3

He was silent for a long time. She looked at him—his expression was tense.

“Is this because of Sister Ai Qing?” he finally asked. “I’ve told you before—her family helped mine when I was a kid.”

“She’s just someone you owe,” Meng Yu said quietly. “But I’m tired, Xiao Qi. I don’t want to love you anymore.”

He said nothing.

He stared at her, unmoving, the sunset reflected in his eyes—but she still couldn’t read what he was feeling.

After a while, he finally spoke. “So you’ve made up your mind?”

“Yes,” she nodded. “I have.”

“…Alright. I respect your decision.”

She had often wondered how Xiao Qi would react when she finally said the words. She had loved him for so long, always giving in, always compromising. He’d grown used to her being the one to yield. But now she was the one ending it.

Would he be sad? Try to keep her? Or remain as cold as ever?

She had prepared herself for every possibility—but hearing his calm, straightforward reply still filled her with sorrow.

Maybe… maybe he had been waiting for her to say it all along. Maybe all that indifference was just his way of pushing her out the door. He didn’t love her, but couldn’t bring himself to reject her either—so he let time do the work. Slow and silent. Like boiling a frog in warm water.

Well, it worked. She was done.

She had wanted to tell him: Once I let go, I never look back.

But what was the point? He wouldn’t care. And now that it was over, anything more felt unnecessary.

As Meng Yu stepped back into the room from the balcony, Ai Qing looked up and asked, “You’re not staying for dinner? I made dumplings.”

Meng Yu stopped in her tracks. She looked at the woman named Ai Qing, and after a long pause, let out a cold laugh.

“I haven’t even broken up with Xiao Qi yet, and you’re already bringing your kid over to cook and clean for him? You really couldn’t wait to stick yourself to him, could you? Hoping I’d step aside? And now you’re putting on this perfect little housewife act—who are you trying to impress?”

She gave a bitter smile.

“We’re both women. Don’t think I don’t see right through you. Your own marriage fell apart, so now you want everyone else to be miserable too? You’ve got no sense of boundaries and you’re dragging your kid down with you.”

Meng Yu didn’t hold back. And why should she? Things were over with Xiao Qi. There was no one left to please. She could finally speak her mind—and she was going to.

If you’ve made me miserable, then I’ll make sure you get a taste of it before I leave.

Ai Qing’s smile froze, her face stiffening as her expression darkened. She glanced at Xiao Qi, then back at Meng Yu. There was a flicker of anger in her eyes—just barely held back—but the redness in her eyes added a layer of wounded innocence.

“I just wanted to repay him,” she said softly. “Qi Qi helped me find a job, and I didn’t know how else to thank him, so I thought I’d make him a meal. Whatever problems you and he have—that’s between the two of you. Why say such cruel things?”

“There are plenty of ways to repay someone. But throwing yourself at a man you know has a girlfriend? That’s just pathetic.”

“Meng Yu!” Xiao Qi’s voice cut in sharply.

Xiao Qi sharply cut her off.

Meng Yu met his gaze with a cold, hard stare. Xiao Qi was momentarily stunned—he was used to her looking at him with tenderness or adoration, even when she was sulking it was still playful. This was the first time Meng Yu looked at him with such icy detachment.

Meng Yu said, “It’s rare to see someone so eager to play the part of a cheap dad. Honestly, you’re no better yourself. You two seem made for each other. Well then, I guess I’ll just wish you both a lifetime of happiness.”

With that, she turned and walked away. Xiao Qi stared at the closing door, silent for a long time.

It was the first time he’d ever heard her speak of him so disparagingly. She had always looked up to him, revolved around him, treated him like an idol. She once told him she loved everything about him—even his flaws.

But just now, she had broken up with him.

And she said: You’re not a good person either.

When she said those words, her eyes were cold and merciless, as if he truly was the person she wanted to get rid of, the one who disgusted her.

This version of Meng Yu was unfamiliar to him.

After Meng Yu left, Ai Qing wiped her tears and whispered, “It’s all my fault. I…”

“It’s got nothing to do with you,” Xiao Qi interrupted.

“Have you really broken up with her? Aren’t you going to try to win her back?”

Xiao Qi was silent for a moment before saying, “No need. She’ll come back when she’s ready.”

Breaking up with Xiao Qi was not easy for Meng Yu. After all, she had loved him for over nine, almost ten years. Even though her disappointment had finally pushed her to end things, her heart still held onto some reluctance.

After returning, Meng Yu moved out, quit her job at the studio, changed her phone and all her contact information, and blocked every number linked to Xiao Qi. She began traveling everywhere.

She experienced the vast landscapes of the Sahara, stood atop Mount Tai watching clouds roll like waves beneath her, dived into the ocean to admire its colorful depths, and sailed across lakes, immersing herself in the poetic scenery from centuries ago.

She visited countless places, exploring mountains, rivers, and seas, all while slowly trying to forget Xiao Qi. But forgetting was not easy. At first, she could hardly enjoy the sights; her thoughts kept drifting back to him, to all their years together. In the dead of night, tears would soak her face. Many times, when utterly alone, she wanted to call him — but she never did.

As she traveled, she grew stronger inside and gradually emerged from the sadness. Only then did she start to truly enjoy her journey.

She went to many places she’d longed to see. Originally, she planned to travel the world over two years. But after a year and a half on the road, she received a call from her mother, Qi Mei. They had always had a distant relationship — only reaching out during holidays and special occasions, rarely keeping in touch otherwise.

Meng Yu was in a fairy-tale town in Sweden, walking down a lush green street when she answered the phone.

“How much longer are you going to wander around? Why haven’t you come back yet?”

“I still have a few places I want to visit. Maybe a few more months.”

There was a pause on the other end. “Something’s happened at home. You need to come back as soon as you can.”

“What’s going on?”

“It’s not something I can explain over the phone. Just come back as soon as possible.”

After hanging up, Meng Yu’s expression grew serious. Qi Mei’s tone wasn’t joking—she wouldn’t use this kind of tactic to coax her back without a real reason. That meant something had truly happened at home.

Reluctantly, Meng Yu ended her trip and bought a ticket for the earliest flight the next morning. Qi Mei came to pick her up personally.

Since Meng Yu’s father passed away, Qi Mei had remarried Wang Weiguo, a well-known used car dealer in Rongcheng. Later, through some connections, he managed to partner with Beiyue Automobile Group, and the family relocated from Rongcheng to Yancheng. Now, Wang Weiguo was the exclusive sales agent for Beiyue, controlling all of their sales channels. He also owned the largest Beiyue 4S dealership in the area.

As Wang Weiguo’s wife, Qi Mei was always chauffeured around. When Meng Yu stepped out of the airport, the driver immediately pulled up, opened her car door, and helped with her luggage.

Once inside the car, Meng Yu got straight to the point. “Why did you ask me to come back?”

Qi Mei was in her fifties but kept herself well. Her face wasn’t as flawless and delicate as a young woman’s, but she had few visible wrinkles. With her tasteful wardrobe, she could easily pass for someone under thirty-five.

Meng Yu had inherited some of Qi Mei’s striking beauty—both were the kind of women whose looks demanded attention. However, Qi Mei’s beauty was more subtle and refined, delicate in a way that invited sympathy and grew more elegant with time.

“I’ll tell you once we get to where you’re staying.”

Meng Yu now lived in a high-end residential complex. She had bought a small one-bedroom apartment since she mostly lived alone.

After graduating from university, Meng Yu hadn’t held a formal job. She majored in Japanese and occasionally worked at a studio translating Japanese anime, sometimes even doing voice dubbing. Most of her income came from Xiao Qi, though it wasn’t just handouts.

While Meng Yu hadn’t achieved much professionally, she had a natural gift for languages and spoke several fluently—few people knew this talent, but Xiao Qi was one of them.

Back then, Xiao Qi was developing a voice translator app, essentially a translation software. Knowing Meng Yu’s multilingual abilities, he asked her to do voice recordings for the app. When the translator was released, it received a positive response and Xiao Qi secured a patent for it. He was generous with her financially, giving her a substantial sum in gratitude for her help.

The amount was about five million yuan—enough to ensure she’d never have to worry about money for the rest of her life if managed well.

With that money, she bought a house and a car. After breaking up with Xiao Qi, she sold the original apartment and purchased a smaller one, using the remaining funds to finance her travels.

The two entered the room. Meng Yu said, “You can tell me now, right?”

Qi Mei sat down on the sofa and let out a soft sigh. “I… I have arranged a marriage proposal for you.”

“A marriage proposal?”

“You and Xiao Qi have been broken up for over a year now. It’s time to move on. You’re already twenty-eight—you should think about settling down.”

Qi Mei usually didn’t concern herself with Meng Yu’s love life, so this sudden matchmaking was unexpected.

“Oh? Who have you found for me?”

Qi Mei hesitated, her expression uneasy. After a moment, she said, “Do you know who the new chairman of Beiyue Group is?”

Though Meng Yu had spent the past year traveling, she was still somewhat aware of the major events in Yancheng. During her absence, a few notable things had happened: her close friend Xia Han, a top socialite from the Xia family of Beiyue Group and wife of Pangda Linghang Technology’s CEO Han Moran, had given birth to twins.

Also, the Beiyue Automobile Group—an established powerhouse in Yancheng that almost monopolized the domestic car market—had appointed a new leader.

This new chairman wasn’t the long-anticipated eldest son of the Xia family but rather Chu Xiujin, the illegitimate son of the former leader Xia Guo’an. Chu Xiujin had been sent abroad as a child and raised there.

It was said that Chu Xiujin was born from an affair Xia Guo’an had after the death of his wife. Because of the intense internal conflicts within the Xia family, Xia Guo’an feared raising his youngest son nearby would put him in danger. So, when Chu Xiujin was very young, he was sent abroad and given foster parents who gave him the surname Chu to conceal his true identity.

Although Meng Yu had been wandering abroad for over a year, she still kept up with some news about Mr. Chu. Over the years, the Xia family’s main branch had managed Beiyue Group, but since his return, Chu Xiujin had not only taken over the reins of Beiyue with calm confidence but also boldly initiated sweeping reforms. He skillfully navigated the fierce power struggles among the various factions.

His cunning and methods were not to be underestimated.

Snapping back to reality, Meng Yu asked, “You’re not seriously telling me that the marriage proposal you found for me is this new chairman of Beiyue, are you?”

Qi Mei nodded with a complicated expression. “That’s right. He’s the one I’ve arranged for you.”

Meng Yu was speechless.

=^_^=

Author has something to say: Is Chu Xiujin only getting a mention after three chapters? What about the male lead’s dignity?

As for the male lead’s identity, although he is an illegitimate son, his mother wasn’t a homewrecker—she was Mr. Xia’s twilight romance after his wife had passed away many years earlier.