Back then, Chi You and I were still in the honeymoon phase of our relationship. Honestly, I didn’t know much about who he really was beyond his name.

Those cufflinks were the nicest thing I could afford after months of pinching pennies and saving every single cent.

The day I gave them to him was the exact same day I was hit with the jaw-dropping reality of his family’s obscene wealth. It was his birthday, and he hadn’t just rented out an entire high-end venue—he’d invited a massive crowd of classmates and inner-circle friends. The whole place was dripping in designer labels and effortless luxury, the kind of money that made your head spin just looking at it.

The presents everyone else brought were from designer brands I only recognized from TV… or my dreams. Completely naive to how the real world worked, I had walked right up and presented my modest little box with quiet confidence.

As I stepped forward, a few people nearby couldn’t even bother hiding their disdain. Their eyes practically screamed, She actually brought THAT as a gift? But Chi You didn’t care. He opened the box and put the cufflinks on right then and there, acting as if they were the best thing he’d ever received.

Of course, the whispers behind my back didn’t stop. I caught snatches of someone sneering, “Talk about a downgrade for Young Master Chi.”

I forced myself to play dumb, pretending I hadn’t heard a word. But inside, I was finally realizing just how massive the gulf between us really was.

Later on, once reality knocked the rest of the romance out of me, I stopped dreaming. Rich vs. poor—it was two entirely different worlds. No matter how hard I tried, I could never bridge that gap.

So instead of throwing myself into a dead-end relationship, I chose to walk away. Going our separate ways was for the best.

Jiang Tian led me to the apartment she had rented for me beforehand. The moment I walked through the door, taking in the cozy decor and furnishings, my eyes lit up. “This is so my style! Thank you so much.”

She smiled and waved it off like it was nothing. “Don’t mention it. But… what’s your plan now?” She cast a subtle glance at Zuo Zuo, who was sitting quietly beside us.

I sighed. I tried to sound nonchalant, but a heavy weight pressed against my chest. “Just take it one day at a time. Whatever happens, happens.”

My gaze drifted back to Zuo Zuo’s face. His eyes, the bridge of his nose… every detail bore an uncanny resemblance to Chi You. Memories of the night we broke up came rushing back like a blast of freezing wind.

That night was the first time I had ever seen Chi You with bloodshot eyes. He looked at me, his voice raspy and raw, asking a question that seemed to take every ounce of his strength: “Why do you want to break up?”

I lowered my head, my fingers instinctively digging into the hem of my shirt. Then, I forced the coldest words possible out of my throat: “I just do. Why does there need to be a reason?”

The silence that followed was suffocating. After a long moment, Chi You gave a faint nod. His voice was soft, but it sliced through my heart like a blade. “Fine. Have it your way.”

By late that night, two bottles of liquor sat empty on the table. His hand gripped mine, refusing to let go. I didn’t pull away either. I just sat there in the dark, quietly soaking in the bittersweet ache of his every breath.

I don’t know how, but the air between us shifted into something heavy and intimate. In a single moment of weakness, I closed my eyes and softly pressed my lips to his cheek.

His breath caught against my ear, instantly turning ragged. Chi You opened his eyes, a gaze so deep and intense it threatened to pull me under. He gently took my wrist, applying just a fraction of pressure. With one soft tug, I tumbled right into his chest.

I froze for a split second. But then, throwing all logic out the window, I let my heart take over.

In a hazy blur of desire, both of us surrendered to a feeling we couldn’t even put a name to.

He was clumsy, but endlessly patient. I held onto his shoulders tightly, my nails leaving faint red marks in their wake as my body trembled softly under his touch. Afterward, I lay on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. I forced myself to rest for just a brief moment before scrambling into my clothes and sneaking out into the night.

On my way back, I stopped by a nearby pharmacy and bought a pack of morning-after pills. But once I got back to my apartment, I couldn’t bring myself to swallow them.

I never imagined that a single night would be all it took. A month later, Zuo Zuo entered my life.

Even though I couldn’t bear the thought of giving him up, the fear that Chi You might find out and take him away terrified me. So I packed up and left the city, moving to a quiet town nearby. I raised Zuo Zuo on my own in peace, and it wasn’t until he turned four that I finally built up the courage to return to Beicheng.

What Chi You never knew was that before any of this happened, his mother had come to see me.

That elegant woman had gently taken my hands in hers, her eyes filled with an unbearable mix of sorrow and anxiety. Voice thick with emotion, she had pleaded with me: “Yao Yao, I know you’re a good girl. But I am begging you… please break up with Chi You. Our family is facing a massive crisis. The Song family’s daughter, Song Li, has been in love with Chi You for years. If the two of them marry, our business can survive this. Besides, Chi You was born with a silver spoon—he doesn’t know how to endure hard times. Please, if you truly love him, leave him.”

Her words had felt like a dagger straight to my heart. How could I have said no?

Chi You belonged to a completely different realm—a world of high society, power, and prestige. He was meant to stand tall on a pedestal, head held high, untainted by the dust of the everyday world.

So for his sake, I stepped back, letting him walk the path he truly deserved.