Chapter 4

I scrolled through my phone again. Nearly a hundred calls and messages from Li Bin were sitting in my phone’s blacklist. Even without opening them, I could feel his desperation.

He never treated me like this when we were in love. Clearly, hate leaves a deeper mark than love.

Knowing he was anxious, I regained my composure. I tossed my phone aside and got to work.

Time always flies when you’re focused. In a blink, it was time to leave. My Sales Department doesn’t do overtime unless there’s a client dinner. My assistant came over and asked if I needed her to stay and help.

She usually doesn’t ask – people in sales are sharp-eyed.

I could see the glimmer of gossip in her eyes. I told her everyone could leave.

She nodded as usual, “Alright, Manager Chen, you should get off early too.”

The spacious Sales Department emptied out with a whoosh, leaving me alone to keep tapping away at my keyboard.

Breaking up gave me time to focus, and work helped ease my sadness. No one can go through heartbreak for me; I have to bear it all myself.

Five years of feelings, overturned in an instant.

When someone has already turned away, I have no reason to hold on. No matter how much I can’t let go, it can’t excuse his betrayal.

How do you endure pain? Grit your teeth and push through.

Get through the heartache, the emotional turmoil, the wavering. By the time I made it to seven o’clock, someone suddenly flung open my office door.

“What are you doing?” Qi Dong’s broad shoulders blocked most of the doorway.

“You don’t have any plans tonight?” I looked up at him.

“I canceled them. What, are you planning to work overtime while injured?”

“I’ll be in administrative detention in a few days, so I’m sorting out my work ahead of time.”

Qi Dong’s face darkened. “I’ve never heard a more ridiculous reason for overtime in my life.”

“It’s the truth.”

“A bizarre truth.” He pushed the door open all the way. “Come on, let’s eat together.”

“My work.”

“If you’re not here, I am. The company won’t collapse.”

“Alright.” I got up. “What should we eat?”

“You decide. I’ll take you home after.”

Oh, what we eat doesn’t matter. What matters is Qi Dong is taking me home. I picked a porridge place. While waiting for the food, I asked him, “Do you have something to say?”

He’s more patient than I am. He waited until the table was full of side dishes before speaking: “Are you still planning to rent out your apartment?”

Across a sea-wide feast of white porridge, we bared our hearts: “You’re worried Li Bin will keep pestering me?”

“I’m worried you’ll have another conflict and accidentally kill him.”

“You really know me.” I started seriously considering moving.

Qi Dong ladled a bowl of porridge and handed it to me. “If you’re thinking of moving, come to my complex. The security’s pretty good.”

“Can they keep me in check?”

“They could keep a bull in check.”

The security really is good. I’m someone who listens to advice. Once I decided to move, I acted immediately.

Qi Dong is even more action-oriented than I am. One phone call, and a professional moving team showed up at my place as soon as I gave them the code.

I said, “Shouldn’t I rent a place first, in the usual order?”

Qi Dong said, “I have two apartments. Just move in.”

He was being a bit too friendly, so I asked, “Do you have some ulterior motive?”

Qi Dong suddenly grew serious: “Chen Nuo, do you realize you’re not quite normal right now?”

“Of course I do.” How could I not? “How many people are normal after a breakup?” I didn’t care.

Qi Dong looked at me, growing solemn: “It’s normal to be abnormal after a breakup. But you’re so normal it’s abnormal.”

I understood. My lack of tears, lack of drama, lack of joy or sorrow had become an extreme in Qi Dong’s eyes. He was worried about me, so I had to live up to his concern.

I said expressionlessly, “I’m completely disillusioned with love. Maybe you should lower the rent a bit to help me rekindle my hope for life.”

Qi Dong gave me a deep look and laughed, “No need to lower it. Just live there. I won’t charge you.”

“No reward without merit. What’s this supposed to be?”

“Call it a company benefit.”

“Alrighty.”

That very night, I moved into Qi Dong’s 200+ sqm apartment, drank purified water from a limited-edition crystal goblet, and took my exclusive anti-inflammatory meds.

A woman who values money doesn’t give up so easily. My love for wealth dispelled Qi Dong’s worries about me.

I have parents and elders, childhood friends, and career ambitions. Why should I be devastated over a man who doesn’t love me, betrayed me, hurt me-and even hit me?

The pain of heartbreak isn’t enough to make me self-destruct. The hatred from being slapped only fuels my fighting spirit.

Li Bin kept contacting me, even sending mutual friends to act as mediators. Their unanimous opinion was that I was being unreasonable and that relationship issues should be resolved privately. My unanimous reply was, “If you keep nagging, I’ll send a gigolo to your wife.” (“gigolo” here refers to a male escort, meant as an insult.)

So fond of spending other people’s money-come on, let’s all wear green hats together.(“Green hats” is a Chinese slang term for a man whose partner is unfaithful, symbolizing infidelity.)