Chapter 2

Zhao Linlin now lives in a rented house with a colleague, Zhang Ting, not far from Liu Meng's dormitory at his workplace.

After locking the door, Liu Meng rode his old, dilapidated bicycle from school, heading to where Zhao Linlin lived at a steady pace. The bicycle, which he had ridden for three years, groaned with each pedal.

He arrived soon, parked the bike to the side, and carefully locked it. Only then did he calmly and in one breath climb to the fourth floor.

This was a multi-story building from over ten years ago, with four households per floor. Two of the households had their exhaust fans facing the stairs, filling the entire staircase with the smell of cooking oil. The rent here was 2,800 yuan per month, and Zhao Linlin had complained to Liu Meng many times about not wanting to live here. Liu Meng had to use kind words to persuade her.

Knock, knock, knock, he knocked on the door.

After a while, a voice came from inside, "Who is it?"

The voice was lazy, and Liu Meng knew it was Zhao Linlin's roommate, Zhang Ting. This woman was very seductive, often bringing different men back to spend the night, and had even tried to seduce Liu Meng. Liu Meng was very dissatisfied with her and worried about Zhao Linlin's safety, but he had no other place to live.

This also led to a constant conflict between Liu Meng and Zhang Ting, with a very poor relationship. Zhao Linlin's decision to break up this time was likely influenced by Zhang Ting's constant bad-mouthing and stirring up trouble. Otherwise, it would have been hard for Zhao Linlin to let go of their relationship.

"It's me! Liu Meng," Liu Meng said firmly.

"Linlin doesn't want to see you, go away quickly," Zhang Ting said with obvious impatience.

Knock, knock, knock, he continued to knock. At this point, Liu Meng was already somewhat angry. Zhang Ting had said many bad things about him to Zhao Linlin, and since they started living together, Liu Meng and Zhao Linlin had argued much more than before.

It had to be said, this woman was very cunning and two-faced. She often took care of Zhao Linlin, asking about her well-being and showing concern, but would occasionally say things like, "Oh, you're just too lenient with your boyfriend, Liu Meng. How can a boyfriend be like that? Look at how good other boyfriends are..."

With a bang, Zhang Ting forcefully pulled open the door. Liu Meng saw her with an angry face, wearing a cute pink pajama with a low neckline, revealing a half-circle of skin, not large but just right.

It had to be said, this seductive woman indeed had the charm to attract men.

However, Liu Meng had no time to appreciate the scene. Zhang Ting angrily said, "I told you Linlin doesn't want to see you. It's late, why are you knocking so much? Can't you let people sleep?"

Without wasting words, Liu Meng rushed forward, pushing aside Zhang Ting's arm blocking the door, and quickly rushed into the house.

Zhang Ting let out a cry, almost falling, revealing more of her attractive figure. She shouted, "What's wrong with you? You deserve to be dumped."

Inside the house, Liu Meng wanted to go directly to Zhao Linlin's room but found it locked. He paused for a moment, then called out, "Linlin, it's me. Open the door, I have something to say to you."

Zhang Ting tidied her clothes, but the neckline was still very low, revealing even more. She put her hands on her hips and shouted angrily, "Do you have any shame? Linlin said she doesn't want to see you. Get out of here quickly."

"My relationship with Linlin is none of your business. You're just meddling. Are you so desperate for a man?" Liu Meng slammed the table in the living room, losing his temper. As a roommate, she didn't try to make things better but instead made them worse.

Zhang Ting was clearly startled but quickly recovered. Her personality was bold and aggressive, and Liu Meng couldn't scare her. She pointed at Liu Meng and started to scold him.

"This is my place, who do you think you are? You're knocking on the door and slamming the table in my house. Get out of here, or I'll call the police," Zhang Ting threatened.

"Go ahead and call the police," Liu Meng was also angered by this shameless woman.

The two were at an impasse, and Zhang Ting picked up the phone to call.

At this moment, Zhao Linlin's door opened. Liu Meng's heart leaped with joy, and he was about to go in, but he saw a man behind Zhao Linlin, dressed nicely and with a pleasant appearance. However, seeing him, Liu Meng felt a sharp pain in his heart.

Has Zhao Linlin already found a new love? So quickly!

He quickly calmed down. It's impossible! He knew Zhao Linlin well; she was not such a woman. Although she was sometimes lively, she was fundamentally very traditional.

The two entered the living room. Zhang Ting, seeing them come out, looked at Liu Meng with a smug expression and said to the man behind Zhao Linlin, "Qian Shou, you came just in time. This guy broke into our house in the middle of the night. Help us get rid of him."

Qian Shou walked up, half a head taller than Liu Meng, who was already 178 cm tall. Qian Shou must have been over 185 cm, with well-defined muscles. He said menacingly, "Get out of here, or I won't be gentle."

He waved his fist threateningly.

Liu Meng's lips curled into a faint sneer. Could such a person scare him? What a joke! He completely ignored Qian Shou and kept staring at Zhao Linlin, trying to read her expression. Zhao Linlin just had a cold face, and her indifference hurt Liu Meng a little.

Seeing that Liu Meng completely ignored him, Qian Shou, who wanted to show off in front of Zhao Linlin, was very unhappy and grabbed Liu Meng's collar.

Liu Meng's anger also flared up, and he punched Qian Shou's nose directly. Qian Shou felt a sharp pain, and tears welled up in his eyes, making him feel very embarrassed. He quickly recovered, and the two started to fight, making a mess of the living room.

Zhao Linlin tried to stop them, but two big men were not something a weak woman like her could separate. She said to Zhang Ting, who was watching, "Come and help."

Zhang Ting then pretended to help, but she mostly helped Qian Shou. She had long been annoyed with Liu Meng. Since the last time he rejected her advances, he always looked at her with disdain. She thought, "You two are just a campus love story, always looking down on me. I'll make sure to break you up."

"Stop it!" After trying to separate them for a while, Zhao Linlin also got angry and shouted.

This worked, and Liu Meng and Qian Shou separated. Qian Shou, who had been standing up, still glared at Liu Meng. It was clear that he had been at a disadvantage, which made him very unhappy. His previous cool demeanor was gone, and there were still marks of Liu Meng's punch on his face.

Liu Meng's clothes were also disheveled, and his eyes were swollen.

Over the past few years, after finishing his research at night, Liu Meng had always insisted on running for half an hour, keeping his physical condition in good shape. Otherwise, his body would have been worn out long ago.

"Liu Meng, is it so hard for you to get along with the people around me? Your old school friend didn't like you, and now Tingting is also against you. You even fought with my colleague. Please, can you stop being so arrogant and condescending?"

Zhao Linlin said, feeling bitter. Her tone was heavy, and she knew that saying this was somewhat unfair to Liu Meng.

If possible, she didn't want to break up with Liu Meng.

She still loved him deeply. He was her first love, her first and only man.

"Linlin, I know it's my fault. I've neglected you, but all of this will pass soon. In the future, I will make it up to you," Liu Meng said in a deep voice, never looking at Zhang Ting or Qian Shou.

Zhao Linlin also knew that although Liu Meng was somewhat arrogant, he genuinely loved her. He had achieved excellent results and made significant contributions to his research, making him very attractive at school.

Back then, she was moved by Liu Meng's dedication to studying in the library, admiring his relentless efforts and falling in love with him without any ulterior motives.

When they started dating, her parents heard about Liu Meng's family situation and opposed it. Her father said, "Lingling, you are our treasure. We always want to give you the best life and not let you suffer. Following him won't be as good as staying at home. We feel very sad."

She was once very determined, believing that Liu Meng had great potential and that she wanted to be the woman behind a successful man. However, she was already 25, suddenly feeling that she was no longer young, and the pressure was overwhelming. Listening to her colleagues talk about their family lives and plans to have children, she felt left out and had shared her feelings with Liu Meng.

However, he was always so busy, even on weekends, making it hard for them to see each other. All she could do was wait for him.

Thinking about it, perhaps if they broke up, Liu Meng wouldn't have to work so hard and wouldn't be under so much pressure, always tinkering with circuit boards and thinking about how to succeed. He was too tired. Perhaps breaking up would be good for both of them. He would definitely succeed, and when that time came, he could find any girl he wanted.

It should have been me who accompanied him, Zhao Linlin thought, feeling a deep sense of bitterness. She firmly interrupted Liu Meng, "Don't say anything more. I've waited for six years and don't want to continue waiting. You've seen that I have a new boyfriend. We're over. Go away."

Although Liu Meng didn't believe Zhao Linlin's words, hearing them still felt like a heavy blow to his heart, making him dizzy and overwhelmed with a sense of pain he had never felt before.

He felt that if he stayed any longer, he would break down.

He forced himself to endure the pain, determined not to cry, as it would be a sign of weakness. He forced a smile and said, "Linlin, I know what kind of person you are. Don't use these words to敷衍 me! Over the years, we've loved and hurt each other, laughed and cried together, walked through every corner of the campus, watched sunrises, and waited for sunsets. There are so many beautiful memories we share. I've always been moved by your presence by my side, making me feel loved. I've always wanted to tell you these things but was afraid you'd think I was too sentimental. Thank you."

After saying this, Liu Meng quickly walked out, down the stairs.

The moment Liu Meng turned to leave, Zhao Linlin's tears fell like a flood, uncontrollable. They had argued and talked about breaking up before, but only at this moment did she realize that their relationship was truly over. This memory, which carried her entire beautiful youth, was everywhere on the university campus.

"Linlin, don't cry..." Qian Shou said.

"You go away too. I don't want to see you. Don't waste your efforts; I won't be your girlfriend," Zhao Linlin said and went into her room, closing the door.

Qian Shou looked at the closed door, feeling dazed. He really liked Zhao Linlin. He had liked her since he first saw her at work. This girl was full of spirit and very smart, so he decided to pursue her.

After some effort, he finally got Zhang Ting's phone number, first winning over this friend and roommate, and then gradually getting closer to Zhao Linlin.

"Oh, don't be in a hurry. Our Linlin just dumped that poor Ph.D. student. She can't immediately be with you. Give it a few days to calm down. It can't be rushed," Zhang Ting said with a coquettish laugh, lightly patting Qian Shou's chest and helping to tidy his disheveled collar.

Qian Shou also laughed, grabbing Zhang Ting's smooth, jade-like hand and said, "I still need to trouble Sister Tingting to speak well of me. I'll deliver the afternoon tea on time tomorrow."

Zhang Ting, whose hand was being held, pretended to resist but slightly pulled back, giggling, "You're the best, Shou Shou. Linlin is so lucky. Why don't I have such a good man chasing me?"

Even when expressing her feelings, her eyes were filled with seductive charm, looking at Qian Shou with a watery gaze. Qian Shou was startled, thinking, "This woman is too seductive. I really want to put her on the bed, but my rationality tells me that I can't. It would be a waste of effort, and I would lose both women. I can't play with fire. Such a woman can never be my wife."

He quickly let go of Zhang Ting's hand.