Chapter 1 The Concert Shoulder
When I heard Chi Wen was getting engaged, I really froze.
Even though I had long prepared myself for the possibility that he would end up with someone else, when the day actually came, I found I still couldn’t convince myself it was okay.
Maybe because we had spent more time together recently, it had given my long-unrequited feelings a tiny spark of hope.
After all, not long ago we had gone to a concert together.
But honestly, that day didn’t seem to go very well.
It was a performance by a symphony orchestra Chi Wen liked. I had specially asked a friend for two tickets and nervously invited him to come with me.
I had even decided that if he didn’t want to go with me, I would just give both tickets to him so he could take whoever he wanted.
But Chi Wen said yes.
I was so happy my cheeks burned and I couldn’t stop smiling. Before we left I did full makeup, wore a pretty dress, and crammed music knowledge.
Yet somehow, unbelievably, I started to…
fall asleep…
Because I had been too excited the night before and only slept in the middle of the night, I was seriously sleep-deprived. Listening to the music, I actually dozed off.
Not just dozed—I fell into a deep sleep, completely unaware of anything, and my head unconsciously rested on Chi Wen’s shoulder for more than half an hour.
If the applause at the end hadn’t woken me, I might have started talking in my sleep the next second.
I looked at Chi Wen, who was rubbing his shoulder, and wanted to cry.
“Sorry… I didn’t expect I would fall asleep… Is your shoulder really sore?”
“It’s fine.” Chi Wen actually smiled quite happily. “Not sore.”
I felt annoyed and walked out of the concert hall with him.
But at the entrance, someone suddenly called Chi Wen’s name.
I looked around and saw a very pretty girl running toward us.
“Chi Wen, it really is you!” The girl looked surprised and delighted. “Did you come alone?”
“He Yi?” Chi Wen tilted his chin toward me. “Came with her.”
The girl named He Yi greeted me and asked curiously, “Hi, are you Chi Wen’s girlfriend?”
I was a little stunned and stared blankly at Chi Wen.
Chi Wen didn’t help me. “She’s asking you. Why are you looking at me?”
My brain was still foggy from sleep and working slowly. After thinking it over, I decided to be honest.
“No.” I shook my head. “Just regular friends.”
After saying that, I looked up at Chi Wen again, but he showed no expression and gave no reaction to my answer.
I lowered my head, feeling a bit disappointed.
He Yi didn’t ask any more. She turned to Chi Wen. “Did you drive here? My friend had something come up and left halfway. You can give me a ride, right? Our houses aren’t far anyway.”
My heart stung.
Their relationship seemed closer than I had thought.
Chi Wen looked down at me. “Is that okay?”
He Yi looked expectant.
So I said, “Sure.”
“Okay.” Chi Wen started walking. “Let’s go then.”
“Wait—” I called out to Chi Wen. “I suddenly remembered I need to go to the supermarket. You two go ahead.”
I actually didn’t want to go to the supermarket at all.
I just didn’t want to be the third wheel.
Chi Wen was still smiling, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. “You sure you want me to take her back alone? You’re really okay with it?”
“Yeah, yeah, it’s fine.” I waved my hand like I didn’t care. “Bye!”
“Fine.” Chi Wen turned and left. Before he went, he said one last thing to me:
“Su Lan, you’re really generous.”
I vaguely felt like I had done something wrong.
Because after that day, whenever I messaged him, his replies were very cold.
I was naturally slow to react and didn’t know what to do, so I stopped messaging him first for a while.
I never expected it to happen so suddenly—I heard Chi Wen was getting engaged.
I felt awful. Wanting to drown my sorrows like in dramas, I bought a few bottles of alcohol and sat in the yard drinking quietly.
When I was on the second bottle, a deafening “What the fuck” came from behind me.
I turned around and saw my brother’s shocked face. “You’re drinking?! How dare you! Have you forgotten how you threw up all over me after just a few glasses of red at your senior year graduation?!”
I: “…”
Su Qi kept going. “What’s so heartbreaking that you’re drinking? Don’t tell me it’s because Chi Wen’s getting engaged and you’re devastated haha!”
I: “…”
I: “Yes.”
Su Qi: “…”