Chapter 5

I hobbled home in a taxi, my knee injury now a sticky mess mixed with dirty water.

As I sucked in cold air while tending to the wound, tears began to fall.

Zhou Xuan and I weren’t always like this.

When I was young, I was skinny and small, often bullied.

He would run off to fight those bullies, outnumbered, but even with a face full of blood, he kept swinging his fists.

Those people were scared off and never dared to trouble me again.

In our junior year, he started his business.

I accompanied him, rushing around to meet clients.

I drank too much and ended up with acute gastritis, landing in the hospital.

That’s where I met Lin Xingyue.

Over time, we became close best friends.

At first, she didn’t think much of Zhou Xuan:

“Jiangjiang, you give your all for your boyfriend, does he deserve it?”

“He’s so useless that his girlfriend ends up in the hospital from drinking while he’s out meeting clients.”

Zhou Xuan also disliked Lin Xingyue.

After I was discharged, he went to the notary and transferred half of the company’s shares to me.

“What right does she have to comment on our affairs? Stay away from her.”

I never had a particularly strong personality, stuck in the middle trying to mediate, but with little success.

I remember once, I missed Zhou Xuan’s call because I was with Lin Xingyue getting our nails done.

He drove over in the pouring rain, stood outside, and coldly called me: “Li Jiangjiang, come here.”

Lin Xingyue blew on her freshly done nails, raised an eyebrow with a smile:

“What, is Jiangjiang going to help you get clients for your lousy company by drinking again?”

Back then, they were practically mortal enemies.

Until Lin Xingyue’s senior year, when it was time for her internship.

I was in graduate school, and Zhou Xuan’s company was doing quite well.

She wanted to join Zhou Xuan’s company, clinging to my arm, whining:

“Senior Zhou’s company is in an emerging industry, just right for my major.”

“Jiangjiang, I can even keep an eye on him for you, see if he’s flirting with any female employees.”

I laughed and patted her hand: “No way.”

“We’ve been together for five years, our relationship is stable.”

I went back and mentioned it to Zhou Xuan.

He was reading a contract under the light, and upon hearing it, he chuckled mockingly:

“Lin Xingyue?”

“Have her send her resume to HR.”

But because she had failed a major course before, Lin Xingyue’s resume was filtered out.

She bit her milk tea straw, her eyes red:

“I wasn’t in a good state back then, Senior Zhou knows that, why be so strict?”

“I’m his girlfriend’s best friend!”

That night, I went home and pleaded with Zhou Xuan:

“Xingyue really wants to join your company, Zhou Xuan, please help her, okay?”

“It’s just a three-month internship, her family is well-off, she might have other plans, and might not stay here after graduation.”

He gazed into my eyes under the light, a mysterious dark emotion swirling within:

“Are you sure?”

I nodded, throwing myself into his arms:

“Zhou Xuan, you’re the best.”

But I was wrong.

Because of her outstanding performance during the internship, Lin Xingyue naturally stayed at Zhou Xuan’s company after graduation.

Until now.