Chapter 5

I heard from a friend that Duan Chen hasn’t been doing too well lately.

“You have no idea. He’s like a lost soul-probably got dumped by his wife,” Shao Lingchuan said, gloating on the side.

I chuckled along. It wasn’t his wife who left him-it was his brother.

We said we’d keep our distance, but deep down, we both knew that meant we were just holiday acquaintances now, exchanging the occasional greeting during the New Year or other festivals.

Duan Chen and I had been friends for twelve years. Cutting ties in one swift move must have hurt him as much as a breakup would.

But if I didn’t do it, things would probably get even more awkward in the end.

“Duan Chen’s current girlfriend must be something else. He’s never been like this after a breakup before.”

I took a sip of my drink and started recalling how Duan Chen used to be when he was dating.

Dinner dates, shopping trips, movies-he never missed a chance to celebrate any occasion with a gift. He seemed like the perfect boyfriend.

Back then, he was always busy starting his business, so I even delivered roses for him a few times.

His girlfriends always seemed delighted when they received them. The smiles on their faces made me feel a little envious-and maybe a little jealous.

But soon after, one of them asked me with a faint smile, “You’re his best friend. Was Duan Chen always like this?”

I frowned, puzzled.

She thought for a moment and added, “He’s very kind to others, but I always feel like he’s so far away from me.”

I didn’t understand why she asked that. Duan Chen was always the same around me-annoying and infuriating. It gave me a strange sense of dissonance.

Not long after, the two of them broke up.

Duan Chen crashed at my place, got drunk, and wallowed in his confusion more than his sadness.

“Am I just not cut out for relationships?” he asked out of nowhere, staring at the movie playing on the TV.

“I’ve been trying to learn how to be a good boyfriend.”

I didn’t know how to respond.

To comfort him would feel insincere; to stay silent would feel too cold.

In the end, I chose silence.

Not that he was waiting for my answer anyway-Duan Chen soon fell asleep.

I turned off the TV and went to my room to grab a blanket to cover him.

After smoking a cigarette on the balcony, I opened my calendar and counted the days.

Fifty-six days until my twenty-seventh birthday. I decided that before my birthday, I would give my ten-year-long secret crush an answer.