Back then, the atmosphere was different. Two men being too close wasn’t seen as romantic or sweet—it was considered a scandal.

The company soon called me in for a talk.

At the time, my career hadn’t taken off yet, but Lu Guanlan, with just a few screenings of his debut film, had already caught the eye of foreign directors who were extending him offers.

The company keenly sensed Lu Guanlan’s immense commercial potential and would not allow anyone to hold him back.

They didn’t directly ask us to break up.

Instead, they gave me two options.

The first was to leave voluntarily.

The second was for both of us to be sidelined together.

They really knew how to play people.

I couldn’t bear to drag Lu Guanlan down with me, so I had no choice.

Our second breakup was calm, but brutal.

That night, I went home, and it happened to be my birthday.

Lu Guanlan had secretly decorated the house, making it warm and romantic, with balloons, rose petals, a candlelit dinner, and small fairy lights hanging everywhere. Our photos were encircled in the middle of it all.

“Happy birthday!”

Lu Guanlan stood at the door with a gift in his hands, his eyes sparkling with excitement, his face written with, “Praise me, praise me.”

I wanted to laugh, but I couldn’t. I pushed him aside and switched on the lights in the living room.

“You’ve made such a mess of the place. Who’s going to clean it up? Always causing trouble.”

Lu Guanlan froze for a moment.

He cautiously approached me. “Ge, are you in a bad mood?”

I clenched my fists and couldn’t look at him. “I’m just tired.”

Lu Guanlan sighed with relief. “You scared me. I thought you were really mad at me.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll clean up after we eat. You just relax and enjoy being the birthday star.”

I kept my head down, saying nothing.

“Ge, look at me, look at me.”

Lu Guanlan bent slightly forward and suddenly made a goofy face right in front of me.

His handsome and bright features scrunched up comically, with no regard for his image.

I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Finally, a smile.”

Lu Guanlan straightened up and opened the gift box, holding out a men’s watch in front of me.

“Do you like it?”

His eyes sparkled.

“It’s a new model from the store. I originally wanted to buy the full diamond one, but I didn’t have enough money.”

“But it’s okay. I just got a role in a big overseas production. The pay is great. When I’m done, I’ll buy you…”

“Stop talking!”

I slapped the gift box out of his hands.

“Are you trying to show off?”

Lu Guanlan froze. The crystal watch face hit the floor, cracking in several places.

“No, that’s not what I meant.”

“Then what did you mean?”

“I’ve been auditioning for months without landing a decent role, while you easily get offered a major production.”

“Being born into wealth is already something I can’t compete with. Now even my career is overshadowed by you. Do you think I’m utterly useless, that I can only rely on you for everything?”

I yelled at him, scaring him speechless.

“I never thought of it that way!”

He carefully held my hand. “Ge, your grades in acting class were top of the class, even the teachers said it’s only a matter of time before you make it big.”

“Don’t lose hope. I’ll go through this rough patch with you, alright?”

I ruthlessly pushed his hand away. “I don’t have your kind of luck.”

“Unlike you, where your family can just throw in a few million to buy you a lead role.”

A director had once drunkenly let it slip—the movie we worked on together was primarily funded by Lu’s family. That’s how he got the role so easily.

I was unhappy when I first heard that. With just one phrase, “brought funding into the project,” all of his hard work was negated.

Lu Guanlan’s acting was naturally talented.

I never thought that, in the end, I would be the one to drive the knife into his heart.

Lu Guanlan stood in silence for a long time, his nails digging into his palms, his body tense.

“What’s wrong, nothing to say?”

Lu Guanlan stammered, “I’ve already cut ties with my family. This kind of thing won’t happen again.”

That’s right.

He had already broken with his family because of me. If he lost his job too, how would he live in the future?

I gritted my teeth and cruelly stared at him. “So, no real mother? But at least you still have your sugar mama, right?”

“I saw with my own eyes a wealthy woman giving you her business card…”

“Han Zongyu!”

Lu Guanlan finally snapped, furious.

“Why are you humiliating me like this?”

I sneered, “Why the rush? Did I hit a nerve?”

“You!” Lu Guanlan’s chest heaved with anger. “You’re being completely unreasonable!”

I threw all his things out again. “That’s right, I’m unreasonable, I’m petty, and I don’t deserve someone as pure as you!”

“Hurry and leave before someone else snatches up your sugar mama!”

Lu Guanlan was so angry he couldn’t think straight. “Fine, I’m leaving!”

“If I don’t leave, I’m a dog!”

“Don’t expect me to come back begging for you!”

He picked up the shattered watch from the floor and stormed out without looking back.

The world became quiet again.

The sweet fairy lights and rose petals now seemed like a joke.

I collapsed into a chair at the dining table, and saw a small card on top of the birthday cake.

The handwriting on it was neat and bold, as if written with a smile.

“Happy 21st Birthday!”

“I hope to celebrate with you at 31, 41, and for every year after.”

The tears I had been holding back finally fell. I clenched the card tightly in my hand.

“Lu Guanlan.”

“I’m sorry.”

The next day, I contacted the landlord to cancel the lease, paying a hefty penalty.

I also requested an extended leave from the company, with plans to terminate my contract when it expired.

Then, I moved to another city.

Since I had made up my mind to leave, I left no room for reconciliation.

Lu Guanlan sulked for three days before he started calling me again.

“Ge, I was wrong.”

“I’m a dog, woof woof.”

“Where did you go? Please stop hiding from me, okay?”

I blocked all his contact information.

Then he started calling from unfamiliar numbers. “Zongyu, what’s going on?”

“Please, talk to me.”

Clutching the phone so hard it creaked, I forced myself to smile cruelly and said:

“You want to know the reason?”

“I’m tired of you. I don’t love you anymore.”

“You’re no longer exciting. I want to find someone else to play with.”

“Lu Guanlan, don’t tell me you really thought two men could last forever?”