Stop Making Me an Option

Before my birthday party began, Zhou Jibai cast his phone to the big screen in our private room. In our mutual friends’ group chat, he started an anonymous poll.

The question was: Should I stay and cut the cake with my girlfriend tonight, or take my childhood friend to an opening-night screening?

Thirty seconds on the clock.

The numbers kept climbing.

Childhood friend: 17 votes.

Girlfriend: 1 vote.

Everyone assumed I had cast that one vote.

Zhou Jibai leaned back on the sofa and smiled at the result.

“Majority rules.”

Xu Mi immediately pressed the movie tickets into his palm.

“See? Everyone thinks I need you more.”

I stood in my favorite dress in front of a cake whose candles hadn’t even been lit.

Someone whistled.

“Come on, Jibai’s girl. Don’t be a sore loser.”

Of course. These polls had been going on for three years.

After an argument, a vote decided who apologized first.

On a date, a vote decided whose hand he held.

Even when I asked whether he loved me, he would throw the question into the chat.

“Let’s hear what everyone thinks.”

I used to believe that if I won just once, he would finally stand firmly beside me. But I had never won.

Tonight was no different.

Zhou Jibai got up and reached for his coat.

As he passed me, he casually ruffled my hair.

“Be good. I’ll make up your birthday celebration when I get back.”

I looked at the poll results on the screen and switched off my phone’s screen.

Then I pushed the cake knife toward him.

“Don’t bother.”

“Zhou Jibai, I abstain.”