Chen Fangli stood in front of the car, looking at Xu Yingchun’s conflicted and hesitant expression, and smiled lightly, “Alright, go ahead and say it. What exactly is making you so conflicted?”

His fingers scratched the edge of his shirt pocket, feeling that his craving for cigarettes seemed to have flared up. He had actually only smoked for a while about half a year ago, but quit soon after. He didn’t get addicted, and it wasn’t difficult to throw away this thing. But for some reason, he felt his throat itching badly now.

Just now, when he was standing at the door, he had indeed heard Yao Yue’s shout, but he didn’t quite believe it, or rather, he was unwilling to believe it in his heart. Wang Zhao was a person who was hard to approach. He couldn’t imagine what kind of person could make Wang Zhao accept marriage, and in such a short time. Even now, he was unwilling to believe that Wang Zhao no longer liked him, no longer loved him.

Back in the private room, he had checked Wang Zhao’s WeChat Moments. She hadn’t posted any updates for several months. It was like it had fallen into a dead zone. Since the breakup, he had no other channels to learn about Wang Zhao’s recent situation.

At this moment, Chen Fangli seemed to have returned to that period half a year ago, his whole being falling into the quagmire again, as if repeating the same mistake. Only this time, it wouldn’t be so easy to get out.

Perhaps last time he hadn’t really gotten out either. It was just that at that time, he was confident that with Wang Zhao’s personality, she wouldn’t quickly like the next person. She was actually quite slow to warm up, and there were very few people who could adapt to and understand her. Chen Fangli thought that at least before he returned to the country, they still had a chance.

It was this possibility that had allowed him to endure these six months.

Xu Yingchun rubbed her nose, looking at the sky outside. After finishing the meal, it was already evening. Now was the time for young people’s nightlife. The outdoor food stalls had been set up, and the night in Jiang City had always had a lively atmosphere.

“It’s just that I don’t know how to start. It’s not a big deal…” Xu Yingchun tried her best to downplay the matter. “Your return is quite timely. Wang Zhao has registered for marriage, just a few days ago. They say the wedding will be held next month. It’s quite a coincidence, I saw her at the hospital last time and only found out you two had broken up after chatting for a bit. So it’s good that you didn’t know about this today, saves you from embarrassment.”

Xu Yingchun said this to Chen Fangli while turning her body sideways. She didn’t dare to look at his expression and eyes, fearing she might see him lose composure. She wasn’t actually good at comforting people, especially not knowing how to comfort men. This was the downside of dating classmates. If there was a good outcome in the future, it would be fine. But without a good outcome, it would be very awkward.

There were only about thirty people in a class, seeing each other all the time. Everyone was in the same circle, and they might even meet in the same courtroom in the future. Thinking about it made it even more awkward.

But after she finished this long speech and turned sideways for a while, she didn’t hear the young man beside her speak. She couldn’t help but look up, only to find that Chen Fangli’s face showed no expression at all. He was just staring blankly at one spot. For a moment, Xu Yingchun couldn’t tell what he was thinking.

This person looked too calm. Could it be that he really had no feelings left? Xu Yingchun’s mind started to wander with wild thoughts.

But subconsciously, she felt something wasn’t quite right. Chen Fangli’s expression was too calm, a calmness that was eerily unsettling. Only Wang Zhao could handle such a man. For some reason, when facing Chen Fangli, Xu Yingchun always felt involuntarily inferior.

Under Xu Yingchun’s gaze, Chen Fangli smiled calmly, “You go find them first. I’ll leave now.”

He opened the car door, wanting to get in, but Xu Yingchun grabbed his arm, saying in one breath, “This is the passenger seat. You opened the wrong door.”

Chen Fangli lowered his hand, seeming suddenly defeated by Xu Yingchun’s words. His whole being displayed an indescribable desolation.

Xu Yingchun rubbed her nose, poked her glasses frame, and couldn’t help but sigh inwardly several times. Looking at the person in front of her, she didn’t know where to start. In this situation, she didn’t dare let Chen Fangli drive alone.

“It’s been half a year since you broke up. You know Wang Zhao. Since she’s made up her mind to register for marriage, it means she approves of this person, has already taken him under her wing.” Xu Yingchun said with a straight face, doing the job of a psychological counselor. “Besides, as the saying goes, it’s hard to find a three-legged frog, but there are plenty of women with two legs in this world.”

“Wang Zhao is neither cold nor warm to deal with. Just a pretty face, nothing much to miss.” It seemed that after every breakup, when being comforted, everyone had to say a few bad things about their ex. Xu Yingchun could only take advantage of Wang Zhao’s absence to heap on free disparagement, trying to make Chen Fangli feel a little better.

Sigh, after all, it was a seven or eight-year relationship. Ending just like that, no one could accept it easily. Xu Yingchun could understand. It seemed that no matter how rational a person was, when it came to matters of the heart, they would become a mess.

Chen Fangli leaned against the car, his fingers fumbling in his pocket, only to find nothing there, naturally not the thing he wanted at the moment.

He suddenly remembered that he had quit for a long time. All the cigarettes at home had been thrown away. He knew Wang Zhao didn’t like people who smoked, but during that period right after the breakup, he hated that woman so much that he tried to break through the shackles she had put on him, deliberately trying some things she didn’t like.

But after trying, there was only endless emptiness. None of these things could make him feel any better. Only smoking could momentarily ease his emotions.

So Chen Fangli glanced at Xu Yingchun and asked lightly, “Got any cigarettes?”

Xu Yingchun was shocked. What had this person learned abroad? He used to be such a good student, a handsome and upright young man. How did he pick up such a bad habit?

She shook her head, about to say no, but meeting Chen Fangli’s gaze, the words of refusal got stuck in her throat. She sighed and still handed over the cigarettes from her pocket.

Actually, Xu Yingchun wasn’t a smoker either. She just always kept a pack on her, just in case. She just didn’t expect this “just in case” would be used on Chen Fangli.

Chen Fangli skillfully took the lighter and cigarette, lit one and put it in his mouth, taking a deep drag. Only the hand hidden in his sleeve was trembling slightly.

Seeing his skillful gesture, Xu Yingchun suddenly felt the person in front of her seemed split from that previously refined and elegant young man. She frowned slightly and still said, “Cigarettes are not good for you. You should smoke less.”

“If they’re not good, why do you carry them?” Chen Fangli’s eyes were shrouded in the hazy evening light and white smoke, like a lingering shadow that would never dissipate from his heart.

Xu Yingchun didn’t mind much: “It’s just that work requires meeting some people. It’s better to be prepared. Sometimes it’s because of these little details that you can make a connection. For us common folks, it’s not easy making a living in this big city.”

She carried the smoothness and worldliness common to modern social people.

Chen Fangli didn’t care, just lightly asked, “Is that so?”

Xu Yingchun also didn’t mind his casual response, and smiled, “Of course. It’s not easy making a living in any industry.”

After she said this, silence fell between the two. The cigarette between Chen Fangli’s index and middle fingers had also burned to its end. Only then did he slowly speak, his voice a bit hoarse: “Who… is the person with Wang Zhao?”

“Someone from the industry or an outsider?”

He finally asked this question.