He had been by her side for so many years, never imagining that one day she’d introduce her boyfriend to him.

Li Chaoxi let out a bitter smile, took a deep breath, and put his mask back on.

If she’s happy, all is well; if not, then he wouldn’t allow others to hurt her heart again.

*

Gu Ziyou stood by the roadside, not moving, feeling slightly dazed, almost forgetting she should go upstairs.

"The car has left." The cool reminder came from behind just as Shen Lingfeng had unknowingly entered the building, "Go upstairs."

Gu Ziyou nodded and turned to walk inside.

In the quiet elevator, she lifted her head.

Through the elevator’s silver doors, she looked at the tall and elegant man beside her.

In the blurred mirror, she couldn’t make out his face.

But even in her imagination, she could picture his current expression.

Gu Ziyou bit her lip, wanting to speak, but the elevator doors opened.

He stepped inside first, and Gu Ziyou saw that cold, expressionless face, just as she’d imagined.

She swallowed the words she was about to say and followed him inside.

The floor buttons showed only the top floor was lit.

Gu Ziyou glanced at it, then pressed another floor.

She didn’t want to go to his place, she was so tired, she just wanted to go home quickly.

The elevator "dinged" as it arrived.

Turning her head slightly, "I’m going now, get some rest."

Shen Lingfeng pressed the elevator’s open button, his face tense, eyes unblinking, staring at her, only to find she didn’t even want to look back at him.

Gu Ziyou walked out of the elevator for a couple of steps, but eventually stopped.

A feeling like needles on her back made it hard for her to move.

"Li Chaoxi is my senior from high school, we’ve known each other for many years..."

Shen Lingfeng’s brows furrowed tightly, interrupting coldly, "You don’t need to tell me this."

In that instant, a trace of panic arose in his heart.

It seemed like this was the beginning, and he already anticipated what she’d say next.

But he didn’t want to hear the rest of it, about how they met and why they’re together now.

Gu Ziyou was caught off guard by his interruption.

Even if she wanted to explain, he didn’t care at all.

"Shen Lingfeng, let’s break up!"

This sentence almost came out without thinking, the tone intentionally cold.

Eight words, no pause at all.

As if pausing for a moment would rob her of the courage to say it, or she might suddenly change what she wanted to say.

After finally speaking, even she felt a bit dazed.

The silence behind her made her heartache, unable to breathe.

A moment later.

"Alright."

Straightforward and decisive.

This emotionless voice was like every other demand she had made of him recently.

He had been good to her, agreeing readily to anything she asked.

Turns out breaking up was no different. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Gu Ziyou didn’t have the courage to turn around, quickly ran inside.

Her trembling hand rested on the door, turning to look as the hallway light gradually darkened.

Shen Lingfeng didn’t follow her; he had gone back.

Upon realizing this fact, she finally accepted: they broke up.

*

Woken up by the dog barking in the morning.

The sound from downstairs usually wasn’t loud enough to wake her.

But she had insomnia.

Again.

Unable to sleep, tossing and turning, even though her eyelids had no strength to open, her mind couldn’t quieten.