Chapter 5: Six Years Loving the Wrong Man

“I’m only calling to give you a friendly warning.”

“What warning?”

“That if you don’t come back to Beijing soon, another woman really will steal your man.”

“I don’t have a man, Lu Tingnan. Chu Yusen and I broke up.”

“Don’t be stupid, Qin Sang. It’s not worth it.”

“Anyone with eyes can see those women are just passing through. Brother Sâm only has you in his heart…”

“Lu Tingnan, there’s no point saying that.”

“You’ve known me long enough.”

I can’t tolerate even a grain of sand in my eye.

In truth, for the first few days after I moved out, I couldn’t sleep at night.

But I’d thought about a lot of things, too.

Those times Chu Yusen went to Beijing under the pretense of visiting his grandfather—

Wasn’t he really there to spend time with other women?

It was a shame that I’d been so deeply in love then, so sure I could trust him.

The possibility had never even crossed my mind.

“Qin Sang, do you know why Brother Sâm called all of us together tonight?”

I froze for a second.

Then I suddenly remembered.

Six years ago, on this very day, I’d decided to accept Chu Yusen’s pursuit.

“He still has you in his heart. He still thinks about you. He’s just putting on a tough front—”

“Lu Tingnan, damn it, shut up!”

A burst of noise erupted in my ear.

The voices came through in broken snatches, but I recognized the voice of the man I’d loved for six years at once.

“Qin Sang, Lu Tingnan’s drunk. Don’t listen to his nonsense.”

When Chu Yusen spoke again, the loud music on the other end had stopped.

Just then, I heard a girl call his name.

“Chu Yusen…I want some milk.”

Her voice was soft, sweet, and tender.

It didn’t sound anything like Secretary Song’s description of her as hot-tempered.

I lowered my eyes and gave a quiet laugh.

Deep down, I knew this was just the same ridiculous cycle all over again.

“Okay. I know.”

I took a slow, deep breath.

I didn’t want him to keep controlling my emotions, though apparently I still couldn’t quite help it.

Still, I wasn’t going to force myself to get over him immediately.

“I have something to do. I’m hanging up.”

“Qin Sang.”

Chu Yusen called my name again.

“I’ll be back tomorrow.”

“I should be home around seven in the evening.”

“Come back and move in. I’ll pretend none of this ever happened.”

Then he hung up.

I held my phone and sat there in a daze for a long while before I couldn’t help laughing.

I’d wanted to tell him that once I moved out, I would never come back.

But then I realized there was no point in saying something so unnecessary.

I didn’t call him back.

I blocked every number that had called me that evening.

Then I collected myself and got back to the final touches on my painting.

At that moment, I was grateful.

After accepting Chu Yusen’s pursuit, I hadn’t become a canary he kept in a gilded cage.

I hadn’t completely given up on myself.

So even now, I could still live in a lovely, comfortable apartment.

I could take care of myself with my own hands and paintbrush.

On the day Chu Yusen left Beijing, Lu Tingnan and the others came to see him off.

Jiang Chi didn’t show up.

When someone asked about her, Chu Yusen replied casually, “She’s going abroad to study next month.”

Everyone immediately understood that the two of them had broken up.

Still, Jiang Chi had been a little different from the other women Chu Yusen had casually dated.

But the reason she was different ultimately came back to Qin Sang.

Lu Tingnan looked as if he wanted to say something but couldn’t.

After that phone call the other night, Qin Sang had blocked him.

He’d meant to ask her for Jiang Wutong’s contact information.

It was ridiculous, really.

He used to be the person who most wanted Chu Yusen to dump Qin Sang.

Now he was the one who most wanted the two of them to get back together.

After all, everyone could see how close Jiang Wutong and Qin Sang were.

Jiang Wutong would surely listen to her.

If Qin Sang got back together with Chu Yusen, maybe Lu Tingnan could make a good impression on her. Perhaps she’d put in a good word for him with Jiang Wutong, for Chu Yusen’s sake.

But when he looked at Chu Yusen’s expression, he had a bad feeling.

In the end, he couldn’t help pulling Chu Yusen aside.

“Any news from Qin Sang?”

Chu Yusen shook his head.

Every half hour, Secretary Song gave him an update.

Qin Sang still hadn’t contacted them to ask for a new house password.

So she clearly hadn’t gone back.

“Brother Sâm, when you get back, you should make it up to her properly.”

Chu Yusen gave a cold laugh.

“I’ve already given her more than enough face.”

Lu Tingnan wasn’t so sure.

He thought there was nothing wrong with a man lowering his head when the time came.