Though Liang Yufeng was usually a man of few words, he was friendly to others. He would respond when spoken to. However, after this incident, he became considerably more aloof. Even his roommates, who came to express their concern, were ignored. Some girls who had a crush on him, upon learning of his breakup with Lan Lan, tried to show their affection, but Liang Yufeng paid them no mind.
Everyone could see the immense blow he had suffered in his relationship with Lan Lan. Consequently, those around Liang Yufeng developed a negative opinion of Lan Lan. His close friend, Xie Feng, who was also his roommate and classmate, had witnessed the entirety of his "love" for Lan Lan. Liang Yufeng had been so devoted to Lan Lan that he had told Xie Feng more than once that they would get married after graduation.
Xie Feng had never doubted Lan Lan's intentions. He assumed that if Lan Lan had chosen Liang Yufeng among her many suitors, she must have recognized his exceptional qualities and also wanted a future with him. To his surprise, the two separated after less than a semester.
One day, during a large professional class, Xie Feng and Liang Yufeng arrived at the classroom and happened to see a senior student talking and laughing with Lan Lan. That senior student was interested in Lan Lan and was now making a comeback, seemingly pursuing her, and Lan Lan showed no signs of rejection.
Xie Feng glanced at Liang Yufeng. He remained expressionless, as if nothing could affect his emotions. It wasn't until midway through the class that Xie Feng noticed Liang Yufeng's hands were covered in blood. He didn't know when Liang Yufeng had grabbed a piece of glass, and his skin was already unrecognizable.
Xie Feng was terrified and raised his hand to tell the teacher, "Professor, he's injured. I'll take him to the infirmary."
The professor agreed, and Xie Feng, without further ado, took Liang Yufeng away.
"What's wrong with Liang Yufeng?" Lin Mei looked towards the door, catching sight of the blood on Liang Yufeng's hand, and was frightened. "His hands are covered in blood..."
Lin Mei was not the only one who saw it. After this commotion, many people began to discuss, "Did Liang Yufeng break up and try to harm himself because he couldn't cope?"
"I think so. He's like a different person. It's really scary."
"I knew he and Lan Lan wouldn't have a good outcome. How could someone like Lan Lan like him?"
These words reached Lan Lan's ears. She rolled her eyes, "What's it to me?"
"But Liang Yufeng really has become a different person after breaking up with you," Lin Mei said. Although she didn't agree with the other comments, this one was accurate.
"Even if that's the case, it's not my fault. It's just that his ability to cope with setbacks is too poor," Lan Lan said dismissively. It was just a relationship, just a breakup. Who couldn't live without whom?
She was naturally freedom-loving, and no relationship could bind her. Many people said she toyed with Liang Yufeng, but when she was with Liang Yufeng, she had given him her true feelings. It was just that feelings had a shelf life.
After breaking up with Liang Yufeng, Lan Lan often heard people speaking up for him. There were even girls who were interested in Liang Yufeng who would make veiled insults towards her. And she was never one to passively accept such treatment. If others insulted her, she never endured it.
However, Lan Lan did not hate Liang Yufeng because of this. It was just that they no longer had any contact. Their first year of university ended in this atmosphere.
Lan Lan spent the entire summer enjoying her single life. After school started, she began dating the senior student who had been pursuing her. She was open about her relationships and never deliberately hid them from others. The senior student was in his third year, so he had fewer classes and spent all his time with her.
During the National Day holiday, Lan Lan signed up for the school's camping club and went with the senior student. The two were in the throes of passion. After setting up their tent at the campsite, they kissed each other without regard for the occasion.
The senior student played basketball and had excellent stamina. Lan Lan jumped up, and he lifted her by her hips. Her legs wrapped around him, and they kissed passionately, unable to separate. After the kiss, Lan Lan realized that Liang Yufeng was standing opposite them.
She didn't know when he had appeared or how long he had been watching. Although Lan Lan was thick-skinned, being intimate with her current boyfriend and being seen by her ex made her feel uncomfortable. So, she went into the tent with the senior student.
Liang Yufeng stood frozen, watching the tent flap close, his eyes bloodshot and veins bulging on his forehead.
It had only been a few months since their breakup, and she already had a new lover, while he was still unable to move on from the memories. The way she had kissed the senior student just now was a posture they had used before.
The first time he had lifted her like that, she had joked with him, "I didn't expect you to have such good stamina. I wouldn't have guessed."
He had leaned close to her ear and whispered, "There are many things you wouldn't guess."
Then, scenes of their passionate love life flashed through his mind. At that time, neither of them had any experience; they could be considered to have "progressed hand in hand."
They had "explored" together, and now the "results" were being used by her on someone else.
He was consumed by jealousy, yet powerless. He began to understand that she was a bird longing to soar, a fish yearning to return to the sea. He couldn't confine her, and no one could. Even if she was passionately involved with the senior student at the moment, they would eventually separate.
During those few days of camping, Liang Yufeng, as if self-torturing, always hid in the shadows, watching Lan Lan and the senior student being intimate, enduring the torment but unable to stop himself.
As Liang Yufeng had predicted, this relationship between Lan Lan and the senior student did not last long. During the New Year's Day holiday, the two broke up.
Liang Yufeng found out from Lan Lan's social media. She posted a photo of herself with Lin Mei and Feng Feng, along with pictures of them eating out and shopping, captioned, "Are relationships as good as sisters?"
A mutual friend commented, asking her, "Broke up?"
She casually replied, "Yep."
Liang Yufeng laughed mockingly. It was as he expected; no one could keep her. The New Year had arrived. Last New Year's Day, they had just started dating a few days prior. This New Year's Day, she had already broken up with another boyfriend.
She would never stay for anyone; he was no different from others.
The previous New Year, they had spent it in a hotel, with their affectionate presence in every corner. Meeting her had felt like opening a new world, like a chronically ill person finally finding a cure. He craved it intensely, unable to stop himself, believing he could possess it forever. But that cure no longer belonged to him.
This New Year's Day, Liang Yufeng returned to his apartment to spend it with his mother, Jiang Wan. Jiang Wan was not in good health and often became confused. While mother and son were having their reunion dinner, his biological father, Xu Zhengxi, suddenly showed up.
The last time Liang Yufeng had seen him was after the college entrance examination. At that time, he had wanted to send him abroad to study, but Liang Yufeng had refused. He had no good feelings towards this father by blood.
However, Jiang Wan was very fond of him. Upon seeing him, she was overjoyed and added an extra place setting for him to join them for dinner.
After dinner, Xu Zhengxi asked to speak with Liang Yufeng alone. The father and son stood on the apartment balcony as snowflakes began to fall outside.
As Liang Yufeng gazed into the distance, he heard Xu Zhengxi say, "I want to groom you to be my heir."