When I got back to school, I didn’t think of
anything, I just went to sleep.
I slept for a long time.
<
When I woke up, I checked my phone.
I saw a message from Ethan.
Just one, sent at 10pm the night before.
I should have just been talking to Jake, about
to get ready to pack. I didn’t pay attention.
He said: [Come up here.]
8
00
I checked the time. It was already two in the
afternoon.
I hadn’t replied to him or reached out.
If it were any time before last night, Ethan,
with his temper, would have called me or
shown up himself.
く
But now, nothing.
Looks like Jake must have delivered the
message.
He seems like a sweet, romantic guy, but
deep down, he’s actually the coldest.
I already broke up with him, and it seemed
like he wanted out too, so naturally, he’d have
no objections, wouldn’t say much, let alone
try to win me back.
My life went back to the way it was before I
met Ethan.
My mom called me.
I’m out here all alone, she’s always worrying
about me and setting me up with dates every
<
She always hoped I would find a good man.
After the call, she sent a few WeChat IDs.
[Remember to add them. If you find someone
you like, give it a shot.]
I said, okay, but I still didn’t add them.
My roommate sighed and tried to reason with me, “Why do you bother? Someone like Ethan
will probably find another girl in no time. You
should move on, right?”
I said it’s not because of him.
I just felt like, if I threw myself into another
relationship so quickly after a bad breakup,
I’d just be cheating myself.
<
I won’t always be unlucky in love.
I will get married eventually, and find
someone I truly like. But I think, at least, it’s
not right now.
When I was eighteen, right when I started
college, it was so hard to find someone, but
now it’s so easy.
After the breakup, I thought I would never see
Ethan again.
But of course, I did.
I was out shopping with my friends, and as
we were leaving the mall, we ran into Ethan’s
group.
He was all dressed up, like he just came from
It wasn’t the same one he used before.
Our eyes met. He calmly smiled, nodded at
me, then looked away to chat with his friends.
I felt relieved, strangely.
So, that’s what a peaceful breakup was like.
He was like that with everyone.
No arguments ho blaming, no bad blood. We
could still be friends when we met again.
We just walked past each other.
But as I got to the other side of the street, I
got a call.
It was Ethan.
く
I adjusted my scarf and pulled my coat tighter
against the cold, and hung up.
But less than two minutes later, he called
again.
I didn’t answer, and he just kept calling.
Finally, I answered, and called him, “Mr.
Hayes.”
He didn’t say anything, then finally when I was
about to hang up, he spoke, “Look up.”
9
Across the street, I looked at him.
I couldn’t see his expression, I didn’t know
how he was looking.
く
His hands were in his pockets, and he was
looking right at me.
I asked, “What do you want to say?”
His voice was a bit hoarse. He finally spoke,
“Why?”
I thought for a bit, “Why I broke up with you?”
He said, “Yeah”
I was a little confused. Someone as smart as
him, with all his friends who understood, he’s
still asking me why?
I didn’t want to get into it. So I just said, “My
family wanted me to get married, they were
putting a lot of pressure on me.”
L
His voice paused, and after a few seconds, he
asked, “Just because of that?”
I sighed, “Yeah.”
He seemed to be thinking, and after a bit, he
finally spoke, “I can be with you…”
I cut him off, I didn’t want to talk to him.
anymore. “I already have someone I’m going
to marry.
“And I heard your first love’s coming back.
Congrats.”
He was silent for a while. I heard the click of
a lighter.
A moment later, he laughed, “Yeah.”
<
Then, he asked again, trying to make
conversation, “You didn’t take anything I gave
you. You didn’t like it? What do you want, I’ll
have them send you something else.”
I sighed, “It’s okay.
“Don’t call me again. Let’s just leave it at
that.
“Goodbye.”
I hung up, didn’t look back, and turned away.
On the way home, I blocked him on
everything.
10
That afternoon, my professor treated us to
く
Halfway through, he got a call, “I’m going to
go pick someone up. He’s a former student of
mine, and he’s eating nearby.”
