That man was named Gao Yan. He was one year ahead of Wan Wei, her senior in university. After graduating, he went abroad. He and Wan Wei maintained a long distance relationship for a year, but they broke up in the end.

When Wan Wei and Gao Yan were in a long distance relationship, arguments were inevitable. Yang Xun often saw the girl wiping away tears of grievance. When he asked about it, she would tell him while crying, and after crying, she would start cursing Gao Yan. In short, long distance relationships were hard, and international long distance relationships were even harder. Not many could persist to the end.

At that time, Wan Wei was young, innocent, and very serious about her feelings. Breaking up with Gao Yan was a huge blow to her. Yang Xun admitted that when he got together with Wan Wei, he had somewhat taken advantage of her vulnerable state. She was easy to coax; treating her well was enough.

Yang Xun remembered how Wan Wei cried her heart out when she broke up with Gao Yan eight or nine years ago.

Yet when that woman divorced him, she didn’t shed a single tear!

Thinking of this, Yang Xun suddenly felt incredibly irritable. He lit a cigarette, took out his phone to call her, thought about it, and put the phone back away.

Yang Xun didn’t go home. He drove directly to Wan Wei’s place, the house they lived in before the divorce. After the divorce, he left the house and car to her, leaving with almost nothing. He thought the fuss would pass, but he didn’t expect the fuss to last for three years.

Yang Xun leaned against the car door smoking, checking the time while waiting.

It was still relatively early. Occasionally, adults would pass by walking their children. Yang Xun stared at the passing little dumplings. Before he and Wan Wei divorced, both sets of parents had urged them to have children. Both of them were very career oriented, especially Wan Wei. She had just brought up a few decent newcomers and naturally wasn’t willing to have children at that time.

Yang Xun wanted a child too, but since Wan Wei didn’t, he just dealt with the parents on both sides.

Now, he regretted it quite a bit.

If they had a child, it wouldn’t be so easy for the two of them to separate. With a little assistant around, it would be easier to get her to turn back.

It wasn’t that Yang Xun hadn’t tried other women in the past three years. He tried dating a few, but it always felt wrong. He used to think Wan Wei was too high maintenance, had too many demands, had severe “Princess Syndrome,” and did nothing but torment him every day aside from work.

And later? The ones he dated were different from Wan Wei. They had stable jobs, average career ambitions, and didn’t have many demands in life. They were fine for living a quiet life, gentle and virtuous, and didn’t require him to worry too much. Being with them felt much more relaxed, but he just felt that something was missing.

People really are masochists.

“Yang Xun, rub my legs for me. That director was acting like a big shot today and made me wait for over three hours. My legs are so sore from standing!”

“Yang Xun, Yang Xun, I want to eat braised fish tonight. Don’t forget.”

“Yang Xun! You are going to piss me off! If you don’t coax me right now, I’m really going to get angry. I am very scary when I’m angry. Don’t even think about touching me tonight!”

“Get out, get out, get out! I said you aren’t allowed to touch! Even if you buy me a midnight snack, I won’t calm down! Ah… hahaha… stop tickling, I was wrong…”

…

Actually, she was quite good. It was fine if she was a bit high maintenance. It was fine if she tormented him every day. At least life had some fun.

Look, it had been three years.

Without her, his life was incredibly dull.

Yang Xun remembered many things from the past. He remembered how she looked when she was angry, how she looked when she smiled, he remembered her…

He looked at the time again. It had been over three hours. It was almost 12:00 AM. Why wasn’t she back yet!

Just as he took out his phone to call, Wan Wei’s car passed by. She lowered the window, glanced at him, and quickly drove away.

Yang Xun cursed under his breath and could only go wait at the door.

A moment later, Wan Wei walked out of the elevator and looked at him. “What are you doing here?”

Yang Xun knocked on the door. “Here to pick up some things.”

Wan Wei rolled her eyes. “What stuff do you still have here? I threw it all away long ago.”

Yang Xun: “That old desktop computer is still here, right? There are some files in it I need for tomorrow. I’ll take a look and copy them, then leave.”

Wan Wei frowned, staring at the man in front of her. She felt… this shameless behavior was a bit like how he used to look for an excuse to deescalate things after they argued in the past.

There was a moment of silence.

She took out her keys. “Move, I’m opening the door.”

Yang Xun stepped back. As soon as Wan Wei opened the door, he followed her in. Wan Wei pointed to the study. “That broken computer is in there. I haven’t touched it. Whether it turns on depends on your luck. If it doesn’t turn on, please move it out. Don’t let it take up space in my house.”

Yang Xun frowned and walked in to take a look. The desktop computer he used to use often had been moved to a corner, covered in dust.

Actually, he only used that computer to play games back then; he always used a laptop for work.

He looked back at her, somewhat in disbelief. “When you clean the house, can’t you wipe the dust off that computer?”

Wan Wei asked back, “Why should I wipe it?”

Fine, Yang Xun conceded.

Wan Wei urged him. “Hurry up, don’t be an eyesore here.”

After speaking, she walked directly into the bedroom and closed the door.

Yang Xun took a deep breath. His chest felt tight with suppressed frustration. He couldn’t be bothered to check the computer. Looking for files was just an excuse anyway; one look at it and he knew it wouldn’t turn on.

He sat in the living room for a while. Faintly, he heard the sound of water coming from the master bedroom. She was taking a shower.

The sound drilled into his ears. Yang Xun suddenly felt his body heat up. He ran a hand through his hair in agitation and walked to the balcony.

He smoked a cigarette, then turned back to knock on the door.

Wan Wei opened the door wearing a bathrobe. Below her graceful neck, her collarbone was fair and exquisite. Her hair was still wet, her eyes moist and bright. She looked very soft, but her tone was hard. “Why haven’t you left yet?”

Yang Xun’s gaze moved slowly from her collarbone to her face. He smiled. “That was Gao Yan today, right?”

Wan Wei was surprised. She didn’t expect him to remember. Back when she just graduated, she was in a long distance relationship with Gao Yan. She kept a photo with Gao Yan in her wallet. Once, she said she would treat him to coffee. When she was paying, he saw it and asked casually, “Your boyfriend?”

She was young then, proud to have a boyfriend who was a top student. “Yeah, he is studying in the US. He will come back to marry me in two years.”

At that time, he smiled. What was he laughing at? He was five years older than her, with much more experience and insight. Laughing at her innocence? Laughing at her overestimating herself? Or laughing at how thin the power of love was?

In short, she and Gao Yan didn’t survive the test of a long distance relationship. They broke up after just one year.

On the day of the breakup, she cried terribly and threw away the photo in her wallet.

After thinking about it, she couldn’t bear to part with it.

After crying for a while, she went to pick it up again.

A large, slender hand beat her to it. Yang Xun held up the photo. “Broke up?”

Wan Wei turned her head away, crying, and didn’t speak.

Yang Xun’s voice carried a hint of a smile. “Since you broke up, what is the point of picking up this photo?”

Before she could react, he tore the photo in half. He threw away Gao Yan’s half, tossing it casually. It was autumn then, and the wind was strong. As soon as he let go, that half of the photo flew away.

Wan Wei was furious. She didn’t care if he was her boss or her mentor; she rushed up and punched him in the chest a few times. “Who allowed you to throw my photo! You bastard! Give it back to me! Find it for me…”

Yang Xun let her hit him, stuffing the half of the photo with only her smiling face into her hand. “This is your photo.”

What did that feel like?

It felt like being given a rebirth. Casting aside the past, letting all the unhappiness drift away with the wind. She was still her. She was just herself. Only she could control her own mood and life.

She forgot to cry for a moment. Yang Xun patted her head and smiled. “Let’s go. I’ll treat you to a midnight snack.”

After a good meal and some wine, there was no hurdle one couldn’t cross.

…

He had only seen Gao Yan’s photo twice, and back then she and Gao Yan were university students with youthful faces. Now, nearly ten years later, even she almost didn’t recognize Gao Yan tonight. She didn’t expect him to remember.

Wan Wei was stunned for a few seconds, then suddenly laughed. “Yes. He came back to develop his career. Is there a problem?”

Yang Xun clicked his tongue. “This man doesn’t keep his word. He said he would come back years ago, but dragged it out until now.”

Wan Wei felt a sting and sneered, “You have the nerve to talk about others? Aren’t you the same?”

Speaking of this, Wan Wei got angry. What happened to her being his princess for life? What happened to spoiling her forever? Everything men said was bullshit!

Yang Xun frowned. “How am I the same as him? When have I ever lied to you?”

Wan Wei: “You haven’t?”

“Tell me, when?”

“Plenty of times!”

Yang Xun stared at her for a few seconds and sneered, “I just said a few words about Gao Yan. Why are you so angry? Could it be you want to rekindle an old flame? With your bad temper, who else but me can tolerate you?”

Wan Wei was stung by his words. Indeed, her temper was bad, but wasn’t her temper spoiled into existence by him?

Over the past three years, she had tried dating other men. Men older than her, men younger than her, elites, IT guys. Some minded that she was divorced; those ended after a few meetings. Others didn’t mind the divorce. Some men liked career oriented women, thinking they were tough, independent, and didn’t require much effort. But after actually getting together, they discovered she was completely different from what they imagined and broke up before long.

Indeed, no one could tolerate it.

He had spoiled her until almost no one wanted her.

If you can’t afford to spoil someone, don’t do it from the start! Men are just cheap!

Wan Wei pushed him hard. “Get out of my house!”

Caught off guard, Yang Xun was pushed back a step. He grabbed her hand, frowned, and looked up. He saw her bathrobe collar had loosened, revealing her fair chest and that deep valley. He hadn’t seen it in so long; his eyes fixed on it, unable to look away.

Wan Wei was in a rage. She didn’t know the man’s mind was filled with messy thoughts. She pushed him hard again. “Get out!”

Ultimately, he was a man; she couldn’t match his strength.

Yang Xun took a deep breath. “Pull your clothes together first.”

Only then did Wan Wei realize. Her face turned slightly red as she hurriedly adjusted her clothes. Yang Xun felt a bit helpless. “Can you stop being so sharp? Can we sit down and talk?”

“We have nothing to talk about,” she said without thinking, her tone flat and calm.

Yang Xun pressed his lips together, adjusted his glasses, and stared at her with dark eyes.

Wan Wei walked directly to the main door, pulled it open, and looked at him coldly.

Mouthing silently: Are you going or not?

Things had reached this point, and Yang Xun couldn’t keep his face either. After all, he hadn’t lowered his pride in over three years.

He shook his hands, turned, and walked to the door.

Standing at the door, he looked back at her.

Wan Wei raised her chin, looking at him arrogantly.

Yang Xun immediately remembered many nights in the past. She would ride on top of him, raise her chin, look at him like a queen, and announce proudly, “You aren’t allowed to move today!”

He turned abruptly and slammed the door shut.

Wan Wei was startled. She was just about to say, “What are you do…”

Before the “ing” could come out, he cupped her face and kissed her.

Wan Wei was dazed. Her body reacted honestly, trembling slightly. But what was this? Not a single word of reconciliation, not a single bowing of the head. What was this?

She struggled to push him away. Yang Xun was strong; she couldn’t move him. Finally, she kneed him upward.

Yang Xun didn’t expect her to pull this move. Unable to dodge in time, he let out a muffled groan, frowned, and pushed her away. His face was ugly as he hissed, “Wan Wei, are you crazy!”

Didn’t she know that place on a man was fragile?

Wan Wei panted, turning her face away, then looked back at him. “What is the meaning of this?”

Yang Xun was furious from the hit. His face was dark, and he said in exasperation, “You’ll regret it if you broke it!”

Wan Wei paused for a moment, then said, “Heh, what do I have to regret? Men are a dime a dozen. If it’s broken, it’s not like I’m the one using it.”

Yang Xun: “…”

NOTES

Three-legged men (三条腿的男人): A play on the Chinese idiom “Three-legged toads are hard to find, but two-legged men are everywhere.” By referring to “three legs,” she is making a crude joke about male anatomy while dismissing his importance.

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