Chapter 1: Reunion
The four years Xu Wanning spent with Chi Yao were the happiest of her life.
After they broke up...
Xu Wanning cried for five years.
She didn’t cry every day, but whenever she thought of Chi Yao, a heavy rain seemed to fall in her heart. It was damp and depressing, and her eyes would invariably grow wet.
She never imagined that she would ever encounter Chi Yao again in this lifetime.
It happened at a dinner hosted by Bai Xu.
As soon as she stepped into the bustling, noisy private room, her gaze landed precisely on a familiar side profile.
In that instant, her heart hammered like thunder, catching her completely off guard and sending a tsunami of emotion surging through her.
Everything around her lost its sound and color.
Only Chi Yao remained in her vision.
He was dressed in a white shirt and black trousers. His build was tall and sturdy, his aura noble and elegant, carrying a faint touch of aloofness. His handsome profile was nothing short of breathtaking.
He was looking down at his phone.
Memories overlapped in a dazethat vibrant, warm, sunshiny boy who always had a smile on his face. It felt as if it were only yesterday that he had held her close, leaning down to coo at her, “Ningning, kiss me.”
But it wasn’t yesterday. It had been five years.
It felt like a lifetime ago...
Her fingertips trembled slightly as a sharp, sour ache spread through her. Her eyes grew moist. She didn’t have the courage to face him again; she wanted to run...
She hesitated, then turned in a panic to leave.
“Xu Wanning...” Bai Xu called out to her. “You just got here. Why are you leaving already?”
Xu Wanning’s footsteps faltered, her hand freezing on the door handle.
In the room, almost everyone turned to look at her.
Only Chi Yao, whose thumb had been sliding across his screen, came to a sudden halt. He didn’t react further, remaining perfectly still.
Xu Wanning let out a heavy breath, her chest feeling so tight she could hardly breathe.
Meeting a first love was both awkward and embarrassing.
Moreover, their breakup had been incredibly ugly.
“Come in, Huihui will be here any minute,” Bai Xu urged.
Shen Hui was her childhood friend and best friend. Last month, she had gone on a blind date with Bai Xu and fallen in love at first sight. Their relationship had developed rapidly.
Their passion was overwhelming, and the wedding had been set for the middle of next month.
Today’s dinner was a chance for both sides to bring their best friends together, to get acquainted and discuss the performances for the wedding.
According to Shen Hui, she wanted the bridesmaids and groomsmen to dance while the bride and groom sang a love song on stage.
Unless the friendship was incredibly deep, no one would be willing to make a fool of themselves like that.
After gathering her resolve for a long moment, Xu Wanning turned and walked toward them.
Bai Xu met her halfway, placing a hand near her backthough not touching her, maintaining a polite distanceand gestured for her to take an empty seat on the women’s side.
As soon as she sat down, she saw a bright and beautiful woman sitting next to Chi Yao.
Su Yueyue, Chi Yao’s childhood friend.
Back when she was dating Chi Yao, Su Yueyue had always been hostile toward her.
Now, Su Yueyue’s gaze was exceptionally unfriendly, making no effort to hide her disgust. “Wait... Brother Xu, can just any piece of trash be a bridesmaid these days?”
The room fell into a shocked silence.
Even Bai Xu was stunned.
Even among friends, he had never heard anyone speak so harshly or cruelly.
Everyone’s eyes turned toward Su Yueyue.
Xu Wanning knew Su Yueyue was insulting her. Her heart twinged with a hint of humiliation, and her gaze shifted to Chi Yao.
Chi Yao kept his eyes down, staring at his phone as if none of this concerned him.
His sharp features were cold and stoic. The bright light fell on his short hair, casting faint shadows and surrounding him with an aura of detachment that warned others to stay away.
One of the other girls spoke up, clearly annoyed. “Who are you talking about?”
Su Yueyue’s attitude remained arrogant. “Xu Wanning knows exactly who I’m talking about.”
The group’s gaze swung back to Xu Wanning.
Xu Wanning was the kind of woman whose beauty was understated, like a rare bellflower hidden deep in a valley. Her silky black hair was tied back, and she possessed a clean, pure aura. Although she was a public interest lawyer, she looked gentle and kind, projecting a sense of peaceful indifference to the world.
In reality, those who knew her were well aware that her personality was a sharp contrast to her appearance.
Everyone was curious about what kind of grudge existed between them that Su Yueyue would call Xu Wanning “trash” the moment they met.
Being called trash, Xu Wanning should have been angry and fought back.
But she knew Su Yueyue was speaking up for Chi Yao.
In a way, the insult wasn’t wrong.
Compared to Chi Yao, she really was trash.
Bai Xu looked embarrassed. “Oh, so you two already know each other? Xu Wanning is my wife’s best friend. Please, give me some face. Whatever happened in the past, let’s settle it with three drinks tonight and make peace, alright?”
Su Yueyue sneered. “I don’t have a grudge against her. I just don’t know this kind of cheating woman. Brother Yao is the one who has a score to settle with her. You’ll have to ask him if he’s willing to make peace.”
A cheating woman?
The relationships were becoming increasingly complicated. Bai Xu’s face stiffened with awkwardness as he forced a smile. “Ah-Yao, do you know Xu Wanning?”
What he really wanted to ask was: Did Xu Wanning cheat on you?
Xu Wanning hid her hands under the table, clenching them into tight fists. In the few seconds she waited for Chi Yao to speak, she was more nervous than she had been during the college entrance exams.
It felt as if the air had turned thin, crushed by an invisible pressure.
Having been called out, Chi Yao could no longer ignore the situation.
He slowly set down his phone and looked up slightly at Xu Wanning.
The man’s dark pupils were like winter frostcold, sharp, and carrying an inscrutable distance.
“I don’t know her,” he said, his voice deep and devoid of warmth.
That single sentenceI don’t know herfelt like a physical blow to Xu Wanning’s heart. She trembled with pain and was simultaneously swallowed by a wave of desolation.
As their gazes met, Xu Wanning’s eyes burned. She felt an impulse to cry, which she fought back with everything she had. Her fists shook with the effort as she quickly lowered her head.
It was too much to bear. She wanted to leave.
The atmosphere grew heavy. Everyone present was an adult; they could read the emotions and expressions well enough to sense the underlying tension.
Bai Xu broke the stalemate. “Since we’ve gathered the bridesmaids and groomsmen today, I hope everyone can get to know each other and get along. To speed things up, let’s play a game before dinner.”
For a group of young people, there was no better game to break the ice and get everyone into the mood than Truth or Dare.
“I’ll go first...” Bai Xu took out a wine bottle, placed it in the center of the round table, and gave it a hard spin.
Except for Xu Wanning, almost every girl hoped it would point to Chi Yao.
The spinning bottle gradually slowed down.
Living up to everyone’s expectations, the group cheered excitedly. “It’s Ah-Yao! Truth or dare?”
Chi Yao’s expression was calm. He had no intention of revealing his inner thoughts to anyone. “Dare.”
Bai Xu drew a slip of paper and said in surprise, “Kiss a lady present through a tissue for two minutes.”
Chi Yao frowned, his handsome face darkening.
Xu Wanning’s hands gripped her trousers tighter, her knuckles turning white as a bitter ache filled her chest.
She felt like she was masochistic, staying here to endure this torture. Her urge to leave reached its peak.
Su Yueyue pulled out a tissue, her face blooming with a smile. “The rest of you don’t stand a chance. Brother Yao will definitely kiss me.”
With that, she pressed the tissue to her lips and leaned toward Chi Yao.
