Chapter 1 — Old Love Turns to Ashes

After being broken up with by Jiang Si Nien, I accidentally came across a public love video of a girl in the same city. The cover photo is a wedding registration photo with a red background, the girl smiles with her eyes curled up, leaning her head on Giang Tu Nien's shoulder. The status line reads:

“From teacher to husband, 8 years of youth are just for the two of us!”

My mind went blank for a moment. Below the comments section are countless blessings, and familiar avatars appear one after another. Giang Tu Nien commented:

“If it's you, the wait will be worth it!”

Scroll down. It's a comment my best friend just left.

“The light boat has passed through countless mountains, the CP I swing is finally public!”

My fingertips trembled. Giang Tu Nien and I have been together for 11 years. He and his student loved each other for 8 years. My best friend knew, his friends knew, but they all banded together to hide it from me. I read that line over and over again. My chest was so congested that I couldn't breathe. Clicking on that post again, I left a comment:

“It turns out that in my 11 years of love, there was also hidden the youth of 8 years of exclusivity between the two of us.”

… Almost immediately, my phone rang. The first caller was Hua Nghien.

“Ah Mien… you know everything?”

I didn't answer. She paused for two seconds, her voice softened:

"That comment, can you delete it? Van Van... is a bit sensitive, if you see it, you'll be very sad."

That girl's name is Van Van. I stood at the elevator door, the wind blowing in chilled my neck. Just last night she was squatting on the side of the road drinking beer with me, cursing Jiang Tu Nien for being a bad person. Today, there is an eloquent argument in favor of the third person.

“When did you know about them?”

I tightened my grip on the phone, my knuckles turning white. The other end of the line was silent for a moment.

"A Mien, investigating these matters now... doesn't make any sense."

"You and Giang Tu Nien broke up. In the future, go your separate ways. I'm only doing this for your own good."

Because it's good for me? Turn me into a spinning fool, but you call it for my good? I parted my lips, intending to say something more. On the other end of the line, a young girl's voice suddenly rang out:

"Nien Nghien, come here quickly, I'm the only one missing..."

The phone is disconnected. All words were stuck in my throat. A few seconds later, Giang Tu Nien also sent a message:

“A Mien, don't look for Van Van to cause trouble, she doesn't know anything.”

My eye sockets suddenly sting and swell. This is the first time Giang Tu Nien proactively texted me since he unilaterally asked to break up. Three days ago was our 11th anniversary. I made a table full of food and waited for him all night. He didn't show up. The next day, he suddenly sent a farewell message. From then on, he blocked and erased me, my whole person seemed to evaporate from the world. I was like a crazy person, running everywhere for him. Even a few minutes ago, I was still texting him, humbly begging to come back. My stiff fingers kept shaking. Tears fell onto the screen, I tried to wipe them away, but accidentally clicked on the video again. Van Van's voice rang out from the phone, sweet as melted candy:

“Where love begins.”

She raised her hand in a V in front of the camera, the background behind her was Giang Tu Nien wear bachelor's robes. Countless memories rushed into my mind. That year, Giang Si Nien had just graduated, and I alone traveled three thousand kilometers to Hong Kong University to find him. Excitedly took out the proposal ring that had been prepared for a long time. He bowed his head again and hugged me with a lonely look:

“A Mien, I want to study for a master's degree, please give me 3 more years, 3 years later we will get married.”

Then 3 years turned into 5 years. He studied from a master's degree to a doctorate. From Hong Kong moved to Beijing. I followed him everywhere, changing countless jobs. Every time I mention marriage. He said to wait a little longer. Waiting for graduation, waiting for a stable job. Waiting until the end, what I received was a farewell message. The comment line running across the screen was filled with heart symbols. The one pinned to the head belongs to Co Xuyen, Giang Tu Nien's good brother:

“From that moment on, I saw that you kid was beyond help.”

Just last week, Co Xuyen texted me:

"Don't worry sister-in-law, Tu Nien is very good at school, I will watch over him for you."

The video moves to the next segment, the scene changes to the beach.

“Fifth time going to Sanya, still as beautiful.”

The two held hands and rode the waves, the lens shook violently, filled with laughter. Giang Tu Nien and I have never traveled together. He's always very busy. Busy working on topics, busy meeting thesis deadlines, busy going to conferences. Every time he broke his promise, he hugged me apologetically:

“Next time, next time I will definitely go.”

There's always next time. The promise of forever can never be fulfilled. They had a candlelit dinner on the beach. Giang Tu Nien peeled shrimp for her and placed them one by one on a plate.

“He peels shrimp very skillfully.”

Van Van boasted in front of the camera:

"I've been with him for 8 years, and I've never had to help myself when eating shrimp."

I bent down to look at my hands, my nails were cut very short. Giang Tu Nien likes to eat shrimp but is too lazy to peel them. Every time I peel them and put them in a bowl for him. The shrimp shells pile up like small mountains. When it was my turn to eat, the plate of food often had only leftovers, and the food had long since cooled. In the video, Giang Tu Nien raised his hand to wipe the sauce stains from the corner of Van Van's mouth.

“Eat quickly, food won't taste good once it's cold.”

It turns out he also knew that cold food wouldn't taste good. It turns out he can also be that considerate. It's just that that person is not me. * Chapter 2 At this moment, the phone rang again. Van Van has just updated a new post. In the video, the room lights are dim and gloomy. Hua Nghien was the first to stand up and cheer:

"Hand over! Hand over!"

Co Xuyen also knocked on the table to help, and the whole room shouted in unison. Van Van blushed and reached around, grabbing Giang Tu Nien's wrist. He bent down to look at her, his eyes tinged with a little red. The two of them slowly raised their glasses, their hands clasped together. Everyone held up their phones to film, the people around them shouted loudly and applauded, Hua Nghien's scream was the shrillest:

“Kiss! Kiss!”

Van Van blushed shyly, stood on tiptoe, and quickly kissed the corner of Giang Tu Nien's lips. The screaming grew louder and louder. Giang Tu Nien raised his hand to hold the back of Van Van's neck, smiled and bowed his head, deepening the kiss. His face was red and drunk, making his eyes and eyebrows become gentle. I've never seen this look before his. Because he never touches a drop of alcohol, not only does he not drink, but the person next to him who drinks will also get angry. He said that if his father drank alcohol, he would abuse the family. He said alcohol was the dirtiest thing in the world. One time when I went to a company party, I couldn't refuse so I took a small sip. That day after work, I bought mouthwash at the convenience store downstairs and rinsed it five times. Stand in the cold wind in front of the apartment door for more than half an hour to let the smell disappear before taking the key to open the door. But Giang Tu Nien still smelled it.