In the taxi, Ye Yanxi stared at the huge photos hanging on the roadside big screen. The man was handsome and the woman was gentle and charming. It felt as if a heavy stone was pressing on her heart, making it hard for her to breathe.
Today was her birthday. Originally, her boyfriend Chu Beize had promised to celebrate it with her. Unexpectedly, early in the morning, the whole city was abuzz with the news that Chu Beize was engaged to the daughter of the He family, and the wedding was scheduled for the end of this month.
He just disappeared like this. His phone was unreachable and he didn't reply to her text messages. Ye Yanxi asked everyone around him that she could find, and the news she got was that Chu Beize had gone abroad and would return at the end of the month to get married.
This birthday gift was too "surprising". She still couldn't believe it was true.
The blue sky was cloud - free, and the sun was particularly bright today. However, Ye Yanxi's mood was as gloomy as if it was raining under a heavy cloud.
Watching the phone screen light up and then go dark, Ye Yanxi felt cold from head to toe.
Chu Beize had said yesterday that he would give her the happiness she wanted. Now thinking about it, how ridiculous it was.
If he didn't love her, he could have just told her in person. There was no need for him to avoid her like a snake or a tiger. She, Ye Yanxi, was not a woman who would pester someone persistently.
Even the in - car radio in the taxi was playing news about Chu Beize's wedding with the daughter of the He family. It was really a blatant irony. So many years of their relationship turned out to be so fragile. Ye Yanxi felt as if a big hole had been torn in her chest, leaving it empty.
If her mind hadn't been so disturbed, she wouldn't have impulsively stopped a car on the street and smashed the car window just now.
The familiar ringing sound came, and the phone screen lit up again. Ye Yanxi glanced at it. The words "Yanyan" were displayed on the screen.
She pressed the answer button wearily, and a familiar voice came from the receiver, "Xixi, where are you?"
He Chuyan and Du Guo were her friends she had known since childhood in the orphanage. They had a friendship of over ten years and could talk about anything with each other.
"Yanyan, I'm in a taxi. What's up?"
"Guoguo is treating today. Hurry up and come. Let's give him a good 'beating' at the dinner table."
"Send me the address. I'll come right away."
As evening approached, the city was filled with lights and songs.
Ye Yanxi, He Chuyan, and Du Guo took a taxi to the most bustling entertainment venue in City S to experience the so - called "life of debauchery".
In the private room, Du Guo, a tone - deaf karaoke king, was singing at the top of his voice. He Chuyan was grabbing the microphone from him, and the two of them were making a real ruckus.
Only Ye Yanxi was hugging a beer bottle and pouring one glass after another into her mouth. She was so drunk that her eyes were hazy and she was staggering.
Seeing so many empty beer bottles on the table, He Chuyan turned around and snatched the beer from Ye Yanxi's hand, looking worried. "Xixi, why are you drinking so much? You're already drunk!"
Ye Yanxi reached out to grab it back, shouting in a dizzy state, "I'm not drunk. Come on, keep drinking."
The other two then noticed that something was wrong with her today. They surrounded her and asked, "Xiaoxi, what on earth happened?"
On the LCD screen in the private room, there was a very affectionate song playing. On the screen, a couple was hugging each other tenderly on the grass. The gentle melody stabbed at Ye Yanxi's heart.
Suddenly, she burst into laughter, tears streaming down her face. "Chu Beize is going to marry another woman. I've loved him for so many years. Can't I be happy for him?"
Looking at her smile that was uglier than crying, the other two glanced at each other, not knowing how to comfort her.
Du Guo threw down the microphone, helped Ye Yanxi sit up straight, and scolded her seriously, "Xixi, you've done so much for him over the years. Is it worth it? I've advised you many times, but you just didn't listen!"
Yes, it wasn't worth it. Only now did she understand this truth.
Ye Yanxi was adopted by the Ye family from the orphanage. She always felt that her status was low and she wasn't worthy of Chu Beize. So she worked hard in every aspect and even learned taekwondo. She was even willing to follow him around and protect him in the future.
But in the end, that man still abandoned her. It really wasn't worth it for her to treat herself so badly.
He Chuyan was also very angry. "Xixi, if you want to cry, just cry. After crying, forget about that bastard. There are plenty of men in this world. Don't be sad for such a jerk!"
Ye Yanxi stood up shakily. It was hard to tell whether she was crying or laughing on her face. She pointed at her own nose and said, "Sad? Would I be sad for him? Who does he, Chu Beize, think he is... I've already forgotten about him."
Just as she finished speaking, she burped and staggered towards the door. "I'm going to the bathroom. Let's keep drinking later!"
He Chuyan wanted to go with her, but Ye Yanxi stopped her, insisting that she wasn't drunk.
It was okay when she was sitting, but as soon as she stood up and took a couple of steps, she felt dizzy. As she walked a few steps along the corridor, Ye Yanxi felt her stomach churning and that she was about to vomit at any moment.
So she quickened her pace towards the bathroom, but her legs felt like they were stepping on cotton and she just couldn't go faster.
Stumbling, Ye Yanxi lost her balance. She grabbed the person walking towards her and held on to his tie to support herself so as not to fall.
In a daze, it seemed that a hand had wrapped around her waist to steady her. Ye Yanxi was just about to say thank you when the stuff in her throat welled up. She really couldn't hold it back anymore.
"Ugh—"
She completely forgot that she was still holding on to the other person's tie. All the vomit landed on the man's chest.
After vomiting, she finally felt a bit better. Ye Yanxi's consciousness also cleared up a bit. Seeing the man in front of her all dirty, she felt really embarrassed.
Just now in the private room, He Chuyan had said that she would find a male escort for Ye Yanxi to relieve her distress. Judging from this man's well - dressed appearance in a suit, he should be a male escort.
Ye Yanxi apologized and took out two red bills from her wallet and handed them to the man in front of her. "Here, this 200 yuan is for compensation. The dry - cleaning fee should be at least 100 yuan, right!"