Breaking Up Was a Choice I Planned All Along - Chapter 15

When I returned to the dormitory, I received a WeChat message from Li Wei.

The general idea was that this year’s Top Ten Singers contest was on a tight schedule and the department was short-staffed. Even if I wanted to quit the student union, she hoped I could wait until after the Top Ten Singers event was over.

Li Wei and I had a good personal relationship, so in the end, I agreed. But I also made it clear that this would be the last time.

Zhou Jingnan had always been a celebrity at school, so it wasn’t long before news of our breakup spread on the campus Tieba¹.

Given that I had always been the one to take the initiative with him, enthusiastic netizens all thought I would be devastated by the breakup and wouldn’t be able to pull myself together. Some people even started a betting pool on how long it would take before I went back to him.

Compared to the chaos online, my life was much simpler. Every day it was just dormitory, classroom, library-a simple, three-point routine.

And then, I met that guy.

He was carrying a black single-strap bag, wearing a white T-shirt, and tapped lightly on the table. “Excuse me, is this seat taken?”

I looked up and saw him leaning over. He was so close, I could even make out his brown pupils and his long, curled eyelashes.

I glanced around the library, which was already out of seats, and silently moved the books from the seat across from me.

Three seconds later, I opened my chat with Yuanyuan: “Yuanyuan, the guy you said was pretty nice is sitting right across from me now. Are you sure you’re not coming to study today?”

Yuanyuan always replied quickly: “Which one are you talking about? I’m on a date with my little puppy right now, don’t bother me.”

Three seconds later, my phone started ringing. The vibration made the guy across from me look up.

I gave an apologetic smile, hunched my shoulders, and answered in a hushed voice, “Hello?”

Yuanyuan said, “Pianpian, did you go out without an umbrella? Remember to go back to the dormitory early. The weather forecast says it’ll rain this afternoon all the way into the night. I’m afraid you won’t make it back before evening classes.”

I checked my watch. “I’ll head back in half an hour.”

Footnote:

1. 1. Tieba(贴吧): A Chinese online forum platform where users can create and participate in discussions on various topics.