Susu wrapped her arms around his waist. Seeing that he still had no intention of continuing, she became both embarrassed and annoyed: "You're too bad."
After that day, Susu became even more attached to Chen Ming. After class, she would go find him, hug her books, and sit beside his study seat. Even if her water cup was empty, she would act spoiled and ask him to refill it. When the evening breeze blew, she would tuck her hand into his palm, as if finding a place of security. Chen Ming would complain that she was clingy, but his eyes were full of satisfaction—being pestered by such a pretty and well-behaved junior sister made him the envy of many boys.
Chen Ming was at the top of his class, but Susu struggled with her major courses. For three years, he almost taught her lesson by lesson and guided her through problem after problem. Susu was a young girl who knew how to coax people. Not only did Chen Ming not feel it was a chore to help her with her studies, but he also doted on her more and more.
After Chen Ming graduated from undergrad, he was admitted to Peking University's Guanghua School of Management to pursue a master's degree in finance. He had originally planned for them to study abroad together after Susu graduated from undergrad. However, Susu wanted to finish her studies sooner. Although her academic performance was decent with Chen Ming's guidance, studying mathematics was always extremely draining for her.
During Susu's senior year, she secured an internship opportunity in risk control modeling at a major bank in Beijing. After graduation, she was successfully hired full-time and joined the risk management department. Chen Ming gave up his plans to study abroad for her. He graduated in the same year as Susu and also entered Beijing's finance industry, though his starting salary was significantly higher than Susu's.
During the three years they were together, Chen Ming's parents had met Susu several times and were very satisfied with her, always hoping Chen Ming would settle down with her soon. After graduation, the two of them moved into the house Chen Ming's parents had bought in Beijing.
In Beijing in August, the asphalt road steamed with a caramel scent. Susu was smart, capable, and had a cheerful and generous personality. In less than a month after joining the company, she had gotten along well with everyone in her department. One day, she was sitting at her workstation typing code when she casually looked up—and saw a male colleague walking in. The man was tall and slender, with a high nose bridge, sharp eyebrows, and a chiseled face that was particularly handsome in profile. His light blue shirt was crisp, and his dark red striped tie was neatly fastened, exuding a calm aura within his clean and neat appearance. Upon closer inspection, his appearance and demeanor were almost as dazzling as a celebrity's.
Susu's fingertips paused on the keyboard, her gaze locked onto him, unable to look away for a long time. When she came to her senses, her heart had already unconsciously quickened. She leaned down and quietly asked the colleague at the next desk, "Don't be too obvious, who is that talking to the manager right now?"
The colleague turned his head slightly, took a look, leaned over, and also lowered his voice to reply, "He's the Deputy General Manager Xin from the Private Banking Sales department..." She paused, then added with a slight smile, "His academic background is average, but he's indeed very handsome, and his business performance is very stable. Many women in the company like him, it's just that... he seems to have a girlfriend."
Susu was originally an emotionally stable person, her mood not easily swayed. But after meeting Xin Che that day, everything changed. She couldn't quite explain the feeling, but every day after entering the company, a string in her mind would pull her, making her unconsciously pay attention to his movements. She always found various opportunities just to catch a glimpse of him from afar. Occasionally, when he came to the risk control department to discuss business, her heart would tighten as if being pulled, and she wouldn't know where to look.
In the evening, when Susu returned home, Chen Ming would cook for her and gently massage her shoulders. She would also laugh and chat as usual, going along with all the daily routines of their life. However, in the dead of night, thoughts of Xin Che would often trouble her heart. Even during intimate moments, she would occasionally drift off, her eyes looking at Chen Ming, but her mind wandering to another man.
One night in September, she responded to his kiss as usual. His hands slowly moved, his lips and tongue occasionally brushing against her neck, then winding around her ear. He was doing all the things she usually enjoyed, yet her breathing was steady, her body neither resisting nor responding much.
At their first encounter, her fingertips involuntarily tightened, and she let out a soft hum, her eyes looking at the ceiling, as if trapped in another space.
Chen Ming noticed and softly asked, "What's wrong?"
Susu then looked at him and, after a moment of silence, said, "Let's break up."
Chen Ming was stunned and stopped, asking, "Why?"
"No reason, it's not your fault." After saying this, she instead reached out to hug his waist, gently pulling him closer, and took the initiative to kiss him, as if to complete a gentle farewell.
Chen Ming, however, was no longer in the mood to continue. He moved away, leaned beside her, and tentatively asked, "Have you fallen for someone else?"
Susu replied, "I'm not sure."
Chen Ming didn't press further. After a while, he got up, dressed, packed a few things, and left the home they had lived in together for several months.
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