Chapter 11

Xia Jialiang dragged me to the restroom.

He playfully pouted at me, “I’m just going to use the bathroom. You have to wait for me here, okay?”

I couldn’t help but laugh at his childish insistence on going to the restroom together. I nodded in agreement.

A familiar trace of tobacco smoke wafted by. Following the scent, I glanced over and saw Duan Chen partially hidden behind the greenery.

I quickly averted my gaze after a brief glance and leaned against the wall, focusing on waiting for Xia Jialiang.

Footsteps slowly approached. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Duan Chen press his cigarette butt against the edge of the trash can before heading to the sink to wash his hands.

Finally, he stopped in front of me.

We stood in silence for a long moment before he spoke, his voice slightly hoarse. “How long have you been together?”

“Not long.”

The stagnant air in the room made me feel unusually stifled, and I wanted to step outside for some fresh air.

Suddenly, Duan Chen gripped my wrist tightly, his force almost painful, his tone sharp and cutting. “You won’t even say a word to me now?”

I had never felt so exhausted. I replied indifferently, “I’m just going out for some air.”

Duan Chen glanced back toward the restroom, then turned to look at me again. His eyes were red, but in the end, he let go of my wrist and followed me to the terrace.

I pulled a cigarette from the pack, but as I was about to put it back, Duan Chen stopped me. “Give me one.”

With the cigarette between his lips, Duan Chen leaned in slightly. Instinctively, I reached for my lighter to light it for him, but instead, he tilted his head and touched the cigarette in my mouth with his own, as if mimicking a kiss.

I frowned and quickly stepped back after lighting his cigarette, creating a more appropriate distance between us.

We said nothing, merely smoking in silence.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Duan Chen opening his mouth several times, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he remained silent.

When the cigarette burned down to its end, he finally spoke. “Is he good to you?”

I wasn’t entirely sure who Duan Chen meant by “he,” but the moment I met his gaze, I knew the answer.

This was supposed to be what Duan Chen wanted-a boyfriend for me, an end to my obsession with him, and a return to the normal boundaries of friendship between us.

Yet in his eyes, I saw something glaringly obvious, something impossible to ignore: sadness.

“He’s good.” I suddenly lost the desire to fabricate a picture of happiness for him and gave a simple answer.

Perhaps sensing my perfunctory tone, Duan Chen took a deep drag on his cigarette and said to me, “Li Yucheng, you’re ruthless.”

He smoked so hard that his eyes watered from the irritation.

The sound of a door opening came from behind. I turned to look and saw Xia Jialiang poking his head out from the terrace door. Seeing me glance his way, he waved.

“Am I interrupting you two?”

I glanced at Duan Chen, who seemed to have nothing more to say. I shook my head at Xia Jialiang. “No, let’s go.”

We had barely taken a few steps when Duan Chen’s voice called out from behind me. “Li Yucheng.”

I stopped and turned back to look at him.

“Are we still friends?”

I nodded. “Of course.”

Duan Chen said, “But I don’t want to be your friend anymore.”