When Zhou Nuan saw Su Xiao, the emotions she had suppressed all afternoon finally erupted.
Seeing her friend in tears, Su Xiao felt uneasy as well.
“What happened, Nuan Nuan? Who bullied you? Tell me, and I’ll handle it for you!” Su Xiao grabbed Zhou Nuan’s hand anxiously.
“No… no one bullied me.” Zhou Nuan shook her head, crying even harder.
“Oh my dear, what on earth happened?” Su Xiao shook Zhou Nuan’s shoulders, looking worried.
After a long while, Zhou Nuan slowly stopped crying and began to recount the afternoon’s events with Li Huanying, her story halting and broken.
“What? Jiang Hao’s mother actually came to see you?” Su Xiao widened her eyes in disbelief.
A chairman of a prominent company bullying a young girl? That was unthinkable!
“She didn’t bully me. She was quite polite when speaking,” Zhou Nuan shook her head. “I’m just upset. Xiao Xiao, I’ve been working so hard, trying to improve myself. So why… why do people still look down on me?”
“Is it my fault that my family background isn’t good?” Zhou Nuan’s eyes were red, tears lingering at the corners.
Su Xiao’s heart ached seeing her like this.
“No, Nuan Nuan, it’s not your fault! You’ve done so well. It’s them who have no eyes and don’t know how to appreciate you,” she comforted softly.
“Believe me, out with the old, in with the new! In the future, you’ll definitely find someone better than Jiang Hao.” She patted Zhou Nuan on the shoulder, speaking earnestly.
“No, I’ll never indulge in foolish dreams again,” Zhou Nuan shook her head firmly. “I’ve decided—I’ll find someone with similar conditions to mine and live a simple, honest life.”
“No, Nuan Nuan! Don’t belittle yourself because of one setback. You deserve better!”
“Come on, girl, cheer up. Smile!” Su Xiao gestured like taking a photo.
“Alright, as you say.” Zhou Nuan laughed, wiping away the remaining traces of tears.
Crying had actually helped—after so long, her heart felt much lighter.
“That’s better!” Su Xiao pinched Zhou Nuan’s cheek. “Let’s go eat something delicious.”
“Wait for me.” Zhou Nuan went to the bathroom, washed her face, changed clothes, and then went downstairs with Su Xiao.
“What do you want to eat?” Su Xiao asked.
“I want hot pot.” Zhou Nuan blurted it out without hesitation.
“Hot pot?” Su Xiao gasped. “Are you sure?”
Eating hot pot in this weather?
“Yes, I want to feel that spicy sweat-dripping experience,” Zhou Nuan admitted shyly, knowing Su Xiao didn’t like spicy food.
“Alright, since you like it, I’ll brave it with you,” Su Xiao said heartily, patting her chest.
“Thank you, Xiao Xiao.” Zhou Nuan felt warmth flood her heart.
“Thank me for what? Who’s who here?” Su Xiao waved her hand.
They found a highly rated hot pot restaurant nearby and ordered a half-and-half pot, considering Su Xiao’s dislike of spicy food.
As the fragrant, spicy food went down, Zhou Nuan felt alive again!
She stuffed herself with various ingredients, her lips red from the heat, forehead glistening with sweat, but her mood had improved.
Turning grief into appetite—that perfectly described her.
“So what are your plans now? What if Jiang Hao comes back to bother you?” Su Xiao asked casually, popping a fish ball into her mouth.
“I’ve already told his mother to manage her son and not to come after me again,” Zhou Nuan sipped her freshly made lemon tea.
“What did she say?”
“What else? She agreed, of course.”
“That’s good. I know Jiang Hao’s temper. Breaking up with him won’t sit well with him. Be prepared—he might still come after you.”
“Mm.” Zhou Nuan nodded. “I saved his mother’s number.” She implied that if Jiang Hao dared to bother her, she would call Li Huanying.
A man who can’t protect her but still harasses her? Why keep him around?
“Nuan Nuan, you really impress me,” Su Xiao said, giving her a thumbs-up.
After finishing their meal, Su Xiao asked, “Nuan Nuan, want to hit a bar tonight to celebrate your freedom?”
“A bar? Better not.” Zhou Nuan shook her head, imagining the noisy crowds and chaos.
“Oh, come on, it’s the weekend. You just broke up—are you going to sit at home sulking?”
“I can study,” Zhou Nuan said sheepishly.
“Study? At a time like this? If you can study now, I’ll write my name on it,” Su Xiao said, unimpressed.
“Then how about KTV instead?”
“KTV?” Zhou Nuan’s eyes lit up. That was a good idea.
“Let’s go.” Seeing Zhou Nuan didn’t oppose, Su Xiao took her hand.
The two girls went to a nearby KTV, booked a small room, and ordered snacks and half a keg of beer.
They grabbed the microphones and sang like no one was watching.
“Don’t pile on nostalgia, make the story melodramatic; after years of deep love, why ruin the classic…” Zhou Nuan first sang Yu Wenwen’s Dignity, the theme of the movie Ex-File 3, fitting her current mood perfectly.
“The familiar streets, but the lead has changed, I cried until choked, pain like breaking free. Too late for a grand finale, just preserve the dignity of farewell.” Tears streamed down her face as the afternoon’s conversation with Li Huanying resurfaced.
“Just consider it the last trace of dignity I allow myself.”
Yes, small as she was, humble as she was, facing a formidable opponent, powerless. The only thing she could do was preserve her own fragile dignity.
“Nuan Nuan.” Su Xiao walked over and gently hugged her.
Others might not know, but as her best friend, she could see that Zhou Nuan had truly been hurt this time.
“Stop singing sad songs. Let’s sing something happy, something fun.” Su Xiao stood and queued up Happy Breakup.
“Happy breakup, wishing you joy, may you find someone better…” The exaggerated singing and playful expressions instantly made Zhou Nuan laugh.
“That’s right, Nuan Nuan, you look beautiful when you smile.” Su Xiao made a silly face.
“Cheers to a happy breakup!” Su Xiao raised her beer, clinking it with Zhou Nuan’s.
They sang for two to three hours, covering nearly all the popular songs of the moment.
After leaving the KTV, Su Xiao accompanied a slightly tipsy Zhou Nuan to her apartment building.
“Nuan Nuan, do you want me to stay with you tonight?” she asked considerately.
“No need.” Zhou Nuan shook her head. “It’s late, you should rest.”