CHAPTER 1 ~ let's break-up

“You find a shady spot and wait there. I’ll be right over to pick you up!”

Wu Qi Qiong hung up the phone, wiped his hands with a dishcloth, and cheerfully went into the inner room to change clothes.

“She’s here?”

 Wu’s mom followed him inside to ask.While peeling the sweat-stuck tank top off his rough-skinned body, Wu Qi Qiong glanced at his mom with his big, round eyes, unable to hide the grin on his face.

“She’s here.”

Today was the first time Wu Qi Qiong’s girlfriend was going to meet his parents.The sun blazed overhead. Cicadas screamed hoarsely in the heat. Not far from the Wu family’s home stood a large trash bin. Every year around this time, its rancid stench would waft into the kitchens of all nearby homes. As Wu Qi Qiong passed the bin, a sticky ice cream wrapper clung to the bottom of his shoe. He stomped hard and scraped it off, sending hundreds of flies scattering in all directions.Yue Yue stood at the mouth of the alley, her face filled with irritation and impatience.As she saw Wu Qi Qiong approaching, she suddenly felt a surge of disgust. She wasn’t sure if it was because of the jiggle in his belly, the two stubborn tufts of hair poking up on his head, or that face, greasy and grimy from constant exposure to kitchen smoke…

“Let’s go, dinner’s almost ready.”

 Wu Qiqiong reached out to take Yue Yue’shand.She suddenly pulled away, her face hidden in the shade of a tree, eyes cool and unreadable.

“What’s wrong? Are you nervous?”

Wu Qi Qiong smiled warmly.

“It’s okay, my mom’s just a rural woman. She won’t make things difficult. She’s been excited ever since she found out you were coming—been looking forward to it for two days! Got up early this morning to buy groceries.”

“Maybe… we should break up.”

Yue Yue said.Wu Qi Qiong thought he’d misheard. He stared at her, dumbfounded, speechless fora long moment.

“The way we are now,”

 Yue Yue continued,

“it’s really boring.”

“Boring? I think it’s great!”

Yue Yue gave a bitter smile.

 “That’s you.”

With that, she turned to leave, but Wu Qi Qiong grabbed her arm.

“Yue Yue, we’ve been together for seven years. You can’t just say break up andgo. At least give me a reason.

”Yue Yue shot him a sideways glance

.“Does the seven-year itch count?"

“If it itches, I’ll scratch it!”

“Scratch your damn uncle!”

Yue Yue suddenly snapped. Her pretty lips spat sharpwords:

 “Don’t joke around with me. I’m not playing. Starting today, we’reofficially done. From now on, we’re just friends.”

“Why? Why break up when everything’s fine?”

Wu Qi Qiong was still trying tosalvage things. “Tell me what I’m doing wrong. I’ll change.”

Yue Yue rolled her eyes.

“Everything’s wrong. You’d need to be reincarnated.”But Wu Qi iong stayed stubborn.“I don’t believe it.”

“You don’t believe it? And why not?”

Yue Yue’s lovely face flushed red with anger.

 “I didn’t want to spell it out to spare your pride, but since you’re begging for it, fine- let’s talk it out.

”Wu Qi Qiong looked like he was all ears, sincere and ready to repent.Yue Yue took a deep breath and pointed at his double chin.“

Look at you. Since we got together, how much weight have you gained? Remember back in freshman year how slim you were? You were in shape!Now? Every step you take leaves a dent in the ground. Walking beside you feels like I’m walking a Tibetan Mastiff.”

“Didn’t you say back then that skinny guys don’t feel safe?”

Wu Qi Qiong protested .

“Yeah, I did,”

Yue Yue flung her bag onto the ground.

“But now you’ve got so much damn security, I could cry! Do you know? Lately I’ve been dreaming that there’s another woman between us - and I always wake up smiling.”

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