Zeng Yu waved her off, his eyes clouding over with melancholy. “It’s not you. It’s me.”
“Do you want to talk about it? I’m a pretty good listener,” Ma Yan said, her eyes flashing with curiosity.
Zeng Yu patted his pocket, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it up. His face showed traces of irritation as he shook his head, as if trying to shake off a bad thought. This gesture, simple as it was, captivated Ma Yan. Time had taken their youth but left something else in its place. This ‘something’ was different for each person—some people never gained it, while others matured early.
Zeng Yu was one of those who had matured early. Even back in school, it was clear that he had an edge over his peers. That quiet maturity made him stand out, and it was what had drawn Ma Yan’s attention in the first place. Years later, she still found herself thinking about him. Now, Zeng Yu had truly grown into that maturity, wearing his emotions lightly, like passing clouds.
“Hey, what are you two up to, sneaking around here?” Zhu Ying’s voice interrupted them. She appeared with a slightly flushed face, clearly from drinking.
Ma Yan fired back without missing a beat. “When have you ever seen someone ‘sneak around’ by the bathroom?”
Sensing the rising tension between the two women, Zeng Yu tried to quietly slip away.
“Hold it right there! Leaving without a word?” Zhu Ying called out.
“What’s going on here? Let’s be clear—I’m not for sale,” Zeng Yu replied, half-joking, half-guarded.
“Look at you, all scared,” Zhu Ying said, swaying her hips as she approached him slowly. “Your eyes are telling me you’re afraid. What are you so scared of?”
Zeng Yu retreated step by step, only to hit the wall behind him. With nowhere to run, he raised his hands in surrender, looking miserable. “Can’t we just talk this out?”
Zhu Ying glanced at Ma Yan. “Class president, what do you think we should do with him?”
“Single people shouldn’t make life hard for each other. Do what you want with him,” Ma Yan teased with a playful smile. “I’ve got to get back to hosting the party.” And with that, she turned and left.
Zhu Ying’s eyes darted up and down as she appraised Zeng Yu, then with a dismissive wave of her hand, said, “Fine, I’ll let you off.”
With that, Zeng Yu finally relaxed.
Zhu Ying caught up with Ma Yan, whispering, “You’re really going to let him off that easily?”
Ma Yan sighed softly, glancing back at Zeng Yu before giving a small smile. “It’s all in the past now. Tonight, I feel like I’ve closed that chapter. Whatever happens next, we have to live our own lives.”
Zhu Ying nodded in agreement. “You don’t necessarily have to marry someone you’re crazy about. But it’s important to marry someone who cares about you.”
Ma Yan shot her a knowing look. “Is that why you married an honest guy?”
“Life is too long to live it alone. It’s enough to be with a man who likes you, takes care of you, and loves you. The rest is just wishful thinking. When you’re young, you can dream all you want, but after a couple of years in the real world, you stop being naive. Like in my office—there are always eyes watching. The guys I’m interested in are already married, and the ones who aren’t, I’m not interested in. After being fooled once, I’m not dumb enough to trust a man again,” Zhu Ying said, her mood dropping noticeably.
Ma Yan hugged her. “If you ever need help, just ask. As long as it’s within my power, I’ll do what I can.”
“Thank you. Have you really let go of Zeng Yu?” Zhu Ying asked in a hushed tone.
Ma Yan shook her head. “The eyes never lie. To him, I’m just an ordinary classmate.”
Zeng Yu stood there, lost in thought, watching the two women return to the gathering. Zheng Jie came over, holding a glass of beer, smirking. “Not bad. You just rejected two girls at once.”
Zeng Yu wasn’t in the mood to explain.
“Regretting it already?” Zheng Jie asked, leaning in.
Zeng Yu shook his head. “No, just thinking about something else.”
“Someone else, you mean?” Zheng Jie’s smile turned sly.
Zeng Yu shot him a glance before walking over to the long table and pouring himself a glass of beer, which he downed in one gulp.
Zheng Jie watched his friend’s retreating figure, shaking his head helplessly.
Zheng Jie wasn’t wrong—Zeng Yu still couldn’t let go of Jiang Nan.
That was the source of Zeng Yu’s inner turmoil. Every time he interacted with another woman, Jiang Nan’s image popped into his mind. Maybe if I drink enough, I’ll finally be able to forget her.
That thought took root in Zeng Yu’s mind, and he couldn’t shake it. He began going around, offering drinks to his classmates. One glass after another, he drank with anyone who would join him. He lost count of how many beers he’d had. Normally, Zeng Yu could hold his liquor, but now, he was feeling the effects. His vision blurred, his steps wobbled, but still, he pushed on, searching for more classmates to drink with.
“Zeng Yu, stop drinking,” Ma Yan said, grabbing his glass just as he was about to challenge her.
Zhu Ying stood by, her expression complicated as she added, “You’re drunk, Zeng Yu. You’ve had enough.”
“Oh, I’m drunk? Then I should go home!” Zeng Yu slurred, stumbling toward the door. He tripped and fell to the ground. Before Ma Yan or Zhu Ying could help him up, he was already struggling to his feet, muttering, “I’m going home, let me go home.”
Zeng Yu made it outside, only to collapse next to his car. Ma Yan rushed over and knelt beside him. “You’ve had too much to drink. Don’t go home.”
“No, I have to go home,” Zeng Yu insisted, his voice growing louder as he repeated, “I want to go home. I want to go home.”
He staggered to his car and slumped against the tire, slowly sliding down until he was sitting on the ground. Even then, he kept muttering, “I want to go home,” until finally, he fell silent and drifted off to sleep.
Ma Yan and Zhu Ying exchanged worried glances, while the rest of their classmates stood back, watching in silence. Of all the people who had drunk that night, Zeng Yu was the only one who ended up like this. What’s bothering him so much?
“Let’s get him back inside,” Ma Yan said, looking to Zhu Ying for help. They managed to lift Zeng Yu up, but as soon as they did, he started muttering again, “I want to go home.”
Reluctantly, they set him back down.
“We need to call someone to take him home,” Ma Yan decided. Zheng Jie came over, fished out Zeng Yu’s phone from his pocket, and was relieved to find it unlocked. He quickly opened it and saw the wallpaper—a picture of a woman with a bright, beautiful smile.
“This woman looks familiar,” Zhu Ying said, peering over his shoulder.
Zheng Jie took one look and chuckled. “She’s Jiang Nan, from the business school. Our year’s campus queen. Half the guys in our class had a crush on her, but every one of them got shot down. No exceptions. Now I get it. He’s like this because of her.”
Zheng Jie scrolled through Zeng Yu’s contacts and found that while everyone else was labeled by name, one number was marked “True Love.” Without thinking, he dialed it and put the call on speaker.
The woman who answered had a voice as soft as spring rain. “It’s me, you…”
Her voice was filled with excitement, and even her breathing quickened.
Zheng Jie quickly explained, “Hi, I’m Zeng Yu’s classmate, Zheng Jie. We had a class reunion tonight, and he drank too much. He keeps insisting he wants to go home, but we don’t know his address. If you could send it to us, we’ll make sure he gets home.”
On the other end of the line, Jiang Nan’s excitement vanished in an instant. After a brief pause, she replied, “Where is he? I’ll come pick him up.”
Zheng Jie responded, “Alright, I’ll send you the address.” He ended the call and turned to Ma Yan. “You and Zhu Ying go back inside. I’ll stay and wait for her.”
But Ma Yan shook her head. “No, we’ll wait with you.”
—
An hour later, a Bentley pulled up to the villa. A driver, dressed in white gloves, got out and opened the back door. A long leg emerged first, followed by a woman with no makeup but striking beauty—Jiang Nan.
Noticing the commotion, several classmates came outside to watch.
Jiang Nan wore a simple outfit—her hair tied back with a ribbon, casual pants, and a shirt that perfectly showed off her model-like figure, leaving the female classmates feeling inadequate by comparison.
She gave everyone a polite nod before turning her attention to Zeng Yu, who was still slumped by his car, fast asleep. A faint smile played on her lips as she knelt beside him, speaking softly, “Hey, how about we go home? The ground’s cold.”
Even in his drunken state, Zeng Yu pursed his lips and mumbled, “Mm, home.”
Jiang Nan smiled and glanced up at Zheng Jie, who immediately rushed over to help lift Zeng Yu to his feet. The driver stepped in to assist as well.
“Thank you,” Jiang Nan said quietly.
Zheng Jie quickly replied, “No problem.”
Zeng Yu stirred again. “Don’t touch me. I want to go home.”
Jiang Nan leaned in and whispered in his ear, “Yes, let’s go home. I’m here to take you.” At that, Zeng Yu calmed down and let them guide him into the car.
Before Jiang Nan got in, she turned and nodded to everyone in thanks. Just as the door was about to close, Zheng Jie rushed forward. “Wait! His phone—he left it with me.”
The Bentley disappeared into the night, and only then did the onlookers turn their attention back to one another.
“The prettiest girl from our year, and Zeng Yu’s the one who got her,” someone remarked, breaking the silence.
Ma Yan turned to Zhu Ying. “No wonder. With someone like Jiang Nan in his heart, how could he ever look at either of us?”
“This guy’s been hiding the truth all along!” Zheng Jie couldn’t help but sigh.
Inside the car, Zeng Yu slept soundly. Jiang Nan sat beside him, her face calm, watching the light play across his features as they passed under street lamps .
“Slow down a bit, Uncle Yan,” Jiang Nan instructed the driver. It was the same car and chauffeur that her father, Jiang Ziliu, often used.
“Understood,” the driver replied, easing off the gas.
Jiang Nan took Zeng Yu’s phone and scrolled through his call history. Seeing the contact labeled “True Love,” she smiled to herself, tears welling up in her eyes. She stared at his face and whispered, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
Zeng Yu slept through it all, oblivious to Jiang Nan’s words. She wiped her tears with one hand while using a tissue to clean his face with the other. As soon as she dried his face, more of her tears would fall onto him.
In his sleep, Zeng Yu dreamed. He saw himself in a sharp suit, holding a bride in a wedding dress. He knew the bride was Jiang Nan, but her face was blurry. Why was her face so unclear? Zeng Yu had no idea. Just as he was about to ask, the bride disappeared. He reached out desperately to grab her hand but couldn’t catch her no matter how hard he tried.
Zeng Yu woke up groggy and disoriented, needing to use the bathroom. After relieving himself, he felt a little more awake. There was a familiar scent in the room. He sniffed the air, trying to place it, but couldn’t.
“What the hell? How did I end up drinking so much?” Zeng Yu muttered, rubbing his throbbing head. His phone vibrated on the bedside table.
