, because of Chang Hao’s incident, her decision was postponed for three days. During this ti, the two didn’t et, though they continued to chat daily.
You Changjin talked about the altercation, explaining that a sophomore nad Xu Bowen had deceived one of their female classmates, prompting Chang Hao to take matters into his own hands. Every night, he had endless stories to share with Jiang Xinyi, narrating all the day's events as if they were the most fascinating tales.
In the past, Jiang Xinyi would respond enthusiastically, even sharing her own stories from working at the courier station. But in these three days, her responses grew noticeably cold, almost as if she didn’t want to engage.
This made You Changjin wonder if she was upset about them not eting in person.
Initially, Jiang Xinyi had dated You Changjin because he seed honest and wouldn’t create trouble for her. Having never been in a relationship, she thought giving him a chance wouldn’t hurt.
But as ti went on, Jiang Xinyi realized they lacked chemistry. Moreover, the matter of him secretly covering her 500-yuan expense had started weighing on her mind.
As a counselor, You Changjin was competent and protective of his students. He told Jiang Xinyi that even if it had been him in Chang Hao's shoes, he’d have thrown punches too.
“That’s childish,” Jiang Xinyi comnted coolly.
“She’s 18, right? I think she should take responsibility for her own actions. Getting involved only causes unnecessary trouble,” she analyzed rationally.
“But it was that guy who deceived her first!” You Changjin argued, standing firmly by his student.
Jiang Xinyi, ever the logical thinker, said, “The boy’s tactics weren’t even clever. As you ntioned, she willingly went to his rented apartnt. His approach was full of lies from the start. If it were , I would’ve stopped the mont I caught the first lie instead of pretending everything was fine and deceiving myself.”
“Cutting losses early is better for everyone,” she concluded.
Her words left You Changjin silent for a mont before he responded with an emoji.
"Sotis lies can be well-intentioned. Maybe he ant well? (Grinning face)"
“I hate aningless gestures like that,” Jiang Xinyi replied bluntly.
Having been raised in privilege, Jiang Xinyi always spoke her mind.
At this point, she decided to test the waters. “Is there anything you’re hiding from ?” she asked.
“Why would I have anything to hide from you? (Grinning face)” ca his reply.
Seeing this, Jiang Xinyi felt a pang of disappointnt.
She tossed her phone aside and sprawled on her spacious two-ter bed. It was already 9 p.m. Jiang Xinyi had just taken a shower and was wearing a white spaghetti-strap nightgown.
Although her feelings for You Changjin were lukewarm, she had grown accustod to their relationship, and the thought of ending it left her restless. If he had taken the initiative to address the matter, perhaps there might have been a chance to salvage things.
“Sweetie, drink your milk before bed,” her mother said, entering the room with a glass of milk. It was rare for Jiang Xinyi to spend a few days at ho, so her family pampered her whenever they could. Being their only child, Jiang Xinyi had grown up a little spoiled.
Seeing her daughter rolling around on the bed, Jiang’s mother chuckled. “Still upset about that boyfriend of yours?”
Jiang Xinyi didn’t want to give her mother the satisfaction of seeing her struggle, so she sat up, smoothing her skirt, and hugged her knees as she leaned against the bedfra.
With a sigh, she said, “Honestly, I don’t have strong feelings for him. But breaking up with soone who’s been good to you… it’s hard to bring up. He’s really been nice to .”
This was true. You Changjin was undeniably a good person. His constant care and even the gesture of secretly covering her expense were proof of his kindness—sothing not everyone would do.
Sensing her daughter’s distress, Jiang’s mother smiled and sat beside her. “So, does that an Dad and I haven’t been good to you?”
“When you were little, you insisted on learning the violin, so we hired the best teacher. But after two days, you said you were tired and didn’t want to continue. When we scolded you, you cried so much your dad couldn’t bear it and said, ‘Fine, she doesn’t have to learn.’”
“Then there was the ti you scribbled on your dad’s docunts or used my lipstick to draw on the mirrors. From childhood until now, you’ve done so many nerve-wracking things. Have we ever scolded you for it?”
Hearing this, Jiang Xinyi couldn’t help but giggle. “Well, what can I say? I’m your daughter.”
Her mother sighed. “Exactly. That’s why we want the best for you.”
She continued, “We don’t object to your relationship with him because of his background or who he is. We just know you two aren’t compatible. Love isn’t about not wanting to hurt soone just because they’re good to you. We brought you into this world hoping you’d be happy. We want you to find soone who makes you truly happy.”
“Soone you can talk to endlessly. Soone whose re presence brings you joy, even in silence.”
“But I’ve never t soone like that,” Jiang Xinyi pouted.
“That’s because you haven’t t enough people yet. That’s why I keep arranging blind dates. It’s not about rushing you to marry but broadening your horizons. Who knows, you might et the right one.”
“That sounds hard,” Jiang Xinyi muttered thoughtfully.
Her mother patted her head. “Hard doesn’t an impossible. Now, drink your milk and stop overthinking. The sooner you clear things up, the better it’ll be for both of you.”
With that, her mother left the room, leaving Jiang Xinyi deep in thought.
From a young age, Jiang Xinyi had lived a smooth, carefree life, doing whatever she pleased. She had never seriously considered relationships until now, at 24.
Dating You Changjin had been a whim, but it beca clear she didn’t truly like him.
But who did she like?
Her mother’s words echoed in her mind: soone who brings you happiness without even trying.
A face suddenly surfaced in her thoughts—a boy’s face.
The image startled her. “What am I thinking?” she muttered.
He was just a kid, six years younger than her.
“Ugh, Mom’s teasing must be getting to !”
Jiang Xinyi shook her head, trying to dismiss the thought.
But the more she tried, the clearer the image beca.
She clenched her fists. “No way. I’m not thinking about so brat! Let alone my boyfriend’s student. What am I even doing?”
Shaking her head furiously, she tried to banish the idea.
But the thought lingered, unsettling her in a way she had never experienced before.
On a crisp autumn day, Jiang Xinyi invited You Changjin to a high-end western restaurant.
Dressed in a simple navy-blue dress, Jiang Xinyi waited. When You Changjin arrived, clad in a hoodie, worn jeans, and a backpack, he looked out of place amidst the elegant decor.
He spotted her and smiled. “Why’d you pick such a fancy place today?”
“I figured after all this ti, we should have a proper al together,” she replied.
“You’re right! We always settle for casual food like hotpot and noodles. It’s about ti we splurged. But let
treat you this ti!”
Despite his confidence, the prices on the nu—799, 899, even 1299 yuan—made his smile falter.
Jiang Xinyi, noticing his discomfort, reassured him, “I’ve already ordered. Let’s just enjoy the al.”
As the food arrived, You Changjin tried to engage in conversation.
“You’ll never guess what I found out,” he said enthusiastically. “The owner behind Xianlin Express is actually Zhou Yuwen!”
Jiang Xinyi calmly replied, “I know. I’m the accountant for Xianlin Express. How could I not know?”
“Oh, right!” he laughed, embarrassed.
But as he rambled on, Jiang Xinyi grew increasingly certain.
When he finally paused, she handed him an envelope.
“What’s this?” he asked curiously, opening it to find 4,000 yuan inside.
“These are all the expenses you’ve covered for
during our relationship.”
Confused, he looked up.
“I think we should break up,” she said firmly.
A buzzing silence filled his mind.
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